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Biotar 58/2 and some light painting
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:48 pm    Post subject: Biotar 58/2 and some light painting Reply with quote
For my new food blog post, a recipe based on mussels (http://foodografia.blogspot.com/2008/06/cozze-gratinate.html), I tried something different just for fun.

Using the Biotar 58/2 I took 3 different shot with 1 stop of difference and I made some digital light painting.

Here is the result (comments and critics are welcomed):



PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting! I can't decide really I like it or not. Seems neutral to me.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's a tecnique used since film where it was used a point light (like a torch) and several exposures of the same frame.
This can't be done this way with digital so we have to resort to PP but the logic behind is pretty the same.

Last edited by A G Photography on Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:13 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
good foto,my biotar 58/2 is on the way...


PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I worked with a photographer on a book once, he photographed a whole dance hall of a palace (a big one) using a plate camera (large format), he first made a "base exposure", very fast, to create the base for the shadows, then, leaving the hall completely in the dark, he took additional exposures with flash of all the important parts. It was amazing to see this. The photo came out gorgeous.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
With flash is easier to control the exposure, harder to paint because you have to use snoots. Continuos light is a hell to get the right exposure and you need very slow film (25 ISO at least), but it's a lot easier to direct the light.
Digital is easier technically but more subtle because it's very easy to fall into unrealism and kitsch.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think he made 18 exposures if I remember correctly. Shocked

Your image looks good to me but there is some strange flare in the middle, I don't know if it comes from your postwork or the lens.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Postwork error. I noticed it but I'm a bit lazy to correct it now. Tomorrow with fresher eyes I'll fix it (never do PP past midnight, rule #1 Laughing )


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It makes me hungry for shells.... thats I guess is a good sign and good news for you A.G.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 5:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think this kind of photography should make food desirable
I don't know why, but this pic doesn't make me wanting to eat mussels


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
poilu wrote:
I think this kind of photography should make food desirable
I don't know why, but this pic doesn't make me wanting to eat mussels


A healthy reaction, as three of them are already slightly open before they are cooked. Razz

The mussels look over glossy, as if they are not wet, but varnished. Overall the photo is nicely balanced with good texture in the bowl and the base. The composition is nice.

Do you have a 'straight shot' of the same composition to compare with, AG?


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ChrisLilley wrote:
poilu wrote:
I think this kind of photography should make food desirable
I don't know why, but this pic doesn't make me wanting to eat mussels


A healthy reaction, as three of them are already slightly open before they are cooked. Razz


They opened because I put them in salted water. They were fresh and I wanted to keep them alive.

ChrisLilley wrote:
The mussels look over glossy, as if they are not wet, but varnished. Overall the photo is nicely balanced with good texture in the bowl and the base. The composition is nice.


Thanks. About the "varnished" effect there're some problems with screens with a brighter gamma than mine. I must fix it this evening.

ChrisLilley wrote:

Do you have a 'straight shot' of the same composition to compare with, AG?


Yep, I'll post them this evening together with the corrected final result.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
A G Photography wrote:
ChrisLilley wrote:
poilu wrote:
I think this kind of photography should make food desirable
I don't know why, but this pic doesn't make me wanting to eat mussels


A healthy reaction, as three of them are already slightly open before they are cooked. Razz


They opened because I put them in salted water. They were fresh and I wanted to keep them alive.


I was only joking, why poilu might not want to eat them Smile

A G Photography wrote:
ChrisLilley wrote:
The mussels look over glossy, as if they are not wet, but varnished. Overall the photo is nicely balanced with good texture in the bowl and the base. The composition is nice.


Thanks. About the "varnished" effect there're some problems with screens with a brighter gamma than mine. I must fix it this evening.

ChrisLilley wrote:

Do you have a 'straight shot' of the same composition to compare with, AG?


Yep, I'll post them this evening together with the corrected final result.


Thanks!


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
This can't be done this way with digital
I am not sure how it is different?


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
hacksawbob wrote:
Quote:
This can't be done this way with digital
I am not sure how it is different?


Because you can't use multiple exposures on the same frame.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
A G Photography wrote:
hacksawbob wrote:
Quote:
This can't be done this way with digital
I am not sure how it is different?


Because you can't use multiple exposures on the same frame.


I've not got round to trying it, but my D200 has a multiple exposure mode...


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Richard_D wrote:
A G Photography wrote:
hacksawbob wrote:
Quote:
This can't be done this way with digital
I am not sure how it is different?


Because you can't use multiple exposures on the same frame.


I've not got round to trying it, but my D200 has a multiple exposure mode...


Also the D80 has a 3 frames multiple exposure but it's very limiting and I don't know the level of control you can have.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Now I am the last guy who should know about it Laughing but wouldn't it be a similar process to stack two exposures in Photoshop and set the upper one to a mode like "add" (don't know the terminology)?


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Now I am the last guy who should know about it Laughing but wouldn't it be a similar process to stack two exposures in Photoshop and set the upper one to a mode like "add" (don't know the terminology)?


Yes, you have to use layers in PS, no, it's not "add" the correct procedure but using masks like in the old analogical darkroom. Let me go home and it'll be clearer Wink


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok here we go.

Original shot -1 stop as background:



Overexposed shot (about +2/3 or full stop, don't remember), as a layer masked where I didn't want the light:



The result before further post processing



The final result (levels, curves, some burning through a curve layer, some high pass sharpening)



PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You can blend different exposures in HDR in CS3. plus you could light paint in pitch black on one exposure and flash or torch light to illuminate.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I like how the shells have that obsidian gleam to them, very nice.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
hacksawbob wrote:
You can blend different exposures in HDR in CS3.


HDR is a completely different effect, try and you'll see.

hacksawbob wrote:
plus you could light paint in pitch black on one exposure and flash or torch light to illuminate.


Yeah sure, I could use pitch black ambient light and use a light torch made for mining ants considering the size of the set Laughing
To get the desired effect I should have found a very small light source able to create point light, with no spills, the size of a mussel.

Plus, did you ever try real light painting with a torch on still lifes? Where you can use it in larger sets you need to open and close the shutter with fixed times to have the right balance of light in all the places and correct the torch light with a blue gel (because it's tungsten). A chrono watch is very useful and often a view camera and very slow film is the easier way to do it.
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