After way over 100,000 image captures
You may think you’ve tried every technique trick
And – then you discover you were wrong (again)
Even better when the result exceeds what you imagined
When you first asked yourself “what if?”
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Ethereal Beauty
Looks like a Orton image overlay, but it’s not
It’s single exposure 100% in-camera capture
No gimmicks; just photographer & camera
Introducing – “The Knepley Technique”
Naming it after yourself? Really. Why not?
105 mm 1:1 macro, 1.4 X teleconverter, circular polarizer, tripod
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Another step on my way back to photographing things
Instead of just writing about them
Q. – Ask yourself -
How was this image made?
.
It was done entirely in camera
100% natural light
It is a single exposure.
It may resemble a Orton overlay but it’s not
Orton requires two exposures
and subsequent work combining them
Whether film or digital
My technique is complete
once the shutter closes
There is nothing between the lens & orchid
nor is there anything behind the orchid
(except a black backdrop)
SO – where does the softness & glow come from??
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There are other ways to make images with an ethereal glow
If you like that sort of thing
Viewers often do
Judges usually don’t
Two overlaid images (done in camera below)
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SO – Where does the Knepley Technique glow come from?
A. Yesterday after finishing with this orchid for the day
I asked myself – What if
I took a long exposure (13 sec. in today’s example)
And during that exposure
I varied the focal point over a wide range?
In today’s example
1. The flower was in sharp focus when the shutter was released
2. I counted to 3 to let the starting image register “sharply” and
3. Then changed the focus from sharp to as far out of focus as the lens’ focus ring would turn
(done slowly over the remaining exposure time and moving out of focus in the direction that causes the image to “bloom”, i.e. get larger)
.
What you see above is what I got. It’s also what I expected to get – but better.
I’ll be experimenting further with the “Knepley Technique”
It’s certain to become part of my technique repertoire
Give it a try & let me know what you think.
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Tags: Art Photography, Photography, Photography How To, Photography Tutorial
February 4, 2013 at 6:52 am
Thanks for this Ed. It reminded of this
http://www.flickr.com/photos/satoshi_infini/
Phil
February 4, 2013 at 7:30 am
Thanks for the link, Phil. Lovely images.
Same general idea – soft focus with indistinct areas.
I’d bet the technique used there was selective focus which leads to a wide variety of beautiful arty looks. It’s the technique described in my 2nd link above for the shoot through and is probably my favorite technique of all.
February 4, 2013 at 7:39 am
Cheers Ed- I thought you might like it. I really appreciate all you posts. I run the camera club at a secondary school in Wirksworth, Derbyshire UK where i work as Librarian ( and school photographer). The youngsters have benefited a lot from your contributions and I have become a big fan of NIK, especially Silver Efex, because of you. What’s happening with Snapseed now Google have it? I hope it doesn’t go the way of Picnik.
Phil
February 4, 2013 at 7:49 am
Nik programs’ future is uncertain, but the old project manager is now with Google. In corresponding with him he says that the products will continue. In reply to my question about bugs reported prior to the Google takeover (mostly when using Win 8), he said those would all be fixed by the end of this quarter. They disbanded the Nik beta testing group
and are working (since Sept. ??) reviving it under Google who obviously has independent beta testers but appear to be pretty rigorous over who can participate. An email this week to previous Nik testers said – thanks for your help in the past we may (or may not) be back in touch.
There has been an upgrade to Snapseed since the buyout.
February 4, 2013 at 5:01 pm
Very nice effect. What’s required to stabilize the camera while you mess with the focusing?
February 4, 2013 at 6:45 pm
As noted in the shooting data under the photo, the camera’s on a tripod – a really solid tripod. It keeps the camera stationary while I slowly turn the macro lens’ focus ring (almost a full revolution in this case).