Assignment 5 Applying the techniques of illustration and narrative

In this final assignment the requirement is to provide illustrations for an imaginary magazine story. The brief is wide - basically use a theme containing a narrative element and provide images for the cover and story.

Introduction and background

I have chosen as the subject the wildlife of KwaZulu-Natal as seen in the twin reserves of Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, the two oldest game reserves in Africa, opened in 1890s. My images are of some of the large mammals seen in the reserves. The narrative follows our day: we went for an early morning drive, and then again for an extended drive from early afternoon extending into evening, and the sequence of images reflects the time of day taken.

The immediate incentive for choosing this was a trip to KwaZulu-Natal in January 2012. Whilst there, I visited Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, and was taken with the variety of game animals in what is a medium sized reserve (960 sq km in area).

I have had experience of safaris before: in Kenya and Tanzania in the 1970s, and in Zambia, Botswana and Eastern Cape province of South Africa more recently. There is a certain thrill in seeing the animals in their own environment, and capturing the essence of that experience in a good photograph.

Other Photographers' work

African wildlife photography is of course well trodden territory. I have long admired the work of Hugo van Lawick. Savage Paradise  provided some inspiration for this collection; I noted in particular that van Lawick used a mixture of shots very effectively in a collection: some action, some still, and some with light effects. His image of a lion pouncing on an impala with a stork graciously standing oblivious in the foreground is a classic shot.

More recent photographers Steve Bloom and Billy Dodson provide further inspiration: Bloom avoids images of animals in situ, this image of a black rhinoceros is typical:

Nick Brandt has developed his own style of monochrome wildlife photography taking his subjects almost as portraits, this shot of a giraffe being a good example:

Nick Brandt, Two Giraffes Battling in Sun, Masai Mara 2006

Brandt's work reflects a current Zeitgeist towards wildlife photography as art. I observed this as well at the Veolia Wildlife Exhibition (see http://www.chrissimsartofphotography.blogspot.com/2011/12/visit-to-veolia-envirronement-wildlife.html). He uses significant post processing to achieve dramatic backgrounds, possibly even constructing composite images. Dodson approves of this. I quote from a tip on his website:

"Stay smart on software applications and be open minded about the possibilities they offer. Photography is an art form to be sure, and it can be elevated significantly with the right tools and creative approach."

I am interested in developing this approach. Silver Efex Pro 2 offers possibilities of making dramatic B&W images and I have developed a masking approach that would enable detailed selection of subjects to place on defined backgrounds (see http://www.chrissimsartofphotography.blogspot.com/2011/12/topaz-remask-3.html).

But this assignment requires a more sequential and integrated approach to a suite of images - I have in mind an article on Hluhluwe-Umfolozi for the tourist. This requires enticing images of the animals they might see, rather than art. Further, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi is mainly scrub land as opposed to the open plains of Kruger and Serengeti. This makes for difficult viewing and even more difficult photography; it was not always possible to take shots unobstructed by vegetation.

Practicalities

I used my Canon 450D with Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L USM Lens and 1.4x extender fitted. The 450d has a 1.6x crop factor so at longest zoom this lens is equivalent to 448mm on a film camera. I tend to use AV priority, setting around f13 as median value. ISO is set to 200. Some wildlife photographers suggest reducing apertures and boosting ISO so that very fast shutter speeds can be used. Given the excellent light conditions generally, I have generally not found this to be necessary though do sometimes revert to TV priority in low light conditions.

We had a Land Rover with perfectly adequate viewing possibilities from the windows. We removed part of the roof at one point but it offered little extra viewing and technically is not approved by park rules. I use a bean bag for support; tripods are impractical in a vehicle and in any case take too long to set up.

Presentation

In the presentation below, annotations have been added as appropriate to the images based on park brochures, Wikipedia, and my own knowledge. I have further annotated with the rationale behind the images and practical notes. These are italicised.

