RustyBug Offline Upload & Sell: On
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Kaden K.
Hey RustyBug,
Indeed, this is a fascinating subject matter.
The image you pointed as an example for the 3D like effect was a daguerreotype,
which in general does have a 3D like effect to start with, usually described as the
image coming at the viewer. In that case just as any other of 3D effect each side
of the image (around) needs to have a certain precise dosage of dark and light.
The set-up to achieve it sometimes is complex even in a studio with phenomenal
light. One may even obscure partially the source of the light. More disturbing in
general is to watch photographers place so much emphasis on a composition and
very little on the issue of lighting an image. Excellent light will do wonders for just
anything....Show more →
This "precise dosage" is of much interest. I'm of the opinion that there is a "push/pull" attribute to all elements ... i.e. sharp/blur, warm/cool, light/dark, small/large, waxing/waning, sat/desat, etc. that influences our visual cues @ perception. Harnessing each of them in ways that harmonizes our perception (vs. contradictory) is paramount to generating optimal/maximum perception response. I need to still find more of the "push/pull" attributes, and then learn their individual nuance of utilization ... i.e. precise dosage, etc.
Interestingly in regards to daguerreotypes the fuming of the plates is observed in
terms of color itself - for becquerel one seeks a plate with magenta and for mercurial
daguerreotypy one seeks an incipient rose color.
The color of objects being photographed is obviously of great importance. Take for
instance collodion where the sensitivity is to blue light, certain colors like blue will
register as white and certain others like yellow and orange and reds will register as
different shades of black. This to say that one needs to shoot a scene with a series
of different colors and not the same if one seeks best results. It is surprising how
many a seasoned photographer remain unaware of this.
Add to that the fact that early morning light is blue and late afternoon light color
is yellow (hence the terms golden light) and one immediately perceives that the
sensitivity to morning light is greater than afternoon light for collodion even if the
afternoon light is more intense. This would have to be compensated by longer
exposures in the afternoon and adding additional nitric acid to the developer to
compensate and have the wet plates come out brighter and less yellow looking.
What may be impossible to do is compensate for the soft light of early morning.
Even leaving a plate fixing longer in potassium cyanide will generate some higher
contrast but at some point the cyanide will eat the silver nitrate and definition will
be lost in the image. Choices, choices...
In daguerreotypy similarly certain colors register better than others.
The same applies to digital - just try shooting purple and getting that color right
instead of blue-ish or try shooting in early morning and late afternoon instead of
middle of the day and observe how light and its color and intensity impacts the
image....Show more →
If you look at my recent post of "From White to Black ... ", it is actually a first "concept" image of what will likely become a study of "Time of Day/Color of Light". This particular time was around 3 PM. I figure I'll need to shoot "clear sky" for consistency, and also N,E,S,W for each as well as 0-45-90-135-180 transition for the various times of day once I get more dedicated to the study.
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1220066
Understanding the basics of light and how to use it is absolutely crucial to photography
no matter what process one is using.
+1 ... how often is it forgotten that we are "drawing with light" ... and all its properties that are inherent to it. Imo, much of popular photography is advocated through "do this, do that" in a practical realm, moreover than "understand this, understand that". Merging the physics of light, the aesthetics of art and the physiology of our perceptions is a bit more than using an exposure meter, a gray/wb card and pushing a button. Granted, the comp is integral, but +1 @ the vitality of the light's role in "drawing the eye".
Pushing the button is fun to be sure, but I want to take my photographic endeavors to a place that somewhat emulates those who mastered light before photography existed (not talking about applying a "painterly effect" in photoshop). This may sound sacrilege (on the surface) ... but I want to take my work beyond AA, rather than to AA (et al). First we aspire to emulate, then we aspire to create.
Lofty goals (attainable ) as there is so much more to be learned ... appreciating the apprentice/master relationship of yore ... with greater awareness as the more I learn, the more I realize there's more to learn. Some days I think "indentured servitude" under a true master makes much more sense than a "Google" of "do this, do that" proliferation's ... thus, I march on with "trial & error" @ exploration and observation alongside cognitive deconstruction hypothesis ... sans a master to apprentice under.
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