Technique - Slow sync flash

Slow Sync Flash 

What is slow sync flash?

Slow sync flash is a fancy term for using your flash with a low shutter speed. It helps you keep your subject sharp while capturing motion or a dark background.

•with a normal flash photo, the shutter is only open for a fraction of a second, so the flash is firing for most of your exposure.

•With a long exposure, your camera's shutter is open for much longer than the flash is firing - perhaps even several seconds.

•You can choose whether you want to fire the flash at the start or end of the exposure.

•Firing the flash at the start of the exposure is known as "front curtain" or "1st curtain". Firing it at the end is known as "rear curtain"

Examples of motion photography

Theory

The definition of shutter speed is:  

1. the nominal time for which a shutter is open at a given setting.

My Images

Shutter Speed - 1/60

Shutter Speed - 1"

Shutter Speed - 2"

Shutter Speed - 4"

Shutter Speed - 8"

Shutter Speed - 10"

Shutter Speed - 16"

Shutter Speed - 18"

Each of the photos above gradually increases in shutter speed. I asked the model to move in each photo so that I could create a ghostly effect within the image. 

The photos I have taken were in a studio. This was so I could control all aspects of lighting and camera controls easily. I used a tripod to take these images because when using a long shutter speed a tripod must be used in order to create an image that isn't out of focus because it will be impossible to hold the camera completely still for 18 seconds for example. I used different shutter speeds and gradually increased them to show how this alters the photos. I used an aperture of f/16 however as I increased the aperture I felt as though the image became over exposed so I decided to increase the aperture to f/22 and this gave the image the correct exposure. I used an ISO of 200 throughout the shoot because there was a spotlight used within the set up and I did not want the images to become too over exposed. 

Evaluation 

I feel as though I now understand a lot better how shutter speed works in relation to other settings on the camera. 

When taking the photos I did expect there to be a larger difference in the images that used shutter speeds of 1, 2 and 4 seconds. This was not the case and it wasn't until the shutter speed was increased to 8 seconds did I begin to see a real difference in how the image turned out. I feel as though this will help me in my  future photography when I want to use shutter speed to capture motion because I am now more aware of shutter speeds I should use in relation to the effect I want to create. 

Progression

I feel as though I can use this technique in my future projects. For my personal investigation I believe I could use this to capture motion of nature, for example capture the motion of trees in the wind. Although I think this technique is easier to apply to portraiture photography and man made objects like cars and bikes, I do believe I can attempt to use this technique in my investigation.