Week 5 Research

What is tethered camera operation?

T    Tethered camera operation is shooting directly from your camera which is hardwired or uses WIFI to tranfer and display the taken image on your computer. You can then view the image much larger than using the LCD screen on the back of your camera to see how the image will display. Also the image is saved to a designated location on your computer so you don't have to reimport the image.

      Shooting tethered with a USB cable to a computer is a good solution if you are working in the studio and want instant feedback on a large screen.

§         What tethering software is available for your camera and computer operating system?

• Canon EOS Uitility software provided on disc with the camera or downloadable from Canon.
• Lightroom3 software allows tethering.
• DSLR Remote Pro for Windows US$175 (http://www.breezesys.com/DSLRRemotePro/features.htm)
• DSLR Controller (BETA) Chainfire AU$8.27 Full control of Canon EOS DSLR tethered control for phone or tablet through USB. (Android devices) (https://market.android.com/details?id=eu.chainfire.dslrcontroller)

First Attempt at small product Photography

Photographing Preen.
Equipment used:

• two softboxes, one positioned above the product, one to the right of the product, and a light pointed at the background to break it up a bit.
• small product table
• white reflective material to sit the product on
• white background
• camera - canon 60D, flash and teathering equipment.

Studio Class 8th August 2011

 Examples of some of the strobe photography from class:


The next two images were acheived by two flashes in one exposure. We have set the camera to bulb, kept the studio as black as possible, with the flash flagged so that only the subject is exposed to light. The subject then stands in one position for the first flash duration then repositions themselves for the second flash, all whilst the shetter is still open. 

This image was produced using the same multiple flash exposure, but we have also used a flash brush to outline the subject, and a laser pen to light the face.

Week Two Research

1. When employing multiple flash exposures to a moving subject (like the Edgerton strobe photos) why is it important to photograph against a black background?
In order to provide contrast with the subject that is being illuminated. If a white background were used the subject would not stand out and it would be overexposed due to the additional reflective light from the background.

2. In a given situation when one flash discharge is used to correct f-numbr to achieve correct exposure is f8. How many identical discharges would you need to achieve correct exposure when using f32?
Five

3. Explain your answer in the last question.

If f/8 is the correct exposure the intensity of the light or the number of flashes has to increase to compensate for the closure of the aperture to f/32. There are 5 stops f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22 and f/32 requiring one flash for each stop.

First Studio Session using flash - 1st August 2011

This was the first session we had in the studio using flash. We were simply experimenting with the lights - setting up different senarios using the modeling lights, and trying out different ways of triggering the flash.

At first, because I didnt have a port in my camera for the sinc cable I tryed triggering the flash by using the 'master and slave' technique, where I had the small built-in flash on my camera as master and the studio lights set to slave. This however wasn't effective as the flash from my camera clashed with the studio flashes - ruining the lighting set up. We then went on to use a hot shoe adapter to attatch the sinc cable to my camera, which made the end photo results much more effective!

Here are some examples:

Using built in flash to trigger the studio flashes

Hot shoe and sinc cord.

Week one research

1. In terms of a studio flash unit, is there a difference between a generator and a power pack?
The difference with a monoblock or monolight flash units is that they have to be plugged into the mains and the 'generator' is housed in the head of the unit where as the power pack can be attached to the mains or can be taken to a site without power and used. Most websites I researched considered them to be the same thing.
2. What is the unit or units of measurements that describes a studio flash output level?
Watt-Seconds (W/s) or Joules (J).

3. What is the difference between symmetrical and asymmetrical flash power output?
Symmetrical - power adjustment to one channel affects ALL channels similarly.
Asymmetrical - ability to adjust one channel without affecting the other.

4. What is a modelling light and how is it used in practice?
A constant light when turned on to give an indication of the effect that the flash will have. Doesn't affect actual exposure. Some flash head modelling lights only have full power while others are adjustable.