El Modo Manual -- No muerde ;)

I will try to translate this some other time, but since I wrote this in Spanish for a friend... well you understand.



Este era un comentario que hice en el blog de Areli y que me parecio se podia convertir en un post aqui ya que quedo bastante informativo, creo yo.

El problema de las camaras digitales es que cuando el flash esta activado tratan de irse a su zona de confort que se encuentra en 1/60 y f4.5 no es cierto? Ahi les dijo su mama que tenian que vivir. Lo malo es que esto hace que la gente se vea como venado lampareado y el fondo todo negro! (not nice). En la imagen abajo de estas lineas se puede ver un ejemplo. El fondo se supone que es un bar aqui en Manchester del que no podemos ver nada.



Si tu camara tiene funciones manuales hay que perderle el miedo y hacer lo sigueinte:

1) En alguno de los modos automaticos (ie Auto o P) desactiva el flash y toma una lectura del ambiente (el fondo). Si es tardecito pero aun hay luz te va a dar una lectura como de 1/30 o 1/15. La verdad es que no podemos sostener la camara a esa velocidad (1/15) sin que haya movimiento pero por el momento no importa.

2) Cambia al modo manual y pon la misma lectura que te dio la camara y activa tu flash. Digamos que te dio 1/30 a f4.5. Deja la velocidad pero aumenta (realmente estas disminuyendo pero ignoremos eso tambien) la apertura digamos a f6 o incluso f8. Dispara.

3) La velocidad (ie. 1/30) va a controlar el fondo de la imagen y la f (apertura) a la gente que quieres retratar. Si la gente esta muy brillosa incrementa el numero de la f, si esta muy obscura disminuye el numero. Tambien puedes aumentar y disminuir la potencia del flash. En tu manual (si, eso existe) debe venir como "flash compensation" o algo asi.

4) Decia que no importa que pongas la camara en 1/30 (con practica incluso a 1/15) porque el flash va a hacer que la gente salga en foco (sin moverse). El fondo se va a mover un poco pero a 1/30 no se nota tanto. Mas vale tener un fondo interesante que algo todo negro, no? Ademas recuerda que si tuvieras luz suficiente al enfocar a tus amigos el fondo sale un poco borroso de cualquier forma (esto se debe a la profundidad de campo y se le llama bokeh y puede ser muy interesante). Tambien puedes recargarte en alguna pared, usar un poste o una botella como tripie para evitar el movimiento.

Si ponen atencion a la primer foto (la del molino) pueden ver que tanto el cielo como la modelo --mi esposa ;¬)-- tienen suficiente detalle. Esto no seria posible sin usar el flash y balancearlo con el ambiente. Espero les guste.

Ahora a practicar y estoy a sus ordenes ante cualquier pregunta. Si algo no esta claro avisenme y lo puedo tratar de explicar mejor.




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My Blue Period!!

Hi, sorry for leaving you so alone and unattended, I will try to write more often, but the truth is that I've been writing enough with the thesis. Not sure yet if that is going well or not, we'll have to wait a couple of weeks to know for sure.

Anyway, today I finally took some time off in order to get around some images I took a while back. On the 27th July, a friend put together a photoshoot in a fancy studio and she invited me. BTW if you live in Manchester and need a nice photostudio then consider this one, we had a blast!!

While going through the images I noticed that lately I've been going for dark and edgy, maybe that is how I feel right now! --not very bright-- and specially liked this set of images, maybe I'm entering a "Blue Period"



The name of the model is Jessica, and she was really good. First time we worked together and I definitely will call her again. Here I was using big lights but you could do the same with speedlites (small flashes). Or if you don't have that, a pair of work lights from B&Q will do the trick. I used one light at each side, the one on the left was brighter (about two stops) and I was not using a hairlight.

Here is another image of Jessica:



She had that interesting tattoo of a star and I tried to make it pop a little.

Here another image, now for the ladies, his name is Luciano and it was my first time working with male models. I have to say that Girls are more fun!! ;¬)




Hit the jump for more images.


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As you can see, the theme of the shoot (at least this part) was some boxing-fighting stuff, hope you like it.








