How to decide on settings for high-speed flash sync
A sequence of dance photos where I collaborated with Anna Russel, aka PoppySeedDancer. Anna is incredibly athletic in her explosive movements. Amazing experience to work with her. To freeze movement, I was in high-speed flash with the 1/800 shutter speed. Since HSS reduces flash output by 1-2 stops, and with the softbox attached, the flash output was reduced a lot to the point where it was just enough of a fill-flash.
Scroll through the images to get to the last two photos which are the test shots with which I confirmed that I was still getting useful fill-flash at those camera settings.
Camera settings: 1/800 @ f/4 @ 800 ISO
Flash settings: full power (to help overcome the limitation of HSS)
I knew that going in to HSS would limit the amount of light from my flash. Adding to this problem was that I wanted to use a softbox. So I immediately went to full power on my flash … and then only had to figure out the distance from my flash to the dancer. Remember, flash exposure is calculated with this acronym: PAID. Power, aperture, ISO, distance.
When going in to HSS mode with your flash, remember that the shutter speed now becomes a linear control of your flash power, just like aperture and ISO.
In retrospect, I could therefore have bumped my shutter speed to 1/1000 @ f/3.5 … or any similar combination of settings while using a high shutter speed to help freeze her movement.
Please check out this video tutorial about high-speed flash sync (HSS), and why you lose 1-2 stops of light immediately when you go into HSS.
Equipment used (or equivalents)
The pullback shots to show the position of the softbox with the speedlight. It is aimed up high for where Anna would approximately be when she leaps.
Two photos to show the effect of the flash – just enough fill flash to lift shadow details where necessary.
Related articles
- Camera & flash settings : high-speed flash sync & off-camera lighting
- Compact, portable off-camera lighting : Profoto A2 flash
- How to position off-camera flash
- Photographing with available light only
- Dance photographer in NYC, New York
What made you choose your Nikon DSLR gear (especially a SB-5000) over your Sony mirrorless gear for this assignment?
I thought the latest-generation of mirrorless cameras with Profoto flashes were good enough to capture motion.
This photo session isn’t a recent one, and is from before I switched to Sony mirrorless.
This also illustrates then that the thought process behind the choice of settings remain the same, across brand name and whether it is DSLR or mirrorless.