Photo Rebel

This was the very first location of the day. not even 10 meters away from the meeting point at a coffee shop.

This was taken straight across the street. The green jacket and the green car work well.

We were aiming to make the scene as if it was in Cuba. I desaturated this frame though.

There you go... Cuba!

A splash of flash, a bicycle and the wonderful Sam.

Yes... this door was huge!

A natural light image at the same door as in the previous image.

A little more close-up and a slightly different angle.

Next it was the canal and the bridge out of focus.

2-point lighting was used in this frame and a wonderfully simple background.

I love the embrace of Sam and Bas and how the lines on the wall help the composition.

Up-close and personal at the same wall.

I really like the fake door. Perhaps I should build one!

Natural light image of the same location.

I just love this low angle frame. Thankfully I had my Canon 5D mk II camera to be able to take an image like this. I continually got frustrated with the 40D and the 1.6x crop factor of the sensor.

A desaturated colour version of the Black & White images.

Damien showed a lot of repeatable techniques and stairs is something I've not really taken advantage of in my photography. That will change!

Same location but with a flash providing a bit of kick light. Bas's expression is great!

I really love this frame! I love Sam's expression!!

A simple wall and a straight forward pose.

Same wall made to look like a gritty street scene!

Another frame I like as the window adds a little something...

I stole this framing idea from Damien... Where the framing is so bad that's its almost good again.

We made this normal scene look like it might have been taken in the Mediterranean.

We used Damien's Orbis Ring Flash to create this frame. The last frame of the day.

This was one of those random moments when a resident across the street took this frame with his camera. He printed it out and came over to surprise us with it! You can see me near the mini and Damien talking to Graham Law while he's taking a frame.

The group at the end of the day...

This was taken a few meters from the coffee shop we met in.

Not far away was a canal, a perfect opportunity for a portrait!

Time to get personal...

Can you feel the passion?

Still at the same location near the canal.

Then it was time to move on... This was a simple wall with a splash of flash!

Increased the exposure for this frame.

Okay, another wall... but the fake door adds a little mystery.

I really like the framing of this image, even though it probably breaks all the rules!

I like the contrast the wall provides in the framing of this image. Although it probably separates the couple as opposed to showing togetherness.

I took a few moments to explore other angles and I just like this image. I like that the bicycles are in the frame also.

Something a bit alternative. Same location as the previous image.

Another angle of the previous image.

Moving on to another location. Sam and Bas were sitting on some stairs which you can just see in shot.

I like Bas's expression in this frame.

A close-up of the previous image. The kick light you see on Sam's hair was provided by a flash.

I love Sam's expression. Especially in the colour version in the next post.

Almost the end of the day. I really like the way Bas is holding Sam.

I like the low view point of this frame.

My first setup with flashes on stands.

Same location using a different camera angle.

Still in the same location but turned off the flashes for a natural light image.

Still in the same location. Natural light image. ISO 1600, 1/125 sec, F4.

I love this image! Shooting at F4 is quite addictive!

Always on the look out for different camera angles. Love this frame.

Earlier in the day we spotted this great blue door! Tried a few flash setups as well as some natural light frames. Natural light worked best.

A nice simple frame.

Then it was time to wonder over to the centre of town. This was a single flash setup and I was finally able to work the wide angle aspect that the 5D mk II allows. This frame has a bit of a fashion feel to it I think...

Same location but with the flashes turned off and from a different angle.

Then it was Colin's turn and went for a more contrasty look by lowering the ambient exposure.

The same flash setup as the previous frame. ISO 400, 1/80 sec, F8.

Onto another location and took this frame with a 200mm lens on a monopod.

Then it was onto my favourite wall and setup the flashes on stands.

Natural light frame. You don't always need flashes... 🙂

I absolutely love this frame! Just how long does the wall go on for.... Flashes turned back on...

Hannah and Colin enjoying the shoot...

The last location was the main bridge in Newtown over the River Severn.

The last frame of the day before heading for a nice mug of hot chocolate.

Location near the River Severn. ISO 800, 1/60 sec, F8, Aperture Priority, +0.7 EV.

Different camera angle. ISO 500, 1/160 sec, F4, Aperture Priority, +0.7 EV.

ISO 500, 1/125 sec, F4, Aperture Priority, +0 EV.

Then is was time to use a single flash bounced into a Kood 24" umbrella which was placed about 10 feet away. My goal here was to get better at mixing ambient light with flash. Using bare flash is too punchy and wanted a much softer look for this image. ISO 400, 1/200 sec, F4, Manual.

Same setup as the previous image, but a close up...

I now always check what other options they are and with the same location and same setup, I took this from a different angle.

Then back to natural light and this shot was around 3 stops over compared to what the camera would have chosen. ISO 800, 1/40 sec, F4, Manual.

Now that we were back to natural light, Graham noticed that we could add a little kick light without disrupting the natural light feel. So we setup a flash on very low power to add a bit of kick light on the right side of my mother's face. ISO 800, 1/30 sec, F4, Manual.

This is the setup from the previous shot. Graham shooting...

Same location but just round the corner. A single flash on a stand. ISO 400, 1/100 sec, F5, Manual.

I purposely positioned Chantel next to the arm and hand painted on the bus.

Using 2-point lighting with a 580EX II as the key and a 430EX II.

A single 580EX II as the key in this shot. I wish I had added my 430EX II speedlite on a low power rating to see the difference in the shots. I somehow think that seeing a little more detail on the right side of the frame would have been better.

A Black and White version...

Graham located a barn out of town that seemed to work well as a location.

This frame wasn't perfectly exposed in-camera, but seems to shape up okay in post-production.

Graham drove us to the lead mines at Clywedog dam. Graham had a second cheap flash unit (with in optical trigger) which was used to illuminate the wall on the left side.

I can assure you it was very cold and we didn't stay out long!

We added a CTB gel on the second flash.

Back at the barn, a quick portrait of Graham.

I like this shot of Bruce and I like the pose.