Week 1 Self-Portrait

January, 2012

This is a brand new year and I'd like to take a moment and thank everyone for helping me keep this group up and running. And, thanks for all your insightful comments and great images!

Long story short, I trashed my old camera equipment just over a year ago. I found myself limited by what the system offered me as I wanted to be able to shoot a wide range of subjects. As a photographer, I like to call myself a generalist, meaning I'll shoot just about anything that interests me. I've yet to find my niche in photography and am always looking for the next "lesson" to learn.

In the past, I've been intimidated by flash photography. So, this year, I have plans to shoot a self-portrait a week, using multiple off-camera flashes whenever possible.

This month's image is an example of that project. I figured I'd start off with something a bit difficult, but not so difficult I wouldn't be able to complete the task.

This image was shot using two remotely triggered off-camera flashes. The flash coming from my back was used to give my body/head a bit of definition. I used -3 stops ETTL compensation on the flash to avoid blowing everything out.

The flash off to the camera's side used a homemade snoot. (A snoot is used to channel the light in a concentrated beam to light only a certain portion of your image.) The snoot was used to light the magazine and my face, with the intention of rendering the background as dark as possible.

In order to get the results I wanted, I "told" the flash units to figure out the correct exposure I needed while I set the camera to manual mode and underexposed the scene. So, the light from the flashes is all we want to see here.

I've still got a lot to learn. Any advice/constructive criticism would definitely be appreciated.

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COMMENTS:
 

Joe Kennedy	Good luck on your weekly challenge! I am very interested in how the project evolves. Please send me your weekly attempts. As for your initial entry into the weekly challenge, I would like to see more light on the magazine cover. There is ample light on your face so I would to see a more natural setting with equal lighting on the rest of the subject.
Barun Sinha	The technique looks too complicated to follow but the result is excellent. Specially when you realize it is a self portrait. If I ever do it I will first take the help of a model and then pose myself.
Vacant
Terry Kness	I think it’s great to step out in something new. Nice rim lighting and use of the snoot. Using artificial light is a new interest to me as well. I look forward to seeing more of your ideas.
Meg Puente	This is absolutely great! I'm awed by your skill putting this together. First the concept, then placing yourself and all of the flashes correctly, interpreting multiple readings, then applying them, etc. This is waaay beyond anything I could do...excellent...I love the final piece of work and its spectacular lighting effects! No constructive criticisms or suggestions for this party!
Debbie Garland	Love it.  The light is great.  this is the best one yet.   I am a little bothered by the bend in the left wrist.  Otherwise it’s a great shot.

Member Bio

Warren Wilson - Biography Photography has been a lifelong fascination for Warren. His career began out of high school when he went to work in his father’s black-and-white lab. There, he learned the craft of printing negatives which would serve him well in becoming a photographer for the Marine Corps. Upon enlistment, he was trained as a motion picture and still photographer and was immediately sent overseas to Vietnam.   After his Honorable Discharge, he was offered a job at a well-known magazine in Washington, DC. He would work in their black-and-white, color, and duplicating labs over the next two decades. As the demand for traditional lab work was giving way for digital, he garnered a spot in the newly-formed digital imaging lab until his retirement in late-2004.   Again picking up the art of photography, he bought a digital camera, joined a camera club and began taking pictures. In his images, he strives to put his own twist into the subject. Sometimes this is accomplished; sometimes it’s not.   View more of Warren’s images on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/warrenwilson/