How to shoot nite scenes with people in th foreground?


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cnng121

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Jan 13, 2007
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Need some advise on the above scenario, if i were to take with flash, the background will turn out dark. How can i expose it longer to get the nite scene and then fire the flash later to fill the people in at the front? I am using the 5D, what type of setting shud i set for a delay flash? need help... thanks in advance.:):)
 

Need some advise on the above scenario, if i were to take with flash, the background will turn out dark. How can i expose it longer to get the nite scene and then fire the flash later to fill the people in at the front? I am using the 5D, what type of setting shud i set for a delay flash? need help... thanks in advance.:):)

hi,
is there a picture attached? can't see it though :dunno:
you said it yourself. expose it longer.
if using external flash, set it to 2nd curtain. it will fire the flash just before the shutter closes. :)
 

Sounds like you wish to activate the rear-curtain flash. I believe it's in the manual.
 

Alternatively, increase ISO meter the background to get the right setting, then shoot with flash...
 

Slow sync is the way to go. U need tripod. And if u taking human portrait, ask the person not to move. Otherwise, photo will turn out blur.
 

will rear curtain sync solve the prob? coz i tried (frankly nt sure if its front/rear sync) but the subjects turn out transparent! coz even slow sync, sumtimes the scene requires like 2-3 secs exposure. a bit difficult for the subjects to stay still so long lei.. any help on this?
 

will rear curtain sync solve the prob? coz i tried (frankly nt sure if its front/rear sync) but the subjects turn out transparent! coz even slow sync, sumtimes the scene requires like 2-3 secs exposure. a bit difficult for the subjects to stay still so long lei.. any help on this?
the subject has to stay still thru out the exposure, else use high ISO, if still can not, use photoshop cut and paste.
 

The main difference between slow-sync flash and rear-curtain flash is the time at which the flash fires. In slow-sync flash, the flash fires off first, at the start of the exposure. In rear-curtain flash, the flash fires at the end of the exposure. Since the subject has little movement, either solution is fine.

The problem, however, is that your subject will have to remain still for the 2-3 seconds that you mentioned. The solution is to up the ISO or to increase the size of the aperture such that the shutter speed may be reduced to a more reasonable time of perhaps 1/2 second.

For instance, if your original setting were
ISO: 100
Aperture: F/8
Shutter Speed: 2s

You can try a combination of upping the ISO and increasing the size of the aperture to
ISO: 400
Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/4s

Of course, this method assumes that you can up your ISO or to increase your aperture further... Otherwise, you're probably better off taking 2 shots and combining them in PS...
 

Well i you can easily detached your flash and put it to CSM mode.
The steps are as follows:-
1) Go to menu in your camera, under built-in flash, put it in CSM mode channel 3 or watever.
2) Open the built in flash.
3) Switch on external flash and put it to CSM mode. (channel must be same as what u configure in camera)
4) Place external flash near to the people in foreground. (direct and make sure flash is not caught in camera's view)
5) Lover shutter, not too slow and not too fast. Use trial and error to find out. (See whether background can be seen or not. Same goes for your apeture.. Cause tis way easier la for me to explain rather than do the math thing.. not my style.)
6) ISO can be around 400-800.

And you're good to go..!

Here is an example of a photo.
Surrounding Area is dark but background is lighted.
I used what i explained on top as an experiment and it worked.
Thus, im sharing what i found out with all. As im still NEW and yea.. Still learning!
So pardon me if explaination is a little noobish..! :(

For this shot, my external flash is placed on the tree, facing direct to us.
Taken with a tripod.
Oh ya and make sure your sensor on flash is facing your built in flash for it to
be triggered!

Picture is unedited. Straigth from camera.
Except the resizing. Quite bad picture after resize but
just want to share the lighting part. so yea..

Hope this helps you.

Newbie trying to help.. :( hehehe

EXIF on shot:
f/4.5
1/6 s Shutter
ISO 800
focal length 52mm on 18-70mm.

DSC_2721.jpg


EXIF on shot:
f/4.2
1/6 s Shutter
ISO 800
focal length 44mm on 18-70mm.

DSC_2740.jpg
 

hi. i don't think Canon 5D has a built in flash. neither the "Night" scene mode.
to expose the background more properly while flash is used to expose the foreground(people..for example), longer shutter speed would be needed (i mean longer than the camera set for you automatically which is about 1/60). it's also known as dragging the shutter. using "Manual" mode is more desirable imho.
you can visit this site for simpler explanation.
cheers.
http://www.planetneil.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/3-dragging-the-shutter/
 

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