Long exposure portraits using a flash - Original photography and some tips

in #photography7 years ago (edited)

I really enjoy taking long exposure portraits. It's a fun photography party trick in a way, it allows you to play with light sources and allows your background to not be as dark. Yes it's a lot of hit and miss, you also need to think about your settings, every single lamp around, but just try around and some shots will work out. Also there is no extra overlay or anything in these shots this is straight out of the camera with some quick editing in Lightroom.

Let me take a picture and then wiggle my camera like crazy was the strategy for this first shot, actually that's how most of these shots there taken. I used a ~30 year old Kalimar AFZ 6000 flash pointed straight up. After a few tries it landed on this and I instantly fell in love with it.

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1.2s f/? ISO320 8mm 2011 Lithuania

If you are worried about sharpness look at these couple of shots. This is a handheld one second exposure in a fairly lit room using a 50mm lens. The sharpness stays around, it just creates a lot of ambient reflections softening the shot.

DSC_1146.jpg

1s f/2.8 ISO200 50mm 2016 Netherlands

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0.8s f/4 ISO200 50mm 2016 Netherlands

Some shots can just look messy like the one below. But it's all down to personal taste and again theses shots are really just hit and miss.

DSC_4172-2.jpg

0.8s f/? ISO320 8mm 2011 Lithuania

Got any questions shoot ahead, I'd love some more participation in the comments.


Camera: Nikon D90
Lenses: Samyang 8mm f/3.5 fisheye, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D


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Cool picture effects! Was there smoke in the room on the last picture or was that all effects?

Ye there was a smoke machine and many flashing lights. All shots are natural in their lighting.

Nice photos ! On your second picture you have like an overlay light. How did you do that ? Is that added in post-production ? Looks like you have the same effect on the third image as well.

That's the best part, there is no overlay it's all natural. Just take the shot with your flash and wiggle your camera catching glimpses of light, you'll want to avoid pointing it at lamps as that will just create straight lines.

Amazing! I love this kind of pictures! Maybe I sould try to do some long exposure filming with my juggling (Is it even possible?)

Oh definitely! That sounds like a great idea for a shot. Try around with different settings, you really need to experiment with these shots to get what you want.

I will try! =D

Can't wait to see it!