Week 3 research

Location class

This week’s research for location is more about the use of flash, in this case a monobloc unit, as a main source with daylight being used as a fill source. In other words, correct exposure will be based on the flash and daylight will be underexposed by two stops. 1.Daylight exposure is affected/controlled by your choice of shutter speed and aperture. True / False? 2.Flash synchronisation is affected by your choice of shutter speed. True / False? 3.Flash exposure is affected/controlled by your choice of shutter speed. True / False? § You are photographing a subject in daylight where you wish the flash to be the main source and the daylight to be the fill at two stops less exposure than the flash exposure. Procedure; 1. Using a light meter (as opposed to “oh I don’t know, any old exposure will do because I’m lazy or confused from a night out”) you calculate the ‘correct’ daylight exposure to be 60th @ f32. 2. Set up your monobloc as a main source and adjust the output and/or distance (and using your light meter) until correct flash exposure is f32. 3. Describe the resultant lighting if you exposed for daylight together with the flash on these settings. 4. Describe how you could now reduce the daylight exposure by two stops without affecting the flash exposure. Hint: don’t even think about touching the monobloc unit for this, the answer is much simpler. change the 5. Having done this, now describe the resultant image in terms of what the subject looks like and what the background, which is lit by the daylight, looks like. Oh come on, I’ve just about given you the answer. Lastly’ have a look at just about any editorial portrait and you’ll see this technique being used.

Studio class

§ Do some basic research on tabletop small product photography and post this to your blog. Small products are things like electrical items, toys, kitchen/bathroom products, groceries but NOT raw or plated food items. Post a few different types of shots and comment on the lighting used.

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Week 2 research

Location class

1.What does the term ‘bounce flash’ mean and why would you use this technique? bounce flash is a technique used that you direct the flash unit to be pointed at a white or light colour wall, and when it is set off it reflects the flash discharge in a different angle. you would use this because a flat flash straight is unappealing, we naturally dont look directly into lights 2.What does the term ‘fill-flash’ mean and why would you use it?. fill flash is the where you have a darker section on you image and use a flash to light the darker areas. you do this because if their is some unsightly shadow or the other light source is to strong 3.When working in daylight, how could you use flash as a main light and daylight as a fill, describe it? you can have your subject face you wile looking away from the sun so it causes them to be back lit, and use a soft flash to light there other side, this is would be a good example of fill flash.

Studio class

1.When employing multiple flash exposures to a moving subject (like the Edgerton strobe photos) why is it important to photograph against a black background? it is important because every time the flash goes off it exposes and back ground, and if you have black background it reflects way less light as a white back ground. so if shooting on a white background every time the flash goes off it exposes the image more and more 2.In a given situation when one flash discharge is used the correct f-number to achieve correct exposure is f8. How many identical discharges would you need to achieve correct exposure when using f32?........... 5? 3.Explain your answer in the last question

folio proposal

Make four portraits, using flash lighting. The same person needs to be used for shots 1 and 2 but you need to use other people for shots 3 and 4. 1. Standard corporate portrait/head shot with white (PLAIN!) background, photographed inside. 2. More creative corporate headshot or midshot, photographed i nside. They can be looking off camera talking to someone, gesturing etc or simply a tight more creative crop. 3. A portrait of the same person but have them using a computer, either laptop or desktop. Again, person to be photographed inside. NB: You cannot photograph fellow students. 4 A simple portrait (friend, family) of one person using the monobloc(s) as a main source outside. You will need to make sure you are able to reach a power point. The intent here is to test your ability to combine daylight with monobloc flash. 1. Do some research and post this to your blog. This should include identifying the people you will be photographing, or several ideas for the person you want to photograph. An idea or ideas of the way you will light the person. 2. You are required to present this to the class in two weeks, August 29 and 30 depending upon which class you are in, no exceptions, no excuses, no second chances. This is part of the summative assessment process. 3. You can use your class time to make arrangements for shoots, carry out the shoots, plan and edit images. Belinda will be at CIT to advise and help you, so there are no excuses for unsolved problems! As usual we encourage that you bring your work in progress to class for discussion and are prepared to reshoot if necessary. 4. Submit 5 printed, foam-core mounted A3 prints of the final group portraits by the due date below, as well as the images on CD, and the usual files using the digital file submission guidelines provided in semester 1. IDEAS!!! well i have no clue what im going to do for it. but the few ideas i have got iv only seen have been photos from the internet. PR shots are something that iv never really noticed before or iv really thought about to be quite frank. also to something iv always struggled with is choosing lighting for models so i think this assignment is going to be a challenge. allot of the bad shots iv noticed that people do for their PR lighting is really flat boring and very unexciting or if there not flat and boring they have horrible shadows. the people position also tends to be awkward and very unnatural poses and when they have their hands are cropped out they are always cropped off in really awkward positions. this is a perfect example of dreadful lighting. well its a perfect example of a dreadful photo in general.... see with this shot the lighting is very flat and this man has a crooked nose and the lighting in it exactitudes it very much enough about the bad stuff and more about my ideas i was planning i really like the use of 2 flash units used, one soft light lighting the mans face from the left giving him a nice aura, and there is a more harsh light coming from the right filling in the rest of the shadows. although i do find the harsh light a little to bright and sharp. the way he is positioned with his arms folded it gives him a really "im a happy but hard working fello" kinda look i really like the position of the man in front of the computer it gives you a idea that he kinda knows what he is doing, i think its more effective that he is typing because if he was holding the house it would look a bit weird and there is a nice refection coming from the window onto the glass tabletop. the use of the 2 lights in this image is a better example of what im aiming for in both my portrait images. for my group shot i like stumbled across this image, i like the composition of the people...... but i don't like the peoples positions thay are in.... the man on the left looks like he is trusting into the Asian lady's head and the guy in the back ground looks like such a lurker and if you look really closely there is a set of fingers coming out of the asain lady's head. and i think the camera could scootch up just a little but the soft lighting coming from above is nice i think

week 1 questions

location

1.What shutter type is found in almost all small format DSLR cameras? (your camera)?There are 3 mian types of shutters the interlens shutter (leaf shutter), focal plane shutter and the sensor shutter. Most small format use the focal plane shutter, they use this shutter because its extremely accurate and reliable

2.What does the term flash synchronisation mean? The term flash synchronisation means how quickly the flash responds to the shutter being activated

3.What is the flash synchronisation speed for your camera?

4.What is the typical colour temperature (in Kelvins) of an electronic flash discharge? The typical range for kelvins for a flash is around 6000.This is according to my in camera information

5.What is the typical flash discharge duration of a contemporary portable flash unit? The typical duration for a portable flash is something around 1/250 anything flaster than this shutter speed you will see the shutter in the image

studio

1.In terms of a studio flash unit, is there a difference between a generator and a power pack? there is no differences they are both the same thing

2.What is the unit or units of measurement that describes a studio flash output level? wats jouls/seconds

3.What is the difference between symmetrical and asymmetrical flash power output?A symmetrical flash power output is when generators can power two or more flash units and is measured in watt seconds and the total amount of power available is split equally between each flash unit. An asymmetrical flash power output is where each flash unit can be set to have different amounts of power which is also measured in watt seconds

4.What is a modelling light and how is it used in practice? a modeling light is a contiguous light source that allows the photographer to be able to see where the flash will be directed. it normally is a tungsten lamp with a built in variable settings so you can change the level of illumination

portable flash unit

all the images where taken using the same f stop ( f22 ) at different shutter speeds and using the flash unit nikon SB900

1/10 of a second

1/15 of a second

1/200 of a second