221. One Shot - September 10-16, 2017
Kevin-
My schedule was a bit crammed this week as I needed to fly to Palm Springs. An incredible amount of rain fell there on Saturday and some neighbors homes had significant water damage. I wanted to inspect this place so I arrived today. Fortunately things looked good in this house.
So my photo was taken on Sunday. I went to the studio and set up to capture a selfie. The camera was on a tripod, but doesn’t have a flip out screen. My iPad was set up to show what the camera was seeing, but focusing was a challenge of course, since any back and forth movement trying to examine it changed the focus. I had wanted to use two 1’x6’ softboxes with studio strobes to create rim lighting (light from behind) as the key. Usually I might simply take test shots, but this week I only captured a single frame. I wanted a slight amount of fill light on my face, but also wanted to be wearing the Nikon hat. Any light from above would have caused deep shadows from the hat. So I pulled a Joe McNally trick and bounced an additional strobe off the floor. That mostly worked, though obviously the top of my nose never received any light, nor did the Nikon logo on top of the hat. Amazingly I was able to stay within the focus plane. It was actually impossible to view and pose at the same time, so I had to guess about things like focus and head tilt. I measured the rim light levels with a flash meter prior to capture.
Nikon D4s, mounted on a Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 tripod with a Acratech GP ballhead, 85mm f/1.4 lens, ISO 100, f/11 at 1/250th of a second. This is frame 0001.jpg, the only frame I shot.
My schedule was a bit crammed this week as I needed to fly to Palm Springs. An incredible amount of rain fell there on Saturday and some neighbors homes had significant water damage. I wanted to inspect this place so I arrived today. Fortunately things looked good in this house.
So my photo was taken on Sunday. I went to the studio and set up to capture a selfie. The camera was on a tripod, but doesn’t have a flip out screen. My iPad was set up to show what the camera was seeing, but focusing was a challenge of course, since any back and forth movement trying to examine it changed the focus. I had wanted to use two 1’x6’ softboxes with studio strobes to create rim lighting (light from behind) as the key. Usually I might simply take test shots, but this week I only captured a single frame. I wanted a slight amount of fill light on my face, but also wanted to be wearing the Nikon hat. Any light from above would have caused deep shadows from the hat. So I pulled a Joe McNally trick and bounced an additional strobe off the floor. That mostly worked, though obviously the top of my nose never received any light, nor did the Nikon logo on top of the hat. Amazingly I was able to stay within the focus plane. It was actually impossible to view and pose at the same time, so I had to guess about things like focus and head tilt. I measured the rim light levels with a flash meter prior to capture.
Nikon D4s, mounted on a Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 tripod with a Acratech GP ballhead, 85mm f/1.4 lens, ISO 100, f/11 at 1/250th of a second. This is frame 0001.jpg, the only frame I shot.
Paul-
I’ve been mildly dreading—can you mildly dread something?—this theme ever since Byron floated the idea a few weeks ago. Partly because…well, the theme pretty much says it all so I won’t belabor this point. But also because it’s triggered retroactive flash-backs—can you have these?—of shooting with film. At that time, I hardly focused (sorry) on how terribly important it was to get it right with just 36 shots…especially if I didn’t have extra rolls handy, and I happen to have just snapped off 31 before some great to shoot presented itself. Or the light and/or subject would be long gone even if I did have an extra roll to load. Without knowing the future—or having a film magazine that looked like it came off a Tommy Gun—what was the alternative besides having another camera body close at hand?
Now I look back and shudder a little. Ah, the manifold blessings of digital photography. But, oh, the primal satisfaction of the good shots I did get when the frame count was running high and my remaining film was running low.
But never let it be said I don’t abide by the rules. (Seriously, don’t tell anyone, okay?) I took this shot—this one shot—with my camera phone on my way out of a parking garage on Monday. Time was tight so I didn’t even check the settings on the camera application (Vignette). I checked those later (see below).
One Shot (Hold The Beer): 7:30AM, looking south. Motorola: Moto X (v5.1) Camera settings: Customized Velvia (filter selection, set at high); Timestamp (off); Brightness (default); Quality (superfine); Resolution (7.8MP); Aspect Ratio (4:3); Focus Mode (auto focus); ISO (1600); Metering Mode (frame average); White Balance (auto); Scene Mode (steady photo).
True confessions: I did drop the file size from its original 4.9MB to 859MB to accommodate emailing the image. I hope that doesn’t violate the intent of this week’s theme.
