Assignment: "Ghetto Lighting" May 6 - May 20

[Saralonde]

Welcome to the world of "Ghetto Lighting". Chances are you've used this concept before even if you weren't aware of it. In this assignment you need to use artificial lighting you have on hand: a flashlight, a desk lamp, living room lamp, etc. No strobes, flash or "Professional" lighting or full sunlight. The reason we're doing it again is so the following week we can build on what you learned and tie it into another assignment.

Please mention what type of light you used.

This is one I took for this assignment. I used the harsh light I got from a desk lamp to create a shadow with my lily.


You don't need to have the money to buy pro lighting or strobes to investigate the use of artificial lighting in photography. With practice, you can obtain both dramatic and subtle effects with what you have on hand.

As always, the rules...Please note the change in closing time.

Just a note to new posters: DO NOT start a new thread for your post. Please just hit the reply button at the bottom of any current post and put your image there.

1. Your image you submit should be taken between the 6th of May and the 20th of May. Each week as an assignment closes on the Wednesday, it will be AUTOMATICALLY deemed *CLOSED* after 8am GMT ( 3am EST) and any posts after that time will not be eligible for the assignment competition. Don't wait until the last minute to post!

2. Your post must include "Assignment: Ghetto Lighting" (to show your permission to count it for the contest) and the date the picture was taken (to show that it is a valid entry).

3. EXIF data should be intact. It helps if you can include the main points (including camera, lens, date taken, ISO, shutter speed and aperture) in the text of your message.

4. Only one entry per member (if you can't restrain yourself until the end of the first week you can post two or three separate pictures but your entry should be in a separate post and the only marked with the text above).

5. Remember the cross-site image size limit (800px on the longest side).

6. If the image does not exist in post at the end of the contest, it is disqualified. If you modify anything on flickr and re-save the image then the link is broken and the message needs edited to link the picture again before it will be included in the contest.
For everyone, please do not repeat other people's photos by quoting them until the contest is over. If you want to comment on or discuss an entry you can use a link to it (or just delete the picture from the quoted text).

7. If you are looking for the winners of the mini-contest, please check the front page of the DPS blog Saturday late afternoon (EST) and here.

Remember how I said that we will tie this into the next assignment? Well, we're going to do Ghetto Lighting again, but this time I want you to add a reflector as an additional light source. If you own a reflector you can use that, but to continue with our "economic downturn" lighting, you have some other cheap resources. Car window shades that you put on your windshield when you park often come in silver or gold, are fairly large and work pretty well. White posterboard is another good choice. Even a sheet of white paper for a small object will work or a white cloth. Aluminum foil over cardboard can also be used.

As for using the reflector to bounce the light back on to your subject, a willing assistant is helpful, but not necessary. I've leaned posterboard on trees and tripods or held it myself while using a timer or remote. The trick is to get the angle just right so you reflect the ghetto light back at your subject.

Here are a few things that might help:

How to Take a Perfect Head Shot with a Single Light Positioning reflectors for a portrait, although these are not DIY

Studio DIY Examples of homemade reflectors

Have fun experimenting with "Ghetto Lighting + Reflector"!

[lerner2669]

Ok, this is actually a little bit of showing off in addition to fulfilling the assignment. This is my a shot of my newly sodded back yard at night. The yard is illuminated by the porch light.



Nikon D60
ISO 200
f/4.2
3 seconds
24 mm

[naeno]

Lit with a single clip desk lamp to the right.



Camera: Olympus E-510
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 42 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Auto, Did not fire
Date and Time (Original): 2009:05:08

[karwash]

Ah, I've been looking forward to this one! Finally a reason to put Ghetto Duck in the spotlight:



Date picture taken: May 8, 2009

EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25)
Aperture: f/10.0
Focal Length: 52 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: -5/3 EV
Flash: No Flash
Lens: Sigma 18-200VR

If you are interested in the setup, here it is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/karwash/3518129146/

[GwenieThePooh]

Miniature MINI COOPER - using flashlight for spotlight



EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D50
Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 80 mm
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash
Date and Time (Modified): 2009:05:10 21:27:52
Exposure Program: Aperture-priority AE
Date and Time (Original): 2009:05:10 21:27:52

[Keikyu]

Midnight Makeover



I have found that my tiny bathroom has great ghetto lighting for taking self-portraits lol. As long as I remember to adjust my white balance for the incandecent bulbs that are hanging over the mirror, the colors come out warm and rich, but not too 'yellow'. What's even better is there are mirrors on three of the four walls, so I'm standing in this human-sized light box with the light reflected back at me from each angle. It's perfect for preventing unattractive shadows.

Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 62 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Flash: No Flash
Taken on May 7, 2009

[natek313]

The Old Workplace



This was lit with a little overhead light that is attached to my computer desk.

Camera: Canon Rebel XS
Lens: Kit Lens 18-55mm
Focal Length: 47mm
Exposure: 0.80s
Aperture: f/16
ISO Speed: 400
Flash: No Flash
Date taken: May 13, 2009

[Bobby'sWorld]

A sudden moment of seeing anew




The lighting came from the obvious source, the bedside lamp.

EXIF DATA:

Date Taken: May 8th, 2009
Camera: Canon 450D
Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/5.0
Focal Length: 27 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

[WildRain]

Ghetto Getaway



Lighting: Foreground - LED Flashlight Background - LED Christmas lights

Canon S5, iso80, f/3.5 @ 1s, +1ev, 15.6mm focal length. Taken May 13, 2009

[Hoop]

Taken May 12, 2009
Nikon D90
Exposure 1.3@f4
Lens was an old Nikon Series E 70-210 Zoom with macro focusing.

Light was a metal shop light with a 60 watt bulb positioned about four feet above and to the left of the chainsaw.

My Flickr