Assignment #20, Copying & Emulating

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:50 pm

So I searched for sometime for something that I would like to try and copy, unfortunately there was no information on the photographer or any Exif in the image so I have not been able to ask permission to use. However I found the image on a gaming website an figured since it was already in the public domain there would be no problem, only thing is I'm not sure it's size is appropriate.

Discussion:

Composition; Rule of thirds has been applied loosely dart has been placed across the middle of the frame.
DOF; this is shallow and selective limited to the focal plane of the dart.
Lighting; this appears to be a directional spot light, defused with a yellow filter or a yellow light has been used.
Background; this is possibly a piece of blue cloth or paper backdrop.

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:21 pm

You might be right on the technique.

Another scenario might be:

Tungsten light on the dartboard; daylight in the background (an open window?). White balance set for tungsten. The daylight will look blue and the tungsten would look white. So I think this falls apart.

Another possibility: Blue gel over a flash aimed at a gray or black background, and a tungsten light at the dart or another flash with a yellow filter over the flash head.

Several ways to go about this. I think if you do this right you will learn the effects of several different light sources. Good choice of subjects. I predict it will take between 3 and 5 tries to get this right. You'll be amazed at how much and how thorougly you will learn the lesssons in this project.

Go for it.

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:20 am

From my experience of darts and being an ex-pub player, the spot light would usually be white........with a film of cigarette tar to yellow it up a bit. I'm sure that a piece of yellow plastic would give the same effect. lol

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:27 am

Hey Trevor, thanks for the tip, I'd have to smoke up a real storm to yellow up a spot light LOL, so I think I'll try the yellow plastic.

Packard I plan to approach this in stages, First I’ll try getting the composition and DOF right, and then I'll sort out the background and try the different lighting options.

Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:34 pm

First I took a couple of shots with regular lights to get the angle and DOF as close as possible.

I could not get my hands on a yellow spot light, so I took a desk lamp, put a yellow globe in it and then added a paper cone to direct the light. I also placed a blue sheet as a backdrop.

Attempt 1
Directed yellow light from below at the bottom to centre section of the dart board, a small torch used to light the back drop and on camera flash (Built in) exposure comp set to -2 and diffused by a tissue paper.
Exp = 2.5sec
App = f4.5
ISO = 100

The lighting is to evenly spread in this image, also there is a strong shadow at 90 degrees to the dart.

Attempt 2
For this one I changed the angle of the directed light to be more from the front almost at a 45 degree angle across the dart board. Changed exposure value to -2, and kept flash as is.
Exp = 1/3
App = f4.5
ISO = 100

The yellow light is now far more isolated to the ringed part of the dart board, but the dart itself is now not lit enough.

Attempt 3
Here I left the directional light as is, changed the flash exposure comp to 0, but diffused it with a second piece of tissue.
Exp = 1/3
App = f5.6
ISO = 100

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:40 pm

I would try this:

Make a gobo (light blocker) from black card stock.

Cut a hole in the middle about 3 or 4 inches in diameter.

By moving it further from or closer to the light source you can control the size of the light beam. You can make a more subtle transition from light to dark by making the hole with "saw teeth". That is use a scissors to cut a bunch of pointed teeth in the hold. This will soften the transition.

I think you need a more focused light on the dart and allow more fade to the background. The gobo should allow this.

You are getting there. It is never as easy as it appears.