Photography Equipment & Software Thread

[Zomby]

Thought I best post this in here rather than clogging up the random photos thread.

On the subject of light painting, just done a quick google and found out how to do it which is fine. What I want to know is, is there any way to minimise catching the person doing the light painting in the exposure, like in Phill's photo for example you can see his smudged body in the picture (I assume that's what it is).

My common sense answers would be:

Dark clothes

Dark as possible surroundings

Pin point of light rather than a huge light source to avoid light bouncing off the body, i.e. a single LED torch.

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

[Dandy_Sephy]

You can't go wrong with LowePro kit. There's not many "brands" I'd universally recommend but this is one. Exceptionally well made and hard wearing. I've had my MiniTrekker AW for 3 years now - and despite having been all over the UK (and to Africa, Turkey and Greece) in all weathers it still looks good as new and its always kept my stuff dry and protected. I've looked at plenty of their other bags and they all are built to the same quality.

I definitely agree with this. I don't have a massive frame of reference but I can vouch for the Lowepro stuff I own. It's top notch.

I bought a lowepro fastpack 250 from another mukker, probably Roskelld? Still going great

[iwan_canobi]

You are pretty much right with the things you have said really, it mainly is about light illuminating you as well whilst you are doing it, so having a directional source is important. Also the length of the exposure time plays a big part, you just have to look at the picture gerald posted of the motorway, and you cant see any cars at all!

It is good fun though, best way is just to experiment!

[Phill]

Thought I best post this in here rather than clogging up the random photos thread.

On the subject of light painting, just done a quick google and found out how to do it which is fine. What I want to know is, is there any way to minimise catching the person doing the light painting in the exposure, like in Phill's photo for example you can see his smudged body in the picture (I assume that's what it is).

My common sense answers would be:

Dark clothes

Dark as possible surroundings

Pin point of light rather than a huge light source to avoid light bouncing off the body, i.e. a single LED torch.

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

lol yeah thats me. I was wondering this too. I tried moving out of the shot after I had done the drawing for a few seconds, and I also tried holding a light near the chair but that just over exposed everything.

[Zomby]

Suppose doing it in pitch black outside would be better as there is more space so less things for the light to bounce off..

I have some large sticks so will give it a go when I'm on my night photography session during the week.

It's a shame we don't speak anymore, could've done some photography sessions together (I assume you know who I am)

[Phill]

Suppose doing it in pitch black outside would be better as there is more space so less things for the light to bounce off..

I have some large sticks so will give it a go when I'm on my night photography session during the week.

It's a shame we don't speak anymore, could've done some photography sessions together (I assume you know who I am)

Haha yeah I had guessed Drop me a FB message or something if you like, we could go out for a catch up/photography trip if you like?

Anyway back to photos and camera stuff

[zxcvbnm]

Thought I best post this in here rather than clogging up the random photos thread.

On the subject of light painting, just done a quick google and found out how to do it which is fine. What I want to know is, is there any way to minimise catching the person doing the light painting in the exposure, like in Phill's photo for example you can see his smudged body in the picture (I assume that's what it is).

My common sense answers would be:

Dark clothes

Dark as possible surroundings

Pin point of light rather than a huge light source to avoid light bouncing off the body, i.e. a single LED torch.

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

Keep moving!

[Alan Stock]

I've got a Practical Photography with an article on light painting - here's the main tips from a pro:

- If you use a tripod you can draw different parts of a drawing in different photos, then merge the pics together with Photoshop to create the whole image.

- He uses ISO 100, f/8, for exposures between 10 and 30 seconds, provides enough time for the scene behind to be lit up a bit.

- He recommends a torch where you can unscrew the front cover, as the bare bulb needs to be exposed for the best effect.

- He uses Photoshop Hue/Saturation to change the colour of the figures that he draws.

[Rev]

I've got a Practical Photography with an article on light painting - here's the main tips from a pro:

- If you use a tripod you can draw different parts of a drawing in different photos, then merge the pics together with Photoshop to create the whole image.

