El Dave Photography

Once in a while a line will pop into my head and won't go away until I act on it. This time it was, "What would you do if reality were no longer an obstacle". Since I'm not particularly artistic (can't draw, can't paint), my only real creative outlet is photography. So I dug through my toy bins trying to find something to satisfy the concept in my head, but toy after toy went back into the bins because they just didn't fit.

Finally, I grabbed the Lotus Warrior and something clicked. I managed to find all of her weapons, except for the giant shield thing she's supposed to hold above her head. I grabbed the torches from Dr. Doom and placed them in her hands. For the background I used a photograph I took inside the House on the Rock and pulled it up fullscreen on my laptop.

Processing in Photoshop was pretty basic, using the Levels to control the color and blend the figure into the background. I used soft brushes to give the torches the same glow. Using the laptop as both backdrop and light source worked out well, except for the glow/distortion in the bottom left corner. I'm not sure what caused it, but I couldn't really get rid of it without ruining the picture. C'est la vie!

All reality is EXIF:

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePixS2Pro
Exposure:	0.7 sec (7/10)
Aperture:	f/4
Focal Length:	50 mm
ISO Speed:	100
Exposure Bias:	0/100 EV

Orientation:	Horizontal (normal)
X-Resolution:	72 dpi
Y-Resolution:	72 dpi
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Date and Time:	2008:02:26 23:02:18
Tag::TIFF::0x882A:	-6, -6
Exposure Program:	Manual
Date and Time (Original):	2008:02:26 22:44:51
Date and Time (Digitized):	2008:02:26 22:44:51
Shutter Speed:	514573/1000000
Brightness:	-66/100
Metering Mode:	Center Weighted Average
Light Source:	Daylight
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Focal Plane X-Resolution:	630 dpc
Focal Plane Y-Resolution:	630 dpc
Sensing Method:	One-chip colour area sensor
Exposure Mode:	Manual
White Balance:	Manual
Focal Length In 35mm Film:	75
Saturation:	High saturation
Compression:	JPEG
Image Width:	3024 pixels
Image Height:	2024 pixels

Be good,
-Dave

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What do I do with a giant city-sized robot from an anime I've never seen? Put a machine gun in his hand and turn him loose in a Mayan temple. In an attempt to understand what EVA-03 is about, I watched a few clips on YouTube, but it seems the only thing EVA-03 actually does is fight other EVA's, then explode blood all over Tokyo. Not a photoshoot I'm quite ready for. For one, I don't have any other EVA's, nor am I willing to crush 03's skull and a ketchup packet (although I'll have to put that on my list).

Because my plaster wall is too big for my lightbox, I went back to the stovetop for this one. The stove lamp and two tea candles provided the light, and two stone drink coasters provided the raised step. The colors were tweaked in the Levels control, and that's something I will definitely be playing with in the future. Hue/Saturation is for suckers.

All EVA-03 needs now is a hat and bullwhip.

EXIF. Why did it have to be EXIF:

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePixS2Pro
Exposure:	4 sec (4)
Aperture:	f/4
Focal Length:	50 mm
ISO Speed:	100
Exposure Bias:	0/100 EV

Orientation:	Horizontal (normal)
X-Resolution:	72 dpi
Y-Resolution:	72 dpi
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Date and Time:	2008:02:26 19:15:49
Tag::TIFF::0x882A:	-6, -6
Exposure Program:	Manual
Date and Time (Original):	2008:02:26 18:42:48
Date and Time (Digitized):	2008:02:26 18:42:48
Shutter Speed:	-2/1
Brightness:	-333/100
Metering Mode:	Center Weighted Average
Light Source:	Daylight
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Focal Plane X-Resolution:	630 dpc
Focal Plane Y-Resolution:	630 dpc
Sensing Method:	One-chip colour area sensor
Exposure Mode:	Manual
White Balance:	Manual
Focal Length In 35mm Film:	75
Saturation:	High saturation
Compression:	JPEG
Image Width:	2024 pixels
Image Height:	3024 pixels

Be good,
-Dave

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Thankfully, I caught myself before it was too late. As I've said before, my natural artistic leaning is to just make everything darker. It helps hide any mistakes I've made and I just think it looks better. This is, of course, completely wrong.

