Venue
Ma's conservatory
Time
Morning
Equipment
Sony Alpha 200; Tripod; Phoshot 180 Studio Flash; Light stand; Reflective umbrella; Silver reflective; PC sync cable
Comments
I positioned my nephews on the sofa, facing the windows (blinds shut) with the flash to their right reflected off the umbrella. The silver reflector was positioned on their left to bounce light back on their left side. The flash was attached to the camera via a PC sync cable.
The hardest part of this shoot was trying to get them to focus on me and not the iPod games they were playing. as you can see I am not as interesting as killing monsters so I too the shots as best as I could.
The things I learnt most from this shoot was how difficult it is to keep children's focus during a photo shoot and how much brighter a flash with a GN of 48 is compared to my other flashes. When I have a easier to model to work with I will explore fully how to use the power of the flash more effectively as I don't feel the results show the flashes full potential.
To see the photos from this shoot click HERE.
Showing posts with label Experimenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Experimenting. Show all posts
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Experimenting with long shutter times
Venue
Linlithgow Palace and Loch
Time
Night
Equipment
Sony Alpha 200; Tripod; Torch (to see what I was doing)
Comments
As it was a crisp night I decided to take the short walk to the Loch to try and get some long exposures of the Palace lit up at night. It was extremely cold but the Palace looked really good all lit up so I set up my tripod and took a few test shots. I was using a shutter speed of a second but the shot was too dark. With my battery life disappearing quickly I extended the shutter speed to 10 secs and then 30secs. With these longer exposure times the pictures became clearer and showed the Palace to its full glory.
This exercise highlighted how much longer you have to have the exposure when shooting at night to ensure that you get an even, full exposure. Also how long shutter speeds are very draining on the camera battery.
To see the photos of this session please click HERE.
Linlithgow Palace and Loch
Time
Night
Equipment
Sony Alpha 200; Tripod; Torch (to see what I was doing)
Comments
As it was a crisp night I decided to take the short walk to the Loch to try and get some long exposures of the Palace lit up at night. It was extremely cold but the Palace looked really good all lit up so I set up my tripod and took a few test shots. I was using a shutter speed of a second but the shot was too dark. With my battery life disappearing quickly I extended the shutter speed to 10 secs and then 30secs. With these longer exposure times the pictures became clearer and showed the Palace to its full glory.
This exercise highlighted how much longer you have to have the exposure when shooting at night to ensure that you get an even, full exposure. Also how long shutter speeds are very draining on the camera battery.
To see the photos of this session please click HERE.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Shooting Light Trails
Venue
Friends living room, Linlithgow
Equipment
Sony Alpha 200;Tripod; Black card; 2 x Maglites; Glass of blackcurrant squash; Black cotton
Comments
After reading on article on shooting light trails I thought that it would be an interesting thing to try and so off I popped to the shops to get card and cotton. I lay the card against the wall and placed the glass on the card so it would serve as a background. I tied the cotton to the smallest
Maglite so that my hand wouldn't be in the shot and used the other Maglite to light the drink up from above. I set the aperture to f/9 to reduce the amount of background light into the shot and then played with the shutter speeds between 4 and 10 seconds until my battery finally ran out. The smaller Maglite was swung in circles around the glass during the exposure time to hopefully leave light rings surrounding the glass.
I had to experiment the distance above the glass of the second Maglite to make sure that the scene wasn't too bright, not that easy with LED Maglites but for my first attempt I was pleased with the different results. For contrast there is a shot with no second light source.
On the whole I was pleased with the results although the light from the larger Maglite did reflect off the smaller Maglite and is visible in some of the shots which is a little disappointing but something I can improve upon in future shoots. When I have more battery life I will set this shoot up again and explore a wider range of shutter speeds and background and light colours.
To see the photos from this shoot please click HERE.
Friends living room, Linlithgow
Equipment
Sony Alpha 200;Tripod; Black card; 2 x Maglites; Glass of blackcurrant squash; Black cotton
Comments
After reading on article on shooting light trails I thought that it would be an interesting thing to try and so off I popped to the shops to get card and cotton. I lay the card against the wall and placed the glass on the card so it would serve as a background. I tied the cotton to the smallest
Maglite so that my hand wouldn't be in the shot and used the other Maglite to light the drink up from above. I set the aperture to f/9 to reduce the amount of background light into the shot and then played with the shutter speeds between 4 and 10 seconds until my battery finally ran out. The smaller Maglite was swung in circles around the glass during the exposure time to hopefully leave light rings surrounding the glass.
