For anything you might need for still life photography...fake ice cubes, smoke, spills etc...go to the Set Shop on 20th Street in Manhattan.
http://setshop.com/index.php?cPath=50&osCsid=d4ec09043487ef0da8f0160dc5e81088
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Fake Ice and other Goodies
For anything you might need for still life photography...fake ice cubes, smoke, spills etc...go to the Set Shop on 20th Street in Manhattan.
http://setshop.com/index.php?cPath=50&osCsid=d4ec09043487ef0da8f0160dc5e81088
Monday, May 5, 2008
Long Island Museum: Call for Entries
click to enlarge:
Call for entries!Submit your work and win prizes! $30 entry fee. For more info visit: http://www.longislandmuseum.org/
Call for entries!Submit your work and win prizes! $30 entry fee. For more info visit: http://www.longislandmuseum.org/
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Homework Due next week, May 1
Reminder:
You need to finish all shooting for your final book projects by next week MAY 1. Next week in class we will be uploading and ordering the books.
Our LAST CLASS is May 15...only 3 more weeks!!
To order books, go to:
iPhoto (on the computers at school)
Ofoto www.kodakgallery.com
blurb.com (download booksmart)
You need to finish all shooting for your final book projects by next week MAY 1. Next week in class we will be uploading and ordering the books.
Our LAST CLASS is May 15...only 3 more weeks!!
To order books, go to:
iPhoto (on the computers at school)
Ofoto www.kodakgallery.com
blurb.com (download booksmart)
Fill Flash Demo Outside
Using Fill Flash
When shooting in a mixed light situation (ambient light + strobe), you will notice that the shutter speed is almost irrelevant. You will get almost the same reading whether the meter is set at 1/500 second or 1/60 second.The meter reads only the output of the strobe (which is approximately 1/3000 of a second). You will only start to see a difference in readings when when the shutter speed on the light meter is set to a much slower speed. At slower shutter speeds, the meter reads both the strobe and the ambient light.
Subjects are in shade, background is sunny. Camera is set to correctly expose background.
Fill flash is added so that Fstop reading meters same on subject as background
Fstop reading meters one stop brighter on subject than background
In the following 2 images, the sun is directly behind the subject's head to create a ring type hair light. The camera is set to properly expose the sky. Fill flash is added to fill in the face. In the top image, fill flash meters the same Fstop as the sky. In the 2nd image, the shutrter speed remains the same, but the flash is powered up so that it meters 1 stop brighter than the sky to make the subject "pop".
Fill Flash is also GREAT for outdoor group portraiture, especially at events like weddings. Set your camera to the meter reading you've taken on the background. Set the power output on the strobe to meter one Fstop brighter than the meter reading on the sky and shoot!
An Exercise to try on your own:
** Remember, the strobe doesn’t care what shutter speed you shoot at
The following is an exercise adapted from Photographic Lighting by Don Marr
Say you want to take a picture of your friend in a doorway. Your friend is slightly shaded, but the room behind your friend is brighter. You want a good exposure of both your friend and the room behind. The meter says you’d need to shoot the room at 1/15 second at F5.6 to get a correct exposure. If you were to take the picture at this setting, your friend would look dark, but the room would look correctly exposed. So you need to add fill flash. Remember, strobe doesn’t care what shutter speed you shoot at, the meter only reads the flash’s output (Fstop).
Indoors, the light meter will most likely get the same fstop reading from the strobe at 1/250 as it will at 1/30. That’s because at these shutter speeds, the meter is only reading the instantaneous pop of the strobe. You would need to turn the light to a much lower shutter speed to begin to see the influence from the ambient light of the room on your subject.
Set up your strobe so that the output meters F5.6. Start by shooting at 1/250 of a second, and then bracket shutter speeds down to 1/30 (keeping the camera at F5.6). Notice the subject remains relatively the same and the background gets brighter.
