2016 Project 52, 1st Quarter by Janis

[Geoff F]

There is more bare neck showing in the latest version, Janis. That is why the head may appear out of proportion compared with the other shots. But that is the design of your model and nothing to do with your photography.

Certainly plenty of sharp detail visible now and the exposure is correct.

[purplehaze]

Thanks, John and Geoff. Yes, I am relatively pleased with the third shot. The first one embarrasses me now, but I will leave it as testimony to my progress.

[bnnrcn]

Everything looks better in the last version Janis, good improvement

[mknittle]

the last one looks really good Janis, I can clearly see the details and the positioning gives me a clear idea of how it will look on the person wearing it.

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Binnur and Mark.

[IzzieK]

Oooohhh yes...very beautiful, Janis...the details here shows more and the lighting made it so..

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Izzie! I picked up some gels for the SB700s on the way home from work tonight and hope to have some fun with them for Week 3. Too beat to do anything tonight, though.

[purplehaze]

Week 3

Nothing to show for last week, I'm afraid. Have been under the weather and haven't had the energy to do any serious shooting. I have been doing some reading, though, and watching some videos on lighting and processing. And I picked up the 52 cm Lastolite Cubelite I had ordered with a gift card I got for Christmas. It was on sale, but even at the sale price I am thinking it is a lot of money for what it is. Oh well. Can't take it back so might as well enjoy it. Unlike some other light tents, this one did not come with non-creasing inserts that lie across the back and bottom so as to form a seamless backdrop, so if anyone has any suggestions as what I can or should use... I will be using the tent to shoot the yarn in my stash and my knitting and jewelry projects and for certain types of macro shots.

While I was in the store, I also picked up a ballhead for the carbon fibre monopod I bought earlier this year. It seems like good quality but was relatively inexpensive so that helps make up for the cost of the light tent.

I think the next shot I post here should be something that incorporates all of my new equipment, including coloured gels, but what? Excuse me while I go ponder.

[purplehaze]

Weeks 4 & 5

Contracted what I think was a norovirus in week 4 and am still not fully recovered, but found the wherewithal to shoot in my new light tent tonight.

I chose to shoot something reflective, which meant putting the door on the tent and shooting through a zippered opening, with the zipper pulled snug around the lens. The subject I chose was a little glass candy dish with a silver lid, the provenance of which I no longer remember. It may have come from my art collector uncle, in which case it likely belonged to my grandmother. I will have to ask my mom tomorrow if she remembers it. I have always loved the artisanal quality of the hammered lid and twisted handle. With good reason, I guess, as I just looked up the mark and found out that the piece was made by Ramsden & Carr, who were prominent in the Arts & Crafts movement in the early 20th century. I don't have an exact date for this hallmark, but a similar one with a T instead of a G is a 1914 mark.

In all of the shots below, the tent was lit by two SB700s, one on each side. In the series that the last shot came from, I double-diffused to eliminate hot spots I was getting on the lid. If I remember right, flashes were at 1/8 power for the f/8 shot, and 1/4 for the f/11s.

#1
[IMG]_DSC8057 - Version 2 by Janis Hughes, on Flickr[/IMG]
Sigma 18-35 mm at 28mm, f/8

#2
[IMG]_DSC8066 by Janis Hughes, on Flickr[/IMG]
Nikkor 105 mm macro, f/11

#3
_DSC8082 - Version 2 by Janis Hughes, on Flickr
Nikkor 105 mm macro, f/11

[Shadowman]

Weeks 4 & 5

Contracted what I think was a norovirus in week 4 and am still not fully recovered, but found the wherewithal to shoot in my new light tent tonight.

I choose to shoot something reflective, which meant putting the door on the tent and shooting through a zippered opening, with the zipper pulled snug around the lens. The subject I chose was a little glass candy dish with a silver lid, the provenance of which I no longer remember. It may have come from my art collector uncle, in which case it likely belonged to my grandmother. I will have to ask my mom tomorrow if she remembers it. I have always loved the artisanal quality of the hammered lid and twisted handle. With good reason, I guess, as I just looked up the mark and found out that the piece was made by Ramsden & Carr, who were prominent in the Arts & Crafts movement in the early 20th century. I don't have an exact date for this hallmark, but a similar one with a T instead of a G is a 1914 mark.

