Flash help wanted, please.

[VWGolf]

As you may know, I recently bought some Yongnuo flash triggers, also a Lastolite soft box that fits over my flash gun.  I've practised using both on and off-camera flash with very mixed results.

 

Photographing a children's party, where (some of the time) I could ask the child(ren) to look at me and stay still for a moment, I got some lovely portraits that I was very pleased with.

 

But photographing my kitten has produced very good and very bad results.   I have tried working in manual/aperture/speed modes with the flash on and off the camera.

 

I thought I understood that although I may have the time set to, say, 1/200 sec, then the flash at, say, 1/1000 of a second, would freeze the action of the kitten, who moves faster than the speed of light!

 

Does this freezing of action only occur if there is little or no ambient light?  It's driving me mad - he is a joy to watch when he's playing with his toys and chasing around the house, but I'm mostly not able to freeze him in action.

 

Any suggestions to help me sort this out would be most welcome.

 

TIA

[ChrisLumix]

The flash will cut itself off when correct exposure is reached. Meanwhile the ambient light also contributes to the final exposure - as you say, if there's enough of it, then it will light the subject too, including any movement.

 

I'd have thought 1/200 second would freeze your kitten though? If it doesn't, then try cutting down the effect of the ambient by using a smaller aperture and lower ISO. The more underexposed it would be without flash, the more the flash will become the main source of light and freeze the action.

[VWGolf]

Thank you, Chris - I shall try that out nex time  :-)

[Paul80]

Put the cat in the freezer for half an hour, that should slow him down 

[FUJI]

Put the cat in the freezer for half an hour, that should slow him down 

WHOA!

Go wash your mouth out.

FUJI