5th Dec – Studio Night with Colin Livingstone

        In advance of our meeting, an image produced by Colin Livingstone was circulated to all members. Colin told us he was to explain how to capture and post process such an impressive image. He also said that if we brought our cameras to the meeting, we could try it out there and then.

​Many of us thought that the production of such an image would probably involve multiple exposures, focus stacking and advanced photoshop techniques. In the event, we were surprised and pleased in equal measure. Although Colin did use studio lighting, a camera boom arm and a Swiss arca plate, the production of the image was quite different and much simpler than many of us had imagined. It also involved, quite critically, an optical illusion. 
 
     Using our own cameras, a number of us took some photographs using the set up Colin had provided and then watched as Colin showed us, on a projected screen, how he had then used some fairly straightforward Photoshop post processing techniques to improve and manipulate the image.  

​     The view of many members was that even after such a short period of tuition, we could now produce such a photograph ourselves and, as we discussed with Colin, the techniques he had exhibited could be applied to other images we may wish to produce. In fact, so keen was one of our members to try out and exhibit this technique that he had used it and posted a similar image on Facebook whilst we were still enjoying a post meeting drink in the pub!!  
 
Ray Barnes
Programme Secretary