Workshop at the Ranch – August 2014 – Your Questions & My Answers
Hi and welcome to this edition of Workshop at the Ranch (WATR.) Your Questions are awesome, so let’s keep the answers rolling.
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Image #1 Shield Runner … Nikon D2x, ISO800, 1/1250 at f5.6, Nikon 600mm lens, WB 7140K, Gitzo Carbon Fiber Monopod, SanDisk 16G Extreme Pro Flash Card.
Q… Mr.Black, Always enjoy your question and answers section. Need to thank you again with your Nikon D4s menu set up. This has helped a lot. Now for part 2, FOOTBALL. Our football will be starting in about 3 weeks and I see a lot of high school kids using face shields. What is the best way to photograph them at night so you can see the face? Last year all I could see at night or in daylight is the shield. Thank you, Larry Joliet. IL Well, I do not know of any particular photographic technique that would allow you to see their face when a face shield is used…accept to have the sunshine illuminate the helmet-face from a side angle. As far as shooting players with face shields during a night game, no special technique that I’m aware of. Hopefully you can catch the action at the peek and capture the key moments of the game…that’s what people want most. Many players wear a face shield now. For NCAA and NFL players with face shields I try to capture them with their head raised so that a stadium reflection might be visible in the face shield. Hope this answer helps you a little this season. Adios. Dave |
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Image #2 Mormon Row Twilight … Nikon D3s, ISO2000, 30 seconds at f4.5, Nikon 24-70mm lens, WB 3030K, Manfrotto Tripod with Manfrotto 410 Gear Head, 1 Brinkmann MAX Million II hand held rechargeable spotlight, SanDisk 32G Extreme Pro Flash Card. Q… Dave, I have fallen in love with your Lightpaintings. From the very first time that I saw your unique style I knew this is what I wanted to do. I hope that you might be having a class close to me on this so that I could learn more from the master of this beautiful art. Please let me know if you are in Idaho or the northwest to do a class on this. I would love to attend. Sincerely, Lisa
Glad you are enjoying my Lightpaintings in my Creative Lighting Portfolio. I truly love to Lightpaint…especially large landscapes. I do not have anything scheduled in Idaho, but my workshop schedule this year will take me close to Idaho…Jackson Hole, WY. I will be teaching Lightpainting at the Summit Nature & Wildlife Workshop in Jackson Hole, WY. September 28-October 3. http://www.photographyatthesummit.com/workshops/nature/ This workshop is one of Rich Clarkson’s Summit Workshop Series, and is a personal favorite of mine. My international workshop schedule kept me from teaching at this workshop for the past 2 years, and I am excited to return to Jackson Hole this fall to teach Lightpainting and help attendees with their photography. The Summit Nature & Wildlife Workshop features a faculty of awesome photographers and picture editors from the National Geographic and Jackson’s own Tom Mangelsen (Images of Nature), …and me to, go figure. Hope to see you in Jackson Hole…(bring your cowboy hat). Adios. Dave |
 Image #3 DEDICATED Swimmer … Nikon D4s, ISO250, 1/4000 at f5.6, 600mm lens, WB 6250K, Gitzo Carbon Fiber Monopod, SanDisk 32G Extreme pro Flash Card.
Dr. Bidwe. Thank you so much for your very kind words regarding the DEDICATED film by Corey Rich. It was truly an honor to be a part of it. I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it and found it moving and a positive in your life. Photography means much more in my life than just making pictures. Here again are the links to Corey’s film DEDICATED and also The Making of DEDICATED: DEDICATED… a film by Corey Rich: http://news.coreyrich.com/2014/04/latest-work-dedicated-the-making-of-dedicated/ The Making of DEDICATED by Corey Rich: http://vimeo.com/90571962 Kindest Regards. Dave
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 Image #4 Ben Hogan Woods … Nikon D800, ISO500, 1 minute at f5.6, Nikon 24-70mm lens, WB 10,000K, Manfrotto Tripod with 410 Gear Head, Streamlight penlight by: Stylus, SanDisk 32G Extreme Pro Flash Card.
Q… Dave I know this may sound like a crazy question but here goes, I notice in the creative lighting section of your website some images that look like they were lightpainted in a space that was not total dark. One that comes to mind is Ben Hogan clubs. Is it possible to lightpaint in an environment that is not totally dark. If so what help can you offer me. Ron A… Hi Ron. Great question…No, you do not need a completely dark environment to Lightpaint in. You only need to make a very dark exposure. Usually I like to have a little ambient light in the studio or even outdoors, just so I can see where I’m applying the light. And some of my Lightpaintings actually have some ambient light (available light) slightly illuminating the subject or scene. I only need to be able to make a very dark exposure (underexposed image)…what I refer to as a “blank image.” As long as I can achieve a “long exposure time” long enough to paint light on the subject, and still have a very dark “blank image” when no light is added, then I’m ready to add the light. However, the image of the Ben Hogan Woods in my Creative lighting Portfolio that you are referring to was Lightpainted in a very dark studio, but not so dark that could not see what I was doing. The exposure time of 1 minute, ISO500 and aperture of f5.6 gave me a completely dark image without any Lightpainting added. This completely dark exposure allowed me to use my “soft focus” technique. Soft Focus technique is accomplished by Lightpainting part of the subject (the 1 driver and 3 wood) and then turning off the flashlight and manually unfocusing the lens. Once the lens is unfocused I resume Lightpainting the other clubs and the green background …all of which is unfocused, or as I call it “soft focus.” All my video classes, including my Lightpainting video classes, can be found on KelbyOne www.kelbyone.com These videos are available to view by either KelbyOne members, but also to non-members for a $7 rental fee. Hope this answer is helpful. Adios. Dave |
Well, some great questions this month…and I hope that my answers have been helpful to those of you who are learning and improving your photography.
See you all next month here on WATR. Adios. Dave
