Day 31 - Orchid

Some more still life to round off the month:

Strobist info: I started with just diffuse window light coming from behind and left to give a reasonable back-light.  I then added in some flash from a Sigma 530 DG Super with the Lumiquest Softbox III on a stand coming from the right of the flower to pick out the form and texture of the petals.  As usual, flash triggered using Cactus V4.

I'm fairly pleased with the lighting, but there's something about the composition that niggles me.  Maybe too much space at the top?  I'm not sure.

Day 30 - Two Snaps

I took the girls out for a walk along the canel, looking for photo ideas along the way.  I ended up with a few that I was pleased with and thought I'd share a couple of them with you.

First up is Spa Mill, taken with the Sigma 10-20.  I like the shadows on this, giving a nice balance with the branches of the same trees at the top of the frame.

The second is another photo of Jessica, taken using diffuse ambient light.  I know I might be biased, but I think those eyes are stunning.

Day 29 - Beancounter

I received another toy to try out today - Lumiquest Softbox III.  Rather than pin anyone down for a portrait I thought I'd see how the slight unwieldy attachment coped with a more challenging assignment of candid shots of the monsters children.

This was taken with the ambient underexposed by about 2 stops and with the softbox on a YN460-II flash held close in front of Jessica's face, fired using a Cactus V4.  The light is certainly soft, with no harsh shadows and no burnt highlights on the coins.  It's also directional enough to give a bit of shape in the shadow around Jessica's cheek.

Day 28 - Night Bus

Today was the first day I haven't managed to pick up my SLR this year.  I don't feel too bad about it because a) I took a picture on my phone (terrible quality, interesting technique and result), and b) I was attending a talk by the fantastic Martin Parr.  If you've never come across his work, shame on you.  Take a look!

Day 27 - Flashing

I finally managed to acquire the correct range of DIY crafty things (A4 neoprene sheet and sticky back Velcro) to make myself a snoot, so I tried it out with a few self-portrait comparisons.  All these use the same flash position but different modifiers.  I was really surprised at how effectively the improvised snoot narrows the beam.  It's ridiculous as a self-portrait, but does give me a guide to how I might use it more creatively.

Day 26 - Steel and Glass

I was trying to look for patterns and lines in the buildings today.  Not sure if this is a bit rubbish or whether its just not something that interests me very much.  It certainly felt more like a grabbed snapshot than something I'd created.  Anyhow, its all about trying different things I suppose.  Behold the snap...

Day 25 - Garlic

Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae.  This you can learn from Wikipedia.

What that page doesn't tell you is how to create a masterful low-key still life of aforementioned close relative of the onion, shallot, leek and chive, so I had to figure that out on my own.  I'll let you decide whether I've come anywhere close.

Strobist - YN460-II with a paper snoot attached with some velcro on lowest power close camera right.  Sigma 530 DG Super at 1/32 power into a reflective umbrella camera left.

Day 24 - Annabelle

I really need to take advantage of Annabelle's current lack of locomotion.  As soon as she's on the move my lighting practice is going to be limited to willing adult volunteers and still life.  To that end I crammed a couple of lights and a white foam board into a small space to produce this...

Thanks to Sian for the peep-o and face making to keep Anna entertained!

Lighting info and another shot after the jump.

Day 23 - Tulips from...

...Sainsburys.  But don't let that put you off.

Strobist: Sigma 530 DG Super in a reflective umbrella camera left.  YN460-II directed onto a white foam board behind, with the built in reflector throwing back a hint of rim light.

I need to learn to read the histogram on the camera rather than the preview screen if I'm going to get these background lights right.  I'm not keen on the gradient from bottom to top and that should be easy to correct in camera.  I haven't corrected afterwards as that's not really the point of the exercise.

Day 22 - Bonus Photo!

This is from the same set as Day 9, but I've only just got around to editing it.

I used a similar one light set up with a shoot through umbrella on the Sigma 530 DG Super.

