Boksburg Camera Club Newsletter
August 2016
Shutternews
BCC is affiliated with PSSA
Index
From the chairman
Committee 2016
Events
Feedback on outings
Tip cards
Set subjects and inspirations
Spotlight on Errol Wagg
Members list
PSSA feature
2
3
4
5
9
10
35
37
38
Photo by Errol Wagg
BOKSBURG CAMERA CLUB
www.boksburgcameraclub.co.za
PSSA results
19
Photo‐Vault‐Online‐Entries
August club evening e-photography
www.photovaultonline.com
winners
29
https://www.facebook.com/groups/
Winners
Features
BANKING DETAILS
First National Bank
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for
Street Photography
12 Sunwardpark Branch:
High Contrast Nude Photography –
201209
How to light and shoot bodyscapes 21 Current account no:
62482721406
Difference between macro micro and
close up photography
32
1
From the chairman
Spring is here! The cold times are over and it is time to
bask under the sun to enjoy the warmth of the
environment. When you hear spring time, what comes
to your mind are the lovely colourful flowers that are all
in full bloom. You’ll also imagine green fields with the
vast heavens spreading over it. Spring is one season that
proudly displays the wonderful things around us. Why
don’t you take this opportunity to capture stunning scenes?
It is a great season for getting outside and working on your craft. If you are looking for a
specific project to get your creative juices flowing, there are many different things that you
can do. The best thing to shoot within springtime is the wide range of beautiful flowers that
appear. Spring paints nature in bright vivid colours and all the combinations you would not
even dare to imagine. There is just so much beauty to capture.
Golden hours refer to the sunset or the sunrise or in instances where the sun can give a
gorgeous light to your images. Take advantage of these moments. Take photos of scenes
and other subjects with the sun’s light on it or in the background. For sure, you’ll end up
having a stunning result.
However, spring is not just about the flowers and the surroundings. It also includes the
everyday activities that people do. Take a picture of people who are having a good time
under the sun with flowers all around them. Here are a few ideas:
•
Flowers
•
Landscapes
•
People in fields of colour
•
Spring and water
•
Trees
•
Blossoms
As always, happy shooting!
2
Committee 2016
Percy Mitchell
Errol Wagg
Chairman
Vice Chairman and
Competitions
Manager
082 575 7401
082 491 8710
Denise Smith
Nico Grobbelaar
Secretary/admin
E-photo coordinator
076 731 1980
082 448 4299
Jacques Taljaard
Annemi Taljaard
Treasurer
Catering/Editor
083 654 4614
079 499 5281
Erich Schober
Steve Koekemoer
Equipment
manager
Workshops and
outings
083 447 8014
082 572 3065
3
Events
August
August
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
7- Ditta Arnott
8- Club evening
Bluff 50th Anniversary salon
28- Tracy Hopley
29- Photoshop workshop by Monique van Wyk
September
September
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
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20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
October
October
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
10- 3rd Nelspruit Photographic Society salon
11- Jackie Cilliers
12- Club evening
14- Edenvale international Camera Obscura Circuit
15- Karen Seidel
18- Noma Matsiliza
24- Spring, nature, models- Natural light
24- 2nd Impala Platinum Camera Club salon
26- Frans Grotius
29- Deon Mostert
Sat
Sun
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
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22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
3- Laurence Keulder
4- Jacques Taljaard
6- Anneke Watt
8- Swartland Fotografieklub salon
22- Midrand camera club salon
24- Gail Zaaiman
28- Annemi Taljaard
31- Travel and Street Photography, Pictorials
31
4
Feedback on outings
Namibia tour: Aus, Sossusvlei and Spitskoppe (part 1)
Aus is a village in the //Karas region in southern Namibia. The area west of Aus is noted for
its herds of feral horses living in the desert. This is why BCC photographers went here and
this is what they saw.
Photo by Marie Botha
Photo by Percy Mitchell
5
Feedback on outings
Namibia tour: Aus, Sossusvlei and Spitskoppe (part 1)
Sossusvlei is situated in the largest conservation area in Africa, the Namib-Naukluft National
park. Sossuvlei is most likely Namibia’s most spectacular and best known attraction. Its
characterised by the large red dunes and the white clay pans. It provided BCC
photographers with amazing photos during the early morning and afternoon. Sossusvlei
translates to dead-end marsh as the water from the Tsauchab River is most often prevented
to reach the marshes due the the way the dunes come together. Here we explored the
Sesriem canyon, Dune 45, Big Daddy dune and Deadvlei.
