SPs with lotsa light - DPChallenge Forums

Konica Minolta MF 85mm f/1.7

12/26/2007 11:56:46 PM · #1

Ok, I am looking for some help here :)

I shot these (intentionally) into the sun going for a backlit effect. However, I am wondering how to kill the softness around me while still shooting into the light :)

Understand, I want the lens flare, just not the ambient light in front of me... weird, I know. Enough blabbing, here they are:

Thanks guys :)

ETA: I screwed up LOL these were all taken with my 18-55mm at f5 and f5.6, respectively. Shutter was 1/40s ISO 100. sorry bout that :)

Message edited by author 2007-12-27 00:09:18.

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

12/27/2007 12:09:53 AM · #2

So you want a silhouette, edged with light, and a lens flare.

Correct?

briantammy

Olympus PEN E-P3

12/27/2007 12:10:36 AM · #3

i like the backlit hair also. perhaps a lens hood or a filter. I know it might kill part of what your after. keep trying different things.

12/27/2007 12:12:55 AM · #4

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:

So you want a silhouette, edged with light, and a lens flare.

Correct?

Sort of, but I also want to retain the detail in the face... I want me to be lit, but brighter from behind with the lens flare and with a sharper focus.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

12/27/2007 12:14:25 AM · #5

Originally posted by briantammy:

i like the backlit hair also. perhaps a lens hood or a filter. I know it might kill part of what your after. keep trying different things.

Always :) Thanks!!

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

12/27/2007 12:14:46 AM · #6

From what I understand (not all of which is correct), oblique light coming into a lens can very easily be scattered between the edges of each element in a lens. This causes loss of contrast and an overall washing out...

I would imagine that it could be fairly tricky to balance the amount of oblique light coming in (via angle of lens and lens coverings) to get just a little bit of flare and less lost contrast.

if there was any information on how to do lens flare the old way, I know that I'd be interested in seeing it.

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

12/27/2007 12:15:00 AM · #7

A grad filter may do the trick. Say a ND9 grad. Or PS the parts of your subject darker perhaps.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

12/27/2007 12:16:48 AM · #8

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:

A grad filter may do the trick. Say a ND9 grad. Or PS the parts of your subject darker perhaps.

Ohhhhhh good idea!! I will try that. I am trying to avoid Photoshop... already had to boost the contrast a hair.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

12/27/2007 12:17:07 AM · #9

Did you have a UV (or any other) filter on your lens? If so, take it off.

Every piece of glass in front of the lens has the potential for creating glare ... and glare means reduced contrast (and hence, the ambient light and softness you are seeing). Another possibility is to switch to higher quality glass. But lots of people keep UV filters on their lenses, so I'll assume that's the "worst" part of your glass right there. So just remove it.

I don't put a UV filter on my lenses. Specifically because I don't want any extra glare or reflections coming from the various light sources around the subject.

Some people use the UV filter to protect the lens. To that end ... I always, always, always, have a lens hood on. I only use a filter if it meeds a specific need (polarizer, graduated neutral density, etc).

Message edited by author 2007-12-27 00:17:38.

nixter

Fujifilm X-Pro 1

Fujifilm XF 18mm f/2 Lens X-Pro1

12/27/2007 12:17:25 AM · #10

maybe try a reflector to get a little more light on your face? : )

briantammy

Olympus PEN E-P3

Konica Minolta MF 85mm f/1.7

12/27/2007 12:17:34 AM · #11

you might also try using a smaller aperature and a flash or reflector for fill lighting.

12/27/2007 12:18:01 AM · #12

Originally posted by eschelar:

hmmmmmm, interesting... I will try different angles...

12/27/2007 12:19:02 AM · #13

Originally posted by dwterry:

I did not have a filter on it... I should have tried the hood I suppose...

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

12/27/2007 12:22:04 AM · #14

Originally posted by nixter:

maybe try a reflector to get a little more light on your face? : )

I think that the setup for a reshoot is going to be very complicated... LOL

But I will try this too. Don't have a whole lot of time when the sun hits that spot (maybe an hour) and only got 9 or so today that you could even see well. grrrrr

rossbilly

Nikon D200

12/27/2007 12:29:38 AM · #15

'shooting against the light' - one of my favorite subjects (not that I'm any good at it yet LOL)

_ Increase shutter speed to reduce ambient light hitting stuff you don't want very bright and get a sharper image

- Decrease aperture (start @ ~ F11 & go smaller), to decrease ambient light, and relative brightness of the sun (though you'll still have plenty)

Step 3... just come over to the house & we can BOTH get some practice! (been dying to shoot lately) besides, that 'golden hour' stretches to a lot longer on this side of the river ;)

(the other reason is because ya need LOTS of flash to pull it off, and we can use all our portables... or just drag goliath out in the yard! Also, we can use a huge worklight (1000 watt), OR the Hensel as the backlight source, and not be controlled by time of day)

Message edited by author 2007-12-27 00:36:09.

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

12/27/2007 12:33:02 AM · #16

Originally posted by TCGuru:

Originally posted by eschelar:
.snip

hmmmmmm, interesting... I will try different angles...

subtle, subtle changes make a huge difference with this.

Work on a tripod, set up your shot using a test subject (teddy bears are nice and light for tossing out of frame) and move quickly into the frame. Wireless remotes will give you more freedom to take the poses you want without relying on an inefficient timer.

As good as reflectors are, they can be a bit of a pain unless you have a really effective stand or an assistant with a lot of patience.

For my 50mm, I have a rubber lens hood that has a pretty nice ability to be adjusted in quite a number of ways. For the reason D.Terry mentioned below, my really really sharp glass doesn't get a filter.

12/27/2007 12:35:01 AM · #17

Originally posted by rossbilly:

hehe. OK... we need to do that anyway :P