As mentioned below, two shots were produced but only one is being displayed. I have not made up my mind about the second. For a larger version(flatbed scan of a mediocre contact sheet, which no one these days are able to produce with any level of professionalism, in San Francisco at least) click here…
Appointed duty II…
August 25th, 2009 § 13 comments
Nice. And strange. As always.
Thats one of the problems with strobes outside with dark skin.
I love shooting dark skin, so much easier, I don’t have to worry about pasty white skin and filling shadows, but please explain if you mean something else, I am here to learn….
The hard shadow line through her neck. I think the shot is great but that shadow drives me nuts when it happens to me.
Yeah, I can fix that a bit in photoshop, or entirely…. I can’t really overdo the light. I should try adding one shooting from below with a small grid but this kind of guerilla photo shoot does not always allow for long technical wizardry…
Thats why on my planet I shoot with two suns.
The shadow line doesn’t bug me.
Tech question, are you using a fresnel lens to assist with framing/ focusing? What point are you placing the center of focus?
~S~
I don’t use a fresnel, just a regular loupe and focus on the eyes.. Since the Cali light is 125@16.5 all year more or less I have an inch of focus leeway if I am lucky. I tell my subjects to hold still…
ok. So when you stop down that inch seems to provide greater depth.
The reason I asked is because most of your depth of field appears to be from the subject forward. Whereas most optics usually have the DOF greater behind the focal point.
I had a problem this year with a new field camera with fresnel lens and GG. The fresnel was causing the focus to be off – almost 30% forward of the actual focal point (with WA lenses). It produced a similar effect.
I just noticed this detail on this particular image. Haven’t check your other images. But if you are focusing on say the model’s eye and then stopping down, I’d bet your film plane is not focusing at the same place as the GG. Though I could be mistaken – tech is not my strongest suite.
Scott- This is the way I wish it to be. I do not want my backgrounds to be in focus. The foreground is usually in out of focus for a bit, becomes sharp thru the subject and then drops off again, it’s how I do it…
Man. Professional photographers. Give ‘em a woman with a bloody skull and they want to talk depth of field. Sheesh.
@Scott
The eyes and foreground can easily be in focus due to the plane of focus.
Olivier- Had a chance to go through the whole site. Quite consistent. Probably should have looked further before my comment. I enjoy the humor in your work.
Darrell- Yes, that would be the more obvious way to construct this appearance with standards.
~S~