Another example of a "Constructed" Image

A recent client wanted a nice image of a fence sign for a new building.  The problem was a large flag pole, very close to the fence.  I also wanted to create a more dramatic image, at sunrise, along with supplemental lighting.  With the flagpole so close, the supplemental lighting would create distracting shadows across the sign.  With the "constructed image" method, we can eliminate the distracting shadows.

Photoshop has technique(s) to combine multiple exposures to create images that simulate multiple-light lighting, while using only one light.  This reduces complexity, location time, and equipment needs.  And creates a blended image that is better than an image captured in one exposure.

Image A shows the fence if 3 lights were used, and one exposure was taken.  You can see that the multiple lights can reduce the shadows caused by the flagpole, by "filling" in the shadows.  However, this "flash fill" technique doesn't actually eliminate them.

You can see two vertical shadows of the pole.  So while this isn't too bad, it can be much better.

Using a single flash, and the different exposures with the flash in the same 3 locations, we end up with these three exposures.

Here it is easy to see the flagpole shadow, and the fact that only one flash was used.  (The background building shows the effect of the rising sun.)  The goal was to get the fence to be a bit brighter than the background building.  

So now we have our three exposures, and we can blend them to get the image we want.

Note that you can still see just a bit of flagpole shadow in the concrete below the sign, but it is quite subtle.  But there is no sign of flagpole shadows on the fence itself.

The client was happy, and so was I.

Thanks for reading.

Greg Sprenger

Constructed Images LLC

www.constructedimages.net