Draggin the Shutter Question?

[Not4wood]

Laurie,

On the Photo Camel Site, there is a fast Tutorial on Draggin the Shutter.

I can understand everything that is done, even while testing my 283 I was getting great ambient light while playing but didn't know why I was getting it till I let the second curtain and flash let loose.

Since its outside Elements, I'm not sure if I can or will be allowed to link to it. Its a great tutorial about Flash/Ambient Light/Exposure. But here goes: http://photocamel.com/forum/weddings/26335-draggin-shutter.html



Now, I have only two questions to start about it:

First, I can understand the reasoning becuase of draggin or slower shutter speeds letting in ambient light. But from what I see, why are they basing everything on f:5.6?? While shooting flash, Weddings, Portraits, and everything else Flash, I have always shot at f:8 to keep more of the important parts of the shot in focus. Especially, trying to keep the eyes sharp in fast candids or just moving around shots. In a sense using Zone Focus.

Second: I can also understand moving the ISO up a few notches to 400 which actually lets the shutter speed able to go slower in these situations, but there was a question from somebody about upping the ISO to higher numbers. How does this effect the shot, and is there any fast rules to go by using this method and how would higher ISO settings effect noise while using flash combined with ambient because the noise will only usually be in the darker areas??

Its a great tutorial, and I highly recommend it for anybody that doesn't like to use flash. Flash has its purpose, and is a great important tool in our toolbox of equipment. But I hear about people not liking Flash, because they swear to go for natural and like the look. Well, I think this blows that theory now doesn't it??? :D

Oh, sorry I almost forgot. Using a slower shutter speed has another benefit: No black ghost shadow around your subject.................

[lexcell]

Mark,
When you drag the shutter using flash, you are combining ambient light with flash. The shutter speed you select determines how much of that ambient light will show in your image. The aperture you select determines the exposure on your subject.

So many things impact the final result...
-The amount of ambient light
-The ISO you select
-The aperture you select
-The shutter speed you select.

Faster ISO's let you shoot at faster shutter speeds. Or, slower ISO's let you slow the shutter speed down for a longer drag.

Smaller apertures cut back on the amount of light reaching the subject, wider apertures do just the opposite.

Slower shutter speeds allow more ambient light to bleed through (your PhotoCamel Tutorial shows this). Faster shutter speeds render the background darker.

In most situations, you don;t have alot of control over the ambient light so, you select a combination of aperture, shutter speed and ISO to achieve the creative exposure that communicates your vision of the scene.

[Not4wood]

Right, everything you just listed and explained makes perfectly normal sense and reason to me. This is why I'm confused.... :confused::p

You said in your message that:

|
|Faster ISO's let you shoot at faster shutter speeds. Or, slower ISO's let
|you slow the shutter speed down for a longer drag.
|


I and I would also assume most of us do the same, is when shooting normal indoor flash I shoot mostly something between ISO 100-200. Now, this tutorial is explaining that by speeding up the ISO to 400 and then draggin the shutter with 30th or even 15th of a second to capture ambient light. So this tutorial is saying exactly the opposite of what you just said. Speed up the ISO to 400 and use a slower shutter speed. :eek:

[Joe M]

Mark, yesterday I got a new book The Moment It Clicks by Joe McNally. In it he talks a little about Draggin the Shutter. If you are interested in light, light, and more light, and how it impacts photography. This is the book for you.

[Codebreaker]

Irrespective of using Flash there is a direct link between Shutter Speed and Aperture for a correct exposure. (I guess that's known anyway) This means that there are many combinations of these two parameters that result in a correctly exposed shot.

What changing the ISO setting does is move the range of these combinations.

file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Colin/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpgfile:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Colin/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpgThe attached diagram may help. The Brown band represents a range of Shutter/Aperture combinations for a correct exposure. By adjusting the ISO setting you move this range around.

For flash shots the guide number of your flash gun determines it's reach. Typically you place your subject within the range of your flash gun and all is well (hopefully). However, the background is further away and may not get enough light to pick up detail. In this case you can do one of two things - slow the shutter or choose a wider aperture.

Slowing the shutter is ok but the downside is any movement -including the subject - may result in blurring. A tripod might be needed.

Wide apertures reduce depth of field. In which case if you are trying to capture the background you may find the detail is out of focus.

So it depends on what you're trying to acheive.

Colin

[lexcell]

While what I said makes perfect sense, we don;t know what the exposure value was in their situation. Maybe bumping the ISO up allowed them to increase their shutter speed to 1/15 or 1/30 if the light was really low.

Colin has added some words of wisdom to think about as well.

And, I have to second Joe's recommendation on Joe McNally's new book...it rocks!!! Not only does he show wonderful images and tell the stories behind the image, he discusses what it took to get the shot. A must have for every photographer's library.

[Not4wood]

Well, look. Thanks everybody, I did know in advance this topic would cause a good thread to start so I wanted it to also take place here as well. Its just something else we have in our bag of tricks to get a better shot, or in a tight situation we have another trick for us to get the job done. LOL

As far as books go. It seems that the Photographic Library is full and my wanting some of these new books is also getting way out of hand. LOL I am now reading Brian Petersons book about Exposures. Another great book.

PS Laurie,
I must thank you. Thank you, Thank you, thank you. I just saw the link you posted over the other side for Moose. Wild Stuff. I still have a window open as I type this for the base camp. The funny thing is, I just read a note from somebody that after taking one of Moose's Classes, you will need a vacation.... :eek: I can understand him asking for someone to bring in about 30 shots so he could see where your at for his class. I have a problem with this point. I haven't touched my camera in about 20 years and am first getting back into it now. My portfolio is limited, and I am trying to update it now but I only have a couple of shots in it. I will have a great oportunity to get some great portraits in if I'm careful. But thats not what Moose wants to see anyway. LOL Wrong animal...

[lexcell]

My pleasure. I like to share other's great work as well as my own. We can all learn from each other just as we are doing here.