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Stroboscopic photography involves firing a rapid burst of flashes to create a staccato effect that is well suited to sports, action or all sorts of moving subjects. Most flashes have a stroboscopic mode – even many of the most basic of Speedlights. But it can be a challenge to make the effect look polished.
• Read more: The best flash triggers for your camera
A common pitfall is to attach the flash to the camera hotshoe. This tends to result in rather bland lighting, with spillage onto the backdrop that dilutes the effect. We’re much better off firing the flash off-camera for directional light from one side. This brings its own challenges in terms of positioning and triggering the flash, and it all needs to be captured with a long exposure in the dark. In this project we’ll explain how it’s done, with advice on the best camera and flash settings for stunning sports shots.
You might have noticed with our tennis action shot here there’s more going on with the lighting than a straightforward one-light strobe. To complement the stroboscopic effect we’ve added in a second flash, set to fire at the end of our one-second-long exposure. This second light can elevate the effect to another level by lifting the subject from the opposite angle, resulting in a bold cross-lighting effect that freezes the subject in its final position.
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