Combining Multiple Exposures (2)

Another object I tried a multi-flash exposure technique with was an old lathe in Cockatoo Island. Basically the lighting is crap in the workshop where the lathe is sitting so, providing you can lock the camera off on a tripod and set the aperture to a medium number (i.e. f5.6 or f8) and still get a long enough shutter speed to allow you to manually bang off a couple of flashes, freehand, you can make this technique work on anything. Note I say 'freehand'. The idea being that if the shutter speed is long enough, and you are paying attention, you can set the speedlight to Manual output and stand away from the camera and fire the flash into the subject at an acute angle to add drama.

For this to work I'd need a shutter speed of 1/8s, or thereabouts. This gives enough time to set the self-timer, move into position and have enough lag to press the speedlight's test fire button. In darker locations you need a longer shutter speed and then it becomes easier to pop in multiple flashes. Note I also said "choose f5.6 or 8". This is because this seems to be the ideal aperture for your speedlight. Any smaller (i.e. f16) and you'd have to thump out so much light, the effect might not be noticeable on the subject o r the capacitors would be so drained you would have to wait a minute for it to recharge.

So, set yourself up, use a good tripod,