InfiniteISO Loc: The Carolinas, USA

Weather permitting we're going to be shooting outdoors on the 13th of this month with two sets centered around jack-o-lanterns.

The first set will be a carving set. It will probably include another model so I don't know how many images I will be able to show here. I will do my best.

We are staying in an A-Frame in the Carolina woods where we've shot before but I can't remember much about furniture. I'm not sure at this point if we'll put the pumpkins on a table or on the ground. If you have any ideas about particular shots, poses, or costuming I thought it might be interesting to get some of your ideas BEFORE the event happened. I think both models will be willing to get messy with the innards but I haven't wrapped my head around whether shots like that might be appealing.

Then second shoot is what I'd really like to talk about. I plan on putting two jack-o-lanterns on tripod stands made from pipe so they are about 3 feet off off the ground. the stands will be painted flat black and hopefully won't be too prominent in the shots. The pumpkins will be large and have lamp oil filled pans with toilet paper wicks. From past experience, the flames will probably come out of the top of the pumpkins about a foot and they'll generate quite a bit of light. My initial thought is to put them about 8 feet apart and put the model about 4 feet behind an imaginary line drawn between them. This is obviously going to create a depth of field issue.

I also have a couple of adjustable LED lamps with orange filters that I can use in a pinch to supplement the fire light with. I'm thinking about carving grills in the non face side of the pumpkins to face the area where the model will stand to help light the lower part of her torso. I will have my radio flashes and some umbrella reflectors but I'd really like to pull this off with just the fire light.

So, I am asking for thoughts and suggestions. For instance, do I get way back and use a long lens. With my current gear that puts me at 5.6 or greater aperture. I have a F 2.8, 17 to 50mm, but by the time I get close enough to frame the scene, I probably won't have the faces of the pumpkins anywhere close to in focus. Between now and then, I might be able to buy a used F4 long focal length, manual focus, FX lens for a few dollars on Ebay.

The other wrinkle is once the pumpkins are lit, we won't be moving them till they burn out, so if you have any thoughts on my proposed setup I'd like to hear them.

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

My only suggestion is to simulate the Jack-o-lanterns ahead of time with non-pumpkins. Maybe some large coffee tins with the grill pattern cut in the back (and oil/wick/flame, of course) will allow you to simulate the light you would get with the pumpkin so that you can check lighting balance before you ruin the pumpkins. Good luck, and have fun.

InfiniteISO Loc: The Carolinas, USA

Looks like I have several reasonable choices in an E-Series F2.8, 100mm. Effective length of 150mm for my D7000? That should put me back, gather plenty of light, and give me more options depth of field wise.

Actually, looking at depth of field calculators, it appears that if I want the pumpkins and the model in focus they need to be in the same plane. So maybe I should plan on using supplemental orange light.

Thoughts?

RogStrix Loc: UK

Perhaps you could replace the candles in the pumpkins with those LED simulated candle lights for more consistency?

InfiniteISO Loc: The Carolinas, USA

We're talking about huge fire here, out of the top of the pumpkin. Think of large torches that have faces on them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFErgnaSRRY

RogStrix Loc: UK

Sorry, forgot Halloween parties your side of pond are a bit more extravagant then ours, lol

InfiniteISO Loc: The Carolinas, USA

Especially the adult oriented ones. My wife is going to an erotic ball as a mermaid and I'm going to be Neptune.

toxdoc42

How adult a party? Will she be a topless mermaid?

Do take photos and share with us.

InfiniteISO Loc: The Carolinas, USA

I'm sure her outfit will have "Options", they always do - Cameras not allowed at these things in the common areas.

JohnFrim Loc: Somewhere in the Great White North.

Many years ago I experienced the Hallowe'en parade in Hawaii. My favourite was an older but attractive lady with a very dark tan wearing a halo, wings and white gown. Every now and then she would open the gown to reveal a very skimpy bikini outfit and say, "Welcome to Heaven."

A humorous couple's outfit I remember from another party was the guy dressed as a dog and his wife as a fire hydrant.

It's all good fun.

InfiniteISO Loc: The Carolinas, USA

John,

Over the past few years we've attended two halloween parties a year, both adult themed. For a couple of these I have actually worn a costume but I'm more about comfort and prefer to end up in shorts and a T-shirt. The parties are well attended and notoriously hot and stuffy. My wife on the other hand goes all out and normally preps two different costumes, a more conservative costume for early in the evening and something a bit more risque for later. She also plans different themes for both parties as many of our friends like us attend both and she doesn't want us to wear the same costumes to both events.

Last year she wanted me to go as a vampire and she would be my victim. In an act of complete and likely unrepeatable brilliance, I found a black T-shirt that said, "This IS My Freaking Vampire Costume" and wore that all night with khaki shorts. At the other party I was forced to dress as Bacchus, so score that one for the wife.

These are destination parties with a portion or an entire hotel reserved for the party goers. This allows everyone to roam about in their costumes without offending anyone not attending the party. The costume rules at these parties don't allow any nudity but don't prohibit sheer and see-thru outfits.

I've attached photos of both vampire victim outfits from last year.

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Thurber Mingus

I LOVE the first pic...very nice!!

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Lots of creativity can be done for any occasion, especially Halloween!
Maybe something like this using Dof with your wife sharp in the Background!!
Since a costume can be worn at any time and for many reasons, the Jack-O-Lantern would give it away as strictly Halloween! Good Luck
SS

InfiniteISO Loc: The Carolinas, USA

I like that example. Yes. I think the important thing will be setting up where we have options once the pumpkins are lit. We're also talking about doing the Jack-o-lantern carving shoot with a smaller pumpkin and doing the torch shoot with large popcorn tins with faces cut into them. This will allow us to save the tins and use them to decorate with on Halloween night. Pumpkins that have large fires built in them don't last until morning since the fire bakes them. Using tins will also allow us to prep those before hand and will be easier to safely elevate at the site. We're wondering about making the faces identical, or different, or maybe even two-faced. Decisions, decisions...

The idea about testing before hand is good and if we use tins, we'll be able to test the actual item. Last year I made one item like this out of a section of 12 inch diameter Stainless steel tubing. My sons wanted to do something special for the front yard. The only issue was we started working on it the day of Halloween and I found out "someone" had left my acetylene on. So to cut the face, I had to use cutting wheels. I think I went through about eight. And, because it was stainless and freaking hard, I had to stick to straight lines. The face came out somewhat boring. Popcorn tins will be easier to cut (sabre saw) and lighter to elevate. This stainless beast is tacked to a brake rotor attached to a big piece of stainless scrap and it weighs about 20 lbs.

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SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Looks more like an angry blow torch!!! LoL
SS