Posted by Steve Sieren on November 26, 2008 at 12:36 PM
I shot this a couple of years ago in March of 06. I was playing with the flash. Too bad it doesn't work with a small aperture, long shutter speed and low iso. Maybe it would work a little better taking it off camera and popping the flash many times. I removed a green cast from the inside of the cave with green channel adjustment in a curves layer mask.
Happy Thanksgiving all!
Posted by Derek Sedillo on November 26, 2008 at 3:14 PM
This is really a cool shot Steve! I love the colors along with the perspective. The sun dropping adds a nice touch as well. Where was this taken BTW?
I am just not sure the cave's brightness via the fill flash is working for me here. It seems a bit unnatural. It might look better darker as more of a silhouette like the rest of the rocks are in the mid ground.
Posted by Steve Sieren on November 26, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Thanks Derek, It was taken in Malibu at Dusk. That light in the distance isn't the sun though it's a fishing boat and it might somewhat distracting. I snapped quite a bit of shots here and left with a lot of cave silhouettes. I like to post more of my experimental work here in the canp forum.
The link you posted is not working. I did find the guys work interesting but no cave with light painting? It must be the Crystal Mill shot since you said CO. That is a very good shot, he did good with lighting the whole scene. There is a lack of shadows that could of enhanced the depth in the scene and gave it some shape for a more 3 dementional look. A reflection in the water in the water would have been a plus.
I'm leading a private workshop along this beach here in Malibu in two weeks and we'll end it with some light painting. I have done light painting many times but I think it's a lot harder at the beach because the wet sand reflects a lot of daylight and when your light hits the water it takes away the reflectiveness of any thing that would reflect light. The beam of light is a reflection stopper. Not saying light painting can't be done it just is a little harder to pull off. You can move around the scene and light things with out coming out in the exposure as long as you how long you can stand in the same spot before the camera will pick you up. The time varies by how long the exposure is.
The fill flash is pretty unnatural but isn't light painting unnatrual too? It was a little tricky getting the flash to even show up. Next time maybe just enough to get a tiny amout of detail. Thanks for you feed back.
Posted by Derek Sedillo on November 26, 2008 at 6:19 PM
Steve,
Yes, I was referring to the Crystal Mill shot which also has reflective elements in the rocks and water. Bobby used flashlights covered with colored gels over a 6 hour period.
But you are right, painting with light can also look unnatural. I guess it just seems to have more of a painterly effect and looks a bit less harsh to me. But I am sure the flash could be adjusted and experimented with to produce differing effects.
Here is a 'much brighter' one shot at the Mill by Michael McConnell. This one was done with reflective snow and water during the Crazy time of Winter in CO - talk about dedication http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3609585
It is obvious he lit this one up Big Time. But it is still a nice night shot.
Posted by Raymond Marlow on November 26, 2008 at 8:46 PM
Steve,
Interesting image I like the color of the cave wall but wouldnt mind seeing it a tad bit darker sort of along the same lines as the rocks in the distant waves. Well not as dark since they are silhouetted but you get the general idea. I like the colors in the distance and the water, makes me want to be there about now.. Great image.
Don
Steve, no doubt in my mind one of the most difficult challenges in photography is the ability to use any artificial light source to fill a dark area and obtain a natural look or feel to the scene. I've never worked that out to my own satisfaction at all, this one comes a cross very nicely, but still not enough even coverage to get that look that fills so perfectly. I'd be the last one to offer up any ideas at all on this one in an attempt to improve it.
Posted by Eric Good on November 29, 2008 at 2:55 AM
I kind of like the unconventional composition you got going on here. The way the overhanging rock frames the setting sun and the shoreline rocks is nice.
When it comes to artificial light, I personally tend to favor both ends of the lighting spectrum. Either just barely enough that viewer is hard pressed to notice it, or very noticeable and from extreme angles so that it adds depth and changes the entire mood of the image. In this case I think I would have preferred the flash a half-stop or so lower and maybe angled a little more from the sides. It's hard to tell here if it was possible, but sometimes aiming the flash back into the camera from roughly the same angle as the natural source of light to rim light just enough of the mouth of the cave could be an option. You'd just have to drop that portion of image in later in PS, to eliminate any flash or lens flare evidence. Just a thought any ways. Nice work!
