As I mentioned when I posted my previous entry, my shot of the merged flags marks a transition between one stage in my photography and the next: one that will shift the nature of at least some of the shots that I post here. In essence, the change is a simple one: rather than relying on natural light, or the haphazard and often ill-conceived application of off-camera lighting, I'm going to be spending a lot more time working on how to use light to create technically competent and aesthetically interesting images.

My overall aim is a simple one: 12 months from now I'd like to in the position where either David Hobby or Zack Arias email me to say "hey, that's cool – how did you do that?" ;) It's not going to happen – I'm sure that both of them are more than capable of reverse-engineering even the most complex of one of Joe McNally's epic set-ups – but I'd rather aim high, and not get there, than meet an easily achievable goal that doesn't require a great deal of effort.

So, to start the ball rolling, here's a shot of Harmony that was lit by a combination of window light (to the right) and a 41" shoot-through/translucent umbrella: placed three feet away and 45° to the left, about one foot above my daughter's eye-line. The light source was a Canon 580 EX II set to 1/4 power.

It's a very simple start, and one that echoes a lot of my natural light shots (flat, uniform lighting), but it's definitely a step along the road: not least because I now know that the catchlight from a shoot-through umbrella at close range isn't especially attractive ;)

I should also add that I'll be posting the originals of each of these shots. 12 months from now I'd like to think that there won't be a great deal of difference between the version I post and the one that I shoot. For the time being though I suspect that most will need some additional work.

.../archives/lighting_diary_1.php

captured camera lens focal length aperture shutter speed shooting mode exposure bias metering mode ISO flash image quality RAW converter cropped?

11.15am on 18/3/10 Canon 5D Mark II EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM 66mm f/4.0 1/100 manual n/a evaluative 100 580 EX II (1/4 power) RAW ACR 1x1

07.08 29 #5 Matty + Ingrid, Ditch Plains, Montauk, New York, 2007 — from the series SurfLandPhoto © Joni Sternbach

Another shot from the Zoo in Cologne.  Joshua and the cloudy sky. I used an expired AGFA APX 400 for this and developed it in Moersch ECO developer which is quite new and produces a very nice grain. Camera used: Diana F+ … of course….;)

I'm on my way to NYC for a few days.
My daily walks will no doubt, be entirely
different than my usual ones. I'll keep
my eyes open for some unique nature shots
to bring back to share.

Have a good week everyone! And thanks so much
for your visits.

— Diane

Parc Cruz posted a photo:

quinn jacobson at his exhibition "glass memories" at centre iris/paris
shot with leica m7 on kodak trix @1600, scan from negative

Photo project where people are moving very quickly their head. Thanks to the flash the situation is freezed and gives these kind of results. I would like to be able to rent a faster equipment to avoid blur, and not have to wait 10 seconds between each shot, the time my old 285HV Vivitar are recharged.

Voici un projet où j’ai demandé à mes sujets de bouger très rapidement la tête. Avec l’éclair du flash l’expression est figée et donne ce typer de résultat. J’aimerais pouvoir louer un équipement plus rapide, pour complètement éviter les flous et surtout de pas avoir à attendre 10 secondes entre chaque prise, le temps que mes vieux Vivitar 285HV se rechargent.

Permalink | No comment | BW, Canon 5D, EF 24-105 f/4L, Studio.

Add to del.icio.us

Copyright © 2004-2010 sylvainman for troisiemeoeil.org

Tripod and flash used. Minor post-processing in RAW.

The world is a book, those who do not travel read only one page.

tribeca back in june