Artistic Photos
This is a place to post your "artistic" photos for others to view and enjoy. However you choose to define "artistic" is up to each individual. The genesis of this idea for me was having taken some shadow/silhouette photos, wanting to share them, but not really knowing where to post them. They are "soft" nude photos that are more provocative than explicit. Hoping...
- created by Former User
Advice of Speed/Slave Flash Dark Room Photography
Return to DiscussionsI've been doing amateur photography forever and have had pretty good success... but doing dark room photography...or even silhouettes is something I really want to learn. But I am tired of accidentally getting good shots. What I mean is takes me MANY shots to get the shots I want. I am 100% right now just doing self portraits. I am also 100% limiting myself to the automatic setting...it is so frustrating not being able to get to manual because I just can't figure out the manual settings that work. I have watched so many videos, read so many articles my brain is mush when I go into practicing. Thankly fully there are good shots that I can create in the "dark" room ie PaintShop pro.
Any answers to my questions would be appreciated. I recently bought a speed/slave flash for my camera, which is a cannon Rebel xsi. I realize there are better cameras and photo editors...but it is what it is as they say.
These type of shots...using auto setting:
1) Are they best shot in good, low room (or bright?) lighting (vs just the speed flash) and let the slave flash do it's thing with the regular lighting? Or is it best to do low are dark lighting with a light source lighting the subject and let the speed light/editing do their job?
2) Related to question 1...how do I get the cascade or falls of light to peak through?
3) Position of the slave light. I'll use a clock as a reference...15 & 45 minutes as it relates to the subject?
4) Again...to get the "falls" (light peaking through because of elbow raises or positions that give your body light and dark) does my slave have to be higher, even ...a little below as far as location...all the above?
5) More effect to get dark spots if the slave is pointing down at the subject lowest flash power level?
6) It seems like the lowest level of flash power is enough...higher just washes the room...besides needing a umbrella or softbox...would the higher flash setting (power) simply be more useful outside of a dark room? Or in a well lit room to get shadows I'd use the higher power of flash?
I could go on forever with questions...it's not your job to fix me...lol...but one more question.
7) Because I am using auto...and I have the slave elsewhere lighting the shot. I am stuck with the auto flash. Do I cover it just enough to set off so the wireless slave works? Or using the flash is where the slave works best?
Lastly, I have one shot I really like the lighting and the shot...I assume I can't post it because it's of me erect...I assume it still banned despite being artistic? I'd like to show it, but I don't want to break any rules...
QUESTION: I'm not looking for a critic of these pics, though I would respectfully take. What I would like to know for myself there are basically two sets of pics. For each set, which is "more effective" or a better use of the pic if I could only pic one of each set. The color or black and white?
(I realize eye of the beholder...just curious from people that see everything about a picture they are looking at)
Thank you.
Hi Naz! I'm not a fan of flash, other than studio units, where both are off-camera, usually at angles, and one is connected to the camera by cable or infra-red. I used them with soft boxes some years ago. Your problem is that you have the flash mounted on the camera, close to the lens. The only time I would use that method would be as a fill-in flash where the subject has his/her back to the sun. As you are taking portraits indoors, I would position the model close to a window, and if the shadows are too dark, use a large sheet of white card or polystyrene as a reflector, directing some light into the shadows (you can also use aluminium foil stuck to a large card for silver reflections. Gold wrapping paper similarly attached can be used to warm up the shadows on skin). The 'faster' the lens, i.e, larger the size, means the more useful it is for portraits, as; 1, it can take good exposures in low light; 2, you can open up the aperture manually, or select a portrait setting and the camera will do it for you, so that for head shots, the background will be out of focus, while your model's face is sharp. If your camera lens accepts screw-in filters, you can add a diffuser filter, (or a UV filter with a tiny amount of grease smeared on it) to soften complexions).
Don't be afraid to experiment!
Hi Naz! I'm not a fan of flash, other than studio units, where both are off-camera, usually at angles, and one is connected to the camera by cable or infra-red. I used them with soft boxes some years ago. Your problem is that you have the flash mounted on the camera, close to the lens. The only time I would use that method would be as a fill-in flash where the subject has his/her back to the sun. As you are taking portraits indoors, I would position the model close to a window, and if the shadows are too dark, use a large sheet of white card or polystyrene as a reflector, directing some light into the shadows (you can also use aluminium foil stuck to a large card for silver reflections. Gold wrapping paper similarly attached can be used to warm up the shadows on skin). The 'faster' the lens, i.e, larger the size, means the more useful it is for portraits, as; 1, it can take good exposures in low light; 2, you can open up the aperture manually, or select a portrait setting and the camera will do it for you, so that for head shots, the background will be out of focus, while your model's face is sharp. If your camera lens accepts screw-in filters, you can add a diffuser filter, (or a UV filter with a tiny amount of grease smeared on it) to soften complexions).Don't be afraid to experiment!
I agree with almost everything Dave stated in his above comment.
Avoid putting "grease" on a filter though, with so many special effects filters available today, there just isn't any reason to do that imho.
Another thought, possibly one of THE BEST (imho) portrait lenses made for DSLR bodies - Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
PS: There are LED studio lighting units that can be had in a kit for about $400-$600 that are dual color, and you can add softboxes to them - I would try B&H Photo, Adorama or Roberts Camera for whats available.
The Vaseline on a skylight filter is an old-school improvisation method, often mentioned in photo magazines in the eighties. I had a comprehensive range of square filters which fitted to my camera lens via a square box-type adaptor, back in the nineties. I had an Olympus OM4Ti 35 mm system, plus a Bronica square format SLR, and the filter box attached to both cameras with the appropriate adaptor ring. My favourite lens was an Olympus 85 mm f2 portrait lens. I never went anywhere without my camera bag, filters and various lenses. These days life is simpler with my Fuji X 10 digital camera.