Before The Coffee » Photography

I’ve broken lots of glass. It’s a mess but it’s an incredible adrenaline rush when it hits the table after falling 10 feet. My record is 7 glasses all caught at the moment of impact.

How is it done? Well I use a sound trigger or I use plain old reflexes. Both work but the reflex method takes lots of concentration and a drop assistant. Practice helps. When a sound trigger is used I start in a dark room and open the shutter for 10 seconds. I run up the ladder and pick up the glasses placed on a board about 10 feet over the table. The drop point, camera focus plane, flash position, must all be planned ahead. Move the glasses an inch or two either way and they will be out of focus or not centered in the frame. Not only that, the glasses have to be free of finger prints, the water color added has to be the right denisty so sufficient light can pass and everything has to be protected, including your flash equipment, because water splashes everywhere. Each shot takes about 4 hours.

  • MEM - June 5, 2007 - 11:34 am

    F. – I love these, as you know. The Crystal clarity, precision, “suspended animation” primaries still full of life. Thanks for posting these and sharing the process.ReplyCancel

  • Rich Lemmon - June 6, 2007 - 12:18 pm

    Every time I come to your site I think about one of my favorite quotes:

    “Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”

    Oliver Wendell HolmesReplyCancel

  • JAM - June 7, 2007 - 3:50 pm

    I love how the items her are shattered but still caught in the air. This is a wonderful set of photos. Sure glad I didn’t have to clean that up.ReplyCancel

  • David Worswick - June 17, 2007 - 7:36 am

    Hi,

    I was alongside you in the Gold Coast’s Q1 tower. How did your pictures turn out? I’m happy to e-mail you a small version of mine if you like. Your nature pics are very artistic, hope the books go well for you and enjoy Australia. I didn’t know you made that clamp, I had indeed seen it before, congrats on that too.

    Cheers

    DavidReplyCancel

  • Eugenio - July 14, 2007 - 5:44 am

    Great shot! Time stops, everything’s still. So great!ReplyCancel

  • Jules - August 17, 2008 - 1:41 am

    wow! that is very coolReplyCancel

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“We all fall down” is taken from the nursery rhyme “Ring around the Rosies.” Some believe the nursery rhyme is connected to the Bubonic Plague of England 1665. The “ring around the rosies” refers to the sores on the skin and the “pocket full of posies” refers to the flowers carried in the pockets of the dying to conceal the smell. The children skip in a circle holding hands and drop into a heap while singing “we all fall down.”

Ring around the Rosie
Pocket full of Posies
Ashes, Ashes
We all fall down

regional versions vary……

together.jpg  aog72530.jpg

aog72538.jpg   fall.jpg

  • Barb - June 4, 2007 - 5:56 pm

    That’s very colorful and interesting. I like the photos and got your website off of Jam’s site.ReplyCancel

  • Bun - February 8, 2008 - 12:46 pm

    How informative…great photo sequence…I’m looking for “food” HDR’s. Know where?blReplyCancel

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Panoramas that are built from taking a bunch of pictures and then assembling the sections in stitching software is an art in itself. It takes a good eye for details, good stitching workflow and usually lots of RAM. HDR panoramas are even more workflow intensive as each section of the pan shot will consist of several exposures. To see a pan shot on the monitor doesn’t do it justice. To really appreciate it you must view it large on a wall and as your eyes scan back and forth you will have the feeling of being there.

 This shot of Nubble light is made from twenty shots. Four sections, 5 exposures each section.

hdrpm_tmpm_stitchcrop2.jpg

  • JAM - May 30, 2007 - 11:42 am

    My friend, all I can say is, your time was well spent on the work it must have taken to end up with such a beautiful shot. Just beautiful.ReplyCancel

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In life we all want to stand out in the crowd. Especially in photography we want to be original and not do what everyone else does. What’s it take to be original, to develop style and be noticed. I think the answer lies in shooting what you like.

  • JAM - May 23, 2007 - 11:25 am

    This is one of the most beautiful photos I’ve seen in a long time. That blending of sky and trees is awesome. Love it.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - June 3, 2007 - 12:24 pm
  • Anonymous - June 3, 2007 - 7:47 pm

    Looks painted rather than photographed. Perhaps a good idea for art.ReplyCancel

  • Seán O'Brien - October 9, 2007 - 4:05 pm

    A superb landscape, even though surely manipulated!ReplyCancel

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What a warm welcome from the Silver Spring Camera Club. Thank you guys so much for the invitation. A great group of photographers with highly intelligent questions – you guys rock. They take a snack break with lots of cookies and chips but don’t let that fool you into thinking they are an average camera club – they know their stuff. Have a great summer and happy HDR shooting! A special thanks to Stan the pres. – you’re the man.

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  • pedro - May 12, 2007 - 7:23 pm

    Thanks for a most interesting evening. I’m sure you have made an impression on many of our members that will affect their images. Competitions will be harder next year because of you, which could be good or bad. We’ll see–Probably good for those using hdr. Looking forward to your return when your book is published and some of us have had a chance to try out your techniques. Gracias!ReplyCancel

  • Sheryl - May 18, 2007 - 2:28 pm

    Thanks for a great session on HDR Photography. I will put some of the practices and
    techniques you described into practice during the Silver Spring Camera Club’s upcoming
    trip to the Franciscan Monestery.

    You work is astounding!ReplyCancel

  • Suzanne Hood - June 14, 2007 - 1:56 pm

    Ferrell, I am vice president of the Tidewater Camera Club in Easton, MD, in cahrge of speakers for our meetings. I have heard wonderful things about your presentation to the AA camera club on ‘breaking the rules.’ We would love to have you speak to our group any first or third Monday of any month in the 2007-2008 year (starting September thru June). Cannot find your email address. Please contact me.
    Thanks, SuzanneReplyCancel

  • Anna - August 4, 2011 - 12:57 am

    I remember this picture!!! wow! holy memories. Great stuff.ReplyCancel

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