Today we bring you the third installment of develop on fridays. Develop on fridays is a series of creative photography workshops led by photographer and guest blogger Jefra Starr Linn. You can read more about this series here.
Unexpected Light
by jefra starr linn
(taken handheld, resting on my knee at 11:00 at night in a lit construction corridor –using the Lensbaby Muse – 5D – ISO3200 – ss 1/30 – shot in jpeg as they all were in this post)
Light is to photographs what water is to a garden. Without it you have no photograph, as anyone who’s tried to coerce a picture out of a low light situation knows.
It seems we can work with the light or against it.
light defines shape and form. Without it you have no picture.
The topic of light, in and of itself is a huge topic and I don’t dare attempt to + cover it in just one post. So today we’ll talk about finding unexpected light.
covered the auto flash with my hands for the left shot)
One of my favorite things when taking photographs are taking advantage of challenging lighting situations. Light can be found all sorts of unexpected places and finding creative new ways of using it will unleash all kinds of possibilities.
Some of my favorite places to find unexpected light are — (each illustrated with an example)
computer monitor here –
(taken handheld w/ the 30D, using the 50 1.8 lens at f/1.8, ss 1/10, iso 3200)dashboard light and interior lights in a car
(both the above shots have the same exif – 5D, lens: 24-70L at 32mm, f/2.8, ss 1/5, iso 3200 – first one i was sprawled across the hood of the car second i was balancing on my knee or something like that)
parking lot lights
this was a shoot where i miscalculated the sunset times and ended up with four models and a totally dark shoot. So we went over to the local Walgreens and “borrowed” their parking lot lights –
here’s the setup::
and here are a few of the shots – using only you see there.
(taken handheld, squeezing boobs with elbows – 5D – 50mm 1.8 lens – f/2.0 – ss 1/160 – ISO3200)
(taken handheld, squeezing boobs with elbows – 5D – 50mm 1.8 lens – f/2.0 – ss 1/200 – ISO3200)
headlights – always handy and usually with you on your shoot…
(taken handheld, again, squeezing boobs with elbows – 5D – 24-70L 2.8 lens – f/2.8 – ss 1/125 – ISO1600)
here’s another one – first the shot and then the setup this time….
the shot – cold, no light but the headlights on the car (which as you can tell happens to me way too much)
(taken handheld, again – 5D – 24-70L 2.8 lens – f/6.3 – ss 1/25 – ISO1600 – she was twirling the umbrella and i wanted to capture that movement, which is why i upped the aperture and slowed the shutter speed)
Here’s the setup – you can see the car right behind her there.
flashlights
(handheld – 5D MarkII – 50mm 1.4 lens – f/1.4 – ss 1/50 – ISO6400)
Long exposure used to an end
one cool thing about cameras is that they record movement (like it or not). In this case I used a sparkler to draw a star for my business cards. But you can use flashlights, LED lights, any other pinpoint light source to “draw” a photo with light.
( TRIPOD mount, cause this time it mattered that the camera was absolutely still –
5D MarkII – 24-70L – f/16 – ss 3.2 – ISO 500)
When you shoot with unexpected light, I find it helpful to allow that light to be your primary light source. This means shooting with a really high ISO and as low an aperture as you can get, but the dramatic effects of this kind of a lighting situation are great.
A word about shutter speed and camera shake and all that stuff — (and here’s where you’ll find that i’m not “that” sophisticated of a photographer). I never tote a tripod around. I hate being tied down to one and even with the quick release it’s just too comfortable for me. The only time i’ll really use a tripod is if I have to nail a shot for sure or if i’m doing a big formal group photo and need to use a high aperture and be level. So that being said, here’s what I do in really low light situation (get ready – it’s really advanced photography technique) I hold really really still and usually will set the camera on something steady – like the hood of my car or the ground or my knee. I don’t see anything too wrong with propping your camera and lens up with something that’s handy so that it’s level or aimed in the right direction – like my daughter’s sweater (clothes work well) in the car or garbage in the front seat that might be handy or a nearby rock or three. I know there are bean bags out there that you carry with you and set your camera on – and are pretty helpful (i just have to make one – getting around to it takes forever)but – whatever it takes. My friend Cheryl Muhr once said that when she’s shooting at really slow shutter speeds and in tricky situations, she squeezes her elbows in tight to the rest of her body and holds the camera while she’s ‘squeezing her boobs together’. This actually does work. But mostly I just take a bunch of shots, hoping that one or two will turn out clear, and/or prop the camera. With portraits (like the ones in the parking lot – where faces and sharpness realtively matter) I try not to drop below a shutter speed of 1/160 and with everything else i try not to drop below 1/30. Unless I’m going for a blur.