In all of the shots below, the tent was lit by two SB700s, one on each side. In the series that the last shot came from, I double-diffused to eliminate hot spots I was getting on the lid. If I remember right, flashes were at 1/8 power for the f/8 shot, and 1/4 for the f/11s.

#1
[IMG]_DSC8057 - Version 2 by Janis Hughes, on Flickr[/IMG]
Sigma 18-35 mm at 28mm, f/8

#2
[IMG]_DSC8066 by Janis Hughes, on Flickr[/IMG]
Nikkor 105 mm macro, f/11

#3
_DSC8082 - Version 2 by Janis Hughes, on Flickr
Nikkor 105 mm macro, f/11

Nice effort, were the flashes pointed towards the vessel or bounced off the tent walls? I did a reflective shot recently using backlight and flash mounted in front and diffusion worked wonders on translucency and reflections.

[IzzieK]

Janis...this looks like a nice candy dish but I do not know why this one does not work for me...must be the black curlies inside...I prefer the image on the last one though showing the marks and the green of the glass. Notable.

I hope you are OK now. It must be a hard one to have...was reading about it at the net after you stated what you have...sort of nasty...Take care...

[Wavelength]

Very lovely images.....

[purplehaze]

Nice effort, were the flashes pointed towards the vessel or bounced off the tent walls?

Thanks, John. The flashes were outside the tent, pointing towards the subject and zoomed to match the aperture of the lens. I honestly don't know how much different zooming makes when you have that much light bouncing around in a tent, but I suppose I should experiment to find out.

[purplehaze]

Janis...this looks like a nice candy dish but I do not know why this one does not work for me...must be the black curlies inside...I prefer the image on the last one though showing the marks and the green of the glass. Notable.

Thanks, Izzie. I wondered if there wasn't too much contrast there. The glass is no doubt picking up the black that was in the tent. The tent has no floor, and to hide the rim that would be otherwise showing in this shot, I lay a piece of cardstock across the bottom and back. The only cardstock I had that was big enough was black. To get this shot, I had to put an 8 1/2" x 14" sheet of white paper on top of the cardstock. I think I will flip the tent upside down, cover the top with white bristol board and shoot again, with no black in the tent, to see the difference. And I may pay a visit to the art store today to get a bunch of coloured cardstock that I can use as infinity backgrounds with the tent.

[purplehaze]

Very lovely images.....

Thanks, Nandakumar!

[bnnrcn]

Hi Janis, very nice trials I would crop #1 from the bottom where the shadow of the bowl ends , IMO the composition would look better that way.It would also be nice to have some more space at both sides.

[Geoff F]

With #1 there is a very tiny dark mark in the top right corner, otherwise looks fine to me.

I think you ideally need to do some focus stacking with #2 to get a little more of it in focus; but that is only relevant if you have suitable software.

#3 is OK although I wonder if it is a little too much corner to corner in the frame? Difficult to really say without seeing some other options.

Exposure looks good; particularly as these were potentially tricky scenes.

[purplehaze]

Hi Janis, very nice trials I would crop #1 from the bottom where the shadow of the bowl ends , IMO the composition would look better that way.

Thanks, Binnur; I'll take that under advisement.

It would also be nice to have some more space at both sides.

I agree, but there was none to be had with the printer paper I was using as a background.

[purplehaze]

With #1 there is a very tiny dark mark in the top right corner, otherwise looks fine to me.

Good catch, Geoff. That is the edge of the cardstock I was using as a base.

I think you ideally need to do some focus stacking with #2 to get a little more of it in focus; but that is only relevant if you have suitable software.

I did a trial of Helicon Focus some time ago and have been meaning to buy it. Just couldn't decide whether to do the annual subscription or go all in.

#3 is OK although I wonder if it is a little too much corner to corner in the frame?

I wondered the same, actually. Had what I thought were a couple of better compositions featuring the hallmark that were spoiled by hot spots on the edge of the lid. This was the best compromise.

[Geoff F]

Regarding focus stacking. Adobe CC and the earlier CS5/6 have an excellent stacking option.

I had a try at Zerene which worked OK. At the time I was wondering whether to upgrade to CC or purchase other software plus Zerene. Eventually, when I did all the calculations, CC worked out about the same cost.