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Master Your Flash

Start with the basics to take full creative advantage of modern flash systems

MODES AND FEATURES
All flagship flashes and a number of more basic models offer specialty modes that will give your flash extra artistic license. Flashes provide a lot of leverage when working with motion blur, for instance.

Slow sync combines a burst of light from the flash with a slower ambient exposure for sharp subject details that employs motion blur in the background. Second curtain, or rear-curtain sync, refines the effect with a sharp, flash-frozen subject and a blurry background with a motion-blur effect that naturally follows the subject in the frame.

Most cameras have a maximum shutter sync speed set between 1⁄160 and 1⁄250 sec. At faster shutter speeds, a black band is noticeable in the exposure because the shutter curtains are exposing only a thin wedge of the sensor at the time of the flash burst, which lasts for a shorter duration than the total exposure. High-speed sync circumvents this problem by emitting a number of lower-intensity light pulses that will gain you faster shutter speeds and, consequently, shallower depth of field in well-lit situations.

Achieving faster shutter speeds also will give you the ability to lower ambient exposure levels in your image while exposing correctly for your subject with the flash, kind of like a neutral-density filter that will affect ambient light conditions without drastically changing the exposure of your subject.

TAKE YOUR FLASH OFF OF THE CAMERA
Off-camera flash is the first step toward giving your two-dimensional images a three-dimensional pop. Taking the camera off-axis reduces the familiar high-contrast, heavy vignetted look that's created by singular light sources with highly directional lighting. Sidelighting and angled lighting will enhance the contours of your subject, while bounced light will be more diffuse and natural.

This is why many flash models offer an internal bounce card, diffuser and swivel abilities for bouncing light from ceilings or walls. You still have to trigger a flash once you've removed it from the hot-shoe, and there are a few different methods to do this, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Optical infrared communication between the camera and flash is a common internal feature built into higher-end flash models by manufacturers because it also gives TTL abilities, though this requires a direct line of sight that's also limited by distance.

You also can use a simple camera sync cord (with TTL abilities) or a PC cord (which is more affordable, but lacks TTL communication); however, even with longer cords, your flash distance is severely limited by the tether length of the cord.

Wireless radio-frequency (RF) transmitters from Tamrac, PocketWizard, RadioPopper and others will give you the most leverage as you can control multiple flash units in groups at very large distances as well as through obstacles.

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