For example, take my last post about the Predator. I think it's a great photo with lots of dramatic lighting and mystery. The actual reception has been, well, this, but with my photo in place of the DS. Just because I know what's supposed to be going on doesn't mean the viewer does. The international language is love, not intent.

So this week I want to focus on taking pictures you can actually, you know, see. It'll be a revolutionary process that will most likely change photography forever. Before you know it, people everywhere will start taking pictures of things that will actually appear in the photo!

Which brings me to Steel. I wanted to try and recreate a visual style similar to 300 where the lighting is harsh and the shadows are deep, but the details are still visible. Obviously I still have a loooong way to go, but this was interesting enough on it's own that I wanted to post it. Not a whole lot else to say about it other than I think it turned out great and will continue working on it.

Shaquile O'Exif:

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture:	f/2.5
Focal Length:	50 mm
ISO Speed:	400
Exposure Bias:	0/3 EV
Flash:	Flash did not fire

Orientation:	Horizontal (normal)
X-Resolution:	72 dpi
Y-Resolution:	72 dpi
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Date and Time:	2008:02:22 20:49:43
YCbCr Positioning:	Co-Sited
Exposure Program:	Normal
Date and Time (Original):	2008:02:22 20:54:08
Date and Time (Digitized):	2008:02:22 20:54:08
Shutter Speed:	369876/65536
Metering Mode:	Pattern
Color Space:	sRGB
Focal Plane X-Resolution:	4433.295 dpi
Focal Plane Y-Resolution:	4453.608 dpi
White Balance:	Manual
Compression:	JPEG
Image Width:	3264 pixels
Image Height:	2592 pixels

Be good,
-Dave

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You know, I could get these entries written much faster if I'd stop reading the Wikipedia entries about my subjects. I start off looking for a cool quote or something interesting to lead with, but I end up spending 45 minutes reading about the culture and Klingon-like language of the Predators.

Things like, "Though reptilian in appearance, Predators possess mammary glands like mammals. Their hair is apparently sensitive to touch and young warriors have it braided into dreadlocks in an extremely painful ritual which takes days to perform. Predators are sexually dimorphic with females being larger and stronger than males and sporting more prominent mammory glands (like human females). Females give off a strong musk when in estrus. Males give off a musk to signify aggression. This musk can be detected by other Predators and canidae, though it is imperceptible to humans. Predators are not monogamous, and it is not uncommon for veteran warriors to sire hundreds of offspring (known as sucklings) with multiple mates."

I didn't need to know that. You didn't need to know that. Nobody needs to know that Predators have boobs.

Ok, let's get down to business. What I wanted to do here was try and recreate that first hunt for a young Predator, and try and capture not only the tension but the sudden burst of movement that comes from realizing you've been discovered. I could've done the cheesy thing and start throwing motion blurs around like there's no tomorrow, but I want to learn about poses and get better at making these toys look as natural as possible.

So picture if you will, a grown man standing in his kitchen, trying to imagine he was a Predator about to get jumped by some horrible monster hiding a few feet above. I tried to make notes about my posture, the angle of my head, how my back was arched, that sort of thing. Had April seen me, the mocking laughter would still ring in my ears.

Once I had my pose, I had to get the Predator in as close a position as possible. Then I set up the back wall, found the ceramic drink tiles and candle for the wall/pillar, and reached for something to put up top. I have no idea where my Xenomorphs are, which I suppose is cause for alarm. I'm not exactly comfortable knowing that Aliens are running loose in my apartment. Especially when the photo I'm about to shoot is the Predator about to get killed by them...

