Re: Andalusian Stallion
[Re: Julie]
#10263
09/05/07 05:11 PM
09/05/07 05:11 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Washington
Dee Dee
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Thanks Julie, I kind of figured as much. I do understand very well, shutter speed and aperture and ISO and how it all works, but this horse was running between really bright to really dark areas (and dappled areas in between) so I chose to expose for the darkest areas since he was running there the majority of the time. It was too dark even at ISO 800 and f/2.8 to get the shutter speed up as high as I wanted/needed it to be. So I shot in shutter priority as stopping action was more important to me than having a perfectly exposed image. I have no problems in good lighting getting right on exposure and controlling how fast I want the shutter speed, ISO, etc. That is all second nature at this point. This was just a challenging lighting situation with the varied lighting and some times here it was beyond the cameras capabilities this day even with settings maxed out each way. So I think what I got with the action was the best that could be done that day. It was the still, posed shots that I think I could have done a lot better on and would like to learn more about natural lighting in that case. I learned from this not to use sun dapples especially on a light horse! I thought it might look neat to have his face in the light (like Jim did with the handler and rottie a while back, and I had done it with a Friesian last year and it worked well with the black horse) but it just blew the highlights and if I had exposed for the light, I think the woman, etc would have been too underexposed. So I would like to know the best way to set up that kind of shot, big contrast between the light horse and the woman's black outfit, where to have the sun, what "kind" of shade to set up in (really dark or very light, etc). In scrutinizing the photos my thoughts would be I should have had all of the horse and woman under the shade with no sun spots, I like the sun behind and to the left of her as it is making a bit of a rim light on her hair. I'm guessing a reflector would have helped then to add details in the shaded side of her and the horse. Does this sound like the best kind of set up in this case? I would have liked lighting like your shots here http://www.nwpphotoforum.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=9884&an=0&page=1#9884Do you remember the situation here, were you in the shade, using a reflector, etc? I also am wanting to get a diffuser panel to practice with, although we have many long dark months ahead!
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Re: Andalusian Stallion
[Re: Julie]
#10265
09/05/07 06:22 PM
09/05/07 06:22 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Washington
Dee Dee
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Ah ok that explains the nice lighting on the two people shots, overcast, not in the shade. They are really lovely! You are the one who made me a big fan of the late day golden light. Unfortunately the place we were at was totally surrounded by tall trees so it would have been complete shade before the golden light hour, so I did learn that this won't work well even with shade this time of day. It was a good experiement though (I will chalk it up as LOL) and will be just fine for painting! I do like to do the best I can with the photos too though. It helps a lot to know what situations there just can't be a lot more done with too, thanks for your help and advice!!
The laying down one, he had just started to roll, his owner ran at him waving her arms and yelling so right after this he leaped up and took off bucking again. He looks like a (hornless) unicorn to me in that shot for some reason....
Last edited by Dee Dee; 09/05/07 06:22 PM.
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Re: Andalusian Stallion
[Re: Buddy Thomason]
#10267
09/05/07 07:20 PM
09/05/07 07:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Washington
Dee Dee
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Washington
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Thanks so much for adding your advice Buddy, I learn a lot from these posts!
I have dabbled a little with studio lighting (very little but learning!) so I actually understood most of your terms LOL! I have been wanting to set up my strobes in an arena or my garage and see if I can get some non spooky horses to shoot. I think that would be really fun to try. I couldn't have used the strobes in this particular shoot because I don't have the battery pack, just plug ins for the strobes and wouldn't have been able to carry all the stuff in to this location myself (It was 5 gorgeous acres but you have to cross a long narrow footbridge over a creek, even the horses have to go across the bridge, and it's quite a hike). Plus the horses would tend to spook at the umbrellas. But as I said I would really love to figure out the situation where I could shoot horses with strobes, I am planning with my cousin who has 8 beautiful horses and is usually up for anything.
I use spot metering and I usually don't have any problem with action, in decent light I rarely miss a shot (focus wise), but am curious about de linking exposure and focus (not sure just what that means or how to do it?). I shoot with a MKII and for these kinds of shots, mainly the 70-200 2.8 IS lens.
I do have a 580 EX flash but haven't figured it all out yet, haven't had time to sit down and go thru the manual with it since I rarely need it really, but sounds like it would have been helpful in this situation.
Thanks again for your input I learn from this!
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Re: Andalusian Stallion
[Re: Dee Dee]
#10268
09/06/07 04:50 AM
09/06/07 04:50 AM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Illinois
Peggy Sue
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Illinois
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One thing about this shoot that amazes me is the length of leg. You are at a great low angle but that does not seem to raise him up. How tall is he? Lately all the Arab magazines I am seeing so many stallions in very tall flowers, grasses and even cactus! It bugs me since I want to see the lovely legs, but this guy might be interesting in that setting since his volume seems to be large for his leg length. Am I really off?
Peggy Sue
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