Assign 2 First

8/6/2019 Assign 2 First

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All the pictures have been taken in RAW format and processed with camera RAW. In some casesthis means just the automatic process, but it generally includes cropping where it is considered to be

necessary, and some contrast and colour enhancement.

All the relevant EXIF data of the pictures has been added below each one, and in some cases evenedited and modified, because this data did not reflect the wireless triggering of the flash. It is notedthat where the Canon 5D has been used the EXIF data shows the name of the previous owner of thecamera (I bought it second hand).

The general subject of the assignment is flowers, and care has been taken to have all the pictures placed in this general context.

Many of the pictures have been taken at home without any studio material, and with thecorresponding limitations implied by that fact. The ones that have not been taken at home, wereshot in different places in the Netherlands and always within the time period of the correspondingunit of the course (in other words, no one has been taken before starting with the exercises of thesecond part of the course).

Following the tutor instructions none of the pictures has been converted to B&W. Also followingthe recommendations of the tutor, many different things have been tried out for each shot, and everyshot has been taken with the intention of fulfilling the corresponding task (no 'a posteriori'classifications).

Last but not least, I have tried (also following my tutor advise) to put as much of myself in everyone of the photos, and even in the snapshots (e.g. the ones taken in the flowers auction), the oneschosen (in most cases coming from a burst with the camera) have been trough an attentive selection

process.

The text under the photos are shortly describing part of the things tried and not tried, but for a moredetailed comment, to see the process, and some other results visit the blog: http://leopin-socalcos.blogspot.com/

Leopoldo de Castro The Art of Photography Assignment 2 Page 2


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Single point

Camera : Canon EOS 5D

Lens: EF50mm f/1.8

Exposure: Manual exposure, 1 /6 sec, f/2.5,

ISO 100

Flash: Off, Did not fire

Date: July 6, 2011

The photo has been taken with the camera on a tripod pointing downwards to the floor,where a blue cardboard was extended. The light is coming from a window on top of thearrangement with a cream coloured store covering the whole window (acting as a diffuser).Why blue?...well it is just a matter of taste, I like the combination of orange (the flower) and

blue.It has been cropped and processed with camera raw, and then in photoshop to eliminatesome hairs and stains on the cardboard.I like a lot the colour, and the direct reflection of the diffused light of the window in (half)

the surface of the water. Later, I thought that the composition would be probably improved

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos5d/http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos5d/


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by adding a scissor on the lower right part of the frame.

Two Points

Camera: Canon EOS 5DLens: EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Shot at 95 mmExposure: Manual exposure, 25 sec, f/11, ISO 100Flash: Off, Did not fireDate: July 7, 2011

Shot with the camera on a tripod and the light coming from a window (on the ceiling)above. In the blog there is a photoshopped version where the reflections of the vases have

been blurred, but I don't like much photoshop, so I prefer this one, although with enoughzoom some details of the room can be seen. In the blog I pointed to many different things Itried to eliminate those reflections without success (apart for the photoshop). Many differentversions of the same subject were taken (and many of them are in the corresponding entriesin the blog). I like a lot this simple arrangements with plain backgrounds and where theflowers and the vases become the main and only subject. These shots were inspired by the

book R. Mapplethorpe, The complete Flowers, teNeues, NY, 2006.



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Several points in a deliberate shape


Shot at 80 mmExposure: Manual exposure, 1/13 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100Flash: Off, Did not fireDate: July 7, 2011

Black cardboard on the floor under a window, the vase in position, I added the flowers one by one (with different trials), and fixed them with tape. Then I added the water. The camerawas on a tripod focusing downwards (as perpendicular to the ground as I could.



6/16

A combination of Vertical and Horizontal lines


Shot at 135 mmExposure: Manual exposure, 1/160 sec, f/5.6,

ISO 200Flash: Off, Did not fireDate: July 7, 2011

This picture is different from the previous ones in many aspects. It was shot ouside withnatural light and no tripod, and the background is not so plain. Additionally, these areflowers on living plants. Shot on a cloudy and windy day. One of the things that i probablyshould have tried is to increase the depth of field so that all the lavender flowers are sharp

(and the background still unsharp).



7/16

Diagonals


Shot at 80 mmExposure: Manual exposure, 1/4 sec, f/5,


I also tried to build my own light box and to shoot something inspired somehow by K.Blossfeldt famous plant's shots, but my own style.