When shooting in a mixed light situation (ambient light + strobe), you will notice that the shutter speed is almost irrelevant. You will get almost the same reading whether the meter is set at 1/500 second or 1/60 second.The meter reads only the output of the strobe (which is approximately 1/3000 of a second). You will only start to see a difference in readings when when the shutter speed on the light meter is set to a much slower speed. At slower shutter speeds, the meter reads both the strobe and the ambient light.
Subjects are in shade, background is sunny. Camera is set to correctly expose background.
Fill flash is added so that Fstop reading meters same on subject as background
Fstop reading meters one stop brighter on subject than background
In the following 2 images, the sun is directly behind the subject's head to create a ring type hair light. The camera is set to properly expose the sky. Fill flash is added to fill in the face. In the top image, fill flash meters the same Fstop as the sky. In the 2nd image, the shutrter speed remains the same, but the flash is powered up so that it meters 1 stop brighter than the sky to make the subject "pop".
Fill Flash is also GREAT for outdoor group portraiture, especially at events like weddings. Set your camera to the meter reading you've taken on the background. Set the power output on the strobe to meter one Fstop brighter than the meter reading on the sky and shoot!
An Exercise to try on your own:
** Remember, the strobe doesn’t care what shutter speed you shoot at
The following is an exercise adapted from Photographic Lighting by Don Marr
Say you want to take a picture of your friend in a doorway. Your friend is slightly shaded, but the room behind your friend is brighter. You want a good exposure of both your friend and the room behind. The meter says you’d need to shoot the room at 1/15 second at F5.6 to get a correct exposure. If you were to take the picture at this setting, your friend would look dark, but the room would look correctly exposed. So you need to add fill flash. Remember, strobe doesn’t care what shutter speed you shoot at, the meter only reads the flash’s output (Fstop).
Indoors, the light meter will most likely get the same fstop reading from the strobe at 1/250 as it will at 1/30. That’s because at these shutter speeds, the meter is only reading the instantaneous pop of the strobe. You would need to turn the light to a much lower shutter speed to begin to see the influence from the ambient light of the room on your subject.
Set up your strobe so that the output meters F5.6. Start by shooting at 1/250 of a second, and then bracket shutter speeds down to 1/30 (keeping the camera at F5.6). Notice the subject remains relatively the same and the background gets brighter.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Grids!
A Grid is something that looks like a honeycomb or screen that is attached to your flash or strobe head. It diffuses the light and makes it weaker. Grids are used to control the light, limit spillage, direct light into a small area (like a snoot or spotlight), and create a greater rate of fall-off (decreases the light hitting the background).
Grids are essential accessories for any lighting system. A grid alters the shape and intensity of the light output from your softbox when it is mounted on a light head. Consider a grid as a painter would a brush, or a sculptor would a knife, or chisel.
Honeycomb grids and "egg crates" are rigid, or semi-rigid. Fabric grids are hand-stitched, and collapse easily for storage or transport. Use of a fabric grid, honeycomb grid, or "egg crate" will result in a narrower spread of light. The spread of light will be determined by the density of the honeycomb mesh, and the distance of the subject from the light.
Here are some online tutorials that I think are great.
DIY cardboard grids for your flash: click here
Examples:
No Grid on Flash:
Using a cardboard Grid on the flash (notice how it looks like a spot light):
Soft Lighting & Grids for Portraiture: click here
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Homework Due next Thursday 4/17
Everyone should please bring 10 images that they hope will fit into their final photo book project. More is fine, but at least 10. They can all be from the same shoot. All the shooting needs to be done for you final project in the next 3-4 weeks, so really get going on this! And have fun.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Fieldtrip: AIPAD Photo Show
Today we went to AIPAD in NYC- an amazing photo expo with a vast array of both vintage and contemporary photography. In my opinion the $25 ticket is well worth it- nowhere else will you be able to see such a diverse collection of photography- basically the history of photography in one place.
