We have been set an assignment to photograph perfume bottles in a variety of lighting. Examples of this included ambient (daylight), flourescent (UV), tungsten (continuous) and strobe (flash) lighting.
The weather outside was patchy sunlight, covered by a thin layer of cloud which made the ambient lighting fairly difficult, as I had to continuously alter my aperture and shutter speed to allow for the changes in light conditions.
Eventually my final photograph was shot on 1/160 with an aperture of f6.3. This was the final result:
I ventured to a local supermarket, who's toilets have a blue flourescent lighting which is particularly rare. This lighting was slightly easier to use as it was continuous, although it was very dim and difficult to focus.
I took the final photograph using an aperture of f4.5 and a shutter speed of 1/40. Below is the final result.
I progressed to photograph the bottle in tungsten lighting. This was taken in the studio, with a Bowens light connected to the camera with a sync cable and hotshoe adapter. I took the photograph with an aperture of 5.6, and a shutter speed of 1/50. Below is the finished result.
I then took the photograph using the same Bowens studio light, but this time with a strobe light, connected to the camera by a sync cable with a hotshoe adapter. I took the photograph using an aperture of f8, with a shutter speed of 1/250. Below is the result:
We were then set an assignment to produce a 20/20 presentation. This is a presentation method invented by the Japanese, where a slideshow consists of 20 slides, and the speaker has to fully inform his/her audience about the contents of that slide in 20 seconds.
Today we delivered our 20/20 presentations to the class.
I included both historical and technical context about different types of lighting such as flourescent, tungsten, flash and natural light and how they can affect an image, along with images of my own and from other photographers relating to the style of photography I was using or similarities in lighting. These included:
Edward Weston's 'Pepper No.30' -
Robert Mapplethorpe's Tulips
and examples of High Key
Low Key
And Rim (Back) lighting
We were set an assignment to photograph an object of our choice, using the studio and lighting appropriately. I chose to photograph an apple with a heart shaped keyring slotted onto the stalk, as this made an interesting link between health and healthy eating. I used two strobe lights on a white background to create a high key lighting effect. The lights were connected to my camera with a wireless synchronized remote, which made the lights flash when I pressed the shutter. This is a piece of technology I have not encountered before, and it was interesting to work with as I was no longer hindered by the length or positioning of the wire connecting my camera to the flash light. This is the resulting image:
Today we have discussed various types of lighting, such as 45/45 lighting.
This lighting guideline means having a 45 degree angle on the head of the lamp, which should be at a diagonal behind and in front of the subject for fill in purposes.
We then discussed specular lighting, which used a light source pointed at something reflective to get a very bright point of light.
This type of lighting is often much better for subjects such as liquid and glass, pointing light through the subject gives it form.
Black cards often allow for better edge definition than white card as it will give the subject definitive black lines.
Another type of lighting discussed was top lighting, which allows for highlight on subjects such as the dark coloured lid of a perfume bottle.
We also discussed lighting ratios. Understanding this technique is key to controlling your lighting when creating mood, add a sense of depth or shape, and control the way textured surfaces look.
To find the lighting ratio, you begin by calculating the output of the main light and the fill light(s) individually. This can be done by setting up the lights and taking a meter reading. Then either block one of the lights or turn it off completely, and a take a reading from each of the lights individually. The ratio is the difference between the main light and the fill.
If both lights are on an equal setting, the lighting ratio will be 1:1, and this will give an equal exposure. If the main light is twice as bright as the fill, the ratio would be 2:1, and so on. A factor of 2 is equal to one stop in exposure, so if you are increasing your exposure by one stop, you will be allowing twice the amount of light in. Therefore, a 2:1 ratio would mean that there is a one-stop difference between the lights. A 3:1 ratio would be a stop and a half difference, and 4:1 would be a two-stop difference.
Common Lighting Ratios | ||
| Ratio | Stops Difference | Description |
| 1:1 | No Difference | Flat lighting |
| 2:1 | 1 Stop | General color photography |
| 3:1 | 1 1/2 Stops | General black & white photography |
| 4:1 | 2 Stops | Dramatic lighting, low key |
| 8:1 | 4 Stops | Very dramatic, low key |
Understanding sync speed
We progressed to discuss how to manually get the correct sync speed. The sync speed is the combination of aperture and shutter speed which is used to get the correct exposure of an image. When the sync speed is incorrect the exposure will be incorrect and the image will be partially blacked out. It will look similar to this:
If the sync speed is correct, the image will be well exposed:
Today we discussed ways to light an object, and examples of good/bad lighting.
This included talks on modifiers, such as softboxes and reflectors, standard reflectors such as the umbrellas and how these modifiers can affect the lighting on the subject. When using an umbrella it is important to remember that the lighting effect depends on the position of the lamp's closeness to the umbrella. It is impossible to shoot through the umbrella and simply use it as a diffuser by removing the outer black casing.
- A beauty dish also creates a diffused light, however it creates a more direct light than an umbrella, and it is less of a specular light. It also spreads highlights more due to it being a wider source of light, however a lid can be put on a beauty dish to diffuse the light and make shadows softer.
- Honeycomb modifiers channel the light, and a longer reflector gives a more channelled light, whilst creating harsher shadows.
The closer the light is placed to the subject, the softer the light gets and the shadows are more diffused. The further away the light gets, it makes fewer highlights on reflective subjects.
- A snoot modifies outgoing light. It can give a spotlight effect but is not ideal for reflective objects as it gives too many highlights.
- A softbox is better for reflective objects as it gives less specular highlights, whilst also giving the object form by lighting the edges rather than creating spots or patches of light. Black card can also be used in combination with a softbox to create 'strip light' - this gives the same amount of light but does not allow light to spill over onto the backdrop. Also using a snoot to fill in the above and opposite sides to highlight the other side and give form to the object will make it stand out from the background.
To create a small, subtle shadow it is wise to fill the object in from above and from the opposite side. This separates the subject from the background.
We have been set an assignment to photograph images of objects of our choice in six different forms - Historical in its narrative, in macro form, on a reflective surface, on a mini set build and finally a commercial shot.
I have decided to photograph objects relating to the connection between art and music. This includes photographing objects such as headphones, music players, band merchandise tshirts and cd's to emphasise how art has contributed largely to the evolution and design of these products, making them exciting and a large part of everyday life.
1. Commercial shot - I have composed a photograph of two different sets of headphones entwined with a handwritten note saying 'music makes you lose control'. I believe this is a commercial shot because it makes the viewer think a certain thing.
2. Historical - I am photographing a series of music players ranging from tape players to the most recent iPod music player. This emphasises the evolution of music players and how it is influenced by art in the form of designs and technology.
3. Close up/Macro - I have photographed a pair of cd's laid down on a white surface. I have photographed from a jaunty angle with a large aperture of f4.5 producing a shallow depth of field.
4. Mini Set Build - I have set up a photograph with a band merchandise tshirt and a set of headphones placed strategically around the neck to create an impression of somebody listening to music.
5. Reflective Surface - I have photographed the back of a cd on a white reflective surface. I placed another cd behind the first to create a surreal shadow, and lit the object from the side so it was skimming the surface. Then I photographed from a low angle with a small aperture of f16 to create a low key lighting effect, which contributed to the clear reflection of the cd.
