Weekly Photo Contest: 2nd- 9th November 2017 - Experimental Lighting

[Laird Knox]

Continuing last week's theme of breaking the rules they teach you in school, this one is based on the title of one of my classes. The Experimental Lighting class was about trying new things when lighting a scene. To give you some ideas you can look at light painting, edge lighting, even "shooting day for night." The technique doesn't have to be groundbreaking but try something new (to you).

Here is an example of some light painting. The image is right off the camera without any editing (it was a contest requirement).

This was the set (Edit: I couldn't grab the image but I got the thumbnail):

This was the light source:

It is a $2 flashlight from Walmart. The tape is to cut down the light... it was too bright.

Edge Lighting

All that lovely texture in the background is a simple rubber drawer liner. The edge light exaggerates the details. The subject is a pair of latex gloves filled with marbles.

Have some fun and try something new.



The rules are as per normal:

· The photographs must be your own work.

· Be creative and have fun.

· You may only submit one photo per contest.

· Please do not comment on photos until after the judging has taken place.

· The contest runs for one week, starting NOW!

· At the end of the week, The Judge (last week's Winner) will choose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place photo, providing as much feedback as possible.

· If the Judge is unable to complete the selection within 48 hours of the deadline for close, then a vote will be carried out to select a winner. This will be based on the number of "likes" each image has. In the event of a draw, the second place winner from the previous week will choose the tiebreaker.

· The 1st place Winner will start a new thread with the topic/theme of their choice, and act as the Judge for that contest. (Winner has 48 hours to create new theme, after that it defers to 2nd place).

· Winners please update the Weekly Photo Contest Master thread
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/weekly-photo-contest-master-list-2015-tbd.1945331/

 

[needfx]

it started as an experiment, loved the result

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Ah.

I love photographs and images that play with light - and, indeed art - where how light is rendered strongly influences the finished work (this is the main reason I love the work of the Dutch & Flemish schools, and Impressionist art.)

A pity I don't have my camera with me, but great idea for a competition @Laird Knox.

 

[akash.nu]

I’m a newbie to serious photography and I’m on a personal mission to prove that phone photography can achieve amazing results. But when it comes to playing with lights, phone cameras generally struggle. This is going to be challenging and interesting.

Awesome topic!

 

[Robotti]

Violetta.
Or ”how would you do Rembrandt lighting if your light source absolutely has to touch the model`s face?”

 

[anotherscotsman]

Change of photo since the idea is to do something new and I don't normally do people. Something for Halloween instead.

Should have added it was lit by a single anglepoise desk-lamp....

 

[deep diver]

Lit from the inside.

This is one of my cat's toys. The photo is from a challenge to make abstract images from everyday items without manipulating the object or the image. Cropping was the only PP allowed.

.

 

[Laird Knox]

We are off to a great start but don't let the topic frighten you away. How about candlelight? By the glow of an old neon sign? Maybe project some patterns with an antique overhead projector...

Experiment and see what happens.

 

[Alexander.Of.Oz]

Nothing too exciting, just playing with my tilt-shift lens at f/3.5 to get focus across the scene, and a couple of off-camera flashes, one with a fifteen degree snoot on it and the other with a small soft-box on it as a very soft wash over the scene. Basically straight out of camera, I just boosted the reds a touch.

 

[Hughmac]

Making up the numbers with an older festive shot. Nikon D300, 50mm lens, 1/30 @ f/4.
As far as I remember it looked 'orrible in colour



Lights by Hugh Russell, on Flickr

Cheers

Hugh

 

[Laird Knox]

Or how about a speed light behind a wavy piece of stained glass? Or inside a colander? - with fog.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Okay so I tried some light painting in my garden but ultimately I'd say it was a fail. But whilst I was out there some fireworks were going off. So having never taken firework shots before, that qualifies in my mind!

_DSC5345 by apple fanboy1, on Flickr

 

[akash.nu]

I actually didn’t get time to play around with artificial lighting but this one of my better shots using natural lights directly.

 

[heyisti]

 

[akash.nu]

That’s a lovely shot.

 

[Laird Knox]

Down to the wire.

 

[mollyc]

Oh, I almost missed this! And I know I won't win, but here is an entry anyway. We went to Grand Cayman over spring break this year, and my husband and kids swam in the bioluminescent bay. It is super hard to get a good shot of it when you are on a rocking boat, but at least I have some blurry evidence that they swam!

