Here’s a great post at Digital Photography School on a subject I wrestle with constantly.
Archive for November, 2008
2008.11.26 : ShutterVoice
I for one welcome our new voice controlled overlords.
ShutterVoice: this is what is so cool about the world we live in right now. A guy has a problem, so he figures out a way to deal with it, and in the process is very near to releasing a very, very cool application to help others solve problems that probably haven’t even been imagined yet.
My mind is already working on ways to use this.
Via OhGizmo! and Rob Galbraith
2008.11.22 : Smoke, Series III (with Setup)
As I mentioned before, I had one more lighting scheme in mind for the smoke pictures. It’s pretty basic, but I think it’s the most versatile. Originally I thought about having the flash come from overhead, but one day while browsing flickr I saw some product shot setups that had the flash stowed in a box and coming from underneath the subject. Instead of a box, I’m using a white plastic trash can.
This particular can isn’t as opaque as I’d like it to be. Instead of directing all the light back up and out of the can, the can acts a bit like a diffuser, albeit a very poor one. The problem with this is the degree of stray light that hits the background. Not a lot by any stretch, but enough to make that background slightly visible in some shots without any editing. When I use this technique again in the future I’ll probably laminate the inside of the can with aluminum foil to decrease the bleed through the can and to provide a better reflective surface for the light.
As you can see, I’ve also changed the post processing a bit with this series. I’m working on a step by step that will appear as another post later.
2008.11.19 : Sumo by Chris Steele-Perkins
Something I’ve wanted to do for awhile on my old blog was to post about images or artists that resonated with me. The format at BHN wasn’t conducive to that, but now it seems appropriate.
This image by Chris Steele-Perkins came across my feed reader this morning and the more I look at it and digest, the more I love it. The colors are wonderful, almost as if the subject is standing in a fire. And the brow wipe further contributes to the idea of heat. I’m not sure if any of my alternate interpretation was intended by the photographer, but that’s the beauty of art, isn’t it? It’s a mirrored lens through which we view ourselves.
Sumo has always fascinated me. I’ve always loved individual combat sports. I wrestled in high school, and in recent years have developed a strong affinity for MMA. But Sumo is another class altogether. There’s a purity in the sport that doesn’t exist in other places. The ritual, the dedication of the athletes, the whole drama and spectacle of a basho… it must be an incredible thing to witness giant men slamming into each other with the force of steam locomotives.
See more of Chris Steele-Perkins work at Magnum or visit his own site here.
2008.11.10 : DIY Ring Light Build by Joe Holst
Holy mackeral… this is a beautiful DIY project from a guy named Joe Holst. I’ve been thinking about a light like this for a long time (I even have a ring cut and waiting under the house), but this trumps anything I’ve ever imagined.
One of the problems with DIY gear is that—unless it’s done right—it can make you look bad. You’ll have none of those worries if you roll up with a rig like this.
Whenever I finally get around to doing this for real, these are the instructions I’ll be following.