Assessment 1

For my first assessment I decided to set up a portrait shoot in my front room which utilised some recently purchased equipment.

Workflow Chart:

Decide on required equipment and ensure fit for purpose:

Canon 5D MkII -                 check and if necessary charge batteries

Canon 24/70 f2.8L lens –      check and ensure glass is clean

Canon 580 speedlite flashes - check and as necessary charge batteries

Format memory disc

Set camera to aperture priority

Set camera to Raw + Jpeg format

Lastolite Ezybox soft box

Grey Portable Background

2 x pocket wizards

Light meter

Set up:

My setup consisted of a portable grey background, lit by a Lastolite soft box (with a Canon 580 EXII speedlite flash) triggered by 2 x Pocketwizard flash triggers.

Preparation:

After setting up, I checked the lighting, by taking some self portraits, using the camera self timer function, and with the help of a light meter, found the aperture setting would be f5.6.

I felt that the aperture setting would give me the depth of field I required and no further adjustments were required.

Shoot images

The camera was settings were:

·         Exposure mode           Manual

·         Shutter speed             1/125sec

·         Aperture setting          f/5.6

·         ISO                           100

I took a series of self portraits one of which is included in the images sent for assessment.  Initially these self portraits were intended to check the set up and exposure levels but as models were hard to come by I decided to participate myself.  The majority of these portraits were taken showing the light meter and were discarded.

The remaining models, my wife Sheila, my son’s girlfriend Jennifer and the dog Sparky were coerced into participating.

Set

Download to computer, using computer auto play setting, import into specific folder (Occupational Portraits) using same process to name images when putting into folder.

View raw images in Adobe Bridge

I took 53 images

Editing Step One – the technical edit

In this stage I edited 33 out because:

·         12 under exposed due to the flash not firing

·         2 were incorrectly framed and

·         19 were test shots

Editing Step Two – the selects

In this stage, of the 20 left, I initially selected 8 discarding 12.

The majority were discarded as several shots had been taken of the same subjects and the best composition kept.

After the cooling off period I returned and edited the remaining, leaving 5 images.

Open tagged images in Adobe Bridge

Adjust exposure / white balance

Open in Photoshop CS4

Safe levels and contrast (curves bespoke action enabling 5% increments to highlights and shadows)

Hue / saturation adjustment

Sharpen

Save image / Archive

Problems encountered / Solutions found:

• A great number of images were taken and discarded as the flash would not fire.  This was due to the settings on the Pocketwizards and after some time the correct settings were achieved
• Camera found it difficult to focus.  I think this was due to the lack of light and I used a modelling light which allowed the camera to focus.

I think that on the whole the images taken were quite good, exposed well, and technically adequate but I think I require to hone my directing skills.  I find it difficult to direct the subjects and all too often wait for them to strike a pose which does not always lead the shoot in the direction I want to go.

The five final selection are shown below:

Exercise 4: Editing

Exercise 4: Editing

In September 2010, we went away sailing on the Firth of Clyde where I took a series of photographs to record the weekend’s activities.

At the end of the weekend I had taken relatively few photos for me, 49 to be exact.  This would appear to be exactly right for this exercise.

Editing Step One – the technical edit

In this stage I edited 3 out because:

·        1 was out of focus

·        2 were over exposed as a result of glare from water

Editing Step Two – the selects

In this stage I initially selected 19 discarding 27

The majority were discarded as several shots had been taken of the same subjects and the best composition kept.

After the cooling off period I returned and edited the remaining leaving 5 images.

As said above this was a sailing weekend with friends who friends who had not been sailing before.


I took the above photo of a man cleaning his boat at the marina.  I felt this gave an flavour of sailing life.  The depth of field was such that the background was out of focus allowing the yacht to become the focal point.



The next two photographs are, firstly Sheila then Michele, appearing from down below.  Both with a hearty smile on their faces.


Again it shows them on the boat obviously enjoying themselves.  


They were also caught unaware which adds to their expressions.


Both were shot at such an aperture that the entire scene was kept in focus giving a nautical feeling.


The first image, Sheila is framed well as she come out of the companionway but it may that the image of Michele has a bit more clutter, taking the viewer away from the subject.

The image to the right is of a vintage motor yacht, which was involved in the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk.

To me the boat looked fantastic with the reflections and overall composition shows it at its best.

The image to the left shows Port Avadie Marina in the sunshine.  Again it shows of the place we visited at its best.

I liked the composition with the shadow of the fence creating a border on the right of the image and the building a border on the left leading you into the tower at the end of the image.

Exercise 3: Histograms

Exercise 3: Histograms

I have taken three images of our garden hut which I hope demonstrates histograms.  Each part of the hut was identified as being low-contrast, medium -contrast or high-contrast.

The image was processed and the histogram superimposed as shown below.

High-contrast

You can see in the above high-contrast image that the values cover across the histogram.