Photo by Percy MItchell
Photo by Marie Botha
6
Photo by Ulandi Wagg
Photo by Johan Botha
Photo by Johan botha
7
Feedback on outings
Namibia tour: Aus, Sossusvlei and Spitzkoppe (part 1)
The Spitzkoppe is a group of granite peaks or inselbergs located between Swakopmund and
Usakos in the Namib dessert of Namibia. The BCC members almost blew away with winds
strong enough to bend tent pegs and the need to collapse camper canopies at 01:00 in the
morning but the photos taken made it all worth it.
Photo by Percy Mitchell
Photo by Johan Botha
Photo by Ulandi Wagg
8
Photography tip cards
Reflective metering
Motorcross action
How your camera meters a scene, and how to
improve the results
 Lighting types
When direct or ‘incident’ light, whether it’s
generated by the sun, a flash or other source, falls
on a subject and bounces off it, it becomes
reflected light. It’s this light that’s used by your
camera to calculate exposure.
 Metering
A camera’s metering system assumes the world is
a midtine grey or at least that it has the same
reflectance of 12-18% grey. Of course, this isn’t
always the case.
 Exposure compensation
If the scene reflects a lot of light, you may need to
use positive exposure compensation to keep the
image bright. If it doesn’t reflect much, be
prepared to dial in some negative exposure
compensation
For your first shot try
Exposure
Shutter priority
Shutter speed
1/500 sec or faster
Focus mode
Continuous
ISO
Auto
TO IMPROVE YOUR SHOT...
 Try pre-focusing on a spot where you know
a rider will pass, such as the top of the hill
or a bend. Switch the lens to MF to lock this
in.
 You’ll need a shutter speed of 1/500 sec or
faster to freeze the bike. Try 1/100 sec or
slower when panning the rider
 To add drama, shoot from a low height
TOP TIP: a big lens soon feels heavy. A monopod
will save your arms, but still give you enough
freedom when shooting
Leaves in ice
Cathedral interiors
For your first shot try
Exposure
Aperture priority
Shutter speed
Auto
Aperture
f/11
ISO
100
TO IMPROVE YOUR SHOT...
 Fill a glass tray with water to a depth of 34mm. Freeze this before adding the leaf
and more water and freezing it again.
 Backlight the ice to bring out detail- put it
against a window or use off-camera flash.
 Set the lens to Manual focus, otherwise the
camera may lock onto the ice’s surface
TOP TIP: Boil then cool the water: this contains less
oxygen and gives fewer bubbles than straight from
the tap.
For your first shot try
Exposure
Shutter priority
Shutter speed
1/40 sec
Focal lenght
16-35mm
ISO
1600
TO IMPROVE YOUR SHOT...
 Tripods are rarely allowed to be used inside
cathedrals, so set a shutter speed that’s fast
enough for sharp handheld shots.
 Set the ISO to 1600 or use the auto ISO
setting to let the camera adjust it for you
 Check the histogram and use exposure
compensation to fine-tune the next image.
TOP TIP: Frame shots wider than normal- this gives
more room to correct converging verticals later in
Photoshop.
9
Set subjects for 2016
February- Nature - no scapes
March - Monochrome
April - Panning/movement
May - Portraiture
June - Autumn
July - Scapes
August - Still life/ tabletop
September - Low light photography
October – Sport/PJ
January 2017 - Macro/close up
10
Set subject inspirations for September:
Low light photography
Low light photography is not necessarily just night photography, as many people assume.
There could be different amounts of light coming from various sources and whatever is less
than daytime light outside.
https://photographylife.com/low-light-digital-photography-tips
11
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for Street
Photography
Eric Kim
Marseille, 2012. I saw this man
passed out on the beach, and took
about 5 photos. This one turned out
the best.
If you are a beginner in street photography, all you need is this guide to get started. I was
quite frustrated when I started street photography. I had no idea what camera to use, what
settings to use, what to look for, how to approach strangers, and most of all– how to
overcome my fear of shooting in the streets.
All of the information in this guide is my opinion and isn’t the only “right” way to shoot
street photography. But I hope it is a good starting point. Take everything with a pinch of
salt– take what you want, and leave the rest.
What is street photography?
Downtown LA, 2012. I saw this guy
in a Starbucks, talked with him for
a while, and asked if I could take a
few photos of him. He said yes.
12
The first question you might be thinking is: “What is street photography?”
