High Speed Sync: Flash lighting on location

Paul C. Buff Europe
1 dec
3 minuten om te lezen

Photography is all about capturing the perfect moment, but sometimes lighting can be a challenge. Shooting outdoors in bright sunlight, for example, can make it difficult to balance your subject and background. Luckily, modern flash techniques like High Speed Sync (HSS) provide a solution. In this blog, we’ll explore how to use HSS effectively on location, with a behind-the-scenes look you can watch here: Flash Lighting on Location | Behind the Scenes High Speed Sync.

Behind the scenes movie

Get inspiration from other top photographers and learn about their setups and process. Take a look behind the scenes.

What is High Speed Sync?

Before diving into practical tips, it’s important to understand what High Speed Sync is. Normally, a camera has a maximum shutter speed at which a flash can fire correctly, known as the “sync speed.” If you go beyond this limit—say, to use a wide aperture in bright sunlight—parts of your photo may be improperly exposed because the flash and shutter aren’t synchronized.

High Speed Sync solves this problem by firing the flash repeatedly in rapid pulses throughout the entire shutter duration. This keeps the flash exposure synchronized with the shutter, even at high shutter speeds. For photographers, this opens up creative possibilities, especially in outdoor scenarios.

Why Use HSS on Location?

In the video Flash Lighting on Location | Behind the Scenes High Speed Sync, you can see a photographer shooting a model outdoors with HSS. The goal? To use a wide aperture for a beautifully blurred background while keeping the model perfectly lit, even in strong sunlight.

Without HSS, such a setup could be tricky: the background might be overexposed, or the subject too dark. Using HSS allows the photographer to:

Darken the background subtly so the subject stands out.
Illuminate the model with controlled flash for a professional finish.
Use a wide aperture to achieve a dreamy, blurred background.

The beauty of this technique is that it frees you from relying on specific times of day. Whether it’s morning, midday, or evening, HSS lets you turn natural daylight situations into creative, studio-like lighting conditions.

The Practical Setup

The video also demonstrates the behind-the-scenes process of an on-location shoot. Here are some practical takeaways:

Flash positioning: Use a softbox or beauty dish to create soft, even lighting on the subject.
Flash power: Start around 1/4 or 1/8 power and adjust as needed. HSS often requires slightly more power to compete with sunlight.
Shutter speed and aperture: HSS lets you exceed your camera’s sync speed, combining high shutter speeds with wide apertures for artistic blur.
Background control: Experiment with lighting the background separately; HSS allows you to highlight the subject without overexposing the surroundings.

By combining these techniques, you can achieve results outdoors that traditionally required a studio, creating images that are both dramatic and professional.

Benefits of HSS

High Speed Sync offers several advantages for location photographers:

Creative freedom: Use wide apertures in bright daylight without overexposing your subject.
Flexibility: Shoot anytime during the day, no longer restricted by harsh sunlight.
Professional results: Your subject stands out thanks to controlled flash, while the background maintains beautiful blur.
Compatibility with natural light: Mix natural light and artificial flash for artistic effects.

These benefits make HSS essential for portrait photographers, fashion photographers, and content creators who work on location.

Conclusion

Shooting outdoors can be challenging, especially in bright sunlight. With High Speed Sync, you can combine wide apertures and controlled flash, giving you full creative control over your lighting. The video Flash Lighting on Location | Behind the Scenes High Speed Sync offers an inspiring behind-the-scenes look at how professional photographers use HSS to capture the perfect image.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, HSS opens up new possibilities and proves that daylight doesn’t have to be a limitation. Experiment with your flash setups, play with aperture and shutter speed, and discover how High Speed Sync can transform your outdoor photography.