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Thread: Spotlit Lion

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Default Spotlit Lion

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    Inspired by Brendon's spot lit images, we tried some of our own. We joined the pride just before sunset and followed them as they set off on a hunt. We watched some stalking and lots of movement but no real runs at the prey who eventually became aware of the lions and moved off. This is one where another vehicle provided the spot light. Fortunately for me our guide at Londolozi has shot with Brendon and was able to give me suggested settings.

    Canon 7D
    300 II
    1/100
    f4
    ISO 1600
    Beanbag from safari vehicle, cropped from rhs and below for comp, levels and curves to darken bg, sharpened in CCPS.

    C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

    Rachel

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    Hi Rachel, the setting worked well here. I like the spot lit image with dark surrounding. I had many difficulties with this type of image. Just went back and checked an image I posted earlier of a Leopard Mom and Cub. It was shot at exactly 1 f stop more light than yours and I blew the highlights. So your setting is better. As for the image itself, you got lots of details here. ISO-1600 was a good choice. I wish you could see more of the eye though. TFS. Loi

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    Dont go for safari stuff fthat much but I like this a lot. Really dramatic.
    I can imagine this on a wall with print about 4 foot long. Great stuff
    JohnR

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    Neatly framed and exposed. Some fine lighting there and the colours are well managed.
    Congrats !

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    Super texture and I quite like the angle of the spotlight as well as the shadows created…Nice to see you on our side of the world. And nice to put a face to the name.

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    Perfect settings, for sure! I just like everything about this shot - the clarity, the focus, the shot. And just enough shown to give it a mystic feel. Nicely done!

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Good angle and use of co-operation on an image Rachel, very nice.
    Did you use any -EV , as that would have given you an increase in SS and reduced highlights here for that little extra insurance, having said that you've done well with the 1/100s here.

    I perhaps would have taken out the front paw by selectively reducing the exp to black here, I see you have taken out the left one (leaving a straight line?)
    & reduced the right somewhat but might have gone all the way, just my thoughts.
    Last edited by Marc Mol; 06-17-2014 at 05:24 AM.


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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

    Dumay - It was great to meet you over a couple of sightings and be able to say a quick hello. Glad to see you back on BPN too, you have been missed.

    Marc - Not sure what the -EV was because I shot this in Manual, can't remember what the EV was showing at the time and neither DPP or PS show the EV (at least anywhere I can find easily). I haven't taken out either paw, the right is not fully extended and goes about halfway up the left paw which is extended. Both are there.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rachel Hollander View Post
    Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

    Dumay - It was great to meet you over a couple of sightings and be able to say a quick hello. Glad to see you back on BPN too, you have been missed.

    Marc - Not sure what the -EV was because I shot this in Manual, can't remember what the EV was showing at the time and neither DPP or PS show the EV (at least anywhere I can find easily). I haven't taken out either paw, the right is not fully extended and goes about halfway up the left paw which is extended. Both are there.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel
    Ok Rachel, thanks for the clarification, unusual that you can't see the EV, have you tried opening in Bridge or LR?


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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Marc - I don't use LR but do use Bridge and PS. I find that none of the programs show EV when an image is shot in Manual but that they show it when shot in an auto exposure mode or semi-auto mode such as AV or TV.

    If someone knows how to find the EV for an image shot in full manual, please point me in the right direction.

    Thanks,
    Rachel

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rachel Hollander View Post
    Marc - I don't use LR but do use Bridge and PS. I find that none of the programs show EV when an image is shot in Manual but that they show it when shot in an auto exposure mode or semi-auto mode such as AV or TV.

    If someone knows how to find the EV for an image shot in full manual, please point me in the right direction.

    Thanks,
    Rachel

    OK, just realised you used manual my apologies, you can't use EV in M manual mode Rachel,
    because you control both shutter speed and aperture manually (which obviously effect your exposure settings) and hence why you could not have used any EV comp.

    With my night spot lit images I always use Aperture priority in conjunction with -EV, something to think about when next trying photgraphing spot lit subjects at night.


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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Marc - yes, I understand in manual exposure you are not dialing in EV but when looking in the viewfinder you can still in effect see what your exposure comp is on the exposure level indicator. I thought maybe there was a way to see that number in one of the programs. Thanks for the suggestion about AV. I shot everything in manual on this trip.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rachel Hollander View Post
    Hi Marc - yes, I understand in manual exposure you are not dialing in EV but when looking in the viewfinder you can still in effect see what your exposure comp is on the exposure level indicator. I thought maybe there was a way to see that number in one of the programs. Thanks for the suggestion about AV. I shot everything in manual on this trip.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel
    To answer your question, I don't believe there is any way to see/record such a setting.