Simply put, street photography is about documenting everyday life and society. I personally
don’t think street photography needs to be shot in the street. You can shoot at the airport,
at the mall, at the beach, at the park, in the bus or subway, in the doctor’s office, in the
grocery store, or in any other public places.
Furthermore, street photography is generally done candidly (without permission and
without knowledge of your subjects). However I personally don’t think that street
photography has to be candid. You can ask for permission when taking a photograph of a
stranger. I don’t think just because a photo is candid makes it any better than a photo with
permission. The most important thing in street photography is to capture emotion,
humanity, and soul.
Therefore if you are drawn to taking photos in public (of mostly people) you are probably
interested in street photography. Also as a side-note, I don’t think that street photography
has to include people in it (although the best ones generally do have people in it).
So don’t worry so much about what “street photography” is and isn’t. The most important
thing at the end of the day is creating powerful, compelling, and emotional images.
For some of my more in-depth thoughts about the definition of street photography, you
can read my article: “What is Street Photography?”
Cameras, Lenses, and Technical Settings in Street Photography
If you are curious what cameras, lenses, and technical settings are ideal in street
photography– check out my guide below:
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for Cameras in Street Photography
What to look for when shooting in the streets
Okay so now you have your camera, lenses, and technical settings sorted out in street
photography. Now what do you look for when you’re out on the streets? Here are some
things you can look for:
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1. “The decisive moment”
Henri Cartier Bresson, 1932. The “Decisive
Moment” of the man about to land in the
puddle.
“The decisive moment” was a phrase coined by Henri Cartier-Bresson, one of the earliest
practitioners of street photographers. “The decisive moment” is the same as the “Kodak
moment” where everything comes together in a perfect moment, and you hit the shutter.
So essentially it is capturing the photo with the perfect timing.
But realize “the decisive moment” is a bit misleading. There can be many “decisive
moments” when you’re out shooting in the streets. This means if you see a good street
photography scene, don’t just take one photograph. Take a ton of shots (I recommend 1030 photos if possible). Even Henri Cartier-Bresson took 20+ photos of a single scene (if he
thought it was interesting enough). Then afterwards in the editing process he would choose
which image he felt was the best.
You can catch “the decisive moment” by the position of a person in the frame, in their facial
expression, in their hand gesture, or their action or movement.
14
2. Juxtaposition
Zurich, 2011. Note the “juxtaposition”
of the figure on the left and right.
In street photography, you can create a strong image by juxtaposing elements in your
frame. Juxtaposition is essentially a fancy word for contrast. But to be more specific,
juxtaposition is when you put two different elements in a frame that directly contradict one
another (while having a relationship). For example: taking a street photograph of a fat man
next to a skinny man, a grandmother next to a child, someone in a red shirt in front of a
green background (juxtaposing colors), etc.
To create a strong juxtaposition shot, you can either start off by looking for an interesting
background (let’s say a billboard of a man looking happy) and waiting for someone who
looks really happy to enter the frame.
Another strategy could be looking for certain emotions in people when you’re out on the
street, and trying to find emotions of other people in the street that either are similar or
dissimilar– and include them in the frame.
3. Emotion
London, 2012. Note the emotion in
the man’s face and hand-gesture.
What do you think is on his mind?
15
To me, the most memorable street photographs are the ones that have strong emotion and
show some sort of reflection on the human condition. This can include happiness, pain,
sadness, loneliness, humor, anxiety, youth, and love.
To find emotion in street photographs is difficult. First of all, you have to find the emotion
in the streets through peoples’ body language or facial expressions. Then you have to be
quick enough to take the photograph before people notice you. However if you do it well,
you will create a compelling and emotional image that people can connect with on a deeper
level.
4. Graphical/visual elements
© Rene Burri / Magnum Photos.
BRAZIL. Sao Paulo. 1960.
Not all street photography needs to be super emotional. Some street photographs are
purely visual images– that appeal to our sense of geometry, composition, and composition.
These images are generally shot in good light with nice lights and shadows, have strong
diagonal lines, leading lines, curves, and shapes of interest.
5. Focusing on details
Downtown LA, 2012. Sometimes
just by focusing on the hands, you
can make a more powerful image.
16
Some of the best street photographs focus on the details, not the whole picture. When you
are shooting on the streets, you can focus on small details. This means rather than taking a
full-body shot of someone on the streets, focus on their hands, their face, their earrings,
their hands, their feet, or anything else they are holding.
By showing less of what is going on in the photograph, you create more mystery in your
image. Less is more.