Day 22 - Jessica

Another home portrait session, trying out some new kit.  Well, actually trying to try out some new kit.  I wanted to experiment with a second hair light using a new Yongnuo YN460 Mark II flash, possibly using its optical trigger capability or possibly testing some new Cactus V4 receivers, the poor man's pocket wizard.

Thoughts and another snap after the jump...

Day 21 - beer o'clock

Rather foolishly, I attempted something tricky today and it has taken slightly longer than anticipated.  I was motivated by the Strobist 102 assignment on kitchen items and controlling the lighting for reflective objects.

More details and another example after the jump.

Day 20 - Huddersfield Station

I've never tried much night time photography, but this photo 365 is supposed to be about learning by trying new things.  I've always thought Huddersfield train station was an impressive building, but struggled to find an interesting photo of it.  This is certainly my best look at it so far...

This was 1.3s at f/5.6 with the Sigma lens wide at 10mm.  I'm fairly happy with the amount of motion  blur and contrast with the people standing still, but the station isn't perfectly straight, so perhaps this is one to try again.

Day 19 - Leeds Art Gallery and Library

A lunchtime exploration of the fantastic interior of Leeds art gallery and library building.  I must say I was more impressed by the building than much of the art on show at the moment.  The visit was only marred by one overly officious lady who accosted me while I snapped:

OL: Have you got permission to photograph in here?
me: Do I need permission?
OL: Yes! It could be an invasion of privacy!
me: Oh.

pause...

OL: I've given you permission now.  Carry on.

Anyway, here's the snap:

A couple more after the jump...

Day 18 - Photography by candle light

This effort was the result of an experiment in balancing flash with the ambient (candle) light.  I used a single flash with a reflective umbrella to camera left near to the ground.  I had the camera set to manual with f/8 and a 2s exposure.  The flash goes off at the start of the two seconds, freezing the candle stick.  I then waved the camera about like a loon for a bit, causing the flame to leave pretty shapes.  The candle stick doesn't blur much because it isn't getting any light.  Nice.

Some more thoughts on this after the jump...

Day 17 - Jess the Moggle

Here's the moggle again, lit with a single flash with reflective umbrella high at the end of the bed and told to jump and flop about.

Obedient as ever, she decided to just lie there and pout at me.  Fortunately she soon decided to dance about, giving me more of a challenge to get her in the frame, let alone in focus!

Another picture and thoughts after the jump...

Day 16

In the days of Edward Weston, I'm sure it was a lot easier to find twisted vegetables to photograph.  Modern quality control at Sainsburys rather limits such opportunities now.  These week, however, we got lucky and bought a freak!

With today's effort I was trying to work on controlling the lighting of my fortuitously misshapen pepper.  I used a single flash with a piece of muslin hung over the front to soften the specular highlights while retaining quite a hard light source to give shape.  The flash was angled away from the background to avoid spilling too much light over it.  I also reflected a little light back on the right to keep some detail in the shadowed side.

Day 15

Although I'd love to be posting portraits on here every day, I have to limit my photographic demands on my limited pool of models so its another still life today.  If anyone wants a free portrait session please let me know!

Hunting around the house for subject matter I remembered a David Hobby piece in his excellent lighting 101 about detail shots and decided to shoot this:

It's a page from Sam Haskins' 1962 "five girls".  You might recognise it as several shots from the book have been used as album and single covers by The Last Shadow Puppets.

I used a single bare strobe low down to rake some light across the page, trying to bring out the shape of the page and the texture of the paper.  You might need to see a big version to see the texture, if that's what floats your boat.

Day 14

I had a busy day on the 14th, with a longer than usual journey to work as a result of the ice and a bashed up car.  Fortunately, the walk to the station gave me chance to pop the camera out and snap some more snow.  Thankfully, the Council had decided to leave some subject matter lying around for me.

