What! (Day 16)

What! (Day 16), originally uploaded by Tj6106.
Tonight I wanted to try separating a black material from a black background with light. So I chose the hat and used black cardboard stuck to the wall to achieve this and I think I managed it.

I used a snooted speedlite above and behind me to give the definition at the back and the shoot-through umbrella to give the lighting for the face and front of the hat.

Well this is my last strobist shot for a week. I head out to Boston tomorrow morning for a business trip and don't get back till Saturday. So it will be a week of iPhone photos. So don't worry I will still be posting away.

As always comments/suggestions/critique welcomed.

Strobist Info here

Sorrow (Day 15)

Sorrow (Day 15), originally uploaded by Tj6106.
So tonight I wanted to put in a little but extra work and try and learn a bit after my quick shot last night.

So I setup a black seamless background, which I acquired from Kelly's Gran, who is a dress maker. I put this up over our clothes horse and ran it along the ground for the black backdrop.

Next I setup my shoot-through umbrella and took a few test shots. Here I noticed that my head was disappearing into the darkness and so I knew I needed to add a hair light for some definition. I did this by adding a light diagonally opposite the shoot-through.

Now if I had my pick of equipment I would change the way I lit this shot. Firstly I would add two hair lights either side for definition on both sides of my head. Next I would probably move the shoot-through more centrally and change it for a softbox.

As always comments/suggestions/critique welcomed.

Strobist info here.

Hmmmm (Day 14)

Hmmmm (Day 14), originally uploaded by Tj6106.
Tonight's shot was a late night one, just before heading to bed and I wasn't really feeling particularly inspired. So I threw up a couple of lights (wanted just a little flash of light behind me) and took a few quick pictures.

I also forgot to take a setup pic, bad me! So here it is in the old fashioned way:

YN460-II @ 1/2 Bare directly behind me pointed at the wall.
YN460-II @ 1/8 Shoot-through umbrella just to camera right.

Pondering (Day 13)

Pondering (Day 13), originally uploaded by Tj6106.
Tonight I wanted to play about with my lights, create some shadows and see what I can learn.

At first I started off with two lights, one to the back right of the shot and the other front right. This gave a little definition on my (actual) left side but effected the shadow on the wall. I played about and moved it to see if I could use it for hair light etc, but I just didn't feel like it gave anything to the shot. So it went away.

So for this one I ended up with just the single light into the shoot-through umbrella. So with the cream walls in my "studio" (i.e. the spare bedroom :-)) I felt like the single light with the bounce of light of the walls gave enough definition for the shot. It also gave a nice shadow on the wall, which I like.

So guys and girls if you really want to learn, take your time and play about with your shots each day. This might not be perfect but I learned that sometimes one light is just enough.

Here are the strobist details in pictorial form.

And as always critique/suggestions welcomed.

Backed Into A Corner (Day 12)

Backed Into A Corner (Day 12), originally uploaded by Tj6106.
Jeez I seem to be snooting at least one speedlite for most of my shots recently. Guess I just like the narrow and focussed light I am getting. However the DIY snoot can get a bit frustrating to use sometimes. So to help along I am looking at the Honl system. Anyone used it before? Thoughts?

Anyways onto the picture. You ever felt backed into a corner for whatever reason? Well I have and well sometimes you just got to put your "dukes up" and fight your way out or you will be trapped. Thats where the inspiration for this shot came from and I think it comes across quite well, even if I do look a bit too scared :D

Strobist setup here

Knackered (Day 11)

Knackered (Day 11), originally uploaded by Tj6106.
Well after a long weekend of partying and entertaining with it being my birthday and then a long day at work I was knackered. I just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep, BUT I had to get a photo in. So since I was so tired I thought, well lets take a photo of how I feel.

Lets hope I rest up tonight and then I can get editing my photos tomorrow. Night night.

Setup for the shot is here.

Cosy (Day 10)

Cosy (Day 10), originally uploaded by Tj6106.
Its my Birthday so I can take photos if I want to! So I did, as always.

Yes so today I turned 25 (half way to 50, ahhhhhhh!). This is another of my birthday presents but this one is from my future in laws. Its a really really cozy jumped that is "fur" lined totally inside. Let me tell you, this thing is toasty!

For the shot I wanted a coldish feel to it using a speedlite to give a blue cast to the side/back of me. I achieved this by setting the WB to Tungsten Light (32000K) and gelling my keylight with a CTO gel. I then left the other speedlite alone, knowing that it would appear blue with the WB setting. I think it worked OK here but I feel like something is missing here. Suggestions?