6. Urban landscapes
Pittsburgh, 2013. Note the juxtaposition
between the abandoned soda machines
and the dilapidated buildings in the
background.
I don’t think street photography has to include people in it. Sometimes you can create
compelling urban landscapes that show some sort of human condition and reflection on
society.
The hardest thing to do in urban landscapes is to find a scene that somehow elicits a sense
of nostalgia, emotion, or societal critique. For example, photographing a run-down building
can make a strong societal statement.
When photographing urban landscapes, it is also extremely important to have a nice
composition, sense of symmetry, and balance.
It is hard to make interesting urban landscapes– but to better capture them you can read
my guide on urban landscapes.
17
7. Commonly found objects
Melbourne, 2012. A photograph
of a colorful mattress I saw in a
garage.
Sometimes the most interesting street photographs are of stuff on the ground. So take
photos of common objects you find in public places. Get close up to them, juxtapose them
against other objects, and experiment using a flash. Try to be creative and find ways to
make them interesting.
8. Self-portraits
Self portrait by Lee Friedlander
If you have a hard time finding an interesting subject, use yourself as the subject.
Superimpose yourself into your images with your shadows and reflections. Create
interesting frames and compositions, and see how you can add a sense of mystery or
intrigue to your images by having yourself in it.
http://erickimphotography.com/blog/the-ultimate-beginners-guide-for-streetphotography/
18
Winners
PSSA results
PFK Salon
Open Monochrome
Open Monochrome
Acceptance
Poetic Performance
Murray
Vivienne
Acceptance
The Warm Up
Murray
Vivienne
PECC 125th Anniversary Salon
Nature
Colour
Nature
Colour
Nature
Colour
Open
Colour
Open
Colour
Acceptance
a leap of faith
Viljoen
Kierie
Acceptance
the alert look
Viljoen
Kierie
Acceptance
the battle for supremacy
Viljoen
Kierie
Acceptance
Electric Fruit
Metcalf
Andrew
Acceptance
handstand
Viljoen
Kierie
MFFC Salon
Open - Colour PDI (Excl Nature
and Scapes)
Open - Colour PDI (Excl Nature
and Scapes)
Open - Colour PDI (Excl Nature
and Scapes)
Open Mono PDI (Excl Nature and
Scapes)
Open Mono PDI (Excl Nature and
Scapes)
Open Prints Monochrome
Scapes Monochrome PDI
Acceptance
The swing 2
Kenny
Laetitia
Acceptance
Mermaid
Laetitia
Acceptance
The Enterprise has landed
Kenny
PrestonWhyte
Acceptance
Silent forest
Kenny
Laetitia
Acceptance
Poetic Performance
Murray
Acceptance
Mr Patel
Single
Vivienne
Reginald
Owen
Acceptance
wind on the Water
Murray
Vivienne
Mark
19
Winners
PSSA results
PSSA National AV salon
No results
Bluff 3rd Digital Salon
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Certificate of
Merit
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Altered reality - Colour
only
Altered reality - Colour
only
Altered reality - Colour
only
Nature - Colour only
Slave To The Fast Lane
Vivienne Murray
Dance Routine
Laetitia
Vivienne Murray
Laetitia Kenny
Nature - Colour only
Nature - Colour only
Nature - Colour only
Move To The Music
Birds Eye View
Lioness Amidst A Rain
Shower
This Is My Breakfast
Stork 490
Open - Colour only
Open - Colour only
Open - Colour only
Open - Monochrome
Open - Monochrome
Open - Monochrome
Open - Monochrome
Open - Monochrome
Steam Punk Lady
Experimental Portrait
Dressing Room
Textured Portrait
Ballet Study 1
Violin Still Life
Poetic Performance
Tattoo Model
Laetitia
Laetitia
Laetitia
Laetitia
Laetitia
Laetitia
Vivienne
Laetitia
Kenny
Kerry
Mellet
Vivienne Murray
Laetitia Kenny
Kenny
Kenny
Kenny
Kenny
Kenny
Kenny
Murray
Kenny
20
High Contrast Nude Photography –
How to light and shoot bodyscapes
High contrast nude photography, often called bodyscapes can create beautiful photos for
both the beginner and experienced photographer alike. This tutorial and tutorial video will
hopefully shed some light on the subject and the technique that I use to create these
simple but elegant photographs.
Last night I had the opportunity to give an impromptu class on lighting and how to set up
the lighting scenario. This got me thinking that it could be something worth writing about.