- He uses ISO 100, f/8, for exposures between 10 and 30 seconds, provides enough time for the scene behind to be lit up a bit.

- He recommends a torch where you can unscrew the front cover, as the bare bulb needs to be exposed for the best effect.

- He uses Photoshop Hue/Saturation to change the colour of the figures that he draws.

I can't help but think if you're going to use Photoshop to change the colour you could just use Photoshop to do the drawings too.

[Cheeko]

These ones are great, I don't know how these were done as I would've thought it would take ages to get all those light trails to make a sphere, but to then not be in the picture yourself?

Light Spheres

[Nicky]

i imagine its an LED or bunch of, on a string, span around while someone turns around slowly

[Liamness]

Well the light is constantly moving, and he's moving slightly as well. He will be somewhere in that picture, but only as a blur.

[iwan_canobi]

Those are pretty cool, need to give that a try sometime!

[hoot]

The video on that link is well worth a watch, really inspiring stuff. Would love one of the prints but they don't come cheap.

[zxcvbnm]

A couple of weeks ago at my camera club we spent the evening doing spheres, lightpainting and weird effects - cold cathode tubes give the most amazing effect - much better than LEDs.....

These were done using my bike light....

Hypnosis by neal1973, on Flickr

Jumping Jack Flash by neal1973, on Flickr

[Alexlotl]

Hmm. Technique Discussions like this are awesome, but don't really fit in the Equipment or Photo Threads. We're the heaviest users of this folder, so why don't we spread out a bit? A "Photography Theory & Technique" thread might be a good one. We could list useful books/websites and talk some of the theory bits. Put our heads together and try and understand Ansel Adams.

I've just worked out that for DOF (but not exposure) on cropped sensors, you effectively multiply the Aperture by the crop factor as well as the focal length. This is utterly fudged in my copy of Understanding Exposure (which is 2nd ed - maybe 3rd has improved). Mildly mindblowing.

[NecroMorrius]

How many named items did you have?

Errrm, off the top of my head, 10-12. I didn't have to name the items until after I took the insurance though, I just knew I was covered up to 10k. I added all the serials etc after I took out the policy. I've since added my gf's kit too

[Rev]

Seems a little bit odd. All insurance has gone up, which might cover a bit but when I put through a quote to cover without any named items and with all the options ticked at different prices:

£3k - £132

£5k - £208

£10k - £364

£20k - £486

Definitely not flat up to £10k!

[NecroMorrius]

Weird. Mine runs out soon so I'll see what happens when I go to renew it. I wasn't gloating by the way, I just didn't like the thought of you getting stinched when other people were playing less.

[Rev]

Yeah I know, I definitely didn't take it that way. The worry is that either mine is over-priced or there is something wrong with yours - Lord knows insurers love a reason to say a policy is invalid.

[NecroMorrius]

Perhaps they've revised their policies. Ah well, they're probably impossible to claim from and run by a single guy sat on a yacht somewhere.

[McMond]

I feel such an idiot for asking this, but how does using a monopod help you take sharper images? You've gone from holding a camera with both hands, to holding a errr, stick.. so I would have thought it would still depend on how steady your hands are! Is it just being able to rest it on objects etc? Or are their other accessories involved?

I'm asking based on a few pictures recently posted in Random Photos where monopod was used to retain sharpness at long focal lengths.

I apologise for this question.

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

A camera mounted on a stick resting on the ground is easier to keep still than a camera held in your hands.

[Rev]

I feel such an idiot for asking this, but how does using a monopod help you take sharper images? You've gone from holding a camera with both hands, to holding a errr, stick.. so I would have thought it would still depend on how steady your hands are! Is it just being able to rest it on objects etc? Or are their other accessories involved?

I'm asking based on a few pictures recently posted in Random Photos where monopod was used to retain sharpness at long focal lengths.

I apologise for this question.

With a monopod you put downward force onto the camera, through the monopod and into the ground which just cuts down lateral movement. It makes total sense when you use one and they're worth owning (although I er...don't). It certainly doesn't come close to a tripod for stability, you probably gain little more than two stops, if that, but it's definitely better than just freestanding.