I had to experiment the distance above the glass of the second Maglite to make sure that the scene wasn't too bright, not that easy with LED Maglites but for my first attempt I was pleased with the different results. For contrast there is a shot with no second light source.
On the whole I was pleased with the results although the light from the larger Maglite did reflect off the smaller Maglite and is visible in some of the shots which is a little disappointing but something I can improve upon in future shoots. When I have more battery life I will set this shoot up again and explore a wider range of shutter speeds and background and light colours.
To see the photos from this shoot please click HERE.
Shooting around Linlithgow
Venue
Linlithgow Palace and grounds, Linlithgow
Equipment
Casio Exilim Point and Shoot
Time
Afternoon
Comments
Due to bad planning, forgot to take my battery charger for my DSLR, I was using my point and shoot camera again to shoot the Birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Continuing with my building theme I tried again to take interesting pictures showing texture and perspective. I am not totally sure that I captured what I was trying to achieve as I felt a little limited with only 3x zoom with mostly automatic settings. However, I am pleased with the church steeple photo and the doorway to doorway photo. I think that I have used the Rule of Thirds well as I have positioned the interesting aspects of the buildings in the key 1/3 areas.
The photos of the Loch were so I could try and stitch them together in Photoshop Elements which I managed to some degree of success. The blending isn't perfect as each shot was metered differently and therefore wasn't easy to merge without showing the join lines. I'll try and duplicate the process but using my DSLR on manual in the near future.
The Snowdrops were shot as they looked pretty on the roadside and the ducks are for John, hopefully he'll tell me what the unusual black and white one is on Thursday.
To see the photos from this shoot click HERE.
Linlithgow Palace and grounds, Linlithgow
Equipment
Casio Exilim Point and Shoot
Time
Afternoon
Comments
Due to bad planning, forgot to take my battery charger for my DSLR, I was using my point and shoot camera again to shoot the Birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Continuing with my building theme I tried again to take interesting pictures showing texture and perspective. I am not totally sure that I captured what I was trying to achieve as I felt a little limited with only 3x zoom with mostly automatic settings. However, I am pleased with the church steeple photo and the doorway to doorway photo. I think that I have used the Rule of Thirds well as I have positioned the interesting aspects of the buildings in the key 1/3 areas.
The photos of the Loch were so I could try and stitch them together in Photoshop Elements which I managed to some degree of success. The blending isn't perfect as each shot was metered differently and therefore wasn't easy to merge without showing the join lines. I'll try and duplicate the process but using my DSLR on manual in the near future.
The Snowdrops were shot as they looked pretty on the roadside and the ducks are for John, hopefully he'll tell me what the unusual black and white one is on Thursday.
To see the photos from this shoot click HERE.
Shots around Edinburgh
Venue
In and around central Edinburgh
Equipment
Casio Exilim 12.1mp Point and Shoot Camera
Time and Weather
Shots taken between 1100 - 1500 hrs; cloudy day with sun trying to break through
Comments
As I was travelling into Edinburgh on the train I decided not to take my DSLR as I wanted to travel light. I took my Casio point and shoot as it is versatile as well as being small and easy to fit into my pocket. Although the Casio has some manual setting it is shoots predominantly in AUTO mode so I tried to control as much as I could.
As Edinburgh has some amazing buildings I decided to focus my shoot mainly on the buildings to try and capture the historic feel of the city. I also took some shots of things that are typically Scottish, like the Bagpipers. I also tried to experiment with some of the things that I had read about recently like composition, perspective, silhouettes etc.
As I have been shooting in manual recently I found not having full control a little frustrating at times as I didn't have full control over the creative process. That being said I tried to use this limitation to my benefit by trying to bit more flexible in my approach to framing, composition etc.