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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Marc and Rachel , yes you can use + /- EV in manual with the 1Dx , one great piece of cam . And is far as i heard with a Nikon Pro body it possible , too, maybe i am wrong just ask the Nikonians
    And the setting is shown in ALL raw converters

    Andreas

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    Lifetime Member Marc Mol's Avatar
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    My apologies Rachel, you're correct Andreas I can use M mode and EV comp in both my D3s & D4 (being a NIKONIAN Andreas) I just checked, but have never used it as one simply
    adjusts exp with either A or S in Manual mode. So not that much of a breakthrough for mine.


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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Hi Rachel , not a big fan of this kind of shots, meaning the spotlight /night / flash photograph .
    Nice detail and color , side profile works very nice . If you have darkened the leg , i would lighten it to get the same luminance as the bridge of the nose .
    The area around the leg looks to much painted for my liking , sorry just being honest .
    If this was mine it would try to fade the darkness way softer .

    TFS Andreas

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Andreas, interesting about the 1DX but seems unnecessary when shooting manual though I would like the info in pp sometimes. I did not darken the leg at all. I'll take a look at making the darkness fade more.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    BPN Member Andreas Liedmann's Avatar
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    Rachel disagree about the manual shooting , depending on how you work , or better me .
    Ok then the dark leg is coming from the strong spotlight that hit the face more, thanks for clarify this.

    Andreas

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    Hi Rachel, I really like the effect the spot has cast on the lions face/head. The golden colour pops nicely against the night BG.

    Hope you have settled back to normal work mode after your recent trip.

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Stu, I think I finally have.

    Cheers,
    Rachel

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    Rachel, I really like this very intense portrait approach, with the all black bkgd! I wonder if there is more to the eye if you lighten it some, as it would be nice to see more than just the solid gold color. Another thought, is it possible to ease the transition from the bright head to the total darkness of the neck by just slightly letting the viewer see the extension of the animal? Great alternative thinking to the situation.

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    Forum Participant BenBotha's Avatar
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    Nicely done. I have been in the same situation several times but never been able to do it like this. A little more of the body IMO would be nice.
    Ben

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    On the image, it is dramatic but it bugs me that the forehead is more brightly lit than the eyes, or the snout. As for exposure compensation in Manual mode: it has never made sense to me at all. From where I sit it can only lead to confusion. Yes it is available, but why.

    On a related topic is would be easy for the MFRs to record the EXP + or - in relationship to the metered EXP in the EXIF. I have suggested just that to Canon many times.... Not gonna happen.
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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks everyone. No more of the body available. The only parts I darkened with the levels and curves adjustments were the lit grasses around the lion. I understand the point about the top of the head being brightest but that was how the other vehicle lit the lion. It's something I'll try to remember to watch for next time so to ask them to light it a little lower.

    Artie - thanks for also including your thoughts on exposure comp and manual.

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Hi Rachel

    Love this dramatic capture!

    The reason for the eye is that the cat was looking down to avoid eye contact with the strong light cast on him.
    When you shine a spot, you always aim over the head or below the animal, never directly in the eyes, it blinds them temporarily, their confusion and danger to animal is not worth an image- one has to work what you have got!

    Can be glad he didn't sneeze at 1/100!!

    Techs covered above.

    Love it!
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

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    Quote Originally Posted by Andre Pretorius View Post
    Hi Rachel

    Love this dramatic capture!

    The reason for the eye is that the cat was looking down to avoid eye contact with the strong light cast on him.
    When you shine a spot, you always aim over the head or below the animal, never directly in the eyes, it blinds them temporarily, their confusion and danger to animal is not worth an image- one has to work what you have got!

    Can be glad he didn't sneeze at 1/100!!

    Techs covered above.

    Love it!
    Thanks. If you are going in that direction me thinks that pointing a powerful light anywhere in the vicinity of lions or other wildlife in the black of night is not a great idea....
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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Thanks Andre. Artie - IME in the private reserves where night drives are allowed they do only spotlight certain animals, mostly avoiding the plains game, rhinos and eles. They will light owls, reptiles, lions, leopards and hyenas. There may be others that they will too. Most use a filtered light and as Andre said usually avoid the eyes as much as possible. Brendon or Dumay can probably shed more light on the practice (pun intended).

    Thanks again,
    Rachel

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    Thanks Rache. I am not judging here, just playing devil's advocate. I am sure than no animal likes it. Maybe we could start a poll and find out.... :)
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