In the Shadow of a Tree

[sportster]

Here is another attempt at the skate image.

I used an old slide projector camera left as the main light.

I used black matt board cut in the shape of a window in between the skates and main light.

To add a little interest I put a branch with a lot of twigs in front of the window to emulate the shadow of a tree growing outside the window.

I also used a reflector camera right for a little fill.

Comments and critiques are always welcome.

Thank you.

Toby

[Bob B]

Definitely looks like sunlight . However, the dark window shadow on the left looks perfect but the skate shadow looks too light due to the reflector. Anyway of darkening the light shadows? Perhaps a re-shoot without a reflector or control the reflector using foil or mirror so that only the skates receive reflector light. Overall it looks good

[sportster]

Thanks for commenting Bob. When I get a chance I’ll redo the image without the reflector.

[loeee]

Sportster, if you can get your hands on some old slide mounts, you can make gobos that will actually fit into the slide projector. You could do your window frame that way. I have an old book on photo lighting (newish copy, but written in the 80s) that recommends using a slide projector as an inexpensive light source and shows a shot with the "window frame" shadow made by cramming two match sticks into a slide mount.

This is a nice shot (I agree with Bob about the shadows being too light though). You make me want to get my hands on an old slide projector.

[sportster]

Originally Posted by loeee

Sportster, if you can get your hands on some old slide mounts, you can make gobos that will actually fit into the slide projector. You could do your window frame that way. I have an old book on photo lighting (newish copy, but written in the 80s) that recommends using a slide projector as an inexpensive light source and shows a shot with the "window frame" shadow made by cramming two match sticks into a slide mount.

This is a nice shot (I agree with Bob about the shadows being too light though). You make me want to get my hands on an old slide projector.

Thank you Loeee, I have been thinking about using some of my slides as backgrounds but I hadn’t thought of using the slide mount for a gobo. I have a few hundred mounts in a closet with some not so good images in them. I’ll give your suggestion a try.

Thanks

Toby

[Athena]

What a neat idea - I think you've pulled off "sunlight" quite well. I'm looking forward to seeing your slide mounted gobos too!

[sportster]

Thanks for commenting Athena.

[Jim Milby]

Toby, I like your composition. The innovative idea of a window gobo with tree branches is a real winner.

Thanks for the neat idea of using a slide projector. I have two collecting dust that I can try using. I even have a bunch of slide blanks to experiment with.

Jim