Anyway the basic technique is often referred to as a bodyscapes. Sometimes it’s called low
key photography but by definition the photos I use as examples aren’t low key. They are
high contrast. Low key, bodyscapes or high contrast nude photography it’s all just one
small portion of how to use different lighting setups to get the results you are looking for.
To shoot the technique you need not actually shoot nude. It can be done with clothing but
in general some skin is required. In the end what we are doing is placing the light source at
an acute angle to the subject. This creates highlight and shadow detail of the subjects
curves and muscle tone.
21
High contrast nude photography, often call bodyscapes, are beautiful photos for both the
beginner and experienced photographer alike.
Why Shoot High Contrast Nude Photography
So, the question might be why bother with bodyscapes or nude photography at all? The
simplest answer is because the photos are beautiful and the lighting set up is deceptively
easy . Just as an example, for the photo of Ashley, below, I used one simple light. She was
back lit with a small strip light that was placed about 2 foot behind and above her. That’s it.
Just one simple light.
Because of the ease and simplicity of the set up high contrast nude photography is great for
beginners or photographers without a lot of experience. Setting up effective lighting can
boost confidence and prove that anyone can get great results. Hell, it need not even be
nude but high contrast photography in general. In the end it’s all the same. For more
advanced photographers? Simply because you are capable of more advanced lighting
setups doesn’t mean you always need to use them. Less, can be more as the old saying
goes.
High contrast nude photography or bodyscapes of Ashley
Side Note: A quick side note about the image above. As a rule I tend not to be a big fan of
selective color. The photo above, from 2009, is one of only two images I’ve applied
22
selective color too in perhaps the last 10 years. Even so I think it works here and I like the
effect so in the end I went with it.
High Contrast Nude Photography – Success or Failure
What I mean by success or failure I’m asking if we are getting the results that we want and
are we using the best approach? Are we getting the shot in camera the way that we want
or are we spending hours in Photoshop and post production? With that in mind we’ll start
with failure and some common mistakes.
Before we start it’s important to remember that no matter what anyone tells you there is
no right or wrong way to setup the light. If it works for you then it works for you. There are
however better ways to reach the same goal and to get the shot in camera with or no post
processing of the photos. I’ve been shooting my high contrast nude photography and
bodyscapes the same way for about 7 years. If however I learned a new and better
technique tomorrow I’d switch in a heartbeat. There’s little point in hanging on to old
techniques that aren’t effective. With that said I have found two main problems people
have that severely limits their success.
Big Light and Greek Gods
None of us are Greek gods and You’re certainly not Zeus so there’s no sense in throwing
lightning bolts at your model.
First they use way too much light. Sometimes they use umbrellas or large softboxes.
Sometimes they blast their model with huge amounts of light. Often they will do both. Look
at it like this. None of us are Greek gods and you’re certainly not Zeus so there’s no sense in
throwing lightning bolts at your model. Lighting up the sky isn’t the answer. What we want
to do is just “kiss” the model with a touch of light. Just a soft little touch.
Turn back the power and use a small softbox or striplight. A strip light is great and allows us
complete control over the spill of the light. If you don’t have a strip light a small soft box
will work fine. Depending on how much wrap around we want a small softbox could be
preferred. As stated above you also want to light your model from behind rather than the
front. The light should just graze across the models skin. For that reason you want the light
to be low and pointing back at you rather than shining down on the model. This will create
the deep shadows and pull out muscle detail and shape of the models figure.
23
Big Backgrounds and Fall Off of Light
There are all manner of fancy and expensive background materials on the market but
muslin is cheap, durable, easily replaced and works well so I go with that.
The next issue people have with high contrast nude photography is a failure to create fast
fall off of light. To get your head around light fall off you can have peek the link. For the
short version all we need to do is unlearn everything you already know about light. We
want to pretend that it acts differently and use that concept to get our results. Every school
kid knows that if you shine a flashlight up into the sky the light that comes out of the end
will go on forever. Long after we are gone that light will still be traveling the cosmos. 2
billion or 3 billion years from now that light will still be speeding through our universe. That
is unless it is reflected in a different direction where it still keeps going or is absorbed by an
object and becomes heat.
As photographers we are going to pretend that this is not the case and that light will only
travel so far. In fact we are going to set up our lighting so that light ends when and where
we want. Our light will only travel 2 or 3 feet before we command it to abruptly stop. This is
the real key to getting the shot in camera without post production in Photoshop. This is
accomplished with the type of background we use, the way the background is set up and
the intensity of light vs. the aperture we are using.
