How to shutter drag with flash photography.
Learning how to drag the shutter at your receptions is going to change your wedding photography game for life. What exactly is shutter drag? Those fun light trails you see in wedding photographers reception photos are created by “dragging your shutter”, or slowing it down.
Shutter Drag
/ˈSHədər/ /draɡ/
Term: Shutter Drag A Shutter Drag, also known as a Long Exposure, is a photography technique that uses a slower shutter speed to expose for dark scenes or capture motion of moving objects.
These vibey dance floor photos that make every reception look like a rager will bring in the wild and creative clientele we all want to attract. It’s easier than you think, and this Flash Photography Guide breaks it down in the easiest way.
There are 3 main components: your camera settings, flash settings and the existing light on the dance floor. In the flash guide we cover all about how to manipulate that existing light into different shapes to get shutter drag images just like this.
There are all different types of existing light you can use to shutter drag, but our favorite is string lights at outdoor receptions which looks a little something like this.
There is also a larger singular DJ light that create a thicker light trail that looks like this that we absolutely LOVE. If you have time grab your couple and stick them in front of any lights the videographer or DJ brought and play around with it to see what you can get! So what gear do we use to create the shutter drag effect? All you need is your camera with a hot shoe to attach your flash and preferably a wide angle lens. We cover all of the specific gear that Nicole and Abbi use in the guide!
The truth is when it comes to flash, there will always be technical issues that you struggle with on the wedding day, and we’ve got you covered. Have you ever been so frustrated because your flash won’t fire fast enough and you keep missing moments? We have a trouble shoot for that. Have you ever felt like all of your flash photos were blown out or underexposed and you have no control over the outcome? We have a troubleshoot for that. It’s all in the guide!
While shutter drag photos are super fun and your clients will love them, we don’t recommend doing it for the entire night. Always include some regular flash photos to mix in and give them a variety of party photos. The more drunk the bride and groom get, the more shutter drag we incorporate to match the vibe. LOL.
While shutter drag is a super fun way to up your flash game, there are so many different ways to incorporate flash at your weddings. Some of the other tips and tricks we cover include manual VS. TTL and when and why we use them, bouncing your flash, when and how we like to diffuse, creating softer or more punchy photos, the list goes on.
Flash has become hands down our favorite photos in our wedding galleries, which is something we never thought we’d say and we want you to feel the same! You can check out the guide here, and if you implement any of it into your next wedding send us photos so we can share and tag you!
Cheers!
Abbi and Nikki