The position of the sun trying to come through clouds seemed to hamper some of my shots as I wasn't able to position myself due to terrain so that the light was in a favourable position. This did lead to two good silhouettes (well I like them). After the session with Steve on the Rule of Thirds I tried to use this theory when positioning the items of interest in the picture. I feel that I have been able to do that to good effect on a number of the building shots.
Steve also spoke about using items in the photo to frame other things within the picture. I tried this on a couple of occasions and I like how it draws the eyes into the shot. I will be experimenting with this on future shoots. I also tried to use lead lines on a few of the shots to lead the viewer through the picture, hopefully to some success.
Overall, I had an enjoyable day around Edinburgh and loved how using a point and shoot camera made me think differently about my composition and style. I will look forward to returning to Edinburgh with my DSLR to see what I can do using manual settings.
To see the album to pictures from Edinburgh please click HERE.
In and around central Edinburgh
Equipment
Casio Exilim 12.1mp Point and Shoot Camera
Time and Weather
Shots taken between 1100 - 1500 hrs; cloudy day with sun trying to break through
Comments
As I was travelling into Edinburgh on the train I decided not to take my DSLR as I wanted to travel light. I took my Casio point and shoot as it is versatile as well as being small and easy to fit into my pocket. Although the Casio has some manual setting it is shoots predominantly in AUTO mode so I tried to control as much as I could.
As Edinburgh has some amazing buildings I decided to focus my shoot mainly on the buildings to try and capture the historic feel of the city. I also took some shots of things that are typically Scottish, like the Bagpipers. I also tried to experiment with some of the things that I had read about recently like composition, perspective, silhouettes etc.
As I have been shooting in manual recently I found not having full control a little frustrating at times as I didn't have full control over the creative process. That being said I tried to use this limitation to my benefit by trying to bit more flexible in my approach to framing, composition etc.
The position of the sun trying to come through clouds seemed to hamper some of my shots as I wasn't able to position myself due to terrain so that the light was in a favourable position. This did lead to two good silhouettes (well I like them). After the session with Steve on the Rule of Thirds I tried to use this theory when positioning the items of interest in the picture. I feel that I have been able to do that to good effect on a number of the building shots.
Steve also spoke about using items in the photo to frame other things within the picture. I tried this on a couple of occasions and I like how it draws the eyes into the shot. I will be experimenting with this on future shoots. I also tried to use lead lines on a few of the shots to lead the viewer through the picture, hopefully to some success.
Overall, I had an enjoyable day around Edinburgh and loved how using a point and shoot camera made me think differently about my composition and style. I will look forward to returning to Edinburgh with my DSLR to see what I can do using manual settings.
To see the album to pictures from Edinburgh please click HERE.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Outdoor and Location Portraits - Professional Advice from Matt Hoyle
Creating a photography is a bit like a sculpture. As you style it, light it, pose it and even as you post-produce it, you're chipping away things that don't make sense to you. What's left is something that is intrinsically you. How you come to select the subject in the first place has to be equally, if not more, personal.
Shooting Themes Projects
Shooting themes is about trying to capture the people of my time in a creative way. As a former creative director in an advertising agency, I tend to see in themes rather than individual, one-off portraits. There's nothing wrong with those but to carry through a vision with multiple images makes more of a statement. There are always going to be one or two shots that resonate more strongly with any particular viewer - it's a subjective field we're in - but you go further to strike a chord if you have multiple characters.
My advice is to begin with yourself. Any photographer who's going to succeed continually and not by accident has to do something that interests them and makes them feel something first. Otherwise they are just going through the motions and will create something quite hollow. Draw on your own world, your past, your present and your surroundings. This could be something that has touched you, whether in reality or in your imagination, or something around you.
Start with something accessible. Discipline yourself to your own neighbourhood to get a taste of a series before jumping into anything too grand. A really good photographer is going to make the mundane and bland seem quite unique and wonderful - just look at the work of William Ecclestone. The most important thing is to set yourself some guidelines and a focus. This will help you to overcome that series of a blank page, which you don't how to begin to fill.
Candid Portraits
When I started taking street photographs, the first thing I had to teach myself was how to find the places where there is what I call 'a hive' of good subjects. In other words, where there is a lot of activity that is likely to yield the ind of photos I am looking for. I went to these places in happenstance mode, ready for anything, and this really taught me how to observe. Of course, these hives are a subjective thing fro any photographer - mine could be very different from the next person's - but, for me, it was initially about finding interesting characters.