On that day, we had more models and very cool make-up. I will try to post more soon!! so come back.

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Oh, this hurts!!

Honestly, I don't know whether to laugh or to cry! this strip is so true it actually hurts :D

Did I ever tell you I'm an accountant trying to finish a PhD in accounting?? jeez. But a true photographer at heart... [sniff]

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Update

Don't you hate it when you make a promise and immediately afterwards something happens that prevents you to stick to your word? Well that's precisely what happened just after I promised to air the anti-school of photography (which is basically a collection of funny lessons covering the basics of photography).

What happened? well the thesis is what happened. I've been really trying to get it done as soon as possible and with personal, university and computer issues it's been hell!! I kid you not! bloody vista must be shot right in the eye!!

Anyway I wont promise anything but will try to write more often. Even if it is only to vent about my misery. I've heard many times that writing is a lonely process, well it is right. Nobody can help me now I must sit down and attack that keyboard until my fingers bleed!!! ok ok I'm not a martyr either hehe (for the Mexican folks exageré, exageré, exageré).

So lately I've been writing the lit review chapter and it is a real pain. You know, you have this top notch author who has a book, a paper (in top journal 1), a conference paper, a chapter on an edited book (from one of his/her sidekicks I'm sure), another paper (now in top journal 2), etc. And all of those say the same with the same data!!! sometimes at least he/she changes the order of the paragraphs so as to make your read a bit more before realising what's going on!!! Publish or perish is right but when you are checking on extant work this is terrible!! I only hope one day I'll do the same ;¬)

I did make some time this weekend to have some fun cause a friend of mine visited from New Zealand and he's one hell of a Kiwi I just couldn't let him wonder around Manchester alone!!

I also had a day-long photoshoot on Saturday. First photoshoot since I dislocated my shoulder and it was simply brilliant. I have some good shots that I'll share with you soon no promise, just saying). After all day my shoulder hurt a bit and my legs even more. This thing is not easy ;) need to join a gym or something.


Ok, that's what been going on. Bear with me and I'll show you some shots and also some basic photo tips.
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Beneath murky waters - Revisited

If you follow this blog you might remember this post about the Manchester Canal. Well at that time I asked my friend Francisco (aka Darth Tradd) to write a short "Noir" story for me relating the canal with some obscure crime or something, he has a great imagination and I'd say he can write as well.

Sadly, he was busy at the time and I had to come-up with my own story to accompany the pictures. A rubbish story to go with some very good pictures of rubbish floating by the canal, I had to say all that to avoid saying "rubbish pictures" but I digress. After almost a month Francisco got some time and wrote this piece for which I'm very grateful! (he even linked back and included my pics).

If you follow this blog in English I'm sorry, the story is in Spanish so chop chop and head to the closest Spanish Institute so you can read it within a year's time. :D

Gracias Paco!!


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Mexican Cultural Evening 2009

Mexican Cultural Evening 2009

Last Friday at the Instituto Cervantes in Manchester, the Mexican Society presented the now traditional "Mexican Cultural Evening 2009". It is a very nice event in which one gets to listen traditional Mexican Music as well as some very well rehearsed traditional dances. This was the seventh instalment of this event.

The place was a bit small to be honest so there was no way of avoiding the heads popping into my frames. This time I chose a very fast zoom lens to get the action, a Tamron 28-75mm, 2.8, the 2.8 is the maximum aperture which means it lets in lots of light (the smaller the number, the more light gets to the sensor), most of the point and shoot cameras have a maximum aperture of around 4 which is considered pretty slow.

Hope you like the pictures. More pictures from the event on Facebook, you don't need to register or anything.


MTK

Thanks to Roy Tanck for the widget

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Finally it's coming! The Anti-School of Photography

Yes that is right! I'm preparing a programme that includes a good range of photography "Anti-lessons". Hopefully I will learn lots by planning them and you will also get some valuable information the fun way. I started this project a while ago but never really saw it through. This might be the chance.



As you can see from this image, any age is perfect to start with photography :)

So write down in the comments if there is something that you would like to learn and I'll try to include it. Might be a good idea to register as a follower so that you can get a notice every time I update an anti-lesson.

More to come...
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