Assignment 4 - Proposal

Corporate

Individual

• Who: Alison, business manager at Resolution Consulting
• Look/ Feel: Open and friendly (as any good corporate portrait should be)
• Location: This shoot will be done at her house, where she works. Either with her sitting at her desk (which in a corner of a room), or near a window.
• Equipment: Camera, 60mm lens, Speedlite
• Lighting: If shooting at desk, have flash as the main light source probably bounced off wall or ceiling to defuse light. If shooting near window, use window light as the main light source, with flash as fill.

Group

• Who: Alison, Pete, and Paul, Resolution Consulting staff
• Look/Feel: Same as above, with the added feel of a team that is comfortable with each other and works well together
• Location: Their house, where the business is based, in their office which has a window on one side.
• Equipment: Camera, 17-85mm lens, tripod, Monobloc kit
• Lighting: Using the flash as the main light source, with fill coming from the window and possibly a reflector as well. Would use 2 Monobloc lights with umbrella or bounced off wall/ceiling. As for posing, I'm thinking there is the issue of height - Paul is much taller than the other two, so I would want him either sitting in a chair or perhaps sitting/leaning on the desk. Will experiment with posing on the day of course, but would probably start with Alison in the middle and then play around.

Creative

• Who: Noemie, young actor, singer, and flutist
• Look/Feel: I can't quite articulate what feel I want yet...I have a couple of different ideas that are still forming, and will probably shoot both of them to see which one works best. But I want her to look impressive, like she is perhaps a member of an orchestra, so I guess the look will be quite classical, but the location adds a slightly grungier feel. 
• Location: I have found the exact spot I want to shoot this...

It is located in the ditch next to the Tuggeranong Parkway, between it and houses in Weston. There are steep rocky cliff-like sides to this ditch...

I walked along the whole length of it yesterday to find the best spots for this shoot. I like the spot with the tiny stream, and rocks next to it.

• Equipment: Camera, 17-85mm + 60mm lenses, tripod, Monobloc kit
• Lighting: Shot in either the evening or early morning so that flash is the main light source. 2-3 Monobloc lights.
• Other Ideas: I want to include Noemie's flute in the shoot, whether she's playing it or holding it. I also want her wearing a long flowing dress, with LOTS of fabric - this may end up being extra fabric attached to the dress. I'm also trying to get hold some hair accessories that have feathers...but that's not essential.
• I want to take both full length and half body shots, basically treat it like a shoot for a magazine and make sure there's lots of variety.

Environmental

#1

• Who: Graham, my dad
• Look/Feel: Light, happy, inviting, engaging
• Location: His vegie garden
• Equipment: Camera, 60mm lens, Speedlite
• Lighting: Shot in late afternoon/early evening, with sunlight shining through blossom trees behind garden. Have him bending over vegies, maybe crouched down planting a seedling. Use Speedlite to fill in light on the face.

#2

• Who: Rebecca, a rower
• Look/Feel: I want it to look like the subject is very comfortable in her surroundings (which she is). I also want her to look like a regular girl "just like you".
• Location: By Lake Burley Griffin, or inside a boat shed
• Equipment: Camera, 60mm lens, Speedlite, Reflector
• Lighting: If by the lake shoot in evening with sunset acting as rim lighting, with flash filling in face. If in boat shed use flash as main light source with reflector used for fill. Whether we can get access to the boat shed has yet to be confirmed, and I can't plan the lighting properly until I get there and assess how much natural light there is.

#3

• Who: Christa, with her two BIG dogs!
• Look/Feel: Fun, "smiley", putting emphasis on how big the dogs are
• Location: Outdoor location, on Christa's property
• Equipment: Camera, 17-85mm lens, Speedlite, reflector, dog treats??
• Lighting: Shot from a low angle looking up at the dogs, with one dog on each side of Christa. Preferably shot on an overcast day so the ambient light is more even, and then focusing the eye on the subjects by using flash to illuminate them more than the background.

