Your thoughts?
- This topic has 17 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated Sep 1, 2008 at 5:17 am by
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I am not sure about this and thought that I would ask what you all think here. I don’t want to have to resort to a PS shot and wanted to try something different. This is for a project that I am working on and I have been requested to make sure that the profile of the fly’s show up well. With that in mind, I wanted to try something different with the lighting and maybe try some gels, I just am not sure about this though. I am not sensitive so don’t worry about that, as your opinions would be great. Thanks all!
I like it as is.
If you wanted to see a slightly different look I might add a little light coming in from the right, maybe from above. Possibly moving the fly a bit closer so it fills a little more of the frame.J
Ben,
I like the different approach but I find myself staring at the background….trying to figure out what it is.
I don’t like the way the light is hitting so hard on top of the piece of wood and part of the bend of the hook is burried in a shadow.
If you’ve ever looked at the Japanese fly-fishing magazines, you’ll see that they do a lot of this kind of photography, but they use tiny spotlights (don’t know the technical term for these) to pick out the important details of the fly. The effect is cool when it’s done right. You’ve got a combination of depth and shadows and cool composition, but every part if of the fly is sharp and visible.
Phil
I really like the shot and concept. It stands out from many other fly shots I have seen. Already been said, but … It doesn’t feel like the fly is the star of the show and is competing with the background (crop and color). The red seems a little much for me. Maybe a muted yellow or orange would work better?
I like it Ben! Nice edgy dramatic lighting, it brings out the texture. You might want a a little fill from the right or maybe a reflector to shape out the eye of the hook. Nice bokeh in the background.
Hey THANKS everyone!! I wanted to write a quick reply and let you know that I have been working on the lighting and composition for about 5 hours so far this morning. I check in here and when I read something, I go back and make the changes that you are all suggesting. MAN! It is a beast trying to get these “tiny” strobes set just right as yes, I am trying to go for a spotlight effect with no to very little spill.
I should of mentioned this earlier and should of also posted a profile angle as this is full page on either A4 or american 8.5X11 so, I do have to leave room for the bleed as well. Text will be in the top section.
I’ll post images of my progress, if I feel that I am getting close to what I am going for (which is much like what Phil had mentioned). After I get this one, I only have 10 more similar shots to go after this one… I quit drinking a long time ago but would anyone care to join me for a late Beer lunch LOL!!
Thanks again guys and this truly is why I love this site so much!!!!!!!
This is where I am at so far. I looked at the first photograph and agreed with all of you. I kind of like red gel’s and in advertising, red is a trigger color but in my case… It scared my buddy Zach to much LOL
I will probably crop this one different but I wanted to share the progress so far and see how you like some of the suggestions that you gave me.
Thanks again everyone, at least you see that I do listen LOL
I like the new version a lot. I am picturing the text at the top. Is there going to be text on either side of the fly, or only above it? I think the green background compliments the fly….looks like a caddis pattern. It almost kind of mimics an underwater perspective of a river.
I’m just starting out in fly fishing photography, so I still have a lot to learn, but I like the ‘feel’ of this image.
Thanks John, The text should only be at the top but I am not the final decision maker on this. I like the feel of this one better too, I looked at it from a different perpsective and agreed that the red was just to out of place on it and the background did need more fill.
I had to change that last image as I noticed something odd about the bead, seams that the half hitch was coming off so, I replaced the photograph again.. About that Beer? 😛 LOL
Thanks Will, that is more along the lines of what I was hoping for. Something still bugs me about it and I am not sure what it is? I have to do the side profile and use this exact fly so, it doesn’t really leave me that much creative room. I think the thing that bugs me the most is, how does one make a Caddis Pupa look artful with out the attached trout 🙂
I really do appreciate everyones eyes and opinions. While I was trying to reset the shot, I kept coming back here and read the reply’s, I agreed with all of you. I was determined to use that red gel as I was enjoying the dynamic range that it seemed want to offer, after reading Zachs’ post I realized that I was trying to shoot a completely different type of shot and it had nothing to do with fly’s so, off came the red gel and on with the more practical CTO. Thanks again to everyone!
Most often, it is best to get a set of fresh eyes and listen to what they see and not what the photographer wants them to see :).
I’ve got to say, I like the first shot better conceptually. It’s nice to see something different and I’m a fan of the dark background. Technical execution wise, I think it is missing a rim light to separate the fly from the background. I do not find the red to be distracting to me, and am interested as to what it would look like if the fly itself were over the color in the back ground rather than the black.
The second photo has a nice background, but the low angle of the light source is too unnatural looking to me. Try having your key light from above and reflect the light back up from below to give a nice wrap around of light on the fly. That would help model the fly and give it shape and mass. That would also help give some depth and shape to the wood that is a little flat looking now. Another detail that may be interesting to play with is the tones and shades in the background. As it is now, the green part of the fly is over a green patch in the background while the dark gray thorax is over a dark patch of the BG. Maybe try flipping it so the lighter green abdomen is over a dark area and the dark thorax is over a green or a lighter area. That would add a nice little detail of contrast.
Great shots Ben!
http://society6.com/grainfarmer Fly Fishing and Landscape open edition Photography prints.
http://grainfarmer.vsco.co/ iPhone photos
http://instagram.com/chad_simcox InstagramI agree with you Chad. The second shot has already been proofed and approved so, I won’t be shooting that one again. The wood showed up fine in the larger file but I do wish that I would of repositioned the foliage in the background so that the green was behind the black dubbing. You would not believe how long it took me to get those lights set just right, a real pain in the —, a total of 5 strobes and 2 days of set composition.
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