Photography - Well, There It Is.

365 Project: A Photo a Day

June 15, 2012 by spike

In order to motivate myself to spend more time with cameras, I’ve decided, somewhat on a whim, to begin the “365 Project.” Each day for a year, I will take at least one photograph digitally, develop them through post-processing using Lightroom and Photoshop, and publish them in a set on Flickr.

This will give me an excuse to try new lighting techniques and, in some cases but not frequently, use post-processing effects to add a touch of creativity. I’m a big fan of realistic looking photographs rather than adding fake aged-print or cross-processed looks, so if I do add some effects, I’ll try to stay faithful to the content of the image.

Here are some of my favorites so far.

New to Me: Mamiya C330

June 6, 2012 by spike

I love the photographs I can get with my Mamiya RZ67 Pro II, but the camera isn’t exactly portable. There’s something special about medium format film, and I’ve wanted to be able to get that quality without lugging around a suitcase. Before Memorial Day, I shopped around and purchases a used Mamiya C330 Professional.

It’s a twin lens reflect camera, so it is taking me some time to adjust. With the twin lens, you compose with the upper lens while the camera uses the lower lens to capture the exposure. That creates a problem with composition, where the resulting photograph is framed slightly differently from what I see through the waist-level finder. Also, when focusing close, the camera extends its bellows, which requires an adjustment to the settings to ensure enough light is reaching the film.

With practice, I’m sure I can overcome these quirks. When I picked up the negatives from the lab, I was surprised about how accurate the exposures were. I had, for the most part, guessed the exposure settings using the “Sunny 16” rule.

The camera taxes a 6cm x 6cm square format image, a little smaller than the 6cm x 7cm provided by the RZ67, but it comes in a package that is much more convenient. I had considered getting a Mamiya 7 II for a portable camera capable of 6×7 negatives, but I liked the idea of the twin lens reflex more than the idea of a rangefinder.

As I tend to do, I took the camera to Princeton to get a feel for its capabilities. I chose the black and white Ilford HP5 Plus for the first roll. The second roll was used mostly for Memorial Day activities, and for this I used Fujifilm 400H. I’ve included some of the black and white photos — which were for the most part more successful than the color images — after the jump. You can also view the Flickr sets for my walk around Princeton and for my Memorial Day Activities.

The R Factor at Rider University

March 20, 2012 by spike

As part of my Photographic Essay course at the Arts Council of Princeton, I was tasked with creating a set of photographs with an underlying theme or narrative. I was looking for a topic somewhat esoteric, but my creative mind just wasn’t functioning well during this particular time frame. I narrowed my choices down to something related to the Delaware and Raritan Canal or a singing competition show supported by Reid Sound at Rider University. Even after starting with the latter, I kept an open mind and prepared to take the photographic essay in a different direction to protect against the possibility that I could not spam the entire event from start to finish with enough images to tell some sort of story.

The event moved forward, and I committed myself to the project. “The R Factor” mimicked the popular television show “The X Factor.” More than twenty student performers from the university auditioned for a chance to make the final performance. I started with these auditions, taking photographs to document the progress of some of the performers as well of the event itself.

The photography presented the usual challenges. Stages and auditoriums are dark locations, and a spotlight can easily throw off metering. I pumped up the ISO to compensate for the lighting. In the hallways where performers were waiting and warming up before the final performance, the fluorescent lighting played with the color balance.

There is a good amount of talent on the Rider University campus. The R Factor did a great job of showcasing some of the school’s best performers. Here are a few images from the events; more photographs are available on Flickr, many of which were not included in the essay. A slideshow of the essay follows these photos.

After the jump, I present a slideshow representing the photographic essay in its current form. The essay as a whole is relatively successful, telling the story of the event, although I did not use any text for narrative.

Battle of Princeton Reenactment on Independence Day

July 9, 2011 by spike

On Independence Day, I spent the morning and afternoon at Battlefield State Park in Princeton, New Jersey. The Princeton Battlefield Preservation Society presented a partial reenactment of the Battle of Princeton, a turning point for General Washington’s troops and Patriots during the Revolutionary War. The day was filled with a variety of demonstrations rather than an outright reenactment.

I decided to bring my Mamiya RZ67 Professional II camera to the event. While most spectators had digital cameras, my older medium format film camera seemed more appropriate. This camera — or any camera — is just as anachronistic as a digital camera, but it was fun to focus on a more manual process in this environment.

This manual process made the day fraught with frustrations for me. I would require a tripod to get the best shots, but carrying my tripod in addition to the camera from one spot to another was a pain. With so many spectators, I wouldn’t be able to get a good shot of the demonstrations without setting up in front of people who were there with their families to enjoy the day’s festivities. As a result, I ended up facing the backs of the subjects.

After giving up on the tripod, I tried holding the camera steady, which proved to be difficult with the cannon demonstration. The best timing would be right as the cannon fired, but each time, the noise startled me. I jumped, and had a difficult time holding the camera steady for the right moment. A small digital camera would have come in handy.

