Spotting the Photo
Discussion
This is my main problem I think, onto my second week of my photography evening course and I've now exhausted my supply of good shots from the Le Mans Series race at Silverstone.
So I need to think up a theme and stick to it, I obviously like car photography, but over 10 weeks that could get quite limiting and my car although fine mechanically doesn't have the best quality paint or bodywork, so not ideal from a photography point of view.
So I'm sat here trying to think of a theme for my images, motion is coming to mind as that gives a lot of scope for different things to photograph, pets, cars, light trails etc.
I think I've got a fairly good grasp of techically how to use what is available on the camera to take the shot, but it's that artistic and creative side of my brain that needs work, does anyone else suffer from this problem and how do you go about working round it?
So I need to think up a theme and stick to it, I obviously like car photography, but over 10 weeks that could get quite limiting and my car although fine mechanically doesn't have the best quality paint or bodywork, so not ideal from a photography point of view.
So I'm sat here trying to think of a theme for my images, motion is coming to mind as that gives a lot of scope for different things to photograph, pets, cars, light trails etc.
I think I've got a fairly good grasp of techically how to use what is available on the camera to take the shot, but it's that artistic and creative side of my brain that needs work, does anyone else suffer from this problem and how do you go about working round it?
If you're feeling restricted and uninspired it's a good bet to pick a theme like motion that crosses many disciplines and subjects.
I go out at night. You get to make your own pictures with differential lighting. You can get incredible but sometimes unexpected results with torches, flashguns, coloured gels and the things around you - from derelict houses and rusty plant eqpt to people and traffic trails. Skys and star trails can be great too.
I go out at night. You get to make your own pictures with differential lighting. You can get incredible but sometimes unexpected results with torches, flashguns, coloured gels and the things around you - from derelict houses and rusty plant eqpt to people and traffic trails. Skys and star trails can be great too.
AndWhy said:
If you're feeling restricted and uninspired it's a good bet to pick a theme like motion that crosses many disciplines and subjects.
I go out at night. You get to make your own pictures with differential lighting. You can get incredible but sometimes unexpected results with torches, flashguns, coloured gels and the things around you - from derelict houses and rusty plant eqpt to people and traffic trails. Skys and star trails can be great too.
I'd just noticed your Accord shots on the random photos thread and really like the in-car light painting, I was going to have a go at doing some light trails this week and it's getting to the time of year when night photography is looking like the the only option aside from weekends.I go out at night. You get to make your own pictures with differential lighting. You can get incredible but sometimes unexpected results with torches, flashguns, coloured gels and the things around you - from derelict houses and rusty plant eqpt to people and traffic trails. Skys and star trails can be great too.
AndWhy said:
If you're feeling restricted and uninspired it's a good bet to pick a theme like motion that crosses many disciplines and subjects.
I go out at night. You get to make your own pictures with differential lighting. You can get incredible but sometimes unexpected results with torches, flashguns, coloured gels and the things around you - from derelict houses and rusty plant eqpt to people and traffic trails. Skys and star trails can be great too.
How do the coloured gels work ?I go out at night. You get to make your own pictures with differential lighting. You can get incredible but sometimes unexpected results with torches, flashguns, coloured gels and the things around you - from derelict houses and rusty plant eqpt to people and traffic trails. Skys and star trails can be great too.
For instance, how did this shot come together ?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andwhynot/2497142332/...
Edited by Stu247 on Wednesday 24th September 15:52
from what i know from uni never actually used them but they are translucent plastic sheets, you can get them in various colours and gradiants, and place them in front of a light source say a flash light or studio lamp that sort of things.
correct me if im wrong though.
http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?ac.ui.pn=search.Se...
actually to cover the lense but you get the picture.
Edited by Pixel-Snapper on Wednesday 24th September 16:12
Steve Evil said:
it's that artistic and creative side of my brain that needs work, does anyone else suffer from this problem and how do you go about working round it?
I spend most days writing music... Often have a block. My only tip would be STOP. Go elsewhere, do something else. Chill out. Then think about what you want and come back fighting.Trying to work through a block (IMHO) Never ever, ever, ever works. The harder you try, the worse it gets.
Great advice from Get.
That was something like a 3 or 4 minute exposure. Compose the shot and start the exposure. In reality it's so dark you can wonder through the shot (covering the LEDs on your flashgun) to where you need to be for lighting, which is:
Fire the flash through the coloured gels (they're stage lighting gels for theatres) towards the surface you want to light. In the case above, I popped five or six full-strength flashes in different directions into each arch; this ensures good coverage and again helps prevent hot spots (though you can end up with cold spots).
There's a lot of trial and error and test shooting. However, I was getting almost as many errors as I was doing trials so I've given up gelling my flashgun and these days almost entirely I use LED torches and lanterns to light my subjects.
HTH
Stu247 said:
How do the coloured gels work ?
For instance, how did this shot come together ?
For instance, how did this shot come together ?
That was something like a 3 or 4 minute exposure. Compose the shot and start the exposure. In reality it's so dark you can wonder through the shot (covering the LEDs on your flashgun) to where you need to be for lighting, which is:
- out-of-line between your light source (flashgun) and your camera
- where your light source can't be seen directly by the camera
Fire the flash through the coloured gels (they're stage lighting gels for theatres) towards the surface you want to light. In the case above, I popped five or six full-strength flashes in different directions into each arch; this ensures good coverage and again helps prevent hot spots (though you can end up with cold spots).
There's a lot of trial and error and test shooting. However, I was getting almost as many errors as I was doing trials so I've given up gelling my flashgun and these days almost entirely I use LED torches and lanterns to light my subjects.
HTH
AndWhy said:
There's a lot of trial and error and test shooting. However, I was getting almost as many errors as I was doing trials so I've given up gelling my flashgun and these days almost entirely I use LED torches and lanterns to light my subjects.
HTH
So something like this torch? http://www.shop4torches.co.uk/acatalog/Gerber_Reco...HTH
Or would you still use the gels with a normal torch?
Steve Evil said:
AndWhy said:
There's a lot of trial and error and test shooting. However, I was getting almost as many errors as I was doing trials so I've given up gelling my flashgun and these days almost entirely I use LED torches and lanterns to light my subjects.
HTH
So something like this torch? http://www.shop4torches.co.uk/acatalog/Gerber_Reco...HTH
Or would you still use the gels with a normal torch?
In some ways you want as few, versatile tools as poss cos it's a nightmare trying to work out what you're doing in the pitch dark.
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