Controlling lighting (1 Viewer)

Mr. McCarthy,

Much of these discussions are a bit above my head, but it is a pleasure to read your thorough and thoughtful advice.

Most of us, I think, shoot photographs in the glory and grace of light that nature provides. In my case, living in Arizona, it is usually a very direct and bright sun.

In the field, perhaps for fungi, do you manipulate or actively control lighting? Reflectors, diffusers, etc. Can you offer general techniques, as opposed to tools, that will better our 'control' of available light?

And finally, do you use a flash unit to create catchlight in the eyes of your animal subjects? If so, a brief explanation of this technique and your opinion of its salience, would be greatly appreciated.

I hope my question is worthy,
John

Hi Roadrunner
Yes I know that light very well having done Florida for so many years and been on your doorstep down in New Mexico. Believe it or not I try to avoid the sun as much as possible because harsh sunlight usually results in harsh contrasty photographs that end up in the bin. Not always, I know, but most times.

When I was in New Mexico at the famouse Bosque del Apache refuge if the forcast was for sunshine all day, which it ofen was, I would shoot from dawn round to about 10am. Go for a Green Chilli Cheesburger (if you've been there you will know what I'm talking about!) then retire to my hotel room until around 4pm and only then resume shooting.

Coming to the third question yes I will often use a flash to put a catchlight in and depending on the ambient light do this usually with the flash set to TTL metering and under rated by 1 2/3rds of a stop. A catchlight brings your subject to life and is always worth looking for before you press the shutter.

Time is pressing me right now so if you dont mind I deal with your fungi questions at a later date although, dare I say it, you will find all the answers to them and many more in my book "PHOTOGRAPHING MUSHROOMS IN THE FIELD"

Thanks for the questions. George McCarthy

The fundamental principle behind my fungi photography is to produce images that are true to nature, pictorial whenever possible, reveal the diversities of form and colour and last, but not least, are as technically near-perfect as they can be.

To this end, I prefer to photograph fungi in their natural environment rather than bring lifeless specimens back to the studio. And, unsurprisingly, I prefer to use daylight as the basis for my exposures.

In my opinion, there is no substitute for natural light and the delicate nuances it can impart to a photographic image.

Of course, there are occasions when I am forced to use flash, but only rarely do I rely on it entirely to obtain the picture. Much of the time I am balancing the light from the flash with daylight in such a way that, hopefully you - the viewer – do not realise it has been used. I also carry a tele-flash for bracket fungi that often grow quite high up in the trees.

I certainly use reflectors finding them invaluable with a subject like fungi that do not need daylight in order to grow and demonstrate the fact time and again by appearing in the most difficult situations. One of the beauties of using a reflectors to add light is that you can see the effect instantly and, if necessary change them. I carry a range of different sizes from 20” Lastolites down to small pieces of card backed by crushed silver foil. Another useful item is a diffuser for reducing the contrast in a sunlit situation.

Hope this helps your fungi photography John. If you need more help jump on a plane to get here by the weekend of 11/12 October when I am running my annual Fungi Photography Workshop in the New Forest. Undoubtedly the best single location for fungi in the UK.

Thanks for the questions. George