Kick Butt Color Correcting Lighting Tip

Here is a color correcting lighting tip for the photographers and filmmakers of today's generation. Have you ever heard of Kelvin? No not Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes... silly goose. Kelvin is a measurement of the color temperature of light. For instance daylight in the photography / film world is 5500k, which is considered neutral in color temperature. Tungsten lights on the other hand are 3200k, so if your camera is set for daylight your image will look quite warm in color. Now obviously you can just change the white balance setting on your camera to compensate. However what if you are combining natural light 5500k and tungsten 3200k? If you are anything like me and want to avoid as much post production as possible. I like to get the image as close as possible in camera.

Here's what you do.... you add a FULL CTB to your tungsten light. CTB.... what is this guy talking about? CTB stands for Color Temperature Blue, so if your light is orange / warm in color to get it back to neutral you need to add blue. This FULL CTB converts the tungsten light back to a daylight balanced light source. Note that the FULL CTB will block 1 stop worth of light, so adjust accordingly. To see a light and compensation conversion chart CLICK HERE.

If you want to go full out on how to correct for other non-tungsten lights you may want to buy a color meter. Depending on your level and how detailed you want to get with your light color temperature control. Beware color meters are pricey. Not to worry most lights these days have the color temperature rating assigned to that particular light. So it won't be to hard to figure out what you need to correct the light for your assignment.

Bike By Me - The Super Hero of Custom Bikes

Bike By Me building bikes designed... well by you. Yep, that's right you pick the colors for the frame, chrome, seat, grips, rims, tires right down to the chain. Cool huh?

Bike By Me are the cape crusaders of colorful fun clean designed bikes. The superhero beacon in the Manhattan scene above is part of a concept shoot Spencer Gordon shot after Bike By Me's debut in the New Amsterdam Bike Show. The concept was to shoot the bikes in an iconic NY setting. Then the composite image would be used as an interactive piece. The viewer will mouse-over the photo stumbling upon a person holding a bike in the scene. By clicking upon a particular bike it will open that specific bike in Bike By Me's website. To view the completed version of the shot above click here. Mouse-over the city skyline to turn on the Bike by Me beacon.

The design of these bikes and the company's website has been notarized by various publications. The latest was from NotCot.org highlighting this concept photograph.

Fun fact about the final image. In post production over 840 spokes had to be recreated.

2011 4th of July Photo Contest Entries

2011 4th of July photo contest entries are starting to come in.... Here are a few examples.

From kids. Photo submitted by Erin Gahagan


To fireworks. Photo submitted by Graham Biddy


Enter your patriotic themed photo for a chance to win a NIkon Camera Bag Style 9793.

The most "Liked" photo WINS!

Deadline for entries is July 25th 2011 by 11:59pm. The winner will be announced August 1st 2011.

Please note that your photos fall under the terms and conditions of Facebook and I promise not use your photos for any other usage then the usage for this blog for Spencer Gordon. Let's just keep it simple, we can all play nicely in the sandbox together.

Lytro - Pros & Cons

Last week I raised the question is "Photography Going To Change Forever?". Writing about the company Lytro creating a breakthrough new technology using a microlens array is stirring a buzz amongst the photography world. With 50 million in start up capital and recruiting a 45-person staff from top companies such as Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel and Sun Microsystems. It appears that Lytro could be on to something.

Lytro is developing a point-n-shoot camera comparable to the those made by Canon and Nikon with a rumored price point of a few hundred dollars. In conjunction with the camera you will need the sophisticated software to decipher this new light field "Living Images" and to use the unique select focusing feature.

PROS: about the technology:
- NO lag time with the shutter release
- NO concern about where you are focusing cause you don't have to
- 2D or 3D imaging capture
- Images are interactive
- Video capable
- Hologram capable

CONS: about the technology:
I base this upon the Lytro Picture Gallery
- It appears there are only 2 focal planes
- Some shots do not have an authentic depth of field characteristic.
- I am seeing some pixelation in some of the shots. Possible output quality issues
- To get the full effect of the "living image" users will have to compose their images differently. Most people take a rather flat 2D composed image meaning their subjects are mostly on the same focal plane.

There has not been a release date set for the camera. However, will the images live up to the hype of the technology? For me I want see this baby ( camera ) in action! Lytro, get it in my hands!

2011 4th of July Photo Contest

Enter to WIN a Nikon Camera Bag.

Submit your best patriotic images of fireworks, BBQ parties, candid photos of family and friends showing a July 4th celebratory theme.

Upload your photo to Spencer Gordon Studios on Facebook. The most "Liked" image will win.

Share this photo contest with your family and friends.

Winner will be announced August 1st 2011.

Barter with the Band

Bartering can be a great way to not only get what you need, but to make new connections that may lead to new business opportunities.

Nadia Ackerman, an amazing singer songwriter, is seen in the shot above with her band. I needed a custom music piece for a fun magical silent film I did for 145 Antiques, Nadia needed the shot for some upcoming gig promotions. We did this shot in a matter of minutes… literally.

Nadia’s band was rehearsing at Euphoria Studios in NYC. The objective was to photograph the entire group, however, there was not enough room in the rehearsal space. Meanwhile a band was gathering outside the studio door to use the space when Nadia’s rehearsal ended. I asked David Sokol, the owner of Euphoria, if I could shoot the band in the lobby, without even looking at me he said “NO”. I waited a little while as David and his manager were busy turning over some of the other rehearsal spaces. As things calmed down I asked David again if I could shoot in the lobby, once again he said,“NO”, proceeding to point to photographs on the walls that he didn’t want included in my shot. I stated that I was going to get the band to lay on the floor for the shot which would not include the photographs, David then said he’d have to approve the shot, so I said “Ok”.

As I begin to set up my camera and the one Nikon SB900 speedlight needed for the shot, David is observing my set up and talking to me about his photography. Nadia’s band walk out of their rehearsal space. The elevator doors open and another band walk into the lobby and shuffles past us into another rehearsal space, the lobby is now quite crowded. I explain the shot to the band and they get into position quickly. I start shooting while David is still talking and asking questions, and the elevator doors open again to spill out yet more people, but Nadia’s band is laying on the floor in front of the elevators so they can’t get out. I’m giving direction to the band to run through various facial expressions, and in two minutes we had it! PHEW! Nadia’s band get up from the floor smiling, laughing, and poking fun at each other. David asks to see the shot on the
camera and said, “that was a great idea for a group shot.”

If you want to hear the music that Harvey Jones and Nadia did for my silent film click HERE to see some Magic.

Portfolio Review Day

One of my goals this year was to learn more about the photography industry. After 18yrs most would say you can't teach and old dog new tricks. Bulls@#$t. Part of learning about the industry is learning about yourself. So over the next few days I am attending a Portfolio Review via NYC FotoWorks. I'm really looking forward to meeting new people and getting some constructive criticism.

The new webiste site I've been working on is a bit precarious, just a few more glitches to take care of but the portfolio section is up to speed. So hit me with all you got! I can take it.... be gentle NOT.

Victoria Secret - Smoke Screen

[gallery columns="1"]
I was asked by Victoria Secret.... well not Victoria herself but their creative team to photograph a few of their ladies. How could I say no....right? The challenge was that the models were going to be in a smoke screen. Actually it is a vapor mist curtain that will have rear projection graphics they tell me. The trick is to light the models properly without washing out the graphics on the vapor curtain. These shots were done all in camera, no post manipulation. Yep.... lighting ratios are my forte.

For the company that does this kind of thing, this is tiny compared to what First Fountain can really do.