Missing lights: When I took this picture not all of the lights on the house appeared in the photo. The string goes all the way across the house. In the photo, why do sections of the...

bug1

When I took this picture not all of the lights on the house appeared in the photo. The string goes all the way across the house. In the photo, why do sections of the lights disappear. I used a Nikon D3100 with a Nikon sb600 flash. The manual setting were 1/200 F/6.3 ISO 1600 do not remember the flash setting. In a photo with manual settings of 1/13 F/10 ISO 1600 flash full with -3adjustment all the lights are in the photo. Why did the lights disappear? Thanks

ftpecktim Loc: MONTANA

That is a strange one, if I had to guess,it would be the flash back on the snowflake confused the camera. Hope someone here solves this for you, has me curious too.

Curtis_Lowe Loc: Georgia

bug1 wrote:

When I took this picture not all of the lights on the house appeared in the photo. The string goes all the way across the house. In the photo, why do sections of the lights disappear. I used a Nikon D3100 with a Nikon sb600 flash. The manual setting were 1/200 F/6.3 ISO 1600 do not remember the flash setting. In a photo with manual settings of 1/13 F/10 ISO 1600 flash full with -3adjustment all the lights are in the photo. Why did the lights disappear? Thanks

The noticable difference in the two settings is the shutter speed. fairly fast in the first shot and seven (7) times slower in the second shot. It may be that the lights {LED?} switch on and off is sets too fast to see with the unaided eye but your fast sutter speed caught some sections in the off position. I have some LED lights that you can cycle on and off and if the on and off is fast enought you can not see the off with your unaided eye but a fast shutter would catch some of the off cycle.

Searcher Loc: Kent, England

Although the thumbnails are very small it is apparent that the two images were taken either from differing distances or differing focal lengths. Was there enough light to get a decent exposure on the first image?
I'm no flash expert but would a flash have any effect on the building at that distance? Seem to have caught the snowflakes OK though.

Just saw the response from Curtis Lowe, seems more probable than mine.

MtnMan Loc: ID

bug1 wrote:

When I took this picture not all of the lights on the house appeared in the photo. The string goes all the way across the house. In the photo, why do sections of the lights disappear. I used a Nikon D3100 with a Nikon sb600 flash. The manual setting were 1/200 F/6.3 ISO 1600 do not remember the flash setting. In a photo with manual settings of 1/13 F/10 ISO 1600 flash full with -3adjustment all the lights are in the photo. Why did the lights disappear? Thanks

If the lights are flashing and the shutter speed exceeds the flashing rate you'll only get some of them on. At a shutter speed slower than the flash rate you'll get all of them on at least once.

UP-2-IT Loc: RED STICK, LA

bug1 wrote:

When I took this picture not all of the lights on the house appeared in the photo. The string goes all the way across the house. In the photo, why do sections of the lights disappear. I used a Nikon D3100 with a Nikon sb600 flash. The manual setting were 1/200 F/6.3 ISO 1600 do not remember the flash setting. In a photo with manual settings of 1/13 F/10 ISO 1600 flash full with -3adjustment all the lights are in the photo. Why did the lights disappear? Thanks

You blinked ?

edgorm Loc: Rockaway, New York

kenm54 did it.

Al FR-153 Loc: Chicago Suburbs

bug1 wrote:

Why did the lights disappear? Thanks

I went down this road in explaining, a couple weeks ago.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-81814-1.html

Since then, and having done a little testing on my own, I think you will find that my post is fairly accurate. LED outdoor Christmas lights are blinking, even though you cannot see it.

Hope this helps for next year.

bug1

Must be the reason. Curtis Lowe poster that all so.I like the faster shutter speed as it gives better definition to the lights and color on the drummer boy. But I guess you can't have it all. Thanks

bug1

That makes sense. There is a pattern to the off lights. I thought it might have something to do with shutter speed, but did not know about LED lights.
Thanks

Joecosentino Loc: Whitesboro, New York

Slow shutter speed needed to allow ambient light to be recorded. The flash is lighting the snow flakes more then the house. Try using slow rear curtain with an f stop about 5.6 to 8. Aperture priority.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

The chances are the LEDs flash at the same frequency as the mains supply. In the US that is 60 cycles per second (50 in the UK), so in the US a shutter speed of 1/60 would be a good choice, especially if there was a mixture of LEDs and steady (i.e. tungsten filament) lights, since both would then photograph with equal brightness.