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Pretty in Pink

Single exposure, combination time exposure with tungsten spotlight and electronic flash to freeze the end pose.

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Dya Diana 9 months ago

LOVE IT !

King Douglas Thanks, Dya. I'm glad you like this and thanks also for taking the time to leave a comment.

Alberto Sinmas 11 months ago

Excelente trabajo

King Douglas Muchas gracias, Alberto.

Jackie Sheen 1 year ago

This is a brilliant piece of work. Absolutely beautiful.

King Douglas Thanks very much, Jackie.

Manuel Cafini 1 year ago

really nice. I too a few months ago I made this type of picture. I do not know 'if using the same technique. Perhaps the only criticism you've used too much power for the flash you can see some light shine mainly on the arms and the head of the dancer.
in any case, congratulations again:)

King Douglas Thanks, Manuel,

I don't know what you mean about too much power for the flash. The dancer is perfectly exposed and lit for the final pose. I never intended for the blur to overlap her arms and head.

Manuel Cafini I mean that the dancer's arms and head are not as sharp as the rest of the body. second of my studies and 'due to the fact that the light bounces back and elsewhere on the subject. to overcome this problem just use a lower power of the flas. less reflection of light...

King Douglas Manuel,

I created this over 30 years ago and won't be doing it again. This is product photography. This is all one exposure. The flash and the spotlights are balanced for color and intensity.

The Wagyu Story 2 years ago

amazing! i'm totally blown away...very very impressive. may i ask what do you mean by tungsten spotlight? thanks..

King Douglas Thanks, The Wagyu Story, I'll be happy to explain what tungsten lights are. You and some others might also like to have a more detailed description of how this shot (and others like it in my portfolio) were accomplished.

I used two light sources for this photograph. The "frozen" end pose was taken with electronic flash (studio strobe lights), which fire at about 1/2000 second and are color balanced for daylight film, around 6,000 degrees Kelvin.

The rest of he image was lit by several lamps with 2,000 watt tungsten bulbs on either side of the cyclorama (background). Tungsten emits light that is approximately balanced to indoor color film, around 3,200 degrees Kelvin--much warmer (redder) than the electronic flash. The blur, or streak of color, was captured by holding the shutter open while the dancer moved from left to right across the cyclorama.

Because I wanted the color to be consistent, I had to find the right combination of blue geletin filters to put over the tungsten lights in order to raised the Kelvin temperture to approximately the same as the electronic flash units.

In order to keep the dancer from being over-exposed at one side of he cyclorama and under-exposed at the other, I put lights on both sides of the cyclorama. As she moved away from one light, she was moving toward to other, so the blur is an average exposure of the two lights.

The last challenge was to envision the flow of movement (the blur) and to select a final pose that wold fit with the blur, then practice everything before exposing film.

This is how each exposure was accomplished. The dancer is in position at the left side of the set. An assistant is standing by to turn the tungsten spotlights off at the correct time. I have the shutter release cable in my left hand and a push button at the end of a long cord that is connected to the flash units--they will fire when I press the button. Both tungsten spotlights are on, the camera shutter is set to "B" so it will stay open so long as my finger remains on the shutter release. I count aloud so the dancer knows when to begin...5, 6, 7, 8, Go! I open the shutter as she begins the motion--she's not moving very fast. Just before freezing the final pose, my assistance shuts off the power to the tungsten lamps so as not to super-impose a blur on the final pose--you can see where the blur stops. Next, I fire the flash manually at exactly the right moment, which captures the final pose, just before closing the shutter.

Javier Miqueleiz Thank you again Douglas for the explanation. Very helpful indeed.

The Wagyu Story wow!! amazing..very very impressive!! thank you sooo much for providing me with the details... =)
all the best to you..!

mc-chabin 2 years ago

que dire a part bravo pour ce superbe cliché, au top tant niveau technique que artistique et merci pour ces brides d'information qui pourront certainement en inspiré plus d'un.

King Douglas Merci beaucoup mc-chabin, et vous êtes les bienvenus.

shahrzad hadeli 2 years ago

strong open flash......very good...excellent.

King Douglas Thanks very much, shahrzad.

n.marchmarry 2 years ago

i am falling in love with this photo since the first time i saw it.
it's so pretty.
i amaze with your skill and technique.
you are brilliant!

King Douglas Thank you very much, n.marchmarry, for the very kind words.

tomeda 2 years ago

Soooo precious!

King Douglas Thank you, tomeda.

Th Block 2 years ago

wow

King Douglas Thanks, Th...you have a way with motion yourself. :>)

Karl Johnston 2 years ago

Really like this shot. Looks like a giant dancing caterpillar.

King Douglas That's a different description. :>)

Thanks, Karl.

Siavash 3 years ago

I love this technique...

King Douglas Thank you, Siavish.

Shirley S 3 years ago

This is truly special!

King Douglas Thanks again, Shirley S.

moses stell 3 years ago

great work!

King Douglas From one artist to another, thanks very much, moses.

Willy Marthinussen 3 years ago

these are so beautiful...i love this tecnique King and you do it masterly.
All the best --willy--

King Douglas Thanks so much, Willy.

jak 4 years ago

good work...!!
perfect...!!

King Douglas Thank you, jak.

Ellen 4 years ago

I have no words....Excellent photo!

King Douglas Thanks very much, Ellen.

Rasmus Mattsson 4 years ago

Love it, really special!

King Douglas Thank you very much, Rasmus.

Dragan Jovancevic 4 years ago

so good that it hurts ;-) so beautiful, dynamic and the frozen pose fits perfectly. the camera loves you Douglas

King Douglas Thank you very much, Dragan. I'm sorry for the long delay in thanking you.

