I was wondering how this effect was done (link below), it looks like the pic was taken twice (first with some movement) then some PS effect put onto it but was wondering what? or if someone knows how its done. Here is the link for the pic
I have just been told it can be done by using a slow shutter speed, by the guy standing on the left of the frame for the majority of the exposure then on the right while the flash fired, How can this be done? would the flash be fired manually? and what sort of exposure time do you think it is
It certainly does look like a combination of long exposure and flash. The exposure is probably only a second or two, and the flash could be fired automatically or manually. It is most likely fired automatically, either at the beginning or end of the exposure.
Is that a new feature on cameras? I don't think I have that on my Pentax SLR or Can Digital cameras do this, one last question! "Rear-Curtain Sync Flash" Is this what it would be called on the camera????
If you could tell me another way to do this it would be great.
Can this be done on a digital camera?
I did the shot in my post using my G5, so the answer is yes. In that case, it didn't really make any difference if the flash was set to 1st or 2nd curtain sync, since the trails are all circular.
I'm not familiar with your particular camera, so I can't say if it has the capability to switch to 2nd curtain sync or not. If it doesn't, you can sometimes have your subject move backwards and that will give the same effect as 2nd curtain sync.
The problem with doing it in one shot is that the incandescent lights are much warmer tone than the flash, so if you set your WB to flash, the time part of your exposure will be yellow, and if you set WB to tungsten, the flash part of the shot will be blue. You can add the appropriate filtration over one of the light sources and that should resolve the problem though.
If you don't want to deal with the WB issues. You can use a tripod to take 2 images, one with flash and the other with ambient (tungsten) light. You can correct the WB between shots (if you shoot in JPEG mode) or later if you shoot RAW. Then, just combine the 2 images as layers and adjust the opacity of each until you achieve the desired effect (50% for each layer is a good place to start)
Maybe I should try to write a tutorial on these techniques, but I wouldn't know if anyone would find it worthwhile or if it has already been done....
I've never even heard of 2nd curtain sync or 1st, don't know why as I studied photography at college!
So this is all quite new to me, I just wanted to get back into photography as a hobbie, as I'm thinking of getting into Lomo photography //www.lomography.com/
But if you do ever decide to write a tutorial let me know.
Is 2nd curtain sync a common thing on cameras, and what is it normally used for???
It's also known sometimes as 'slow sync' flash. Basically you can choose a dark subject that wouldn't be captured without flash, move the camera around randomly to pick up trails from spotlights or whatever, then the flash fires at the end of the exposure (when you've stopped moving the camera around) and captures the rest of the image.
