Dang this 2nd curtain flash thing is HARD!!! Anyhoo... i think i now know how it works - but still gotta figure out how to make it work WELL, and then have to think of how to use it so as to result in a photo someone might actually want to look at... regardless - i am very glad to be finally taking a stab at learning what my speedlight can do :)
I need to learn how to use mine also, have been procrastinating. What is your learning source? I think you have got the action down right, will look forward to seeing your future attempts.
@maggiemae@northy Noerthy didn't mention that flash "usually" works the other way around. The front shutter curtains opens and the flash fires immediately. It is held open for the exposure time, and then the rear curtain shutter comes down at the very end. As far a showing light motion in particular, "rear curtain" will track where the light has come from, "front curtain" tracks where the light is going to. A classic use of "rear curtain" is tracking a car moving away from you at night time. The trail of red light leads to the car, whereas with "front curtain" the line of lights will be within your flashed subject shot at the very beginning of the motion.
If you find playing with cars at night is too difficult, go out with someone after dark and a flashlight (I guess torch in British speak), and have then walk (or run) across your field. Better, get your kids or grand kids to skate-board and the light will not jiggle up and down. You can also have them "light write" as they move. You will capture the writing backwards if they are facing you, or properly if they are facing away from you. I haven't tried much of this myself, but the first few attempts were sort of OK, nothing worth showing ,only a built-in flash. Your external speedlight should greatly extend effective distance and flash strength.
@newbie my learning source is the info in the challenge thread... link above... and the instruction manual for my speedlight ;p
@archaeofrog he's a wind up toy... so he was moving on his own ;p
@copperheadglass it is... altho' once you get the concept down it's more about playing with shutter speed and light to get the effect you want... lots and lots and lots of trial and error... well - mostly error!
@frankhymus yeah... i need to try this application of the setting... but my kids' patience is fairly limited on the best of days, so i kind of feel i need to know a little more about what i was doing before begging them to indulge me ;p
This is so cool. Glad you entered this for the theme as it made me smile straight away.
If it's of interest, Bryan Peterson did a quick tutorial on rear curtain flash: http://youtu.be/rl9yRJZtMA8
November 16th, 2012
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If you find playing with cars at night is too difficult, go out with someone after dark and a flashlight (I guess torch in British speak), and have then walk (or run) across your field. Better, get your kids or grand kids to skate-board and the light will not jiggle up and down. You can also have them "light write" as they move. You will capture the writing backwards if they are facing you, or properly if they are facing away from you. I haven't tried much of this myself, but the first few attempts were sort of OK, nothing worth showing ,only a built-in flash. Your external speedlight should greatly extend effective distance and flash strength.
@archaeofrog he's a wind up toy... so he was moving on his own ;p
@copperheadglass it is... altho' once you get the concept down it's more about playing with shutter speed and light to get the effect you want... lots and lots and lots of trial and error... well - mostly error!
@frankhymus yeah... i need to try this application of the setting... but my kids' patience is fairly limited on the best of days, so i kind of feel i need to know a little more about what i was doing before begging them to indulge me ;p
If it's of interest, Bryan Peterson did a quick tutorial on rear curtain flash: http://youtu.be/rl9yRJZtMA8