Show Information
The AIPAD Photography Show New York will run from Thursday, April 10 through Sunday, April 13, 2008, at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th Street in New York City. Show hours will be:
Thursday, April 10 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Friday, April 11 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 13 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The admission is $25 daily and $35 for the run-of-show, and includes a show catalogue. No advance purchase is required. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, the public can call AIPAD at 202.367.1158 or at newyork@aipad.com
---
AIPAD highlights, 2008:
Abe Morell at Bonni Benrubi
Two of Abelardo Morell’s photographs of Venetian rooms turned into camera obscuras. These look like slide projections but were made by covering the windows with black paper, leaving a pinhole which creates the view on the opposite wall. This always results in an upside down image unless corrected by an intervening lens.
Several original Ansel Adams prints
Sandy Skoglun's new piece
Skoglund's newest piece,Fresh Hybrid,(above) is an installation and photograph that explores the shifting boundaries between life and lifelike by fabricating an artificial landscape. Replacing blades of grass with pipecleaners and bark with wool fibers, the materials strive to transform nature into a cornucopia of human pleasure with ubiquitous soft and fluffy surfaces. As if on a spring day, the sculpted hybrid trees blossom with impossible bounty and cheer in the form of chenille chicks, mass-produced lucky charms that give us a fragile and unsettling glimpse into an imaginary lost innocence.
John Szarkowski(former photo curater of MoMA) at Pace/MacGill
Gustave Le Gray, original salt prints and paper negatives from the 1800's at Daniel Blau
(A paper negative is a negative created on photo-sensitive paper instead of a standard negative film.)
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Intro to Still Life
A 4x5 view camera is one of the most commonly used formats in still life photography. In class we did a demo and took this polaroid of pair of sunglasses.
Remember when chooing your 4x5 lenses that the mm don't correspond to those on your 35mm lenses. Here is a conversion chart. We used a 210 lens, which is about the same as using a 60mm lens on your 35mm camera.
To practice a product/advertising shot, we also photographed some Chanel lipstick. Once using a plexi sweep lit from above and below, and once using natural light and reflector.
In this shot, we placed the lipstick on a plexi sweep and put a strobe below and a softbox above. Notice how there are no shadows around the bottom edges of the lipstick case. A long lens (over 100mm) was used at F11. Notice that everything in the frame is in focus because of this.
In this shot we placed the lipstick on a sheet of white paper, right next to a big window. The window lit the subject from the side and a reflector filled in the shadows. A macro lens was used at F4, creating just a small plane to be in focus, highlighting the "chanel" stamp on the lipstick. Notice that small shadows have been cast to the side of the tube, because it sits on paper and is not lit from below like the above image.
Remember when chooing your 4x5 lenses that the mm don't correspond to those on your 35mm lenses. Here is a conversion chart. We used a 210 lens, which is about the same as using a 60mm lens on your 35mm camera.
To practice a product/advertising shot, we also photographed some Chanel lipstick. Once using a plexi sweep lit from above and below, and once using natural light and reflector.
In this shot, we placed the lipstick on a plexi sweep and put a strobe below and a softbox above. Notice how there are no shadows around the bottom edges of the lipstick case. A long lens (over 100mm) was used at F11. Notice that everything in the frame is in focus because of this.
In this shot we placed the lipstick on a sheet of white paper, right next to a big window. The window lit the subject from the side and a reflector filled in the shadows. A macro lens was used at F4, creating just a small plane to be in focus, highlighting the "chanel" stamp on the lipstick. Notice that small shadows have been cast to the side of the tube, because it sits on paper and is not lit from below like the above image.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Volunteer Opportunity: Face Painting
Fundraiser on the Hofstra campus Relay for Life, April 26th.
Art student needed to volunteer to do face painting for the children during the event. The volunteer will need to provide materials.
If anyone is interested, they can contact Jessica Hochheiser at 516-496-4544 or by email hochheisers@yahoo.com.
Art student needed to volunteer to do face painting for the children during the event. The volunteer will need to provide materials.
