Work Diaries - High Key Lighting & Slow Sync Flash

In this session, we shot pictures using the techniques high key lighting and slow flash sync. Before we started the session, I did some research on these techniques and I found them very interesting. The high key lighting method can be very useful when trying to show off a specific feature on a subject; I found that my subject's eyes stood out so I decided to focus on them. I found this very easy as the concept was quite straight forward. However, I noticed that the my subject didn't come out as white as I had expected in the pictures - I had to use Photoshop to really show off that high key lighting. Despite this, I really enjoyed experimenting with the different angles and the lens in order to capture my subject in different ways. When focusing on the slow sync flash technique, I found it hard at first to come with good ideas of showing movement, but once I started shooting and experimenting with the different speeds of the flash, which I kept on changing, it was interesting to see how the pictures would come out. I found that my subjects' movement had to be controlled, for example, they couldn't move too quick if I wanted to capture a strong movement. I also tried the idea of keeping my subjects absolutely still whilst movement is shown around them.

This picture is one of my best ones from the high key lighting shoot. This is mostly because my subject's eyes are highlighted, which is what I was trying to achieve. There is a strong contrast being shown between his facial features and the rest of the picture; this makes it clear where I want the viewer to focus in the photograph.

I really like this picture from the slow sync flash method I was experimenting with - I like how my subject is clear and sharp, whereas her movement is blurred and fading away. This shows the viewer exactly what her movement was and gives them an idea of how fast it was. The contrast between my subject's clothing and the pitch black background ensures that the viewer is not distracted.

In the future, I would like to use props or make up to really show contrast and show a different type of movement. This will allow me to experiment and see what the camera will pick up and how well it will do so. 

Straight Images - Slow Sync Flash

Contact Sheet - Slow Sync Flash

Image Bank - Slow Sync Flash

Slow sync flash is very similar to multiple flash; they both show the element of movement but is slightly different ways. One of the most common themes that slow sync flash is used is when photographing sports - this allows the viewer to see the different types of movement as well as the speed of the movement; the blurrier the photograph is, the quicker the movement. All three of the pictures above are photographs of sports, all using the exact same technique to show the movements; some are sharper than other, for example, the second picture has sharper movements, unlike the third, which shows graceful movements. This is done through the intensity of the blurred movements.

The fourth picture is different from the rest; it contains a still subject and a moving one. This adds diversity and excitement to the picture. It also has an interesting scene rather than a black background; this really engages the reader and makes them think about the picture. In the last two picture, colour is used on a huge scale - the movement is shown clearly and can't be missed.