Photographic synchronization optimization system and method

• US 8,718,461 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LAB Partners Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LAB Partners Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Clark, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W B
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, MINH Q
• Application Number:
  US13/401,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20120243859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 396/180, 396187-189, 396/195, 396/198, 396/56, 348370-371
• US Class Current: 396/180
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0557 Multiple units, e.g. slave-unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 9/40 Double plate
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 9/70 with flash-synchronising contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/32 for single flash operation

Abstract

A system and method for synchronizing a photographic lighting device to image acquisition by a camera using light emission profile information to position a light emission profile at a desired location in an image acquisition window. A light energy balance point of a light emission profile can be used to position the balance point at a desired location in an image acquisition window.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing a photographic lighting device to image acquisition by a camera, the method comprising:

identifying a balance point of a light emission profile for a photographic lighting device associated with the camera;

determining a desired location for the balance point within an image acquisition window of the camera; and

determining a starting time of light emission initiation for the photographic lighting device, said determining a starting time of light emission initiation using the balance point to position the balance point at the desired location,

wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes using the following relationships;

t₁=t_IAW*DL_factor

t₂=TTBP−

t₁

where t₁ is a first amount of time from the start of the image acquisition window to the desired location, t_IAW is the time of the image acquisition window, DL_factor is a factor based on the desired location, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, and t₂ is a second amount of time prior to the start of the image acquisition window, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the balance point is a critical point.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the critical point is an initial critical point of the light emission profile and said determining a desired location includes determining that the desired location within the image acquisition window for the initial critical point is at a time after about 1 millisecond before a first shutter blade of the camera moves to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the critical point is an initial critical point of the light emission profile and said determining a desired location includes determining that the desired location within the image acquisition window for the initial critical point is at a time after about 250 microseconds before a first shutter blade of the camera moves to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the critical point is an initial critical point of the light emission profile and said determining a desired location includes determining that the desired location within the image acquisition window for the initial critical point is at a time after the first shutter blade of the camera moves to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the critical point is an initial critical point of the light emission profile and said determining a desired location includes determining that the desired location within the image acquisition window for the initial critical point is approximately at a time when the first shutter blade moves to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the camera is a camera without a mechanical shutter.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the desired location is about in the center of the image acquisition window.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the desired location is at a location in the image acquisition window that is earlier than the center of the image acquisition window.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the desired location is at a location in the image acquisition window that is later than the center of the image acquisition window.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the balance point is a light energy balance point.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the balance point is a lateral light energy balance point.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the balance point is a 1/x energy balance point.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the 1/x energy balance point is a half-energy balance point.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the balance point is a vertical light energy balance point.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the balance point is a T0.x energy balance point.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining a desired location includes using a user input.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes using a sensor travel time of the camera, an exposure time setting of the camera, and information about the balance point of the light emission profile.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes determining a position in time such that light emission initiation is at a position in time that is a first amount of time before the start of the image acquisition window.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes using a DL_factor of ½

and the following relationships;

t₁=t_IAW/2

t₂=TTBP−

t₁

where t₁ is a first amount of time from the start of the image acquisition window to the desired location, t_IAW is the time of the image acquisition window, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, and t₂ is a second amount of time prior to the start of the image acquisition window, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes determining a position in time for light emission initiation that is a first amount of time before the time of a first shutter blade of the camera moving to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera and wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes using t_IAW=(ET−

STT) and the following relationships;

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)*DL_factor

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, DL_factor is a factor based on the desired location, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, and t_2′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera and wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes using a DL_factor of ½

, t_IAW=(ET−

STT) and the following relationships;

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)/2

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation for the photographic lighting device, and t_2′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission includes determining an amount of time from a process start time to the time of light emission initiation.

25. A method according to claim 1, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera, the camera includes a process start occurrence, and wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes determining an amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation using t_IAW=(ET−

STT) the following relationships;

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)*DL_factor

t_2′

TTBP−

t_1′

t_4′

=t_3′

−

t_2′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, DL_factor is a factor based on the desired location, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, t_2′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, t_3′

is a third amount of time from the process start occurrence to the first position in time, and t₄′

is a fourth amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation.

26. A method according to claim 1, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera, the camera includes a process start occurrence, and wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes determining an amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation using a DL_factor of ½

, t_IAW=(ET−

STT) and the following relationships;

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)/2

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

t_4′

=t_3′

−

t_2′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, t_2′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, t_3′

is a third amount of time from the process start occurrence to the first position in time, and t_4′

is a fourth amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation further includes using an offset value to modify the desired location.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the offset value is a user entered offset value.

29. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes using an offset value to modify the desired location.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the offset value is a user entered offset value.

31. A method according to claim 1, wherein the photographic lighting device is remote from the camera, the camera is associated with a first wireless communication functionality, and the photographic lighting device is associated with a second wireless communication functionality, such that the camera and the first wireless communication functionality represent a camera side of a wireless communication and the photographic lighting device and the second wireless communication functionality represent a lighting device side of the wireless communication.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation is performed at the camera side.

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation is performed at the lighting device side.

34. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining camera shutter information;

wirelessly communicating the camera shutter information to one or more remote lighting devices, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation includes determining a starting time for light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote lighting devices after wirelessly communicating the camera shutter information using the camera shutter information and corresponding light emission profile information for each of the one or more remote lighting devices; and

initiating light emission of the one or more remote lighting devices at the starting time for light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote lighting devices.

35. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining camera shutter information;

determining light emission profile information for one or more remote lighting devices, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation includes calculating a timing value based on the shutter information and the light emission profile information;

wirelessly communicating the timing value to the one or more remote lighting devices; and

using the timing value to initiate light emission of each of the one or more remote lighting devices.

36. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving shutter information related to the camera at one or more remote lighting devices, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation includes determining a starting time for light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote lighting devices after wirelessly receiving the camera shutter information using the camera shutter information and corresponding light emission profile information for each of the one or more remote lighting devices; and

initiating light emission of the one or more remote lighting devices at the starting time for light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote lighting devices.

37. A method according to claim 1, wherein the light emission initiation occurs at a point in time in the image acquisition process selected from the group consisting of a time prior to a first shutter blade moving to a position at which it starts to allow light to pass to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera, a time after a first shutter blade moves to a position at which it starts to allow light to pass to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera and prior to the first shutter blade moving to a position at which it no longer obstructs light from passing to the imaging portion of the sensor of the camera, a time prior to a first shutter blade moving to a position at which it no longer obstructs light from passing to the imaging portion of the sensor of the camera, a time after a first shutter blade moves to a position at which it no longer obstructs light from passing to the imaging portion of the sensor of the camera, a time after a first shutter blade stops after moving across a sensor of the camera.

38. A method for synchronizing a photographic lighting device to image acquisition by a camera, the method comprising:

identifying a light energy balance point of a light emission profile for a photographic lighting device associated with the camera;

determining shutter information of the camera;

determining a desired location for the light energy balance point within an image acquisition window of the camera;

wirelessly communicating a timing value based on the shutter information to one or more remote photographic lighting devices; and

determining a starting time of light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote photographic lighting devices, said determining a starting time of light emission initiation using the light energy balance point and shutter information to position the light energy balance point at the desired location in the image acquisition window,

wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes use of the following relationships;

t₁=t_IAW*DL_factor

t₂=TTBP−

t₁

where t₁ is a first amount of time from the start of the image acquisition window to the desired location, t_IAW is the time of the image acquisition window, DL_factor is a factor based on the desired location, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, and t₂ is a second amount of time prior to the start of the image acquisition window, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the timing value includes the shutter information and said determining a starting time of light emission initiation occurs after said wirelessly communicating a timing value.

40. A method according to claim 38, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation occurs prior to wirelessly communicating a timing value and the timing value includes information about the starting time of light emission initiation.

41. A method according to claim 38, wherein the desired location is about in the center of the image acquisition window.

42. A method according to claim 38, wherein the desired location is at a location in the image acquisition window that is earlier than the center of the image acquisition window or later than the center of the image acquisition window.

43. A method according to claim 38, wherein the balance point is a 1/x energy balance point.

44. A method according to claim 38, wherein the balance point is a half-energy balance point.

45. A method according to claim 38, wherein the balance point is a T0.x energy balance point.

46. A method according to claim 38, wherein the shutter information includes an exposure time and a sensor travel time.

47. A method according to claim 38, wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes determining a position in time such that light emission initiation is at a position in time that is a first amount of time before the start of the image acquisition window.

48. A method according to claim 38, wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes determining a position in time for light emission initiation that is a first amount of time before the time of a first shutter blade of the camera moving to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

49. A method according to claim 38, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera and wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes using t_IAW=(ET−

STT) and the following relationships;

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)*DL_factor

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, DL_factor is a factor based on the desired location, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, and t_2′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

50. A method according to claim 38, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission includes determining an amount of time from a process start time to the time of light emission initiation.