Posed Portraits
With my posed portrait shots, I want to take the viewer somewhere that being a fly-on-the-wall, however observant, cannot take them. I want to tap my subject on the shoulder and say, 'Hey, talk to me, relate to me. Let our personalities meet for one moment and let me see the essence of you.' In doing this, eye contact is paramount and you're not going to get eye contact without getting their attention.
If you find, by research or pure chance, a hive of wonderful people, or even just one, and you feel that the unguarded moment is not going to give you a good enough shot, or you think the person is so powerful that you must approach them, then you must make that decision. By doing so, you're running the risk of them saying no and it's a time when you have to have your wits about you and be skilled in dealing with people. This is something that I don't think they teach enough on any photography course; just like being a teacher, you can be knowledgeable and academic but if you're not good with people, you're going to be terrible at your job.
Outdoor Lighting
For outdoor photography, unless you particularly want the harsh shadows of midday sun, go for what photographers call 'the magic hour', which is either at sunrise or sunset, when the sun is at it's lowest , creating deep colours and long shadows of buildings and trees. Both times of day have a different quality of light so find out which you prefer. If you do decide to shoot at midday, or if that is the only time you will find your subjects, avoid a totally open area like the middle of a field or beach. Shoot somewhere where there is some sort of shade or cover so that light on the subject is reflected and therefore much softer than harsh, direct sunlight.
Shooting Themes Projects
Shooting themes is about trying to capture the people of my time in a creative way. As a former creative director in an advertising agency, I tend to see in themes rather than individual, one-off portraits. There's nothing wrong with those but to carry through a vision with multiple images makes more of a statement. There are always going to be one or two shots that resonate more strongly with any particular viewer - it's a subjective field we're in - but you go further to strike a chord if you have multiple characters.
My advice is to begin with yourself. Any photographer who's going to succeed continually and not by accident has to do something that interests them and makes them feel something first. Otherwise they are just going through the motions and will create something quite hollow. Draw on your own world, your past, your present and your surroundings. This could be something that has touched you, whether in reality or in your imagination, or something around you.
Start with something accessible. Discipline yourself to your own neighbourhood to get a taste of a series before jumping into anything too grand. A really good photographer is going to make the mundane and bland seem quite unique and wonderful - just look at the work of William Ecclestone. The most important thing is to set yourself some guidelines and a focus. This will help you to overcome that series of a blank page, which you don't how to begin to fill.
Candid Portraits
When I started taking street photographs, the first thing I had to teach myself was how to find the places where there is what I call 'a hive' of good subjects. In other words, where there is a lot of activity that is likely to yield the ind of photos I am looking for. I went to these places in happenstance mode, ready for anything, and this really taught me how to observe. Of course, these hives are a subjective thing fro any photographer - mine could be very different from the next person's - but, for me, it was initially about finding interesting characters.
Posed Portraits
With my posed portrait shots, I want to take the viewer somewhere that being a fly-on-the-wall, however observant, cannot take them. I want to tap my subject on the shoulder and say, 'Hey, talk to me, relate to me. Let our personalities meet for one moment and let me see the essence of you.' In doing this, eye contact is paramount and you're not going to get eye contact without getting their attention.
If you find, by research or pure chance, a hive of wonderful people, or even just one, and you feel that the unguarded moment is not going to give you a good enough shot, or you think the person is so powerful that you must approach them, then you must make that decision. By doing so, you're running the risk of them saying no and it's a time when you have to have your wits about you and be skilled in dealing with people. This is something that I don't think they teach enough on any photography course; just like being a teacher, you can be knowledgeable and academic but if you're not good with people, you're going to be terrible at your job.
Outdoor Lighting
For outdoor photography, unless you particularly want the harsh shadows of midday sun, go for what photographers call 'the magic hour', which is either at sunrise or sunset, when the sun is at it's lowest , creating deep colours and long shadows of buildings and trees. Both times of day have a different quality of light so find out which you prefer. If you do decide to shoot at midday, or if that is the only time you will find your subjects, avoid a totally open area like the middle of a field or beach. Shoot somewhere where there is some sort of shade or cover so that light on the subject is reflected and therefore much softer than harsh, direct sunlight.
