A post by: Neil CreekPPSometimes a new piece of camera equipment will let you do something better, faster or cheaper. But sometimes it lets you do something completely new, that nothing else can do, and it opens a whole new world of creative possibilities. The light-Blaster is that kind of gear./PPIMG title=”light-blaster-33-1024-resize.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”Light blaster 33 1024 resize” src=”http://www.photo-natural.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/wpid-light-blaster-33-1024-resize.jpg” width=”600″ height=”338″/PPBy combining a Flash, a lens, and one of many different slides that you can buy or take care of yourself, you can project images in the light-Blaster or your scene on the subject. If a new piece of equipment there is a bit of a learning curve, but you can effects to your photo in ways that are only possible with tricky DIY Hacks hacks to add now./PPThe light-Blaster is a strong plastic cap which acts as a mount to keep the three key elements-lens, Flash and slide-securely in place and in the correct relative positions. You provide a lens and a Flash. The lens attaches to the front via a EOS-bayonet mount (a Nikon adapter is available). There is no lock, but it is firmly held. At the back which you slide in your flash, which is held in place with a strong leather strap that is adjustable, is friction-secure and held in place with Velcro. Flashes of many sizes are accepted, and I tested it with a Canon 580EX and a Lumopro 160./PPThere is a slot that accepts the provided caddy in the center of the light-Blaster. The caddy holds the slide to be projected. By default, you can-mounted 35 mm slides or small plastic sheets about the size of a colored gel that can get you on the front of your Flash. Just on that topic: you can give the Flash you are using a color tint the projected image as well as gel. The caddy is super easy to Exchange, although the slide making can be a little bit awkward. Topping off the well designed and sturdy construction is a metal tripod connection thread on the bottom in the thickest part of the plastic body so that you secure the whole system on a light stand mount can./PPLooking at the whole thing assembled, one might think it is a little unsure and that the lens or the Flash can be knocked off and fall out, but that was not my experience at all. Everything felt solid and secure, and I didn’t mind picking up the light stand with everything connected and moving the set./PPThe light-Blaster also comes with a handy case where everything, including a whole bunch of slides and an extra caddy in a small package with a handle tissue safely./PPWhile I was testing the light-Blaster I used it mainly in three different ways:/PProjected onto the backgroundProjecting on a modelProjecting in the air itself with the help of a smoke machinePFor this shot I a pair of wings on a large wall behind the subject. It was dusk and low light, so the flash was easily visible, although the projection is a dark wall. The contrast is enhanced in post processing. The image projected ended up being about three feet wide. It took a couple of shots to myself and the model a row up just right, since only the projection on the screen of the camera can see. Take a look at the rest of the pictures of this shoot here./PPI used the Blaster light to a simple circle of light projected onto the background behind my model in this burlesque style shoot for a “stage” feeling. While a snoot can limit the light to a place, can only one directional light permit the sharp clean edge that I, as a spotlight stage, or the light-Blaster wanted. View more photos from this shoot./PPLater in the same shoot I flashed my smoke machine and using a random geometric pattern on one of the effects-slides, I’ve made cool light rays through the smoke. The shafts of light you see is not possible with a single light would be. It needs to be broken down to shadows in the smoke./PPIMG title=”i-NXG3q3z-X3-resize.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”I NXG3q3z X3 resize” src=”http://www.photo-natural.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/wpid-i-NXG3q3z-X3-resize.jpg” width=”600″ height=”600″/PPHere was a picture of the autumn leaves projected directly on the model and background, interesting layers of texture and shading. I filled in the shadow of the model of the face with a tightly gridded flash his whole face to visualize. Projecting on the model can be tricky to get right, but the results can be impressive. I want to experiment more with this technique. I think it is particularly well suited for art nude photography./PPThere are a couple of potential ‘ gotchas ‘ when using the Light-Blaster, which you will have to overcome and learn how to work with, but that is true of every piece of gear in your kit./PPFirst, you’ll probably want the projected image in focus, which is achieved by turning the focus ring on the attached lens, (make sure it is in manual focus mode). Since the image is only visible when the camera’s flash fires, you have a flashlight instead of using the Flash before you’ll need the Flash at the back Add. You must be quite dark the set or a bright flashlight use to see good enough to concentrate, and if you light Blaster relative to the surface that it is projected moved on, you will need to Flash out and refocus./PPAs mentioned in the first example above shot, it can be tricky to get the best placement of the image, your model and yourself. You may need to take multiple photos and small adjustments./PPBecause there is a powerful flash shines through the slide, the blacks never really black. Some of the light will still pass through the black ink or emulsion so that the contrast may not as good as you would like to be. To tackle this problem, has just introduced a brand new range of laser-cut metal ‘ slides ‘ announced for the light Blaster. This gets you absolutely solid blacks./PPI had a large amount of fun testing this product, and I am looking forward to use in future shoots. With a good variety of effects slides available from the light Blaster-site, the ability to create a 35 mm slide, and even at home-printed acetate slide, there is literally unlimited creative possibilities. You can create a background you like behind your subjects, and transport them to another world. Or you can in ways similar to what I have here. Take a look at the light Blaster-site for more photos in the following example. For less than $ 100, this is a super versatile creative tool to add to your kit./PIMG class=”avatar avatar-78 photo” alt=”” src=”http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/59b3234a80dbbc5e817a72f51c65dca4?s=78d=blankr=G” width=”78″ height=”78″PNeil Creek is a professional photographer from Melbourne, Australia. He has been shooting with a DSLR since 2004, and blogging about his experiences since 2006. Neil has authored five ebooks and a video training course, all designed to help others improve their photography. Neil’s folio view his homepage. Information about his publications here./P
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