Photography News Issue 30 absolutephoto.com
67
Technique
1/4000sec at f/4, ISO 200
The gear we used
For this month’s Lighting Academy technique we used an Interfit S1 flash (£799), although it will work in a similar way using any flash with a high-speed sync mode. The S1 certainly has lots going for it (see our review in PN 27), including the aforementioned HSS mode that works consistently well. The flash can be used both from its chunky Li-ion battery giving well over 300 full-power flashes per charge, giving you lots of options on location, or through an included AC adapter in the studio. In combination with the Interfit S1 remote accessory (£80), the flash operates wirelessly up to 100m with full TTL (Canon E-TTL ll and Nikon i-TTL) metering, and there’s lots of power with a maximum output of 500Ws. Of course, the flash also operates manually and power is controllable over seven stops in 0.3EV steps (in TTL it’s calculated in 0.1EV steps for increased accuracy). The HSS mode allows shutter speeds of up to 1/8000sec to be used – depending on the camera. The S1 is has a solid build, too, with its casing made of aluminium rather than a plastic shell, but it’s still portable at 2.85kg including the battery. The head also uses popular S-fit style modifiers, so there are plenty of options there. For more info, head to interfitphotographic.com.
Indoor set-up Although it’s shot indoors, the picture at the top of the page uses the same principles as the exterior shot. It’s a bit easier to practise inside, so give it a try when you’re starting out with HSS flash. In this set-up, the backlighting comes from the natural light through the window, and the flash is used as the key light. In the behind-the-scenes shots you can see how the effect is created using a water spray instead of a hose or rain, so it’s easier to control (and avoids getting wet). With the 1/4000sec shutter speed underexposing the natural light slightly for a more studio-style look, the Interfit S1 remote is set tomanual mode, and camera’s flash sync speed set to 1/320sec Auto FP and finally the HSS mode’s flash power is controlled to correctly expose the orchid and the water – its lowest setting of 5.0.
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