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12/31/2009 12:13:03 AM · #1 |
 As the proud owner of a new PW - 3.8058 for "All My Children" in Love III...
I'm looking for feedback on how to (or IF) a decent shot can be taken of my daughter's constructions. A word of explanation - my daughter has autism, and these are her "real" children (each with its own name), arranged in a way that only makes sense to her, and are NOT to be touched, let alone moved, on pain of an eternal curse on your personhood (or at least one that may require several hours to deliver properly). I find them enchanting, and have tried many times to capture the essence of what she's done, but basically wind up with uninspiring shots.
 In this case, she has put headbands and belts on them all, and set them in a chair so they can watch her dance.
Often her audience arrangements are done indoors in the evening hours, so low light is a challenge (hence the on-camera flash). Also, placement and getting a good angle for the shot can also be a challenge, depending on where they are, and what is around their location.
Not all arrangements are of the care bear collection - sometimes it is the beanie babies (one Christmas, she dressed the troop in shepherds' costumes (headgear and napkin robes) ).
So, suggestions on how to get the best shot under these circumstances? My "All My Children" shot got exactly one comment, so it probably isn't going to help to keep on entering shots like this.
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12/31/2009 12:21:13 AM · #2 |
First and foremost, you have to ditch the direct flash. The light it gives produces very harsh shadows, and that, as much as anything else, is just killing you here. Photgraphy is about light, and here it is very very bad.
If flash is a must, you want to modify it. One easy way is to bound it off the ceiling. This works if the ceiling is not too high (more than 10 feet gets a little problematic) and the ceiling is white, or at least a very light color (a non-white ceiling will of course give the flash a color cast). Of course, you need something other than the built-in flash to be able to bounce. |
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12/31/2009 12:41:45 AM · #3 |
Perhaps looking over some similar entries of bears and stuffed animals could give you some ideas on what works for this sort of subject. Offhand, I'd agree with Kirbic, the blunt onboard flash is the major problem. Arranging the light so that it appears to be coming in from a window off to the side could give this a nice cozy feel.
Finding an interesting angle may be the secondary issue. My own approach is to experiment and shoot various perspectives. When I review them on a big screen, one or two views will usually stand out as working better than the others. |
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12/31/2009 12:42:28 AM · #4 |
Good advice by Fritz - it's all about the light. Since the dolls don't move, I would use a tripod with natural light, or experiment with light painting (a long exposure while 'painting' the dolls with a penlight)
If you can, get a shot of her interacting with her "children", it would be a much stronger image.
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12/31/2009 12:53:53 AM · #5 |
I think the combination of on-camera flash and post processing (contrast) left the image with a very harsh unnatural color/light. If you can't use off camera flash, then you might want to put the camera on a tripod and a use a lamp with some longer exposures to get a softer lighting.
Secondly this is a hard subject to get an interesting composition, your shot had the pink bear with bits cut off. Remember that color is part of the composition, if you have a lot of similar bears and on bright one that will draw the eye, it might be handy to think about when trying to get an interesting composition in this sea of bears. |
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12/31/2009 12:59:08 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by pointandshoot:
Good advice by Fritz - it's all about the light. Since the dolls don't move, I would use a tripod with natural light, or experiment with light painting (a long exposure while 'painting' the dolls with a penlight)
If you can, get a shot of her interacting with her "children", it would be a much stronger image. |
I agree quite a bit with this. Soften up that light somehow in any case. Does she ever move them to an area that is illuminated by a window that doesn't get direct sunlight through it? Or, if it is really bright direct light, throw a sheet across the window to soften it up a bit.
For composition, if you're capturing just the stuffed animals, maybe try a low angle close up shot with your aperture set such that the focus trails off so that the bears seem to go on forever into the distance. |
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12/31/2009 02:39:46 AM · #7 |
If you are stuck using on-board, as I know many people are (I have been) Use a piece of typing/printer paper over the flash to help soften and diffuse the harshness a bit. Depending on your camera (Im not familiar with yours) If it is popup experiment with the paper in making cones and/or blocks to change the effect of light. If you have off-camera flash move it to the side about 45degrees from the camera.
Also, With the subject/s of your shoots, try creative angles and positioning. Straight on does not normally hold any drama, but if you came from an up angle or from the side it could add a bit of interest. With the bears you show, it becomes a challenge depending on what tools you have (off-camera flash) to create the most interest. The bears are bright in colour you want to maintain that bright colour but also at the same time add shadow for depth. This helps with light on the side/s.
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12/31/2009 08:51:00 AM · #8 |
Nothing to do with the techniques here, but maybe a pose suggestion.
Would you daughter let you photographer her dancing with the bears watching, her dressing them up and placing them, a tea party with her pouring tea, that sort of thing. Her interaction with them.
I think that would , could give you some amazing shots.
As of right now, people did not know the significance of the bears, so it just looked like a row of bears. But having your daughter in there with them, would tell a story.
I think you could get some amazing shots |
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12/31/2009 11:29:42 AM · #9 |
Thanks everyone for your input. You've given some great suggestions.
Basically, I'm picking up that there were two huge no-no's in my picture - the on-board flash (pop-up, so bounce isn't an option without some creative accessory), and the angle/crop.
Question - better to single out one colorful bear, or to try to have a "sea" of bears?
My concern about the "sea" of bears is the lack of a focus - oh look! a bunch o' bears...
I like the idea of using DOF to add interest.
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12/31/2009 11:32:59 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by dtremain:
the on-board flash (pop-up, so bounce isn't an option without some creative accessory), |
Actually you could use a diy deflector (ping pong ball, sliced open and stuck on the flash). |
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12/31/2009 11:55:32 AM · #11 |
| in a pinch, i've grabbed an index card or small piece of white paper and put "under" and in front of the pop up. it bounces it up, diffusing it some. it's not great, but it gets rid of some of the more undesirable traits of straight on camera flash |
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12/31/2009 12:59:28 PM · #12 |
| I would shoot really low, in one corner, and pick bear in the imddle of the pack as a focus point, so you get a lot of out of focus bear in the front, and some in the back. With all the colors, it should make it interesting. |
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