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The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense
roba


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Six (Advanced Editing VII*)
Camera: Canon EOS-40D
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
Location: Federal Way, WA (Seattle)
Date: Jan 19, 2008
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 400
Shutter: 8 sec
Galleries: Humorous, Emotive
Date Uploaded: Jan 20, 2008

 This is my most elaborate entry to date.

First real shoot with my new lighting setup (4 x AB800's, softboxes, umbrellas, etc). My backdrop was nowhere near big enough to shoot 7 people, so we had to go out and get a TON of black fabric.

Never tried the "ghost" shot with long-exposure, so this was trial & error - but really only took about 8 frames (and most of that was getting everyone interacting the way I'd envisioned).

The plan was to get 6 "ghosts" bugging one guy who could see them (ala Whoopi Goldberg in GHOST - so not really from the right movie... but i thought it fit the bill). I wanted each model dressed from a different time-period. Not sure if that really came across.

Thanks to my 7 models (Rai, Jade, Franny, Matt, Logan, Kat, Deb). Oh - and the cat (hard to see, but look closely). He was an added touch to go with the Egyptian princess (also hard to tell). I'd definitely do it over again with modified lighting - but I needed an assistant for that, as it needed to change during the long exposure, and my assistant (Deb) was in the shot. Need more hands! :O)

Hope it does okay!

-------------------
Post challenge:

Okay, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with this. I normally am a fairly good judge of where my shots will end up, and this was surprisingly low to me.

That said... this was REALLY fun to shoot! A couple of people have asked how this was done, and levyj413 - you're close... but it was actually the other way around.

I had everyone in position (suprisingly easy with 7 models - they were great) and lit them with a low/steady light (modeling lights from my AB's) for 2 seconds. I then covered the front of the lens with a black piece of plastic, and everyone but the main character scrambled for cover (and I mean scrambled fast)! I then uncovered the lens and hit him with the main strobe (albeit a bit to harsh). Wish I would've played around a bit more. I only took 8 shots, and I may have done well to have the ghosts a bit more translucent.

Also - the trouble to get such a large black backdrop (it's HUGE) was ultimately counter-productive. The real ghostly parts really only get that effect when there is something to see behind them! Not quite what I expected... but common sense in hind-sight.

Thanks for the comments! I'll surely play around a bit more with this in the future. :O)

Statistics
Place: 13 out of 134
Avg (all users): 6.1967
Avg (commenters): 7.0000
Avg (participants): 6.0357
Avg (non-participants): 6.2677
Views since voting: 1868
Views during voting: 376
Votes: 183
Comments: 19
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
Olympus OM-D E-M1
Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro
01/28/2008 01:07:19 PM
You *are* going to write a tutorial on this, right? Nice job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon
 01/28/2008 12:39:01 PM
Very creative! I'm curious about the setup. Did you have everyone in place, open the shutter, flash 'em, then have everyone but the kid move out of the way while you lit with a steady, low-level light?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon PowerShot A630
 01/28/2008 09:42:08 AM
I am cofused by this picture, but it looks nice though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300s
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon
 01/28/2008 03:18:37 AM
that is some work you put in there! it came out really well. Congrats on the high finish.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-1D Mark IIn
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro
 01/27/2008 09:59:22 PM
awesome! the best i have seen on this challenge... 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-20D
Sigma 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical HF for Canon
 01/27/2008 09:48:30 AM
Strange but cool!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Apple iPhone 4
 01/26/2008 04:36:42 AM
this is good!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Z8
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S
 01/24/2008 09:58:13 PM
very cool effort here - the blurred, shadowed people really create a great look - and the composition of them is really well organized.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
 01/24/2008 01:14:45 PM
Great collection of people! I'm sure I will see a ribbon on it.....10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
 01/24/2008 07:41:11 AM
well, it's alright. The colours are too murky though and the light on the guy is very flat. The room itself is pretty boring and the chair on the right just seems incongruous to the rest of the image.

Nice idea though but I personally dislike the crop and lighting and colours. It looks like the guy is pissed off because of some female attention, but i guess you were going for the ghost angle, which you kinda did, but i think this could have been done a bit better.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-20D
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
 01/23/2008 11:21:14 PM
While I get the reference, this composition is a bit busy. The merge has also left a gray overcast in the background.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Canon EF 22-55mm f/4.0-5.6 USM
 01/23/2008 08:54:00 PM
Cool image. Reminds me of a movie still - not just because of the title. In some ways, the 100% color areas are maybe a bit too saturated, but again, creative image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D60
Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5D
 01/23/2008 02:49:46 AM
I like the expression used here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 01/22/2008 11:52:40 PM
Let's see... six ghosts, a six-string and chairs with six dowels in the back (not counting the arch). I don't particularly care for the border though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED
 01/22/2008 06:58:46 PM
nicely done! 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7100
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 01/21/2008 10:28:43 AM
eerie. Love it. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D200
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED
 01/21/2008 09:50:58 AM
Fantastic!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
 01/21/2008 12:48:58 AM
Wow this is nice! Very cool looking!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300s
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 01/21/2008 12:33:50 AM
very interesting and well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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