metal and glass is possibly not worst enemy
Polar bears have become a symbol for the winter holiday season, and have been depicted as cuddly, loving animals living in the North Pole. In recent years, however, polar bears have been seen as decrepit and starving, which is due to the melting of polar ice caps and global warming.
This assignment was so much harder by myself than it was in lab with other people (especially Evan and Rita). For some reason I just did not understand exactly how to light this ornament with a black background. I went over it again in my textbook, but the method just didn't seem to work. My set up involved the light table, and I placed the black velvet on top of it to create the background that was gonna be in photo. I have to place black cards on both sides of it, as well as the gobo on the end of the light table. The gobo on the light table was there to block the rest of the light table from coming from below because that light was reflecting onto the object.
The light table really came in handy for this project. I manipulated the method that was shown in the book with using the light table and the black velvet over it. I was able to stop most of the reflections, but some I just couldn't figure out how to get rid of. If I planned more ahead and knew that I was going to use the light table, I would have bought a huge black sheet or something to ten the entire light table. Maybe then I wouldn't get those unwanted reflections what I just HATE so much.
What worked during this shoot, was that the dry ice was just a star. The dry ice symbolized the melting polar ice caps and usually, photos seen of polar bears now-a-days are skinny polar bears on a lonely floating piece of ice. Also I think using the light table and putting the black velvet over was a really good method because there was less things I had to hold up and worry about. I still don't think I did enough to get rid of reflections, but I really do not even know what those random lines are coming from. It saddens me that those reflections are there, but this was probably one of the best photos I had.
I did learn, however, to BRACKET! I think I did a way better job at bracketing and it honestly really helped me figure out what exposure I needed to light the polar bear and the dry ice, but not over expose the black velvet.