[johnj]

Getting a glide cam pro 2000 tomorrow for my 550d after coming 3rd in a comp today, excited

[Alexlotl]

I feel such an idiot for asking this, but how does using a monopod help you take sharper images? You've gone from holding a camera with both hands, to holding a errr, stick.. so I would have thought it would still depend on how steady your hands are! Is it just being able to rest it on objects etc? Or are their other accessories involved?

The monopod foot extends all the way to the ground, or other solid thing (like a fence), and helps take the weight and absorb vibration. You can either use it straight up/down, in which case it's pretty much like resting your camera on top of a fence post, or angled, in which case it works with your body to form a cyborg tripod. This dramatically reduces y-axis movement (as you're taking less of the weight), improves your centre of gravity and balance (reducing general wobble), and absorbs vibration from the shutter press (which is where most wobble comes in).

If you're interested in one, this article at Nikonians is fairly sound, as is this Thom Hogan article I mentioned earlier. Both are written by people with no shortage of spending power though, although Thom does at least make a good "buy-cheap-buy-twice" argument. Personally, I'm not of the opinion that Carbon Fibre is worth it for a Monopod, as they're only 1/3rd of the weight of a Tripod, so the benefit is less. I have a good quality Aluminium Gitzo clone (Induro) which I'm very happy with, although a lot of people recommend the Manfrotto ones. Head wise, I use the Kirk Tilt Head - it keeps things simple (one knob), and I can just pivot the monopod itself to pan. That meant buying a bracket for my camera too, of course, and the cost adds up. Still, it won't go obsolete like a camera body will, so it's arguably an investment.

A good cheap first step might be to buy a beanbag - they're literally just that, a little beanbag, sometimes with a tripod screw on it. Plonk it on a fence or a tree branch, and it'll free you up from having to support the camera and do a cracking job of absorbing the vibration. Even cheaper still, if it comes to it you can just prop your lens barrel on the zoo fence and use that as support - I've achieved some sharp results this way.

[McMond]

.... in which case it works with your body to form a cyborg tripod. This dramatically reduces y-axis movement (as you're taking less of the weight), improves your centre of gravity and balance (reducing general wobble), ...

Thanks for the comprehensive responses everyone.

Lol, what a muppet I am! Brain tired. Makes sense tho, aside from the obvious benefit to less movement vertically, you then use your own body, the surroundings and the monopod to form a more stable base for the cameras over all angles. With more flexibility and freedom than a standard tripod.

If I have any more basic physics questions, I'll be back

[Janson]

Can anyone recommend a good entry level DSLR? working in Thailand at the mo and I've been using a nikon 3000 which I was quite impressed with. I've done some research and the 3100d looks good. Are these well priced for what you get generally? Or can you get better for your money? Price range would be up to £350.

Also, what is the reason high powered cameras use compact flash and not sd? I tried asking a Thai photographer and he just said compact flash can handle larger sizes better, not sure if it's true though.

[Nicky]

Getting a glide cam pro 2000 tomorrow for my 550d after coming 3rd in a comp today, excited

hey congratulations!

let us know how it is.

[Alexlotl]

I know the D3100 gets good reviews - a lot better than the D3000, which was considered a bit of a misfire. The bundled 18-55mm VR kit lens is very solid too - doesn't feel too cheap, and optically very little to complain about.

Not sure what the competition from Canon/Sony/Pentax is like these days though, and there's also the m43 stuff to consider. Read some reviews, have a think about where you want to go in future (changing brand is tricky), and if at all possible, hit a camera shop and try handling them in person.

CF Cards are faster than SD, so if you're shooting sports or wildlife in burst mode they can allow either more shots-per-second, or to maintain max speed for longer. SDs cope with large files just fine, though - the Pentax 645D, a 40Mp MF-DSLR designed primarily for landscape use, only takes SDs, as burst speed is less of an issue.