Lighting for this was provided by four tea lights (yeah, yeah, I'm back to using fire. I'm sorry!). If I were going to go back and reshoot this, I would move the candles closest to the bottom left away from the pillar and maybe shift them to the other side. The light there is a little too harsh, almost like a camera flash just went off.

Wow, was this rambling or what?

You're one ugly EXIF:

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePixS2Pro
Exposure:	2 sec (2)
Aperture:	f/4.5
Focal Length:	50 mm
ISO Speed:	100
Exposure Bias:	0/100 EV

Orientation:	Horizontal (normal)
X-Resolution:	72 dpi
Y-Resolution:	72 dpi
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Date and Time:	2008:02:20 20:26:49
Tag::TIFF::0x882A:	-6, -6
Exposure Program:	Manual
Date and Time (Original):	2008:02:20 19:25:17
Date and Time (Digitized):	2008:02:20 19:25:17
Shutter Speed:	-1/1
Brightness:	-333/100
Metering Mode:	Center Weighted Average
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Focal Plane X-Resolution:	630 dpc
Focal Plane Y-Resolution:	630 dpc
Sensing Method:	One-chip colour area sensor
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Focal Length In 35mm Film:	75
Saturation:	High saturation
Compression:	JPEG
Image Width:	2024 pixels
Image Height:	3024 pixels

Be good,
-Dave

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I shot this just to test out my prop project. Originally, I only intended to build a few little pieces here and there, but that seems to have completely gotten out of hand and now I'm working on sculpting part of a cathedral. Yeah, I can't believe it either.

This wall was just something I could bang out quickly to see how well it would work with the lights. It's made out of three coats of plaster and a little paint, and only took, what, 2 1/2 hours start to finish?

EXIF OVER HERE!

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePixS2Pro
Exposure:	0.5 sec (1/2)
Aperture:	f/1.8
Focal Length:	50 mm
ISO Speed:	100
Exposure Bias:	-1 EV

Orientation:	Horizontal (normal)
X-Resolution:	72 dpi
Y-Resolution:	72 dpi
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Date and Time:	2008:02:20 10:04:06
Tag::TIFF::0x882A:	-6, -6
Exposure Program:	Manual
Date and Time (Original):	2008:02:20 09:39:20
Date and Time (Digitized):	2008:02:20 09:39:20
Shutter Speed:	1/1
Brightness:	-333/100
Metering Mode:	Center Weighted Average
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Focal Plane X-Resolution:	630 dpc
Focal Plane Y-Resolution:	630 dpc
Sensing Method:	One-chip colour area sensor
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Focal Length In 35mm Film:	75
Saturation:	High saturation
Compression:	JPEG
Image Width:	2104 pixels
Image Height:	1520 pixels

Be good,
-Dave

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I've always had a soft spot for "the power behind the throne" stories. People like Rasputin are endlessly fascinating. There's just something about the temptation of power with obvious strings attached and the moral questions they raise.

So of course that isn't what I originally had in mind when I set up Etrigan. I tried pose after pose, but nothing was really clicking. He's a fantastic figure, one that I've been waiting for since Wizard World Chicago last summer. Despite how great he looks, I just couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with him. I tried profile shots, different perspectives, angles, and lighting. Still the Demon eluded me.

After taking a short break and looking through my toy bins, I happened across a Marvel Select Dr. Doom and his throne. I've used the throne before and Etrigan seemed to be just about the right size. Unfortunately, his cape doesn't come off so he couldn't sit down, which led to me placing him around the throne, until ultimately settling on behind and gesturing the viewer to sit down.

From zero to idea in about an hour and a half :)

Etrigan was lit by two desklamps, one pointed at his feet and the other pointed directly at him. Adjusting the contrast in Photoshop added a little drama, then add the eye glow. Nothing to it!

