Industrial Images

For industiral sited for ActewAGL I decided to stay with the electricity them for the porfolio. I chose to focus on several electrical substations. One near Oakes Estate and one on the corner of Athelon Drive and Sulwood Drive near the base of Mt Taylor. Lighting of Oakes Estate I found to be best at sunrise while lighing at Sulwood Drive was better at sunset. It became evident to me that there was a convergence in my photos in that some of the images could be catagorised as either Industrial or Landscape and, in fact, some of the below images had subsequently ended up in my Landscape category.  

Oakes Estate 

Sulwood/Athalon Drives 

Landscape Images

One of the possibilites for landscape photography for the ActewAGL project was to take images from Mount Ainslie at night in condunction with Earth Hour. I had expected a more dramatic take up by the Canberra community of the power saving hour. Overall it was very disappointing and did not eventuate in dramatic and contrasting images. Geoff Comfort had said he was commissioned by ActewAGL one year to document the event for them and he advised me to expect any minimal results, and he was correct.

While out shooting industral scenes it lead to shooting related landscape. That is, while shooting electrical substations there was the landscape around the stations with the power lines. What better subject than to include it with the theme of electricity.

Southside Lighting Interior

For my interior shoot I considered doing something a bit different than shooting the cone lights inside the ActewAGL building in Civic. I approached the manager of Southside Lighting who was very agreeable to allowing me shoot anything I wanted in the store and take as long a I wanted. He and his staff offered to move lighting fixtures and arranged for some of the fixtures to be powered. In my review with Brian the images, of which these are just a few, were too much of product shot rather than an interior of representing ActewAGL.

The intention was to balance the mixed lighting - fluorescent, tungsten and daylight.

Studio – Chrome/Shiney Objects Glass/Close-ups & Camera Movement

For my chrome object I selected a chrome based spherical lamp with a light golden shade. I want to capture the lamp to show the lovely spherical shape as well as using a long exposure to give the warm tone of the ambient light. It has proven to be a difficult task because of the shape of the base and having it on a black velvet cloth the shape at the bottom is not evident. I've used a paper "snowflake" to try and bring out the base.

Shot with a single light left and rear of camera through the blinds. Used both a bare bulb and snooted light. Some images the lamp was turned on adding to the ambiance of the scene.

Lamp with magazine in foreground to add feel.

Magazine itself was not sharp so ended up being an added distracting element in the photo. 

Nice feel with the blurred blinds and shadows on wall and lamp shade. Lamp body not well defined especially on right side. The lamp shade reflects strongly on the top of the lamp base. 

Similar to preceding photo but with a circle of paper placed under the lamp to provide reflective lighting to bring out the shape of the lamp base which is otherwise lost in the black reflection. 

Plain circle paper given the child's snowflake treatment to add more interest to the reflection. Reflector used in previous shots, not shown in blog, was creased and the creasing showed up too much in the reflection on the lamp. To rectify this I added a piece of mesh, visible in next photo, to give a more consistent texture to the reflection. 

Same as above photo with some of the netting showing. 

As previous two photos but with longer exposure and lamp turned on. 

These next three photos are very similar with slight variations in the lighting.

Shoot 2

Decided to try this shoot again after my initial review with Brian. I used the same elements - chrome lamp, black velvet and venetian blinds using a different positioning of the elements. For a few of the photos I added in a magenta cocktail glass. Brian came into the studio and though adding the cocktail glass added too many elements into the already difficult subject shoot.

Set up with a large softbox directly overhead, white reflective panels on the left and right sides of the table: black panels 'v' shaped to the camera; a black panel below the camera and a black A2 card panel with  lens hole to hide the camera, tripod and photographer. Had some initial problem with light reflection from the modeling light in studio space directly behind the camera and easily rectified by putting a black panel between the two studio spaces.

The velvet was draped centrally on the blinds and table giving a black background to the lamp and outlining the shade. It also allowed the the timbre of the blinds form a reflection on the outside edges of the lamp separating it from the background. Rather than use my 'snowflake' I located some paper doilies to provide the reflection on the base.

Images are as shot without post production. Intention is to clone out the lamp power cord near the base of the lamp.

Added element of a coloured cocktail glass with ambient light. 

Lamp light turned off. Very cold feel to the product.  

Front of doily obscured by fold in fabric. 

The kind of shot I was after. Brian thought that there was too much doily around the base. Lamp located off centre of image. 

Doily cut down and only about 1/3 of the full circle used. Camera moved back from previous shot. 

Same as above with slight adjustment to f-stop and shutter speed.  

The best of the shots in my opinion. Good outline of the base with the timber reflection, texture of lampshade and the ambient glow from the lamps light. 

Nice ambient light but not appropriate for this subject. 

Too mcuh hot spot from the shade reflection.  

Chrome too soft when taken to 1:1 focus point was on the lamp shade using f/2.8 

Position of the lamp is left of frame and I find it an awkward position looking at the photo, it doesn't read well in that position. 

Illumination softbox only.
Focus on lampshade makes chrome and doilly reflection too soft.
Image could be warmed up  slightly with White Balance adjustment.  

Brian suggested that a more traditional type of chrome shot be done. Took some time to locate a product that would be suitable and fit in with my electricity them but finally located a chrome solar garden lamp. 

Closeup

 

Inner workings of a energy efficient light globe. Does make you wonder if we really are saving energy considering the number of electronic and other components needed to manufacture it. 

Glass

  

Camera Movement – Hasselblad with tilt/shift