Long Exposure Lighting Tutorial: Headless Horseman at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
For a few years now, I have been very fortunate to be invited by Lance Keimig to teach flash lighting to his students at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery workshops he holds every year. It's an honor and a pleasure to bring what I know about the craft of combining flash with ambient during long exposures to fresh minds, and I am grateful that Lance chooses to being me on to share!
Below are some of the setups we did last night, plus a little bit about how we accomplished the two setups. For best results, I recommend attending one of Lance's workshops (wink!). But this should get you pointed in the right direction.
© Matt Hill
A lucky/unlucky pass from a plane almost made his head or pumpkin into a light saber!
© Matt Hill
I prefer black and white... but provided both for your education.
Lighting diagram for above photos and next couple.
Click for larger view.
Note: It was over 90 degrees Fahrenheit last night, so exposure times had to be short to reduce the possibility of digital noise, plus the horse has a limited attention span :-)
© Matt Hill
© Matt Hill
© Matt Hill
Color version for your education. Note the less-orange sky - a result of setting white balance to "Tungsten." This was possible because the light modifier was made of paper that "warmed" up the light - making it more yellow than daylight balance used in previous photos. The other two flashed were daylight balance, looking more blue than the main light.
© Matt Hill
Black and white version
Lighting diagram for above. Click for larger view.
© Matt Hill
Hand-made paper light modifier I call The SOft Wide Grin
© Matt Hill
A rare glimpse under the cape of the Headless Horseman, Hugh., who cajoled Bea into making a dramatic action pose for us
Big thanks again to Lance for making me a part of his workshop. Check out his website for more workshops, a FANTASTIC book on Night Photography called FINDING YOUR WAY IN THE DARK and this amazing video:
And if you are local or curious, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery has lots of photo workshops, day and night. Gabe and I are teaching there this Halloween!
And finally, if you want to photography more living subjects at night, you might want to consider joining Gabe and I in July at Coney Island for a Night Portrait Workshop!
Update #2 from NIGHT PAPER Exhibition
Peter and his son from the 2008 Mermaid Parade
© Matt Hill
I have another set of gorgeous photos to share with you from friend and colleague Peter Waisnor. He was kind enough to photograph the event and share the photos with me for you to enjoy.
NIGHT PAPER Exhibition: Opening Night
© JP Sevillano
I am delighted to share with you that opening night (May 5th) at the Slipper Room for my NIGHT PAPER Exhibition was a success! Framed prints at the show can be purchased here.
Nine photos from the project were conservation-framed by Art of Framing, printed by Gotham Imaging on ILFORD GALERIE Prestige Gold Mono Silk. Guaranteed to last a lifetime or more, I am very proud of these images and they way they are presented. I hope you feel the same way and invite them into your home by purchasing one or more!
[contact matt at matthillart.com ]
Huge thanks to friend and fellow photographer JP Sevillano, who documented the evening and shared his photos for you to see! I am grateful, as I was busy talking with guests and enjoying the evening.
Here is a gallery of images from the exhibition:
There is one photograph of each of the nine models/volunteers for NIGHT PAPER in this exhibit. You are all amazing, wonderful people. More about them at these links:
Skyler Donohue
Anon & Clara Coquette
Heather Whatever
Falana Fox (digital, film)
Coltrane
Bombazeen Bean
Gymnos Alithea (one, two, three)
Sincerely Yours
Just in case you missed it, you can purchase the framed show prints here.
As if that was not enough, we were graced by the musical and physical beauty of Mamie Minch. She performed two sets of her unique blues singing and guitar work - something I have admired for over four years and was humbled that she chose to not only join us to perform but also don paper outfits in the spirit of NIGHT PAPER. Thank you for mesmerizing the audience, Mamie.
Mamie's CD, "Razorburn Blues"
© JP Sevillano
Here is a gallery of images from the gorgeous performance space at the Slipper Room. Again, thanks, JP, for shooting so many great photos.
On a final note, I'd like to write a special thanks to three people in particular.
Sincerely Yours was the subject of our shoot in November at Rockaway Beach. Only later did we find out she works at the Slipper Room when scouting for a location to make a photograph with a stage and proscenium arch. Because of Sincerely's efforts, we gained access to this location and were introduced to...
Todd Beers, Creative Director at the Slipper Room, asked us if we were interested in being their first "Artist-In-Residence" at the venue. This exhibition and the upcoming PAPER BURLESQUE are a collaboration between his inventive and creative vision for making the Slipper Room an art space in addition to a performance space and my project and willingness to propose a crazy event like PAPER BURLESQUE. Great working with you, Todd.
Last and certainly not the least, I thank Mabel Bermejo, my Production Manager for NIGHT PAPER and Producer for PAPER BURLESQUE. You keep me on track and make all important things happen. You also work with all the models and performers to arrange for fittings, rehearsals and more. I appreciate you and your efforts very, very much.
