Overcome 1/180s limit

[longko]

Since more and more Pentax bro/sis getting interested with strobist action, I guess I'll give the most basic way to overcome 1/180s limit.

The technique is flash frozen, nothing new. It's been around for a long long time. You basicly use the lowest ISO, narrow aperture (like f13-f22) and 3secs shutter. Then u MF and predict where the action u wanna frozen. Once that action takes place, u trigger the flash to capture that motion. Modern flash tends to be faster than 1/1000s and up to 1/10000s.

I'll use this person's setup as a guide.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/derrickh/2172820905/
Instead of cactus trigger, I'm using 2x SB-3000 slave mode and trigger with another weak flash manually (placed somewhere at the cactus position).

Here's what my quick setup gave me. I'd dropped ice into a shot glass. Background is a translucent light foam mat from Daiso. I'm using a blue color gel at the flash behind.








Have fun^^

[creampuff]

Super shots, especially #4.
Now you are our Pentax strobist si fu.

[longko]

Originally Posted by creampuff Super shots, especially #4. Now you are our Pentax strobist si fu.

No lah, I'm just a monkey that see what do what Anyway, it'll be fun to see all the Pentax bro and sis improving their photography. Who knows maybe in a yr or 2 there'll be a few local recognized Pentax photographers^^

[C.Lai]

Thanks for sharing this snippet of info.
I would like to take a picture of someone with the sun behind them, and underexpose for the sky, Strobist style. Is there any workaround for the 1/180 s limitation?

[longko]

Originally Posted by C.Lai Thanks for sharing this snippet of info. I would like to take a picture of someone with the sun behind them, and underexpose for the sky, Strobist style. Is there any workaround for the 1/180 s limitation?

Remember photography basic is all about ISO, Aperture, Shutter, Lighting and Composition.

So you want a darker sky, that light you cannot control. So what light can you control? the flash. We can also control how much light goes into the camera using A & S. So narrow aperture and fast shutter speed will reduced the amount of sunlight going into ur camera, this will make the sky dark. But you want a light source powerful enough to illuminate the subject or the secondary background, this is when flash(es) are required.

So in short. Set to M mode, ISO100, f11-16, 1/180s. Then off camera flash set to 1/4 or 1/2 power with an umbrella or softbox.

Edit:
While I'm at it, might as well give share how to seperate the subject from the background. You know those day shots where the model looks like he/she seperated from the background? What you do is add a head light behind the subject, and make sure the model covers it. The head light will be illuminating the back of the model (no not flash at the backdrop).

So in short. Set to Av mode, ISO100, f2.8-f4. P-TTL HSS adjust the EV, and place the head light 1 or 2 meter away and use maybe 1/8 or 1/16 power.

[C.Lai]

Originally Posted by longko Remember photography basic is all about ISO, Aperture, Shutter, Lighting and Composition. So you want a darker sky, that light you cannot control. So what light can you control? the flash. We can also control how much light goes into the camera using A & S. So narrow aperture and fast shutter speed will reduced the amount of sunlight going into ur camera, this will make the sky dark. But you want a light source powerful enough to illuminate the subject or the secondary background, this is when flash(es) are required. So in short. Set to M mode, ISO100, f11-16, 1/180s. Then off camera flash set to 1/4 or 1/2 power with an umbrella or softbox. Edit: While I'm at it, might as well give share how to seperate the subject from the background. You know those day shots where the model looks like he/she seperated from the background? What you do is add a head light behind the subject, and make sure the model covers it. The head light will be illuminating the back of the model (no not flash at the backdrop). So in short. Set to Av mode, ISO100, f2.8-f4. P-TTL HSS adjust the EV, and place the head light 1 or 2 meter away and use maybe 1/8 or 1/16 power.

Thanks Sifu for a prompt and illuminating response.
I visit Strobist and Flickr Strobist frequently, and am in awe of what these guys can do. But however, most of these people are from the C* and N* Camp, so most of what they write are skewed towards these hardware.

[longko]

Originally Posted by C.Lai Thanks Sifu for a prompt and illuminating response. I visit Strobist and Flickr Strobist frequently, and am in awe of what these guys can do. But however, most of these people are from the C* and N* Camp, so most of what they write are skewed towards these hardware.

I not gd enough to be shifu lah Anyway, don't limit urself. Just try to think in the basic of photography, you should be able to get similar effect with a little experiment

[dnaxe]

lovely shots!

(only just saw them)

very niecly done, longko - in the products thread too...

[longko]

Originally Posted by dnaxe lovely shots! (only just saw them) very niecly done, longko - in the products thread too...

Thx. Did some test shots with quick setup on the Sigma 28mm f2.8 mini-wide II^^ Not very well done, I should not had used the PP sheet below





The setup

[alanswan]

The doggy biscuits looks delicious....

[creampuff]

Originally Posted by alanswan The doggy biscuits looks delicious....

(Raps alanswan on the hands for daydreaming...) Oi, pay attention to the set-up lah! Not yet time to eat.

[P3ntx]

It is fun to watch these set up strobish.. it's quite cantoonic to see Dog foods being part of it, the ones made for human are actually quite boring ...

[longko]

lol I just grab what I have. The last time I used 2 strobes to support^^; then I discovered, I'm crazy cos there're risk of water

[alanswan]

More relevant question though.
How do you time the ice (or other stuff) drop with the flash trigger?
I'm thinking it shouldn't be too difficult to make a magnetic release and hook it up with the flash trigger.
Either that or I've been watching too much Mythbusters.

[longko]

Originally Posted by alanswan More relevant question though. How do you time the ice (or other stuff) drop with the flash trigger? I'm thinking it shouldn't be too difficult to make a magnetic release and hook it up with the flash trigger. Either that or I've been watching too much Mythbusters.

Use the info I gave in the begining of this thread, mirror up 2s, then u have 3secs to press the flash test button and drop the ice cube above at the same time. I used to think it as very complicated also

[alanswan]

Originally Posted by longko Use the info I gave in the begining of this thread, mirror up 2s, then u have 3secs to press the flash test button and drop the ice cube above at the same time. I used to think it as very complicated also

I saw that posting but wondering about the actual timing between dropping of the ice cube and pressing the flash button.
Especially you only get one try before you reset the setup and try again, considering it's a single exposure.

[longko]

Originally Posted by alanswan I saw that posting but wondering about the actual timing between dropping of the ice cube and pressing the flash button. Especially you only get one try before you reset the setup and try again, considering it's a single exposure.

U dun need to reset the setup. We are photographers, we show ppl what we want them to see Like the 1st few shots, I only show the top of the glass. For all u know, the bottom could be flooding with water For the whole glass, just have kitchen towel or rags ready to wipe off the surround water if needed. Sometime a shot with some imperfections, makes ppl related better, therefore looks more natural to them.

Most of our photography aren't for photographers, but for the masses. The better u relate with the masses, the better ur photography is. It doesn't matter if other photographers gave u tons of negative C&C Anyway these are just my views.