rear curtain sync, how do you do it???

I have seen these photos but never knew how they were done. Now that

I know what they are called could anyone explain how I would go about

shooting these. Im using a Maxxum 7.

Does your camera & flash have dedicated TTL, and have rear curtain sync ablities? Otherwise this isnt possible.

When a focal plane shutter operates. It has a pair of opposing curtains that both move to reveal the film to light. While they are moving,and when they stop briefly at full open. Light is allowed to pass through the shutter to the film.

When flash is brought into the mix. It must fire during the time that both curtains are completely opened. Normal, or front curtain sync fires at the beginning of this period. Rear curtain sync, fires at the end of the shutter's open period. The differences of course are the trails created by an open shutter. The trails fall in front of the subject with front curtain, and behind a moving subject with rear sync. The latter appearing more natural to the eye.

I'm not sure if it works the same on a Maxxum 7, I owned a 800SI. You press the flahs mode button on the control panel and turn the dial to select 'rear'.

When you take the shot (shoot something like 1/8th) the flash will fire on the second curtain. You'll have to practice a lot to get it right. Try panning the camera while taking the shot, or wait for your subject to move and then take the shot.

Make sure your flash doesn't light up the entire scene, but just you subject. That way only your subject will appear 'in focus' and the rest will be blurry.

Read the manual first.

Set the flash to 'rear' and then you shoot varied from f4 to f8 (depending on how much ambient you want) and 1/10 - 1/20th sec.

That's how I do it mostly, when at weddings.