Polarizers

Shortly after I received my 10mm F 4.0 Laowa lens, I started wondering if the polarization kit I assembled for my collection of manually focused lenses (MFL) could include this little super-wide. The kit was built on the premise a single, 49mm polarizing filter could be adapted to all of my Fuji-mount MFLs. I had dreams of adapting my Nisi Filter System, but instead went with a series of step-up rings that would mate my current collection of MFLs to a single 49mm Hoya polarizer. I also purchased a 37mm to 49mm step up ring for the Laowa, hoping that the Hoya wouldn't vignette the corners of the frame. In this sample shot, you can see that the corners were clipped by the smallish 49mm. In the spirit of full disclosure, the camera had been set to simulate the characteristics of Velvia, a slide film manufactured by, you guessed it, Fuji  Film.

There is a science about how polarizing filters are to be used. It suffices to say that in the days before through-the-lens viewing and exposure metering, shooters would view their subjects while rotating polarizer in their hands until the desired effect was achieved. A hand-held light meter was the, aimed through the filter to determine the "proper" exposure. The shooter would then locate the indexing dot (or post) and then screw the polarizer onto the camera lens until the index mark was in the same orientation. Several exposures would be made, alternating between over and under exposure from the base image.

My first targeted shot was this pair of Valentine's Day hearts decorating a home known for its elaborate holiday decorations. The homeowner treat Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas as opportunities to go "all out" on the decorations to the delight of the neighbors and passers-by. If you look closely, you can see that the shadow of the lamp post in the street tells me that the sunlight was hitting the subjects at a 45 degree angle. Its significance will be explained later.

Here's a view of the entire  house. If you examine the shadow cast by the large flowerpot at camera left, you can see that the light is coming from camera right at a 90 degree angle.

This photo was the most dramatic of the ones I made that day. I normally shoot my Fuji in Aperture Priority mode with exposure compensation set to - 1/3 stop. I don't know if the exposure was biased in favor of the darkened sky, but building seems a bit blown out. Also, this shot was made with the sun behind me and slightly to my left. For the moment, I am concluding that subjects that are front-lit, or nearly so, benefit the most from the effects provided by a polarizing filter. 

Next Steps: I have ordered a new 55mm B & W Polarizer and a generic 37mm to 55mm Step Up Ring just for the Laowa lens. The pair is schedule to arrive this week, so I'll return to the field to see if my "front light" theory holds up.  I also hope the larger diameter filter will help to prevent my fingers from wandering into the frame, as the frequently did when using the 49mm. As a final note, I know I have sharper lenses and more expensive polarizers to play with. And I have my doubts about whether these inexpensive MFLs are rendering colors accurately, or if they are contributing tints of their own. But in truth, I enjoy the simple act of making images that are more about color and composition than about sharpness and detail. And I may eschew the white balance presets in favor of customized white balance readings made through the polarizer at the time of exposure. Sounds like an interesting way to spend an afternoon.

Lunar New Year At Hillsdale

Year Of The Rabbit: Usually there are at least two different Lunar New Year celebrations in San Mateo, one at each end of the county. The celebration would be followed by another on the main drag in Millbrae. Historically both had been presented out of doors, but with the weather being as atypical as it was, Hillsdale chose an indoor venue. Unfortunately for me the Millbrae event was scheduled on the following Sunday, and I missed it completely.

My Third Choice

The presentation opened with some acrobatic lion dances performed by Lion Dance Me. From where I sat on the mall's floor, I could easily include the red Happy New Year banners to reinforce the context. I purposely avoided the typical Lion Dances, since I've used them too many times in the past. This mini-dragon dance was a suitable changeup, as it included the banners, lots of participants, and background separation for the dragon. In cases like this, all you can do is shoot, shoot, shoot, and keep the shots that best highlight the main subject.

My Second Choice

Next were performances by the Shaolin Culture Center. Unicycles were used in many of the performances. Here we can see one of the "pairs" maneuvers, and I was lucky enough to get this shot. 

My First Choice

When I left the show, I thought this would be the "money shot". The unicycle, the spinning plate, and the child's intense concentration adds to the appeal, but the lack of context detracts from its usefulness. I did submit it, but I suspect that one the previous two images will be published.

