I've enjoyed all the challenges, particularly this one! The single entry makes you focus on your own pictures much more intensely. Previously we were (well, I was) deferring the critical process to andy.
The critique thread is an excellent idea, although, I think I could have used it more wisely. I particularly liked the way that David's "happy feet" developed through the thread.
The critique thread is an excellent idea, although, I think I could have used it more wisely. I particularly liked the way that David's "happy feet" developed through the thread.
Cool... I am on the road, again, have all evning tonight to shoot... But I left the camera at home... DOH! Guess I will just read instead :-)
Maybe everbody could tell me what they think is meant by quality of light.
ginger ?????? I might read until Thursday. Am exhausted from a very spirited tennis thing this morning. Plus the stress over my favorite picture I have ever done, not depicting a loved one, of course. Now I find that my daughter doesn't like it. Glad I never asked her for advice, smile. I wonder what she would think of "quality of light".
Actually, we had the clearest day on Sunday. It is often hazy here in the summer, but coming back from church, about 1:00 PM, I mentioned to Bill that I had never seen the sky a clearer blue, nor the water a brighter blue. No haze, no pollution.
Somehow I don't think that is what is meant by this Challenge.
Maybe everbody could tell me what they think is meant by quality of light.
I just don't know. I am going to try to capture light enhancing the precieved quality of an object. Seeing I am a total amature and have no access to quality photo lighting tools, I will try and wing it. This should be an interesting experiment. I will most likely shoot a series of shots to show how I attempted to create my "quality" shot.
I just don't know. I am going to try to capture light enhancing the precieved quality of an object. Seeing I am a total amature and have no access to quality photo lighting tools, I will try and wing it.
Natural light for me too. One thing I've noticed in the photo comps at other sites is how many people use a light kit of some kind, and try studio-type lighting. Sometimes it's awfully good, too.
But that's way beyond my ken, so I'll settle for whatever nature offers... and maybe a normal lightbulb too.
Natural light for me too. One thing I've noticed in the photo comps at other sites is how many people use a light kit of some kind, and try studio-type lighting. Sometimes it's awfully good, too.
But that's way beyond my ken, so I'll settle for whatever nature offers... and maybe a normal lightbulb too.
I'm approaching this the same way. I don't have any experience with lighting, or off camera flash for that matter. I'm trying to come up with some ideas now, and hopefully can have some shots for review by the end of the week. I think this is going to be an interesting competition.
I'm approaching this the same way. I don't have any experience with lighting, or off camera flash for that matter. I'm trying to come up with some ideas now, and hopefully can have some shots for review by the end of the week. I think this is going to be an interesting competition.
Dave
I think we are going to need a subthread... Pictures of how I got my light picture... It will be interesting to see how this group will go about solving the light problem... Elabroate lighting setups with slaves and strobes tripods and filters. Or the Black bedsheet, a setting sun, an open window ans a couple mirrors.
since i have the voting for the next challenge them already ended, there's no reason why you couldn't shoot for the next challenge now.
the theme is "quality of light"
the challenge threads won't be up until thursday but feel free to shoot for it now.
the main purpose of a start time is so the people go out and get fresh, new shots.. i'm not gonna fuss over a day or two in advance of when i originally had it planned for.
so, in summary, consider the legal shooting time for the subsequent challenge to be anytime *after* the prior challenge has closed.
fair 'nuff?
Andy:
Quite Fair... Thank-you for the Flex in the "shoot time." 'Course as luck would have it today... I ran out after zipping out the comment... But it still will be very nice having the couple of extra days to begin working.
Natural light for me too. One thing I've noticed in the photo comps at other sites is how many people use a light kit of some kind, and try studio-type lighting. Sometimes it's awfully good, too.
But that's way beyond my ken, so I'll settle for whatever nature offers... and maybe a normal lightbulb too.
Regarding the "Quality of Light," maybe this will help?
Light - we can't make much of a photograph without it. The ability to see subtle changes in the light on a subject is a key to professional quality work and is part of what makes a photograph not a snap shot. Film must get the correct amount of light for it to record an image. Too little light and the image is weak and lacks contrast while too much light will make the image dark and contrasty. The challenge is tocontrol the light.
The magic of photography lies in the light. Light can do more than make an image on film; it can emphasize, subdue or alter moods. It can help you say many things about your subject. The first property of light to deal with is intensity or brightness. The light meter measures this and converts it into f-stops and shutter speeds. The only key to intensity is making sure that there is enough to make an image on the film. The light that enters our camera lens is either direct light from a light source such as the sun or light bulb OR it is reflected light that has come from light that has bounced off of people or things.