Monday, 8 February 2010
Portrait Take Two Update
Well last night play around with my flash equipment went a little better but still had some dark images. Will put full review on later when on laptop and will put pictures up too. Hoping to do a more detailed shoot later.
Slow progress is being made, I think. Am looking forward to picking Steve's brain Thursday and having a studio tour.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Took a set of images last night playing around with flash power setting using my off camera flash cable. Was interesting to see the difference that the amount of flash has on the shadows and exposure. Was only a impromptu session so to see the images click HERE
Slow progress is being made, I think. Am looking forward to picking Steve's brain Thursday and having a studio tour.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Took a set of images last night playing around with flash power setting using my off camera flash cable. Was interesting to see the difference that the amount of flash has on the shadows and exposure. Was only a impromptu session so to see the images click HERE
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Portrait Take Two
I am going to set up my equipment again today and try and improve on the nightmare that was Monday nights shoot.
I will be using my Sony Alpha 200 with my portrait lens and one of my flashguns. I will position my model in front of a light backdrop with the flash coming from over my left shoulder.
Hopefully I won't find this session as frustrating as earlier in the week and my results will be an improvement. I'll blog later my result.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Completed the shoot with mixed success as to start with the photos were stil dark without even an outline of my model but suddenly after taking 4 or 5 shots the images became clear and I was suddenly able to see images on playback. The only thing that I can think could be wrong is the wireless flash signal. Will have to ensure that the wireless flash trigger is connected properly before I start shooting.
The images haven't been edited other than coverted from RAW in their shot format and the model wasn't dressed up properly as I didn't know if the photos would come out.
To view the photos from this shoot click HERE
I will be using my Sony Alpha 200 with my portrait lens and one of my flashguns. I will position my model in front of a light backdrop with the flash coming from over my left shoulder.
Hopefully I won't find this session as frustrating as earlier in the week and my results will be an improvement. I'll blog later my result.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Completed the shoot with mixed success as to start with the photos were stil dark without even an outline of my model but suddenly after taking 4 or 5 shots the images became clear and I was suddenly able to see images on playback. The only thing that I can think could be wrong is the wireless flash signal. Will have to ensure that the wireless flash trigger is connected properly before I start shooting.
The images haven't been edited other than coverted from RAW in their shot format and the model wasn't dressed up properly as I didn't know if the photos would come out.
To view the photos from this shoot click HERE
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Exposure Play
Yesterday afternoon I set up a small still life scene at my Dad's place using some rock samples; salt and pepper pots and a bottle of wine with a label and placed it all on an antiques wooden storage box. I used a lounge lamp to light the scene and set my camera up using a tripod to ensure that the focal point didn't change.
I then spent about an hour playing around with the different setting that affect exposure including - aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings. The results were really interesting as I now have a much better understanding of how the three different elements have direct effects on how the finished pictures looks. The kit I chose was my Sony Alpha 200 with my new portrait lens. I chose my new lens to give myself chance no only to get to grips with how ISO, shutter speed and aperture affect the exposure of an image but also how it works so that when I go to take some portrait pictures later I have a better understanding of how to use a larger aperture. I used a normal household lamp to keep the lighting constant to ensure that the metering was not one of the variables. I also chose to keep the focal point the same so that the depth of field could be reflected fully in my experimentation with apertures. For the still life I chose a variety of objects that had different textures, shape and colour to see what effect changing the different variables would have on the surfaces of the different objects. To make the change in depth of field easier to notice I borrowed an idea from John and put a wine bottle with writing on it so that I could see how the different variables affected the clarity of the label print.
If you click HERE it will take you to the album that shows all the different shots that I took ranging from low f/stop numbers like f/1.8 to larger numbers like f/16. There is also a wide range of shutter speeds ranging from 1/160 sec to 1 sec. Different ISO settings were also used from 100 to 3200.
The different results show how changing just one variable can have a huge affect on the photo. You can make the photos seriously under or over exposed as well as getting the perfect exposure. I found it interesting that how an image could be so changed just by changing one element and how if you changed all three you could still achieve the same shot as the previous one.
That is something that I am going to explore in a later photo shoots.
