Objective: learning about using slow shutter speeds along with your flash to create some cool effects.

When you photograph at night or at parties where it is dark and you use a flash, the background will sometimes turn almost black.  The flash illuminates the subject well but makes the background look like a dark cave.  The way to get around this is to do something called dragging the shutter.  It's a technique used a lot by wedding photographers.  It creates some very cool motion blur while also freezing the main subject.  Here's how it works...

Normally when you use your flash, your shutter speed is around 1/60 second or maybe 1/125th of a second.  Your camera will have a set shutter speed that it uses when you use the flash.  It is called the sync speed.  If you have a camera that allows you to use shutter speed priority mode or manual mode, you can set your shutter speed lower than 1/60th.  When you do this, the camera is able to pick up more ambient light from the background.  This gives you a warmer look with bonus detail in the background.

Normally if you have a slow shutter speed you get motion blur all over the image.  However, when you use the flash, that quick burst of light will light up and freeze the motion of the primary subject.  This is a great technique for active party shots.  I love to shoot this way when everyone is out dancing!

Many of the newer cameras have a special feature called "rear curtain sync" (flash fires at the end of the exposure).  If you have yet to experiment with it, look it up in your manual and try it out.  There is also the "front curtain sync" (flash fires at the beginning of the exposure).  Each one has its own look so try them out and see which one you like.

You can also drag your shutter without using your flash.  This is trickier because you don't have the flash to freeze the motion.  Generally speaking, going below 1/60th of a second will start giving you some sort of motion blur depending on your movements and your subject's movements and whether or not you are using a tripod.  You can pan while shooting to maximize the blur and produce some really cool effects.  Panning the camera across a scene, while using a slow shutter speed, takes any light source (bulb, window, candle, etc.) and turns it into streaks of light.  You can also twist the camera or move it in a circular motion or zoom in and out while the shutter is open.  All of these methods will create various light streaks and motion blurs.  The key here is lots of play and experimentation.

Hey, Halloween is coming up!  Lots of chances to take streaky, motion blurred and spooky images!  I would love to see what you come up with while playing around.  In the meantime, here are some shots from a wedding that I shot last fall.  These were shot with a 28mm lens at about F 2.8 and 1/20th of a second.  When I do this, I usually start dragging around 1/45th and see how that looks and go lower from there depending on how much blur I want.

In this image, she was still so there isn't any real motion blur but, as you can see, the background has a nice warm, open feel vs. the black cave look.

What I really love about this technique is that it gives the images a more lively feel.  You can see the movement instead of people looking frozen and static.

So, what's your assignment?  The next time you are shooting at night or at a party, try dragging the shutter!  Before you do it, grab your camera manual and see if you have the rear curtain setting and how to use it.  Everyone's camera has its own little quirks and settings.  On mine, I just set it at shutter speed priority.  I then use my flash in ETTL mode and play around with my shutter by moving it faster and slower depending on what I am trying to get.  

I hope that you will post links to your images in the comments!  Happy Monday everyone!