“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.” ― Eudora Welty
Ruffled Feathers, originally uploaded by CircadianReflections Photography.
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Copyright © 2014 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
Another Allen’s Hummingbird image I made last week-end. He has a little smudge on his breast that I’m tempted to clone out, but I also like him the way he is in his natural environment. What would you do clone it out, or leave it?
Nikon D300s| AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 @ f8| 1/400s| ISO 500| Manual Priority| Matrix Met| Tripod| Santa Cruz, CA| Fine weather
Travelerette at the Casting Pool, originally uploaded by CircadianReflections Photography.
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Copyright © 2014 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
Watching these men and women is a bit hypnotic. The arm motion and line is so fluid, and I think graceful.
I created Travelerette at the Lego store in town to go with the Traveler, but he was napping at the time of this photo op. 🙂
Nikon D700| AF-S Nikkor 24-70g| Hand-held
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Copyright © 2014 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
I spent Saturday morning photographing a few of these Hummingbirds. They zip through the air sometimes in a swinging motion then they race straight up, up, up like a rocket blasting off then nose dive at top speed down to their nest or perch. Their wings make a high pitched squealing noise much like putting on the brakes hard and fast.
There were quite a few skirmishes for territory yesterday as well. They were very entertaining to watch.
Nikon D300s| AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 @ f8| 1/200s| ISO 500| Manual Priority| Matrix Metering| Tripod
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Copyright © 2014 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
I was going to toss these because I didn’t use them before their sell by date, but had this idea to play with them first.
Title Credit- He-Man. Thank you! I love it.
Nikon D700| AF Nikkor 85mm f1.4D @ f10| 1/200s| ISO 320| Manual Priority| Matrix Met| Tripod
Strobist- SB910 camera right front high @ 1/16th pwr keylight, SB600 camera left high @ 1/128th pwr fill light, triggered via Commander Mode in Camera
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Copyright © 2014 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
Nikon D700| AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D@ f8| 1/200s| ISO 320| Manual Priority| Matrix Metering| Hand-held
Strobist- SB910 at 1/2pwr camera right bounced off ceiling-triggered via Commander Mode in camera
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Copyright © 2014 Deborah M Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
I’ve been working on the wine bottle shot some more. I changed the wine bottle to one that has wine all the way up to the cork wrap. Oddly enough this bottle doesn’t have a cork though. I was still getting a pretty hard "hot spot" and reflection using the shoot through umbrella, so after days, and many, many frames with only slight improvement I decided to sleep on it. Last night I took the umbrella off and moved my light closer to the white wall to the right of subject and bounced the light to see how that worked. It worked out much better.
I still had a "hot spot" but it was much softer and smaller. I softened it more in post development using the healing brush, and burn tool.
I see I need to invest in a Strip Box. I like this type of photography so it would definitely get used. I’m looking at the Wescot Rapid Box Kit. Does anyone have that kit? If so how do you like it? I would like to have some feedback on strip boxes please.
A note about the wine- We were in a wine club a while ago-one where you received a Red and White each month; this bottle is from the club. I’ve had it in storage. The description reads-
2 Copas 2011 LA MANCHA Denominacion de Origen.
Aromas and flavors of red cherries, raspberry, spices and notes of dark chocolate. 2 Copas is Spanish for 2 wine glasses, which is all you need to enjoy this aromatic and smooth wine. Enjoy 2 copas with a friend, your better half, or a neighbour or even with your mother-in law, but never drink alone, all you need is 2 copas!
I’ll save it for a few more years then share it. 🙂
D700| AF Nikkor 85mm f1.4D @ f5.6| 1/200s| ISO 320| Manual Priority| Matrix Metering| Tripod
Strobist- SB910 camera right high ! 1/4 pwr bounced off white wall, SB 600 camera right front low near subject @ 1/128 pwr background light, flag right of subject to deflect light spill on the label, and white reflector subject left,
Triggered via Commander Mode in Camera
Copyright © 2014 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
As you may have noticed I’m working on improving my Product, Still-life, and Artificial Lighting photography skills. Developing this skill set has been quite the challenge.
Working with lights is a whole new animal to work with. You have to learn how create light. For me Landscapes are so much easier.
First there’s the composition to make…yes make! In nature I find them ready-made. It’s not always easy to set up more than one object so it is pleasing to the eye. All the rules of composition I learned in art classes are coming in handy when shooting still-life and product images. FYI- I didn’t do well in any art class I ever took but, the rules are proving themselves very valuable indeed with still-life photography! Then one must create the light that one sees in the mind’s eye. Let me tell you…it’s is easier seen in the mind than it is to create!
It took me months to get this composition just right:
I’m sure you’re thinking….what? Months? You’re kidding? Yes months! It just isn’t something that comes to me naturally. I wish it did.
I’ve continued to push myself and create still-life images, and to use my Speedlight, and continuous lights.
One of my recent images was a watch though not magazine worthy I’m happy with it:
My latest self-imposed challenge has been to photograph a wine bottle.
This has proved very hard to photograph. There are several problems to fix.
Here’s my first image of a wine bottle:
Problems with this image I need to fix: the hot spot which showed the light source: a Speedlight (SB910) with shoot through umbrella, (I cloned that out in this image), on the right side of the label there is light spill, the wine isn’t filled all the way up to the cork wrap, and it’s too close to the edge of the frame.
Those of you who are more knowledgeable with product photography may find other issues, but these are the issues that scream at me.
So, today I set up and re-took the shot. I moved my Speedlight with Shoot-Through Umbrella further away from the subject, then placed a black flag near the bottle to block the light from spilling onto the label, and I moved the bottle back an inch or two. Here’s that image:
I still have a hot spot, the flag worked pretty well as did moving the bottle back an inch or two. It’s not the image I hoped to create so I’ll keep working it. Perhaps, the third time will be the charm and I nail it. I am getting closer and that is progress!
Settings Nikon D700| AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4@ f8| 1/160sec|ISO 320| Manual Priority| Matrix Metering| Hand-held
Strobist- SB910 @ 1/2 power camera right through a shoot through umbrella, white foam core reflector subject left, and black flag subject right.
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