Matthew 4 years ago

wow this is amazing !
absolutely beautiful !

King Douglas Thanks, Matthew...glad you like it!

Elisabeth Gustafson 4 years ago

Absolutely beautiful flow and motion! Now i realize it isn´t all bad to be nearsighted, i think i will start leave my glasses at home, the world appears like this without them and it is so beautiful! :O))
Great composition and light with that feel of fire behind her.
/
E

King Douglas Elisabeth...you are so funny! So you are back from vacation? Will we see photos?

Thanks for the compliments.

Elisabeth Gustafson You will see pictures when they pass screening, i have a hard time making it there! :O)) By the way, your choise is on the way as soon as i have figured out the translation from inch to our scale that is cm! :O))
/
E

Ralf Stelander 4 years ago

Just amazing!

King Douglas Thanks, Ralf...but how can you be amazed at ANYTHING published on OE? :>)

Lars Grepstad 4 years ago

Excellent! I bet you didn't hit at the first exposure.. or did you?

King Douglas Thanks, Lars. Usually, with this kind of collaboration between dancer, photographer and my assistants, there is some degree of variability. I've done a lot of this type of thing, with people and with things. For the dance series, I usually shot one or two 12-exposure rolls of color transparency film, even if I thought I caught the action with the first frame. Sometimes accidents are the best exposure on the roll:
http://www.onexposure.net/?photos=member&memberid=3116&photo=14684

Koray Ustuner 4 years ago

I just sign-up this site for congatulation your skills. I really love your style. However I couldn't see thoso photos on your web site. Hope to see more.
You are one of he best photo artist.
Regards...
Koray Ustuner from North Cyprus
http://www.burcuustuner.com

King Douglas thank you, Koray. What a great compliment.

I'm using Onexposure (OE) to prepare and test images that I will certainly add to my website. In addition to many of those you see here, I have a number of photos that were rejected for publication on OE that would fit perfectly well in my personal site.

Your comment is a reminder that I have been neglecting my own website by not uploading photos that have been published here.

Thanks again!

Florian Effelsberg 4 years ago

Photographic skills at their best.

The colours are great, but for me the most impressive aspect of this photo is, that the dancer appears to be this unbelievable weightless. Like a floating feather, but still powerful.

You are exceptionally gifted.

King Douglas Florian,
Thank you so much for the fine comment and compliment.
I'm so sorry that I overlooked his comment earlier and didn't responded shortly after you posted it.
Regards,
King Douglas

michel 4 years ago

Très belle photo ! Combien d'essais avant de la réussir ?

King Douglas
Merci beaucoup, Michel.

Cela a été photographiées à l'aide d'un appareil photo Hasselblad et film de 12 poses. J'ai photographié le modèle en utilisant le noir et blanc Polaroid film jusqu'à ce que l'éclairage était à droite, puis ont utilisé un ou deux rouleaux de film. J'ai sélectionné le meilleur des photos 12-24.

shanghaiwu 4 years ago

this is brilliant

King Douglas Thank you, shanghaiwu.

Mel Brackstone 4 years ago

My goodness I love seeing your work King. What an amazing result!

King Douglas Then we are members of a mutual admiration society. :>)
Thanks very much, Mel.

prbimages 4 years ago

Dynamic, flowing, colorful, ... , in short, stunning!

King Douglas What a great compliment. Thanks, prbimages.

milan malovrh 4 years ago

Photo poesy.

King Douglas Thanks for the kind, alliterative words, milan.

Thomas Doering 4 years ago

Wonderful and inspiring.

Best regards,
Thomas

King Douglas So great to think that my work provides you the least inspiration (I'm a big fan of yours). Thanks very much.

Thaib Chaidar 4 years ago

always lovely, King..

King Douglas Thank you very much, Thaib.

Fulvio Pellegrini 4 years ago

Beautiful
F.

King Douglas Thanks so much, Fulvio.

Nicole Goggins 4 years ago

wow again!

King Douglas ...and thanks again! Nicole... :>)

Toffeur 4 years ago

So poétic!!!

King Douglas Thanks, Toffeur.

Marcello Della Corte 4 years ago

Uh, look: Duchamp! ;)
Excellent image, and great technique, King.

King Douglas "Ballerina crossing cyclorama"

Thanks, Marcello--I'm honored.

Jean-Christophe Cros 4 years ago

vraiment sublime....cette chevelure rose....

King Douglas
Jean-Christophe,
"cette chevelure rose" est un bon moyen de décrire cela. Merci beaucoup.

Giorgio Lorcet 4 years ago

great shot, bravo.

King Douglas Thanks very much, Giorgio.

lucian olteanu 4 years ago

No words at all!!!!!!!!!

King Douglas No need to write any words, lucian. I understand !!!!!!!!!!.

Thank you, my friend.

Judy W 4 years ago

You just kill me. This is divine. Love the pink too.

King Douglas Not meaning to kill. Thanks, Judy...the pink was just for you. :>)

Jure Kravanja 4 years ago

very,very beautiful

King Douglas ...and you know much about beauty in photography. Thank you so much, Jure.

Lars Klottrup 4 years ago

Supreme elegance and technical superiority :-)

King Douglas Thank you, Lars...you are too kind.

Toni Hukkanen 4 years ago

just love it! Hope some day I can make pictures like these :)

King Douglas Toni,

Thanks for your comment. You have an early start. I'm sure your efforts will surpass mine at the same age. Best of luck in your career.

Claudio Solera 4 years ago

Fantastic!!!! Great King. Ciao,Claudio.

King Douglas Thank you, Claudio. Do you by any chance know Piergiorgio Sclarandis? He is a Black Star photographer from Torino who now lives in my city, Dallas. I met him just a week ago. We have mutual friends.

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