Medium-contrast

Here you can see, on the medium-contrast image, that the values are squashed into the middle half of the histogram.

Low-contrast

Here you can see, on the low-contrast image, that the values are squashed into the middle of the histogram.

The effect of exposure values can be seen in the following three images.

You can see as when the image is under exposed (exposure -1.0) the values move to the left side of the histogram.  When over exposed (exposure +1.0) they move to the right.

I found that that area of the seat nearest the camera and the garden fence at the rear of the image, showed highlight clipping whereas there was little shadow clipping.   

Note on Experiences of Exercises 1 and 2

Note on Experiences of Exercises 1 and 2

The two exercises were different in the way they required to be approached and demanded differing criteria in their work flows.

In the first shoot, in the main, the shooting was more staged and considered therefore there was little repetition in the shots taken.  In the second shoot some of the images were shot as part of sequence of photographs taken in quick succession in an effort to "catch the moment".

  

  

The three images above give an example of a succession of images and only using the final image,where I felt the subject pointing his finger gave the feel that he was in mid discussion, indicative of the Italians.
This approach upped the number of images taken and periodic screening and deleting would be of benefit. 

In the second series of images, a succession of photos has been taken to allow the best capture of the waves breaking over the rocks.

Technically the images in each set of three are similar and it is only the content that is different.

There is no reason therefore to wait until the images are downloaded and the most suitable image can be identified in camera.

Exercise 2: Your own workflow - 2

Exercise 2: Your own workflow - 2

For this exercise I decided to use this workflow while on a recent holiday to Italy.  During the holiday we visited several locations which were a mixture of family portraits to scenic views.

In these circumstances, particularly when shooting friends and family, I tend to shoot at a higher rate, as I would be looking for the natural or unusual look on the face which is extremely difficult to recreate when asking people to pose.

Workflow Chart:

Decide on required equipment and ensure fit for purpose:

Canon 5D MkII -                 check and if necessary charge batteries

Canon 24/70 f2.8L lens –      check and ensure glass is clean

Canon EF 75-300 f1:4-5.6 -   check and ensure glass is clean

Canon 580 speedlite flashes - check and as necessary charge batteries

Steps

Format memory disc

Set camera to aperture priority

Set camera to Raw + Jpeg format

Shoot images

Review images at periodic intervals and remove sequential images whose contents, particular in “spray and prey” situations.

Download to computer, using computer auto play setting, import into specific folder (Occupational Portraits) using same process to name images when putting into folder.

View raw images in Adobe Bridge

Tag those to go forward for processing

Open tagged images in Adobe Bridge

Adjust exposure / white balance

Open in Photoshop CS4

Safe levels and contrast (curves bespoke action enabling 5% increments to highlights and shadows)

Hue / saturation adjustment

Sharpen

Save image / Archive

Exercise 1: Your own workflow

Introduction

For this exercise I decided to attend at a local market where I hoped to capture portraits of two friends in the course of their business, one a jeweller and the other a cobbler. 

Both locations differed in the available light and it was my initial thoughts that there would be insufficient ambient light in the jewellers, requiring a flash, but sufficient ambient light in the cobblers.

Space was at a premium within the jewellers which prompted me to think that I would require a relatively wide angled lens where as there was good unobstructed field of view to the cobblers so allowing the potential use of longer focal lengths.

Workflow Chart:

Equipment

Canon 5D MkII - check and if necessary charge batteries

• Canon 24/70 f2.8L lens – check and ensure glass is clean
• Canon 70/200 f2.8L lens - check and ensure glass is clean
• Canon 580 speedlite flash - check and is necessary charge batteries

Steps

• Format memory disc, ensure sufficient capacity
• Set camera to aperture priority
• Set camera to Raw + Jpeg format
• Set picture style

Shoot images

Processing

Download to computer

• Set computer autoplay, import into specific folder (Occupational Portraits) using same process to name images when putting into folder 
• View raw images in Abobe Bridge
• Tag those to go forward for processing
• Open tagged images in Adobe Bridge
• Adjust exposure / white balance

 Open in Photoshop CS4

• Safe levels and contrast (curves bespoke action enabling 5% increments to highlights and shadows)
• Hue / saturation adjustment

Save image / archive

Here we go!!

Introduction:

I am 54 years of age and live with my wife and son on the outskirts of Glasgow. 

I have been taking photos for a while but got a shake up when I bought a digital SLR when it all went pear shaped with depth of field issues, over exposure, cause I didn’t know what I was doing.

I enrolled in a night school course at the Glasgow Metropolitan College, learned the basics and have never looked back.  I have since completed several other courses and decided to attempt to attain some formal qualifications, so here I am.

Equipment:

I use a Canon 5D MkII with a 24 – 70mm L/F2.8 and a 70 – 200mm L/f2.f and enjoy taking all sorts of images, particularly if the sea or water sports are involved.

So here we go!!!!