Shutter Drag Photography

What Is Shutter Drag Photography?

Shutter drag photography is a technique that combines a slow shutter speed with a flash to capture both motion and sharpness in a single shot. The ambient light records movement and blur, while the flash freezes the subject at one specific moment.

The result you get is an image that feels dynamic and alive (lights streaks, motion trails, energy in the background) but with a sharp subject/subjects inside all of it.

You will see/can use such shutter drag shots mostly in nightlife, events, dance floors, street photos, and creative portraits, especially in low-light.

How It Works

Normally, you as a photographer try to avoid slow shutter speeds with a flash. Shutter drag does the opposite. Here is a little rundown of what is happening, technically speaking → The slow shutter records ambient light and motion, then the flash fires briefly, freezing the subject, → both exposures are combined into one frame. This means → you are basically capturing time before and after the flash fires, not just the instant itself.

Shutter Drag Tutorial

Let us take a look at how to actually do it ;)

STEP 1: Set Your Ambient Exposure First

Just like with whip pans (I covered those last week), shutter drag starts with ambient light.

• Switch to Manual mode

• Slow your shutter speed to let ambient light show up

• Start around 1/10s to 1 second, depending on the scene

• Adjust aperture and ISO until the background looks slightly underexposed but visible

STEP 2: Add Your Flash to Freeze the Subject

• Use on-camera flash or off-camera flash (whatever you have)

• Aim it directly or slightly off-axis

• Keep the flash power low to moderate (but experiment)

STEP 3: Choose Flash Sync

Want to read more?

Subscribe to themagazineforphotographers.com to keep reading this exclusive post.

Subscribe Now