Failed experiment

[SmartWombat]

With the sodium lighting, I really don't think dragging the shutter worked

[daq7]

You know what, it is still kind of cool. The color is a bit hot, but the texturing in the front lights is actually very nice. Maybe crop it closer? Eh, I dunno.

[Frog]

I've been coming across this "dragging the shutter" term a few times lately so I looked it up a bit and understand that its an attempt to get some ambient light to balance with the flash.
Isn't that the same as using "fill flash" ?

[OldClicker]

I believe that 'dragging the shutter' is 'rear sync'. You use maybe 1/15 sec shutter speed to give some ambient light blur and then the flash goes off at the very end to capture the in focus subject. It puts the blur behind the subject which we interpret as motion forward. - TF

[Frog]

Ah! Thank you, OC! That makes sense. I guess I don't know since I seldom do motion shots, At least not fast motion.

[Canyon Hiker]

I believe that 'dragging the shutter' is 'rear sync'. You use maybe 1/15 sec shutter speed to give some ambient light blur and then the flash goes off at the very end to capture the in focus subject. It puts the blur behind the subject which we interpret as motion forward. - TF

Learn something new everyday around here. I had never heard that term before

SmartWombat I like the shot. Can you or oldclicker educate me on how it was done and the intended result, or a photo with an example would be great? Just one more thing I need to add to the list of things to learn...Gotta love it!!
Thanks

Darin

[Don Schaeffer]

why do you say that. It looks more like comedy but it's neat.

[Franglais]

It certainly doesn't look natural. I guess you were going for a nice rear curtain flash sync effect where the shutter opens, records a dim blurry image of the subject coming towards the camera and just before closing the shutter the flash pops off so you have the car sharp with speed streaks behind. Instead you've got light streaks all over the place, some of them going in the wrong direction. My guess is that you're using motor racing photographer techniques at the wrong time:

1. Eliminate the bollards front right. The flash has lit them up brightly because they are close to the camera and they are just a distraction
2. Don't pan. A lot of the bizarre misty light streaks have come from things that are actually immobile and that you've made move by panning
3. Don't zoom. I guess you've done this because the streak image of the drivers helmet is bigger than the one by flash.

In fact I'm not even sure that you've used rear curtain sync. Tell us how you did it. It's weird.

[OldClicker]

Rear sync with a zoom out? - TF

[Flybye]

No experiment is a failed one.

Now you know what to or not to do next time. ;)
It is just funny how the helmet and body were captured perfectly for his forward movement but the front of the cart makes it look like he is moving backward.

[Franglais]

I think it's a front sync with a pan but no zoom.

- There is obviously camera movement because the plastic bollards at the rear are streaked
- Follow the streaks of light coming from the car (chome on the front wheel, publicity on the front spoilers and the driver's helmet) and they are more widely spread than when the flash went off - the car was getting closer.

It must be front sync. The flash was triggered at the start of the exposure then the car continued to move closer giving the streaks, which camera movement has deformed (example: wheel chrome).

[SmartWombat]

No zoom.
Slow shutter with front sync, not rear sync.
Which gives the motion in the wrong direction as Flybye spotted.
That's my problem, not setting the flash sync.