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Black on Black attempt (Low Key)

eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
edited June 29, 2008 in Other Cool Shots
More dramatic lighting was recommended for the Falcon. I agreed and took this with my new low-budget strobes. I learned something very important: Remove the modeling lamp while using the plastic snoot: I nearly melted it to unusable.

Here's the image:
MK-Falcon_DSC7036-Edit.jpg

ISO 100
RAW
Aperture: F/5.6
Shutter: 1/250th
70mm
Main light: F/5.6 w/barndoors
Hairlight: F/2.8 w/snoot that barely survived
Fill: Reflected from shoot-through
Background: Black leather office chair - shadowed
Floor: Old, dark blue t-shirt - unironed


For my next trick I'll reverse the main and fill, putting the main on side of the bird.
Lee
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    cmorganphotographycmorganphotography Registered Users Posts: 980 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2008
    His head got lost. Otherwise, I feel the mood and need to look over my shoulder... make sure no one is there. I don't know how to fix other than a reflector on the off side or make the bird face on and just lose one side?
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    eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2008
    cmorganphotography wrote:
    His head got lost. Otherwise, I feel the mood and need to look over my shoulder... make sure no one is there. I don't know how to fix other than a reflector on the off side or make the bird face on and just lose one side?

    Thank you, cmorgan. I like your straightforward critiques.

    I did lose some of his head on either side of the hair light and some of the shoulder. That's why I'm going to try again (and again, and again, and again, until I get it right.) I want complete separation from the background, and may even resort to glass lighting with front/side lighting. Unfortunately, that may result in an evenly lit image with flat lighting. Not what I want. :D

    One thing is for certain: Semigloss black paint on a subject with many angles is more than just a little difficult to photograph. I'm up to the challenge! mwink.gif
    Lee
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    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
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    cmorganphotographycmorganphotography Registered Users Posts: 980 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    Thank you, cmorgan. I like your straightforward critiques.

    I did lose some of his head on either side of the hair light and some of the shoulder. That's why I'm going to try again (and again, and again, and again, until I get it right.) I want complete separation from the background, and may even resort to glass lighting with front/side lighting. Unfortunately, that may result in an evenly lit image with flat lighting. Not what I want. :D

    One thing is for certain: Semigloss black paint on a subject with many angles is more than just a little difficult to photograph. I'm up to the challenge! mwink.gif
    Thank you for appreciating it? I didn't know I was so straightforward. rolleyes1.gif I guess I'm following my mother's advice of be blunt, be honest. WHen you wrote glass light... bells went off. Set the little bleeder on a glass table, light from underneath and put a reflector directly overhead parallel to the glass table with a weak frontlight or a candle!!!!. That [by my mere grasp of physics (and all thing)] should light a fire under his arse. I diagramed it and I consulted some runes and I also asked the elf in my cupboard if this will work and they all spake "Yes. And pie is delicious."
    I'm in a quirky mood tonight.

    Think telling ghost stories by the fire with the flashlight pointed up your nostrils. Hope that paints a picture.
    http://cmorganphotography.smugmug.com/
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    eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2008
    cmorganphotography wrote:
    I'm in a quirky mood tonight.

    I can tell. rolleyes1.gif
    cmorganphotography wrote:
    Think telling ghost stories by the fire with the flashlight pointed up your nostrils. Hope that paints a picture.

    Picture painted! Actually, I was thinking: Black background with light wrapping around it on either side. But I like your idea! When I get a glass table, I'll give it a shot! :D
    Lee
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    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
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    cmorganphotographycmorganphotography Registered Users Posts: 980 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    I can tell. rolleyes1.gif
    Picture painted! Actually, I was thinking: Black background with light wrapping around it on either side. But I like your idea! When I get a glass table, I'll give it a shot! :D
    You're idea makes it sound like it's on display at a museum... I like it. Very mission impossible.
    For comedic purposes he could be wistfully looking outside at other birds. Thinking, maybe someday he can be a real bird, someday.
    http://cmorganphotography.smugmug.com/
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    eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2008
    Pinoccio syndrome. :D
    Lee
    __________________

    My SmugMug Gallery
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    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
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    cmorganphotographycmorganphotography Registered Users Posts: 980 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    Pinoccio syndrome. :D
    I ran away with Digby my bamboo duck and that idea, I'll post in this forum with the piccies!
    http://cmorganphotography.smugmug.com/
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    SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    More dramatic lighting was recommended for the Falcon. I agreed and took this with my new low-budget strobes. I learned something very important: Remove the modeling lamp while using the plastic snoot: I nearly melted it to unusable.

    Here's the image:

    ISO 100
    RAW
    Aperture: F/5.6
    Shutter: 1/250th
    70mm
    Main light: F/5.6 w/barndoors
    Hairlight: F/2.8 w/snoot that barely survived
    Fill: Reflected from shoot-through
    Background: Black leather office chair - shadowed
    Floor: Old, dark blue t-shirt - unironed


    For my next trick I'll reverse the main and fill, putting the main on side of the bird.

    I like the dark mood of this shot Lee, but as cmorgan said, it's face is almost lost in the darkness.

    I'm sure if you did a reshoot you could sort that out.
    Good luck with your new lights thumb.gif ... Skippy :D
    .
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

    ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/

    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
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