Sharing a few July Submissions

Here we are in the second half of July, already!  Summer is flying by!  Before I head on vacation, I want to share a few submissions with you, our lovely blog readers!

Stephanie Schan, of ON, took this photo, bouncing her external flash off the ceiling:

Taken with Canon Rebel XT, using a Vivitar 285HV external flash, at f/2.8, 1/200 sec., ISO 200

See how the bounced flash provides a softer light and diffuses any harsh shadows that may have occurred from using a powerful flash indoors?  Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!

Kim Gowdy, of AB, took this photo of her friend (and my fellow Canadian Scrapbooker teammate!), Connie Nichol, with her two adorable boys:

Taken with Canon Rebel XSi at f/2.8, 1/200 sec., ISO 100

Kim used her flash to fill in shadows and brighten her subjects’ faces.  Love this pic – and OMG, Connie – your boys are getting big!

For the rest of you who are thinking about submitting, please do!!  I will be away for the rest of the month, so please don’t worry if your photo is not posted until the end of the month, or later – I will try to remember to respond to each submission so you can rest assured that I have received it.  I will post all of the submission goodness upon my return!

Remember that our deadline is extended until midnight on August 2nd, 2010!

Cheers!

Extended deadline!

Due to the Civic Holiday long weekend, I’m extending the deadline for July’s submissions!

The new deadline will be 11:59PM EST on August 2nd, 2010!  So get out there and start snapping for a chance to win this:

Happy Clicking!

July Tutorial – Artificial Light

 Artificial light refers to any light source that is not naturally occuring in your shooting environment.  It includes a built-in or on-camera flash, external flash unit, studio lighting or even a do-it-yourself lighting set up.  It can also include other creative light sources, such as spotlights and even headlights, like Kathryn Hore of Australia did in these photos.

On Camera Flash

On-camera flashes will fire automatically when in AUTO mode, but may need to be activated when in exposure or creative modes by popping up your flash.  This type of flash often causes unsightly red-eye effects in your subjects:

Source: www.wikipedia.com

 Red eye is caused when the flash is close to the lens in low light situations.  Because the flash occurs quickly, the pupil cannot constrict fast enough and the light reflects off the fundus at the back of the eyeball and out through the pupil.   The red colour comes from the large amount of blood found in the choroid at the back of the eye, behind the retina. (source: www.wikipedia.com)

There are several ways to prevent red eye.  You can use an external flash, directly or indirectly.  If you do not have an external flash unit, try to turn on as many lights as possible and have your subject avoid looking directly at the lens.  If all else fails, you can use photo editing software in post-production to correct it.

External Flash Unit

An external flash is a separate unit that can be purchased and attached to your camera using a “hot shoe“, usually located on the top of your camera. 

There are two ways to employ an external light.  Direct flash is when your flash is pointed directly at your subject.  If you remember from our May 2010 tutorial, you can use direct flash to fill-in your subject when using backlighting. 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/320 sec., ISO 200. Flash fired.

It is not without fault, though – direct flash can leave harsh shadows behind your subject or leave a glare on any reflective surface, such as a mirror, window, high-gloss painted wall or eyeglasses.  Depending on your proximity to your subject, it can also wash out colours and overexpose the foreground.  Notice the difference in lighting in the following photos:

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 640. Direct flash fired.

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 640. Bounced flash fired.

The lighting is much softer in the bounced flash photo, and the glare from my dad’s eyeglasses is eliminated.  He looked down (he’s camera shy!) which may have contributed to the elimination of glare – I always ask my bespectacled subjects  to tilt their heads down a notch to avoid this.   In addition, the harsh shadows behind his head in the first photo are softened in the second.

Indirect flash is a better option.  One method is to bounce your light.  To do so, you need to have a flat white or light coloured surface, such as a ceiling, wall or reflector that will reflect the light, or you can use a bounce card, like this 15 second do-it-yourself version. 

Remember that the angle of incidence will equal the angle of reflection when bouncing your flash, as discussed in the Summer 2010 Hands On! Photography article.  As a general rule of thumb, aim your flash at a point that is midway between your flash and subject.  Also remember that by bouncing the light, you are doubling the distance that it has to travel so adjust your exposure settings accordingly.

Another method of indirect flash is to use a diffuser. It softens the impact of a powerful external flash unit and minimizes shadows.  There are several commercial products on the market, but if you are budget conscious, search online for “do it yourself flash diffuser” for a range of ideas.

Studio Lighting

Studio lighting can be very cost prohibitive, especially for amateur photographers who are trying to turn their hobby into a profession.  When determining studio set up, you will have to consider both space and cost of both categories of lighting:  continuous and flash.  Continuous lighting is inexpensive so it’s a good choice for an initial set up.  It also allows you to view the lighting before the image is taken, revealing shadows and highlights.  However, it can be very hot and uncomfortable for both you and your subject.  It also causes your subject’s irises to dilate, which is generally not desired in portraits.

There are so many considerations when choosing flash lighting such as power, reliability, features and of course, cost.  Several retailers will set lighting kits, which are ideal for an initial investment, such as this one or this one.  As with any large investment, it is wise to research and determine your needs prior to purchasing. 

Do It Yourself Lighting

If you are still experimenting, or are on a tight budget, there are several places online that offer ideas and tips for a build-your-own studio.   Here are a few that I found interesting:

ProPhotoLIfe.com – DIY Studio Product Photography – Ep. 1
ProPhotoLIfe.com – DIY Studio Product Photography – Ep. 4
Putting Together a Budget DIY Lighting System
PVC Backdrop/Light stand
Homemade Cheap DIY Backdrop Stand (lighting options offered further down in article)

I’m sure there are more out there – just use your search feature on your browser.

Now it’s time to try out what we’ve learned!

Your July assignment: 

Using the July tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject using artificial light.  Use your on-camera flash, an external flash unit or get creative and try to find unique artificial light to complement your image.  Try bouncing your flash off the ceiling or a wall.  Dig out a piece of white foam core and use it as a reflector.  Go out and PLAY!!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me. 

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, July 31st, 2010 

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is Stampin’ Up – Check out July’s prize pack!

Thanks for playing along this month… Happy Clicking!

June winner!

Thanks to our participants for their beautiful entries for last month’s tutorial:
1. Kelsy Propp
2. Kathy Tippe
3. Michelle Kuijer

And thanks to www.randomizer.org, we have a winner:

Congratulations, Kelsy!  Your Glitz prize pack will be on its’ way shortly to the address on your submission form!

Watch for our July tutorial to be posted early this week!

Happy Canada Day!

Skyline Windsor-Detroit Fireworks. Photo by Ralph Scheer

I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.

John Diefenbaker (From the Canadian Bill of Rights, July 1, 1960)