Preamble:
Ok, choosing a topic wasnt easy. But I had the thought before that if I won I wanted to do one that focused on flash/lighting, hoping to inspire people and show what can be done with flash since imo too few people choose to buy an external flash and instead buy fast lenses costing much much more. Flash has a bad reputation for some, because when used the wrong way it is not very nice, but used the right way it is your best friend. Photos are made with light so controlling that light is very powerful.

The challenge:
So the topic is "Manipulated light: Portrait" because I thought that matched well with challenge #22

I want you to show me portraits (of people) where you have manipulated the light. The obvious one would be a flash that is preferably not sitting on the camera, bare, aimed straight at the subject. (on camera bounced via ceiling or a wall works well though, off camera even better). Fill flash is an exception to this.

I thought about calling this artificial light, but since I dont want to exclude those who dont own an external flash, I called this manipulated light. Natural/ambient lit shots will not qualify, but I will allow shots taken using only reflectors. if you dont own a reflector then its easy to make one with a flat piece of something (cardboard?) that you cover with aluminum or tin foil. If you do this and take the shot this week then for the sake of teaching it would be nice if you showed the same shot without the reflector in place (which will not count as an entry of course) at least include a bit of info to explain that its not a natural light portrait.

Some tips:
Portrait orientation is called portrait orientation for a reason. (its not a rule though, but choose landscape for a reason if you do so)
Keep the background clean.

If you have questions, feel free to ask!

Since certain people... ahem.. have complained that not owning an external flash means you cannot enter this week, that is not true and I have updated with instructions on how to get a nice picture to enter using the built in flash

Well I have been going on for long enough, I will update this post if something needs to be cleared out.

I hope most (impossible to please all) of you will like this challenge and am hoping for many entries

The contest will run until Midnight on Tuesday January 29.

The rules are as always:

The rules:
1. Post ONE photo (max 800x800) as a response to THIS post.
2. The photo must portray an interpretation of the theme. It can be colour or B&W, your choice.
3. You can offer as much or as little additional information as you wish, but I'd be interested to know the location/event/whatever being depicted.
4. The challenge is interactive. Any response is welcome.
5. The judge will pick the WINNERS and chose 1 of them to be the judge for the next week.
6. The challenge runs for 7 days plus a day for the judge to choose the winners.
7. Any camera will do but it must be a Pentax. Just use any camera you want. No discriminating anyone as long as the shooter is an active member here.
For challenge 44 only: 8. It would be nice if you included lighting info on your shots. eg "shot with a Pentax 360 on camera bounced via left wall". This is for the sake of inspiring fellow forum members and is extra info for me to judge how you manipulated light to get the shot.


Previous Challenge Subjects:
1-Statues, 2-Wheels, 3-Speed, 4-Peace, 5-Survival, 6-Macro, 7-Mountains, 8-Children, 9-Post Processing, 10- Windows & Doors, 11-Sport, 12-Urban Landscape, 13-Wisdom, 14-Power, 15-Music, 16-Pathways, 17-Lines, 18-Storm, 19-Boats, 20-Water, 21 - Golden Hour, 22 - Natural Lighting, Portraits, 23- Motion Blur, 24-Simplicity, 25-Color, 26-Cars, 27-Repetition, 28-Wildlife, 29-Epiphany, 30-Contrast, 31-Pets, 32-Landscapes, 33-Coastal, 34-Churches, 35-Bridges, 36-Creation, 37-Still LIfe: Food, 38-At the Zoo, 39-Wide Aperture, 40-Merry Christmas, 41- Sunsets, 42-Action, 43 Fireworks

Best of luck to all!

UPDATE>
Now with 100% more instructional photos than any other weekly challenge.

"I dont have an external flash.."
"Does your camera have a built in flash?"
"well..yes of course.."

Ok, lets take something flat, I used a slimline cd cover because it was right there on my desk. Then we take something shiny, aluminum foil worked well for me, and we wrap it up.


voila


now if the built in flash is pointing straight at our subject and we place this card at an angle in front of the flash, then the light will hit the ceiling instead. like so.


This works surprisingly well (I have never tried this before). Using M mode, ISO 200 and, f3.2 (or around there), and 1/160 to kill the ambient. The flash is as always in p-ttl mode so it handles the exposure automatically. lets compare the same shot, same settings, but placing our card in front of the flash. These are just quick and dirty snaps, so someone putting some effort into it can get something way better than this.

note the white wall used as a background. there was a big mirror hanging there but temporarily taking it down made for a nice clean background.




Now quit complaining and start entering!

[reknelb]

I took this during a break while shooting some senior pictures. Large 500watt soft box, about 7ft up, facing down towards subject, placed off to the left. I used my Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 hand held on my 6mp Samsung gx-1l, iso 800.

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Last edited by reknelb; 03-20-2008 at 03:42 PM.

[mtnbearhug]

Here is my entry... It isn't the greatest shot I have ever taken but it was fun playing with my flash..

I wish I would of added alittle bit more light but that is how it goes... I wanted to get a softer look and I did get that... I opened the curtains for alittle light and had the rest of the lights off. I made that little dohicky thinga bobber with foil.. lol and used it to change my flash direction.

This was the best shot... No one has a close up yet so I thought it might be different, so.. it was fun trying...and perhaps next time the results will be better..

Thanks for the challenge And....



Kim

[and]

Here is my entry... It isn't the greatest shot I have ever taken but it was fun playing with my flash..

Kim

Hi, thanks for entering.

As for the problems you describe, I am surprised you had problems getting eanough light. I see you used iso 800. I beleive you tried the method I described in the first post? I used iso 200 for the test shot and there was plenty of light hitting everything in the frame. Bouncing the flash can be a bit like playing pool, juding how the lgiht will hit an object and the direction it will return. The built in flash has limited power so the surface it will bounce off should not be so far away from it or it will not each there. Which direction did you boucne the light and how far was it to the wall/ceiling?

[and]

Only a few hours left. Last chance for last minute entires.

[and]

The challenge is now closed!

I will take my time to judge the entries and post the winners in a new thread once I have reached my decision.

[mtnbearhug]

Hi, thanks for entering.

As for the problems you describe, I am surprised you had problems getting eanough light. I see you used iso 800. I beleive you tried the method I described in the first post? I used iso 200 for the test shot and there was plenty of light hitting everything in the frame. Bouncing the flash can be a bit like playing pool, juding how the lgiht will hit an object and the direction it will return. The built in flash has limited power so the surface it will bounce off should not be so far away from it or it will not each there. Which direction did you boucne the light and how far was it to the wall/ceiling?

The 800 was actually an oops.. lol I thought I had it on auto but had taken ball game pictures the night before and forgot to reset.. I didn't realize it was 800 until I downloaded the pictures.. DOH!!! so yeah... 200 would of been better...

I didn't actually bounce the light off anything I more reflected the light from the flash. I was about 4 ft from my son and jerryrigged the reflector to not flash directly at him but away from him in different ways. I have one that shows nothing but the back of his head.... anyway... It was interesting playing with it..

[and]

Winners have been posted here:
Winners