Lighting for a smoke trail shot, OnBoard Flash?

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n30_mkii

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Hi all, i've just tried experimenting with some smoke from an incence stick, but have failed to capture it correctly. I have Tried using the on-board flash on my D80 which looks dire, due to lighting up the black background.

I have just read a quick article that suggests using a long exosure and then firing another camera flash to light up the smoke, but I don't think that will work correctly for me.

I guess I need a remote flash of some sort?

any help or suggestion people can give would be great.
 
Ideally you want to light the smoke from behind and off to one side a bit. With the built in flash you're a bit limited but trying dialing in at least -1.5 stops of FEC to compensate for the black background.
 
Yeah I tried that and the results were not great TBH, i have thought about getting an SB600 for a while, and maybe this is best saved for when I do get it?
 
Use an arri with a snoot from above, no other light.
You could use flash but you need to shape it, mask it from flashing all over the place.
 
joxby said:
Use an arri with a snoot from above, no other light.
You could use flash but you need to shape it, mask it from flashing all over the place.
Click to expand...

I would shape it, i'm not sure what an arri is? I'm guessing a fixed light? If thats the case how would I obtain a quick enough shutter speed? Trying to get 1/200th or quicker ideally
 
n30_mkii said:
I would shape it, i'm not sure what an arri is? I'm guessing a fixed light? If thats the case how would I obtain a quick enough shutter speed? Trying to get 1/200th or quicker ideally
Click to expand...


Yeah, an arri is fixed, well you can use any bedside/table light tungsten lamp, and a cardboard cone with the end cut off to focus a beam of light.
Shutter speed, I dunno, 1/200th seems quite fast for smoke.
*nips off to investigate*
 
Yeah that the setup I tried using earlier, but trying to get a decent shutter speed without using high ISO is a nightmare. It was a desk lap with a 60 watt bulb i think. Maybe 200th is a tad overkill more realistic would be 100th/sec any slower and the movement isn't captured too well

Would you ideally have all other lighting turned off, with just the lamp? That's sort of what I was doing, with overhead lights on I wasn't capturing anything like what I was after
 
your right, these were 1/125th @ f/3.5 ish iso 400
they're not that good, it was a while ago, still, its easier to experiment with solid light.

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How were you achieving that sutter speed? Combination of just the lamp output and iso? Or were you using any other lighting? Flash etc
 
Trying to get 1/200th or quicker ideally
Click to expand...

You won't be able to get a faster shutter speed with the D80 using a flash as that is it's sync speed.
 
no flash, nothing but the arri....err...it is 500w tho...:bonk:
like I said, it was a while ago..
 
Is that also the case with an external flash? I know it is with the Pop-Up built in flash...
 
joxby said:
no flash, nothing but the arri....err...it is 500w tho...:bonk:
like I said, it was a while ago..
Click to expand...

Ahh, that explains it, I don't have anything quite that bright. I think for me the Sb600 would be a better option in the long run for the type of work I do....
 
n30_mkii said:
Is that also the case with an external flash? I know it is with the Pop-Up built in flash...
Click to expand...

It won't go above the sync speed with any type of flash, weather it be built in, flash gun or studio flash. The only way is to use continuous lighting. Have you thought about just using a torch or desk lamp. Some great effects can be created with cheap lighting.
 
n30_mkii said:
Ahh, that explains it, I don't have anything quite that bright. I think for me the Sb600 would be a better option in the long run for the type of work I do....
Click to expand...


Oh yeah, get an sb600/800, they're the bomb, opens up a new world of creativity that you cant reach with top glass alone.
I dont know why they did that, D70 syncs at 1/500th.
It just means you'll be a bit hit and miss with flash over 1/200th:shrug:
 
Snake Man said:
You won't be able to get a faster shutter speed with the D80 using a flash as that is it's sync speed.
Click to expand...

If there is no other light, the duration of the flash is the effective "shutter speed". Flash duration is extremely short: between 1/500th and 1/20,000th of a second.
So you can rest assured your smoke will be 'frozen'.
 
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