Work Diary - Multiple flash

Evaluation and Technique

Exploring this technique in the studio resulted in an enjoyable session for me today. I had never created any kind of multiple flash picture before, so learning the technique was interesting. You had to have the camera set to bulb, and measure the aperture with the light metre (you measure it by flashing the light in front of the light metre). We had the soft box set to F11 which resulted in a very high exposure piece of photography. Before taking any type of photograph, the lights have to be off in order for their to be one light directed on someone in the frame of the picture.When taking the picture, I would keep my finger on the shutter button whilst flashing the light each time my model performed a pose I wanted in my photograph, then I would release my finger from the shutter button and a photograph would be formed. I found that using a snoot had a much more successful effect on my pieces because there was more shadows and a larger variety of tones and form, which are formal elements that were immediately noticeable in a positive way. I was pleased with my first attempts at this technique, displaying my two favourites below.

Here is a successful example of the technique multiple flash that I captured in today's lesson.  I was extremely happy with this photograph for a mixture of reasons. Firstly, I liked that I managed to capture Connie spinning around in the frame. It is clear what she was trying to do, rather than have it be just a mess of movement. You can see her back in the left side, then her front, then a more clearer view of the front and then her back again. I composed the frame so that there would be no wasted space, and the proportions would be even e.g. there is about the same proportion of her back on each side of the frame. This displays a more even approach to the picture. There is no fade in the black  backdrop, it is bold jet black which means that the photograph looks more professional and finished. The black background also means that Connie's frame is more evident, because if the black backdrop was faded then it would blend in with her green checkered shirt. 

Here is a not so successful overall photograph. I was really pleased with the subject of this shoot. I succeeded in photographing the movement of Connie flipping her hair in a circle motion around the frame, however the faded black background to the bottom right hand side of the frame spoils the overall composition. It would have looked a lot more successful and effective if she was in the centre surrounded by black, instead of having the left side black and he right side dusky. I feel that this takes the focus away from her in the middle, and it isn't as clear and sharp as I'd hoped it would be. I'm also not a fan of the blue tone that's spread over the whole picture. It doesn't look natural and is something that I struggled to edit in Photoshop without getting rid of all the colour. There also isn't many connotations that I can pull out from this piece as I was simply just testing out the technique, so the photograph doesn't have that much of an impact which is why I'm not impressed by it at all. 

Progression

This technique isn't something that I feel I could capture effectively in any upcoming shoots of mine. I enjoyed testing it out and being creative with the ideas, however the outcomes that I have are not of that good quality, and as my work won't be featuring many people, it would be an irrelevant technique to try and develop. As my work will be focused around food, mainly, and other advertising attributes, I don't really want to create images of movement as there will most likely be no focal point for the viewer in the frame, and the point of my advertising project is to create images that will shout at the audience, grab their attention and glue their gaze to the piece, not have a quick glance at a frame of moving people. I would probably be able to take a photograph of two dancers in bright costumes in order to advertise a dancing competition or talent TV show, but other than that this technique doesn't have that much potential to be developed in my project.