2023-10-31 Shadows

This two week challenge is about using shadows as the major elements in composing your image. For inspiration click here. Wit the sun lower in the sky you should be able to find long shadows for interesting compositions. Your images don’t have to be B&W only. Shadows also work great to enhance colour. Click here for an excellent introduction into the subject by Alex Kilbee. For a quick tutorial page click here.

Please upload images no larger than 1600 pixels wide or 1050 pixels high.

27 Responses to 2023-10-31 Shadows

  1. Della 朱世芸 Ho says:

    a b/w image at dusk showing reflections/shadows ISO 6400 1/16sec 72mm f7.1

  2. Joe says:

    Sunday Nov 5th we drove south of the city starting at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area and finishing up in Millarville. \
    Captured in RAW on a tripod with my Fuji XT-5 and a 10-24mm lens at 24mm
    ISO 125. F18/ SS@ 3 secons with a Neutral Density 6 filter on the lens.
    Processed in Luminar Neo (Highlights and Shadows, no crop, slight Enhance tool).

  3. Joe says:

    My second image was spotted by Diana in a tree near the Millarville turnoff.
    I know another “bird on a stick” but what a magnificent bird and so big he created a shadow!
    Fuji XT-5 with 100-400mm lens at 400 mm. Hurried out of car to capture shot so handheld. ISO 500/F 5/ SS@1/1250second.

  4. Della 朱世芸 Ho says:

    a puddle at dusk in Griffith woods. I increased the warm colours and contrast and used one of the modern presets in Lightroom, ISO 2000 85mm f7.1 1/100
    an experiment

  5. Henri says:

    Studying the portrait photography advice from books and the internet. John Mcintire has a good 5 pager on the importance of shadows in portrait photography. Click here for the link to the article. My African Princess bust made for a good test subject. I took a series of shots from different angles and vertical perspectives. Also used a reflector to soften some of the harshness a single light source gives to the subject. I used a single LED floodlight source (no reflector) for this image.

  6. Henri says:

    Here is the same setup, but now holding a white reflector to fill in some of the shadow areas.

  7. sue says:

    Riding camels in Morocco near sunset provided some good shadows.
    Taken with an iphone

  8. sue says:

    I liked how the shadows provided more definition to the sand dunes.
    Taken with my iphone

  9. Henri says:

    Another in the series of “using shadows in portrait photography.

  10. Ron says:

    I like the minimalist aspect of this shot. ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500.

  11. Ron says:

    More minimalism. ISO 200, f/14 1/100.

  12. Doug Stewart says:

    Sun and shadows, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. Sony RX-10, 29mm, ISO 250, -0.7ev, f/16, 1/250 sec. Minor edits in Apple Photo to brighten up the grasses between the shadows.

  13. tony campos says:

    Shadows on a crystal bowl
    f/5.6, 1/500, iso200

  14. tony campos says:

    Tree shadows – Elbow river
    f/9, 1/500, iso160

  15. Beth says:

    Self shadow portrait of me and a friendly bike rider taken at Weaselhead. Shot with my Sigma 16mm 1.4 lens at f/16, 1/60 sec, ISO 250

  16. Beth says:

    Reflections and shadows of trees on ice backlit by the sun. Taken with my Sigma 16mm 1.4 lens at f/16, 1/60 sec, ISO 250

  17. Debbie McCluskey says:

    What I thought would be easy to do – flashlight and glass = shadows, turned out harder than I thought. The glass angel fish is blue and white, but it was more striking in black and white. I used a tripod with a headlamp sitting on the folds of the towel and the fish is on a crystal stand. Manual setting F4.5, 1/8 sec, ISO 6400.

  18. Debbie McCluskey says:

    It was a challenge getting a crisp image using my shadow box. I tried many different items (even toys), but found I needed something that was open to define the shadows. I used my 18-134 lens, tripod, shadow box, and head lamp. F10, 2 sec, ISO 200.

  19. Karen McDaniel says:

    This was taken on a sunrise photoshoot seven years ago in Banff. I just found it but I don’t have any details on it other that I know I used my NikonD500 and long 600mm lens. I liked the play of diagonal shadows as the sun came up.

  20. Nick says:

    Not sure this photo quite reflects the intent of the subject here. However it is a shot that relies heavily on shadows cast by the overhead lamps unto the walls to enhance the composition of the silhouetted figures

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