Now, since I don’t have any photos of the set up handy I’m going to do my best to explain it
for you. First we are going to talk about bodyscapes where the model, in most cases, is
laying down on a flat surface. If you shoot on a large backdrop you will have more surface
that will be illuminated by the light. If for example you have a large backdrop like paper or
muslin if its stretched out on the floor and your model is laying down on the floor this will
cause two problems.
Don’t place your model on a large surface
1) The surface that the model is on will be too large. This will give a huge area that will
reflect light back onto the camera’s sensor. I’m assuming that you’re shooting digital here.
If you’re shooting film then substitute sensor with film and keep marching on. For our
purposes it’s the same. If you are using a material that reflects light even more, something
like black paper, then you will get even more reflection and your background will be
completely visible in the photo. Myself, I prefer to use black muslin. I buy it in 10 x 20 foot
24
sections. It’s porous enough that it’s subtractive, absorbs most of the light, and if used
properly has little or no reflection. There are all manner of fancy and expensive background
materials on the market but muslin is cheap, durable, easily replaced and works well so I go
with that.
If you don’t have muslin you can always put down a black sheet for your model to lay on. I
know, I know. Real photographers don’t use bed sheets. That’s something that is reserved
only for your local GWC! Look, that’s a load of shit! We aren’t talking about using a
wrinkled black sheet as a background. We’re simply laying down a clean non reflective
surface for your model to lay on. It’s effective and will do the trick just as well as anything
else. We’re talking about getting the shot not being cool. We’re also talking about
shooting quality high contrast nude photography. What we are not talking about is keeping
up with the Jones’s or investing in expensive equipment. If you decide to invest in high
grade subtractive backgrounds that’s fine but in truth much of it is completely unnecessary.
Raise the model up
2) The next thing we want to do is raise our model up off the floor and place them on a
small surface. This is the most important step to easily get the shot in camera. A table or
even a small folding table will do the trick. You want the table to be heavy enough to
support your model’s weight safely. Don’t go setting her up on a TV try or anything flimsy.
You don’t want to hurt her! Once you have your table sitting on top of your black
background just cover it with a black muslin or sheet. This this reduces the size of the
reflective surface to just slightly larger than the model.
A higher surfice also raises your model up so you are not only shooting from a more
comfortable position. You can also set your light at an acute angle rather than beaming
straight down. For the image below Dani was actually laying on her side on a table and lit by
a single small softbox from behind. I rotated the image in post because “it felt better” that
way.
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High Contrast Nude Photography or bodyscape of DaniHigh Contrast Nude Photography or
or bodyscape of Dani. Below is a lighting diagram used for this shot. minus the table she
was laying on. It’s about as simple as it gets. The basic high contrast Nude photography and
or bodyscape lighting setup I use is very simple.Above is my basic high contrast nude
photography lighting setup used for bodyscapes. The only difference is that the ball should
be propped up on a table. The little lighting diagram builder has no tables etc, to use.
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Setting Your Exposure
Use one light as your main light that will graze across the models skin and bring out detail.
Now that you have your background and lights set up it’s almost time to start shooting.
First however we need to get the proper exposure. It’s not important what you use to get
the exposure. Whether you use a grey card or an exposure meter it all comes out basically
the same in the end. Anyway, you will want to check the exposure of your light but as we’ve
already pointed out you aren’t Zeus so there’s no point maxing out your light source. It’s
not so important where you start but if, for example, your light is firing 1/125 at f/4.0 you’ll
want to set your camera to 1/125 at f/5.6 or even as high as f/7.1. This will allow you to
crush the blacks in the shadow region so that you can’t see your background.
With the light so close to the model her skin will still be properly exposed but the black
fabric the she is laying will be under exposed. This is a good thing and the exact effect that
we want. If your model is standing the same applies.
If you’re using two lights keep both behind your model. Use one light as your main light
that will graze across the models skin and bring out detail. Use the other as a kicker or rim
light. I’d set the rim light at half the power of the main light but that’s just me. What you do
is your choice but always just “kiss” your model with light. A soft little peck is all it takes.
Never blast her with it and certainly don’t go tossing lightning bolts around. That about
wraps up my little tutorial on bodyscapes and high contrast nude photography for now. If
you have any questions or input please feel free to drop a comment below and add to the
discussion.
High Contrast Nude Photography
of Natasha. Unlike most of my
body scape photography this
shot of Natasha had the light
directly over head rather than
behind.