Assignment 4 - Creative Research

For my creative portrait I made a Pinterest board so I could easily gather inspiration together in one place: http://pinterest.com/rosiemoonshine/creative-portrait-inspiration/

Studio - Small Product Part 1

Creating an ad...

I've chosen my product for this assignment:

http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/973607510

I bought this perfume mainly because I loved the bottle (although it smells nice too), so I'm thrilled at the opportunity to photograph it. It's a very sparkly bottle, so I've been trying to think of ways to add sparkle to the portrait without using extensive Photoshop.
This is an original ad for the perfume:

http://images.memsaab.com/files/imagecache/node-gallery-display-750/files/2012/98289/taylor-swift-perfume-ad-pic.png

Obviously, the advertisers had the same idea as I did and wanted to add sparkle. They, however, used all Photoshop sparkle and I don't like this look so much.
I want to try and create REAL sparkle, and I want to attempt to do that using...wait for it......glitter!!

http://lillypillyphotography.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/project51.jpg

I don't want the model blowing glitter, but an assistant out of frame blowing glitter inwards around the model. Using flash will enable me to freeze the glitter in mid-air very easily.
This will no doubt take a lot of trial and error to get right, and will also be quite messy...so I propose putting down fabric over the floor to aid the clean up process.

As for the model...
I have yet to choose and finalise a model, but they do not have to be a Taylor Swift lookalike :P
I would, however, like to achieve the same facial expression as in this shot - another promotional image for Wonderstruck:

http://www.flare.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/d3ab6ffc48dcaebe22016219e8a9.jpg

With possibly a bit more of a smile...

Now for lighting!
I quite like the lighting in the first example of a Wonderstruck add. I think rim lighting would be hugely important to getting the effect that I want, and then another light (stripbox) at the front slightly to one side:

Studio - Assignment 1 Portraiture

Task 1

I just came across this image (below) and am really taken with it. Looks pretty simple lighting wise...

http://fotos-2go.com/page/2

I reckon this is how it's lit. I suspect there may be two lights one above the other to give enough coverage.

Task 2

For this portrait I'm really keen to experiment with sparklers...

http://8020.photos.jpgmag.com/2026561_169740_8de107da04_p.jpg

http://denniscalvert.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/G46A0064.jpg

It'd be a portrait obviously, but I like the effect they've achieved in this product shot.

Maybe even making a halo with sparklers...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39894655@N02/4775755539/

Or a skirt...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cierra12/7146127551/

Obviously this has not been done with sparklers. Actually it was all done in Photoshop, but it's just an idea.

Studio - Inspiration

Love this idea. Would love to use it for the ad we have to create, but I have too many other ideas :P Someone else should do it though, coz it's totally cool :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ana-ana-ana/8742348146/

Assignment 4 - Corporate Research

http://www.gavinblue.com/#/8/1

http://lizsnedker.wordpress.com/2011/09/30/september-2011/

http://vaniepoyey.com/headshot-photography/corporate-headshots-and-executive-portraits-at-the-camden-group-los-angeles

Assignment 4 - Enviromental/Editoral Research

http://clonephotography.weebly.com/5-portrait-typestheme.html

http://clonephotography.weebly.com/5-portrait-typestheme.html

http://www.gavinblue.com/#/10/10

Reading
http://digital-photography-school.com/environmental-portraits#ixzz1kZjePW9A

http://cpsstephen.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/good-environmental-portraits.html

http://cpsstephen.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/good-environmental-portraits.html

http://cpsstephen.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/good-environmental-portraits.html

http://www.aaronleefineman.com/portfolio/06.html

Location Task 4 - Fill Flash

Task 1 - Take a portrait outdoors, with side-lit sun.

1. Determine exposure for sunlit area of subject

1/1000 @ f2.8

 2. Set the aperture of the lens to 1/2 stops below the value of the aperture calculated using GN/distance. Adjust shutter speed to match new exposure.

