ShutteringFocus
12th of January 2010 (Tue), 12:20
Anybody ever shot ice sculptures?
I had an awesome opportunity this past weekend when Holland MI hosted an ice carving competition with the National Ice Carving Association. I went to Holland on Sat. when the carving was going on, but there were throngs of people, and the harsh noon light of the bright sunny day made for bad pictures.
However, they leave the sculptures sitting down-town all week, so I went back at night armed with 3 flash guns some e-bay "poverty wizards" and various color gels, tripods, light stands, gobos, and snoots. The streets were empty (Holland is a pretty chill small town. Everything closes at 8pm).
I spent the better part of 4 hours two nights in a row shooting these things. What an experience! Ice is wild!
When you direct light from the side, the highlight actually ends up on the OPPOSITE side of the subject.I don't know if you have ever done this before, but basically lighting principles work in reverse for clear objects (I didn't know this until I started shooting). The highlight ends up being on the OPPOSITE side from where the flash is. The side that the flash is on actually turns out to be the shadow side - very wild.
Maybe someone can explain this to me.
It must be that the light fired directly from the flash goes THROUGH the clear subject in straight waves, but is refracted by passing through the ice and thus scatters hitting the opposite side in all directions creating the "lit" side of the subject opposite the flash.
Super cool learning experience.
I also experimented with a lot of back lighting and lighting from underneath which worked really cool with a clear object.
And what better subject to finally use some of those wild colors in the Rosco Sample Pack?
Here are a few of the photos.
(for some reason I'm unable to upload the photos...not sure why...I'll have to try again later.)
I had an awesome opportunity this past weekend when Holland MI hosted an ice carving competition with the National Ice Carving Association. I went to Holland on Sat. when the carving was going on, but there were throngs of people, and the harsh noon light of the bright sunny day made for bad pictures.
However, they leave the sculptures sitting down-town all week, so I went back at night armed with 3 flash guns some e-bay "poverty wizards" and various color gels, tripods, light stands, gobos, and snoots. The streets were empty (Holland is a pretty chill small town. Everything closes at 8pm).
I spent the better part of 4 hours two nights in a row shooting these things. What an experience! Ice is wild!
When you direct light from the side, the highlight actually ends up on the OPPOSITE side of the subject.I don't know if you have ever done this before, but basically lighting principles work in reverse for clear objects (I didn't know this until I started shooting). The highlight ends up being on the OPPOSITE side from where the flash is. The side that the flash is on actually turns out to be the shadow side - very wild.
Maybe someone can explain this to me.
It must be that the light fired directly from the flash goes THROUGH the clear subject in straight waves, but is refracted by passing through the ice and thus scatters hitting the opposite side in all directions creating the "lit" side of the subject opposite the flash.
Super cool learning experience.
I also experimented with a lot of back lighting and lighting from underneath which worked really cool with a clear object.
And what better subject to finally use some of those wild colors in the Rosco Sample Pack?
Here are a few of the photos.
(for some reason I'm unable to upload the photos...not sure why...I'll have to try again later.)