By Peter Phun, on June 1st, 2010%
Graduating High School Senior–Samantha Some of you might recognize Samantha who modeled for my students when I taught my Small Flash Lighting workshop a few weeks back. She’s got such a pretty face and great skin, it’s hard not to get a good picture of her. I kept things simple for the most part. I used one Speedlite and a silver reflector for this picture.
One of the most invaluable skills I acquired while at the newspaper was learning to assess my lighting options on scene quickly.
Most of time it meant I would use what’s already at the scene. This approach means you have 2 light sources:
- what you bring (your small portable flash units) and
- what available light there is
Continue reading On location single flash lighting
By Peter Phun, on May 5th, 2010%
When cooking, if you’re the sort who thinks “one teaspoon is good, and 2 or 3 will be even better,” then you probably eat alone a lot.
Come to think of it, you probably eat lots of leftovers too.
When you’re making pictures, especially when you are starting to explore lighting, resist over-lighting.
It’s all about quality of light not quantity.
It’s precisely that reason photographers sometimes choose to light their subjects.
Less is more–Artist Johnnie Dominguez was photographed using just available light and a large gold reflector. My friend Ted Kulesa held the reflector on the left of Johnnie just outside the frame. Canon 40D ISO 800 1/125 sec @ f2.8 camera on monopod. 80-200 zoom @ 80 mm. No fancy schmancy lights or flash used. I did have an voice-activated assistant Ted Kulesa. I wish I took more behind-the-scenes pictures of this. I’m starting to do so now that I’m teaching.
Continue reading Too much light
By Peter Phun, on February 4th, 2010%
Photographing strangers have always been something I enjoy.
Part of it has to do with the possibility that I can be told to take a hike, or worse, be punched in the face.
It’s not that I like to antagonize people.
It’s a real challenge even if you have the camera handling down.
Quizzical look of a fruit vendor–This guy was curious to see me use a strange-looking camera I’m sure. The Hasselblad with 80mm lens shot wide open at f2.8 produces nice sharp images but it is a slow camera to work. You have to take first a meter-reading with a handheld meter.The 500CM had no built-in meter. Ridiculous considering how much it cost me. The fruit is called lychee.
Continue reading Malaysian faces from the past
By Peter Phun, on June 4th, 2009%
Side Lit–Delia lit by strong sidelighting coming off of Lake Evans. The fill light is provided by a gold reflector on the right. Fill flash would have also worked but it would have required a Canon Speedlite capable of high sync speed. Exposure was ISO 100 1/350 sec @ f4 with a 50 mm lens.
Contrast can be friend or foe.
The more adept you are at controlling it, the better your pictures look.
In a portrait, if there’s too little contrast, the colors may look muted. Skin tones look drab.
Too much? You have to decide where in the scene you want to retain the detail.
If this all sounds alien to you, the beginner, it’s actually a real-world lesson on exposure. Continue reading Available Light Portraits
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