The light meter measures the light that it sees and must convert it into a proper exposure. Most cameras use an averge of all of the light that falls on the frame of the camera. This quantity of light is converted into aperture and shutter speeds based on the ASA of the film and the amount of light needed to convert that light into a neutral gray on the film. Neutral gray represents a shade of gray that is half way between white and black. It is a shade of gray that is the same on a negative as it is in real life and is sometimes referred to as 18% grey since it reflects back 18% of the light that hits it.
Sometimes the average type light meter makes a mistake if it is aimed at a scene that has a bright spot in the frame that throws the average higher or a dark spot that throws the average lower. A snow scene or a night shot or concert shot will fool a light meter. To cure this some photographers use a spot meter which mesures only a small portion of a scene or frame.
Light Quality - Direction - Contrast
Light Quality is the most important characteristic of light for the photographer for it sets the mood of a shot. Quality of light breaks down into two types -- hard or soft light. Hard light throws distinct shadows. It comes from a point light source such as the sun or an electronic flash. It is a harsh light and often can cause the subject if it is a person to squint or need to put on sun glasses. Soft light is the opposite and comes from a reflected source or a broad source. It is often indirect light and is frequently found in the shade as light that reflects into the shade from the surroundings. Light quality is effected mostly by change in subject or camera position or the use of reflectors or fill flash.
Hard light can give a dramatic effect -- strong, bold or angry. A soft light is used for more subtle effects . Hard light can further be broken down according to its direction where it might come from the front, side, back or top of the subject. The direction of light will determine where shadows will be. By looking at the shadows in a picture, you can determine where the light comes from. This direction, more than any other light feature will affect the LOOK of a picture. Directions of light are given from the subjects point of view, thus back light points into the camera lens. There are no rules about which direction to use, the main reason for study of them is to control their effect on our subject.
Front light is used to show detail. Few good outdoor shots use this type of light because it eliminates texture. This type of light is what comes out of a flash attachment and evenly lights our subject. It is the worst of the hard light types and would be better as soft light if a choice is possible. Side light emphasizes texture and shape. A strong side light from a window or a sunset causes long shadows and a dark side and light side relationship on a subject. To meter such a light the photographer may want to average a close up meter reading of both the bright side and the dark side. Backlight softens the quality of the light as the subject gets mostly reflected light on its surface. If the light is placed directly behind the subject a rim light can be the result. This is the most dramatic type of light. This type of light does a good job of separating the subject from the background but requires careful metering. IF the meter sees mostly the bright light in the background the exposure will be adjusted lower to compensate which will result in an underexposed subject which has less light falling on it from the reflected light reaching it from the front.
The last chracteristic of light which is of a concern to the technology conscious photographer is the brightness range or contrast. This is how much difference there is between the brightest part of a scene and the darkest part. On most black and white and color films the brightness range that the film can record an image on is about 5 f-stops difference beween the light and dark. On a bright day it is possible for the actual brightness to be 8 or 9 stops difference. On an overcast day the contrast is lowered to perhaps only one f-stop difference between the bright and dark part of a scene. This results in prints that are low in contrast. In the video and film industry additional lights are brought in to increase the contrast or decrease the contrast so that it matches the contrast of the film. Here is a Kodak link that might help a bit, too... I'll see if I can come up with some more help tomorrow afternoon... IF anyone is interested...
ginette
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Regarding the "Quality of Light," maybe this will help?
Don't take this wrong... but Hard, or Soft, any light has quality, as long as exposed properly. The trick is exposing your subject with the proper light to convey the message you like. (Of course that is the whole trick with Photography)
So for this assignment, we need to capture light in a way that it emphasises the scene we are trying to caputre. Wow, sure is a lot easier to say than do.
Good topic, this will be a tough one, but I BET the results will be spectacular.
"Quality" of light......
I have a book that talks about light, but it is too long to quote, though it is very informative. I still can't get away from the the thought that all light has a quality. So maybe we rephrase it so that I can't send you a black picture, and say "good quality of light". Would that not just be a good photograph, as far as the light quality is concerned? I can think of some things, etc. I tend to shoot at noon, did I already say that, but I have been taking my photos in light that is not traditionally ideal, or even good. Here is a shot of the marsh taken while my husband was driving over a bridge at 60 mph about 1 PM (noonish) on Sunday.
I am probably going to have to drag myself somewhere unusual at a time of day I would not ordinarily. I think that, then I think my tennis balls, well I have some where the lighting is exquisite, but I just don't think I can keep going back to that porch with a can of tennis balls. Much as I really do love the place.
Andy, I hope you are still going to introduce the topic a bit on Thursday, or sometime. I think of something like this as a comparison, a chapter in a book, or perhaps a whole book, pictures included.
