Workshop 4

LOVE THE LIGHT

The projects in this workshop will concentrate on using natural light and understanding the challenges this brings. It is useful to know the theory about colour temperature and white balance, how to make best use of window light and how to filter light with diffusers and incease light with white and coloured reflectors. We will use inexpensive LEDs and continuous lights to create a range of hi-key and lo-key images. Many flowers, seed heads and leaves look amazing when back lit. We will use light tents to control shadows and then explore the techniques for creating transparent / translucent flowers on pure white backgrounds using a lightbox and multiple images.

Visualising the finished image leads in to which functions, features and tools will be required in Lightroom or Photoshop to achieve our completed masterpiece. To handle the multiple images we will look at Photoshop layers and masks as just two of the processing and editing tools, amongst the many more that will be covered.

What will I learn?

What will I create?

White balance, ISO and noise - introducing and eliminating noise.

Working with lit and unlit backgrounds, creating hi and lo key images. Adjusting exposure compensation.

Blocking and filtering light with diffusers, increasing light with reflectors. The effect of coloured diffusers and reflectors.

How to control the light when creating a botanical study, work with the available and additional light - LED, continuous and ring lights

Creating transparent (translucent) flower arrangements on a lightbox and the techniques of working with multiple images.

General Lightroom and Photoshop techniques as part of the photographer's workflow.

Layers and Masks in Photoshop.

Hi and Lo key images
A backlit image
Transparent flower images on a lightbox

What should I bring?

Your camera, lenses (macro lens, if you have one), tripod, remote shutter release and ideally your laptop with Lightroom and Photoshop. Your camera manual and loads of enthusiasm.

Who should attend?

Where and When