Comments on: An Explanation of 2nd Curtain Sync Flash (or Slow Sync Flash) http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash Discover how to use your digital camera with our Digital Photography Tips. We are a community of photographers of all experience levels who come together to learn, share and grow in our understanding of photography. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:58:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Herbert http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-201435 Herbert Sun, 14 Aug 2011 16:15:31 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-201435 can you use 2nd curtain sync or the slow sync into offset flashes? can you use 2nd curtain sync or the slow sync into offset flashes?

]]> By: liz read http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-130355 liz read Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:01:26 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-130355 Great stuff - rear/front sync - Is there some way to play this game when using long exposures - no flash? Or is the registration of movement consistent? Great stuff – rear/front sync – Is there some way to play this game when using long exposures – no flash? Or is the registration of movement consistent?

]]> By: Malta McG http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-102852 Malta McG Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:24:31 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-102852 Love the comment by Richarquis.... ...I'm also wasting loads of work time on this page! Actually, just got back from the camera store over lunch and was checking out a Sigma EF -530 DG Super flash to couple with my Canon 400D. Why am I buying a flash and researching second (or rear) curtain flash technique? Because I accepted a gig as nightclub photographer two days ago.. ...with zero experience in nightclub photography :) I'm a quick learner though, and tutorials like this are very helpful. Also, make sure to Google "nightclub photography" for a variety of pages and forum threads dedicated to this technique, with recommendations on f-stop, shutter speed, lenses etc... Great article, thanks. Love the comment by Richarquis…. …I’m also wasting loads of work time on this page! Actually, just got back from the camera store over lunch and was checking out a Sigma EF -530 DG Super flash to couple with my Canon 400D.

Why am I buying a flash and researching second (or rear) curtain flash technique? Because I accepted a gig as nightclub photographer two days ago.. …with zero experience in nightclub photography :) I’m a quick learner though, and tutorials like this are very helpful.

Also, make sure to Google “nightclub photography” for a variety of pages and forum threads dedicated to this technique, with recommendations on f-stop, shutter speed, lenses etc…

Great article, thanks.

]]> By: CDA http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-102151 CDA Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:39:49 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-102151 Nice article, but I don't think the pictures are the most representative ... you could've found some better examples. Nice article, but I don’t think the pictures are the most representative … you could’ve found some better examples.

]]> By: sarah louise johnson http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-97269 sarah louise johnson Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:04:45 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-97269 been wanting to try this for ages properly going to experiment more!!!!!! been wanting to try this for ages properly going to experiment more!!!!!!

]]> By: richarquis http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-89365 richarquis Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:29:47 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-89365 I hated using flash too, as it either made the subject too harsh, or, it ended up giving me a near black screen. The first mistake was being too close, the second too far, from my subject. As a consequence of the first, I'd overcompensated with the second. Then I discovered I could adjust my flash exposure (Another reason to read the manual and click on tutorials like these.) Since I discovered I could reduce that harshness, I could get nice and close to my subject, and get a more natural tone. Then I started reading about backing off and increasing the ISO to extend the flash range - something I still need to experiment more with. Now, getting better results, I've really started to enjoy using it. But this effect is by far the best thing I've learned yet. I need to practice timing and movement to get the right effects, and the most interesting shapes with the snail trails, but damn, what a lot of fun it is. This site is now bookmarked in my pc, and I plan on wasting as much work time as possible on it reading tutorials, and my own time implementing what I've learned. Thanks for making a slow day interesting guys. I'll post some examples when I've got a better technique down. I hated using flash too, as it either made the subject too harsh, or, it ended up giving me a near black screen. The first mistake was being too close, the second too far, from my subject. As a consequence of the first, I’d overcompensated with the second. Then I discovered I could adjust my flash exposure (Another reason to read the manual and click on tutorials like these.) Since I discovered I could reduce that harshness, I could get nice and close to my subject, and get a more natural tone. Then I started reading about backing off and increasing the ISO to extend the flash range – something I still need to experiment more with. Now, getting better results, I’ve really started to enjoy using it. But this effect is by far the best thing I’ve learned yet. I need to practice timing and movement to get the right effects, and the most interesting shapes with the snail trails, but damn, what a lot of fun it is. This site is now bookmarked in my pc, and I plan on wasting as much work time as possible on it reading tutorials, and my own time implementing what I’ve learned. Thanks for making a slow day interesting guys. I’ll post some examples when I’ve got a better technique down.

]]> By: Jeff Kontur http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-62566 Jeff Kontur Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:52:56 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-62566 Actually the reason (and I guess I should have made this clear above) is that with "ordinary" flash, the camera assumes that the flash is the primary light source. Therefore, it has total control over the light in the picture. With slow and second curtain synch, the camera assumes that the flash is supplemental to some other light source. Therefore, it has to measure the other light source and also measure the flash against it to determine the best output to use. Actually the reason (and I guess I should have made this clear above) is that with “ordinary” flash, the camera assumes that the flash is the primary light source. Therefore, it has total control over the light in the picture. With slow and second curtain synch, the camera assumes that the flash is supplemental to some other light source. Therefore, it has to measure the other light source and also measure the flash against it to determine the best output to use.

]]> By: wageslave http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-62537 wageslave Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:54:21 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-62537 Can anyone explain why the Second Curtain Synch needs a pre-flash at the beginning (supposedly to adjust intensity), but not the First Curtain Synch (i.e, the normal sequence)? Isn't the exposure (shutter speed, aperture and ISO) already determined before *any* flash is fired? Can anyone explain why the Second Curtain Synch needs a pre-flash at the beginning (supposedly to adjust intensity), but not the First Curtain Synch (i.e, the normal sequence)? Isn’t the exposure (shutter speed, aperture and ISO) already determined before *any* flash is fired?

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-44157 Jeremy Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:12:37 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-44157 I remember you posted a guide about this a year or so ago, illustrated with some really beautiful pictures. The samples here really don't interest me that much, but these ones were really cool. Slow sync flash seems to allow you to really experiment and get arty. I remember you posted a guide about this a year or so ago, illustrated with some really beautiful pictures. The samples here really don’t interest me that much, but these ones were really cool. Slow sync flash seems to allow you to really experiment and get arty.

]]> By: Lou http://www.digital-photography-school.com/an-explanation-of-2nd-curtain-sync-flash-or-slow-sync-flash/comment-page-1#comment-44013 Lou Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:42:13 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=4028#comment-44013 Don't worry about "calling me out". I want things to be accurate, not "according to Lou". I did associate dragging the shutter with slow sync, not 2nd curtain. I thought slow sync was just using a slower shutter speed, different from actual 2nd curtain sync. I did enjoy this article and all the comments. I use flash quite often. I don't really use the 2nd curtain function much but should experiment more with it. This is the first time I've looked into this web site and I did join and post some in the forums. Thanks for your work here. Don’t worry about “calling me out”. I want things to be accurate, not “according to Lou”. I did associate dragging the shutter with slow sync, not 2nd curtain. I thought slow sync was just using a slower shutter speed, different from actual 2nd curtain sync. I did enjoy this article and all the comments. I use flash quite often. I don’t really use the 2nd curtain function much but should experiment more with it. This is the first time I’ve looked into this web site and I did join and post some in the forums. Thanks for your work here.

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