If anyone is interested, they can contact Jessica Hochheiser at 516-496-4544 or by email hochheisers@yahoo.com.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Portraits on Black
Last week, we did an in-class demo on shooting portraits on a black background using one softbox, a fill card and a black paper sweep. Here are pictures the students took of each other in class.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Midterm Is This Week!! (3/13)
Individual meetings will be held during the 2nd half of class this week. Please bring:
8 Prints Total (8x10"):
1 Natural Light Print
1 Artificial Light Print
1 headshot
2 prints from the "Colored Light" assignment
1 silhouette shot from the strobe assignment
1 portrait on a white background using strobes
1 fashion shot using strobes
8 Prints Total (8x10"):
1 Natural Light Print
1 Artificial Light Print
1 headshot
2 prints from the "Colored Light" assignment
1 silhouette shot from the strobe assignment
1 portrait on a white background using strobes
1 fashion shot using strobes
Class # 6: Strobes, Sun & Fashion
Demo # 1: SUN + STROBES
Strobes and sun have a similar color temperature and generally work well together. Because this is a mixed lighting situation, we will take 2 readings: One for the sunlit background and one for the strobe on the face. To create contrast between our subject and the background, we will intentionally underexpose the background by 1 stop to make our subject “pop” out of the background.
1. Meter the background
2. Set the power on your strobe to be one F Stop brighter than the background (take meter reading off subject when strobe is fired). For example, if the background reads F11 at 1/250, then have the reading on the subject be F16 at 1/250. Remember to have the ISO in the meter and the camera set the same. Shoot at the reading on the subject, F16.
3. Shutter speed controls the background, NOT the strobe. Bracket by shooting at a slower shutter speed to lighten the background. Try F16 at 1/125. Then F16 at 1/60. Then F16 at 1/30. You can blow the background to white without changing the exposure on the subject. Remember to keep the power on the strobe the same. If you change it, you’ll have to re-meter.
Demo # 2:
Fashion shoot on a colored background.
After delegating specific students as photographer, photo assistant, model, art director, and stylist, we did a demo on how to shoot a fashion-type portrait on a solid color back drop. To have the color appear as one sees it, the meter readings on the face must be the same as those on the background. To darken the shade of the green backdrop, lessen the light on the backdrop by one stop. To lighten the green, pump up the strobes on the backdrop 1 stop. We used 2 softboxes to light the background evenly and one strip bank and a fill card to light the subject. Students chose portraits from fashion magazines and in class we discussed how each would duplicate this type of lighting situation to recreate the photo in our studio for next week's assignment.
Strobes and sun have a similar color temperature and generally work well together. Because this is a mixed lighting situation, we will take 2 readings: One for the sunlit background and one for the strobe on the face. To create contrast between our subject and the background, we will intentionally underexpose the background by 1 stop to make our subject “pop” out of the background.
1. Meter the background
2. Set the power on your strobe to be one F Stop brighter than the background (take meter reading off subject when strobe is fired). For example, if the background reads F11 at 1/250, then have the reading on the subject be F16 at 1/250. Remember to have the ISO in the meter and the camera set the same. Shoot at the reading on the subject, F16.
3. Shutter speed controls the background, NOT the strobe. Bracket by shooting at a slower shutter speed to lighten the background. Try F16 at 1/125. Then F16 at 1/60. Then F16 at 1/30. You can blow the background to white without changing the exposure on the subject. Remember to keep the power on the strobe the same. If you change it, you’ll have to re-meter.
Demo # 2:
Fashion shoot on a colored background.
After delegating specific students as photographer, photo assistant, model, art director, and stylist, we did a demo on how to shoot a fashion-type portrait on a solid color back drop. To have the color appear as one sees it, the meter readings on the face must be the same as those on the background. To darken the shade of the green backdrop, lessen the light on the backdrop by one stop. To lighten the green, pump up the strobes on the backdrop 1 stop. We used 2 softboxes to light the background evenly and one strip bank and a fill card to light the subject. Students chose portraits from fashion magazines and in class we discussed how each would duplicate this type of lighting situation to recreate the photo in our studio for next week's assignment.