The film was developed by Taylor Photo in Princeton, New Jersey, and scanned at home with an Epson Perfection V700. Continue reading to see a few of the photographs, or see more by visiting this set on Flickr.

High Technology for Low Fidelity

June 5, 2011 by spike

I avoided cameraphones for a while. I’d rather have a device that worked exceptionally well as a phone without a lens than a mediocre phone that takes mediocre, low-resolution digital photographs. Eventually, I relented and purchased the original Motorola DROID. The phone comes with a mediocre camera, bust most of that mediocrity can be hidden using applications that process the photograph. There is a subset of applications that attempt to mimic the classic toy-camera look.

Plastic “toy” cameras, like the Holga and Diana, incorporate unpredictability into the art of photography. In general, photographers seek to control everything about their images, particularly lighting and composition. Much of this is left to chance when using toy cameras. Their imprecise construction allowed light to leak onto the film, adding streaks of color or light at locations. Focusing is imprecise, and vignetting is a virtue to be appreciated, not avoided.

Modern apps like those available for the Android operating system and the iPhone allow precise customization over these random imperfections, but that takes the fun out this particular type of art. Even when choosing a “random” setting in these applications, you are left with the knowledge that the image is a lie. The phone, despite not being the best digital camera available, is capable of better photographs. Real plastic Holgas and Dianas produce these images as a result of the only type of image processing they are capable of — the photograph you take is their best work. They are low-fidelity, not just “slumming it.”

The problem today is that despite the fact that these toy cameras can be found for just about $20, it’s still less expensive in the long run to fake the look with your phone, a decide you might have anyway. The costs of buying and developing film add up quickly. The cameras once designed as an affordable option for kids is now out of reach for many photographers. One can’t forget that with digital photography, photographers have the luxury of instant review and retake.

With the added complication of processing film, I’ve only been slowly working with my Holga so far. Amy shot the first roll (black and white) with the Diana today; it will be a few days before I see the resulting negatives. Here is a selection from the Holga. More are available in the Toy Camera set on Flickr. I should point out that the pattern of white dots seems to be a result of the developing process. I’ll speak to the lab about this when I go to pick up the next rolls of film they’re currently developing. Keep reading for some of my recent photographs using the Holga.

Sourland Mountain, Somerset County

May 9, 2011 by spike

On Sunday, I spent the afternoon walking around Sourland Mountain Preserve in Somerset County, New Jersey. This was my first time at the location, and the entrance is not far from where I live. I’m not sure how many miles I walked while at the preserve, but I spent some time walking up and down part of the mountain, mostly in a clearing. I also spent some time walking trails amongst the trees. A pond nearby was populated with three families of geese, and two of these families included a number of goslings.

Most people think New Jersey is flat. Much of New Jersey is, but the state does have its share of hills and mountains, and Sourland Mountain is a great example. As I climbed higher, I could see the houses of Hillsborough in the distance.

I brought my Canon 1D Mark III with me. On hand was a Canon 70-200mm f/4L and the original 2x extender I borrowed from a friend. In addition to this combination, I shot with the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 and briefly with the Canon 50mm f/1.4. The preserve is a great location, and I’d like to come back for portraiture.

The full gallery is on Flickr, and I’ve included a few more photographs after the jump.

Lighting and Photography Class

April 8, 2011 by spike

A week before this past Tuesday, I attended the penultimate session of my latest photography class. The class concentrated on lighting, and it was perfect timing for me. Lighting was the missing piece in my skill set — well, besides the need to improve my artistic eye. We invited a model to the class in order to practice our lighting technique for portraits. While my classmates spent a lot of time snapping photos with 35mm cameras, my process was much slower because I was using the Mamiya RZ67 for the most part.

I started the session with the Polaroid back to test the exposure before switching to the 120 medium format film. I also got a few shots in using the Canon 1D Mark III. (It’s wonderful that I was able to find all of this equipment used. The only piece of equipment I purchased new was the Sigma 24-70mm lens I mentioned earlier.) Out of everything, the Polaroid “test shots” turned out the best, despite losing one exposure when I removed the back before replacing the dark slide. With the Polaroid back on, I also tried shooting with the f-stop halfway between f/22 and f/32, and that didn’t work so well. It resulted in the shutter not opening much at all, which you can see in the most underexposed shot in the group.

It’s interesting how, despite using the same settings, the Kodak Ektar film responded completely differently to the light on the seamless backdrop.

The next class starts in May, but I think I’ll be taking a break from classes until at least the fall. I need to spend more time shooting.

Here is the full set on Flickr, and if you continue reading this article, you’ll see a gallery of just the Polaroids and one 6×7.

Catherine Short de Arce at The Grand

March 27, 2011 by spike

Last Tuesday, I ventured back into my college state of Delaware for the first time in many years. After broadcasting a request for models among my friends on Facebook several months ago, one of the gracious responses was from Catherine Short de Arce, a friend of mine from the University of Delaware. Cathy was a vocal music major when we attended, and she followed this passion and is now a successful opera singer. At the bottom of this post, I’ve included one of her recordings.