51. A method according to claim 38, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera, the camera includes a process start occurrence, and wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes determining an amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation using t_IAW=(ET−

STT) and the following relationships;

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)*DL_factor

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

t_4′

=t_3′

−

t_2′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, DL_factor is a factor based on the desired location, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, t_2′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, t_3′

is a third amount of time from the process start occurrence to the first position in time, and t_4′

is a fourth amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation.

52. A method according to claim 38, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes using an offset value to modify the desired location.

53. A method according to claim 52, wherein the offset value is a user entered offset value.

54. A system for wirelessly synchronizing a photographic lighting device to an image acquisition by a camera, the system comprising:

one or more processing elements; and

one or more memory elements, said one or more memory elements configured with information for instructing the one or more processing elements to;

identify a balance point of a light emission profile for a photographic lighting device associated with the camera;

determine a desired location for the balance point within an image acquisition window of the camera;

determine a starting time of light emission initiation for a photographic lighting device using the balance point to position the balance point at the desired location in the image acquisition window; and

a user input interface configured to provide a balance point offset value, said one or more processors configured to use the balance point offset value to determine the starting time of light emission initiation.

55. A system according to claim 54, wherein at least one of the one or more processing elements that determines a starting time of light emission initiation is in a wireless communication device associated with at least one of the camera and the photographic lighting device.

56. A system according to claim 54, wherein at least one of the one or more processing elements that determines a starting time of light emission initiation is in the camera.

57. A system according to claim 54, wherein at least one of the one or more processing elements that determines a starting time of light emission initiation is in the photographic lighting device.

58. A system according to claim 54, wherein the one or more memory elements are included in a photographic device selected from the group consisting of the camera, the photographic lighting device, a wireless communication device associated with the camera, a wireless communication device associated with the photographic lighting device, and any combinations thereof.

59. A system according to claim 54, wherein the one or memory elements have stored therein a data selected from the group consisting of a sensor travel time for each of one or more camera models, a time from light emission initiation to an energy balance point for each of one or more photographic lighting devices, a shutter speed of the camera, information representing a light emission profile for each of one or more photographic lighting devices, information representing a light emission profile for each of one or more lighting power levels for each of one or more photographic lighting devices, and any combinations thereof.

60. A method for synchronizing a photographic lighting device to image acquisition by a camera, the method comprising:

identifying a balance point of a light emission profile for a photographic lighting device associated with the camera;

determining a desired location for the balance point within an image acquisition window of the camera; and

determining a starting time of light emission initiation for the photographic lighting device, said determining a starting time of light emission initiation using the balance point to position the balance point at the desired location, said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes using a user entered offset value to modify the desired location.

61. A method according to claim 60, wherein the balance point is a critical point.

62. A method according to claim 61, wherein the critical point is an initial critical point of the light emission profile and said determining a desired location includes determining that the desired location within the image acquisition window for the initial critical point is at a time after the first shutter blade of the camera moves to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

63. A method according to claim 61, wherein the critical point is an initial critical point of the light emission profile and said determining a desired location includes determining that the desired location within the image acquisition window for the initial critical point is approximately at a time when the first shutter blade moves to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

64. A method according to claim 60, wherein the camera is a camera without a mechanical shutter.

65. A method according to claim 60, wherein the desired location is about in the center of the image acquisition window.

66. A method according to claim 60, wherein the desired location is at a location in the image acquisition window that is earlier than the center of the image acquisition window.

67. A method according to claim 60, wherein the desired location is at a location in the image acquisition window that is later than the center of the image acquisition window.

68. A method according to claim 60, wherein the balance point is a light energy balance point.

69. A method according to claim 60, wherein the balance point is a lateral light energy balance point.

70. A method according to claim 69, wherein the balance point is a 1/x energy balance point.

71. A method according to claim 70, wherein the 1/x energy balance point is a half-energy balance point.

72. A method according to claim 60, wherein the balance point is a vertical light energy balance point.

73. A method according to claim 72, wherein the balance point is a T0.x energy balance point.

74. A method according to claim 60, wherein said determining a desired location includes using a user input.

75. A method according to claim 60, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes using a sensor travel time of the camera, an exposure time setting of the camera, and information about the balance point of the light emission profile.

76. A method according to claim 60, wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes determining a position in time such that light emission initiation is at a position in time that is a first amount of time before the start of the image acquisition window.