I then spent about an hour playing around with the different setting that affect exposure including - aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings. The results were really interesting as I now have a much better understanding of how the three different elements have direct effects on how the finished pictures looks. The kit I chose was my Sony Alpha 200 with my new portrait lens. I chose my new lens to give myself chance no only to get to grips with how ISO, shutter speed and aperture affect the exposure of an image but also how it works so that when I go to take some portrait pictures later I have a better understanding of how to use a larger aperture. I used a normal household lamp to keep the lighting constant to ensure that the metering was not one of the variables. I also chose to keep the focal point the same so that the depth of field could be reflected fully in my experimentation with apertures. For the still life I chose a variety of objects that had different textures, shape and colour to see what effect changing the different variables would have on the surfaces of the different objects. To make the change in depth of field easier to notice I borrowed an idea from John and put a wine bottle with writing on it so that I could see how the different variables affected the clarity of the label print.
If you click HERE it will take you to the album that shows all the different shots that I took ranging from low f/stop numbers like f/1.8 to larger numbers like f/16. There is also a wide range of shutter speeds ranging from 1/160 sec to 1 sec. Different ISO settings were also used from 100 to 3200.
The different results show how changing just one variable can have a huge affect on the photo. You can make the photos seriously under or over exposed as well as getting the perfect exposure. I found it interesting that how an image could be so changed just by changing one element and how if you changed all three you could still achieve the same shot as the previous one.
That is something that I am going to explore in a later photo shoots.
A photo session using my reflector
Last night I had my first frustrating session of the year so far. I was trying to duplicate a photo shoot that I had read in this months Practical Photography about setting up a small studio in your home.
I used my friends conservatory as it is a nice space to set up a shoot and has enough room for my equipment. The set up went well. I hung my cream background on the french doors for my model to stand in front of, had my flashgun behind me and to the left of me to help play with shadows and my camera with my new portrait lens, Sony 50mm f/1.8 SAM, to try and get used to using it. As I was following an article out of my monthly magazine I had to choose the most relevant equipment from what I own to match as closely as possible that of the kit used in the article. I do not possess a soft box or a flash light powered by electricity so I had to use my flashgun with a diffuser. I only have one reflector so tried to use that in the most beneficial way to try and duplicate what I had read in the article.
The set up turned to be the only part that went well. I set my aperture to f/2 to get lovely clear shots of my models face, shutter speed to 1/160sec which is my camera shutter sync speed and my ISO to 100. I used my flash on manual set to 50mm zoom, ISO 100, aperture to f/2 and on full power to start with. I positioned my model in front of my background and took a test shot. The result was completely dark, I could not see any of my model in the review. I tried a few more times and only had the same disappointing results. I decided to add my second flash attached to the cameras hot shoe and although it was a little brighter it was still a very poor shot. I experimented with different flash power but with a very frustrated head I gave up as I was unable to understand why it wasn't coming out with 2 flashguns.
I took a test shot with the built in flash and it was crystal clear - I had done nothing different with the camera setting so was at a complete loss as to what had gone wrong with using the better flashguns. I set up the 2 guns again but the results were the same. I will be asking Steve on Thursday for some ideas as to what I was doing wrong.
To rescue the session so that I had some shots showing the effect the different surfaces of my reflectors I positioned my model in front of the background and took a test shot using the ceiling light to light the scene and no flash. I then took a series of pictures using the silver, black, gold and white sides of the reflector.
To see the photos showing the effects reflectors have on shots please click HERE
Looking at the photos I feel you definitely see the effect the different reflectors have at either lifting or increasing the shadows. I cannot see a lot of difference between the silver and the white reflector other than the fact the silver has a slightly shinier look. The black one seems to increase the shadow of the left side of the model whilst the gold reflector gives the models skin a much warmer feel.
I am looking forward to experimenting with the reflectors and will try and do an outside shoot using the different reflectors to see if using natural light has a similar effect than that of ceiling lights.