1/15 @ f22

As an experiment, I took another shot with the aperture as is using the GN/distance equation. I felt like the side of the face that was in shadow was still a little too dark.

1/15 @ f16

However, it seems that my camera screen does not portray the images very accurately, as this second image is far too overexposed. I have noticed that the camera screen does not render the images the same way my laptop screen does, but I'm still learning what the differences actually are so I can start to compensate.

Task 2 - Take a portrait in a shaded area, at 2 meters, flash set to half power.

My flash does not have a half power option - the next level down from full power is 1/4 power. I used my flash at full power for this exercise, as 1/4 did not provide enough light to expose the scene properly.

1. Determine exposure by using GN/distance

1/250 @ f11

2. Take the portrait again, but increase the ambient exposure by 2 stops

1/60 @ f11

3. Retake the portrait increasing the ambient exposure by a further stop of exposure

1/30 @ f11

The 3rd image is my personal favourite from this exercise. I prefer that balance of flash and ambient.

Task 3 - Window light portrait

My flash does not have TTL or flash exposure compensation so I experimented with the "auto" modes - all these modes actually do is reduce the flash power by 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16.

1. Photograph a window light portrait without flash

1/80 @ f2

2. Retake the portrait bouncing flash off the roof on the opposite side to the window

1/80 @ f2.2

The aperture must have got bumped to f2.2 because I have no memory of changing it!! However, the second image (with flash) is much better exposed than the first (without flash.

Location Task 3 - On Camera Flash

Task 1

Using a GN of 32.
Flash at full power.

In hindsight this one is a little underexposed, but based on the GN this should have been correctly exposed. Possibly I was a little further than 2m away...

ISO100 250th @ f16

 Flash set to 1/4 power.
The next two are much better exposed than the first one. I'm guessing this is because more natural light was entering the camera with the wider aperture.

ISO100 250th @ f8

ISO400 250th @ f16

I fiddled around with different backgrounds for this task, and while the powerlines kind of annoy me, this was the best I could do in my backyard with the sunlight coming from behind the subject.

Task 2

Direct flash.

ISO100 250th @ f22

Flash bounced off white wall.

ISO100 250th @ f11

 Flash bounced off white ceiling.

ISO100 250th @ f11

Flash bounced off coloured wall.
Whoa...

ISO100 250th @ f8

In the series above I think it's safe to say that direct flash doesn't work in this setting at all. I prefer the flash bounced off the wall, rather than off the ceiling.
And the coloured wall is just weird.....

Research Task 3

1. Complete the following list of f-numbers (do not use 1/3 stops)

f1.0 f1.4 f2 f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22 f32

2. In a given studio portrait situation where the subject is lit by one source and a reflector, if an incident light reading of the lit side is f16 and an incident light reading of the side lit with reflected light is f1.4 then the difference in illumination will be;

[a] 5 stops [b] 6 stops [c] 7 stops [d] 8 stops

3. The difference in illumination described in question 2 above expressed as a ‘lighting ratio’ will be;

[a] 4:1 [c] 8:1 [c] 32:1 [d] 128:1

4. If the maximum output of a powerpack is 1200J, the output of the same powerpack when set on half power will be;

[a] 1600J [b] 1200J [c] 800J [d] 600J

5. If in the situation described above in question 4 an incident light meter is used to measure the output of the powerpack set to maximum output and from a given distance is f22, the new f-number at the same distance when the powerpack is set to half power will be;

[a] f22 [b] f16 [c] f11 [d] f86.

In a given situation you are using two powerpacks to photograph a subject using multiple discharges, eg. 10 sequential discharges. One powerpack is set to a greater output level than the other. You need to decide which pack will be the master pack to be triggered from the camera and which will be the slave pack triggered either optically or via another method from the master.

Describe which pack will be the master and why. The diagram below may help. 

