Dad’s birthday.

5DII w 35mm f/2 @ f/2.2, 1/200, ISO 1600

Caroline, my sister, came with us to help with hair and make-up and those types of things.

Everything was done with one off-camera flash into a silver reflective umbrella. I chose to go the umbrella-route over the softbox because at 28″ it really doesn’t cover the length full body portraits.

The first two were taken outside on Marconi Drive near City Park. The last two were done inside when we got back. I used a collapsable background on the first, and one of her favorite chairs for the second. All were lit pretty much the same.

It’s true what they say about environmental portraits: 10% photography and 90% moving furniture. This was no different. Care knows.

50mm f/1.4 @ f/3.5, 1/500*, ISO 400

50mm f/1.4 @ f/6.3, 1/200, ISO 400

135mm f/2 @ f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 200

24-105mm f/4 @ f/4, 1/160, ISO 200

*On the 1/500 shutter speed, I used a long E-TTL cable so I could do high-speed sync (which for me is anything above 1/160-200).

So, I’ve been playing around with a new way of lighting. It’s very simple, and takes only a camera with manual exposure (which is most cameras), a tripod, and a flashlight.

I’ve started small, like my amp here.  The idea is to take multiple exposures only focusing the light only on one area.  I’m using a very small aperture of f/14, ISO 200 and a shutter of about 13 seconds.  Once I click the shutter I turn on my flash light and “paint” away.

Oh, and it’s helpful to do it in the dark, unless you have a really strong light.  I was working with a 3 watt LED.

Once I get all of my exposures, I open up my first image in Photoshop (or Gimp in my case), add a second as a new layer, switch the order and apply a layer mask to the “top” image and begin wiping away the parts of the top for the bottom to show through.  This part can be tricky, so you have to plan while you’re still in the painting phase what the general outcome is.

I have plans to go bigger, but for now, I’m sticking to household objects.

Here were my individual layers, each a different exposure.  This first one was my “main” image. I used the subsequent one’s to fill it in.

Just used the specular highlights on this one:

And this one was for the shadow:

But for the wedding he asked me to come along and take a few pictures, which I was more than happy to do. Here are a few in chronological order.

I don’t know how traditional this wedding was in the strict Jordanian sense, but there were definitely some exciting times from an American perspective. As Kristin and I are both a little rusty in our arabic, there were some spots we missed (like the ceremony and all subsequent conversations), but it was a great time nonetheless!

That last picture is Bob Brian, our friend from New Orleans, as he gives traditional Jordanian dancing a try.  Kristin and I also both gave it our best, but if I’m being honest…Bob did better.

TECH STUFF:  Shot all on the 5DII with with either 50 f/1.4 or 135 f/2.  All available light.

Dad took some pictures…

Bruce and Brandy are going to get married.

On this past Martin Luther King, Jr day Kristin and I got engaged!

Next…it’s going to be the the wedding.

:)

P.S. Check back tomorrow for pictures of us being…engaged and stuff.

Here the girls were preparing gift bags to deliver to the women they meet.

And this is where I left them. Them going into the strip clubs. Me getting back in the car. :)