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Ive just purchased a Sb 800 and got to use it for the first time today on some bmxers

The problem I had was blinding them whilst they do their tricks...but my shots came out good

what can I do to stop blinding the poor buggers??

I tilted the flash head to about 45 degrees to try and allow for this but had to up the amount of flash used from 1/64 to 1/8 in the RPT mode

any ideas???

Hi Steve
did you try and use the white diffuser ? Also, assuming you were shooting outside, tilting the head up is sort of defeating the purpose....the light has nothing to bounce back off (which is why you had to probably turn it up).
Dialling it right back to 1/64 and using just as a fill-flash is probably your best bet, and trying to slightly change your aperture/shutter speed to let a little more light in (if possible), to help combat the less light from the flash.

But it's a great piece of equipment, isn't it ? I am constantly amazed by how well it performs. Certainly one of Nikon's strengths !

RPT mode is for multiple flashes within the one exposure... is that what you wanted?

Here is an example of my shots

The RPT fuction works a treat for these sequence shots

I used the defuser, but they said it still blinds them ... the reason I tilted the head was I seemed to get more of the concrete, when they get "Air" they wouldnt be highlighted...just the concrete would

Here are two examples at same settings
head not tilted

Head tilted


Like I said first effort with the flash, so pictures not the best quality...thats why they're so small

I think the reason you are blinding them is that it almost dark, by the looks of your pix? Not much you can do I would say - too little light and you won't see anything.

It does look like a situation that you could experiment with running the flash off-camera. Have you got someone who could hold it for you slightly to the side of where you are standing? That way, if the riders tend to glance at you (as most people do when they see a camera), the flash isn't directly in their eyes. It might also give a more interesting lighting effect
Unfortunately though, as has been said, if you want enough light to freeze the action, then you'll either have to shoot in the daylight, or they'll have to put up with the flash!
Try the off-camera idea, I think if you can get it to work, you'll like the results