using a lamp and portents
Monday, September 24, 2007
ok i am sorry if posting nudes is agenst the ruls hear but i looked and i did not see say thing saying it is not.
but i just wonted to explan how to use simple lighting ie.. a lamp and a 100w light baulb, a sheet, a blanket or dark peace of cloth, or a wall. all these photos where taken with a Pentax K1000 50mm 1.7 using Fuji Supra asa 400 color
when working with this kind of set up it is best to use a faster lens becuse a 100w duse not put out a lot of light and a 50 mm is good becuse it alows for working in smaller spaces. also it is good to pick a lamp that has a shade, the shade can be used to direct light. also it helps to have a chair or other way to get the lamp off the flore.
i have found that it works best that putting the lamp off to a 90 angle to the model and move the model around to get the desierd lighting pattern. i usly use a low kee and a rembrant lighting pattern. do not for get that the background and the sados cast by the lamp can be used as a "prop" also it is also good to have the model stand a copple of feet off the background so it duse not look like your using a blanket ect.. and sence i was shooting at 1.7 it also helps.
he sheet is a good way to immtate using a soft box just rember do not get get too close to the light becuse it is hot and can start a fire. if you have a way to hang the sheet put the lamp about 3 feet from the sheet but rember you might have to slow up your shutter speed becuse less light hits the model. you may have to use a try pod i never did never liked them much lol.
i was using a day light balnced film with a tunstion light so the photos where worm. if your shoot digtal you can crect for this in camera but i would sujest that you try shooting in the day light setting the wormness duse add to the photo.
some times PS is needed to creect for some things becuse it is hard to get things perfict and sence you are shooting from 90 it can make skin look bad i often make a coppy layer then gosen bler and then unsaterate the coppy layer then use motply, over lay ect.. on the coppy layer to give the softness. i do the eye work becuse a lot of times this set up duse not get light in to the eyes very well. i doge the high lights and burn the shados in the eyes on the bottom layer and erace the eyes in the coppy layer to get the eyes to punch out. also i may slect around the eyes and crate a coppy layer and use the corves on the eye lawer or the contrast britness controle and put them over the coppy layer. the blur tool is also nice to use it can be used to take out small inperfetions. i also crate a layer to crate sepea coloring. that is new layer, pick a brown, use the pant bucket, then ajust till liking.
i usly when focsing use the eyes as my focal point, sence i am using 1.7 the deth of fild is very short and it makes it gives a focle point to the photo when every thing else is soft. if i miss what i was looking for i do get eyes from other photos.
the dark blanket makes an exclent back drop i also when to a sowing shop where they sell cloth and bought a brown pice of cloth for cheep. both work well. then i also used a wall. i find that white workes the best becuse you can controle how it comes out by how you let the light hit it.
by shooting like this has been benfishal becuse it was good pratice for what i do now whe i shoot photoj. becuse at night when i am out shooting a wreck of a house fire i am faced with simaler lighting ie... low kee tugtion sied lighting i have been able to take what i was doing in my prtats and appling it to how i shoot when i am out. i look for the same lighting patterns ect.. i just can not pose the firefighters lol but i can put my self where i know where there most likely to happen. so i can fomlate a plan farly quicly and get the photos i wont insted of just gessing. just rember that light works the same comming from a lamp, a head light or a 1000000000$ lighting set up. i got the ideas from looking at the hot light photos from the 30's and 40's mixed with the photos of Robbert Cappa and Weege the famice.
posted by The Photograph @ 10:18 AM,
2 Comments:
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At September 24, 2007 5:58 PM,
Wayne Wallace said...
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No problem posting nudes with me as long as they classify as fine art.
Great stuff!!! -
At September 24, 2007 6:51 PM,
The Photograph said...
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ok cool no one else had so i was not shore. i just wonted to maby give some ideas to people that may be stuck in a rut or do not have access to lighting equipment or like me that do not need it for there job. i wonted to show that you do not need all the fancy stuff to get good photos.
