Comments and Critique welcomed. Suggestions cheerfully explored, but please leave the editing to me.
:thumbsup:

http://gallery.photographyreview.com/data/photography//500/IMGP5191fix.jpg

http://gallery.photographyreview.com/data/photography//500/IMGP5193aweb.jpg

http://gallery.photographyreview.com/data/photography//500/IMGP5194web.jpg

Are these from a new shoot? I am assuming you shot with a tripod, how long was your exposure and did you arrive at that exposure through trial and error?

These three make a nice set, I like the middle one the best probably because the flame isn't centered in the frame as much as it is in the others and it has almost perfect exposure for the flames.

Cindy -

Still an interesting subject!

They're all about the same in effect, subject, composition, and impact. I do like # 3 the best though - seems like the background and foreground fit the scene better (interesting effect on that one btw - like a circular peephole filter?), and the person's pose is like they are afraid of the fire. I do wish at least one spot in the pix were sharp, but this isn't completely critical.

I still see a better pic out there of this .. it's waiting to be taken. Keep shootin'

G

Are these from a new shoot? I am assuming you shot with a tripod, how long was your exposure and did you arrive at that exposure through trial and error?

I took this set in Dec. '06; hand held, ISO 200, f4, 0.5 sec. I always bring a tripod to these things and then I always abandon it within the first hour because I can't keep up with the dancers while stuck on the stick.

The exposure is a fake, I duplicate the layer and bring the first layer's exposure down so that the flames are exposed appropriately and everything else is dark, then mask out the area in the second layer with the eraser so that the properly exposed flames can show through to the lighter image. It's nearly impossible to balance all of the necessary exposures in a situation like this without a little help from PS. SInce making the trail in the air is what causes the highlights to burn out. Thanks for the critique MB!

They're all about the same in effect, subject, composition, and impact. I do like # 3 the best though - seems like the background and foreground fit the scene better (interesting effect on that one btw - like a circular peephole filter?), and the person's pose is like they are afraid of the fire. I do wish at least one spot in the pix were sharp, but this isn't completely critical.

There was someone watching her in the foreground that was distracting so I burned him out and thought it would be best to keep the sweep of the burn line in synch with the sweep of the fire arc. Thanks for taking the time to comment GB! I agree I haven't quite hit the ideal shot yet but I'm learning from my old ones and taking notes for my next opportunity this Spring.

I took this set in Dec. '06; hand held, ISO 200, f4, 0.5 sec. I always bring a tripod to these things and then I always abandon it within the first hour because I can't keep up with the dancers while stuck on the stick......

Perhaps a monopod........

A mono is probably my next investment since I can't seem to move fast enough with the tri. I've got a birthday coming up, guess I know what to ask the hubby for. :D

I think these are a great set too. i think the third one is strongest. i like the flame and the distinction of the flame thrower in the middle. Good job at saving these through editing, if thats what you want to call it.
I think A monopod is a worthy idea, but I am still anxious to see the results you will get if you use faster shutter speeds and flash.
Good work, Cindy

love those shot CLK, my best is #2. I guess the subject blur cause your shot without flash,
I would shoot those in maybe 2second and set your flash second synch to capture more detail in the subject.

Perhaps a monopod........

Or

http://www.diyphotography.net/just-a-washer-and-a-bolt-an-ingenious-camera-stabilizer

hehe, I love that idea GB. How long ago have you found this out

Or

http://www.diyphotography.net/just-a-washer-and-a-bolt-an-ingenious-camera-stabilizer

Cool suggestion GB, I do a variation of that by wrapping my camera strap around both forearms and bring the tension to the strap with my arms and my neck. I do it all the time at shows and concerts where I can't possibly bring a tripod along. I have all of those things required to make one of these in my shed, I'll have to do some experimenting. :yesnod:

A monopod is a worthy idea, but I am still anxious to see the results you will get if you use faster shutter speeds and flash.
Good work, Cindy

So am I, will have some opportunities coming up in the next few months and plan on trying out a variety of methods including flash bursts at varying shutter speeds.

love those shot CLK, my best is #2. I guess the subject blur cause your shot without flash,
I would shoot those in maybe 2second and set your flash second synch to capture more detail in the subject.


Thanks for taking the time to comment. I plan to have a re-shoot with several of these dancers in the next few months and hope to do some long exposures with multiple flash bursts which should make for some interesting exposures. Right now I think the project is leading me towards "what happens when the people and fire are mixed together". Motion blur doesn't bother me a bit since I'm shooting for a "transformation" kind of moment. Somewhere between precise focus and too much blur is right where I want to be.

Have to say first of all Cindy that I am not a great fan of these types of shots but they all demonstrate that you are managing whatever the technique is very well indeed.

Tom-
Thank you for taking the time to comment. Negative reactions mean more to me than compliments at this stage in the game. If you have time, would you let me know what turns you off about these kind of pictures in general or specifically? I am interested to know.

Best,
Cindy

JT, CL - Someone shot me an email two months ago on this. I haven't tried it yet but should have such a rig in my camera bag, just in case I don't have my tripod with me!

Now, could it conceivably work for very long exposures, this the ones here? I don't know..

Tom-
Thank you for taking the time to comment. Negative reactions mean more to me than compliments at this stage in the game. If you have time, would you let me know what turns you off about these kind of pictures in general or specifically? I am interested to know.

Best,
Cindy

Hello Cindy.
I'm not turned off by them.
Some images invite a lot of attention and I can come back to them again and again. These shots of yours I did not find really that interesting to look at although I appreciate fully that to achieve the results you got required a successful use of a certain technique.

Just to compare; I find waterfall shots using the very slow shutter speeds to be really uninteresting; water looking like milk does nothing for me:) . More often than not I just find them to be showing the use of a technique with very little else to capture interest.

But this is just my opinion and I am probably not articulating it very well. Of course they are not bad pictures; who is entitled to sat that any picture is bad? But some pictures do it for me and others not so much.
I hope this helps Cindy.

These shots of yours I did not find really that interesting to look at although I appreciate fully that to achieve the results you got required a successful use of a certain technique.

I sometimes feel that way about them too Tom; I'm so glad you say so. I have a really great time shooting when I'm at these "parties". There's lots of music and the dancers are going to town and everyone is really into it - I can totally lose myself in the lens and become a fly on the wall. Although it has a lot less to do with "technique" than just getting anything to come out at all. But when I get them home, it's the "So what have I got?" game. As GB says, 'There's a really great shot in there somewhere and I just haven't nailed it yet.' That's why I'm scrutinizing all of these older shots before I go back to these folks. Thanks for your explanation, I appreciate it.

I sometimes feel that way about them too Tom; I'm so glad you say so. I have a really great time shooting when I'm at these "parties". There's lots of music and the dancers are going to town and everyone is really into it - I can totally lose myself in the lens and become a fly on the wall. Although it has a lot less to do with "technique" than just getting anything to come out at all. But when I get them home, it's the "So what have I got?" game. As GB says, 'There's a really great shot in there somewhere and I just haven't nailed it yet.' That's why I'm scrutinizing all of these older shots before I go back to these folks. Thanks for your explanation, I appreciate it.

Hopefully you have some interest shots in the whole series, shots taken from different perspectives. What you show here they look very similar to each other. If I have to pick, I'd pick the third one because I can see the person behind the fire better. Hmmm...actually, I'm not sure how I would shoot them myself :) Likely a combo of flash and ambient light...