BMX

[MikeMcGowan]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3717751865_bbb5846b55.jpg (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3717751865_4d98f00b26_o.jpg)
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[bigjon0107]

The backgrounds are distracting, the biker does not really pop (4&5 are an exception)

[FZ1]

I like #1...I need to remember to try that effect someday.

[MikeMcGowan]

Thank you.

[khall]

Agree with Jon Eilts about the backgrounds

[Dunatic]

1st one is pretty epic though.

I like the lighting in that one

[BigB778]

Nice shots, I really dig the first one..

[TylerSwingle]

I would really like number 1, except all the way to the left seems like you put an extra frame in there. Where hes facing the other direction, To me it shouldn't be there.

EDIT: Nvm, it looks like a videographer. Still distracting though, and you're pictures are better than anything I could do.

[MikeMcGowan]

The backgrounds are distracting, the biker does not really pop (4&5 are an exception)
Agree with Jon Eilts about the backgrounds

What do you suggest I do next time? Different angle? Darker background? I can't really lower the shutter too much to rid of some of the ambient because they're always going really fast. I guess different angles would've worked better with some, but the riders request angles sometimes so I do my best to make it look good.

I would really like number 1, except all the way to the left seems like you put an extra frame in there. Where hes facing the other direction, To me it shouldn't be there.

EDIT: Nvm, it looks like a videographer. Still distracting though, and you're pictures are better than anything I could do.

Yeah he was filming, I didn't really mind him in the shot. Also didn't feel like clone stamping him out.

1st one is pretty epic though.

I like the lighting in that one

Thanks, and it was just sunlight.

Nice shots, I really dig the first one..

Thanks a lot.

[khall]

If thats the only location you can shoot at, it going to be very hard, a nice blue sky would have looked fantastic.

[MikeMcGowan]

If thats the only location you can shoot at, it going to be very hard, a nice blue sky would have looked fantastic.

I agree but not every spot they want to do something at is that open, as you can see in the pictures.

[bigjon0107]

What do you suggest I do next time? Different angle? Darker background? I can't really lower the shutter too much to rid of some of the ambient because they're always going really fast. I guess different angles would've worked better with some, but the riders request angles sometimes so I do my best to make it look good.


It is kinda hard to tell about the angle, i cannot tell what is around you if you move. But one way would be to turn the power up on the strobes and darken that background about 2 +/- stops below the rider

[penfolduk]

I like them, if was being super critical I'd agree with some of the comments about popping!

Out of interest what was your set up?


Phil

[24alpha]

Great shots! Captured perfectly!

[cccc]

Darken the trailer and building in no. 4

I like the angles (or lack thereof) because it shows the distance they traveled (in shots 1 and 6 especially)

However, if these were ads, you could always plaster a logo over something you didn't want to see.

[dev2k8]

Luv ur multiple exposures ! Pardon my ignorance but have always wondered how to do this multiple exposures blended into one pic like ur #1 thing....any advise/link??? Thks!

[MikeMcGowan]

It is kinda hard to tell about the angle, i cannot tell what is around you if you move. But one way would be to turn the power up on the strobes and darken that background about 2 +/- stops below the rider

The only thing I hate about shooting in broad daylight when using lights is that my strobes don't have that good of a flash duration. And their output at full power doesn't seem to be as bright as other ones.

I like them, if was being super critical I'd agree with some of the comments about popping!

Out of interest what was your set up?


Phil

Canon 50D, either a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, Peleng 8mm f/3.5 or Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, and three Vivitar 285hvs as strobes triggered by Pocket Wizard Transceiver IIs.

Luv ur multiple exposures ! Pardon my ignorance but have always wondered how to do this multiple exposures blended into one pic like ur #1 thing....any advise/link??? Thks!

I just do mask layers, and paint the images through. Works best if you use a tripod while shooting.

[bigjon0107]

The only thing I hate about shooting in broad daylight when using lights is that my strobes don't have that good of a flash duration. And their output at full power doesn't seem to be as bright as other ones.


What is their flash duration? Surely it is faster then the 1/250th you have to use to sync the flash.

And since you have multiple strobes, just position them in the same spot so it will act as one larger light to get the same effect, except with more light.

[MikeMcGowan]

What is their flash duration? Surely it is faster then the 1/250th you have to use to sync the flash.

And since you have multiple strobes, just position them in the same spot so it will act as one larger light to get the same effect, except with more light.

I'm not exactly sure, haven't been able to find that out. I use two Vivitar 285HVs and one Vivitar 285. The Pocket Wizards only let you sync to 1/250 so that's as high as I can go.

[srn_photo]

holy crap that is a huge drop.

