Eleanora Eden on mon 1 sep 97
I consider it vital to be present at the shoot and look in the camera and
make sure the photographer is giving you what you want. I use a local
photographer and we are used to working together by now but he always needs
me there push, push, pushing for just what I want.
Eleanora
At 04:10 PM 8/31/97 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --
>
>Just a comment about photographing ones work.
>
>I, too, found that even when I hired a so-called professional photographer
>to photograph my work, I did not get what I wanted. Unless the photographer
>is really into it, or can get into your head, he generally won't be able to
>give you something that really speaks of your effort. Not especially his
>fault. That is a tough thing to do.
>
> I found it necessary to educate myself to do my own work, and allow it to
>become an extension of the process of producing, then displaying an artwork.
> It cost me some time and money to go through the process, get the necessary
>equipment, but now I have all the equipment I need, and more importantly, I
>have the knowledge, skill and experience to get decent photos/slides without
>a great hassel. If I mess up a shot, it's easy and cheap to re-do it. The
>basic camera I use is an Olympus 35MM mounted on a tripod. I use a 50mm lens
>with remote shutter release. I also make use of 2x multiplier as well.
>Camera wise that is the extent of it. The rest has to do with lighting,
>backdrops, filters, etc. plus imagination.
>
>I encourage every clay artist to experiment with the photography.Even if you
>you don't do it all yourself. It will make your communication with your
>hired photographer better so far as getting slides or pictures more like you
>want them.
>
>John Rodgers
>Alaska had a fabulous summer this year!
>
>-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------
>
>Date: Thursday, 21-Aug-97 06:25 PM
>
>From: Sandra Dwiggins \ Internet: (sandra@icic.nci.nih.gov)
>To: CLAYART LIST \ Internet: (clayart@lsv.uky.edu)
>
>Subject: Clay Stuff -Reply
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Susan---Currently, I do all my own slides. I have found that unless you
>find a photographer that really knows what you are trying to do with your
>work, you are your best photographer--and much less expensive! I've done
>slides in natural light, and indoors. Indoors is by far preferable.
>
>I set up on my dining room table. Depending on the size of the pot, for
>backdrops I use large sheets of charcoal or drawing paper purchased from the
>local art supply store. You just have to remember to not have a seam or an
>edge in the frame. Hundreds of different colors--use whatever enhances your
>pots. I light the set up with clamp photolamps, varying the bulbs as I
>see fit. Easy to move around. For diffusers I use old white nylon
>underpants or white/grey scarves. These are safe because I'm not using
>blazingly hot bulbs for long periods of time.
>
>I use Fuji slide film if I want to emphasize blues and greens. Otherwise,
>straight ektachrome 64 works well. You can get tungsten balanced films for
>indoor use from Fuji. You'll have to see what works best for your
>conditions and the colors of your pots.
>
>I use either a straight 50mm lens, or a slight macro adapter--again
>depending on what I want to emphasize. And, after I've established the
>exposure with both an in-camer meter and a hand-held exposure meter, I can
>move my tripod around with impunity to get the best shots. Take several of
>each set up.
>
>Sandy
>
>
>-------- REPLY, End of original message --------
>
>
Eleanora Eden 802 869-2003
Paradise Hill
Bellows Falls, VT 05101 eden@sover.net
Patrick & Lynn Hilferty on mon 1 sep 97
A few additional details:
(1) The lights I tend to rent are Lowell TotaLights. They use 1000 watt
quartz-halogen lamps and the color tempature remain pretty constant untill
they finally burn out. They cost $7.00 per light to rent over the weekend
(not including stand) from Photographer's Studio supply on Bryant St. in
S.F. It'll cost you $105.00 to buy a Totalight outright, and I really want
to...
Any way, one Tota and some foam core to bounce the light back into the
shadows is pretty much all you need to photograph most work. Of course, the
bigger the object, the more lights you may need.
(2)If you go the Tota route, then you must buy slide film that matches.