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Your Photos Don’t Have To be Nude
The photo of Krista below is a personal favorite of mine. It’s simple and turned out
fantastic. Sadly it seems that others like it as well because of the number of times it’s been
infringed upon. It’s been taken and used without license no less than 400 times. Sadly it’s
been used on everything from record labels to wallpaper and simple avatars. I’ve done my
best to track them down but there comes a point that things spin out of control and we’re
left fighting the battles we can win.
Contrast Nude Photography? No, your photos need not be nude but the technique does
require skin as you can see from the light reflecting off of Krista’s skin in this photo.
http://www.barrykidd.com/high-contrast-nude-photography/
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Winners
August e-photography results
1 Star:
No entries for August
2 Star: Yolanda Taljaard
Pitstop
3 Star: Jacques Taljaard
A Kubu sunset
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4 Star: Ulandi Wagg
Deadvlei 1
5 Star: Kierie Viljoen
The violent vegetarian
1-3 star Set subject winner
Steve Koekemoer
A cup of love
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1-3 star Set subject
runner up
Marie Botha
Royal Albert and Pearls
4-5 star Set subject
Winner
Owen Single
Venetian Mask
4-5 star Set subject
runner up
Willem Pieterse
Shapes and sizes
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Difference between macro micro and
close up photography
by TANYA PUNTTI
What is the difference between macro, micro and closeup photography?
There is often much confusion amongst new photographers over the terms macro, micro
and close up photography and how they differ. For starters, macro and micro usually refers
to the same thing, in that Nikon names their range of ‘macro lenses’ with the word ‘micro’.
Canon on the other hand, calls them macro lenses.
For example, Nikons top macro lens is called AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED
lens. Notice the term micro in that name.
Now for comparisons sake, Canon’s top macro lens is called a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro
lens. This time, instead of seeing the term micro, you’ll notice the term macro within the
lens name.
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What does macro and micro refer to when it comes to photography?
The word macro means big, whereas the word micro mean small. So how is it that these
two terms related?
If the subject you are photographing is small and you want to make it look big, you end up
with a “macro” view of a “micro” subject.
What is macro (micro) photography?
Macro photography is that which is taken with a dedicated macro lens. A real macro lens
has the capability of achieving in the least a 1:1 magnification. Just because a camera has
the word macro written on it, doesn’t make it a true macro lens. Both the Nikon and Canon
lenses mentioned above, are considered real macro lenses. If you’re not sure how to
recognise a real macro lens, you may find an earlier article useful called, What is a real
macro lens.
What is close up photography?
Close up photography, is the act of photographing objects such as flowers or insects in close
range so the subject you are photographing fills the frame. In other words, it’s the act of
photographing subjects close up. This is easily achievable with any lens, even a 300mm
telephoto lens.
Macro photography is in essence close up photography as well. However, close up
photography is not always considered as true macro photography. For example, if you have
a lens that is NOT considered a real macro lens, yet offers a macro setting (as many do
nowadays), this is usually refered to as being close up photography, and not true macro.
How to recognise the difference between macro and close up photography?
Capturing the finest detail, is one of the main differences between macro / micro
photography and close up photography.
Macro lenses are expensive for a reason. That being, a true macro lens allows the
photographer to capture finer detail than would otherwise have been seen. For example,
the hairs on an insects face, or the pattern in its eye.
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Take the two photographs below for example. The first image is a very good example of a
close up photograph, taken with a Nikon telephoto lens. While the second photograph is a
macro shot, allowing for bigger magnification and showing the finest detail.
http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/blog/macro/macro-micro-closeup-difference.html
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Errol Wagg
Tell us a bit about yourself, where you are from and where your interest for photography
started?
I was born in a little town in the Northern Cape in the last century. My first camera
was given to me as my 14th birthday present by my parents. It was a Halina “Mik &
Druk” similar to the Kodac Instamatic.In those days I shot with Black & White film, as
Colour film was very expensive.
This was used to capture many happy family memories, and this is really where my
interest in Photography started. In high school, I had a friend whose father and older
brother had their own darkroom at their house. Needless to say, I spent a great deal
of my time at their house learning and playing with the developing of film, doing
prints, enlarging, and Burning in details etc.
When did you join the photography club and what star level are you now?
I joined the Boksburg camera club in 1997 with the purpose to learn how to use a
Hasselblad medium format camera I had inherited. This was a camera that is very
technical and everything on the camera had to be manually set. I sold it and bought a
Nikon F65 Film camera, and have remained with that brand to today.
