In a message dated 12/13/2002 7:26:21 AM Central Standard Time,
olympus@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> I'm not sure how the flash sync works; but if the flash is only 1/500th
> let's say, am I basically shooting at that shutter speed due to flash
> exposure time length?
>
> Someone tell me what's the best setup for portrait photography when the
> lighting requires a flash, and I'm using a 90mm lens.
>
As I understand it, your flash sync speed of 1/60th, is really a function of
using a focal plane shutter. With such a shutter your film is exposed by
light hitting the film from a small gap in two curtains that travel across
the full length of the film. If you use a faster shutter speed, only part of
the film will be exposed by the light from the flash. Try it on something
you don't care about. Set your shutter speed at 1/250 and see what happens.
If you question is what do you do when in a studio where the ambient light is
not an issue from the perspective of exposure, books have been written on the
subject. I will tell you that you need to set your lights up to create a
contrasting lighting rather than the flat lighting produced by a camera
mounted flash, I will defer this question to those on the list with more
experience and knowledge.
If the need for flash is one you experience outside and is one of a need for
fill flash, I will offer a couple of possible solutions. Meter your ambient
light exposure using 1/60th of a second and then use a distance which will
produce an under exposure if the flash was your primary source of light (I
would have it be at least one stop under exposed and perhaps as much as 2 or
3). Another method I use is essentially the same, except I will take a clean
white handkerchief and secure it to my flash with some rubber bands to
demising the amount of light hitting my subject. I use two or three layers
of handkerchief material. Might look a little strange, but it works.
While on the subject of portraits, you might try using a very slight soft
focus filter with your portraits. These filters are not particularly
expensive unless you go for the Softar filters. I like your choice of focal
length for portraits and hope this has answered some of your questions. Bill
Barber
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