THE ZONE SYSTEM

The ZONE SYSTEM was devised by ANSEL ADAMS. It allows you to practically work out the tonal range of your subject in order to pre-visualise how your picture might turn out, and thus work out your settings in advance to gain the best technical effect.

The above extract from Langford's Advanced Photography accurately describes how the system works in practise. Taken from Langford's Advanced photography, 7th Edition, Focal Press.

MEDIUM OR LARGE FORMAT & FILM CAPTURE

WHICH CAMERA SHOULD YOU USE?
For me, there is no contest here. Compare the 2 images here, both taken by myself.

Image Copyright Helen Neylan 2011

The first here, above on the left, was taken using a digital SLR. Whilst the detail is good, it cannot compare to the extreme detail seen in the second image, below right, taken using a Cambo, large format film camera.

Mushroom, Helen Neylan, The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook, Copyright 2011

 Observe the clarity in the shallow depth of field towards the front of the image, even in the basket of this image, compared to the basket of the first image. The gills of the mushroom appear to radiate from the large format image. This is because in using a large format camera, you are able to capture much more data in the camera.


JASON LOWE'S WORK IN ITALY: SEA TO SKY

ITALY: SEA TO SKY was written by Ursula Ferrigno and published by Mitchell Beazley in Great Britain in 2003. The photography throughout the book was produced by Jason Lowe.

Italy:Sea to Sky Cover page shows use of Focal Plane techniques
Image by Jason Lowe

In looking at Lowe's work throughout it is clear that he has managed to transport the viewer through use of Advanced Capture Techniques into the heart and soul of the book.

Image by Jason Lowe; Italy: Sea to Sky, 2003

The contents page of the book don't read like a recipe book with the traditional Starters, Mains , Deserts etc., instead they are entitled MOUNTAINS, FORESTS & WOODS, COASTS, PLAINS, LAKES & RIVERS, ISLANDS and so on. Lowes's interpretation of the mood and message become clear.
The image, above shows an Olive branch only, leading your imagination to the olive grove itself, even though the grove itself is completely out of focus.

The Humble Chilli, by Helen Neylan Copyright 2011
Nikon D80 SLR, lens focal length 105mm, f5.6, 1/3 sec
Radial Blur filter Photoshop CS5 & Vignette

Use of Magic Hour Lighting
Image by Helen Neylan Copyright 2009

In my image above of the Chilli plant, I have used a similar depth of field technique as Lowe, blurring out all but that which I want the viewer to completely focus on. Here I also used other post capture techniques such as filters in Adobe Photoshop CS5 to further enhance the effect and draw the eye to the subject.

Further,more Lowe uses available LIGHTING to enhance his work, as seen here, by the use of MAGIC HOUR  lighting, which is the time just before sunset or just at sunrise when the sun is very low in the sky,  and AERIAL PERSPECTIVE, which causes a haziness across the various perspective depths of the image.

Forests & Fields Image using Magic Hour Lighting
 by Jason Lowe

Image by Jason Lowe displaying
the use of Aerial Perspective

Use of Aerial Perspective for effect.
Image by Helen Neylan Copyright 2010

To view more of Jason Lowe's work, visit the following link:
http://www.jamiestephen.com/photographers/jason-lowe/

Images (above), Jason Lowe, Italy: Sea to Sky

Lowe also uses OBJECTS & PROPS, which are almost always connected to the subject matter to make his point. For example here where he uses two images side by side for the Lakes & Rivers section of the book. He employs fantastic detail using both macro photography as well as a shallow depth of field to get the full rope crystal sharp across all the central focal plain. He also uses the TEXTURE & DETAIL in both images of the sea shore and the rope to transport us to the setting and put the message in context.

Pine Cone in Forest & Woods, Jason Lowe, Italy: Sea to Sky

The image above uses both Shallow depth of field and Macro to enhance the detail of this pine cone, which although inedible to human kind, takes the mid into a forest setting.

Pine Cone, Helen Neylan Copyright 2009
Image taken demonstrates Macro and Shallow depth of Field technique.

Decisive moment combined with Slow shutter speed
Image by Jason Lowe, Italy:Sea to Sky

Lowe uses SHUTTER SPEED alongside the use of Henry Bresson Cartier's DECISIVE MOMENT to illustrate perfectly the action of real bread/pastry making, choosing a slow shutter speed to capture the action, and he chooses his exact moment of capture to convey the mood and sense of the work going on. (right). To avoid camera shake either use an image stabilising lens or a tripod for this type of work.

Chilli Composition, Jason Lowe, Italy:Sea to Sky

 COMPOSITION is another Advanced Capture Technique use by Lowe, as here (above). The chilli's are composed against a contrasting background to make them stand out.