I am currently a 5 Star Print worker as well as a 5 Star Digital photographer.
Unfortunately, digital photography superseded slides when I was at 3 Star in slides,
so I never progressed further in the slide medium.
How did your first photo entered in a competition do?
Of the 3 prints I entered in my first salon ( Southern Suburbs salon), I got one
acceptance.
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What is your favourite genre and why?
I enjoy photographing in all genres, but shooting aircraft in flight at air shows gives
me the greatest enjoyment,
Please share your favourite photo you took so far and why is it your favourite photo?
I have many “favourites” across
different genres, but I still have
a special spot in my heart for
my photo of the moment of the
birth of my son Christopher. It
was shot on film, and later I
scanned the colour negative to
digital, and then converted it to
a “positive”. I won a medal for
best PJ image in a salon with it.
What inspires your photos?
To envisage the image and the composition, and then to capture it as I envisaged it in
my mind’s eye.
What is your highlight of photography?
The highlight of my photography is after I have downloaded all my images onto my
computer, and scan through them, to see whether I have managed to capture the
mood, essence and moment as I envisaged.
What advice would you like to give to someone taking up photography or just starting
photography?
In the words of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light bulb: after failing 98
times before getting it right: “I have learned 98 ways that it doesn’t work”. So, in
other words, keep on experimenting and trying until you master it. You will learn
something new through each attempt at mastering this art form of “painting with
light”
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Members list
Alan Driver
Alan Rankin
Alex Pawley
Alta Neto
Andre Koekemoer
Andrew Metcalf
Anna Ireland
Anneke Watt
Annemi Taljaard
Armand Wessels
Barry Clayton
Charmaine Zietsman
Chris van den Berg
Christine Janse van Rensburg
David Macintyre
Denise Smith
Demsey Henning
Deon Mostert
Ditta Arnott
Eddie Mtsweni
Edwin Hawthorn
Elmarie Swanepoel
Erich Schober
Errol Wagg
Esme Bruwer
Ettienne van Niekerk
Frans Grotius
Gail Zaaiman
Hannes Badenhorst
HP Van Zyl
Jackie Cilliers
Jackie duPlessis
Jacques Taljaard
Jasper Van Eden
Johan Botha
Karl Seidel
Karen Seidel
Kerry Mellet
Kierie Viljoen
Kim Cass
Laurence Keulder
Laetitia Kenny
Magda Van Vreden
Margaret Single
Marie Botha
Mark Preston White
Mavis De Rouwe
Mel Walsh
Michelle Venter
Morne Ras
Natasha Henning
Nico Grobbelaar
Noma Matsiliza
Paddy Abrams
Pam Eley
Paula Rutherford
Percy Mitchell
Reginald Owen Single
Renee de Klerk
Ronel Myburgh
Rowland Hopley
Sandra McCallum
Sharon Naude
Sivuyile Matsiliza
Sonja Nel
Steve Koekemoer
Suzanne Morshead
Theo van der Merwe
Tony Stacey
Tracey Haw
Tracy Hopley
Ulandi Wagg
Vivienne Murray
Waheed Petkar
Wallace Hayward
Willie Pieterse
Wilma Fratter
Yolanda Taljaard
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What is PSSA?
The Photographic Society of South Africa (PSSA) is the officially recognised body presenting photographers
in South Africa. The aim of the society is the promotion of photography in all aspects through individual
membership, affiliated clubs and other photographic groups.
Vision
As the internationally recognised Society, the PSSA actively embraces the future in its services to all
photographers.
Mission
 To bring together those interested in photography.
 To promote the highest possible standards.
 To embrace the future of photography while continually supporting the present.
Benefits of joining PSSA
 Become part of the world-wide photographic community.
 Nationally and internationally recognised Honours and Awards.
 Diamond ratings for achievements at National and International salons.
 Receive a quarterly glossy A4 magazine, “IMAGE”.
 Access the online newsletter and members’ section of the website.
 Publish articles and images in “IMAGE” and on the website.
 Evaluation of members’ photographs on the website
 Learn new skills through workshops, tutorials and training DVD’s.
 Attend workshops to obtain accreditation as a judge of photography within the Society.
 Discounted entry fees to photographic salons recognised by PSSA.
 Awards for service and excellence in photography.
 Discounts given to PSSA members attending national and regional congresses.
Join today!
Membership of PSSA is open to all photographers
For application forms and other information, access the website: www.pssa.co.za.
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