Flash Photography - How To Guide
Discussion
I Came back from Le Mans and studied my night shots. All the pictures I shot using the flash cam out with over exposed highlights on the cars mainly reflecting badly off the decals and liveries.
Moved to slower shutter speed, 3200 ISO and turned the flash off. Came out with some nice shots.
Question is I really do not feel I've grasped the correct settings
and how to use my flash effictively. It feels very hit and more often miss.
Can the experts please share a few tips on how, when and where they use flash in motorsport photography. Especially the settings.
Any input would be much appreciated
Moved to slower shutter speed, 3200 ISO and turned the flash off. Came out with some nice shots.
Question is I really do not feel I've grasped the correct settings
and how to use my flash effictively. It feels very hit and more often miss.
Can the experts please share a few tips on how, when and where they use flash in motorsport photography. Especially the settings.
Any input would be much appreciated
+1 please. Mine weren't too good either!I don't do motorsports but know from general playing about that cars don't respond well to a single small light source, be it sun or flashgun. There are just too many shiny bits - I believe the phrase is 'specular highlights'.
You are working with two light sources, ambient light and flash light. If you leave the gear on auto, then the less ambient light there is, the more flash it will pour on to make up for it, giving the harsh results you saw. The trick to a lot of it is balanced/fill flash. You may have a setting to do this (TTL-BL if you shoot Nikon). Sometimes this setting will get it right; at other times you may need to apply compensation either to the camera's exposure or the flash power to balance things to your liking. For example, shooting weddings outdoors when the light is fading, even TTL-BL can make the figures look too 'cut out', so I use (eg) +2 on the camera and -2 on the flash, to even things out a bit.
However, even this cunning plan can be screwed by reflective decals and road signs, so in many cases the best answer is probably 'flash off' - as you did. In short, keep your eyes open and brain working, know your gear, and then you'll be able to figure out what to do on the spot.
You are working with two light sources, ambient light and flash light. If you leave the gear on auto, then the less ambient light there is, the more flash it will pour on to make up for it, giving the harsh results you saw. The trick to a lot of it is balanced/fill flash. You may have a setting to do this (TTL-BL if you shoot Nikon). Sometimes this setting will get it right; at other times you may need to apply compensation either to the camera's exposure or the flash power to balance things to your liking. For example, shooting weddings outdoors when the light is fading, even TTL-BL can make the figures look too 'cut out', so I use (eg) +2 on the camera and -2 on the flash, to even things out a bit.
However, even this cunning plan can be screwed by reflective decals and road signs, so in many cases the best answer is probably 'flash off' - as you did. In short, keep your eyes open and brain working, know your gear, and then you'll be able to figure out what to do on the spot.
Pretty much what John said. Cars are especially unforgiving of unmodified flash light, so when you can, don't use it and buy a faster lens
You can buy mini soft-boxes that sit over the end of the flash, but that buggers any of the E-TTL type metering so you'll have to get used to the manual controls, or balance it out with EV. Also, they eat light so your working range falls off quite badly
You can buy mini soft-boxes that sit over the end of the flash, but that buggers any of the E-TTL type metering so you'll have to get used to the manual controls, or balance it out with EV. Also, they eat light so your working range falls off quite badly
When this went up I stared at it for about 10 minutes
ETA, found it in Random Photos
ROADRUNNER3 said:
On the inside of La Source at Spa - 1/160 at f11, burst of flash, 24mm lens...
www.fluidimages.co.uk
There's also another one that I remember, it's the rear of a Porsche, but for the life of me I cant remember who posted it. I do remember thinking it was HDR, but turned out to be some nice flash workwww.fluidimages.co.uk
Edited by ROADRUNNER3 on Sunday 7th June 12:57
ETA, found it in Random Photos
trackdemon said:
Quick snap of a PHer's GT3 @ Bruntingthorpe
Edited by andy-xr on Thursday 25th June 09:49
The single best thing you can do to improve your flash photography is to GET THE FLASH OFF THE CAMERA. Joe McNally (who's blog and two books are absolutely indispensable in my view) uses the phrase "on camera flash turns your camera into a Xerox machine" to describe how the light travels directly to the subject and bounces straight back leaving everything looking flat, over-lit and boring.