Andy, I hope you are still going to introduce the topic a bit on Thursday, or sometime. I think of something like this as a comparison, a chapter in a book, or perhaps a whole book, pictures included.
ginger
this is another reason i need a break between challenges. of course, ginger, i'll introduce ;-)
this is another reason i need a break between challenges. of course, ginger, i'll introduce ;-)
Thanks, Andy. That makes me feel a bit relieved. I am not really sure what anyone could say. But your slant on the words "quality of light" as they are transfered to a photographic image, well, it can only help.
And we have a very grey "blown" sky right now. The quality of light is probably fine as the sun sent it out, but there are grey things blocking the total impact of the light from reaching us.
Actually, I get so wound up over the assignments that I need a rest right now, while you write re the assignment. I need to read a good book. So I sat down with three books, way after midnight last night, what did I pick up, another photography book. I am going to go into "old lady" burnout.
(And I finally got to e-mail all the lists and people I have been totally ignoring. I have invited some of them to look at the pictures. I swear, if there are ten people, each of the ten likes a different picture, that is how subjective this thing can be. And one of the people was a professional photographer some of her life, more knowledgeable than I am, as much as you are, but with film cameras................. she liked my picture. My daughter said, "you have done better".)
I need to leave this planet, but just for a day or two.
Comments
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
If we're going to have guest judges, does that mean we'll get feedback from both judges on all the entries?
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
it's possible but i'm not guaranteeing this....
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The critique thread is an excellent idea, although, I think I could have used it more wisely. I particularly liked the way that David's "happy feet" developed through the thread.
Guest judges
Thanks
gubbs.smugmug.com
Me, too!!
c'mon Happy Feet!
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Maybe everbody could tell me what they think is meant by quality of light.
ginger ?????? I might read until Thursday. Am exhausted from a very spirited tennis thing this morning. Plus the stress over my favorite picture I have ever done, not depicting a loved one, of course. Now I find that my daughter doesn't like it. Glad I never asked her for advice, smile. I wonder what she would think of "quality of light".
Actually, we had the clearest day on Sunday. It is often hazy here in the summer, but coming back from church, about 1:00 PM, I mentioned to Bill that I had never seen the sky a clearer blue, nor the water a brighter blue. No haze, no pollution.
Somehow I don't think that is what is meant by this Challenge.
I just don't know. I am going to try to capture light enhancing the precieved quality of an object. Seeing I am a total amature and have no access to quality photo lighting tools, I will try and wing it. This should be an interesting experiment. I will most likely shoot a series of shots to show how I attempted to create my "quality" shot.
But that's way beyond my ken, so I'll settle for whatever nature offers... and maybe a normal lightbulb too.
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
I'm approaching this the same way. I don't have any experience with lighting, or off camera flash for that matter. I'm trying to come up with some ideas now, and hopefully can have some shots for review by the end of the week. I think this is going to be an interesting competition.
Dave
http://www.lifekapptured.com (gallery)
Quite Fair... Thank-you for the Flex in the "shoot time." 'Course as luck would have it today... I ran out after zipping out the comment... But it still will be very nice having the couple of extra days to begin working.
Again,
Hey... How's Lynn doin'?
ginette
Regarding the "Quality of Light," maybe this will help?
Light - we can't make much of a photograph without it. The ability to see subtle changes in the light on a subject is a key to professional quality work and is part of what makes a photograph not a snap shot. Film must get the correct amount of light for it to record an image. Too little light and the image is weak and lacks contrast while too much light will make the image dark and contrasty. The challenge is tocontrol the light.
The magic of photography lies in the light. Light can do more than make an image on film; it can emphasize, subdue or alter moods. It can help you say many things about your subject. The first property of light to deal with is intensity or brightness. The light meter measures this and converts it into f-stops and shutter speeds. The only key to intensity is making sure that there is enough to make an image on the film. The light that enters our camera lens is either direct light from a light source such as the sun or light bulb OR it is reflected light that has come from light that has bounced off of people or things.
The light meter measures the light that it sees and must convert it into a proper exposure. Most cameras use an averge of all of the light that falls on the frame of the camera. This quantity of light is converted into aperture and shutter speeds based on the ASA of the film and the amount of light needed to convert that light into a neutral gray on the film. Neutral gray represents a shade of gray that is half way between white and black. It is a shade of gray that is the same on a negative as it is in real life and is sometimes referred to as 18% grey since it reflects back 18% of the light that hits it.
Sometimes the average type light meter makes a mistake if it is aimed at a scene that has a bright spot in the frame that throws the average higher or a dark spot that throws the average lower. A snow scene or a night shot or concert shot will fool a light meter. To cure this some photographers use a spot meter which mesures only a small portion of a scene or frame.