The more you look, the more you’ll find unexpected light sources.
ASSIGNMENT –
look for unexpected light and get at least one shot you love using an unexpected light source.
……….
LESSON THREE
Post your lesson two assignments here:
develop on fridays forum: lesson three master thread
feel free to also share your work here:
flickr group | facebook group
– jefra + liz
These are so beautiful and inspiring Jefra. Could you talk more about that last shot – tripod? camera settings? Or is most of the look achieved in post-processing? Completely understand if you aren't sharing those details but I would love to know more :). Very inspiring thoughts on light.
These are so beautiful and inspiring Jefra. Could you talk more about that last shot – tripod? camera settings? Or is most of the look achieved in post-processing? Completely understand if you aren't sharing those details but I would love to know more :). Very inspiring thoughts on light.
ali, for sure i'd love to. let me ammend the post cause i don't think you're alone with these questions. gimme a sec to get the kids off to school and then i'll go into more detail.
🙂
ali, for sure i'd love to. let me ammend the post cause i don't think you're alone with these questions. gimme a sec to get the kids off to school and then i'll go into more detail.
🙂
i agree w/ ali. thanks! i am also curious how many more weeks we have you giving us awesome assignments? 🙂
AMAZING lesson!! Such gorgeous pictures and most of the time I would have thought there wasn't nearly enough light. So fascinating!
thanks guys!
liz and i planned on doing this for four weeks so we have one left after this one. but i'm still undecided whether we'll keep going after that. depends on what you guys want and what my family can handle 😉
ali – saw your pic on simplemom.com this morning and loved it immediately.
Thanks for the tips, Jefra! I'm gonna try the squeezing boobs with elbows technique! =P
Great tips! I love this weeks assignment! I can't wait to try this! I get my new camera any day now!!!
Great tips! I love this weeks assignment! I can't wait to try this! I get my new camera any day now!!!
Jefra, I giggled every time I read "squeezing boobs with elbows"… I love it! What a great lesson today. 🙂
And for the record, I would love to see more of this, if not on a weekly basis, then maybe a new lesson or two in the spring when we Canadians have more light to play with! 🙂
Jefra, I giggled every time I read "squeezing boobs with elbows"… I love it! What a great lesson today. 🙂
And for the record, I would love to see more of this, if not on a weekly basis, then maybe a new lesson or two in the spring when we Canadians have more light to play with! 🙂
Fabulous lesson and one I really like! Truly makes you think outside the box and realize there are so many ways to get the light you need. Thanks so much for this!
I do hope you go on with this, maybe monthly. Although its hard enough waiting for Fridays right now, lol.
The squeezing boobs with elbows is a keeper. Seriously. Mastercard need to use that in their next ad:
tripod $200, DLSR $2000, squeezing boobs with elbows to capture unexpected light: PRICELESS.
More great tips and stunning examples!
Thank you guys so much for these lessons. Youare so right, light is everything. Love that you push us to go farther. Creativity 101 at its best, thanks again!
only one more week?!?! noooooo.
i'm seriously loving this!
off to go search for light!
This is very interesting. When faced with low lighting situation, I tend to panick and be sure that I won't manage any good shots. This is making me see things in a "different light" LOL and hopefully I'll see the positive of such situation instead of the negative side. Thanks! 🙂
I could use some more of your science so I wouldn't mind more weeks!
