Camera and flash settings : high-speed flash sync & off-camera lighting
I recently had the pleasure of photographing a remarkable young dancer from Slovakia, Sara Sobolova, who was visiting New York on a 2-week long training event for ballet dancers. Her mom arranged for a photo session in New York since this is her first time here, and because, let’s face it, New York is a big deal! This is one of my favorite images from the sequences we shot in various spots in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Below is the pullback shot to show the lighting — a Profoto B10X flash (B&H / Amazon) on a monopod, held aloft by my assistant. The light modifier is the new collapsible Profoto 1×4 strip softbox strip (B&H / Amazon). I chose to work with this tall / narrow softbox for two reasons … I knew most of the photos would be vertical images. Also, I have worked in New York before on similar photo sessions, and the narrow profile of the softbox makes it easier to handle on the busy sidewalks, and when going through doors or up stairs.
When I work with a dancer, I always ask for a first example of the movement they intend to do, so I have an idea of the framing. I don’t want to be too wide, or unexpectedly cut the dancer off at the wrists. The next few photos are the test shots to get the exposure correct, and to balance the flash and available light. Then we start working!
Before someone complains about this photo — I took this on 6th Ave where they had blocked off the street for the Saturday morning market. I moved the one police barrier a bit so I could get a clean shot of her down 6th Ave. So no one was inconvenienced or in danger.
Camera settings and camera gear used
- 1/1000 @ f/2.8 @ 160 ISO
- Profoto B10X flash (B&H / Amazon)
- Profoto 1×4 strip softbox (B&H / Amazon)
- Gitzo tall monopod (75″) (B&H)
Decisions about camera and flash settings for off-camera flash
I prefer using a softbox over direct flash when working outside. For this reason, especially when working in bright light, I need a stronger flash than just a speedlight. Then I can use a softbox and not just bare direct flash. Here I used the Profoto B10X flash (B&H / Amazon) because it is so compact and light-weight. I had the flash set to full power in manual … because I was using high-speed flash sync.
The flash was on full power, because that’s generally how you beat high-speed flash sync with a softbox in bright light. (The global shutter on the Sony A9iii changes all this though.) Setting the flash to full power immediately in this situation gave me the best working distance between my subject and the flash. With lower power, the flash would have had to be closer to her. That’s generally tough to work around. So, full power! Max distance.
With a consistent distance between the flash and subject, manual flash is easier. And of course, I would have bumped my ISO higher if I needed a faster shutter speed (or more DoF).
Deciding between high-speed flash sync vs neutral density (ND) filters
I needed to be in HSS because I wanted the fast shutter speed. With that decision, the shallow depth-of-field of f/2.8 followed automatically. This combination worked in our favor though.
A neutral density (ND) filter would have given me shallow DoF, but the intention with an ND filter is to bring the shutter speed down to max flash sync speed (usually 1/250). But that shutter speed would most likely not have frozen her movement. So I needed that fast shutter speed that HSS would allow me.
Because HSS kills around 2 stops of light, I immediately went to full power so that I had a decent working distance.
Another photo from the same day. Here is Sara flying across 5th Avenue. Sunlight. No flash, because no one is running across the street with a softbox.
Camera settings: 1/3200 @ f/3.5 @ 500 ISO
Note the fast shutter speed. Even though I was panning my camera with her movement, I wanted that fast shutter speed to freeze motion.
Hi Neil
Thx for all your videos , I have learned a lot
I love your work and I have requested to follow you on instagram and Facebook
Quick qs , this other photographer did something interesting, can you please watch this short video and respond how do you think he achieved the phtotos of the bride on the staircase ? Thx again
Thank you for the kind words.
The link didn’t come through though. Send it to me via email?