Nathan Exposed » 30 Days of Nathan: Day 4

Screened

You’re looking at a photo that almost didn’t happen. I had an idea to take a photo using a screen with the sun shining through it. I waited until the sun was setting tonight, and reflecting through the windows. When the magical hour arrived, I quickly set up the screen and tried to angle it so the sun would blast through the blinds and the screen.

I wanted to be partially behind the screen to create texture and high contrast with a washed out background. I also wanted to look very neutral. I wore a black ribbed shirt, and combed my hair to be very straight. I just wanted things to be very stark, but heavily textured with the screen and my clothing.

As luck would have it, making that a reality was not so easy.

The initial pictures were terrible. I was sweating because of the heat from the sun. Today just happened to be the hottest one of the week. I did not get the picture I wanted and the sun was quickly disappearing.

I made one last effort. I sat completely behind the screen and took some shots with the sun right behind my head. It created a large shadow against the screen, and the texture was incredible. I then brought it into Photoshop and maxed out the contrast. When I did that, it created a spectrum of yellows and reds. I loved it. This is the end result.

I like playing with very different concepts on my photos. You will see more as the week goes on. I liked this particular project so much that I will be using a second “failed” photo tomorrow.

This is part of a series. Click here to learn more about it.

Sun, Sep 17, 2006 @ 12:00 am | Filed in 30 Days | Permalink

5 Comments

I’m enjoying this series. I probably didn’t read the first one properly but I was expecting one of those “stare at the camera with a blank expression in the same place at the same time each day” type things… This is so much better!

Posted by Tom on Sun, Sep 17, 2006 @ 12:31 am

Ok, now you’re beginning to sound like an Peruvian Indie film maker.
I’m so impressed with the creativity that’s coming forth here. Ten years from now I’ll be bragging about how I knew you before you were famous.
Promise me you’ll name your first feature film “Smegma, the untold Tale”.

Posted by DEL on Sun, Sep 17, 2006 @ 2:18 am

Did you know that your blog is censored at FedexKinkos? I was away in NYC/NJ and Wash DC for the last two weeks and couldn’t keep up with your posts since Kinko’s uses some filter which prevents certain sites from being viewed on their sets. I personally think that at 25 cents a minute I should be able to look at whatever I please…oh well Nice to be back checkin you out

Posted by tom on Sun, Sep 17, 2006 @ 11:24 am

The photo looks great. Glad to hear that your having suck fun playing with your self… portraits, that is

Posted by VJnet on Sun, Sep 17, 2006 @ 3:57 pm

Okay, my inner photo judge is coming out today (wait… inner?)

I do like what you captured here… and that whole screen idea was awesome… I just wonder if a different crop would have helped… like if you’d taken it just to where the black stuff is on the right.

Posted by yaniboy on Sun, Sep 17, 2006 @ 8:20 pm