 

[heyisti]

That’s a lovely shot.

thank you, shot with a 5d mk3 + 100mm L macro lens

 

[The Bad Guy]

Three lights, three gels. Playing with colour theory and accents.

 

[Hughmac]

Erm, I don't want to hasten my critique, but it's the 11th now, and the comp should have closed on the 9th

Cheers

Hugh

 

[Laird Knox]

Erm, I don't want to hasten my critique, but it's the 11th now, and the comp should have closed on the 9th

Cheers

Hugh

Yeah, Friday got away from me. As today will too but I'm tackling this first.

 

[Laird Knox]

it started as an experiment, loved the result

Very nicely done. This one actually got a verbal "oooh" when I opened the page. The highlights are just a bit too much for my tastes but I find that with a lot of shots so I must be odd that way. If you lowered the exposure or dimmed the light you would lose the detail in the shadows so I wouldn't change it.

I might dodge the left hand a bit as it takes away a bit of the focus. The pattern of the fabric works well and the angle of the light picks up some nice texture on the sleeve.There isn't much catch light in the right eye. Lowering the light source would help but it might throw off the overall light and feel of the shot.

Violetta.
Or ”how would you do Rembrandt lighting if your light source absolutely has to touch the model`s face?”

It was fun to see too similar, yet different, shots to open up this competition. At first glance this one also was a bit high in the highlights for me until I looked at it on a better screen. Where the outfit was blown out I can now see that there is detail in the highlights. The joys of web graphics and devices. On closer look you did well on the exposure. There is even a hint of separation between the light and her forehead.

The focus is good but looks to be just a bit off. Her cheek and forehead are in better focus than her eye. I think a focus point just a bit deeper would have taken the image up a notch.

The staging is well done as there are no cords showing and the hand is well positioned.

View attachment 731762

Change of photo since the idea is to do something new and I don't normally do people. Something for Halloween instead.

Should have added it was lit by a single anglepoise desk-lamp....

View attachment 732438

Landscapes don't talk back.

Good job for being out of your comfort zone. There is something about this image that falls a bit flat for me. At first I thought moving to a Rembrandt light might work but then I notice the striking line in the makeup. So perhaps try moving the light a bit further back and a touch lower to help accentuate that dividing line. You would risk completely losing the dark side of the face so might need a bounce card to add some fill.

The smoke adds some nice effect but it looks like it was just blown in her face. I would like to see a bit more in the dark areas to the left. This image is very sharp and the smoke gives a nice contrasting softness.

Well done for experimenting with both subject and light source.

Lit from the inside.

This is one of my cat's toys. The photo is from a challenge to make abstract images from everyday items without manipulating the object or the image. Cropping was the only PP allowed.

View attachment 732205

Nailed the abstract.

I missed the description when I was looking through the images at work. All week I've been wondering what that was. The soft focus works and the circles created by the bokeh actually helps to enhance the depth. It looks like something you might see in a horror or sci-fi movie.

Please post the toy. Would love to see the original.

.

Nothing too exciting, just playing with my tilt-shift lens at f/3.5 to get focus across the scene, and a couple of off-camera flashes, one with a fifteen degree snoot on it and the other with a small soft-box on it as a very soft wash over the scene. Basically straight out of camera, I just boosted the reds a touch.

You about nailed the focus. The back edge looks just slightly soft. I know tilt can be difficult on a large format camera with a loupe, it must be a bear on a DSLR. Too bad this wasn't a tilt/shift competition, you would be doing well.

I like your use of the snoot but I'm not a fan of the direction. The front light is too close to the angle of the wood grain. It makes it look off to me. You could try to line it up in the same direction, or I would try changing it completely so the angles would be at odds. Run the light from about 10 o'clock to 4 o'clock.

Also try lowering the snoot light so that it is almost parallel with the surface. I bet it would pull out some nice detail in the subject.

Making up the numbers with an older festive shot. Nikon D300, 50mm lens, 1/30 @ f/4.
As far as I remember it looked 'orrible in colour



Lights by Hugh Russell, on Flickr

Cheers

Hugh

I can see that it was probably pretty busy in color. The B&W helps to cut down on the distraction. I would like to see a little more tone in the image. It falls a bit flat and the bricks are screaming for some texture.

