Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

Docrwm · 03-29-2012, 05:04 PM

Wow, such an interesting subject with some amazing light! Very nice start.

One suggestion, try shooting some of them (88 for instance) in portrait orientation instead of landscape - it'll capture the sparks better I think. The best time to shoot portrait is right after you've just shot a landscape of the same subject. It's amazing how different the shot can be just by turning the camera 90 degrees.

I agree about trying fill flash as has been suggested already. Also, on the furnace and hot stock being removed - it might be more interesting to shoot somewhere half-way between 006 and 018 to see the furnace itself at an angle while still keeping the entire rod in the frame.

JinDesu · 03-29-2012, 05:08 PM

Originally posted by theflyingjocksman

i thought that (well someone mentioned it on here) but i couldnt find a fill flash option on the k-r)

Fill flash isn't really an "option" I think. You sorta have to figure it out based on distance (or trial and error!). You basically let the flash activate on manual mode, and you expose for the brighter part (the rods). The flash will help light the darker and closer parts (the machinery).

Docrwm · 03-29-2012, 05:10 PM

Originally posted by JinDesu

Fill flash isn't really an "option" I think. You sorta have to figure it out based on distance (or trial and error!). You basically let the flash activate on manual mode, and you expose for the brighter part (the rods). The flash will help light the darker and closer parts (the machinery).

Yup, and as I recall you have from -2.0 to +1.0 control over the intensity of the pop-up flash on the K-r so you can play around with the amount of fill light from the flash too.

wombat2go · 03-29-2012, 05:22 PM

+1 Jocksman
You are doing something new and showing us on the way.

theflyingjocksman · 03-30-2012, 02:17 AM

thamks for your comments guys i was thinking of maybe getting above the furnace on an overhead platform from there you can see alot more and oerphaps i might not get the full glow fromt the furnace which may be a bit easier to expose. ill try it and see how it turns out. no harm in trying i will see if i can get some more pics tongiht using the fill flash and in different locations. also which metering mode would you guys think would be best? based on the exif info on the photos what aperture, shutter speed? i was thinking of using manual mide but you cant use bracketing on manual mode.

Docrwm · 03-30-2012, 10:33 AM

Originally posted by theflyingjocksman

thamks for your comments guys i was thinking of maybe getting above the furnace on an overhead platform from there you can see alot more and oerphaps i might not get the full glow fromt the furnace which may be a bit easier to expose. ill try it and see how it turns out. no harm in trying i will see if i can get some more pics tongiht using the fill flash and in different locations. also which metering mode would you guys think would be best? based on the exif info on the photos what aperture, shutter speed? i was thinking of using manual mide but you cant use bracketing on manual mode.

I'd meter on the metal or the glow and use fill flash with 1/2 of your shots and play with the intensity of the fill flash. I'd use Aperture priority for the spark shots so you can freeze their flight. What software do you use to process the images?

theflyingjocksman · 03-30-2012, 11:05 AM

Originally posted by Docrwm

I'd meter on the metal or the glow and use fill flash with 1/2 of your shots and play with the intensity of the fill flash. I'd use Aperture priority for the spark shots so you can freeze their flight. What software do you use to process the images?

Spot metering? I used Photoshop cs5 but I shot all in raw and tweaked the levels fill light, blacks and temperature

theflyingjocksman · 03-30-2012, 11:55 AM

Looking forward to posting the pics of tonight's session up got it about right I think

theflyingjocksman · 03-30-2012, 03:10 PM

right guys thanks for all your help here are the latest photos let me no what you think still not the best but getting there i think

ground level with fill flash

above view of the furnaces

right the next two i couldnt decide on the first one is unedited and i like the moody feel of it. the second has been edidted in adobe camera raw but ONLY the fill light and blacks sliders.1)

2) fill light and blacks slider adjustment only

love this one

theflyingjocksman · 03-31-2012, 11:30 PM

What you guys think

**interested_observer** · 04-01-2012, 06:30 AM

Good Morning Flying....

