Pet w/tree & flash - Help

[CherylL]

Expose for the ambient light (meter the background) using a slow shutter speed... but expose the subject (dog) using flash (aperture control / GN)

What would be the safest slowest shutter speed with pets moving? These were at 1/60. Thanks.

If the ambient light is low enough, the animals moving won't matter.... as it is the flash the will capture the animal, and very sharply at that. You can use whatever shutter speed is needed pretty much... dragging the shutter, as it were. You might want to use rear curtain sync if your body will do it, but probably not necessary.

EDIT>.. I should say... if your camera is on a tripod, the shutter speed wont matter! I keep assuming that things like that are obvious... need to quit doing that! lol!

I didn't use a tripod, but good idea for next time. So if I understand correctly I should meter the background & use AE lock? and then focus on the subjects and play with the flash for the correct exposure? Sorry, a really noob here.

 

[cgipson1]

What would be the safest slowest shutter speed with pets moving? These were at 1/60. Thanks.

If the ambient light is low enough, the animals moving won't matter.... as it is the flash the will capture the animal, and very sharply at that. You can use whatever shutter speed is needed pretty much... dragging the shutter, as it were. You might want to use rear curtain sync if your body will do it, but probably not necessary.

EDIT>.. I should say... if your camera is on a tripod, the shutter speed wont matter! I keep assuming that things like that are obvious... need to quit doing that! lol!

I didn't use a tripod, but good idea for next time. So if I understand correctly I should meter the background & use AE lock? and then focus on the subjects and play with the flash for the correct exposure? Sorry, a really noob here.

That should get you in the ball park at least... and I promise you will have learned some fun and useful stuff after you succeed!

Rather than using the AE lock.. I would just put it in manual mode... then you don't need AE lock. And to get correct flash exposure.. the flash will need to be in manual also...

 

[CherylL]

If the ambient light is low enough, the animals moving won't matter.... as it is the flash the will capture the animal, and very sharply at that. You can use whatever shutter speed is needed pretty much... dragging the shutter, as it were. You might want to use rear curtain sync if your body will do it, but probably not necessary.

EDIT>.. I should say... if your camera is on a tripod, the shutter speed wont matter! I keep assuming that things like that are obvious... need to quit doing that! lol!

I didn't use a tripod, but good idea for next time. So if I understand correctly I should meter the background & use AE lock? and then focus on the subjects and play with the flash for the correct exposure? Sorry, a really noob here.

That should get you in the ball park at least... and I promise you will have learned some fun and useful stuff after you succeed!

Rather than using the AE lock.. I would just put it in manual mode... then you don't need AE lock. And to get correct flash exposure.. the flash will need to be in manual also...

You know I almost put it in manual mode last night. I've been reading this forum for 6 months and practicing and tuts and watching the info on my photos and I maybe ready. Still have an aversion to try manual. Thanks for the pep talk.

 

[cgipson1]

I didn't use a tripod, but good idea for next time. So if I understand correctly I should meter the background & use AE lock? and then focus on the subjects and play with the flash for the correct exposure? Sorry, a really noob here.

That should get you in the ball park at least... and I promise you will have learned some fun and useful stuff after you succeed!

Rather than using the AE lock.. I would just put it in manual mode... then you don't need AE lock. And to get correct flash exposure.. the flash will need to be in manual also...

You know I almost put it in manual mode last night. I've been reading this forum for 6 months and practicing and tuts and watching the info on my photos and I maybe ready. Still have an aversion to try manual. Thanks for the pep talk.

Manual is the most precise way to use flash... TTL, and other sensor based exposures can vary quite a bit. In manual on the same settings, at the same distance.... flash is ALWAYS the same (assuming your batteries aren't dead... or some other wierdness!) lol!