Project 1

Take dynamic shots using the strobe effect of your speedlight

This stop-motion effect is created by a pulsing flash that fires lots of times during a long exposure, freezing the action multiple times as our dancer moves through the frame. Known as stroboscopic flash, it’s an interesting technique to try on any moving subject. All you need is a dark space, a tripod and a speedlight with a stroboscopic or ‘multi’ mode.

Timing plays a huge part here, and in three distinct ways. First there’s the timing of the flash – you can choose the number of flashes and determine how quickly they fire, so you’ll get varying results depending on the flash count and frequency. Secondly, there’s the timing and flow of the subject’s motion – actions that might look graceful in real time can result in a jumbled mess when used with the stroboscopic effect, so there’s a good deal of trial and error involved in nailing the pose. Thirdly, there’s the art of pressing the shutter button at the right moment – try shooting the same sequence twice and you’re likely to get very different results, as there can be dramatic changes depending on the split second that the shutter button is engaged.

It’s unpredictable, but that’s part of the charm. You simply won’t know what you’re going to get until you look down at the LCD after the exposure. But when the lighting, the posing and the timing come together in harmony, the results are worth it.