We scheduled the photo shoot in Wilmington’s Grand Opera House, a great venue for dramatic images featuring an opera singer. The Sarah Bernhardt room, where we set up and shot almost all of the photographs, was a perfect location. Cathy came fully prepared with a team to help with her hair and make-up, as well as a representative from the department store Boscov’s to help with the various outfits provided by the store.

This was my first attempt bringing my portable equipment on location. I traveled with a Canon 1D Mark III, with an XTi for emergency back-up, and two Bowens Gemini monolights with umbrellas. For lenses, I brought a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro, and Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM AF, but used the 24-70mm almost exclusively. I also had a variety of accessories to help with the shoot, like PocketWizards for triggering the strobes and a white/silver reflector.

I learned quite a bit from the seven hours I spent at the Grand Opera House. Here are a few of my take-aways.

The details are important. Some problems, like a fire alarm on the wall, can’t always be cropped out of the frame. I need to keep my eyes open. Even a piece of tape to hold fabric on a couch can ruin a shot.
I need to watch angles and proportions when using wider angles. On camera, it could look like an interesting perspective, but once I can really look at the image, I might be distracted by feet or hands in the corner of the frame.
It’s important for the model to feel at ease. I probably could have done more to help Cathy feel comfortable and relax.

Post-processing is an important part of modern photography. Film purists often don’t like PhotoShop because they believe the skill of a photographer is in getting the best picture in camera. It’s always good to strive for getting the best capture, but even the best film photographers worked creatively with chemicals and dodged and burned the exposure when printing. In PhotoShop, I take the time to reduce the appearance of shiny skin, make sure there is the level of contrast I expect, and make sure the colors most accurately reflect the colors as seen by human eyes — all things even the best digital sensor doesn’t do well.

Update! I have finished finalizing the photographs from this shoot. You can see a select set of photographs in my portfolio, and here’s a slideshow. Following the slideshow are a few photographs from the shoot prior to processing.

Converting Dining Room to Studio

February 22, 2011 by spike

I don’t have much extra space in my living room, so as I’ve become more involved with photography, I’ve had to made some decisions. I’m currently taking a Light and Photography class at the Arts Council of Princeton, and my goal for the next few months is to increase my experience dealing with light. On Sunday, I picked up some lighting equipment, and the only suitable location in my apartment for setting up the equipment is the dining room.

B&H Photo and Video is now richer, while some items formerly in their store now find their home in my apartment. I purchased inexpensive floodlights, a two-strobe kit (Bowens brand, 800 watt-seconds total, with umbrellas), three PocketWizards, and a backdrop set-up.

As part of assignments for the class, I spent some time experimenting with different placements of the floodlights and strobes. I’ve been using this as a chance to get used to using the equipment for the first time. I discovered that I don’t want to use the strobes at full power, particularly when the space I have available for the “studio” is about eight feet by eight feet.

I chose three photos from this first session to share. The set is on Flickr and I’m including the photos below, as well.

Back to City Streets With TheGoodLife

January 29, 2011 by spike

I found myself trekking through the snow back to East Windsor last night to listen to TheGoodLife and relax with my friends. With the blessing of Bryan Douglas, keyboardist extraordinaire, I brought my new-but-used Canon 1D Mark III for its first legitimate shoot. (While I did resolve to have two shoots a month, the weather in January has been foiling my plans.) The night was not without challenges.

As I mentioned last time I wrote about TheGoodLife at City Streets, this cafe-slash-bar is not the best location for producing flattering photographs, particularly when colored spotlights flash unpredictably. I have found, however, that my own flash will overpower the spotlights, even when the flash is bounced off the ceiling. It’s this bounce that helped product some of the better photographs from the night.

I stayed only for the first set this time, and managed to produce about twenty images that I consider publishable. I’m including a selection here, and the rest are available in this Flickr set.

In previous shoots, with the Canon Digital Rebel XTi, I got the best images by setting the aperture to f/1.4 to allow the fastest shutter speeds at a high ISO, leaving off a flash entirely. I didn’t feel I was getting the same results with the 1D Mark III last night, so I opted to mount a flash on the camera, the Canon 430EX Speedlite Flash. In a more perfect setting, I would have positioned the flash differently, but to increase maneuverability in a crowded bar with drunk dancers dangerously close, I kept it simple by mounting the flash directly on the hot shoe. The most flattering images came from bouncing the flash off the ceiling.

Of course, I’d prefer not to use a flash at all if there were any chance it would distract the performers.

A few non-flash shots were acceptable, as well, but the 1D Mark III did not want to grab focus as easily as the XTi, making non-flash shooting slow.

Some post-processing work was required. For the non-flash shots, I adjusted the white balance and improved the color levels. For the flash shots, not much color correction was necessary, but I did a little work to remove the “shiny skin” effect. One of the most difficult aspects of photographing a singer is trying to avoid making someone appear as if they are preparing to eat the microphone. I’ll have to try to convince Reid Sound to provide the singers with wireless headset microphones.

All shots were taken with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens. Continue reading this article to see a selection of the photographs.