Nikon D300, ISO 1600, 1/30 @ f3.5 and SB900

Continuing with the Panning Technique theme, from the last blog post, We’re going to add a flash to the mix. The purpose of the flash is to light the subject and stop motion in a night time setting.

Some modern electronic cameras include the ability to fire the flash just before the closing of the shutter known as Rear-Curtain Sync or 2nd-Curtain Sync. Your camera will need to have this function in order to achieve this effect (check your owners manual).

With the flash freezing the action of your subject, slower shutter speeds can be used to blur the background even more. But keep in mind, the shutter controls the available or ambient light exposure and the aperture controls the flash exposure. Adjust your ISO to give you a workable shutter speed and aperture that will give you a good overall exposure.

Nikon D300 with an 80-200mm f2.8 lens. ISO 1600, 175mm @ f6.3 1/200 sec.

I had the opportunity to get behind the scene at the local race track and get some shots during the morning training session.

This shot was taken using the panning technique in which one follows a moving object along a horizontal plane so the subject appears sharp and the background is blurred. In this example, I moved the camera in a left to right direction to keep the horse and rider in the frame.

Panning requires some practice to get the feel for how fast the subject is moving and what shutter speed will blur the background. Also, as in golf, follow through is key to a higher success rate. It’s important to maintain the horizontal motion as you click the shutter and afterward.