The Flash Photography Field Guide

Using Blur for Creative Effect

You don’t need to put the camera away just because light levels have dropped—even if you’re shooting action. There are many sporting events that take place at night, from cycling and skateboarding to BMX, and if you are armed with a flashgun, there’s a whole world of creative options available to you.

In fact, using your flash in low light can give results that you simply wouldn’t get during the bright daylight. A partially frozen subject combined with some lovely artistic blur can make for stunning shots thanks to a real impression of movement and bright colors that only a flash can produce. Fortunately, it’s not that difficult to do. The key is to carefully manage your shutter speed to get some blur, and to use ...