Meet the family! - Part deux

It's saturday again and I'm not doing anything for the moment, so why not bring out the lights for yet another lighting 1 on 1.

Since I'm a big fan of the minimalistic - certainly not more than necessary - approach to studio photos that's just what I'll be serving you. Let's get jiggy with it.

The funny thing about this photo that it actually was taken in a sunny backyard which is the complete opposite of that studio you were thinking of just now (I'll stop my mind-reading from hereon) and that the exceptional woman in the picture turns out to be my mother.





Don't get nervous there now, there's nothing here we can't handle.

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How we did this? It's pretty simple, actually, but I'll try to do this right.

I chose to put up the backdrop in a equally shadow casted corner of our garden. It's better to light up the shadow a bit, than trying to overpower sunlight. It will just give you more control over your light, and you'll be able to work with higher flash speeds as well.

With the couch and the backdrop on the right spot I underexposed the ambient by about 1 stop (and maybe even less). F5.6 with a 1/160 shutter, is what my camera said for ambient lighting, and I believed her.
We could have gone darker here, but since the background was clear white, I didn't really found that necessary.

My Metz 48 AF-1 once again served as my main light through a white flash through umbrella. Since our ambient light was down by about 1 stop at 5.6, the light from the flash should equal a correct exposure, being 8.
The flash was aimed at the face from up high left, on about a 1,5 meter distance of the head.
Putting the umbrella close will not only give you a confined coverage, it will also help to gradually light your backdrop.

To fill up the left side of the head I used a Metz 45 CL-4 (1/32) which I put on about 2 meters from the right side of the couch.
Say that the light matched the light from the other flash, being 8.

For a little tip, if I might. Be sure to get the main light right - after that start working on that second flash of yours.

That's all there's to it.


Party on.

Where'd that come from, anyway?

Hi! And welcome to the sunday express! Today we'll be talking lighting.

Oh what a sunny sunday it is!

First, for a bit of background information, a few lines of text.

Not so long ago the great website of Wheels and Wax (the one that got me into action photography) disappeared from cyberspace never to return again. For a number of reasons Mike, the man in charge, felt obliged to pull the plug. (Edit: Mike didn't pull the plug. The computer decided it was time to go. More below!) Then the lights went out.

Luckily for me and the fellow-groupies Brian decided it was time to replace the fuse, change the bulbs and get it all running again, resulting in the new and fresh Action Sports Cartel.
The site itself has all the info a beginning photo-enthusiast like myself - one day, not that long ago - would use to get things sorted out and started.

A lot of info about gear, the stuff you want to do with your gear, and people to Q about gear when it's not working the way you want it to, is already there. (And we've - (we - since it's a community thing) - only just started.) So be sure to check the website out before your neighbor does!

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And now for some community-driven lighting dissection. A mug shot, to help you out with that first interview feature you're working on.

Here's two photo's I took of my sister about 2 hours ago.

Tools for the trade (The eyes say it all, actually)
- Two shoot-through umbrella's one up high, one low
- 2 flashes - One Metz 48AF1 down low (1/8), and one Metz 45 CL4 up high (1/32)
- One sister in need of a Facebook portrait

A bit more info (will it ever stop)
- I chose the lower one as a main light, to get that ringlight kind of background.

- Ambient was down by about 1 stop.

That's all. I'll post up a few more, when time passes.

Now let's see if there are any ice pop's left in the fridge. It's sunny sunday after all. :-)

Back in a snap

And we're back! Two pit stops for petrol got us into France. Another ferry trip got us to Soulac.
Good old Monsieur Internet had provided us with a bit of details on the super surfing conditions (for which we are forever thankful), just the day before our departure.

Ripstar camps provided us with some shelter, food and beers, for which we are also forever thankful.

It feels like this post ended just as quick as our 2 day impulse adventure has.


Here's a few outtakes.

There's more

Woops, the farewell in my last post was a bit premature. So here for a -hopefully last- second.

I've sent out a batch of my new mini cards to friends, companies and friends running companies - I have those too, in Europe.

If you (a) feel neglected because now you finally know you're no friend of mine (phew - the word is out) (b) are non-Euro or (c) you like the card and you'd like to get one, let me know. I have plenty and I'll gladly hook you up.

Nothing, really

Oi! F-Stop's newest brochure was dropped off by my electronic mailman at the beginning of the week. It's probably the third time in a row the chaps at F-Stop have given me a bit of exposure in their super-duper newsletter. I already foresee red carpet's and spotlights. Is there anyone who's willing to pay for my autograph? You may sell it on eBay.

Anyway, the newsletter, good stuff, as always. Insight make photos better.

Click, if you haven't seen it, but you'd like to.

Ciao! - for now.

Life in the fast lane

Every time you get back at a racing track, that little person in your mind starts mumbling what the h*ll you've been doing since the last time you were at the circuit.
This really is the life you want to be living.

Spent last saturday on Zolder's track -in an overwhelming noise of roaring engines and the smell of burned rubber- watching the kick-off of the Belgian Racing League. Following a few non-press accorded shots.

Gotta go now, Bahrein's Formula 1 is on.

Also, before I forget. Got an e-mail from Karel and the band yesterday, and they're looking for your support(!).
They've just put their first videoclip online and they're aiming high, trying to reach Youtube's front page. Show them some support by favoring their clip! :-)

N.Y. Exposé - 2

N.Y. Exposé

Evidence...

Presenting exhibit A to C, just in case my uni instructor would be reading this and is thinking we had too much fun.

Also there's something special coming up... Check back soon.

Welcome aboard!

Jup, I was in the US for a month, Geert was too. You might have missed us. (Kurt's a smart fellah! - get it?)
They called us Cheech & Chong back there.

The plan was to go there for educational purposes, a short internship of a month. (It won't get much cooler than PD surg!)
Strangely that educational role of ours only took up a small place in our little US adventure. (We do carry proof of our stay in the OR though!)

We got to see a lot of great cities, hooked up with friends from back home, met new friends (time was too short to lose friends along the way, so this sentence isn't taken from that one Paolo Nutini song), even family. (Sounds cliché anyway, huh?)

We got to drink beer in Boston bar where they did believe our Dutch driver's licenses were legit, ate creamcheese bagels for breakfast, lunch and diner in NY, found out descent coffee is a hard find in the land of the free (refills), and I got to renew my vows with my precious jar of Nutella.
All was super! Or -wicked awesome- as they'd say in Massachusetts.

Oh, and to all less-frequent British Airways flyers (frequent flyers already know), go for the lasagne, not ratatouille.

PS Remember that Peugeot Animoto, I posted a while back? A lot of the images in it were published in Peugeot mag, finally! Stoked! Will scan when I find the time.