Easy Exposure - Topic: Flash Photography

MHP Mike on Flash Photography

Wed, 07 Aug 2013 10:24:31 -0700

Yup, flash will freeze motion regardless of shutter speed. Shutter speed also has no effect on how bright the flash appears in your image.

These were either .5 sec or .3 second exposure, the 2nd one I was zooming in during the exposure but before the flash fired (2nd curtain sync.)

easyexposure on Flash Photography

Thu, 01 Aug 2013 13:35:24 -0700

Flash DOES freeze the motion, because it is not influences by shutter speed - it is just fast burst of light.

How do you think I created this image, I showed you in lesson 2? How did I managed to get the background in motion and person sharp?

I used shutter speed on 1/15 sec and was moving my camera fast sideways and at the same time flash went on. The background was lit by ambient light, so it is in motion because of the slow shutter speed and me moving the camera. The person was lit by flash, which frizzed the motion.

So it all depends if you are able to cover the whole scene with flash or if background is covered with ambient light. Ones again, what ever in the scene will be covered with flash, will be frozen. What even will be covered with ambient light will depend on the shutter speed and the movement.

Also to be honest, I don't like to use flash during performances/concerts, because most of the time stage light is the one which creates the mood and don't want to overpower it with flash. The best for concerts is to use fast lenses (with wide apertures) and higher ISOs, instead of flash. Also sometimes you might not be close enough and flash is disturbing for performers).

Mandrake on Flash Photography

Thu, 01 Aug 2013 03:05:13 -0700

A fast shutter speed freezes motion. When you use flash you can have a faster shutter speed because you have more light.

chasmz on Flash Photography

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 19:26:02 -0700

Now that confuses me..

As per my co-photographers in our group.. Flash freezes the motion (Ms. Oksana second emotion)..

Actually I have no problem on freezing the motion because somehow I used shutter speed = 1 / focal length and that really helps..

Actually during events when I am using flash may shutter speed is 125 ~ 320.. depending on the available light and the distance between me and the subject...

The reason is why I asked the question is I want to know the reason why/how flash can stop the motion.. However as per comments shutter speed freezed the motion and not the flash... Kindly correct me if I am wrong...

I already reseached on this, unfortunately I cannot find any explaination on how flash freezes the motion.

Maybe I'm to slow to get the point.. hehehehehehehehehehehe

mscharff on Flash Photography

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 07:34:00 -0700

Like you Mandrake, I am somewhat ignorant on flash photography... so I may be way off and speaking out of turn, but my understanding is that the "flash" doesn't "freeze" anything... it is the shutter speed that "freezes" action. A slower shutter speed may blur a subject (just as it would taking it during the day) but the slower shutter speed allows more ambient light into the shot when using a flash while a faster shutter speed (from a light perspective) lets less ambient light into the shot where most of the light will come from the flash. But hey, what do i know?

I would like to learn more about flash photography and different things you can create... perhaps another idea for Oksana...

Mandrake on Flash Photography

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 04:59:09 -0700

Actually Oksana, I think the problem here is the shutter speed.
I, personally so seldom use flash that I remain basically ignorant on it's proper uses.

If in fact, the shutter does remain open for a rather slow 1/60th of a second,
could not incident light allow blurring from subject movement or camera shake?

If so, then the flash did not freeze the motion.

Mandrake.

easyexposure on Flash Photography

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 00:12:12 -0700

It all depends how far did your flash reached. It might not have reached far enough. Maybe you can post a few pictures, you had troubles with?

chasmz on Flash Photography

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 00:30:15 -0700

Based from that.. Can I use Aperture 5.6, Shutter Speed 60 (D7000 - I can change the sync speed of the camera and Flash), ISO 100.. during concerts (moving performers)?

I tried using that setting however some of the shots taken using that setting is blurred..

easyexposure on Flash Photography

Sun, 28 Jul 2013 15:32:44 -0700

Yes, flash does really freeze action, because flash's duration becomes your effective shutter speed. And flash duration is very fast.

chasmz on Flash Photography

Tue, 23 Jul 2013 19:46:06 -0700

Does Flash really freeze action or stop motion?

Kindly explaine me further..

Thank you.