[MikeMcGowan]

What is their flash duration? Surely it is faster then the 1/250th you have to use to sync the flash.

And since you have multiple strobes, just position them in the same spot so it will act as one larger light to get the same effect, except with more light.

So they're a lot better than I thought they were. Says the Vivitar 285HV @ 1/1 is 1/1000 of a second, so I guess it's the Pocket Wizards slowing me down.

[bigjon0107]

So they're a lot better than I thought they were. Says the Vivitar 285HV @ 1/1 is 1/1000 of a second, so I guess it's the Pocket Wizards slowing me down.

The pocket wizards are not slowing you down, it is the camera.

Read this:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171657

You just need more power from the light source to bring the ambient light down and make the rider pop more.

[MikeMcGowan]

The pocket wizards are not slowing you down, it is the camera.

Read this:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171657

You just need more power from the light source to bring the ambient light down and make the rider pop more.

I understand how everything works, but if I have Pocket Wizards that will only allow me to sync properly at 1/250, then I can't shoot faster than that. Causing possible motion blur and brighter objects in ambient.

Images can be captured at up to 12 frames-per-second, faster then any current DSLR. Ultra-fast microprocessors allow for top sync speeds of 1/250th-second for focal-plane shutters and 1/500th for leaf shutters. (http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/plus%20ii/)

Pulled straight from the PW site. I can go over 1/250 with a 580ex on camera, by simply pressing a button on the flash. If I can override it with an on camera flash, it should be a lot easier do it through a Pocket Wizard.

[bigjon0107]

I understand how everything works, but if I have Pocket Wizards that will only allow me to sync properly at 1/250, then I can't shoot faster than that. Causing possible motion blur and brighter objects in ambient.


That is why you stop down, using your flash's duration to act as the shutter speed. Doing that the ambient will only get darker.


Pulled straight from the PW site. I can go over 1/250 with a 580ex on camera, by simply pressing a button on the flash. If I can override it with an on camera flash, it should be a lot easier do it through a Pocket Wizard.

The reason they say that is because that is all the cameras could sync with at the time. If that were the case, the 1DIII syncing at 1/320th would not be getting the flash in the frame, at least not all of it.

[MikeMcGowan]

That is why you stop down, using your flash's duration to act as the shutter speed. Doing that the ambient will only get darker.

So what you're saying is use larger apertures and slower shutters, and let the flash duration freeze the motion instead of the shutter speed?


The reason they say that is because that is all the cameras could sync with at the time. If that were the case, the 1DIII syncing at 1/320th would not be getting the flash in the frame, at least not all of it.

I guess that's true, but I also read that if you use any speedlight that can do Multi, you just set the fps(flash per second, I believe it's called hertz) to really high so it flashes while each shutter opens, creating light in the entire scene instead of half.

[bigjon0107]

So what you're saying is use larger apertures and slower shutters, and let the flash duration freeze the motion instead of the shutter speed?

Dont slow the shutter speed. You are going to want to cut out the ambient more, so by slowing the shutter you are letting more ambient in. But other then that, ya, thats about right.

-Jon

[MikeMcGowan]

I think I got the hang of it now, I'm gona see if I can shoot faster than 1/250 with the PWs and see what happens. If I can I shouldn't have the bright background problem anymore. Thanks for the help.

[bigjon0107]

I think I got the hang of it now, I'm gona see if I can shoot faster than 1/250 with the PWs and see what happens. If I can I shouldn't have the bright background problem anymore. Thanks for the help.

Watch for a black strip at the bottom of your image if you do this. The cameras sync speed is only 1/250th and really wont go above that.

-Jon

[MikeMcGowan]

Watch for a black strip at the bottom of your image if you do this. The cameras sync speed is only 1/250th and really wont go above that.

-Jon

I remember seeing that a while ago, when using the 580ex with an off shoe cord. I was reading that if I use the 580 on multi mode with a single, I should be able to shoot with a faster shutter. Because it will be flashing while each curtain is open instead of just once when only one is open, causing the black strip.

[bigjon0107]

I remember seeing that a while ago, when using the 580ex with an off shoe cord. I was reading that if I use the 580 on multi mode with a single, I should be able to shoot with a faster shutter. Because it will be flashing while each curtain is open instead of just once when only one is open, causing the black strip.

If you are going to be using an off shoe cord, just put the flash in high speed sync mode.

Note: It does greatly reduce the power of the flash doing this.

[MikeMcGowan]

If you are going to be using an off shoe cord, just put the flash in high speed sync mode.

Note: It does greatly reduce the power of the flash doing this.

Don't have the off shoe cord anymore, but I tried out the high speed sync today with the 580 on camera and I noticed the output drop. I guess I'm just stuck with 1/250 for now on.