By Peter Phun, on August 23rd, 2010%
Earlier this year, I met a very talented budding actress by the name of Victoria Walcott who needed some headshots.
Available light–Portraiture in available light requires an awareness of locations and times. Generally speaking available light portraits have to be very “static” because light levels tend to be so low. With today’s DSLR’s low light ability, a fast lens and some practice can give pleasing results. ISO 200 1/40 sec @ f 2.8 100 mm macro 2. 8 lens. See the catchlight in Victoria’s eyes where the main light is a large window on the left.
I tend to pack a lot of gear when I work. I may not use them all, but I sure like to have them at my disposal even if it means they are in my trunk.
Force of habit from working at the newspaper. I never knew what assignment I would draw, so I had all kinds of “stuff” in my trunk.
For this particular shoot, I kept it simple.
Needless to say, picking a good location can save you the hassle of bringing in lots of lighting equipment.
This is what I had to work with:
- A large window facing north
- My grey muslin backdrop
- 1 lightstand with reflector secured by a clamp.
- 1 shoot-through umbrella with Canon 580EX Speedlite triggered by off-camera sync cord
If you plan to shoot with available light, consider what lens you have, the shutter speed you can hand hold and if your camera’s noise level at high ISO is acceptable.
Consider having your subject sit or lay down. It might help them relax especially if it’s your first time working with them.
Once you’re sure you have something you like, don’t stop there. That’s when should push on and try something different or even outrageous.
Why? Continue reading Using available light & one flash for a portrait
By Peter Phun, on August 19th, 2010%
Cutting the rug– I dragged the shutter shooting at ISO 400 1/6 sec @ f2.8 and set my flash to 1/32 power.
As twilight approached, we went one deck below for our scrumptious dinner.
My choice of fish delectably decorated with a bright red pepper looked mouth-watering.
Had our waitress not warn us that the pepper was a jalapeño, all the drinks in the “Open bar” wouldn’t have been enough to quell its hotness.
By the time I finished, the late evening light was just too good to ignore.
It was also time to raise the ISO from 100 to 400 to get a shutter speed that I knew I could comfortably handhold.
Using my 580EX off-camera in manual mode, even at 1/128th power, in such close quarters required me to feather its output some more.
The built-in white diffuser card was actually kicking in too much light.
I ended up using my fingers over the flash head.
Continue reading A Wedding & Cruise on the Sacramento River 2
By Peter Phun, on August 17th, 2010%
Michelle’s dad, Lee, gives her away at the ceremony as Alex looks on. Extreme contrast is always a photographic challenge. I was at least 40 feet back. Because the 580EX had to kick in quite a bit of light from that distance, I used the external power pack to allow for quicker recycling. 1/200 sec f5.6 ISO 100. I should have raised the shutter speed to 1/320 sec from 1/200 sec to retain the highlight in the bride’s veil in retrospect. My 580 EX speedlight was at 1/2 power.
There is no doubt, a wedding on board a ship is romantic.
I’ve been a part of 3. My first time was on board the Star of India in San Diego too many years ago now.
Though the cutter never left the dock and the temperature was too hot to be in a suit and tie, I can still remember the name of the vessel.
Two days after I quit the newspaper business I shot my first wedding “professionally” on board the Dandeanna, a yacht which circled Marina Del Rey for 4 hours.
On that occasion, I remember borrowing a 2nd camera body from the person who replaced at the newspaper.
Waiting for the guests–The Empress at the dock before all the guests board her for the evening’s cruise and festivities.
Those of you thinking about doing weddings for a living, yes, you should never shoot a wedding with just one camera.
It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.
This weekend was a special treat and a delight.
My nephew Alex married his sweetheart Michelle on board the Empress as we cruised the Sacramento and American River. Continue reading A Wedding & Cruise on the Sacramento River 1
By Peter Phun, on August 10th, 2010%
Every so often when I clean out my closet, I’ll come across an item which is still in pristine condition just the way it was after I broke the clear shrink-wrap.
It starts me wondering, “What the heck was I thinking?”
You are bound to disagree with me, but before you post your comments, which I encourage you to, remember this:
The tools any artist finds indispensable is dependent on usage. And usage is dictated most by the types of subjects we point our lenses at. So with that in mind…
400mm telephoto f4.5
When I was in college in Ohio, I owned a 400 mm f4.5 telephoto lens. MInd you, this was in the old days of film and manual focus. In the Midwest where I went to school, that lens was only used in the best of lighting conditions. The aperture of f4.5 was way too slow for anything but outdoor sports which happen in good light. Those of you reading this have to realize even in today’s high ISO capability DSLRs, trying to get a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec is asking a lot.
Flash diffusers
Over the years I’ve bought some doozies. I once bought a diffuser which you inflate by blowing up like a beach ball.
I even had one that was a miniature umbrella that attached to the flash.
Diffusers for flash units or Speedlights/Speedlites are often not the problem. It’s the placement of the flash, being on camera.
Now I’m wondering as I write this if I’ll ever be seen with Gary Fong’s Lightsphere. Continue reading Photogear I shouldn’t have bought
Recent Comments