Light Quality - Direction - Contrast
Light Quality is the most important characteristic of light for the photographer for it sets the mood of a shot. Quality of light breaks down into two types -- hard or soft light. Hard light throws distinct shadows. It comes from a point light source such as the sun or an electronic flash. It is a harsh light and often can cause the subject if it is a person to squint or need to put on sun glasses. Soft light is the opposite and comes from a reflected source or a broad source. It is often indirect light and is frequently found in the shade as light that reflects into the shade from the surroundings. Light quality is effected mostly by change in subject or camera position or the use of reflectors or fill flash.
Hard light can give a dramatic effect -- strong, bold or angry. A soft light is used for more subtle effects . Hard light can further be broken down according to its direction where it might come from the front, side, back or top of the subject. The direction of light will determine where shadows will be. By looking at the shadows in a picture, you can determine where the light comes from. This direction, more than any other light feature will affect the LOOK of a picture. Directions of light are given from the subjects point of view, thus back light points into the camera lens. There are no rules about which direction to use, the main reason for study of them is to control their effect on our subject.
Front light is used to show detail. Few good outdoor shots use this type of light because it eliminates texture. This type of light is what comes out of a flash attachment and evenly lights our subject. It is the worst of the hard light types and would be better as soft light if a choice is possible. Side light emphasizes texture and shape. A strong side light from a window or a sunset causes long shadows and a dark side and light side relationship on a subject. To meter such a light the photographer may want to average a close up meter reading of both the bright side and the dark side. Backlight softens the quality of the light as the subject gets mostly reflected light on its surface. If the light is placed directly behind the subject a rim light can be the result. This is the most dramatic type of light. This type of light does a good job of separating the subject from the background but requires careful metering. IF the meter sees mostly the bright light in the background the exposure will be adjusted lower to compensate which will result in an underexposed subject which has less light falling on it from the reflected light reaching it from the front.
The last chracteristic of light which is of a concern to the technology conscious photographer is the brightness range or contrast. This is how much difference there is between the brightest part of a scene and the darkest part. On most black and white and color films the brightness range that the film can record an image on is about 5 f-stops difference beween the light and dark. On a bright day it is possible for the actual brightness to be 8 or 9 stops difference. On an overcast day the contrast is lowered to perhaps only one f-stop difference between the bright and dark part of a scene. This results in prints that are low in contrast. In the video and film industry additional lights are brought in to increase the contrast or decrease the contrast so that it matches the contrast of the film.
Here is a Kodak link that might help a bit, too...
I'll see if I can come up with some more help tomorrow afternoon... IF anyone is interested...
ginette
So for this assignment, we need to capture light in a way that it emphasises the scene we are trying to caputre. Wow, sure is a lot easier to say than do.
Good topic, this will be a tough one, but I BET the results will be spectacular.
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
I have a book that talks about light, but it is too long to quote, though it is very informative. I still can't get away from the the thought that all light has a quality. So maybe we rephrase it so that I can't send you a black picture, and say "good quality of light". Would that not just be a good photograph, as far as the light quality is concerned? I can think of some things, etc. I tend to shoot at noon, did I already say that, but I have been taking my photos in light that is not traditionally ideal, or even good. Here is a shot of the marsh taken while my husband was driving over a bridge at 60 mph about 1 PM (noonish) on Sunday.
I am probably going to have to drag myself somewhere unusual at a time of day I would not ordinarily. I think that, then I think my tennis balls, well I have some where the lighting is exquisite, but I just don't think I can keep going back to that porch with a can of tennis balls. Much as I really do love the place.
Andy, I hope you are still going to introduce the topic a bit on Thursday, or sometime. I think of something like this as a comparison, a chapter in a book, or perhaps a whole book, pictures included.
ginger
this is another reason i need a break between challenges. of course, ginger, i'll introduce ;-)
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Thanks, Andy. That makes me feel a bit relieved. I am not really sure what anyone could say. But your slant on the words "quality of light" as they are transfered to a photographic image, well, it can only help.
And we have a very grey "blown" sky right now. The quality of light is probably fine as the sun sent it out, but there are grey things blocking the total impact of the light from reaching us.
Actually, I get so wound up over the assignments that I need a rest right now, while you write re the assignment. I need to read a good book. So I sat down with three books, way after midnight last night, what did I pick up, another photography book. I am going to go into "old lady" burnout.
(And I finally got to e-mail all the lists and people I have been totally ignoring. I have invited some of them to look at the pictures. I swear, if there are ten people, each of the ten likes a different picture, that is how subjective this thing can be. And one of the people was a professional photographer some of her life, more knowledgeable than I am, as much as you are, but with film cameras................. she liked my picture. My daughter said, "you have done better".)
I need to leave this planet, but just for a day or two.
Thanks for the assurance, Andy.
ginger