High Speed Sync Flash: Out of focus or disappearing background

by Stanley LearyOff Camera Flash
This is my wife who is a wonderful model.

To get this photo of my wife Dorie, I used a Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.4 lens and used my hot shoe Nikon SB-900 to help light her for the photo.

Here you can see the setup. A Nikon SB-900 on PocketWizard Flex TT5, which is held on to the Manfrotto 5001B Nano Black Light Stand with a Manfrotto 175F Justin Spring Clamp with Flash Shoe.  I am using a shoot through white umbrella to spread the light more evenly. To trigger the flash from the camera I am using the PocketWizard Mini TT1 with the AC3 to control the flash output in the TTL mode. photo by: Chelle Leary

First

Nikon D4, 28-300mm (40mm), ƒ/16, 1/100, ISO 1250

This is the typical starting point with photos outside using the sunny ƒ/16 rule.  As you can see my wife is in the shade and the background is in the sun.  The problems with this photo are that the light on the background is brighter than my intended subject and also sharp and draws your attention away.

Second

Nikon D4, 28-300mm (40mm), ƒ/16, 1/100, ISO 100, Flash at +2 TTL

To solve the brightness of the background I used the simple sunny ƒ/16 rule. I shot at ISO 100 at 1/100 and ƒ/16, which darkened the background significantly.  Now if you like seeing all the sharp detail in the background this just might work. However, I want more attention on my wife and not the background.

Third

Nikon D4, 85mm, ƒ/1.4, 1/1600, ISO 1600

I switched to the 85mm ƒ/1.4 to get that bokeh I like. Bokeh (Japanese) has been defined as “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.” When I shot it without flash it looks fairly OK, but the background again draws your eye away from her face.

Nikon D4, 85mm, ƒ/1.4, 1/1600, ISO 3200, Flash +2 TTL

As you can see by adding the flash a couple things happen. Better light on her face the color temperature is a lot better.  The flash helps to match the sunlight in the background.


Fourth

Nikon D4, 85mm, ƒ/1.4, 1/500, ISO 100, Flash 0 TTL

I decided to have my wife move just a little until most of the background was now in the shade. The background is not all that bright.

Make the background disappear

Nikon D4, 85mm, ƒ/16, 1/60, ISO 100, Flash 0 TTL

If you take the overall exposure down as I did here, shooting at ƒ/16 doesn’t really make a difference on a background that is now extremely dark.