How was this pic taken ? - please explain


Ricardo Ong

New Member
Jan 31, 2011
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Hi everyone,

I randomly came across this picture and I'm curious how about does the photographer shot this picture. I have attached the EXIF data for discussion.

Exif | IMG_0794 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

1) how was the colour achieved? ie cross processing involved?

2) the exposure is 0.1sec (1/10) - less than the focal length - 17mm -
i thought we are supposed to keep it longer? ie min 1/25 or somethin?

3) metering mode: Multi-segment

i am currently using Canon 60D, i cant seem to find that mode...should i use center weight average metering instead?

I like the colour of this picture and I hope someone can help explain how to achieve such a picture.

Cheers!
 

Not much of a pro, but here's what I think...

1) I believe it is either a coloured gel on the flash or some cross processing in Lightroom

2) The shutter speed of 1/focal length is just a recommended setting for taking shots at slower shutter speed while still getting 'sharp-enough' photos. You can try on your own with various combinations, but it is also affected by other factors, such as use of tripod, flash, weight of camera and length of lens barrel if it is shot hand held. In this case a flash was used to light up the scene, so I believe the slow shutter speed is probably to capture more details in the background. (not a flash user, perhaps someone more experienced could enlighten us on this?)

3) I believe it is called Evaluative Metering on Canon? I'm a Nikon user, and I'm pretty sure its the same thing as Matrix Metering. Both have their own algorithms however, but the general idea is the camera meters the entire scene in the viewfinder.

Fiddle around with different setups and settings to try to recreate the scene. Its all part of the learning process, haha :p
 

Color is achieved via PS/LR (most likely).
It could be done using on camera functions (like gel-ing the flash/wb tweaks)

The image itself is taken using night club shooting techniques.
By the way you phrase the question, its way too advanced for you to understand. You need to first understand the manual mode, and how flash really works.
If you google, "how to shoot in a night club" there will be alot of resources on it.

This image is shot on a contraint than achieved.
It's shot in a near dark place (night club), using flash and a slow shutter speed.
Usually you dont want to shoot in a near dark place, but he has to. It's his job.

To achieve an image like this without going to a night club.
Take a normal image, lower the color saturation. Add an orange color tone.
Add severe vignetting (the large shadowy area on the sides of the image)

Edit: after looking at other images of his. I believe he is using a warm WB to shoot instead of tweaking it in PS after.
 

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Hi everyone,

I randomly came across this picture and I'm curious how about does the photographer shot this picture. I have attached the EXIF data for discussion.

Exif | IMG_0794 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

1) how was the colour achieved? ie cross processing involved?

2) the exposure is 0.1sec (1/10) - less than the focal length - 17mm -
i thought we are supposed to keep it longer? ie min 1/25 or somethin?

3) metering mode: Multi-segment

i am currently using Canon 60D, i cant seem to find that mode...should i use center weight average metering instead?

I like the colour of this picture and I hope someone can help explain how to achieve such a picture.

Cheers!
I believe he did some PP...If not.. he might had used the creative style/mode in his camera.

(1/10 sec) at 17mm is always possible as long you have a tripod or really steady hand..it is achievable. anyway..if im not mistaken lens used had IS too..

Regardless which brand..most come with 3 metering.. Multi. Center and spot. But different brand might call it differently. As suggested..Canon could be Evaluative Metering as "multi".. Its the "icon with the box fully filled"
 

I believe he did some PP...If not.. he might had used the creative style/mode in his camera.

(1/10 sec) at 17mm is always possible as long you have a tripod or really steady hand..it is achievable. anyway..if im not mistaken lens used had IS too..

Regardless which brand..most come with 3 metering.. Multi. Center and spot. But different brand might call it differently. As suggested..Canon could be Evaluative Metering as "multi".. Its the "icon with the box fully filled"

Just scroll down the EXIF to "Creator Tool" and it says: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.3
 

Hi everyone,

I randomly came across this picture and I'm curious how about does the photographer shot this picture. I have attached the EXIF data for discussion.

Exif | IMG_0794 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

1) how was the colour achieved? ie cross processing involved?

2) the exposure is 0.1sec (1/10) - less than the focal length - 17mm -
i thought we are supposed to keep it longer? ie min 1/25 or somethin?

3) metering mode: Multi-segment

i am currently using Canon 60D, i cant seem to find that mode...should i use center weight average metering instead?

I like the colour of this picture and I hope someone can help explain how to achieve such a picture.

Cheers!

1) Color was achieved in PP. Adobe Lightroom to be exact.

2) When using flash and flash is the main light source, it is ok to use a slower shutter speed and still get sharp photos. Why? because flash is a very fast strobe of light, around 1/1000s, and that light will freeze your subject.

3) Multi-segment = Evaluative metering.
 

2) the exposure is 0.1sec (1/10) - less than the focal length - 17mm -
i thought we are supposed to keep it longer? ie min 1/25 or somethin?
This is not a rule to be blindly followed everywhere. First of all, it's for daylight where no other light source is involved. The moment flash comes in the rules are changing.
3) metering mode: Multi-segment
i am currently using Canon 60D, i cant seem to find that mode...should i use center weight average metering instead?
If you google and read your manual you'll easily find that Multi-Segment (or Matrix) is the same what Canon calls 'Evaluative Metering'. It's just that Nikon and Canon (and others) will never use the same term for the same technology. (Just compare the many different terms for image stabilization ..)
But: it's (nearly) irrelevant here :) - The metering modes like Evaluative, Center-weighted average, Spot etc. are used for the standard exposure (ambient light). But here we have flash as main source of light, which means ETTL metering for flash is used, together with Evaluative metering for the background.
For flash photography with Canon EOS please get a large cup of your favourite drink, some snack, your camera manual and start reading here: Flash Photography with Canon EOS Cameras - Part I.
 

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Hi all,

thank u so much for your comments...your explanation makes more sense to me now ... :)


Hi IsenGrim / others who can kindly explain to a newbie


To achieve an image like this without going to a night club.
Take a normal image, lower the color saturation. Add an orange color tone.Add severe vignetting (the large shadowy area on the sides of the image)

I have Photoshop elements 9... for the colour saturation part, i roughly know...jus use the slider on the right hand side...

but i am unsure how about to "add the orange colour tone" ... ??

severe vignetting - that part i know ... :)


Edit: after looking at other images of his. I believe he is using a warm WB to shoot instead of tweaking it in PS after.
 

Hi all,

thank u so much for your comments...your explanation makes more sense to me now ... :)


Hi IsenGrim / others who can kindly explain to a newbie


To achieve an image like this without going to a night club.
Take a normal image, lower the color saturation. Add an orange color tone.Add severe vignetting (the large shadowy area on the sides of the image)

I have Photoshop elements 9... for the colour saturation part, i roughly know...jus use the slider on the right hand side...

but i am unsure how about to "add the orange colour tone" ... ??

severe vignetting - that part i know ... :)


Edit: after looking at other images of his. I believe he is using a warm WB to shoot instead of tweaking it in PS after.
it is not just vignetting, it is lights fall off, read Inverse-square law