224. Spooky - October 1-7, 2017
Don-
Exposure was 4 sec; ISO 72; f/2.8 and 70 to 200 mm lens set at 135mm.
Exposure was 4 sec; ISO 72; f/2.8 and 70 to 200 mm lens set at 135mm.
Byron-
Imagine checking your security camera and discovering something unexpected in the frame. At 4:00am, the we-bitching hour, a creature was roaming the house.
Actually this was a spur of the moment photo. I was working with my new camera so I could be comfortable setting the shutter speed to 30sec and using the intervalometer. Under a cold dark sky is not the time to fumble around trying to figure it out. As I was shooting a series of photos, I thought I should be in the photos. I ran downstairs and got my Dollar Store skull. I sat very still in front of the camera for the duration of the exposure. I held the skull in front of my mug for about 3 seconds. I feel it gave a result that might better be described as revolting but I'll go with spooky.
ISO 200, f/16, ND filter on, 30sec.
Imagine checking your security camera and discovering something unexpected in the frame. At 4:00am, the we-bitching hour, a creature was roaming the house.
Actually this was a spur of the moment photo. I was working with my new camera so I could be comfortable setting the shutter speed to 30sec and using the intervalometer. Under a cold dark sky is not the time to fumble around trying to figure it out. As I was shooting a series of photos, I thought I should be in the photos. I ran downstairs and got my Dollar Store skull. I sat very still in front of the camera for the duration of the exposure. I held the skull in front of my mug for about 3 seconds. I feel it gave a result that might better be described as revolting but I'll go with spooky.
ISO 200, f/16, ND filter on, 30sec.
Darin-
What is more terrifying and spooky, than getting in your car, looking in the rearview mirror and seeing an angry, snarling, blood-thirsty dog staring back at you. As you can see, this beast is foaming at the mouth, just biding his time, waiting for the perfect time to rip your... Who am I kidding? This is Revo (again) and he's not at all terrifying OR spooky.
I was going to shoot a friend sitting in the back seat, wearing a black ski mask, but I had to work late tonight and the timing didn't work out... Use your imagination.
What is more terrifying and spooky, than getting in your car, looking in the rearview mirror and seeing an angry, snarling, blood-thirsty dog staring back at you. As you can see, this beast is foaming at the mouth, just biding his time, waiting for the perfect time to rip your... Who am I kidding? This is Revo (again) and he's not at all terrifying OR spooky.
I was going to shoot a friend sitting in the back seat, wearing a black ski mask, but I had to work late tonight and the timing didn't work out... Use your imagination.
Kevin-
After trying and failing to create an alternate Spooky photo (the weather would not cooperate) I purchased a cheap ghoul-like creature. Then I suspended the creature from a long black handheld pole so that I could wave it around during the exposures. My goal was to combine flash (to freeze and define the ghoul) and tungsten light so I could create ghost-like motion blur.
A Norman studio strobe with a small gridded softbox fired at the start of the exposures, while a Smith-Victor tungsten unit next to the strobe illuminated the moving creature for the remaining six seconds of each exposure.
Nikon D4s, mounted on a Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 tripod with a Acratech GP ballhead, 24-70 f/2.8 Nikkor lens zoomed to 70mm, ISO 100, 6 seconds, f/16 with a 3x ND filter to allow for that long exposure. (I had 500 watt tungsten bulb in that Smith-Victor light as the modeling light of the Norman strobe would have been far too dim).
Hopefully this is Spooky!
After trying and failing to create an alternate Spooky photo (the weather would not cooperate) I purchased a cheap ghoul-like creature. Then I suspended the creature from a long black handheld pole so that I could wave it around during the exposures. My goal was to combine flash (to freeze and define the ghoul) and tungsten light so I could create ghost-like motion blur.
A Norman studio strobe with a small gridded softbox fired at the start of the exposures, while a Smith-Victor tungsten unit next to the strobe illuminated the moving creature for the remaining six seconds of each exposure.
Nikon D4s, mounted on a Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 tripod with a Acratech GP ballhead, 24-70 f/2.8 Nikkor lens zoomed to 70mm, ISO 100, 6 seconds, f/16 with a 3x ND filter to allow for that long exposure. (I had 500 watt tungsten bulb in that Smith-Victor light as the modeling light of the Norman strobe would have been far too dim).
Hopefully this is Spooky!
Paul-
With several notable exceptions, I ceased to become much of a horror cinema fan about the same time publications like Fangora* started being published just to document (and to some degree revel in) the sheer carnage, gore and shock fest in the more graphic films of this genre. Again, with many fine exceptions, many contemporary films at best (or worst depending on your point of view) deliver little more than horrific spectacle for the sake of horrific spectacle. I mean, come on, let’s try grounding a frightening movie in a compelling story, memorable performances, and a refreshing absence of chainsaws, supersized sauropods, or knife-wielding dolls.
Which, I realize as I am typing this—and, too late, I’m not deleting it!—doesn’t have much to do with this week’s theme. Sorry, the digital ink is dry…nothing I can do about it.
So kudos to Jerry for selecting “Spooky” which I think presents the challenge of making each of us draw a line between the theme and our subjective (as well as photographic) views of the bloodcurdling things which crouch and slaver just beyond that line. It’s a nuance thing. I’d like to think we all take a bit of gruesome fun (from a distance) in the spooky. It’s macabre with just a touch of an inside joke we all can share. Almost creepy-camp. All the predictable tropes with almost none of the trauma.
So, by way of example, I hope I captured the spooky factor here. It’s so iconic and ubiquitous within the realm of spooky it’s almost cliché.
Almost.
