Fashion statement at Suntec 23 March 03....

[mpenza]

Took some pics for fun. There're at least 3 other Clubsnappers there too. Hope you'll like the pics.


ISO200, F4, 1/160s


ISO200, F4, 1/160s


ISO200, F4.5, 1/160s


ISO200, F5.6, 1/160s


ISO200, F5.6, 1/160s

[teowws]

Can see that the lighting is way difficult!

[Prismatic]

Any technical details to share?

[mpenza]

Quote: Originally posted by Prismatic Any technical details to share?

updated....

[mpenza]

some pics from the earlier Face of the Future Competition:


ISO200, F3.6, 1/100s


ISO200, F3.6, 1/100s

External flash was set for automatic mode (ISO200, F4, 50mm for most of the pics).

[Prismatic]

Mpenza, were you on digital or film?
Think you got to work on that flash a bit, just a bit too strong. Looks like direct flash to me, consider a Stofen or bounce card next time?

If on film, could try ISO 800 film, then could have gained 2 extra stops, then use the flash to under compensate by 1 stop. Think the effect will look more natural.

[Prismatic]

Mpenza, just found out on the other thread, you used a S602Z....
The noise on ISO 800 is still okay, maybe should use it sometimes.

[mpenza]

Quote: Originally posted by Prismatic Mpenza, were you on digital or film? Think you got to work on that flash a bit, just a bit too strong. Looks like direct flash to me, consider a Stofen or bounce card next time? If on film, could try ISO 800 film, then could have gained 2 extra stops, then use the flash to under compensate by 1 stop. Think the effect will look more natural.

Thanks for the advice. yup, direct flash was used. It's the only way I could shoot models both at the back of the stage and front though.... a bounce card or diffuser won't let me reach so far (if lighting was better I could use a much weaker flash output to just fill -in the shadows). One or two models are especially bad Think the make-up is very reflective and their faces had lots of white patches Are the 2nd to 5th and 7th and 8th pics okay (as in the flash is not too strong)?

At ISO 800, the camera can only capture 1MP pics though. That's why I didn't use it.

[mpenza]

hmm... Prismatic, what do you thinkg of the following pics? They were shot at the equivalanet of -1EV flash compensation. I did some post processing to increase the exposure of the main subject.

[mervlam]

the photos look harsh due to the high constrast. the subject was lighted but yet the background looks dark. a higher ISO rating or lower shutter speed should solve the problem.

your photos taken at ISO 200 still has rather high shutter speed of 1/160s. u should stop down your aperture and lower your shutter speed for a more ambient feel. a good guide would be around 1/60s.

the group photos look okay.

[Zerstorer]

Could have also tried f2.8/3.1 instead of f4 or f5.6. I presume that you stuck to those apertures coz you wanted to match them to the flash?

Can consider using those settings with some EV tweaking. As they would also capture more ambient lighting.

[mpenza]

Quote: Originally posted by mervlam the photos look harsh due to the high constrast. the subject was lighted but yet the background looks dark. a higher ISO rating or lower shutter speed should solve the problem. your photos taken at ISO 200 still has rather high shutter speed of 1/160s. u should stop down your aperture and lower your shutter speed for a more ambient feel. a good guide would be around 1/60s. the group photos look okay.

Thanks for the comments and advice would experiment more next time Proper exposure of the ambient lighting at ISO 200 would be ~F4, 1/20s or ~F2.8, 1/40s. The background on the stage is also black though and certain angles (especially shooting down the run-way) would still result in high contrast. ....

[mpenza]

Quote: Originally posted by Zerstorer Could have also tried f2.8/3.1 instead of f4 or f5.6. I presume that you stuck to those apertures coz you wanted to match them to the flash? Can consider using those settings with some EV tweaking. As they would also capture more ambient lighting.

I could use a bigger aperture but kept to F4 to F5.6 as those were said to be the sharpest for the lens. Would try to capture more amibient lighting next time I try Do you use Aperture Priority and use EV tweaking? That could help set a balance between flash and ambient exposure.

[Zerstorer]

Quote: Originally posted by mpenza I could use a bigger aperture but kept to F4 to F5.6 as those were said to be the sharpest for the lens. Would try to capture more amibient lighting next time I try Do you use Aperture Priority and use EV tweaking? That could help set a balance between flash and ambient exposure.

Well, f4 and f5.6 should give sharper pictures, but IMO overall feel and composition may be more important than a "critically sharp" shot. Personally I'd risk using a wide open aperture if it would give a better overall effect, even if it compromised sharpness a bit.

I generally use Aperture priority with -EV to balance flash and ambient expsosure. Sometimes you can get a pretty good compromise with that. Also, don't be shy of using ISO400, though its noisier, a little neat image can still give good 4R prints and downsized images, although you won't be able to make good large prints/images from it.

[Dagger]

Saw you guys shooting there yesterday but did not have my gear, so feasted on your joys of shooting then. Kekeke....

[mpenza]

Quote: Originally posted by Zerstorer Well, f4 and f5.6 should give sharper pictures, but IMO overall feel and composition may be more important than a "critically sharp" shot. Personally I'd risk using a wide open aperture if it would give a better overall effect, even if it compromised sharpness a bit. I generally use Aperture priority with -EV to balance flash and ambient expsosure. Sometimes you can get a pretty good compromise with that. Also, don't be shy of using ISO400, though its noisier, a little neat image can still give good 4R prints and downsized images, although you won't be able to make good large prints/images from it.

Would try aperture priority with -EV next time round Do you usually set a separate customised white balance for such a setting or just use auto WB?

[Zerstorer]

Quote: Originally posted by mpenza Would try aperture priority with -EV next time round Do you usually set a separate customised white balance for such a setting or just use auto WB?

I just use the same custom WB for flash.

[Prismatic]

There's this part you mention about getting the background that I would like to comment on. Actually, just wondering why will you want to get the bakground in the correct exposure? Wun it be better to just concentrate on the model on the runway.

IMO, for runway shows photography, there just 2 main things that a fashion photographer looks out for.

1. The clothes are nice.
2. The models are nice. :P

Unless, prehaps the model currently on the runway is part of a series of a collection that the photographer wants to show in relation to the rest, then would he consider trying to capture everything in the possible depth-of-field.

But then again, we are not fashion photographers. :P

Tip: I browse through mags like Elle, Runa, Bazaar sometimes to try get a feel on how to take runways shows.

[vince123123]

hehe cos photographers have always been told that black background n bright subject is bad so must always try the slow sync technique in the textbooks :P

hee hee. to me as long as the photo looks nice depending on whether background black or not black, looks nice can liao ~

[mpenza]

Quote: Originally posted by Prismatic There's this part you mention about getting the background that I would like to comment on. Actually, just wondering why will you want to get the bakground in the correct exposure? Wun it be better to just concentrate on the model on the runway.

Think they suggested getting more of the background to reduce the contrast to make the pics look less harsh.

btw, I did some post-processing for the first 7 pics to increase the exposure for the the mid-tones. This is to match the colors to what I remember from the lighting conditions