*Pathfinders looking for a shadow...

pathfinder

I had hoped to get a chance to see a shadow over the last week or so but it was not to be, so I sat down in the kitchen tonight to see what I could dream up. I can't shoot pipecleaners or clayballs but I do have a big sheet of paper for a background. Hmmmmm.... This kind of shooting ought to be duck soup for Ginette or Snapapple.

Maybe a pair of salt and pepper shakers..


Nah.... that's not what I am looking for....

And then I saw this china frog hopping along and wondered if it could climb into my teapot. Well, sure enough, he said he could climb onto the teapot just fine and this is what I captured....

pathfinder

Here is another one of that darned frog showing just how skilled he is at climbing porcelain......

wxwax

Are you stuck with a single light source, PF?

pathfinder

wxwax wrote:

Are you stuck with a single light source, PF?

I certainly was tonight, wasn't I? I guess I was striving for a shadow and thought that I'd lose the darker quality if I added more lights.

wxwax

pathfinder wrote:

I certainly was tonight, wasn't I?

Pity. I was thinking about maybe a upside-down V shape thing with the salt and pepper, converging shadows to show how they're opposite. Some sprinkling of the salt and pepper would help define the shape and the message. But you'd need at least 2 lights to make it work. Unless you shoot two frames, opposites, and combine them? Anyway, just a thought.

fish

pathfinder wrote:

Maybe a pair of salt and pepper shakers..

you sure are messy, path....

pathfinder

wxwax wrote:

Pity. I was thinking about maybe a upside-down V shape thing with the salt and pepper, converging shadows to show how they're opposite. Some sprinkling of the salt and pepper would help define the shape and the message. But you'd need at least 2 lights to make it work. Unless you shoot two frames, opposites, and combine them? Anyway, just a thought.

That is a great idea - I can see what you are driving at with crossing shadows.

I used a fairly large light source - larger than I preferred - I looked for a single LED light like Gus used - thought it would give sharp stark shadow but I couldn't find one here at home on short notice - I know it'll show up tomorrow. I just realized one of those LID lights to illuminate a portable laptop keyboard might have worked.

I put the salt and pepper there on purpose Fish - so you'd quickly be able to see what I was shooting..

wxwax

The LED light is in one of your panniers, maybe in the repair kit you carry?

fish

pathfinder wrote:

I put the salt and pepper there on purpose Fish - so you'd quickly be able to see what I was shooting..

Whatever you say, path...just clean it up before mrs pf sees it...

pathfinder

wxwax wrote:

The LED light is in one of your panniers, maybe in the repair kit you carry?

The one I carry in my panniers has 6 or 11 leds in it. I wanted single one. I tried flipping a copy of the salt and pepper and reblending to get the v shadow you suggested - just a quick effort but probably more interesting that the first image of the shakers...

wxwax

Yeah, that's sorta the idea. The pepper has a strong shadow going away from the center that sort of detracts from the message. Why are the shakers leaning? Wide angle?

pathfinder

wxwax wrote:

Yeah, that's sorta the idea. The pepper has a strong shadow going away from the center that sort of detracts from the message. Why are the shakers leaning? Wide angle?

Exif data says the focal length was 33mm on a 20D. I actually transformed the original image for persective - maybe I overdid it. I have put the chip away so I don't have the file here on my computer right now.

The twin shadow image has s lot of flaws - when I flipped the copy horizontally and then blended it back over the original one, the image did not fit exactly so there was some fudging done. I just did that to show the shadow effect you suggested. You suggested a excellent idea, I just didn't have the time to set up and shoot the shot, so I fudged it.


I have dodged and burned in the shadows so they match better for you waxy ....



Is this any straighter ??

gus

pathfinder wrote:

I looked for a single LED light like Gus used - thought it would give sharp stark shadow

No no no no no......no lad.

My next film extrodinaire will again involve an LED however i have devised a beaut secret method of defusing the hard direct light....wrap it in that grease proof cooking paper.




Ta-Dar.....................!

wxwax

Humungus wrote:

No no no no no......no lad.

My next film extrodinaire will again involve an LED however i have devised a beaut secret method of defusing the hard direct light....wrap it in that grease proof cooking paper.




Ta-Dar.....................!

Great idea. That's more or less what the scrims look like that our shooters put over their lights to soften them.

wxwax

pathfinder wrote:

Exif data says the focal length was 33mm on a 20D. I actually transformed the original image for persective - maybe I overdid it. I have put the chip away so I don't have the file here on my computer right now.

The twin shadow image has s lot of flaws - when I flipped the copy horizontally and then blended it back over the original one, the image did not fit exactly so there was some fudging done. I just did that to show the shadow effect you suggested. You suggested a excellent idea, I just didn't have the time to set up and shoot the shot, so I fudged it.


I have dodged and burned in the shadows so they match better for you waxy ....



Is this any straighter ??

The shadows are much stronger, they look good. The shakers still seem to be leaning out. I saw you submitted the frog, it looks good.