And also many thanks to all who came out this Sunday past. We hope to see you and more at PAPER BURLESQUE on May 19th! This show will be a night to remember. Buy your tickets now! This show is looking like it will sell out.
Collaborative Art Spectacle! Burlesque show with all artists dressing in cut paper fashions with live photo shoot. Tickets are $15 online $20 at door.
The Slipper Room
167 Orchard St, New York, NY
(212) 253-7246 slipperroom.com
Featured in Pro Photo Daily
Thanks so much to the folks at Pro Photo Daily for featuring NIGHT PAPER today!
© AI-AP.com
Fine-art photographer and Pro Photo Daily reader Matt Hill’s “Night Paper” project combines cut paper and night photography to create exquisitely mysterious imagery: “The result is a surreal combination of the dilation of time and the beauty of people from all walks of life and all ages dressed in only paper art fashions,” writes Hill of the work. Hill began the project five years ago, shooting with one volunteer model. Many others followed (and he is looking for more). He custom-creates his paper fashions for each model … on the spot. Brilliant.
Note: I wish I were so talented to make the paper fashion on the spot :-) Maybe I'll work my way up to it. Very grateful for the write-up, nonetheless. Thanks!
Check out AI-AP.com and their Facebook page for more awesome photographers. Highly suggest signing up for their newsletter.
Paper Burlesque BTS Update #1
Just a quick update and BTS video I made while creating a cut paper headdress for the upcoming PAPER BURLESQUE show on May 19th! Click above to start the video.
Here are some more glimpses of outfits in progress...
Interview with Art Director's Club & The Photo Brigade
I am humbled this week to share with you two features about the NIGHT PAPER project and the upcoming PAPER BURLESQUE event on May 19th at the Slipper Room.
This morning, an interview with me about my process, the origins of my crafts and the upcoming events was published on The Art Director's Club website (ADCgloabl.org).
READ>>
Earlier in the week, The Photo Brigade published a post I wrote about NIGHT PAPER and some of the technical processes behind the photography.
READ>>
Deepest thanks to Robert Caplin of The Photo Brigade and Megan Garwood / Zack Kinslow at the ADC for choosing to share my work with the world. I appreciate you!
How-to: Taking a Portrait at Night
Mandy, circa 1993
Zeiss Ikoflex TLR + Kodak TMAX 100
Oriental Seagull paper (badly fixed)
I've spent a fair amount of time teaching myself how to take a creative portrait of someone at night. I'd like to share with you some of my successes (and failures!) so that you may also enjoy making creative portraits during your night photography expeditions.
The above portrait I shot in high school (to the best of my memory...) while exploring how to take portraits in little to no light. I got lucky with this one since we chose to go to the school nearby and stand under a lamp on the wall.
More early history: My first attempts to render a human at night involved what I call "lighting with a hammer" – i.e. me setting my Vivitar 283 speedlite to a thyristor automatic setting and hoping it wasn't either too much or too little. Mind you, I was also shooting film and could not yet afford Polaroid at that time.
This is my first recollection of a successful photograph at night - which also happens to be a portrait:
Bryan, circa 1992
Yashica FX-3, Tamron 24-70mm zoom + fisheye adapter
Vivitar 283 + Velbon Tripod
I remember it being like this, "Bryan - stand here." Open shutter on bulb. Pop flash. Bryan walks out.
"Why did you walk away?"
Bryan replied, "the flash went off and you didn't say to stay."
That was the best piece of non-dorection I ever gave. This print, when it came up in the developer, gave me shivers and possibilities exploded in my head. TIME + LIGHT = FUN.
I've been chasing time dilation methods ever since.
Fast-forward to today, where my NIGHT PAPER project has made me very serious about portraiture in the absence of ambient light. I am constantly evolving how I approach each portrait, but here are the basics I'd like to share today:
- Do the High ISO Test and make one perfect ambient exposure. Do not photograph a person until you have mastered your scene - too many variables out of control to then throw in a live human being.What's this? Read Lance Keimig's PDF.
- Use a flash meter. Batteries are your friend at night and every opportunity to do something once instead of chimping your way through your batteries and missing shots at the end is a benefit. I use a Sekonic L-758DR, and it has a PocketWizard trigger in it that works with my Plus III Transceivers and Profoto AcuteB battery flash pack. Additionally, I have to add that if you are able to master doing it all in-camera in one frame, your depth of knowledge and personal satisfaction will be very high.
Meter your main portrait light for so that it equals the aperture & ISO you set for your long exposure. Not enough? Turn up the power or move it closer. I'll post about quality of light in a separate blog post. To much? Do the opposite.