Art Forum
CHANGE IN ART FORUM DATES....Gustavo Von Ha has rescheduled his art forum - it will be on TUESDAY, 3/18 @ 11:30 AM IN GC 65
Reminder: Everyone must complete an Art Forum write-up and a Firehouse Gallery Questionnaire by the end of the semester.
Reminder: Everyone must complete an Art Forum write-up and a Firehouse Gallery Questionnaire by the end of the semester.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
NCC Student Art Competition
Nassau Community College
Art Department
Student Art Competition
April 30 – August 5, 2008
Artist’s Reception: Thursday, May 8th, 5 – 7 pm
Awards ceremony @ 6 pm
Official Rules
ELIGIBILITY: Any student who attended Nassau Community College between Spring 2007 semester and Spring 2008 semester is eligible to submit work. All work must have been done while attending art classes at NCC.
JURY: The show will be juried by The NCC Firehouse Plaza Art Gallery Committee. The jury will select the works that are to be shown and will decide on the awards and prizes. The decision of the jury will be final.
CATEGORIES: ALL MEDIA IS ELIGIBLE. Any questions concerning media, please contact the Firehouse Gallery directly (516) 572-0619.
NOTE: ALL TWO-DIMENSIONAL WORK MUST BE WIRED AND READY FOR HANGING. POORLY PRESENTED WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ALL ACCEPTED WORK MUST REMAIN ON EXHIBIT FOR THE FULL DURATION OF THE SHOW. NO EXCEPTIONS.
LIMIT: 3 (three) works maximum (NO ENTRY FEE)
PLACE: THE FIREHOUSE PLAZA ART GALLERY, College Center Building (CCB), plaza level, room 140
RECEIVING: THURSDAY, APRIL 17th, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
TUESDAY, APRIL 22nd, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
PICK-UP OF
REJECTED WORK: THURSDAY, APRIL 24th, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
MONDAY, APRIL 28th, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
TUESDAY, APRIL 29th, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
All REJECTED WORK MUST BE PICKED UP ON THESE DATES. THE FIREHOUSE PLAZA ART GALLERY ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR REJECTED WORK THAT IS NOT REMOVED ON THESE DATES BETWEEN THESE HOURS.
PICK-UP OF
ACCEPTED WORK: WEDNESDAY, August 6th, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
THURSDAY, August 7th, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
ALL WORK MUST BE PICKED UP ON THESE DATES!! THE GALLERY WILL NOT BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY WORK LEFT UNCLAIMED AFTER THESE DATES.
ENTRY FORMS: PLEASE FILL OUT TWO (2) of the ENTRY FORMS FOR EACH WORK.
PLEASE PRINT NEATLY
GOOD LUCK !!!
Art Department
Student Art Competition
April 30 – August 5, 2008
Artist’s Reception: Thursday, May 8th, 5 – 7 pm
Awards ceremony @ 6 pm
Official Rules
ELIGIBILITY: Any student who attended Nassau Community College between Spring 2007 semester and Spring 2008 semester is eligible to submit work. All work must have been done while attending art classes at NCC.
JURY: The show will be juried by The NCC Firehouse Plaza Art Gallery Committee. The jury will select the works that are to be shown and will decide on the awards and prizes. The decision of the jury will be final.
CATEGORIES: ALL MEDIA IS ELIGIBLE. Any questions concerning media, please contact the Firehouse Gallery directly (516) 572-0619.
NOTE: ALL TWO-DIMENSIONAL WORK MUST BE WIRED AND READY FOR HANGING. POORLY PRESENTED WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ALL ACCEPTED WORK MUST REMAIN ON EXHIBIT FOR THE FULL DURATION OF THE SHOW. NO EXCEPTIONS.
