by Dave on October 12, 2008
Photography is ultimately about capturing (or not capturing) direct and reflected light. What makes lighting interesting is the ability to selectively highlight parts of the image while not highlighting other parts. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is to attach a snoot to one or more of the lighting sources.
In my case, my primary means of additive lighting control is the flash, also called a strobe. Fortunately, the shape of the strobe and its relatively cool temperature when compared to other lighting alternatives make it very easy and cheap to attach a snoot. Specifically, I used an empty cereal box, 6 or 8 strips of velcro, and about 20 minutes to make one.
Here’s how:
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by Dave on October 12, 2008
Recently, I asked myself the question “What is the difference between available light photography and artificial (flash) light photography?” As usual, Yoda was correct:
“No different, only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.”
Yoda, Star Wars, Episode V
What I had learned is that available light == best and flash == bad. Yet, that bit of “knowledge” was more of a hindrance than an aid. Typically, when we think of flash photography, we think of mug-shot, over-exposed faces, gloomy backgrounds, and the dreaded red-eye. And, when we think of available-light photography, we think of “natural-looking” photographs. Neither of these extremes is always true and, in real life, is rarely true.
In my opinion, adequate photography is capturing an interesting composition that is properly exposed. Better photography is enhancing that same composition with creative and complimentary lighting. Not only is the exposure that much better, but it’s fun as well.
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by Dave on September 15, 2008
by Dave on August 15, 2008
광복절에 태국기 - South Korean flag on Korean Independence Day
Originally uploaded by David_Harris
광복절 (Gwangbokjeol)
August 15th, 1945 is the day Korea official gained its independence from Japan at the end of WWII, the same day Japan surrendered to the U.S.. The South Korean government was created 3 years later on the same date in 1948.
I like to think of today as the day that saw the beginning of a very strong alliance and relationship between Korea and the United States that continues to this day, 63 years later.
This picture is of a South Korean flag flying just outside our apartment window. We are flying the exact same flag (with same flagpole !), but it’s difficult to get a clean, “face-on” shot of our flag from our own window.
