Flashy moves

I thought I'd experiment a bit with basic flash. Without any willing models available at 12AM in the morning (or at any time on any day for that matter), I had no choice but to shoot myself.

Incidentally, my legs a still aching like hell from this series of roundhouse kicks 2 days ago

Just a simple exercise on second curtain flash (a.k.a. rear curtain flash).

My camera is now permanently set in this configuration because the images produced "make more sense" to the human mind. People interpret blur as traces of movement in the past while the brightest and clearest image is understood as a representation of the the subject in present. If that doesn't make much sense, just watch any action-filled video on an LCD monitor with a crappy refresh rate.


As usual, this setup involved cutting edge technology in order to get the shot. 

Go Go Gadget diffuser...

Been using a lot of tissue lately with this damned cold, but at least I've discovered a few alternative uses for the stuff.

Just Drop It

Obligatory high-speed macro water drop photography:

Because every DSLR owner has to do it at some point. The photograph above was preceded by 388 or so attempts.

The tools:

- Canon EOS 600D
- EF 50mm f/1.8 II
- 52mm reversing ring
- a cardboard tube from a roll of tissue paper as a poor man's lens hood (insides spray painted black to further reduce glare)
- a glass of water, a desk lamp, and tubing from an alcohol spray bottle

Gear Talk: Velbon Sherpa 600R

Got a new tripod.

Not exactly the cheapest option, but I suppose it's a sensible one if you're putting equipment worth a few months' salary on top or underneath. Tipped one over before and it wasn't a pleasant experience.

The thing probably weighs twice as much as my previous one, maybe even more. In theory, that should mean greater stability.

Pic of the day (2012-05-01)

50mm, f/2.8, 4 seconds, ISO 800, 5 minutes of tweaking.

Half of these you could blot out of the night sky with a single outstretched hand.