photographing cyclists at night

[Mattpitts74]

I am a part time sports and events photography here in the UK, I mostly shoot charity sporting events such as cycling and running. I have been asked to do a photoshoot of cycling at night, but I'm a little unsure as the best way to achieve good results.

I have used Speedlights and HSS in dark woodlands before with some success. I have tried shooting at night, with limited success, just using a speed light slow sync and dragging the shutter. But I'm thinking if I have higher powered flash, I can use HSS and increase my shutter speed to get better results. The other trickly thing I found was being able to focus when there is only a small amount of light from street lighting.

I am looking to hire the Elinchrom ELB 400 or similar, but I'm unsure of the best way to shoot, should I be using HS or slow sync? Or would I be better off underexposing before its truly dark with flash to create the elusion of it being dark?

I would really value some advice on the best way to approach this shoot from anyone with more experience than myself.

 

[Mozthecat]

Hmmm if you blinded me unexpectedly in the dark with flash whilst on my bike I may not be greatly amused...the mention of streetlights suggests this is on street rather than a track of some sort?

 

[Mattpitts74]

Hmmm if you blinded me unexpectedly in the dark with flash whilst on my bike I may not be greatly amused...the mention of streetlights suggests this is on street rather than a track of some sort?

I agree, and yes the shoot is in Blackpool along the seafront, with the aim of catching the illuminations and cyclist, so there is some ambient light there already. When I tried before my biggest issue was the slow refresh of the speedlite and missing focus.

 

[KIPAX]

Blackpool seafront while the illuminations are on? Personally I would shoot without flash.....is your camera good at high ISO ?

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Hmmm if you blinded me unexpectedly in the dark with flash whilst on my bike I may not be greatly amused...the mention of streetlights suggests this is on street rather than a track of some sort?

Indeed. Doesn't strike me as a way to win friends and sell pictures.

 

[huffy]

I wonder if off camera flash could be a way to go. I remember seeing a pro photographer at a "Tour series" race in Colchester with a flash gun clamped to a railing firing at about 45 degrees from behind the rider while he was shooting at about 45 degrees in front of the rider. This was to provide fill flash as it was early evening during the summer months.