Tag Archives: Slow Flash

Slow flash – a misnomer

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Michael Willems

Nikon calls it “slow flash” when you use a slow shutter speed while using flash. You engage this in semi-automatic and automatic camera modes (P and A) by pressing the flash button an turning the wheel until you see the … Continue reading →

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Dragging the shutter

Posted on October 2, 2010 by Michael Willems

A quick note for you today (and this is the kind of thing my students learn at length in my advanced courses, like the one tomorrow in Mono – there’s still some space). Every had your camera react unpredictably when … Continue reading →

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Flash consistency – a note

Posted on May 29, 2010 by Michael Willems

So you are surprised that your flash pictures always turn out differently and unpredictably, especially when using automatic (“TTL”) flash? Then this may help: A. First, worry about the background, ambient light: First, decide “should the background light do any … Continue reading →

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Off-camera flash kept simple

Posted on May 2, 2010 by Michael Willems

Sometimes it can be simple: off-camera flash can be really easy. Like in this student’s recent portrait: You can also see how nice the splash of colour is in the background, right? A matter of choosing manual mode with just … Continue reading →

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My "two stops" technique

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Michael Willems

Here’s a quick start tip for using flash indoors. First, set your camera to: Manual mode f/4 1/60th second 400 ISO Now check the light meter in your viewfinder. You want it to read about minus two if you point … Continue reading →

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Reader question

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Michael Willems

“Why are you in Manual exposure mode when shooting flash indoors?”, asks a reader. I thought that would make an excellent blog question. So why? Well, when I shoot flash indoors I have options. These include: S/Tv mode, which is … Continue reading →

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Family snapshot tip

Posted on December 23, 2009 by Michael Willems

If you are new to cameras, let me give you a quick tip for the holidays. When you shoot pictures of your family, use “slow flash” (enable “slow” on Nikon, or use Av mode on Canon)  and an ISO of … Continue reading →

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Pic of the day

Posted on December 1, 2009 by Michael Willems

Look at this recent newspaper picture of Elizabeth May, the leader of Canada’s Green Party: I shot that with a 16-35mm lens set to 33mm on a full frame camera. Exposure was 1/60th second at f/2.8 at 800 ISO, using … Continue reading →

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Event shoot

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Michael Willems

The other day I shot an event. So that meant dark light, high walls, hard to bounce. “Crisp” means “bright pixels”, so you will sacrifice some crispness when it is dark. Still – I never point my flash at subjects … Continue reading →

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So how did the 7D do?

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Michael Willems

I shot an event yesterday, as said. In a club. A challenging environment. More pics coming soon, but here’s one more, just to give you a taste of what a good camera and good glass can do. I shot with … Continue reading →

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