Stroboscopic lighting question

[prakash_nair1]

<p >How would you guys recommend lighting the scene?</p>

<p >At the moment, Im only using one flash directly from the side of the player.</p>

<p ><a href="http://www.tiikoni.com/tis/view/?id=ff5d86c">http://www.tiikoni.com/tis/view/?id=ff5d86c</a></p>

<p >But sadly, only half of the swing is exposed.</p>

<p ><a href="http://www.tiikoni.com/tis/view/?id=dbb4672">http://www.tiikoni.com/tis/view/?id=dbb4672</a></p>

<p >Can I achieve a good dramatic look using just one flash?</p>

<p >Thanks.</p>

[henryp]

<p>IMO what you have is underexposed and would be more dramatic if you opened up half a stop or a stop. You could also add ONE pop from a 2nd flash at the very start or very end of the sequence from in front.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>I agree with Henry that the exposure(s) could do with half-a-stop more. I also think that the flash is far too close to the subject, giving quite severe falloff away from the flash.</p>

<p>My solution would be to move the flash round slightly to be more frontal, raise the flash power or camera ISO - or both - and move the flash further away from the subject than it was in the example picture. If you're at the limit of the flash's capabilities then you either need a more powerful flash or a second, optically slaved, flash unit.</p>

<p>Your example shows 7 flashes, over, I would guess, around a half-second shutter time. Therefore you should be able to set the flash to at least 1/16th power, 10Hz and 7 "pops" without stressing the speedlight too much. At ISO 400 with something like my old SB-25s that gives a GN (m) of around 16 per flash. You probably want the flash at least 2 metres away from the subject, so that gives f/8. And we don't really want each exposure to be full, so let's knock the aperture down at least a stop to, say, f/11.</p>

<p>The final aperture or flash power probably needs some experimentation, but it all seems perfectly doable to me. Unless you're trying to use one of those weedy disco strobes for the job.</p>

<p>BTW, you might want to get your model to keep his head a bit more still and keep his non-racquet hand in the shadow, or at least clear of where the racquet will finish up. It just doesn't look realistic as it is.</p>

<p>PS. You need to flag off the flash so it doesn't light the background too!</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

The reason why only a few of the racquet positions are showing up is that either your shutter speed is too short or or flash

recycling is not keeping up with the firing rate. If usinga battery powered flash use a fresh set of batteries or if possible an

external high voltage, high capacity battery pack. If using an AC powered light lower the output.

 

As Henry and RJ pointed out you need more exposure. If more light energy isn't available, increase your ISO, open up

your aperture, or possibly both.