Tag: special effects

What You See . . .

Nothing like exploration to come across new places – and new people!

In my family, there is a history of being in the television industry.  My mother was a camera man (really, woman) in the 1940s.  Both of my parents worked out of Chicago for CBS.  My husband and his brother have worked for local and national TV.  Me, I haven’t done anything in any type of commercial photography or television or movie business.  It’s all sort of magical, just because I don’t know anything about how what I see is made.

This morning, while I was putzing around, I came across these two videos on YouTube by Jay P. Morgan.    I certainly have a greater appreciation for that final commercial photo in my magazine!

This first video shows the lighting set up for the photograph – key, fill, reflection.  Before and after shots are demonstrated as each light is added.  This video deals with the subject alone, not addressing the background.

Now that we have learned about the soft boxes, rim lights, and reflectors, we learn about the special effects!

Needless to say, this was a great couple of videos and certainly a wonderful insight into the work behind what turned out to be quite a nice final image.

Hats off to you, Jay!  Totally fun, educational, and enjoyable!

So Much to Do!

And, of course, not enough time.

I admit, I love dawdling around and just following my inclinations.  I also like checking things of as Done! There are days when all I do is chores, none with any sense of pleasure; days when I am overwhelmed and cannot figure out where to begin.  This weekend, though, there are a lot of interesting things on the agenda beyond the usual chores of bills, laundry, housework.

One is the completion of a year-long project is in its last week.  Because of this, I have been busy doing all sorts of stuff, like editing HTML, playing with code in my haphazard way and getting it right (hooray!).  Another is one class is ready to launch into their externships, and a new class to begin in the classroom – always an exciting period.

With these two are nearing points of departure, doubtless, I will also find more things to swamp me, but I also will have more time to return to painting.  I have not written anything about it, much less done any, because I have been too busy to slow down.  Hobbies such as cooking or photography or knitting can be picked up for a minute or two, and put down as necessary, but painting requires a bit more focus, and it means quiet and solitude.  I also want to pull out my watercolor paper and reconsider painting in that medium.  Photography makes me want to see what I can do with light in painting.  “Suck” is the first word that comes to mind – but the allure is always there.

For fun, though, this week our little photography group met, and we did food.  How to light it.  How to make it sparkle.  How to choose positions and viewpoints and consideration of depth of field to emphasize the subject.  And how the hot lights make everything dry up!  Below are some of the images I took.

I like this one for its composition and cheery colors.

This one is simple in composition, and I like the bit of lace to the lower right corner of the photo and the bright white surrounding the rest of the cherries.

First shot at fresh papaya and blackberries – no glycerin or oil spray.  After about 10 minutes under the hot lights it looked pretty sad!

I like the perspective here, but see the mount under the left side?  That should not be in the photo!!

Papaya and berries sprayed with olive oil mist and drops of glycerin.  You should have seen it before . . .

Fresh salad, no glycerin or oil.

These are looking pretty tasty.

I just like this perspective of the salad.

Anyway, for our next class, the assignment is food, with both narrow and wide depths of field.  I think something for the Valentine season could be fun.  Our next meet will be outdoors at the local botanical garden, which will be wonderful for broad landscapes as well as plants of all kinds.