Posted by Lon Overacker on December 1, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Steve,
Very creative and executed nicely. I don't mind the fill light, but you might consider adding a bit of a vignetting effect to reduce that lighting along the top. I like the light level nearest the bottom of the main overhanging rock. Also, I'm wondering what is below the frame? I'm assuming this is cropped from the bottom some? Personally, I would like a little more on the bottom so that more emphasis can be placed on the beach and rocks rather than the overhang. Still a creative and well done.
Discussion
7 repliesHappy Thanksgiving all!
I am just not sure the cave's brightness via the fill flash is working for me here. It seems a bit unnatural. It might look better darker as more of a silhouette like the rest of the rocks are in the mid ground.
Another option I have seen that works well with rocks even at night is painting with light. Here is one from CO by Bobby Douglas: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2717550
As always YMMV
Derek
The link you posted is not working. I did find the guys work interesting but no cave with light painting? It must be the Crystal Mill shot since you said CO. That is a very good shot, he did good with lighting the whole scene. There is a lack of shadows that could of enhanced the depth in the scene and gave it some shape for a more 3 dementional look. A reflection in the water in the water would have been a plus.
I'm leading a private workshop along this beach here in Malibu in two weeks and we'll end it with some light painting. I have done light painting many times but I think it's a lot harder at the beach because the wet sand reflects a lot of daylight and when your light hits the water it takes away the reflectiveness of any thing that would reflect light. The beam of light is a reflection stopper. Not saying light painting can't be done it just is a little harder to pull off. You can move around the scene and light things with out coming out in the exposure as long as you how long you can stand in the same spot before the camera will pick you up. The time varies by how long the exposure is.
The fill flash is pretty unnatural but isn't light painting unnatrual too? It was a little tricky getting the flash to even show up. Next time maybe just enough to get a tiny amout of detail. Thanks for you feed back.
Yes, I was referring to the Crystal Mill shot which also has reflective elements in the rocks and water. Bobby used flashlights covered with colored gels over a 6 hour period.
But you are right, painting with light can also look unnatural. I guess it just seems to have more of a painterly effect and looks a bit less harsh to me. But I am sure the flash could be adjusted and experimented with to produce differing effects.
Here is a 'much brighter' one shot at the Mill by Michael McConnell. This one was done with reflective snow and water during the Crazy time of Winter in CO - talk about dedication
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3609585
It is obvious he lit this one up Big Time. But it is still a nice night shot.
Interesting image I like the color of the cave wall but wouldnt mind seeing it a tad bit darker sort of along the same lines as the rocks in the distant waves. Well not as dark since they are silhouetted but you get the general idea. I like the colors in the distance and the water, makes me want to be there about now.. Great image.
Don
When it comes to artificial light, I personally tend to favor both ends of the lighting spectrum. Either just barely enough that viewer is hard pressed to notice it, or very noticeable and from extreme angles so that it adds depth and changes the entire mood of the image. In this case I think I would have preferred the flash a half-stop or so lower and maybe angled a little more from the sides. It's hard to tell here if it was possible, but sometimes aiming the flash back into the camera from roughly the same angle as the natural source of light to rim light just enough of the mouth of the cave could be an option. You'd just have to drop that portion of image in later in PS, to eliminate any flash or lens flare evidence. Just a thought any ways. Nice work!
Very creative and executed nicely. I don't mind the fill light, but you might consider adding a bit of a vignetting effect to reduce that lighting along the top. I like the light level nearest the bottom of the main overhanging rock. Also, I'm wondering what is below the frame? I'm assuming this is cropped from the bottom some? Personally, I would like a little more on the bottom so that more emphasis can be placed on the beach and rocks rather than the overhang. Still a creative and well done.
Lon