flash + slow shutter speed = me confused

Hi, I try to replicate that technique where you use you flash with a slow shutter speed on my t3i to get your model fixed but with motion blur around. However I dont find much info in the manual and I only get overexposed photos. (Im testing it by day in a dimmed room)

I though that when releasing the flash, the camera would compensate for it automatically... Why the hell does it gave me overexposed then? Should I turn the exposure few step down??

What is the rigth way to do this?

thanks!!

this:
http://digital-photography-school.com …07/01/slow-sync-flash.jpg
http://www.speedlighte​r.ca …-MVW_6598-900-500x333.jpg

What mode are you shooting in?

With what settings?

What type of flash?

You might want to use second curtain synch which allows your subject to move before the flash fires.

Mode AV or TV, What setting? lets say ISO 100, 1sec shutter at f10... Built-in flash.

I dont think the first or second flash curtain matter except for deciding in which way goes the motion blur. I use the first now because I can decide when to freeze the motion and then jerk my camera away. I might use the second for other use, when I dont want my subjects to notice I'm taking a photo until the flash goes.

What I want to know is does the camera adjust the exposure time when the flash is ON, avoiding overexposure, or should I underexpose the photo myself...

Im working now but will go home and test more tonight when there's less lights..!

thanks

Your flash, ISO and aperture will determine the expose of your subject. Use manual mode along with the guide number for your flash to achieve the correct exposure of your subject with the flash. The light trails and ‘blurs’ are determined by your shutter speed. Set it to a couple of seconds and you will start getting trails as your move the camera. Second curtain sync will mean the ‘reverse’ the direction of the trails. Having the subject as the beginning or end of the trail depending on when the flash fires.

Use a Low ISO so that the ambient light does not over expose your shot and instead forms a trail.

What part of the image is overexposed; the subject or the background? If it's the former, you need to dial your flash down. If it's the latter, your shutter speed is too long.

Turn the flash compensation down if your subject is overexposed.

Mmm from my daytime tests, the blurred background is way too bright. That mean the camera didn't reduce the shutter speed enough when I poped-up the flash or there was just too much background light. Now it;s darker, I'll try again.

Trial and error, here I come!

If the images you show in this thread are representative for what you got, I think the background is reasonably exposed.

Then if you want it different, you do of course have to set the camera to accomplish that.

The best way I've found to do this is shooting in manual mode. Set your shutter, aperture, and ISO to correctly expose the background out of the flash range. Then, add the flash, and use the flash compensation dial to correct the exposure of your foreground subject. The technique is called "shutter dragging" and if you search these forums with that term, you'll get lots of good info.

@apersson850: those are not my photos!!

@bsmotril: Excellent! This is exactly the kind of method I wanted. I'll search that term. Thanks!

Oh, I assumed so since you posted them and didn't credit anyone else for them.

Mmmm... yeah.. I just googled some photos... should I feel bad about it? It's an internet forum after all... not like if I print and distribute them...

Doesn't matter - you re-published them. I'm not going to file any complaint, but I can recommend linking to pictures that aren't your's in the future. Somebody else may be offended if you publish their images.

Earwax69 wrote in post #14803500
should I feel bad about it? It's an internet forum after all...

it's an Internet forum that has a specific rule against that very action... Shouldn't you feel bad about breaking rules in a forum from which you are seeking help?