I think that the images are great and have a lot more potential that can be worked. I hope you don't mind, but I downloaded one of your images (jpg) and played around with it for a couple of minutes. Here is what I came up with. There is a lot more detail there to be worked, especially when you start out with RAW. I used a package called Oloneo PhotoEngine (there is a full capable 30 day trial available). I might have pushed it a bit too much (you can see the noise especially back in the shadows, however if you start out with the RAW original, I am thinking that this would be alright.

JinDesu · 04-01-2012, 06:54 AM

Your latest ones are quite a lot better in terms of showing detail - you might want to invest in a good flash to do fill flash as it looks like your flash just can't reach.

If the machinery doesn't move for an extended period of time, maybe a bracketed HDR would work very well.

theflyingjocksman · 04-01-2012, 08:48 AM

The machinery does move it takes about 30 seconds for bar to go out of furnace and door closing. Interested observer... That does look good but the furnace looks to dull yellow it should be bright ill play around with the raw settings in cs5 see how they turn out

Deiberson · 04-03-2012, 07:45 AM

I think Bryan Peterson did a shot with this type of lighting in his "Understanding Exposure" book. Might be worth looking at. Or I can look at it when I get home and tell you what he said.

Timd · 04-03-2012, 08:47 AM

I used to work at a steel mill and spent much of my spare time watching the spectacle of hot steel! Great photos.

Only thing I know that kills a sensor is Laser light.

I hate to kill the photos, but have you got permission to take photos at work? Most companies I know are very camera shy. Just spent today at Sishen mine (biggest open cast iron ore mine, I think). No cameras allowed....

04-01-2012, 06:30 AM	#41
interested_observer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tumbleweed, Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,707	Good Morning Flying.... I think that the images are great and have a lot more potential that can be worked. I hope you don't mind, but I downloaded one of your images (jpg) and played around with it for a couple of minutes. Here is what I came up with. There is a lot more detail there to be worked, especially when you start out with RAW. I used a package called Oloneo PhotoEngine (there is a full capable 30 day trial available). I might have pushed it a bit too much (you can see the noise especially back in the shadows, however if you start out with the RAW original, I am thinking that this would be alright. Attached Images

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Architecture Old Iron Ore Furnace	hangman43	Post Your Photos!	4	03-11-2012 05:42 PM

03-29-2012, 05:04 PM	#31
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Wow, such an interesting subject with some amazing light! Very nice start. One suggestion, try shooting some of them (88 for instance) in portrait orientation instead of landscape - it'll capture the sparks better I think. The best time to shoot portrait is right after you've just shot a landscape of the same subject. It's amazing how different the shot can be just by turning the camera 90 degrees. I agree about trying fill flash as has been suggested already. Also, on the furnace and hot stock being removed - it might be more interesting to shoot somewhere half-way between 006 and 018 to see the furnace itself at an angle while still keeping the entire rod in the frame.

03-29-2012, 05:08 PM	#32
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Originally posted by theflyingjocksman i thought that (well someone mentioned it on here) but i couldnt find a fill flash option on the k-r) Fill flash isn't really an "option" I think. You sorta have to figure it out based on distance (or trial and error!). You basically let the flash activate on manual mode, and you expose for the brighter part (the rods). The flash will help light the darker and closer parts (the machinery).

03-29-2012, 05:10 PM	#33
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by JinDesu Fill flash isn't really an "option" I think. You sorta have to figure it out based on distance (or trial and error!). You basically let the flash activate on manual mode, and you expose for the brighter part (the rods). The flash will help light the darker and closer parts (the machinery). Yup, and as I recall you have from -2.0 to +1.0 control over the intensity of the pop-up flash on the K-r so you can play around with the amount of fill light from the flash too.

03-29-2012, 05:22 PM	#34
wombat2go Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	+1 Jocksman You are doing something new and showing us on the way.