I’ve been mildly dreading—can you mildly dread something?—this theme ever since Byron floated the idea a few weeks ago. Partly because…well, the theme pretty much says it all so I won’t belabor this point. But also because it’s triggered retroactive flash-backs—can you have these?—of shooting with film. At that time, I hardly focused (sorry) on how terribly important it was to get it right with just 36 shots…especially if I didn’t have extra rolls handy, and I happen to have just snapped off 31 before some great to shoot presented itself. Or the light and/or subject would be long gone even if I did have an extra roll to load. Without knowing the future—or having a film magazine that looked like it came off a Tommy Gun—what was the alternative besides having another camera body close at hand?
Now I look back and shudder a little. Ah, the manifold blessings of digital photography. But, oh, the primal satisfaction of the good shots I did get when the frame count was running high and my remaining film was running low.
But never let it be said I don’t abide by the rules. (Seriously, don’t tell anyone, okay?) I took this shot—this one shot—with my camera phone on my way out of a parking garage on Monday. Time was tight so I didn’t even check the settings on the camera application (Vignette). I checked those later (see below).
One Shot (Hold The Beer): 7:30AM, looking south. Motorola: Moto X (v5.1) Camera settings: Customized Velvia (filter selection, set at high); Timestamp (off); Brightness (default); Quality (superfine); Resolution (7.8MP); Aspect Ratio (4:3); Focus Mode (auto focus); ISO (1600); Metering Mode (frame average); White Balance (auto); Scene Mode (steady photo).
True confessions: I did drop the file size from its original 4.9MB to 859MB to accommodate emailing the image. I hope that doesn’t violate the intent of this week’s theme.
Jerry-
It just so happened that I was watching "The Walking Dead" when I was checking my email via the cellphone and found our subject was to be one shot. So I paused the video and took this photo with the phone! I like both the Walking Dead and Game of Thrones but I watch by my lonesome down in the basement, trying not to disturb those with more refined cinematic tastes.
iPhone 5c, 1/15 @ f2.4, ISO 800
It just so happened that I was watching "The Walking Dead" when I was checking my email via the cellphone and found our subject was to be one shot. So I paused the video and took this photo with the phone! I like both the Walking Dead and Game of Thrones but I watch by my lonesome down in the basement, trying not to disturb those with more refined cinematic tastes.
iPhone 5c, 1/15 @ f2.4, ISO 800
Don-
Earlier this week I arose and saw that a Mantis had again moved onto the Hummingbird feeder.
I decided to make that my one shot. Unfortunately as I was moving around getting focus and
attempting to put the white Buddha in the background I accidently tripped the shutter. So you all
get the crappy background. I cropped the picture and adjusted the settings in Camera Raw.
Focal was at 70 mm using a 24-70mm Lens set to Autofocus (camera sees better than my eyes).
Exposure was 1/500 sec; f/6.3; ISO 72; D810 set on Manual.
Earlier this week I arose and saw that a Mantis had again moved onto the Hummingbird feeder.
I decided to make that my one shot. Unfortunately as I was moving around getting focus and
attempting to put the white Buddha in the background I accidently tripped the shutter. So you all
get the crappy background. I cropped the picture and adjusted the settings in Camera Raw.
Focal was at 70 mm using a 24-70mm Lens set to Autofocus (camera sees better than my eyes).
Exposure was 1/500 sec; f/6.3; ISO 72; D810 set on Manual.
Byron-
I decided to photograph a maiden tending her garden. The light was ever so slightly overcast, maybe one layer of gauze across the sky. I decided to put that source behind her and I would use fill flash to soften any harshness that might exist.
ISO 1000, f3.6, 1/1600 sec, lens 23mm.
I decided to photograph a maiden tending her garden. The light was ever so slightly overcast, maybe one layer of gauze across the sky. I decided to put that source behind her and I would use fill flash to soften any harshness that might exist.
ISO 1000, f3.6, 1/1600 sec, lens 23mm.
Darin-
Big bike ride tomorrow, so I have to submit now and go to bed.
This is taken in Newport Beach, from where 29th Street ends and the beach begins. This is the one and only WPOTM photo I took all week. I like it, but I tried to take it a little earlier so the trash receptacle wouldn't be right there in the way, but for some reason the D-40 didn't want to fire, so I hit it again and this is what I got. I like it (except for the fact it looks like the surfers are carrying a big white bag). Sailboat. Surfers. It shows the laid back vibes that can be viewed here in Southern California anytime the sun is shining.
Big bike ride tomorrow, so I have to submit now and go to bed.
This is taken in Newport Beach, from where 29th Street ends and the beach begins. This is the one and only WPOTM photo I took all week. I like it, but I tried to take it a little earlier so the trash receptacle wouldn't be right there in the way, but for some reason the D-40 didn't want to fire, so I hit it again and this is what I got. I like it (except for the fact it looks like the surfers are carrying a big white bag). Sailboat. Surfers. It shows the laid back vibes that can be viewed here in Southern California anytime the sun is shining.