My new bicycle helmet

[Mike Buckley]

I started riding my bicycle again. It had been at least 20 years since I had ridden it, so I was advised to buy a new helmet. You'll have to trust me that my head does a tremendous disservice to it.

[Inkanyezi]

I get it that your head does not shine through with red and blue as in the pic.

My helmet might be a bit more difficult to light; or not, as it is all reflective. In ambient light it is a dull grey, but when a vehicle approaches in the dark with lights on, it lights up like a beacon. I am rather allergic to not being seen, so I am somewhat like a xmas tree when I am out on the roads after sundown.

[Shadowman]

Nice effort, a bit of noise visible in certain areas of the helmet.

[deetheturk]

Well captured Mike, very well lit

David

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, guys!

John: You're probably mistaking something in the helmet for noise. The image was exposed for 30 seconds at ISO 100, the camera's base ISO. Though I changed my mind about the exposure during post-processing and increased it nearly one stop, I doubt that doing so produced any noise. I didn't notice any when I was reviewing the entire image at about 60%, which is considerably larger than what is being displayed here.

[Shadowman]

Thanks, guys!

John: You're probably mistaking something in the helmet for noise. The image was exposed for 30 seconds at ISO 100, the camera's base ISO. Though I changed my mind about the exposure during post-processing and increased it nearly one stop, I doubt that doing so produced any noise. I didn't notice any when I was reviewing the entire image at about 60%, which is considerably larger than what is being displayed here.

Mike,

Is the section near the back open or vented, perhaps I'm seeing the surface of the support?

[Mike Buckley]

The two dark areas near the back are vented and are constructed of the same highly textured material that is lit in other areas of the image by the colored light. Perhaps that dimly lit texture is being mistaken for noise.

[bnnrcn]

It looks very nice Mike

May I ask if this called polarized direct reflection ? I'm reading Science & Magic and it says black things doesn't produce much diffuse reflection and materials like plastic (which is an electrical insulator) are more likely produce polarized reflection. Your image is a good example for me to understand the matter better

[Mike Buckley]

Determining Binnur's answer to her question resulted in making me feel like a complete idiot (a feeling that is not new to me). The only way to know in this case whether any surfaces produce a polarized direct reflection, as opposed to a normal direct reflection, was to put a polarizer filter on the lens. So, I reached for my case of polarizers and the pertinent polarizer wasn't in it; I knew instantly that I had unknowingly been shooting with my polarizer attached to the lens. Rather than using a 30-second exposure as was required with the polarizer attached, I could have used about a 7-second exposure without it attached.

In this particular lighting setup, there is no discernible polarized reflection. If there had been some, turning the polarizer filter would have changed the appearance of the scene.

However, polarized reflection is a function of two factors: the reflective properties of the material and the angle of the camera to the subject. It is possible to produce a polarized direct reflection using this subject. However, because the subject has a round surface, only one part at a time will produce it; the parts that are not at the proper angle will not produce it. Indeed, the range of angles that will produce it is small enough that only a relatively small part of the subject will produce a polarized direct reflection.

One could reasonably ask why I didn't consider whether there was any polarized direct reflection before capturing the image. There was no need for me to determine that because the only thing that mattered was that the shape and all surfaces of the subject were revealed (and they are).

By the way, I would have known that the polarizer was attached to the lens only if the scene looked differently on my camera's LCD than when viewing it from the same angle not using the camera. (You could argue that the other method of examining the end of the lens would have also worked, but you now know that I'm not smart enough to do that.)

I don't suppose you have any idea what I am going to do next. I'm going to remove the polarizer from the lens. Sheesh!

[Shadowman]

The two dark areas near the back are vented and are constructed of the same highly textured material that is lit in other areas of the image by the colored light. Perhaps that dimly lit texture is being mistaken for noise.

That must be it, it's less visible on another monitor.

[bnnrcn]

So sorry for making you panic Mike , but how could I have known that your polarizer had already been attached to your lens I was just trying to understand the matter better and thank you very much for the long explanation

BTW enjoy your new helmet

[pnodrog]

Well taken photograph.

When do we get to see a photograph of you wearing suitably matching iridescent body hugging Lycra?

[Mike Buckley]

When do we get to see a photograph of you wearing suitably matching iridescent body hugging Lycra?

