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Knowledge is Power
2nd PlaceKnowledge is Power
gloda


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Book Smarts (Basic Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
Location: Templeman Library, University of Kent
Date: Nov 19, 2007
Aperture: 5,6
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/8
Galleries: Portraiture
Date Uploaded: Nov 20, 2007

 Model: Cazz Walker.

Trivia:
"'Power is everywhere' - even in reading." Bennett & Royle, quoting Foucault in their critical theory book Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory, a book which has saved my neck in a good number of essays and which, as I discovered once I got home, is present in this photograph not only through its links with the title, but also physically: the black volumes to the right on Cazz' eyelevel are indeed copies of that very book.

Setup:
We went to the University of Kent's library and ended up shooting in the critical theory section. Istood on one of the things to step on when you need to reach the higher books. I gave Cazz a 580EX and he put it in his shirt with the head looking out, with the wide angle shield out and the catchlight thingy out as well, in oder to make sure that the light would spread nicely over the entire book and that some of the light would be bounced back down onto the book by the flap. Result: the light bounces off the book onto Cazz' face and breast, from where it bounces onto his hands and a little bit on the back of the book.
I had a friend's SB-800 to the left just in front of Cazz, but it didn't fire for this shot. I use the eBay triggers from Gadget Infinity and they're not 100% reliable. Which happened to be good here, as it allowed for more ambient light to come in while I twist-zoomed during the exposure. I should have seen the potential of this during the shooting and opened the aperture a bit, but this one turned out ok so I guess it's alright.

Post Processing:
RAW Concersion in RSP
-color temp 7900, tint 27
-Exp. compensation -0,38
-Fill Light 26
-Shadow Contrast 11
-Highlight contrast -54
-TIFF opened in...

PSCS3
-NeatImage
-Brightness/Contrast +15/-35
-Curves (blacks were slightly washed out)
-HSL (Saturation +26)
-Crop
-Resize
-USM 170/0,6/6
-USM 15/15/0 to increase local contrast and add a bit of 3D effect.
-save for web.

Thanks to Mr Strobist and his blog - this is the first time I've seriously worked with off-camera flash.

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 63
Avg (all users): 6.7671
Avg (commenters): 7.8621
Avg (participants): 6.2647
Avg (non-participants): 6.8465
Views since voting: 8583
Views during voting: 517
Votes: 249
Comments: 51
Favorites: 6 (view)

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AuthorThread
 07/11/2008 02:38:40 PM
great job....my only constructive comment would be to have your model lower the book, so you get a sharper shot of the facial expression
 12/01/2007 12:08:12 PM
Excellent tech, and great result! It's good to see the "blur" getting the deserved attention at DPC now.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2007 05:34:17 AM
well done mate - had this tipped for the top, still, 2nd is a good finish..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/30/2007 11:53:22 PM
nice shot! Yours looks much nicer than mine.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/30/2007 04:11:57 PM
Wonderful image, congrats on your ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/29/2007 10:23:13 PM
Had a feeling this was going to take top 3. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/29/2007 02:15:06 PM
Genius, and perhaps oddly enough, I think it would make an excellent fantasy book cover. Congratulations!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/29/2007 09:30:07 AM
This is fantastic! Thanks so much for the setup info too!
Debbi
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/29/2007 08:47:36 AM
YOHOHO! Congrats on your ribbon!
This is Great shot gloda. Idea is brilliant as well!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/29/2007 07:16:15 AM
Congrats Gilles, very well set-up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 12:34:05 PM
Congratulations on your ribbon! Great idea well executed :o)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 11:56:43 AM
Hey Well done monsior gloda
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 10:54:02 AM
Wow - amazing. Congrats on the ribbon which is so well deserved.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 08:18:11 AM
It seems clear you read strobist, LOL. Great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 07:30:30 AM
Brilliantly done - sooo creative. Big congrats on your ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 04:20:31 AM
Excellent creativity. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 03:31:57 AM
Congrats mate, you're catching up!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 02:43:03 AM
Congrats! Very deserved ribbon. Thanks for including your set-up! Well done and a cool shot :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 02:20:02 AM
brilliant man, you deserve to ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/28/2007 12:49:07 AM
BLUE!!!!

Fantanstic Gloda!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/27/2007 10:50:39 PM
Nice take on the challenge....creative....not sure how you did the effect in basic though...I'm going to score you high and trust you'll wow me with the details!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/27/2007 08:35:06 PM
Probably the best of the challenge. An idea which has appeared before, but extremely well executed, and with the added twist of the motion blur. An exceptionally well done shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/27/2007 08:34:33 PM
thats cool how did u do this?/
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/27/2007 12:43:03 PM
Wow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/26/2007 11:12:35 AM
Nice work on the lighting, 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/26/2007 10:52:40 AM
Ineresting strobist-style lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/26/2007 07:21:50 AM
very cool lighting, great idea 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/25/2007 11:05:48 AM
Given the rest of garbage in this challenge, I suppose this is a top ten shot. It doesn't convey book smarts in the least, but I'm betting that won't hold it back.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/25/2007 09:57:16 AM
You have probably heard this 100 times already, but this will win.. If it doesn't then there is no justice.. Nice one!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/25/2007 09:52:44 AM
Great concept. Executed well too! I like the slightly askew composition, I think it works well for the theme. Good control of the light from the book, with that close space, it could be easy to blow out highlights.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/25/2007 12:23:04 AM
best ive seen so far. if this doesn't win a ribbon i will be surprised. ...10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/24/2007 10:54:06 PM
Very interesting photograph. Proves point.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/24/2007 10:44:14 PM
very nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/24/2007 10:15:45 PM
Fun shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/24/2007 10:06:15 PM
love the concept and the composition! great job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/24/2007 08:56:19 PM
I spot a winner!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/23/2007 11:34:14 PM
Nice shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/23/2007 04:29:01 PM
Excellent take on the challenge. Great idea.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/23/2007 12:54:59 PM
cool. :o)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/23/2007 12:59:50 AM
Was this choreographed? Great job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/22/2007 06:43:46 AM
Technicals: 1/2 - good focus, exposure and interesting lighting; too much motion blur in lower part of image

Composition: 1/2 - angle adds drama; crop at top is too tight,

Challenge Relation: 1.5/2 - he looks as if it was his first book

Originality/Creativity: 1.5/2 - unusual lighting

Overall Impact: 1/2

6
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/22/2007 03:16:47 AM
Excellently executed! I think this should be the winner :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 11:44:02 PM
Top Shelf --well executed..9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 06:00:45 PM
Pretty cool shot! I have not idea how you did this!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 05:24:26 PM
nice effect, I know that takes some doing. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 05:16:57 PM
One of the best so far, great imaginative work. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 03:03:14 PM
like the special effects
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 02:26:47 PM
very good effect
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 01:32:42 PM
Whoa. How'd you do that?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 10:48:47 AM
Cool shot, excellent concept.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/21/2007 05:22:59 AM
good luck with this...should ribbon 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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