I took this in Slaithwaite using the ambient street light above and car lights approaching from the right to get a bit of shape on the bins and bags.  I had to go up to iso 1600 at f/1.8 to get a 1/50s exposure, which was just about ok for my cold shaky hands, but did give a lot of noise on the Nikon D50.  Let's call it artistically grainy, shall we?

Day 13

I wasn't struck by any great inspiration on the 13th.  I was stuck at home as someone (actually two people in separate incidents) crashed into my car in the ice.  Rather than posting a photo taken for the insurance company of my car crushed against a stone wall I decided to have a play with looking at hard and soft light.

Both photos taken using the Sigma 530 DG Super on a light stand.  The first used a shoot through umbrella and the second was a bare flash.  Things to note are the shadows, particularly the transition from shadow to light, and the specular highlights along the edge of the blocks and on the little blue driver.

Another thing I noted was the drop in power when using the shoot through.  I probably loose about two stops of light with the umbrella.  It's also worth thinking about where all that extra light goes.  Not a problem if I was shooting outside or in a big studio, but in my front room that light is just bouncing off the walls, softening the shot even further.

Day 12

Sorry for the brief delay in posting my photos.  I've been without a phone line at home for a few days.  I can't say we've missed the land line, but not having a broadband connection has been a bit frustrating, not least for Jessica who wants to "skype a nanny" at every opportunity.

Anyway, here's my photo from the 12th.  Some telephones at Leeds station:

Day 11

A self portrait today, playing with the light and reflections.

Strobist info: bare Sigma 530 DG Super @ 1/32 power 45 degrees camera right, fill from a white wall to the left.  Remote trigger and Cactus V4 for the flash.

Day 10

My youngest moggle, Anna.  She's very proud of finding her tasty toes and showing off her bendy limbs.

Strobist info: Vivitar 730AFC on low power with a shoot through umbrella directly behind.

Day 9

A broad light portrait with another single light set up.  I was aiming for a fashion style with a slightly cold, wintery look picking out the curve of Sian's hair round her face.

Strobist info: Sigma 530 DG Super @ 1/16 power with shoot through umbrella close camera right

Day 8

Some more winter ice in Slaithwaite today, with another blip of on-board flash to pop out the sign.

Day 7

I thought I should probably have at least one icy photo while we experience the coldest winter since the glaciers retreated.  I found these bad boys hanging from the corner of the Full Muffin in Slaithwaite and gave them of blip of on-board flash.  No colour adjustment other than white balance.

Day 6

A first attempt at some Rembrandt lighting, with the help of my lovely wife.

Strobist info: Sigma 530 DG Super @ 1/32 power above right; reflector to the left to soften the shadow

Day 5

A snowy day in Leeds led me to risk life and limb in a slippery city centre for today's shot.

Day 4

A strange building in Leeds, which looks derelict but appears to be used by the police.  All very strange...

Day 3

A glass of red for the back to work blues...

I would have preferred an all black back drop but my wife has stolen my black card to make Christmas present labels.

Stobist info: Sigma 530 DG Super @ 1/16 power, behind glass to the left and angled up to catch the pouring wine.

Day 2

An attempt to get both girls in the frame today.  Slightly ambitious perhaps, given that they were both a bit grumpy.  I nearly didn't post today as this isn't pin sharp, but I decided that failing to have a picture on day 2 would be pretty poor.  I'll move on to something other than children soon.  Something easier to control, like tigers or the swine flue virus.

So, here are Annabelle and Jessica.

Strobist info: Sigma 530 DG Super at 1/4 power above left with shoot through umbrella

Day 1

This is my 365 photo project.  One photo a day in 2010 to make this the year that really improves my photography.  I'll talk a little more about my photography, what I want to achieve and other bits and pieces as I go along, but for now, here's the first picture.

This is my eldest daughter, Jessica.  Two years old and apparently Yorkshire's next top model.  Or "moggle" if you ask Jessica.

Strobist info - Sigma 530 DG Super 1/4 power above right with a silver umbrella