03-30-2012, 02:17 AM	#35
theflyingjocksman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: hereford, england Photos: Albums Posts: 160 Original Poster	thamks for your comments guys i was thinking of maybe getting above the furnace on an overhead platform from there you can see alot more and oerphaps i might not get the full glow fromt the furnace which may be a bit easier to expose. ill try it and see how it turns out. no harm in trying i will see if i can get some more pics tongiht using the fill flash and in different locations. also which metering mode would you guys think would be best? based on the exif info on the photos what aperture, shutter speed? i was thinking of using manual mide but you cant use bracketing on manual mode.

03-30-2012, 10:33 AM	#36
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by theflyingjocksman thamks for your comments guys i was thinking of maybe getting above the furnace on an overhead platform from there you can see alot more and oerphaps i might not get the full glow fromt the furnace which may be a bit easier to expose. ill try it and see how it turns out. no harm in trying i will see if i can get some more pics tongiht using the fill flash and in different locations. also which metering mode would you guys think would be best? based on the exif info on the photos what aperture, shutter speed? i was thinking of using manual mide but you cant use bracketing on manual mode. I'd meter on the metal or the glow and use fill flash with 1/2 of your shots and play with the intensity of the fill flash. I'd use Aperture priority for the spark shots so you can freeze their flight. What software do you use to process the images?

03-30-2012, 11:05 AM	#37
theflyingjocksman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: hereford, england Photos: Albums Posts: 160 Original Poster	Originally posted by Docrwm I'd meter on the metal or the glow and use fill flash with 1/2 of your shots and play with the intensity of the fill flash. I'd use Aperture priority for the spark shots so you can freeze their flight. What software do you use to process the images? Spot metering? I used Photoshop cs5 but I shot all in raw and tweaked the levels fill light, blacks and temperature

03-30-2012, 11:55 AM	#38
theflyingjocksman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: hereford, england Photos: Albums Posts: 160 Original Poster	Looking forward to posting the pics of tonight's session up got it about right I think

03-30-2012, 03:10 PM	#39
theflyingjocksman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: hereford, england Photos: Albums Posts: 160 Original Poster	right guys thanks for all your help here are the latest photos let me no what you think still not the best but getting there i think ground level with fill flash above view of the furnaces right the next two i couldnt decide on the first one is unedited and i like the moody feel of it. the second has been edidted in adobe camera raw but ONLY the fill light and blacks sliders.1) 2) fill light and blacks slider adjustment only love this one

03-31-2012, 11:30 PM	#40
theflyingjocksman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: hereford, england Photos: Albums Posts: 160 Original Poster	What you guys think

04-01-2012, 06:54 AM	#42
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Your latest ones are quite a lot better in terms of showing detail - you might want to invest in a good flash to do fill flash as it looks like your flash just can't reach. If the machinery doesn't move for an extended period of time, maybe a bracketed HDR would work very well.

04-01-2012, 08:48 AM	#43
theflyingjocksman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: hereford, england Photos: Albums Posts: 160 Original Poster	The machinery does move it takes about 30 seconds for bar to go out of furnace and door closing. Interested observer... That does look good but the furnace looks to dull yellow it should be bright ill play around with the raw settings in cs5 see how they turn out

04-03-2012, 07:45 AM	#44
Deiberson Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 734	I think Bryan Peterson did a shot with this type of lighting in his "Understanding Exposure" book. Might be worth looking at. Or I can look at it when I get home and tell you what he said.

04-03-2012, 08:47 AM	#45
Timd Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cape Town, SA Posts: 262	I used to work at a steel mill and spent much of my spare time watching the spectacle of hot steel! Great photos. Only thing I know that kills a sensor is Laser light. I hate to kill the photos, but have you got permission to take photos at work? Most companies I know are very camera shy. Just spent today at Sishen mine (biggest open cast iron ore mine, I think). No cameras allowed....