Been having a bit of a play today with still life pics. I was trying something new for this month`s photo comp (Light and Dark) I eventually took a different tack for the comp, so here`s what I was planning on entering with originally. This is my Dad`s old SLR. Sadly broken, but gets an airing every now and again, and was perfect for the lighting effects I was after f6.3/ISO 800/6 sec. exposure; f18/ISO 800/10 sec. exp.; f5/ISO 200/15 sec. exp.; Eventually got what I was after, and this would have been my entry if I hadn`t had a flash of inspiration...(you`ll see it when Wez posts the entries. ) f4.5/ISO 200/15 sec. exp.; All these pics are as they left the camera, with no P`shop-ing. Only one light source too...
I think that last one is a really good photograph. And I must congratulate you on using something other than Photoshop to enhance your photograph. Well done!
Cheers, Stella. I prefer to use old school (dare I say `proper`...) techniques for still-life stuff. I only use P-shop, for outdoors/landscapes where you have less control over the lighting.
Really simple technique... Start off with lighting the subject from above with the torch. (Since the camera needs measure some light to auto focus) Being that it was set to a 15 second exposure, there was plenty of time to then light each element seperately using a different filter each time.
T`is indeed. Loving it. Just need to get out and get some decent outdoor stuff, but I`ve been too busy lately. Also looking forward to the summer and all the shows. Hoping for some cracking pics, and I`m looking to organise a shoot for all the CGTI Manchester crowd.
what did you get?? going to order some filters of fleabay tomorrow, plus get a few 'props' like tripod and things....
You could try this place in Jersey, where you might find things cheap. Free postage and no VAT on anything under 18. I just bought 3 filters from there. And camera batteries are cheap. Normal Nikon =45, their brand = <10 apiece and so far have been just as reliable as the Nikon ones.
I`ve got a Canon EOS 450D. I`m on the lookout for some better filters. The plain coloured ones I used are, again, my Dad`s old ones. (Almost 30 years old...) There`s a few others of his, that I`ve got but just old `70s soft focus stuff. Bit naff really... A decent tripod is a must. I`m currently using my Dad`s old one (seeing a theme here... ). It`s a Velbon, and is also over 25 years old, but since it`s brushed aluminium, it still looks fairly modern, and performs brilliantly
I've got my uncle's light meter, but he died in 1968, so it is really old, but I don't know how to use it.
It should be fairly simple to use (assuming you know how to use a `modern` one.) The meter will give you a reading on it`s analogue dial (not sure on the scale. Lumens, perhaps?) You then turn the dial to match that figure and you`re ideal f-stop and ISO will be revealed in the cutout windows.
Yes, I thought it would be that simple, but there's something like German ISO numbers on it and I haven't a clue how they translate. I'll dig it out tomorrow and photograph it, then you can see what I'm talking about. And hopefully, tell me how to use it. My uncle's been dead forty years, yet it still works, so presuming there's no battery in it.
The `German` figures will be DIN (as opposed to our ISO/ASA). Don`t know how they convert, but should be easy to find out. Should be able to work it out, when you stick a pic up.