I honestly have no clue, and am completely guessing here...but I would say that the pack producing higher output flashes would be the master pack?? And why....um...because it has a higher output, and closer to the camera and subject? Maybe??

Do some basic research into small-product photography to prepare yourself for next week’s class. Nothing too specific just try to identify several types/styles and uses of small-product photographs. Familiarise yourself with basic lighting techniques; try to identify how they were lit.

Enjoy

Here are couple useful tips I've found:

• when dealing with reflective objects, use a polarising filter
• use a smaller aperture with a wider depth of field, to get all the product in focus

And just a few inspirational shots :)

Noticed that small products are often lit from either side lighting, or a large diffused light directly above.

Week 3 Studio - Mixed Light

This really was the best studio class ever. Glow sticks for the win!!

41mm, ISO100, 8 secs @f/8

41mm, ISO100, 8 secs @f/8

Flash Research Assignment

Comparison between Canon Speedlite 430EX II and Sunpak PZ42X.

Canon Speedlite 430EX II
Guide Number: 43 (meters)
Flash Coverage: 24-105mm (wide panel 14mm)
Batteries: 4x AA
Min. Recycling Time: Approx 3.5 sec
Dimensions: 72mm x 122mm x 101mm
Weight: Approx 320g
(http://www.canon.com.au/en-AU/Personal/Products/Cameras-and-Accessories/Speedlites/430EXII)

Sunpak PZ42X
Guide Number: 42 (meters)
Flash Coverage: 24-? (wide panel 20mm)
Batteries: 4x AA
Min. Recycling Time: Approx 3 sec
Dimensions: 64mm x 116mm x 102mm
Weight: Approx 260g
(http://www.sunpak.jp/english/products/pz42x/)


When deciding what flash to purchase, one could easily make the mistake of following the trend without exploring other options.
Most photographers recommend the Canon Speedlite - with, it seems, good reason. The Speedlites are high quality flashes, well made, with high guide numbers and therefore a powerful flash. Canon makes several different levels of Speedlite, but I decided to focus on the 430EX II because it seems to be what many photographers consider their standard, "go-to" flash. It is also within my budget - you can buy them at Ted's Camera Store for about $370.
However, you can get a flash that is just as powerful for much less money if you look into Sunpak's flashes.
I currently own a Sunpak flash, but it's quite old (made in the 80s or 90s I think). It's a good flash though, and does the job even if it doesn't have all of the fancy features that modern flashes have. I wouldn't have known where to start searching for generic brand flashes, if I hadn't already heard of Sunpak, as I didn't find that the internet wasn't very helpful unless I had a brand name to search for.
The Sunpak flash closest in specs to the Speedlite 430EX II is the PZ42X. They seem to be pretty much the same as far as I can tell, apart from the fact that the Sunpak is slightly smaller and lighter.
The big difference between them is the price - you can buy the Sunpack online from Citiwide for about $220.
Reviews I have read of the Sunpak have all said it is very good value for money. While it might not have as many features as the Speedlite has (I'm not going to go into all of those, as I have absolutely no idea what they do!!), at a price like that what would you expect? Reviewers say the Sunpak flash is very good, sturdy and well built, and for some it has even surpassed their Speedlite as their "go-to".

The price difference alone was enough to persuade me that the Sunpak PZ42X would be a good choice if I were upgrading my flash equipment at the moment, and with the positive reviews I have read I am convinced that it would not be a choice I would regret.

References
http://www.citiwideonline.com/au/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_new&product_id=3333&category_id=297&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=79
http://www.adorama.com/SUPZ42XCA.html#pr-header-SUPZ42XCA
http://www.canon.com.au/en-AU/Personal/Products/Cameras-and-Accessories/Speedlites/430EXII
http://www.sunpak.jp/english/products/pz42x/
http://www.teds.com.au/canon-speedlite-430ex-ii
http://www.productreview.com.au/p/canon-speedlite-580ex-ii.html
http://www.flickr.com/groups/strobist/discuss/72157614447290197/