Gone, gone EXIF of man,

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePixS2Pro
Exposure:	0.022 sec (1/45)
Aperture:	f/1.8
Focal Length:	50 mm
ISO Speed:	100
Exposure Bias:	-1 EV

Orientation:	Horizontal (normal)
X-Resolution:	72 dpi
Y-Resolution:	72 dpi
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Date and Time:	2008:02:12 19:11:19
Tag::TIFF::0x882A:	-6, -6
Exposure Program:	Manual
Date and Time (Original):	2008:02:12 19:03:13
Date and Time (Digitized):	2008:02:12 19:03:13
Shutter Speed:	5491853/1000000
Brightness:	150/100
Metering Mode:	Center Weighted Average
Light Source:	Daylight
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Focal Plane X-Resolution:	630 dpc
Focal Plane Y-Resolution:	630 dpc
Sensing Method:	One-chip colour area sensor
Exposure Mode:	Manual
White Balance:	Manual
Focal Length In 35mm Film:	75
Saturation:	High saturation
Compression:	JPEG
Image Width:	2004 pixels
Image Height:	1689 pixels

Be good,
-Dave

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I realize that I didn't give any tips or clues as to my setup in my last post, and, as an apology I want to share with you a technique to give your photos that really great antique look. After today you will no longer run to the Sepia Filter and cry that all the others are making fun of you. Today is the day you stand proud and cast away Sepia forever. Girl, it's just bringing you down!
Yeah, I snapped my fingers after I typed that, what of it?

The technique is called TTV, short for Through the Viewfinder. It mimics the look of vintage cameras and lenses that have become such sought-after items today, without having to track down and buy those expensive lenses. The best part of TTV photography is that it's free! All you have to do is give credit to whomever created the filter (or else you run the risk of being THAT GUY, and, hey, don't be that guy) and provide a link back to them.

For Pei Mei, I used the excellent Spartus Shade by Nesster. I shot Pei Mei in the lightbox with stronger lighting on the left side of the frame because I wanted to recreate that blown out look of really old cameras. You know, where the guy pulls the cloth over his head, then sets off a flash flare? In the cowboy movies? Yeah, you know what I'm talking about!

I'm going to assume you use Photoshop, because I'm not familiar enough with any other Photo Software to provide accurate instruction.

First, select your TTV border from any number of great places. I personally prefer the Flickr Noise and Dust Through the Viewfinder Group due to the amazing variety of TTV's that are available and I know exactly who should get the credit. Once you've brought it up in Photoshop, go back to your original toy photo and crop it down to match the size of your TTV. Copy and paste the TTV as a new Layer, then (this is where it gets complicated) change the Blending Mode to "Multiply".

That's it.

Seriously, that's all you have to do. Well, ok, you may have to do a little cleanup and play with the Blending Mode to get it just right, but that's really all there is to it.

Don't believe me? Try it yourself.

My EXIF is devastating!

Camera:	Fujifilm FinePixS2Pro
Exposure:	0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture:	f/1.8
Focal Length:	50 mm
ISO Speed:	100
Exposure Bias:	1 EV

Orientation:	Horizontal (normal)
X-Resolution:	72 dpi
Y-Resolution:	72 dpi
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Date and Time:	2008:02:12 16:40:51
Tag::TIFF::0x882A:	-6, -6
Exposure Program:	Manual
Date and Time (Original):	2008:02:12 16:42:35
Date and Time (Digitized):	2008:02:12 16:42:35
Shutter Speed:	4321928/1000000
Brightness:	150/100
Metering Mode:	Center Weighted Average
Light Source:	Daylight
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Focal Plane X-Resolution:	630 dpc
Focal Plane Y-Resolution:	630 dpc
Sensing Method:	One-chip colour area sensor
Exposure Mode:	Manual
White Balance:	Manual
Focal Length In 35mm Film:	75
Saturation:	High saturation
Compression:	JPEG
Image Width:	1200 pixels
Image Height:	1200 pixels

Be good,
-Dave

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