Using a glass, a white cardboard, and some lamps lying on the ground, some patience, notechnique, and loooooots of enthusiasm, that is what I managed to achieve......



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Shot at 80 mmExposure: Manual exposure, 1/4 sec, f/5, ISO 100Flash: Off, Did not fire

Date: July 10, 2011

As usual, all of them taken using a tripod, and processed in camera raw. The white balancewas dramatically modified, cropping, levels, contrast and some color boost. This second onewas taken with an additional light (apart from the one coming from the 'lightbox' ;) ) of azenith flash activated manually at minimum power.As it can be noticed immediately the light of my home made lightbox is far from beinghomogeneous (or uniformly diffused), but I like the results nevertheless............



9/16

Curves


Shot at 135 mmExposure: Manual exposure, 4 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100Flash: Off, Did not fireDate: July 12, 2011

Camera on tripod, main light coming from a window above and falling in the stems, not somuch in the white background. Flash manually triggered slightly from the left side. One of the things that I could have tried (but I realized long later) was to use a mirror on one sideand to point the flash so that part of its light would hit that mirror, and then I would havedouble shadows (and more curves). I also tried many other things such as use several flashshots from different positions with a snoot......some of the other results can be seen in the

blog.



10/16

Distinct, even if irregular shapes

Camera: Canon EOS 5DLens: EF50mm f/1.8Exposure: Manual exposure, 1/60 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100Flash: Off, Did not fireDate: July 9, 2011

This photo shows many things such as triangles or diagonals and it has in my opinion, as awhole, a nice mixture of different (straight and curved) shapes. In the lower right part of theframe the top of a socket can be seen, but it is not very remarkable because it is in the

shadows, and I think it does not disturb too much.



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At least two kinds of implied triangleThese were the most difficult ones of the whole assignment.


Shot at 105 mmExposure: Manual exposure, 1/160 sec, f/5.6,

ISO 400Flash: Off, Did not fireDate: July 15, 2011 This one was shot in daylight with the camera hand held. Not only the main flower has atriangular shape (abstracted), but the smaller one on the left of it, and stems also formtriangular shapes. The focus in this photograph could be a matter of argument....would it be

better to focus on the stem? Or to have a little more depth of field?....well I like it as it is!!!



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Camera: Canon EOS 5DLens: EF17-40mm f/4L USM

Shot at 17 mm

Exposure: Manual exposure, 1/20 sec, f/4, ISO 800Flash: Off, Did not fireDate: July 15, 2011

This one was shot in a flower auction in Westland (The Netherlands), so the subject is stillrelated to the overall subject of the assignment (flowers), although it would belong probablyto the category of architecture. Many triangles can be seen but the two more important onesin my view are created by the ceiling structures with basis on the horizon' line, and theother one with the horizon line and the two fences in perspective (an inverted triangle). This

photo was taken with the camera hand held and processed in camera RAW.



14/16

Rhythm



Also shot in the flower auction (see the blog for more details), I believe that this phototransmits rhythm in a number of levels. First, the sets of boxes within every container level,then the row of containers (horizontally), then the rows of flowers between the rows of

containers (vertically and a bit in diagonal)......Taken with the camera hand held in difficult light conditions, with the camera strongly held,and the elbows on a fence (like the ones that can be seen in the previous photo). The f number could not be lowered (for the focal distance), and looking to the focal distance andthe shutter speed it is a miracle that it is not blurred (although the lens is stabilized). It could

be argued whether a lower ISO value could be used.



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Pattern



The pattern is not regular, and the photo is a bit 'boring' showing no surprising elements.The combination of green and red is nice though.



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Camera: Canon EOS 5D

Lens: EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USMShot at 135 mmExposure: Manual exposure, 1/160 sec, f/5.6,


This one I like much more........however it can be argued whether or not actually represents pattern (or rather rhythm). Certainly there is a repetition of the little white (almosthexagonal) bunches of white little flowers, but they leave empty spaces in between andspecially close to the borders of the frame. The little insect (where the focus was actuallyset) adds some variation, and it is easily remarkable (not because of the size, but because of the red colour).

Both shots with the camera hand held, the first with artificial light (in the flower auction),and the second one with day light, but late in the evening (with the sun quite low) and under the trees (again the ISO value could be a matter of argument).


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