Beefing Up Lighting

Shooting animals is always challenging but cows are generally easier than most. Not so however when the particular animal you're after is tied to a wall along a row of around 100 other cows, even less so when you're after the largest bulls you can find!

Covering the Balmoral Show this year I set out with the intention of setting up more than the usual on-camera flash or even secondary flash in a situation that is definitely not designed for delicate equipment. My goal was to photograph the largest bulls I could find along with the most distinguishing owners. I wanted a close up shot with both faces, lit from the front, beneath and above. Working on my own, at least one of the three lights would have to be on a stand. Despite scoffing from my colleagues about the location (you'll see why below) I packed my Lowe Pro Nature Trekker full of gear and headed for the show.

The bulls themselves are massive. Weighing over 1 ton they're led around by the ring in their noses but once they start to turn there's no changing their minds, you simply have to go with them and try to steer them back around to their original position. In a confined space this was never going to be easy, particularly when they all face the wall.


Working with the farmers I put the farmer into position first, holding the bull by the ring then set off a few test flashes to ensure it didn't frighten the animal. Positioning myself between the next two cows or bulls in the row I crawled underneath the bulls head to position a remote flash pointing straight up under the bulls chin. I positioned the next light on the wall, wedged between some taps and piping (admittedly the guys in the office were right, lighting stands had no chance!). Lastly, the third light was on the camera controlling the other two.

Positioning myself at chin level I was able to get the bull and the farmers head in close together while the cow beside me breathed on the back of the camera steaming up the viewfinder.

Working in this way I followed the line up of cattle picking out the biggest bulls and most distinguished farmers until I had a set of four images, all well lit and equally imposing.

Back in the office each shot was cropped to keep the focus directly on the two faces. Using the Lucis Art filter I increased the detail a little then reduced the contrast to compensate for the brightening effect of the filter. Lastly I increased the saturation to bring back the deep colours.



Thanks to:
Shanvalley Blondes, Shane Savage
Castlepoll Herefords, C&M Beatty & Son
Coolenaslee Charollais, Andrew Patterson

Extreme Detail Enhancement

Extreme detail enhancement (or super sharpening) has always had the problem of bringing out lots of JPEG artifacts, or jaggies. While there have been loads of filters to counteract this problem few filters allow you to really improve the detail of a shot and still keep a usable image.

While the Dave hill photo effect has been around for a long time I've only recently had cause to purchase the Lucis Art filter. At over £150 it's quite expensive unless you have a commercial use for it but recently I wanted to bring out the detail of a couple of special images. While recreating the famous look I found the filter had a stunning range of detail enhancement which I hadn't anticipated.

While the filter will indeed super-enhance your images and bring out the detail like never before, at the lower end of the slider (and it is a complete no-brainer to use, slider control), you can bring out just a little bit of detail making your images really pop off the screen.

Used correctly this can be batch applied to all of your images from a shoot giving you and your clients instant 'wow' factor.

Combined with a little skin softening on faces, darkening to counteract the brightening effect of the filter and some saturation adjustment and you have a stunning new level of photographic imagery.

Discounts on Photoshop Elements and Adobe Software

If you're in the market for Photoshop Elements or other Adobe software they are currently offering 25% off Elements and £50 off when you spend £350 or more.

The Elements offer ends 1st June. Simply enter the code codesukelements09 at the checkout.
The £50 off offer ends 31st May.

Students can get up to 80% off which is a massive saving with some of the bundles retailing at over £1000. You simply need a valid student ID card.

Click here to take up the offer.