I do like the lines created at the top and bottom. It looks like some of the bulbs are out in the hanging lights. Were they set to twinkle or fade? If so a slower shutter and smaller aperture (and ISO?) might have helped to create some more drama.

Okay so I tried some light painting in my garden but ultimately I'd say it was a fail. But whilst I was out there some fireworks were going off. So having never taken firework shots before, that qualifies in my mind!

_DSC5345 by apple fanboy1, on Flickr

Would have loved for you to enter the experiments even if they weren't to your satisfaction.

Fireworks can do some interesting things on film. They can be sharp lines or take on a feathery appearance and you have both going on here.

A touch lower on the ISO and it looks like you would start to get some color in there. Fireworks quickly overexpose and go white since they are so much brighter than the surroundings.

Speaking of surroundings, if you have a change to setup for a show it can be good if you have something else of interest in the frame. Either something in the foreground (trees, people) or a background to show against (mountains, cityscape).

I actually didn’t get time to play around with artificial lighting but this one of my better shots using natural lights directly.

When I first saw this it looked like something out of a video game. The round dome, towers, buildings just didn't make sense.

The texture in the high clouds and water is wonderful. The colors fit the scene and the detail in the shadows is nice. This would have done well for the "rebel" contest.

I would like to know more about this image. Did you use a filter?

Interesting use of light. Is this a crop or double exposure? I'm trying to determine how the foreground lights were added.

I love the glow of the LEDs in her hands. I just wish it continued to her face. If you knocked down the ambient light a couple of stops I think you could get that glow as well as making the background less obtrusive.

The focus works. We can clearly see the model while the hands are moving out of focus.

Oh, I almost missed this! And I know I won't win, but here is an entry anyway. We went to Grand Cayman over spring break this year, and my husband and kids swam in the bioluminescent bay. It is super hard to get a good shot of it when you are on a rocking boat, but at least I have some blurry evidence that they swam!

View attachment 734135

This one was another head scratcher when I first saw it. I thought the shoreline was on fire and various movie scenes and quotes about napalm in the morning came to mind.

You really pushed the camera to its limits. Good job getting something recognizable - even if it was only after explanation. Even though there is a lot of noise in the shadow I am amazed at how much of the bio-luminescence you were able to capture. I was under the impression the effect was much less pronounced.

Taken out of context of the explanation it is a really interesting picture and presents a puzzle as to what is going on.

Three lights, three gels. Playing with colour theory and accents. View attachment 734153

A bit of a risky (risque?) choice to post here. Hopefully the morality police won't come knocking on your inbox.

I do like the rim light and choice of colors. Just be careful of the boundaries between the blue and pink. It starts to get a little muddy around her face. I do like the play of light between the subject and background. The hiro skiro (spelling and Google are failing me today) effect works well.

I would like to see more frame to the left and less to the right. The crop just seems a bit tight to me (unless this was for a magazine cover and is what was required for copy).

It is a very polished image.

---

So, it was a good week. I was afraid people might shy away from the topic but it looks like there was some experimenting going on.

I enjoyed every entry. Each one had something to say and hopefully so did I. I hope the critiques were useful. I've always found this forum to be a place to learn and share.

I could easily place several of the images at the top but there is one that I kept coming back to. Not only for the impact of the photo but in the spirit of the challenge. This week's title goes to...

needfx

Illuminating

 

[tcphoto1]

Exploring additional options/perspectives to offer clients.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Very nicely done. This one actually got a verbal "oooh" when I opened the page. The highlights are just a bit too much for my tastes but I find that with a lot of shots so I must be odd that way. If you lowered the exposure or dimmed the light you would lose the detail in the shadows so I wouldn't change it.

I might dodge the left hand a bit as it takes away a bit of the focus. The pattern of the fabric works well and the angle of the light picks up some nice texture on the sleeve.There isn't much catch light in the right eye. Lowering the light source would help but it might throw off the overall light and feel of the shot.





Landscapes don't talk back.

Good job for being out of your comfort zone. There is something about this image that falls a bit flat for me. At first I thought moving to a Rembrandt light might work but then I notice the striking line in the makeup. So perhaps try moving the light a bit further back and a touch lower to help accentuate that dividing line. You would risk completely losing the dark side of the face so might need a bounce card to add some fill.

