Ideas on photographing Spectromagic.

[civileng68]

I am requesting information from knowledgeable photographers on how to photograph Spectromagic.

I am using a Minolta DiMage Z5 with an added slave flash.

My dilema is:

1> If you use flash, you completely ruin the color and the floats appear as they would in the day, and you do not see any of the lights.

2> Typically at night you try to use a slower shutter speed to increase colors at night. However, with a moving parade, using a slower shutter speed creates blur.

3> I was thinking to use a very high shutter speed but am afraid that the photo will be very dark.

Any insights on how to effectively photograph this parade with the most color without blur?

 

[scorp111]

I am by no means an expert, and I have plenty of blurry Spectromagic pictures to prove it.

I too have tried adjusting shutter speed, because as you say Flash ruins the capture.

What I have heard should work better, is to change your F-stop or aperture opening to the widest setting, and then you can still use a fairly quick shutter speed. This is supposed to work with fireworks, but I think it would work with Spectro too.

(Although I have captured some pretty good fireworks shots adjusting shutter speed only, but obviously the focal point is much further away)

I plan to try this in April.