Cover image

  
I select this image of two juvenile cheetahs as a cover for the magazine article. It has a strong feel to it, the fur is roughed as a result of recent rain. The implied line off shot suggests they are viewing possible prey. ISO boosted and aperture opened in order to increase shutter speed.

Early Morning

The wildlife is more active early and late in the day. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi opens at 0600 and on site safaris commence at 0500.

f5.6 1/500 ISO 200

The park is the birthplace of rhino-reservation, breeding the species back from extinction (less than 20 rhinos world wide in 1,900 to more than 10,000 today). As the home of Operation Rhino in the 1950s and 60s, the Park became world renowned for its white rhino conservation.

Rhino are plentiful in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi but difficult to see in the open. 

f13, 1/250 ISO 200

Lions are known as "king of the bushveld" and when you see an adult male with his glorious mane it is easy to see why. There are around 80 lions in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and they are the animals that most tourists most want to see.

Shot from the side of the road this was a contender for cover picture. It is a portrait type image and balances the rhino image.

f 6.7 1/180 ISO 200

Elephants are common in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and best seen near watering holes. By 1875, almost all the elephants in KwaZulu-Natal had been hunted out, but they have over the last few decades been re-introduced into protected areas and private land in the province. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve has over 300 elephants.

 I include this image as an action shot of elephant as they take a purposeful walk towards water - pleased to get the feet off the ground - undoubtedly adds to the feeling of movement and action. The texture of the skin is well pronounced.

f13 1/250 ISO 200

Hluhluwe-Umfolozi has Burchell's zebra (also known as common or plains zebra). This one is gently tending a foal. Note the oxpeckers on the back, these feed exclusively on the backs of large mammals. They feed on ectoparasites, particularly ticks, as well as insects infecting wounds and the flesh and blood of some wounds as well

This image was included as a nice action image - the mother tenderly muzzling its foal.

Afternoon

After a break in the heat of the day, we recommenced our safari in the afternoon, extending on into the evening sunshine.

f5.6 1/250 ISO 500

 Cheetahs are known as the fastest land mammal. As this photograph shows, they have very long legs and high shoulders. The fur is wet from the after effects of a fierce thunderstorm

Took opportunity of alert pose to take a head on images emphasising the graceful poise of this predator.

f6.7 1/350 ISO 200

 
Hippopotamuses are common in the Umfolozi river. They are gregarious herbivores with typically a dominant male heading a pod of up to 30 individuals. They are essentially nocturnal herbivores and bathe in the day to keep cool. Hippopotamuses prefer to walk in the water, contrary to assumption that they swim or paddle.

This shot was taken using a polarising filter - adds to the blue of the water.

f9.5 1/60 ISO 200

Nyala are the one large mammal of Hluhluwe-Umfolozi that is not widespread, albeit fairly numerous in the reserve. It is a Southern African antelope, with markings not dissimilar to those of kudu. This is a female; males are larger, darker brown with quite shaggy coats and horns.

It proved surprisingly difficult to photograph this beautiful antelope close up. Eventually the opportunity arose during the hotter part of the day when one was seen in the shade. The pleasing aspect of this shot is the texture of the coat showing strongly.

f13 1/250 ISO 200

 Buffalo have big thick horns and are bulk grazers, playing a very important ecological role by eating long grass and thereby opening up habitat for other short grass grazing animals. There are more than 7,000 buffaloes in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi reserve. Note the oxpeckers on the male's back.

This shot was taken of buffalo wallowing in the heat. The male is acting in a dominant role with female buffalo in the water. Texture of the skin is well reflected in the shot.

Evening

As our safari moved later in the day, we received some good lighting for photography.

f11 1/250 ISO 200

Giraffe are commonly seen alone or in small groups; they are not gregarious for long periods. They are a fine example of speciation, having evolved the long neck to reach vegetation other herbivores cannot reach. Adults are rarely attacked, but calves can be taken down by predators.

