Flash & Sibs: A Dramatic Yet Awesome Evening

Recently I got my hands on a hotshot flash and my sibs thought it would be awesome to be my models.

I couldn't agree more.

See, I am in love with flash photography, mainly, dramatic flash lighting in photographs. So I took said hotshot flash and a cool tone reflector before creating some awesome scenarios with my siblings.

Let the awesomeness commence!

Flash is good for creating fill light in images.





Here are some close ups with my sister using flash as fill lighting.




Now as it got darker, we were allowed more dramatic lighting situations. Also, did you know that flash flattens whatever is in the background or in action? That is why action images (things in motion) while used with flash, are flat.

Take for instance, these next two images of another sister:




See how the background looks extremely flat? Flash does this. That is why it is good to have it at an angle, because it can flatten the face as well.

Here are some of the fun shots from the shoot:



I LOVE what I can do with flash here. Isn't my sister's face barely peeking out creepy? I totally love it.



This is my sister. She can totally whip her hair back and forth.



My lovely and epic assistant.

Until my next photographic adventure,
Sarah

Water: A Stop Action Perspective

So, last week we had an assignment. That was to manipulate our shutterspeed and f/stop to capture part one, a blur, and then part two, stop action shots. I decided to go to one of our school's fountains and capture the water. The sun was out nice and bright, and the colors weren't too harsh. All shots were done with manual metering and focus.

Let us start off with some slower exposures. This one was pretty slow, therefor capturing the motion blur here.



Lets try a relatively faster f/stop.



See how the water is starting to take on more detail? Want to see what happens when you speed the combo way up?

Lets get started.















The art of the photo.

How about lets add a fountain and water hitting it, as well as the drops afterward.




















Another thing that was fun was changing perspective. I took advantage of the natural light and made individual droplets stand out even more, naturally darkening the background by metering the water, a highlight.






I hope you enjoyed! Have a wonderful week.

{All photos in posts are straight from the camera unless otherwise noted.}

Take This Sky With Silver Lining

Last week the wind was such a nightmare to so many people here in East Texas with all of the wildfires plaguing our corner of the state. It blew smoke everywhere, and fueled the fires that were filling many of us with fear and annoyance after so many days of this. However, the day I took these there was no smoke in my area. I walked outside and was excited to see small waves on the lake. After snatching my camera I darted across the road to my special deck I had adopted. I am very grateful that after so much headache the combo of wind + lack of rain has caused everyone, I can find some beauty in it.



Sometimes, harsh light can be your friend. This is one of those cases. It really brings out the dramatic elements I was going for with the waves and the sun.






You can totally tell how the first victim of the no rain was our water level. Generally it is so much higher.




On the way home I snapped this photo of the light through the tree branches, and then the swing outside the abandoned house. Eerie.




I love finding beauty in the simple things, don't you?

Paint Me Pink: A Lake Sunset

The abandoned house across the street from my home has a lone dock on the lake that overlooks where the sun sets. So, after many days of contemplating, I picked up my camera and stole across the street to the serene dock. The other lake houses had fancy docks, with buildings and high-speed boats on them. This house had one that was simply made with wood and only possessed three ladders down to the water (due to the lack of rain, it is a beach right now)and a simple boat swing. There are no rails or restraints. Just feet of wood over very glass-like water in the evening stillness. I found it very freeing as I sat at the very tip of the dock and waited for the perfect moment and boy, was I glad I did.


I love sunsets. To me they are like God's personal painting for the day. Sometimes I laugh when I picture Him saying, "Forget your 'verse of the day', I'm going to paint you a picture--look heavenward!" Ah, a nice mental image.

Beautiful, right? Dad came and sat with me for awhile longer and we watched the sun dip down, but not before I laid back on the dock and took a photo of the amazing sky from upside down.








I hope you find a sunset soon. Look heavenward!