Depending on your camera, there's a couple of methods of doing this. If you're a Nikon shooter you're in luck as all the modern SLRs have their incredible CLS wireless built in. If not then cheap eBay radio triggers will do the same job. A quicker and cheaper method is to just by a sync lead - even moving the flash 2 feet to the left will make a big difference - you can just hand hold it while you snap.
Add www.strobist.com to your daily reading list and hunt out their "lighting 101" guide. There's as much to learn with flash as there is when you first got the camera so don't feel bad for being overwhelmed at first.
Hope this helps
dumbfunk
Depending on your camera, there's a couple of methods of doing this. If you're a Nikon shooter you're in luck as all the modern SLRs have their incredible CLS wireless built in. If not then cheap eBay radio triggers will do the same job. A quicker and cheaper method is to just by a sync lead - even moving the flash 2 feet to the left will make a big difference - you can just hand hold it while you snap.
Add www.strobist.com to your daily reading list and hunt out their "lighting 101" guide. There's as much to learn with flash as there is when you first got the camera so don't feel bad for being overwhelmed at first.
Hope this helps
dumbfunk
dumbfunk said:
The single best thing you can do to improve your flash photography is to GET THE FLASH OFF THE CAMERA. Joe McNally (who's blog and two books are absolutely indispensable in my view) uses the phrase "on camera flash turns your camera into a Xerox machine" to describe how the light travels directly to the subject and bounces straight back leaving everything looking flat, over-lit and boring.
Depending on your camera, there's a couple of methods of doing this. If you're a Nikon shooter you're in luck as all the modern SLRs have their incredible CLS wireless built in. If not then cheap eBay radio triggers will do the same job. A quicker and cheaper method is to just by a sync lead - even moving the flash 2 feet to the left will make a big difference - you can just hand hold it while you snap.
Add www.strobist.com to your daily reading list and hunt out their "lighting 101" guide. There's as much to learn with flash as there is when you first got the camera so don't feel bad for being overwhelmed at first.
Hope this helps
dumbfunk
I understand the benefits and concept of 'off camera' flash, but the majority of these shots are panning with fairly weighty f200mm f2.8 lens on a fairly weight body EOS1D MkIII. So holding your right arm in the air with the flash whilst your left arm steadies the camera and lens doesn't really work me thinks. (meant in a humerous manour, not being flipant)Depending on your camera, there's a couple of methods of doing this. If you're a Nikon shooter you're in luck as all the modern SLRs have their incredible CLS wireless built in. If not then cheap eBay radio triggers will do the same job. A quicker and cheaper method is to just by a sync lead - even moving the flash 2 feet to the left will make a big difference - you can just hand hold it while you snap.
Add www.strobist.com to your daily reading list and hunt out their "lighting 101" guide. There's as much to learn with flash as there is when you first got the camera so don't feel bad for being overwhelmed at first.
Hope this helps
dumbfunk
Can you use off camera flash for panning shots ?
Yeah, I see your point - You'd need 3 arms to do that!!
In this case I guess it's down to reducing the effect of the flash by pumping the ISO to drive up the ambient light. The in camera flash would then act more as a fill than the main light.
There's a load of good links here that may help further http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php... and a complete article at photo.net here http://photo.net/learn/sports/overview
df
In this case I guess it's down to reducing the effect of the flash by pumping the ISO to drive up the ambient light. The in camera flash would then act more as a fill than the main light.
There's a load of good links here that may help further http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php... and a complete article at photo.net here http://photo.net/learn/sports/overview
df
smack said:
Shadytree said:
Can you use off camera flash for panning shots ?
You would have to setup/plan your shot first, and place a flash in position, and remote fire it with something like a PocketWizard. Not really an option at most events, unless you have accreditation and access.