Also Rans: After an hour of shooting, I went home with over a dozen usable images, although photos at this second tier are lacking in a variety of qualities: Dynamic Composition,  and Visual Context, among other issues. This image captured a static moment, with no indication of subject movement.

The performers for Lion Dance Me set up a ridged steel structure with metal platforms. Performers jumped from platform to platform, going to great physical lengths to create the illusion of an actual animal in motion. While an accurate representation of the two-person costume, it doesn't convey anything more.

This photo was meant to show the level of concentration these performers must maintain for the movements of the dragon to be fluid and graceful.  Again, a photo that doesn't include much context, but one that might serve as a supplementary photo to one show the entire dragon team.

Post Mortem: The Pairs Unicycle Riders, my second choice, was printed in the Monday, February 6 edition. It had pride of place, appearing on Page One, above the fold. 

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser

I was a bit apprehensive about my photo session with conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, Artist in Residence and Community Ambassador of Symphony Nova Scotia, and for the moment a guest conductor at the San Francisco Symphony. His is known for his passion for introducing music to new audiences, and was featured in a movie "Disruptor Conductor". Along with my research into his accomplishments, I also checked to see what sorts of photos had already been taken of him. He had the appearance of a man with a ready smile, which I found reassuring. Also, he didn't wear glasses, which for a photographer is a gift from the heavens.

I entered the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall through the Musicians Entrance as instructed. Once I was signed in, I was taken to the Ready Area behind the stage, where my escort and I would wait until Mr. Bartholomew-Poyser completed his presentation. This was also where the dressing rooms and administrative offices were located, and the halls were lined with photos of the dozens of artists who graced the San Francisco Symphony's stage. I was surprised to find photos of George Takei, Patrick Stewart, and Leonard Nimoy beside those of Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, Bernadette Peters, Beverly Sills, and Leontine Price, the first African American soprano to achieve world-wide recognition. 

When we were introduced, I mentioned that i had seen the trailer to "Disruptor Conductor", and asked if I should address  him as "Maestro". I smiled and told me to call him Daniel. This exchange had a very positive effect the session, since he knew that I understood the driving force behind his creativity. I also asked if ever "air conducted" (think air guitar), which elicited a chuckle, and a definite "no". While we spoke, he proceeded to use his baton as a prop, give me multiple opportunities to capture Daniel in a relaxed mood.

Throughout the session, I showed Daniel the images I was making, and that I thought the session was progressing nicely. Good thing I checked the images because several were out of focus. This is not uncommon when cameras are used in high contrast lighting environments. I've noticed this happens when the background is brighter than the foreground subject. It is not apparent in the final photo because the flash balances the two disparate exposure levels. We went ahead and shot a few more frames. My last, best frame can be seen at the top of this post.

Selected Shot: This is the photo that  my editor chose to accompany the article. It was made at the start of the session, and perhaps better portrayed a conversational encounter, rather than, dare I say, Air Conducting.

Lighting Details: Normally I would use a  Godox AD200 equipped with a bare bulb mounted inside a collapsible softbox. When I decided to gel my flash, I removed the AD200 and replaced it with a standard speedlight (upper left). Going clockwise, I next I mounted a Godox Round Adapter, then installed a CTO gel pre-mounted in a round gel holder, and finally mounted a Godox Dome Diffuser. This was not an ideal solution, since the Dome Diffuser greatly reduces the effective light output of the flash. Since I was working indoors, i didn't need gobs of light, and the CTO gel was essential to match the color balance of the subject and the background light. The effect was worth the effort, as the photo has a natural look, completely hiding the fact that two different light sources, the ambient stage lighting and the foreground subject key light, were used. If you're wondering, the round Godox S2 Speedlight Bracket has become my favorite when I have the space to carry it. It normally nests in a carrying pouch along with my collapsed 24" soft box.

Time Limits: I was given a limited amount of time to photography Daniel, and I had committed myself to a 15-minute session starting around 12:30 and a hard completion time of 12:45. As it turned out,  I needed a few minutes more preparation than I planned, but once set up, my first record shot (after my introduction) was at 12:37, and the final shot made at 12:42.  Everybody was pleased with the final shot, and for the first time a subject of mine actually offered to buy the photo outright. That was the ultimate compliment, and the offer was compelling enough to justify a "victory lap", which for me was getting a Shrimp Tostada at Joe's Taco Lounge in Mill Valley. 

Good job!