This is very interesting. When faced with low lighting situation, I tend to panick and be sure that I won't manage any good shots. This is making me see things in a "different light" LOL and hopefully I'll see the positive of such situation instead of the negative side. Thanks! 🙂
I could use some more of your science so I wouldn't mind more weeks!
This is a great assignment!!! I find shooting in the house without the flash is a task in itself :0).
Thanks for giving us so much to think about, I am sad we only have another week… :0( I put this on my goal sheet..lol..)
Thanks ,
Tracy in AR
This is a great assignment!!! I find shooting in the house without the flash is a task in itself :0).
Thanks for giving us so much to think about, I am sad we only have another week… :0( I put this on my goal sheet..lol..)
Thanks ,
Tracy in AR
I think this is such a fun challenge!
I do have one question though…your pictures don't seem very "noisy," even with such high ISO. Is noise okay in pictures like this? Or did you do something in post-processing to make it look less? I took pictures of my daughter blowing out her birthday candles last night and they are SO noisy.
Thanks for pushing us, and the inspiration is just awesome!!
I think this is such a fun challenge!
I do have one question though…your pictures don't seem very "noisy," even with such high ISO. Is noise okay in pictures like this? Or did you do something in post-processing to make it look less? I took pictures of my daughter blowing out her birthday candles last night and they are SO noisy.
Thanks for pushing us, and the inspiration is just awesome!!
hi Charlene – good point. there are a few reasons i'm not showing the noise you'd expect – on the 5D MarkII images, the camera handles ridiculously high ISO really well, on the other images I use a software to remove noise called "Noise Ninja" – you can find it here – http://www.picturecode.com/, it's the best i've ever seen for removing noise, and after i've run it – on a separate layer – I usually reduce the opacity of the layer so it doesn't look so plastic smooth.
In my opinion, it's better to nail the shot – noise can be fixed easier than motion blur.
hi Charlene – good point. there are a few reasons i'm not showing the noise you'd expect – on the 5D MarkII images, the camera handles ridiculously high ISO really well, on the other images I use a software to remove noise called "Noise Ninja" – you can find it here – http://www.picturecode.com/, it's the best i've ever seen for removing noise, and after i've run it – on a separate layer – I usually reduce the opacity of the layer so it doesn't look so plastic smooth.
In my opinion, it's better to nail the shot – noise can be fixed easier than motion blur.
Your examples are absolutely stunning!!
Your examples are absolutely stunning!!
Another amazing lession!
I love how you force us to be out of our confort zone!!! I'm learning a lot with Develop on Fridays and I'll love if you can do it for more weeks (or even maybe once/twice a month)!
Another amazing lession!
I love how you force us to be out of our confort zone!!! I'm learning a lot with Develop on Fridays and I'll love if you can do it for more weeks (or even maybe once/twice a month)!
I'm excited about this one the most actually. Sounds like fun!
I'm excited about this one the most actually. Sounds like fun!
Brilliant lesson! Can't wait to try this!
Brilliant lesson! Can't wait to try this!
Jefra . . . I've so enjoyed these weekly challenges! They're such a bright spot in my week. Speaking for myself, I'd love to see more challenges, even if it's only once a month!
Your photos are AMAZING!
Thanks for that "squeezing boobs with elbows" tip. I think I've used my tripod ONCE, and I hate jacking around with it, when all I really want to do is take pictures. 😉
Keep on capturing!
Jefra . . . I've so enjoyed these weekly challenges! They're such a bright spot in my week. Speaking for myself, I'd love to see more challenges, even if it's only once a month!
Your photos are AMAZING!
Thanks for that "squeezing boobs with elbows" tip. I think I've used my tripod ONCE, and I hate jacking around with it, when all I really want to do is take pictures. 😉
Keep on capturing!
Not to beg, but… please please please continue this project!!! I just caught up, and am loving it. If you can't do weekly, then please at least every few weeks?? And thank you for all the thoughtful posts and assignments thus far!!
Not to beg, but… please please please continue this project!!! I just caught up, and am loving it. If you can't do weekly, then please at least every few weeks?? And thank you for all the thoughtful posts and assignments thus far!!