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Night Time in the Fish Tank
2nd PlaceNight Time in the Fish Tank
sjhuls


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Nonsense (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS
Date: Oct 6, 2011
Galleries: Children
Date Uploaded: Oct 6, 2011
[Oct. 13th, 2011 10:57:27 AM]

I knew this would be up for validation so I should have submitted it from the start, and as predicted it only took 1 day to get a validation request. I'm sure many of you are wondering how I took this legally. So here is how I did it:

I used a technique called focus stacking kind of the same concept as HDR stacking but instead of exposure you stack the focus. I placed the fish tank at one end of the room with my camera close to it and my model laid on a black backdrop at the other end of the room. I positioned the fish tank and my camera so that the girl was in the exact spot I wanted her in the tank. Next was to arrange the girl so she looked somewhat like she was floating she was laying on some tumbling mats covered with the black background I placed a pillow behind the backdrop by her head so I could arrange her hair on it to make it look like it was floating. Her dress was simply propped up using some waded up cloth and a bit of coaxing to get it to look just right. I took a couple test shots before I had the model get into final position. Once I felt everything was right I told her to not move a muscle until I was done shooting. I shot her in focus first, I took exactly 2 shots then without moving the camera I switched the focus to the fish tank I took exactly 2 shots of the fish tank and I was done. Luckily the shots worked out and stacked perfectly and that was all there was to it.

Actually even though the final shots didn't take very long I spent a couple hours in preparation and experimenting with shots before I even put the model in. So when I did the shot I already had taken about 50 practice shots just getting things set up right.

I normally don't feel comfortable posting originals but since I didn't take a shot of my set-up I will post them this time:

Here is the shot with the focus on the girl. Since I didn't have enough lighting to light both the girl and the fish tank, I used natural light from the window to light the fish tank and then mimicked the light that was coming from the window with my flashes, since the focus is on the girl the fish tank appears dark.



Here is the one with the focus on the fish tank for this one I used the natural light from the window.



After combining the two photos I cropped and did quite a bit of dodge and burn to get it to look just right. At first I didn't crop it quite as tight, but my team thought it looked better with a tighter crop and I agree.

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 75
Avg (all users): 7.1083
Avg (commenters): 8.4545
Avg (participants): 6.4054
Avg (non-participants): 7.4217
Views since voting: 5150
Views during voting: 415
Votes: 120
Comments: 40
Favorites: 11 (view)

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AuthorThread
 10/20/2011 02:00:35 PM
Wow! What creative genius! And yes... thank you for sharing how you did it. It's such an inspiration.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/19/2011 06:08:08 PM
Very good and the information was grate !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/19/2011 01:06:22 AM
That is one heck of a cracking shot. Thank you for sharing how you accomplished it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/15/2011 05:09:13 PM
This is gorgeous. Thanks for showing how you did it. Congrats on the red!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 08:55:11 AM
Congratulations on the ribbon, Jenn. Your kids are going to have a really unusual set of "childhood photographs" to show people when they grow up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 08:29:14 AM
Originally posted by posthumous:
Beautiful shot, I hope it gets validated and I hope photos like this never get DQ'd again.



Thanks so much for the compliment!

It actually already was validated, it was called up during the challenge. Yes, it is all very tricky when dealing with something like this, I don't envy site council on decisions like this. I studied the photo above to decide what the difference was. I think it had more to do with the fact that there was some masking to make it look like the tree was in front of the orange. I think I would have been disqualified if I had, for instance, positioned the girl behind some of the greenery and then masked it out so her foot was in front of it. It would have made her appear to actually be in the fish tank instead of just behind it. I realize I didn't fool anyone that she was actually in the tank. I just thought it would be fun to make it look as close as I could.

Thanks everyone for the excellent comments.
 10/14/2011 07:58:40 AM
Beautiful shot, I hope it gets validated and I hope photos like this never get DQ'd again.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 07:45:12 AM
This is completely brilliant. Thanks for posting the notes and the photos. Congrats on the red ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 07:33:53 AM
Extremely creative Jen.....thanks for posting the details of your shoot. Congrats on the red!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 06:31:43 AM
Very creative image and application of focus stacking. Well seserved honors! Congrats on the red!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 05:52:42 AM
No doubt that this totally earns the ribbon!

I loved it from the start of just your idea!

GO Jenn! Way to save the team!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 05:40:04 AM
simply amazing Jennifer!!! Wonderful job
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 05:12:12 AM
Very nice,Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 04:42:24 AM
As if another win is a surprise anymore? WTG!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 04:38:36 AM
Congratulations on the red. Creatively working within the rule set. It is good to see your work to set this up paid off.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 04:30:09 AM
Congrats on the ribbon for this sweet image! Very imaginative use of focus stacking!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 03:46:17 AM
great technique, thanks for sharing, congrats on the ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 03:44:35 AM
What a clever shot! One often links focus stacking to macro shots, this is a fantastic example of a different use. Congratulations on your so deserved ribbon! Very inspiring shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 02:24:14 AM
Told you you'd get a 7 :-)
Congrats! Great image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/14/2011 02:00:09 AM
awesome - and thanks for the tutorial!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2011 10:30:54 PM
Congrats on the red Jenn!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2011 09:01:39 PM
Clever girl! Congrats on the ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2011 08:31:47 PM
LOL...Jenn, if your kids aren't submerged in the bathtub then you put them in the fish tank?! Funny idea!

Message edited by author 2011-10-14 00:32:16.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2011 08:27:24 PM
Awesome shot! Clever technique and thank you for sharing all the details on how it was done. Wonderful image!!Congratulations...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2011 08:15:40 PM
Geeze Louise... :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2011 08:06:23 PM
Well you have invented a technique for sure.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
10/13/2011 07:30:51 PM
Not as clean as your other efforts as the illusion is not effective; however, I lingered and enjoyed the wonderfully textured shells.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2011 07:30:14 PM
Good effect
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/13/2011 03:39:46 PM
Beautifully done - I hope you share your steps on how you made the water bubbles come up and almost surround the sleeping beauty.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/12/2011 10:12:58 PM
excellent! A winner! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/11/2011 08:16:18 AM
Ribbon winner right there!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/09/2011 06:51:42 AM
very cute. Bravo Jen. I wish for a touch more mystery. Perhaps B&W would have done it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2011 02:58:55 PM
Wonderful image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2011 12:39:42 PM
Now, what would a girl be doing in a fish tank? Make no sense at all, should be disq........Oh wait a minute, the challenge is nonsense. OK then, well done and totally awesome, should ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/08/2011 12:05:24 PM
Nonsense. *grin*
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/07/2011 09:04:19 PM
Ha...nice.... I don't know how you did it !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/07/2011 10:44:29 AM
Wonderfully down, especially getting the hair and dress movement correct.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/07/2011 08:39:31 AM
Love this shot !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/07/2011 03:37:03 AM
Wow, how did you do this in advanced? I am in awe...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/06/2011 08:40:34 PM
10
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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