LIMIT: 3 (three) works maximum (NO ENTRY FEE)
PLACE: THE FIREHOUSE PLAZA ART GALLERY, College Center Building (CCB), plaza level, room 140
RECEIVING: THURSDAY, APRIL 17th, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
TUESDAY, APRIL 22nd, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
PICK-UP OF
REJECTED WORK: THURSDAY, APRIL 24th, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
MONDAY, APRIL 28th, 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
TUESDAY, APRIL 29th, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
All REJECTED WORK MUST BE PICKED UP ON THESE DATES. THE FIREHOUSE PLAZA ART GALLERY ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR REJECTED WORK THAT IS NOT REMOVED ON THESE DATES BETWEEN THESE HOURS.
PICK-UP OF
ACCEPTED WORK: WEDNESDAY, August 6th, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
THURSDAY, August 7th, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
ALL WORK MUST BE PICKED UP ON THESE DATES!! THE GALLERY WILL NOT BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY WORK LEFT UNCLAIMED AFTER THESE DATES.
ENTRY FORMS: PLEASE FILL OUT TWO (2) of the ENTRY FORMS FOR EACH WORK.
PLEASE PRINT NEATLY
GOOD LUCK !!!
Class # 6 : Strobes Cont'd
Today in class we had a demo on how to shoot a portrait on a white background using strobes.
The assignment for this week is to work in groups and do a portrait using the same set-up we used in class. For a detailed description of the assignment, please click here.
For a list of some general studio tips and definitions, click here.
Reminders:
*MIDTERMS are coming up in 2 weeks (March 13). For your midterm review, each student will meet individually with me to go over your progress in the 1st half of the semester. You will need to bring your best prints (8x10 at least) from each week’s assignment to class to show me. You may want to start printing now.
8 Prints Total:
1 Natural Light Print
1 Artificial Light Print
1 headshot
2 prints from the "Colored Light" assignment
1 silhouette shot from the strobe assignment
1 portrait on a white background using strobes
1 fashion shot using strobes
* Don’t forget you are required to submit a Firehouse Gallery Questionnaire and an Art Forum Write Up before the end of the semester
Even though there was no assignment due this week, Oscar did a shoot on his own in the studio using strobes. For this shot, he had a blue gel on a strobe on the background and a softbox on the subject.
The assignment for this week is to work in groups and do a portrait using the same set-up we used in class. For a detailed description of the assignment, please click here.
For a list of some general studio tips and definitions, click here.
Reminders:
*MIDTERMS are coming up in 2 weeks (March 13). For your midterm review, each student will meet individually with me to go over your progress in the 1st half of the semester. You will need to bring your best prints (8x10 at least) from each week’s assignment to class to show me. You may want to start printing now.
8 Prints Total:
1 Natural Light Print
1 Artificial Light Print
1 headshot
2 prints from the "Colored Light" assignment
1 silhouette shot from the strobe assignment
1 portrait on a white background using strobes
1 fashion shot using strobes
* Don’t forget you are required to submit a Firehouse Gallery Questionnaire and an Art Forum Write Up before the end of the semester
Even though there was no assignment due this week, Oscar did a shoot on his own in the studio using strobes. For this shot, he had a blue gel on a strobe on the background and a softbox on the subject.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Class # 5: Intro to Strobes
We started class by going over the "Colored Lighting" assignment from last week. Several students had fun experimenting with colored bulbs, gels, and slide projectors. Here is a photo Vivian took:
And here's one that Matt took using a slide projector with a red gel over it:
We did an in-class reading by Irving Penn and had a conversation about his philosophy on the photographer/subject relationship in the studio. To download a copy of this article, click here:
This week we had an intro to STROBES demo. This will be a 2 part class, so there was no assignment given.
Overview of the dynalight strobe pack that we have at NCC was given:
Strobes to be cont'd...
And here's one that Matt took using a slide projector with a red gel over it:
We did an in-class reading by Irving Penn and had a conversation about his philosophy on the photographer/subject relationship in the studio. To download a copy of this article, click here:
This week we had an intro to STROBES demo. This will be a 2 part class, so there was no assignment given.
Overview of the dynalight strobe pack that we have at NCC was given:
Strobes to be cont'd...
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