77. A method according to claim 60, wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes using the following relationships:

t₁=t_IAW/2

t₂=TTBP−

t₁

where t₁ is a first amount of time from the start of the image acquisition window to the desired location, t_IAW is the time of the image acquisition window, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, and t₂ is a second amount of time prior to the start of the image acquisition window, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

78. A method according to claim 60, wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes determining a position in time for light emission initiation that is a first amount of time before the time of a first shutter blade of the camera moving to a position that no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera.

79. A method according to claim 60, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera and wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes using the following relationships:

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)*DL_factor

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, DL_factor is a factor based on the desired location, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, and t₂′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

80. A method according to claim 60, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera and wherein said determining the starting time of light emission initiation includes using the following relationships:

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)/2

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation for the photographic lighting device, and t_2′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, the second amount of time being used to determine a location in time for light emission initiation to take place such that the balance point occurs at the desired location within the image acquisition window.

81. A method according to claim 60, wherein said determining a starting time of light emission includes determining an amount of time from a process start time to the time of light emission initiation.

82. A method according to claim 60, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera, the camera includes a process start occurrence, and wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes determining an amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation using the following relationships:

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)*DL_factor

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

t_4′

=t_3′

−

t_2′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, DL_factor is a factor based on the desired location, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, t₂′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, t_3′

is a third amount of time from the process start occurrence to the first position in time, and t_4′

is a fourth amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation.

83. A method according to claim 60, wherein the camera includes a first shutter blade that during an image acquisition moves to a first position in time where it no longer obstructs light to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera, the camera includes a process start occurrence, and wherein said determining a starting time of light emission initiation includes determining an amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation using the following relationships:

t_1′

=(ET−

STT)/2

t_2′

=TTBP−

t_1′

t_4′

=t_3′

−

t_2′

where t_1′

is a first amount of time from the first position in time to the point in time of the desired location, ET is an exposure time of the camera, STT is a sensor travel time of the camera, TTBP is the time to balance point from the time of light emission initiation, t₂′

is a second amount of time prior to the first position in time, t_3′

is a third amount of time from the process start occurrence to the first position in time, and t_4′

is a fourth amount of time from the process start occurrence to light emission initiation.

84. A method according to claim 60, wherein the photographic lighting device is remote from the camera, the camera is associated with a first wireless communication functionality, and the photographic lighting device is associated with a second wireless communication functionality, such that the camera and the first wireless communication functionality represent a camera side of a wireless communication and the photographic lighting device and the second wireless communication functionality represent a lighting device side of the wireless communication.

85. A method according to claim 84, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation is performed at the camera side.

86. A method according to claim 84, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation is performed at the lighting device side.

87. A method according to claim 60, further comprising:

determining camera shutter information;

wirelessly communicating the camera shutter information to one or more remote lighting devices, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation includes determining a starting time for light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote lighting devices after wirelessly communicating the camera shutter information using the camera shutter information and corresponding light emission profile information for each of the one or more remote lighting devices; and

initiating light emission of the one or more remote lighting devices at the starting time for light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote lighting devices.

88. A method according to claim 60, further comprising:

determining camera shutter information;

determining light emission profile information for one or more remote lighting devices, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation includes calculating a timing value based on the shutter information and the light emission profile information;

wirelessly communicating the timing value to the one or more remote lighting devices; and

using the timing value to initiate light emission of each of the one or more remote lighting devices.

89. A method according to claim 60, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving shutter information related to the camera at one or more remote lighting devices, wherein said determining a starting time for light emission initiation includes determining a starting time for light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote lighting devices after wirelessly receiving the camera shutter information using the camera shutter information and corresponding light emission profile information for each of the one or more remote lighting devices; and

initiating light emission of the one or more remote lighting devices at the starting time for light emission initiation for each of the one or more remote lighting devices.

90. A method according to claim 60, wherein the light emission initiation occurs at a point in time in the image acquisition process selected from the group consisting of a time prior to a first shutter blade moving to a position at which it starts to allow light to pass to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera, a time after a first shutter blade moves to a position at which it starts to allow light to pass to an imaging portion of a sensor of the camera and prior to the first shutter blade moving to a position at which it no longer obstructs light from passing to the imaging portion of the sensor of the camera, a time prior to a first shutter blade moving to a position at which it no longer obstructs light from passing to the imaging portion of the sensor of the camera, a time after a first shutter blade moves to a position at which it no longer obstructs light from passing to the imaging portion of the sensor of the camera, a time after a first shutter blade stops after moving across a sensor of the camera.