Hilo Daily Image

 

1 February 2015

# 185

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Last week I was reading some comments about a picture someone posted on line, in which the photographer allowed some strips of sun-lit background behind the main subject to "blow out." It worked well and I thought it gave just the right feeling to the image. It captured the feel of a sunny day but without harsh contrasts. Nice work. But . . . a few people jumped in and did what I've always thought of as the "camera club" thing: you have blown out highlights! Your camera's dynamic range sucks! Don't you know how to post-process?

 

And yet . . . the guy perfectly captured the look he was after.

 

Here's a ceremonial band from the Lau Lagoon, Malaita, with the morning sky at the top behind the teeth, yes, blown out, and yes, that's precisely the reason I placed the camera where I did, and chose the exposure that I did. And I'll point out, even though it's really irrelevant, that the camera I use has the highest dynamic range of any DSLR out there, and is actually getting quite a workout here.

 

Five hundred animal teeth set into a fiber backing. I've had it since I was in the Lau Lagoon, in 1968. It's a beautifully-wrought piece and yes, back in the raucous sixties I did sometimes wear it as a headband.

 

As my followers know, I don't set up shots with props. Whatever's there, is there. But last week I declared that this week will be "anything goes" week. So here you go.