, maybe a softbox on the outside too 
jon- said:
smack said:
Shadytree said:
Can you use off camera flash for panning shots ?
You would have to setup/plan your shot first, and place a flash in position, and remote fire it with something like a PocketWizard. Not really an option at most events, unless you have accreditation and access., maybe a softbox on the outside too Famous Graham said:
Or if you have a friend with you, you could position them a bit further away from you and have them hold the flash.
Most flashguns, ie ones you can detach and remote fire with a pocket wizard or similar, should be powerful enough to be marginally useful.
The only issue with off camera flash is sync speed, and what you're trying to do with the photo. I'm not sure how much better the (expensive) pocket wizzards are compared to the (cheap) ebay triggers, but I can sync at 1/250th at best before i start seeing the curtain. If you're trying to freeze the action, this is clearly useless for something so fast moving.Most flashguns, ie ones you can detach and remote fire with a pocket wizard or similar, should be powerful enough to be marginally useful.
andy-xr said:
When this went up I stared at it for about 10 minutes
as much as that is a very nice photo, I am skeptical that the flash has had any noticeable effect on itROADRUNNER3 said:
On the inside of La Source at Spa - 1/160 at f11, burst of flash, 24mm lens...
Edited by dcw@pr on Thursday 25th June 15:12
jon- said:
The only issue with off camera flash is sync speed, and what you're trying to do with the photo. I'm not sure how much better the (expensive) pocket wizzards are compared to the (cheap) ebay triggers, but I can sync at 1/250th at best before i start seeing the curtain. If you're trying to freeze the action, this is clearly useless for something so fast moving.
That's a feature of the camera, not the flash, isn't it?My 450D has a maximum synch speed of 1/200th of a second. It doesn't matter whether my 580EX is on the hotshoe or being triggered by my £9.99 Hong Kong special Ebay trigger, I can still shoot up to that speed but not faster.
Kermit power said:
jon- said:
The only issue with off camera flash is sync speed, and what you're trying to do with the photo. I'm not sure how much better the (expensive) pocket wizzards are compared to the (cheap) ebay triggers, but I can sync at 1/250th at best before i start seeing the curtain. If you're trying to freeze the action, this is clearly useless for something so fast moving.
That's a feature of the camera, not the flash, isn't it?My 450D has a maximum synch speed of 1/200th of a second. It doesn't matter whether my 580EX is on the hotshoe or being triggered by my £9.99 Hong Kong special Ebay trigger, I can still shoot up to that speed but not faster.
Very useful, for instance, when you're trying to capture you cat doing this indoors
:P
Kermit power said:
jon- said:
The only issue with off camera flash is sync speed, and what you're trying to do with the photo. I'm not sure how much better the (expensive) pocket wizzards are compared to the (cheap) ebay triggers, but I can sync at 1/250th at best before i start seeing the curtain. If you're trying to freeze the action, this is clearly useless for something so fast moving.
That's a feature of the camera, not the flash, isn't it?My 450D has a maximum synch speed of 1/200th of a second. It doesn't matter whether my 580EX is on the hotshoe or being triggered by my £9.99 Hong Kong special Ebay trigger, I can still shoot up to that speed but not faster.
1DsIII - 1/250
1DIII - 1/300
1V - 1/250
5D - 1/200
40D - 1/250
400D - 1/200
jon- said:
Kermit power said:
jon- said:
The only issue with off camera flash is sync speed, and what you're trying to do with the photo. I'm not sure how much better the (expensive) pocket wizzards are compared to the (cheap) ebay triggers, but I can sync at 1/250th at best before i start seeing the curtain. If you're trying to freeze the action, this is clearly useless for something so fast moving.
That's a feature of the camera, not the flash, isn't it?My 450D has a maximum synch speed of 1/200th of a second. It doesn't matter whether my 580EX is on the hotshoe or being triggered by my £9.99 Hong Kong special Ebay trigger, I can still shoot up to that speed but not faster.
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