In scrub land, it is almost impossible to get a clear sight of giraffe so opted for a close up of a pair with a slightly unusual stance of one facing the camera, another to the right.

f5.6 1/250 ISO 200

Baboons are widespread throughout the continent. This is a chacma baboon, common in Southern Africa. Noisy and a nuisance to farmers outside of reserves, baboons are not scared of human contact and can be seen near lodges. They are commonly found in groups of 50 or more and are very social animals.

Shot contra jour, this image captures the detail of the edges of the fur nicely, yet retains sufficient light on the front for the expression and detail. The juvenile adds interest.

f5.6 1/350 ISO 350

The male kudu has similar markings to the female nyala. Evolution has dictated that stripes confuse predators. Feeding on grass in an unusually open space, the antelope needs to splay its front legs in order to graze. Fully grown males need be less concerned of predators.

A well lit shot of this grand antelope, the wider aperture serves to blur the background. Catch light on the eye. Again, the texture comes through in the shot.

f5.6 1/180 ISO 200

Impala are the most widespread of southern Africa antelope, a result of their adaptability being both grazers and browsers. They often act as a herd when troubled by predators, leaping about to confuse. They are territorial with males seeking to maintain a herd of females. This gives rise to bachelor herds of up to 30 individuals.

Impala are so ubiquitous that a slightly different shot is not easy to find. Here I found an opportunity to take a close up; texture on the individual in the foreground is nice. There is distinct rhythmn in this shot.

Conclusion

A very satisfying day's safari, including four of the big five and much more; especially pleasing to see cheetahs close up.

Assignment 4 Light

In this assignment we are asked to apply lighting techniques studied during the exercises to an object. The aim is to test observation and to consider the physical properties of the same object by the use of these different angles and techniques.

About eight images are required, demonstrating the following qualities:

• Shape - the outline of the object;
• Form - looking to empahasize the volume;
• Texture - quality of surface detail;
• Colour - show the colours as strongly as possible

Some background notes have been written in the learning log: http://chrissimsartofphotography.blogspot.com/2011/11/assignment-4-learning-notes.html.

As with the last few exercises in Chapter 4, I found this a challenging assignment, being inexperienced in indoor lighting, and rarely having taken still life or objects as photographic subjects. In this respect, it is part of the reason for doing this course: to move out of one's comfort zone.

I looked at other blog sites and other photographer sites to see what others had done for this exercise. As might be expected, a range of subjects have been chosen. I thought about two: a flattened beer can and a home-made model of the Flying Scotsman. On advice of tutor I selected the latter. The model offers some interesting angles although its size is challenging: being about 43cm long, it does not fit easily into a camera frame.

The images are taken using one of or a combination of natural light, low sunlight, a Speedlite 430EX II flash with diffuser attached and placed off camera using a cable (from here on called "flash"), and a Litepanels Micro 48 LED unit ("Micro").

Shape

f11, 1/8, ISO 200, focal length 47mm
natural light plus Micro

This is the classic front facing aspect of a train engine - the obvious triangle from the buffers to the top. With a contrasting background, it seemed natural light thrown from the window was adequate for this image. A soft focus was applied as we are looking to emphasise the shape.

f4, 1/60, ISO 200, focal length 24mm. Flash

For a second shape image, I used a flash to back light the model in a darkened room. The flash was set to 1/64 power, the lowest setting achievable on the Speedlite, and the glare of the flash underneath the model reduced in post processing. The image was converted to grayscale.

The image demonstrates the classic train engine shape, and the shadows cast by the flash emphasise in a distorted way the shape of the wheels. Reflected light from the flash casts some light on the top and front thus avoiding the entirely flat two dimensional effect of a silhouette.


Form

I chose two similar aspects to demonstrate the three dimensional effect, but used very different lighting. 

f22, 4 sec, ISO 200, focal length 12mm. Natural light.

I used a wide angle lens for this image, in order to emphasise the front of the model and achieve a tapering effect towards the rear. The maximum focal length ensured all the model is in focus, the consequent slow shutter speed being no problem with the camera set on a tripod. The natural light was sufficient in this image.

f4, 1/60 sec, ISO 200, focal length 42mm. Flash with additional light from front using Micro

This is a similar aspect to the first form image but taken in a darkened room. The front is lit by micro, the side by flash unit placed just off frame. The form derives partly from the lit front, and partly from the differential lighting provided by the flash, the rounding of the boiler in particular being emphasised this way.


Texture

The model is home painted and a little worn, so there were good opportunities to explore close up the texture of the surfaces.

f4, 1/10, ISO 200, focal length 105mm natural light plus Micro

Natural light was enhanced by using the micro to provide a close up image. Texture is strong on the paint on the wheels, and on the boiler which is showing signs of ageing.

f22, 1/60, ISO200 focal length 105mm. Flash unit

By way of complete contrast, this image was shot using the flash placed at the rear and side. Required some experimentation with the manual settings on the flash unit to achieve the right intensity. The uneven sandy texture of the surface is brought out well in this image.

Colour

Colour was surprisingly difficult to photograph as a lead characteristic, but chose a couple of different aspects to demonstrate.

f11, 1/4, ISO 200, focal length 15mm. Natural light plus Micro

The micro was held above and slightly to the left - the aim being to highlight the brown patches. A wide angle lens ensured that the colour from the front buffer was not lost and provided balance between the two dominant colours of black and green, making sure the red on the front featured prominently.

f13, 1/90 ISO 200, focal length 98mm. Low sunlight.

Late sunshine was the sole source of light for this shot. Little attempt to get all the colours in this shot, more to demonstrate how the green changes with the light (cf. images above and below).

f22, 1/60, ISO 200, focal length 18mm. Natural light outdoors.

This final image, taken on a winter's day, was the only outdoors shot. I attempted to obtain a composite image that showed elements of shape, form, texture and colour. The sun was required to cast a shadow to provide the shape, the light worked well at around 11am to provide a pleasing three dimensional aspect to the model. The light brings out some shine to demonstrate texture, and the colour is very true.

Assignment 4 Learning notes

Assignment 4 is the culmination of several weeks' work on light - the longest chapter in the course, reflecting the importance of the subject.

As set out in the exercise notes, I have found the exercises challenging, particularly in the latter stages when using indoor lighting, which I had hardly used before.

I looked for guidance and inspiration from other sources:

Well known photographers

This 1905 image by Hine entitled Young Russian Jewess Ellis Island demonstates the use of back lighting enhanced by front lighting on the lower left of the jacket:

scan courtesy of masters-of-photography.com

A number of Brandt images also demonstrate the use of light, two notable ones being At Charlie Brown's 1936:

scan courtesy of masters-of-photography.com

This image demonstrates well the importance of light directed on to the important subject matter, in this case the people on left and right, and the picture.

 The second is Street Scene 1940:

scan courtesy of masters-of-photography.com

The shadow thrown by the light behind the man adds to the effect of what appears to be an aggressive approach by the man.

scan courtesy of masters-of-photography.com

 This Winogrand image Sidewalk provided some inspiration for a backlit shot.


Still life photography

These photographers tended towards people and places rather then still life, so to look at some modern images, I found 40 Interesting Examples of Still Life Photography on http://www.thephotoargus.com/inspiration/40-interesting-examples-of-still-life-photography/. A particularly relevant image is one by thebiggertom of a scooter -side lit with shadow on the right:

 A particularly relevant image is the following by CJ Schmit:

 

This provide some inspiration for one of the images taken as part of the exercise - the classic front facing view of a train.

I noticed a wide variety of still life images on this site. The best were good examples of the maxim that less is more. Many of the images used vignetting, either by means of directing light or in post processing.

Indoor photography

I found some helpful hints on: http://www.lightstalking.com/indoor-photography. The most useful were:

• avoid using on camera flash if at all possible. This is a sound tip, and I was pleased ot have the use of a cable for off camera flash;
• use bounce flash - I found direct flash too harsh for the images in the exercise;
• composition is everything - especially important for indoor photography;
• use a tripod -  a given for still life.