To try them out I took Dave out in search of the yellow fields we get in West Yorks, they’re not actually that yellow yet so ended up next to some field or other near Pontefract. I set up 3 lights – one with a silver brolly that has a soft-box like cover on it, so it looks like a little Westcott. Inside that I put the 580 EX2 at 1/2 power. That provided a pretty large source of soft light – in the photos this was lighting from the left in all the shots.

Off to the right, quite a distance away compared to the softbox, was a 550EX shooting plane hard light – that provides the light fill on the right of dave’s face

And finally, to light up the crop a little, I’ve got a 430EZ pointing down on the oil seed at 1/2 power – just so you get some of the crop showing as well as the sky retaining some colour.

All in all, pretty simple really, but quite like the results – the contrast of the large, close, soft light source to the left against the harsher, smaller distant light source to the right is pretty distinct

Bookmark This:

I’ve got a few portraits done now, just looking for 3 more cars to use in a leaflet – to show variety, I could just use loads of Elise photos but that would probably give the wrong impression!

I guess the trick with this, and any other venture for that matter, is to get the marketing right…. which is always a pain! Will keep you posted

Bookmark This:

So on my way back from giving a talk on HDR at the Welshot academy night in Chester, we stopped at Castlefield and had a drive around to get some shots.

With all the strobist stuff I’ve been doing I did think about clever lighting, but really, I’d need to practice lighting cars with speedlites before trying it on a proper car, so I relied on old faithful - HDR.

I keep HDR simple these days – use Av mode for exposure, meter with Matrix mode, use AEB to get my 3 shots (each 2 stops apart) and rapid fire mode to get the 3 shots out as fast as I can. On a bright day, it takes no longer than single shot.

So that’s what these shots are – simple HDR, a mix of Tone Compression and Details Enhancer tone mapping and a lot of dicking around in Photoshop.

Bookmark This:

One of them was an interview with Karl Bartos, where he actually said that if you like a style and sound, you should copy it – at first exactly or as closely as possible, then after a while your style will move away from “copying” and evolve into your own style.

First off, I was a bit surprised that anyone from Kraftwerk would say that – they were reasonably original – and secondly I saw the parallel with photography. the old cliche we live by is that noting is completely original, we’re all influenced somehow etc. but is copying very closely wise?

Well I never subscribed to that point of view, the reason being that you end up with a shot that is very very similar to one that has already been taken. The one you copied. I still think that copying to get a useable end product isn’t a good way to go, but as a learning tool Karl may well have a point.

Like may things that seem pointless, such as going for an LRPS, it’s not the end result that counts so much as what you learn on the way. My mate Mac did his LRPS and I was slightly amused by it all – he has lots of qualifications so it was very “him” to do it. But when I was at his place, he showed me his “panel”, a set of shots that were judged, and I saw the effort he’d been to to print, mount and arrange the shots – sort of changed my mind a bit, though I’m not going to start putting together my own panel very soon.

I’ve purposely strayed away from copying, I very rarely look at other people’s photography , preferring to annoy people on photography forms, but I may start taking a look at other work and seeing if I can think how to re-create the shot. May just learn something, or find some glaring holes in my skillset on the way!

Bookmark This:

However, I was pleasantly surprised when I got an email from a burlesque dancer who needed a few portfolio shots doing. Within a few days I was setting lights up in her living room and hanging up a black backdop – the black backdrop I’ve used on most of my “studio” stuff.

With these I went for pretty flat front lighting as that’s what I’ve seen most pin up style shots use – but I also used a couple of speedlites as kickers, which worked to varying degrees… the main problem was space really. You get 4 tripods in a long narrow kitchen/living room, and there’s not a lot of scope to move them.

The main thing I’d change is probably to get a coloured background – maybe red velvet would look good for this kind of shoot, though for portfolio shots I think they get the “act” and personality across pretty well.

Hoping to get a few outdoor shoots done before autumn nights draw in, so watch this space.. .

Bookmark This:

Eh?

Well many moons ago, I wrote an article about how to get your mojo back when you get uninspired with photography, and hey presto, its in there…

Not seen it myself, but go have a look in WH Smith, or even buy the mag! Quite ironic really as I’ve semi-lost my mojo – still taking lots of shots, but not really hitting the mark I’m aiming for as often as I’d like.

Bookmark This:

What I really like about the prints are their organic and random nature, the visual results, flaws and lucky happenstance tie into my earlier post about aesthetics. Photos such as the one below have a wonderful ethereal feeling that just invites the viewer to explore and see what is in the picture. It is much more engaging with the viewer encouraging dialogue and a greater appreciation for the image. That and it is just a damn cool idea!

“Windmills” Tablate, Spain. © Shaun Irvin

The idea is so cool, that he even had a documentary movie made about him and his truck. Check out the gallery on his site for many more great photos. I would love to see one of these in the flesh.

Story is via The New Yorkers  Lens Blog, check it out for more background on the project.

Bookmark This:

It is also a story of human nature, the reluctance of Neil Armstrong to be the all conquering global hero that people want him to be, the voracity of Buzz, which i think is ace… and the silent participation of Michael Collins, who was constantly going through disaster (and recovery) scenarios as his friends and compatriots were on a totally alien surface.

All too often documentary is about suffering, illness, pain and tragedy, sometimes it needs a kick, a look at endeavour, reach and the real strength of the human spirit. Long may we see such things.

Nasa’s Apollo 11 Photos.

Nasa’s Astronomical picture of the day

And if you have Vertigo the most piss your pants shot ever.

Bookmark This:

I don’t have the time or the inclination right now to re-hash the article, though I’ll maybe have a crack at it tomorrow. However, the following shot was taken by me right the way back in 2005, on my very first digital SLR, in the village where I used to live (indeed, the village where I was born!). It’s taken me nearly 4 years to learn sufficient Photoshop skills that I’m now able to process it to a stage where I’m reasonably satisfied.

Crich Stand Monument

I’m very definitely a hoarder, but it’s worth bearing in mind that some things are worth keeping hold of.

Bookmark This: