Canon’s printer division has announced Canon Print Service, a software plug-in for your mobile device that allows you to print to compatible Canon printers via a Wi-Fi connection. The service is available for Android devices running version 4.4.2 or newer and select HP Slate devices. Read more
Category: Uncategorized
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ZTE announces Nubia Z7 with 5.5-inch QHD display
Chinese smartphone manufacturer ZTE has launched its latest high-end model and looking at the Nubia Z7’s specifications it’s clear the new model aims to compete at the very top of the market. The Nubia comes with a 13MP imaging sensor in its camera module, its lens boasts an F2.0 maximum aperture and an optical image stabilization system is available for keeping things steady in low light. Click through to read more at connect.dpreview.com
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Shooting Experience: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000
Panasonic’s latest superzoom camera, the Lumix DMC-FZ1000 offers a highly attractive feature set. Based around a 25-400mm equivalent zoom and a large 1″-type CMOS sensor the FZ1000 combines a very useful zoom range with excellent image quality in stills and video mode. We’re working our way through a full review right now, and we’ve just added a shooting experience page to our detailed first-impressions review. Read more
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How To Apply Lighting In The Real World
LIGHT: REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS
Hey FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers! So, you have sucked it up and battled your way through the past two days learning about the science behind lighting as well as the Inverse Square Law and color temperature. You’re probably sitting there thinking “GREAT. HOW DOES ALL THIS MUMBO JUMBO HELP ME IN THE REAL WORLD?” I’m glad you asked.
Additive Primaries (RGB)/Subtractive Primaries (CMY)
Knowledge of these actually become very helpful in post-production. Is your image looking a little red? Throw in a tiny bit of it’s compliment (cyan) in the areas that are too red and it will balance out the colors, making the image more neutral.
Qualities of Light
Direction & Contrast
Want a very contrasty image? Don’t place the light directly in front of your subject, it will create a “flat” image (low contrast lighting). Want a more dramatic image? Try placing the light more to the side, this will create a higher ratio between the light/shadow relationship – aka the image will have more contrast.
- Dramatic Lighting (High Contrast)
Source
- Flat Lighting (Low Contrast)
Source
Diffused & Specular
How do you want to light your image? What is the image for? What is your subject? If you’re going to be taking head shots for an actor, you’re going to want to use a more diffused light source to compliment their features. Using a specular light source for a head shot wouldn’t end with a very pretty result. There would be ugly harsh shadows which would distract the viewer.
Inverse Square Law
I know this one is confusing. Know this: the Inverse Square Law has to deal with fall off of light. Need a black background but you only have a white wall? The farther you get from the wall, the more your light source will fall of, creating a darker and darker background as you move your light and your model farther from the wall. Granted, depending on how big/bright your light source is, you may have to move far away from the wall in order to get your background completely black.
Color Temperature
Want your image to have a blue color cast but you’re shooting in daylight? Set your white balance to “Tungsten.” Since tungsten light is orange in color, your camera knows to add more blue to the image to balance the colors. If you’re already shooting with a blue light source (Daylight/Daylight balanced Flash) and set your white balance to “Tungsten,” you camera is going to over compensate and the result will be a cooler, blue image.
Play around with white balances and color temperatures! You can get some cool results.
- Originally shot with white balance set to “Daylight”
- White balance changed to “Tungsten” to give the image a blue color cast
Made it through? Good! I know it was a bit rough but it’s over now. I promise next post on light will be the information that everyone wants to know – how to shape and modify it! Thanks for sticking it through and hopefully you learned something.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to shoot over an email! alana@alanatylerslutsky.com
– Alana
IMAGE SOURCE:
Feature image & image 1: photography by Alana Tyler Slutsky from her Surrealia series. To view the rest of the photos from this series visit her website.
Image 2: Adorama
Image 3: DPS
Image 4 & 5: Alana Tyler Slutsky
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UPDATED: Sony’s curved sensors may allow for simpler lenses and better images
UPDATE: Sony has released an image taken with its curved sensor, and provided more details on what we might expect from its curved sensor technology. We’ve updated our previous story with this image and details. Read more
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Nikon 1 V3 stock shortage prompts official apology
The Nikon 1 V3 has been out of stock with many retailers online and elsewhere, making the mirrorless camera hard to come by. The duration of the stock shortage has prompted an apology from Nikon Japan, which it recently posted on its website. Read more
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The Inverse Square Law & Color Temperature
LIGHT: THE INVERSE SQUARE LAW & COLOR TEMPERATURE
Hey FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers,
Welcome back and hang tight! Last time we are talked about the science behind lighting.
Today’s topic gets a little confusing.
The “Inverse Square Law” shapes EVERYTHING in photography.
What does that even mean?! When opening up a stop, the light doubles. When closing down a stop, the light halves. This is applicable to light as well as all aspects of your camera: aperture, shutter, ISO.
*DISCLAIMER* Before we get into this:
LEARN YOUR APERTURE AND SHUTTER VALUES! It’s the only way any of this will make sense.
As far as light goes, if you move a light x2 as close, it appears x4 larger. If a light is moved x2 away, it appears 1/4 of the original size. Surface Area = Distance ²
As far as the Inverse Square Law goes according to your camera (All numbers here are purely for example purposes)… If you have an aperture of f/11 and open up to f/8, the amount of light coming into your camera will double (same can be said of you change from ISO of 400 to 800 or a shutter speed of 1/60 to 1/30). If you have an aperture of f/11 and stop down to f/16 the amount of light coming into your camera will be cut in half (same can be said of you change from ISO of 400 to 200 or a shutter speed of 1/60 to 1/125.)
Real life example:
A light at 5′ with a meter reading of f/8 gives 100% (correct exposure)
A light at 10′ with a meter reading of f/4 gives 25% (2 stop difference. Your image is now underexposed.)
Basically… As you move away, the cone of light gets wider but weaker. Using the outer cone of light for weaker light output is called feathering and gives you a more diffused light.
Color Temperature
All lights have a different and specific color temperature, which is measured in Kelvins. The lower the number, the warmer the color is, the higher the number, the cooler the color the light gives off.
Be certain to set your own white balance based on the type of light you’re shooting in. White balance in camera makes up for changes in color based on the type of light you’re shooting with. Color shifts will occur when color temperature is not balanced correctly. If you don’t know what type of light you’re in, you can always use Auto White Balance (AWB)- when using AWB the camera figures out (approximately) what the color temperature is of the light source you’re shooting in and shifts colors in camera accordingly.
The most common types of light used in photography are continuous lights and flash.
Continuous lighting, such as hot lights, are.. You guessed it… A continuous form of light. This type of light, with incandescent bulbs, are tungsten balanced. There are special bulbs and special lights referred to as “HMI’s.” These lights have bulbs which are balanced to day-light. HMI’s are commonly used in the film industry.
Flashes (Strobes) are short bursts of light and are balanced to daylight. Types of flash include but are not limited to speed lights, mono-lights (single flash units), pack lights (generator and flash head units), ring lights, etc.
Now that you have dealt with all of the boring stuff, check in tomorrow to see how everything from the past two days applies to real life and shooting.
See you tomorrow –
Alana
IMAGE SOURCE:
Feature image & image 1: photography by Alana Tyler Slutsky from her Surrealia series. To view the rest of the photos from this series visit her website.
Image 2, 3, 4 & 5: Alana Tyler Slutsky
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Canon introduces mobile print solution for Android 4.4.2 and HP Slate
Canon’s printer division has announced Canon Print Service, a software plug-in for your mobile device that allows you to print to compatible Canon printers via a Wi-Fi connection. The service is available for Android devices running version 4.4.2 or newer and select HP Slate devices. Read more
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Leica T Typ 701 real-world samples gallery updated
We’ve updated our already healthy-sized gallery of real-world Leica T samples, bringing the grand total up to 97 images. The T (Typ 701) is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with autofocus, the first in the T-system. It offers a 16MP APS-C sensor and features a large touch screen complemented by two command dials. See how it performs in the real world. See gallery
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What is equivalence and why should I care?
Equivalence, at its most simple, is a way of comparing different formats (sensor sizes) on a common basis. Sounds straightforward enough, but the concept is still somewhat controversial and not always clearly understood. We thought it was about time we explained – and demonstrated – what equivalence means and what it doesn’t. Learn more