Real estate values drop precipitously in any region when you factor in a remote cabin, derelict farmstead, or isolated manor that are perennially cloaked in shadow, creepers and hushed reputations from superstitious locals. Add a dash of distant owl, some skittering leaves, menacing skies, and gnarled trees for good effect. Viola! Spooky. Especially in B&W.
I think it’s best for all concerned if I not disclose where this picture was taken. [Cue organ music.]
Disturbing details: (4:33PM) Nikon D5200; aperture priority; 18-55mm lens focused at 30mm; ISO 640; 1/160 sec. at f/14; matrix metered but more heavily weighted to the right; -2/3 EV; WB set or cloudy. The camera was hand-held and the image was shot in its Vivid color setting.
There was a fair amount of post-production done here because I was looking for a certain effect. Specifically: If you watch some of the subdued exterior lightening screens in the original Frankenstein (or Young Frankenstein for that matter)…well, that’s the kind of atmospheric appearance I was looking for. Stark, spare, earthy…lonely. I might have missed it, but I still like the result.
After cropping and rendering the image in B&W (via Lightroom), and adding a touch of graininess, I exported the image over to Analog Efex Pro 2. There, I selected a pre-set treatment under the “Classic Camera” category. (There are several camera types to select, by the way. These are absolutely fun to play with and the results seem fairly faithful to the affects you would expect from different photographic equipment.) Within the same program, I further enhanced the picture with a slight B&W neutral shadow option. A slight circle vignette was use to keep the darker periphery from encroaching too much, and the contrast slider was used as well. Back to Lightroom to add a watermark as well as drop the resolution down to 160 pixels/inches to keep the file size from getting out of hand (with questionable success, Kevin). Finally—almost done here, hang on guys—I exported the file to PhotoScape to see if I would like the image’s depth and tonal range better if I made it appear as if was taken with Velvia film. (Nope.)
* This publication came to its grisly (printing) end last year.
With several notable exceptions, I ceased to become much of a horror cinema fan about the same time publications like Fangora* started being published just to document (and to some degree revel in) the sheer carnage, gore and shock fest in the more graphic films of this genre. Again, with many fine exceptions, many contemporary films at best (or worst depending on your point of view) deliver little more than horrific spectacle for the sake of horrific spectacle. I mean, come on, let’s try grounding a frightening movie in a compelling story, memorable performances, and a refreshing absence of chainsaws, supersized sauropods, or knife-wielding dolls.
Which, I realize as I am typing this—and, too late, I’m not deleting it!—doesn’t have much to do with this week’s theme. Sorry, the digital ink is dry…nothing I can do about it.
So kudos to Jerry for selecting “Spooky” which I think presents the challenge of making each of us draw a line between the theme and our subjective (as well as photographic) views of the bloodcurdling things which crouch and slaver just beyond that line. It’s a nuance thing. I’d like to think we all take a bit of gruesome fun (from a distance) in the spooky. It’s macabre with just a touch of an inside joke we all can share. Almost creepy-camp. All the predictable tropes with almost none of the trauma.
So, by way of example, I hope I captured the spooky factor here. It’s so iconic and ubiquitous within the realm of spooky it’s almost cliché.
Almost.
Real estate values drop precipitously in any region when you factor in a remote cabin, derelict farmstead, or isolated manor that are perennially cloaked in shadow, creepers and hushed reputations from superstitious locals. Add a dash of distant owl, some skittering leaves, menacing skies, and gnarled trees for good effect. Viola! Spooky. Especially in B&W.
I think it’s best for all concerned if I not disclose where this picture was taken. [Cue organ music.]
Disturbing details: (4:33PM) Nikon D5200; aperture priority; 18-55mm lens focused at 30mm; ISO 640; 1/160 sec. at f/14; matrix metered but more heavily weighted to the right; -2/3 EV; WB set or cloudy. The camera was hand-held and the image was shot in its Vivid color setting.
There was a fair amount of post-production done here because I was looking for a certain effect. Specifically: If you watch some of the subdued exterior lightening screens in the original Frankenstein (or Young Frankenstein for that matter)…well, that’s the kind of atmospheric appearance I was looking for. Stark, spare, earthy…lonely. I might have missed it, but I still like the result.
After cropping and rendering the image in B&W (via Lightroom), and adding a touch of graininess, I exported the image over to Analog Efex Pro 2. There, I selected a pre-set treatment under the “Classic Camera” category. (There are several camera types to select, by the way. These are absolutely fun to play with and the results seem fairly faithful to the affects you would expect from different photographic equipment.) Within the same program, I further enhanced the picture with a slight B&W neutral shadow option. A slight circle vignette was use to keep the darker periphery from encroaching too much, and the contrast slider was used as well. Back to Lightroom to add a watermark as well as drop the resolution down to 160 pixels/inches to keep the file size from getting out of hand (with questionable success, Kevin). Finally—almost done here, hang on guys—I exported the file to PhotoScape to see if I would like the image’s depth and tonal range better if I made it appear as if was taken with Velvia film. (Nope.)
* This publication came to its grisly (printing) end last year.
Jerry-
I put Mr. Skull (what should I name him/her/it?) to work raking the leaves and the lazy bugger just played with the small pile he-she-it created. After a few days of lingering in the leaves I took this photo.
Camera was the Sony 6300 with 16-70 at 70mm. Exposure was 1/50 @ F11, ISO 1600.
I put Mr. Skull (what should I name him/her/it?) to work raking the leaves and the lazy bugger just played with the small pile he-she-it created. After a few days of lingering in the leaves I took this photo.
Camera was the Sony 6300 with 16-70 at 70mm. Exposure was 1/50 @ F11, ISO 1600.