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Weekly Challenge #44 - Manipulated Light: Portrait
Posted By: and, 01-21-2008, 06:07 PM

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!

Last edited by and; 01-22-2008 at 11:02 AM.
Views: 9,425
01-25-2008, 09:46 AM   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by and Quote
Tim: For shots of more than 1 person I recommend landscape in general and deffinetley for group shots so yea, of course.

So your first shot will be your entry then, right. Nice guitar strap in the second one btw.

thanks for entering you two
Yes, the first shot is my entry.

I realize that the portrait orientation, simple background, and maybe even the "light manipulation" guidelines are not set-in-stone rules; however, they are the preference stated by the person doing the judging. I didn't want someone to follow my "stellar" example and then be disappointed when they didn't win. The two shots I posted are two of my favorite "portraits" I've taken and your challenge was a wonderful opportunity to share them and I thank you for it. I love these challenges, as I get to review images from days past and see if I can improve upon them.

Tim

PS: The guitar strap made it into the Pentax Photo Gallery before the new Artist voting feature.

01-25-2008, 05:00 PM   #32
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Just to inform that I will be travelling for the next 2 days and will be offline so I wont check back with this thread until monday. The contest is open untill the end of tuesday. We have great entries so far but it would be nice to see even more entries, there are so many more users on this forum. I have even showed you one way to do it, what are you waiting for ?
01-26-2008, 11:45 PM   #33
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Here is my entry.
MY understanding was its contest for pictures taken during this contest week?

Anyway , it was rainy this friday and not much to do, so we went to store pick up flowers for 14$, shower curtain for 3$.




Setup:
K10D hand held crappy ebay wireless trigger on my sigma flash, secound flash ABR800 + moon unit (sort of octagon softbox).
As background white shower liner, sigma flash set to fill, 1/2 power like 3 ft away. Secound light left as hig and far as i could (8 ft celling in my apartment). Model ( hihihi, sounds better then wife )placed 1 ft from background. I was like 6 -7 ft from her. Everything in 8 x10 space.\

oh, and some PS work to smooth/fix skin, and clean background. Little color manipulation
01-27-2008, 12:29 PM   #34
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This is not a sexy as some of the other shots. Personally, I think this makes me look rather evil. I guess I was trying to get a different kind of look.



Setup:
K100D, 18-55mm kit lens, mounted on tripod, camera about 3 feet off the floor, lighting was a photoflood using a white umbrella reflecting light off the wall, background is the corner where the wall and the ceiling meet in my living room.


Last edited by xs400; 01-27-2008 at 04:19 PM.
01-27-2008, 04:20 PM   #35
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my entry

Here's my entry.
40mm Limited, cactus v2s triggered Vivitar 285 into umbrella on left side, direct flash (Vivitar 283 with a bubble wrap diffuser) on the right, and light box (obviously) underneath:


Last edited by khardur; 01-29-2008 at 03:10 PM. Reason: linked to bigger picture
01-27-2008, 06:10 PM   #36
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QuoteOriginally posted by ramzey Quote
Here is my entry.
MY understanding was its contest for pictures taken during this contest week?
Is that a part of the rules? If so then I have to omit my entry because it was taken a good while ago. I didn't see that in the rules though.
01-27-2008, 06:13 PM   #37
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without speaking for and, i am pretty sure they dont have to be taken within the contest duration--just adhering to the contest format. im safe either way, but i don't think these absolutely had to be taken within the last week

01-27-2008, 06:51 PM   #38
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Entries do not have to be taken this week, its nice when people submit something fresh though But I dont check the exif to see when the shots are taken. But nothing in the rules stating that you have to so enter 'em if you got 'em.

Thanks to all who entered so far!

Still 2 days left so I am hoping we will have even more entries still.
01-27-2008, 10:08 PM   #39
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Here's my entry, a stylized portrait... taken last wednesday.

Taken with K10D, kit-lens, off-camera flash (540fgz) just below the subject, and fill flash on-camera...
01-27-2008, 11:41 PM   #40
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QuoteOriginally posted by ramzey Quote
How much post process is allowed?
QuoteOriginally posted by and Quote
As much as you want!
You said it! Hehe. This topic seems fun.

F540 flash on the right of the lady, a reflector on her left with an umbrella. Red jel on a hair light directing behind the backdrop. Then post process

Fa 31 ltd

01-28-2008, 12:18 AM   #41
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QuoteOriginally posted by roentarre Quote
You said it! Hehe. This topic seems fun.

F540 flash on the right of the lady, a reflector on her left with an umbrella. Red jel on a hair light directing behind the backdrop. Then post process

Fa 31 ltd


Dohhhhh, nice one!


QuoteOriginally posted by xs400 Quote
This is not a sexy as some of the other shots.


I just notice you are 4th member from bayarea i notice here
01-28-2008, 12:36 AM   #42
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QuoteOriginally posted by ramzey Quote

I just notice you are 4th member from bayarea i notice here
What is bayarea? Excuse my ignorance ...


Your lady shot is stunning. I just filled in the gaps here ...
01-28-2008, 12:49 AM   #43
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QuoteOriginally posted by khardur Quote
Here's my entry.
I really like the lighting in your photo! Great colors, from the slides to the skin tone. Great idea for a composition, and beautiful execution!

Thanks, khardur, for posting and describing!

-Chris
01-28-2008, 07:52 AM   #44
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QuoteOriginally posted by roentarre Quote
What is bayarea? Excuse my ignorance ...


Your lady shot is stunning. I just filled in the gaps here ...

San Francisco Bayarea , that was to Frank (xs400)
01-28-2008, 06:26 PM   #45
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Tuesday is the last day of this challenge! So last chance to add your entry! what are you waiting for!
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