Totas produce light that has a color "temperature" of 3200 degrees kelvin.
The definition of all this would make fun reading on the Alt-Photo Process
mailing list, but the film you buy (Kodak EPY 64 or the Fuji stuff, take
your pick) must match the light source.
(3) Seamless paper backgrounds are fairly cheap and help make nice slides.
if you have the space, place your object to be photographed as far from the
background as possible. This will produce a better shadow and a background
that fades from dark to light.
(4) To restate John's post below, short telephoto lenses seem to be the
best for photographing work. The lens I use is an 85 mm focal length.
(5) Shooting your own slides means you can produce your dupes IN THE CAMERA.
Why do this? Cheaper, and every duplicate is an original, too.
(6) Take your exposure readings off a 18% grey gard that is placed in front
of the work to be photographed, not off the work itself. You'll thank me.
Patrick
At 4:10 -0400 8/31/97, John H. Rodgers wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --
>
>Just a comment about photographing ones work.
>
>I, too, found that even when I hired a so-called professional photographer
>to photograph my work, I did not get what I wanted. Unless the photographer
>is really into it, or can get into your head, he generally won't be able to
>give you something that really speaks of your effort. Not especially his
>fault. That is a tough thing to do.
>
> I found it necessary to educate myself to do my own work, and allow it to
>become an extension of the process of producing, then displaying an artwork.
> It cost me some time and money to go through the process, get the necessary
>equipment, but now I have all the equipment I need, and more importantly, I
>have the knowledge, skill and experience to get decent photos/slides without
>a great hassel. If I mess up a shot, it's easy and cheap to re-do it. The
>basic camera I use is an Olympus 35MM mounted on a tripod. I use a 50mm lens
>with remote shutter release. I also make use of 2x multiplier as well.
>Camera wise that is the extent of it. The rest has to do with lighting,
>backdrops, filters, etc. plus imagination.
>
>I encourage every clay artist to experiment with the photography.Even if you
>you don't do it all yourself. It will make your communication with your
>hired photographer better so far as getting slides or pictures more like you
>want them.
>
>John Rodgers
>Alaska had a fabulous summer this year!
>
>-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------
>
>Date: Thursday, 21-Aug-97 06:25 PM
>
>From: Sandra Dwiggins \ Internet: (sandra@icic.nci.nih.gov)
>To: CLAYART LIST \ Internet: (clayart@lsv.uky.edu)
>
>Subject: Clay Stuff -Reply
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Susan---Currently, I do all my own slides. I have found that unless you
>find a photographer that really knows what you are trying to do with your
>work, you are your best photographer--and much less expensive! I've done
>slides in natural light, and indoors. Indoors is by far preferable.
>
>I set up on my dining room table. Depending on the size of the pot, for
>backdrops I use large sheets of charcoal or drawing paper purchased from the
>local art supply store. You just have to remember to not have a seam or an
>edge in the frame. Hundreds of different colors--use whatever enhances your
>pots. I light the set up with clamp photolamps, varying the bulbs as I
>see fit. Easy to move around. For diffusers I use old white nylon
>underpants or white/grey scarves. These are safe because I'm not using
>blazingly hot bulbs for long periods of time.
>
>I use Fuji slide film if I want to emphasize blues and greens. Otherwise,
>straight ektachrome 64 works well. You can get tungsten balanced films for
>indoor use from Fuji. You'll have to see what works best for your
>conditions and the colors of your pots.
>
>I use either a straight 50mm lens, or a slight macro adapter--again
>depending on what I want to emphasize. And, after I've established the
>exposure with both an in-camer meter and a hand-held exposure meter, I can
>move my tripod around with impunity to get the best shots. Take several of
>each set up.
>
>Sandy
>
>
>-------- REPLY, End of original message --------
******************************************************************************
Patrick Hilferty
Belmont, CA 94002
E-Mail:
Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~philferty/
*****************************************************************************
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