Also meter your 2nd and third flashes (set to manual) if you are using additional flashes for your initial burst. Make a good ratio if these lights are providing edge or texture definition for your model. - Be very aware of where the model's head is! Reason: If you have them move out of the frame after the first flash burst, which I often do, then whatever is behind their head is going to be added to the photograph. If it's a dark background, then almost nothing will happen. If it is a light source, then this will now become part of their head. Same goes for bodies - either intentionally let something burn through and "ghost" them or deliberately do not!
- Have the model always come back to the same spot. Sounds simple, but just to be clear - the flash power you metered was an exact distance form the flash. Keep your exposures consistent by keeping them in the same place.
- Try simple poses first. I am a fan of the face pointing towards the main light - it is flattering. Start there, then do variations of face placement for different shadow structure. Whatever is good in the daytime is also good at night!
- Try jumps. These are not only fun on film, but also great to stimulate a model who may have to wait minutes between exposures. A good trick is to have them bend their knees when jumping - it give the illusion of a higher jump.
- Mix continuous and flash sources. This is my favorite benefit of doing night portraits (as opposed to daytime). Use a tungsten flashlight, and LED flashlight, your speedlites (snooted off or with grids), your iPad/iPhone, flames (carefully!), video light, LED penlight, anything with which you can isolate parts of your model's body and then have them move after the flash goes off at the beginning of the exposure. Experiment. Get crazy - you may love those "happy accidents."
- Safety first! Make sure your model is comfortable and in a place that is safe.
Take a fresh look at NIGHT PAPER (below) and see if you see anything different after reading what I have learned along the way. Comments welcome!
Coltrane at the Slipper Room + Exhibition + Live Art Experiment
f/7.1 @ 1min, Nikon D700, 24mm
I am delighted to share some favorites from my latest shoot with Coltrane at the Slipper Room in NYC, plus two exciting announcements!
The backstory is that I had a vision of shooting a NIGHT PAPER session someplace with a beautiful proscenium arch / theater. Unbeknownst to us at the time, one of our previous volunteers works at the Slipper Room, and when I mentioned my dream of this space to Mabel, she reached out to Sincerely Yours and before you know it, we visited the Slipper Room to scout the location.
This is the result of the scouting, but the story doesn't end there! While there, we met with Creative DIrector Todd Beers who invited us to do something amazing - be the first to be artist-in-residence at the Slipper Room as a visual artist. Exciting, indeed!
Long story short, I am announcing two events I would love for you to attend:
NIGHT PAPER EXHIBITION @ The Slipper Room Gallery: May 5 - June 2, 2013
Opening Reception, May 5th, 2013 7-9pm
The Slipper Room | 167 Orchard St, New York, NY | (212) 253-7246 slipperroom.com
Come see selected works from the NIGHT PAPER project at the Slipper Room Gallery. Featuring free performances by the lovely blues musician and guitarist Mamie Minch.
PAPER BURLESQUE: Live Art Experiment: May 19, 2013 8-10pm
Collaborative Art Spectacle! Burlesque show with all artists dressing in cut paper fashions with live photo shoot. Tickets $15 online and $20 at the door.
The Slipper Room | 167 Orchard St, New York, NY | (212) 253-7246 slipperroom.com
"Artist Matt Hill presents NIGHT PAPER a self-funded fine art project that combines cut paper art with night photography. The result is a surreal combination of the dilation of time and the beauty of people from all walks of life and all ages dressed in only paper art fashions. Join the Slipper Room gallery and artist Matt Hill as we present PAPER BURLESQUE a live show experience unlike any that has come before.
Come see a live burlesque art show where all the dancers are clad in paper fashions created by Matt Hill. As part of his ongoing project, NIGHT PAPER, Matt will also be doing a live photo shoot of burlesque dancers during the performance."
Performers:
Coltrane
Clara Coquette
Falana Fox
Matt Knife
Rosabelle Selavy
Heather Whatever
Sincerely Yours
Emcee:
James Habacker
More photos from our shoot with Coltrane, who will also be performing at the PAPER BURLESQUE:
Valley of Fire Revisited
Back in 2010, I went out to the Valley of Fire for the first time (Read more: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 and Part 4).
Last night I went back with a different group of friends - Joseph Carey and John Faison. It was legendary. Ask me about stories when you see/meet me.
I was testing out my new Trigger Trap dongle and iPhone App on the way out and back, using the DistanceLapse feature - set to trip my D700 shutter every 130m or such. I forget what the setting was since I was playing with it... Anyway, I made that into a nice timelapse for your viewing enjoyment with images from the shoot in the video! (If you are curious, I assemble the timelapse in iStopMotion. This time I edited the movie in iMovie - i normally use FCP Studio.)
I like the results! Great feature. I have reservations about using Trigger Trap on a night shoot, so I used my other external trigger. Here are some final photos!