I used my friends conservatory as it is a nice space to set up a shoot and has enough room for my equipment. The set up went well. I hung my cream background on the french doors for my model to stand in front of, had my flashgun behind me and to the left of me to help play with shadows and my camera with my new portrait lens, Sony 50mm f/1.8 SAM, to try and get used to using it. As I was following an article out of my monthly magazine I had to choose the most relevant equipment from what I own to match as closely as possible that of the kit used in the article. I do not possess a soft box or a flash light powered by electricity so I had to use my flashgun with a diffuser. I only have one reflector so tried to use that in the most beneficial way to try and duplicate what I had read in the article.
The set up turned to be the only part that went well. I set my aperture to f/2 to get lovely clear shots of my models face, shutter speed to 1/160sec which is my camera shutter sync speed and my ISO to 100. I used my flash on manual set to 50mm zoom, ISO 100, aperture to f/2 and on full power to start with. I positioned my model in front of my background and took a test shot. The result was completely dark, I could not see any of my model in the review. I tried a few more times and only had the same disappointing results. I decided to add my second flash attached to the cameras hot shoe and although it was a little brighter it was still a very poor shot. I experimented with different flash power but with a very frustrated head I gave up as I was unable to understand why it wasn't coming out with 2 flashguns.
I took a test shot with the built in flash and it was crystal clear - I had done nothing different with the camera setting so was at a complete loss as to what had gone wrong with using the better flashguns. I set up the 2 guns again but the results were the same. I will be asking Steve on Thursday for some ideas as to what I was doing wrong.
To rescue the session so that I had some shots showing the effect the different surfaces of my reflectors I positioned my model in front of the background and took a test shot using the ceiling light to light the scene and no flash. I then took a series of pictures using the silver, black, gold and white sides of the reflector.
To see the photos showing the effects reflectors have on shots please click HERE
Looking at the photos I feel you definitely see the effect the different reflectors have at either lifting or increasing the shadows. I cannot see a lot of difference between the silver and the white reflector other than the fact the silver has a slightly shinier look. The black one seems to increase the shadow of the left side of the model whilst the gold reflector gives the models skin a much warmer feel.
I am looking forward to experimenting with the reflectors and will try and do an outside shoot using the different reflectors to see if using natural light has a similar effect than that of ceiling lights.
Friday, 29 January 2010
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Experimenting
After an evening at College I now have some (a lot of) practising to do to get my head around ISO's, f/stops and shutter speed. Will put my results in an album for all to see. Am looking forward to seeing what all the settings show.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, 25 January 2010
Experimenting in Cannock Chase Evaluation
I have edited the photos from 17 January 2010 (shot in RAW) and the series of shots do show that changing the f/stop from f/5.6 to f/20 does have an effect on the clarity of focus on the background, something I was hoping to show. The background gets clearer the higher the f/ stop number, i.e. the f/20 shot has a clearer background than the f/5.6 one.
What I wasn't expecting from the photos but is evident in all the shots is that the model isn't in clear focus, but the tree she is leaning against is. I thought that I had focused on the models eyes but aparently not. Focusing is obviously something I will need to work on to improve the quality of my photos, i.e. I need to ensure the subject is sharply focused.
Any comments or advice/tips would be greatly appreciated.
What I wasn't expecting from the photos but is evident in all the shots is that the model isn't in clear focus, but the tree she is leaning against is. I thought that I had focused on the models eyes but aparently not. Focusing is obviously something I will need to work on to improve the quality of my photos, i.e. I need to ensure the subject is sharply focused.
Any comments or advice/tips would be greatly appreciated.
Click HERE to see the photos
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Practicing with Two Flash Guns
I tried using my two flashguns for portrait shots today for the first time and am not sure if I'm doing things right but some of the shots look well lit upon first inspection. I will post some of the results once I've had chance to edit them as they are saved in RAW. Hopefully when they gave been processed they will look ok. I have to admit that although I have read about using two flashguns in my shoot I feel a little lost and unsure if what I am doing is right or producing well lit shots. Any comments for development will be gratefully received.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Experimenting in Cannock Chase
Took my camera out with me walking today and experimented taking portrait photos outdoors in sun light playing around with with different depths of field and apertures. Will put pictures up when had chance to edit them but on first glance I've got a long way to go.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Having looked at the images from my shoot they have not really shown what I was hoping to achieve with depth of field so I will have to have another go when next out walking and put any new ideas or ways of working into practice.
Added 21 January 2010
To see the pictures from this session Click Here
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