I have taken various styling techniques and influences from Lowe's work, including styling my image (below centre) of a chilli, using Composition, Colour Contrast and the use of NEGATIVE SPACES to illustrate the subject.

Green Chilli. Helen Neylan,
 The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook, Copyright 2011

READING LIGHT LEVELS & METERS

When taking images that require special effects and techniques, taking a light reading can become essential in your preparation, especially if using film as you need to get the effect right first time.
There are various ways to read light levels.

Reflected Meter Reading

REFLECTED READING - (right) This measures the light reflected off your subject, and to do this you use a light meter without an invercone in situ. This type of reading works best in average lighting scenarios, such as landscape work.

Incident Meter Reading
Note the White Invercone is in place

INCIDENT READING - (left)
This uses the light meter with the invercone in place, and measures the light falling onto your subject. This works best for high contrast subjects and when using colour transparency film as you need a very accurate reading.





The third way to take a light reading is to use a GREY CARD (below). A Grey Card is set at 18% grey colour, which is how the camera sees light, so placing a grey card facing the camera will measure the light being reflected onto it.

18 % Grey Card use

TYPES OF LIGHT METERS
There are different types of light meters available. The one being used above is a DIGITAL Light Meter which houses its own invercone, and is good for ambient,cord or open flash and good fro incident and reflected readings. Other types include ANALOGUE Light Meters which are good for Black and white photography and landscape work where there may be ambient light to measure.
SPOT Meters are expensive, but very effective as very precise tones may be metered individually. These should be used with a grey card for accuracy.

YOUR CAMERA ITSELF ALSO HOUSES IN CAMERA METER MODES including: AVERAGE, CENTRE WEIGHTED, SPOT, MULTISPOT, MATRIX & EVALUATIVE.

LEIGH BEISCH

When looking at the Food Photography of Leigh Beisch, San Fransisco, it is clear, as quoted on her webpage by Group Creative Director, Tracey Locke, that she :

" truly drives the creative process; one who goes beyond merely capturing the result of it...her vision would define not only our (their) time in her studio,...but would define the outcome of the entire project"

Beisch does not use a stylist, prefering to trust in her own judjement - which is a rare talent.

 She maintains a wealth of prop materials always close at hand, which she knows intimately for COLOUR, TEXTURE & DETAIL. She selects exactly the right props to enhance her images. Props that add life and soul to the work.

The Creative Director for McDonalds was quoted as saying,

 " OMG!!! This is the MOST BEAUTIFUL McD FOOD I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!!!!!"

You can read more about Leigh Beisch and her award winning food photography at the following link:

http://www.leighbeisch.com/

Images: Leigh Beisch

THE VERY ORDINARY ORGANIC COOKBOOK

The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook, Copyright Helen Neylan 2011,  is a piece of work which I am writing, alongside my partner. The recipes are my own creation, and the images are a combination of the work which we are doing collectively, combining aspects from our dissertation work running alongside this module. This is an ongoing piece of work to be published in 2012. Here are a couple of extract pages which are currently under construction.

Front Cover, The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook
Copyright Fresh Adventure 2011
Black & White Cover image courtesy of Mark C. Neylan Copyright 2011

Inside Dust Jacket, The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook
Copyright Fresh Adventure 2011

Inside Facing Dust Jacket, The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook
 Copyright Fresh Adventure 2011

Left Side Recipe Page, The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook,
 Copyright Fresh Adventure 2011

Recipe Right Facing Page, Recipe Helen Neylan,
The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook, Copyright Fresh Adventure 2011
 Image Courtesy Mark C. Neylan  Copyright 2011

Left Side Recipe Page, The Very Ordinary Organic Cookbook,
Copyright Fresh Adventure 2011
Image Courtesy Mark C. Neylan Copyright 2011

MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERAS

During this module I have also tried the Hassleblad 503X Medium Format Camera with the digital back. However, in the absence of any suitable lenses ( only one available was a landscape lens), the work would prove unsuitable, as I required close up and shallow depths of field work. However, using my Medium format Bronica would have been a reasonable compromise had the Large Format Cambo not been available.

Medium Format Hasselblad 503 cx

Medium Format Zenza Bronica

More Information about Hasselblad can be found at the following link:
http://www.hasselblad.co.uk/
More information from Zenza Bronica is sadly unavailable from the manufacturer as they are no longer in business.

I did manage to create one image using the Hasselblad, (below), which as you can see has errors of focus.

Turks head squash, H. Neylan, Copyright 2011
Image capture: Hasselblad 503cx, Medium Format with Digital back
f16, 2 sec. Natural Daylight