Blurry Outdoor Portrait

Creative outdoor portraits with slow-sync flash

Techniques

24 October 2007 09:28

To create more adventurous outdoor portraits at night, try using this technique, known as ‘slow sync flash’. The idea is that you use fill-in flash to freeze part of the action or subject movement, then rely on a slow shutter speed – say, one full second – to record the background detail in ambient light and any subject movement as a blur, after the flash has fired and faded.

To use this technique, set the camera to aperture-priority (Av) mode, select an aperture of f/11 or f/16 and the camera will automatically use a slow shutter speed.

Ask your model to walk or turn towards you slowly, or even deliberately move the camera during the exposure for more extreme effects.

Results from this technique are unpredictable at best, so it pays to take plenty of shots and review your results on the histogram if you are using a DSLR.