10 Tips for Shooting Action With Off-Camera Flash

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Authors Connor Walberg and Daniel Milchev are both published professional action photographers, and together run Action Photo School. A website dedicated to teaching all aspects of action photography. Whether you’re an established action photographer, or just starting to shoot action, Action Photo School is the place for you!



Popping off one or more flashes will make your action photos stand out from the pack. Often times, action sports take place in remote locations where few photographers are willing or able to bring their flashes. Use these tips to help you get flashes to remote locations, and to capture images with great lighting that other photographer’s are missing out on!

1. Instead of bringing a lightstand, try using either a mini tripod, or buy a cheap tripod with adjustable legs. With action you won’t often have a level floor to place a lightstand on. These cheap stands are lighter than lightstands too and will cut down on your packs weight.

2. Bring some plastic bags and rubber bands to place around the flashes if it’s getting rainy or you’re shooting in a muddy location, cut a hole in the front so that the bag won’t get burned by the flash.

3. Go low for the shot and use the flash as a fill for the athlete’s face since the sun will likely be above or behind them. This fill light will create a very pleasing image.



4. Plan ahead and think about the board, bike, basketball, etc.. that the athlete is carrying in relation to their body position so that your flash won’t cast a shadow of that object over the athlete.

5. Use a Pocket Wizard Mini TT1 to sync your flash above 1/250th with hyper-sync or high-speed sync modes. This will eliminate the blur that’s caused by slower shutter speeds. Can’t afford a radio? Check out tip number 8.

6. Midday light? No problem. Crank that flash up and get it in close to the athlete. Set the flash opposite of the sun and shoot from a 90 degree angle from the sun or the flash. This will create a very exciting look. It also works well to shoot from near the flash because the sun will create a nice rim light around the athlete, and can be starred out in the image.

7. You’ll probably have to get the flash in and out of the pack a hundred times on a shoot. Save time and keep the radio attached to the flash with Velcro or rubber bands.

8. No radio? Shoot with your flash (or on-camera flash) in commander mode (if it has the option) and fire a second flash. This also allows you to run the flashes in TTL mode and will usually have an automatic High-Speed Sync option. Just be sure that the IR receiver on the side of the flash is in line and will trigger before taking the actual shot.



9. Don’t overpower the sun. Fill flash should not be overpowering or it looks too unnatural. You can make it bright, but you don’t want everything else to be too dark. Ambient light is still your friend! On that note, try shooting into the sun and starring it out with f/16. The flash will fill the athlete and you’ll get an awesome sun star!

10. No idea where to place the flash? Since most shots look best when they include the athlete’s face, aim the flash head-on with the athlete (or opposite of the sun if it’s bright out). Faces give an image life and expression. Get the flash off to your side and try not to shoot with it right next to you. When flash is too close it creates a flat looking image.

Capturing action with off-camera flash is very exciting and challenging. It takes a lot of practice but when correctly used, will make the image a thousand times better. Experiment with your friends before you head out with professional athletes to learn how to use it correctly! Take chances and try unique angles and flash positions.