The smoke adds some nice effect but it looks like it was just blown in her face. I would like to see a bit more in the dark areas to the left. This image is very sharp and the smoke gives a nice contrasting softness.

Well done for experimenting with both subject and light source.





You about nailed the focus. The back edge looks just slightly soft. I know tilt can be difficult on a large format camera with a loupe, it must be a bear on a DSLR. Too bad this wasn't a tilt/shift competition, you would be doing well.

I like your use of the snoot but I'm not a fan of the direction. The front light is too close to the angle of the wood grain. It makes it look off to me. You could try to line it up in the same direction, or I would try changing it completely so the angles would be at odds. Run the light from about 10 o'clock to 4 o'clock.

Also try lowering the snoot light so that it is almost parallel with the surface. I bet it would pull out some nice detail in the subject.



I can see that it was probably pretty busy in color. The B&W helps to cut down on the distraction. I would like to see a little more tone in the image. It falls a bit flat and the bricks are screaming for some texture.

I do like the lines created at the top and bottom. It looks like some of the bulbs are out in the hanging lights. Were they set to twinkle or fade? If so a slower shutter and smaller aperture (and ISO?) might have helped to create some more drama.



Would have loved for you to enter the experiments even if they weren't to your satisfaction.

Fireworks can do some interesting things on film. They can be sharp lines or take on a feathery appearance and you have both going on here.

A touch lower on the ISO and it looks like you would start to get some color in there. Fireworks quickly overexpose and go white since they are so much brighter than the surroundings.

Speaking of surroundings, if you have a change to setup for a show it can be good if you have something else of interest in the frame. Either something in the foreground (trees, people) or a background to show against (mountains, cityscape).




When I first saw this it looked like something out of a video game. The round dome, towers, buildings just didn't make sense.

The texture in the high clouds and water is wonderful. The colors fit the scene and the detail in the shadows is nice. This would have done well for the "rebel" contest.

I would like to know more about this image. Did you use a filter?



Interesting use of light. Is this a crop or double exposure? I'm trying to determine how the foreground lights were added.

I love the glow of the LEDs in her hands. I just wish it continued to her face. If you knocked down the ambient light a couple of stops I think you could get that glow as well as making the background less obtrusive.

The focus works. We can clearly see the model while the hands are moving out of focus.




This one was another head scratcher when I first saw it. I thought the shoreline was on fire and various movie scenes and quotes about napalm in the morning came to mind.

You really pushed the camera to its limits. Good job getting something recognizable - even if it was only after explanation. Even though there is a lot of noise in the shadow I am amazed at how much of the bio-luminescence you were able to capture. I was under the impression the effect was much less pronounced.

Taken out of context of the explanation it is a really interesting picture and presents a puzzle as to what is going on.



A bit of a risky (risque?) choice to post here. Hopefully the morality police won't come knocking on your inbox.

I do like the rim light and choice of colors. Just be careful of the boundaries between the blue and pink. It starts to get a little muddy around her face. I do like the play of light between the subject and background. The hiro skiro (spelling and Google are failing me today) effect works well.

I would like to see more frame to the left and less to the right. The crop just seems a bit tight to me (unless this was for a magazine cover and is what was required for copy).

It is a very polished image.

---

So, it was a good week. I was afraid people might shy away from the topic but it looks like there was some experimenting going on.

I enjoyed every entry. Each one had something to say and hopefully so did I. I hope the critiques were useful. I've always found this forum to be a place to learn and share.

I could easily place several of the images at the top but there is one that I kept coming back to. Not only for the impact of the photo but in the spirit of the challenge. This week's title goes to...

needfx

Illuminating

Well done everyone and great feedback @Laird Knox! Can't fault your choice of winner. A great image @needfx.

The light painting of a tree was pretty poor tbh. I didn't really know what image I had in mind. I was just mucking around. Maybe I'll post one in this thread tomorrow so you can see.

On to the next!

 

[needfx]

Much obliged for the explicit critique & the placement @Laird Knox !
@The Bad Guy 's image was the "ooooh" one for me in this contest. Hope he has bail money at hand, if not, we might need to pool it.
Congrats everyone!

New contest coming up asap