Kill the ambient light

That would depend on the strength of the ambient light!
 
Do you mean when using a flash? If so, turn the flash off first to pick your settings so that you are underexposing just enough so that everything is black (learning to use the histogram will be helpful for this). Then turn the flash on.

H x
 
The only way to kill all ambient light is not to open the shutter......

If your using a flash, the rules change though.....
 
Use the highest shutter speed you flash will sync to - typically 1/250th
 
Using the highest shutter speed yo can sync at is a great start, but you still also need to select a suitable aperture and ISO, and that really does depend on how bright ambient is at your location, Here's a little series of shots starting at 1/3" and speeding up to 1/80". You can see how the ambient light disappears as the shutter speed is raised.

@ 1/3, f/6.3, 200 ISO....
20100924_103302_5771_LR.jpg


@1/5, f/6.3, 200 ISO....
20100924_103243_5770_LR.jpg


@ 1/10, f.6.3, 200 ISO....
20100924_103225_5769_LR.jpg


@ 1/20, f/6.3, 200 ISO....
20100924_103205_5768_LR.jpg


@ 1/40, f/6.3, 200 ISO....
20100924_103147_5767_LR.jpg


@1/80, f/6.3, 200 ISO....
20100924_103124_5766_LR.jpg
 
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you obviously have to selct the aperture that will give you the correct exposure with the flash - shutter speed has no effect on that - merely controlling the ambient light. Use a meter!
 
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