When you have bribed me with a sufficient amount of money. Don't even begin to think of anything in U.S. dollars with less than 7 digits to the left of the decimal point.

[bnnrcn]

Because there seems to be no hope of seeing such a photo, I can only suggest that you should ride carefully with that lycra thing Mike, because you started again after a break for 20 years.

When you have bribed me with a sufficient amount of money. Don't even begin to think of anything in U.S. dollars with less than 7 digits to the left of the decimal point.

[pnodrog]

When you have bribed me with a sufficient amount of money. Don't even begin to think of anything in U.S. dollars with less than 7 digits to the left of the decimal point.

No point in waiting for money from me but if someone does step forward please remember to put a suitable warning in the posts heading. I would hate to accidentally view it and receive a huge bill...

[Mike Buckley]

I can only suggest that you should ride carefully with that lycra thing Mike, because you started again after a break for 20 years.

They say you never forget how to ride a bike, which is true. However, getting on and off it, stopping it and maintaining the same speed are very different matters. I actually had to research on the Internet how to properly mount and dismount the bike, how to use the gears and when to apply the front and rear brakes.

A shop returned the bike to proper operating condition. I explained that I was willing to pay for 15 to 30 minutes of instructions targeted for a beginner. They said they provide that service at no charge. The woman spent 5 minutes with me. When she was done I asked if she was sure there wasn't anything else I need to know and she said there was nothing else. I got to a sufficiently steep hill within three blocks of riding away from the shop and, sure enough, the chain came off the front gear when I lowered from the middle gear to the smallest gear. As the shop put the chain back on, another person properly explained why that happened and how to prevent it from happening.

[Brownbear]

Hi Mike,

I'm visiting just for the day. I must admit I was looking for your pumpkins but I'm glad you posted this. Very nice shot and I would like to know how you separate the blacks of the helmet from the black background so well. (ie; low key bird images on a black background when the bird has a black beak)

I'm also delighted to know you purchased a bicycle! Riding it about town will likely add ten years to your life... I have a carry basket on the front of mine (camera gear just the small lens), and a rear carry thingy to strap extra things on. (camera gear just the small lens) A tire pump comes in handy (they are small and portable) as does money for a taxi ride home in case of a flat tire.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Christina!

I didn't purchase a new bicycle, at least not recently. I bought it about 25 years ago and stopped riding it a couple years later. The reason I'm riding it again is that I stopped working and had no reason to be a two-car family. Now that we sold one of the cars, the bicycle makes it possible to easily run reasonably short errands and get a little exercise at the same time. Most of my exercise comes from jogging. As for adding years to my life, that's the last thing my wife of almost 32 years wants to happen.

The dark helmet is separated from the black background by the lighting setup. A small amount of direct light is positioned to the front left above the helmet. A reflector is positioned to the rear right also above it. The only thing that would apply to a similar situation with bird photography would be to use a flash that lights the bird but not the background.

Sorry, but I haven't gotten around to the pumpkins. They aren't a high priority right now so that shot may have to wait at least until next year.

[Brownbear]

Hi Mike,

In that case I'm delighted to know you're riding your bicycle again. I purchased a bicycle a few months ago and paid a pretty penny for an old looking bicycle. Not true, of that I'm certain. In any case I need you around for a long time!

Thank you for sharing. I've yet to try anything but outdoor light and I wouldn't use flash on birds but good to know for future.

And I'll stop thinking about your pumpkin shots.

Thank you Mike.

Thanks, Christina!

I didn't purchase a new bicycle, at least not recently. I bought it about 25 years ago and stopped riding it a couple years later. The reason I'm riding it again is that I stopped working and had no reason to be a two-car family. Now that we sold one of the cars, the bicycle makes it possible to easily run reasonably short errands and get a little exercise at the same time. Most of my exercise comes from jogging. As for adding years to my life, that's the last thing my wife of almost 32 years wants to happen.

The dark helmet is separated from the black background by the lighting setup. A small amount of direct light is positioned to the front left above the helmet. A reflector is positioned to the rear right also above it. The only thing that would apply to a similar situation with bird photography would be to use a flash that lights the bird but not the background.

Sorry, but I haven't gotten around to the pumpkins. They aren't a high priority right now so that shot may have to wait at least until next year.