Thursday 10 February 2011

Trickery and cliché

Some time ago I found something on the internet about making daylight shots look like they were taken at dusk, or later. I've been wanting to try it out for some time, and today I did.

Basically you set the white balance to give a blue cast, underexpose in manual, and use the flash with a warming gel to highlight the main subject.

I need to practice some more, but the photo below gives a rough idea of what is achievable. It was taken at quarter to three on a sunny afternoon. A handy trick, if a touch journalistic in style.


On the subject of  journalistic style, there is one technique that is used regualrly in mainstream fishing publications. The ultrawide close-up with fill flash. It's used so often as to have become the norm. And I hate it. I hate it so much that when I try it I can't go to the extremes that the journo togs do. When used in moderation it, too, can be effective. The trouble is that in the mainstream mags it is used as a matter of course. A lazy way to give a photo an impressive gloss.



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