ASL to an outsider point of view C&C please.

[ClarkKent18]

I am in intro American Sign Language (ASL) and I want to show what a hearing person point of view from the first time they see a deaf person signing for the first time. From some one that does not understand the culture or the language, it all looks like a blur and that is what I am trying to show in this picture. My main focal point is on the signs it self and that is why I do not have the person signing in the picture. Please let me know what you think. Please be kind, this is my second time I have posted any of my work

Metadata
Nikon D5100
ISO 100
55 mm
F 5.6
Exposure of 13 seconds

It is on a tripod with the light from below the camera

Some changes in Aperture, but I am new and I was just playing around and this is what I liked. I do not know all the detains that I made to turn out this final photo.

 

[LightSpeed]

Because you can write your name with a cigarette lighter under the exposure you used, if you're quick enough.

Get three peoples hands in there together , signing, with a bit more light and a faster shutter. Then all three pull their hands out of the frame, and then you have something.

 

[Helen B]

I think that you are getting closer, though I preferred the lighting in your earlier ones. The hot spot in this one is distracting. Keep going with this approach, and try simplifying the number of signs you make - though if this one was more evenly lit it would be more readable without simplification. Can you try to choreograph the signs, or darken/cover parts of you arm/hands so that there is no bright common area throughout the majority of the exposure?

 

[bazooka]

I think it's interesting. To me, it's more abstract than literal and I doubt I would be able to piece it together unless I was sitting in a audiologist's office or something. I agree that the uneven light is not good. Get the light further away for more even lighting across the frame.

 

[SCraig]

Try this: Find some decent available light, not high but not low either. Set your exposure to about 2 seconds at f16, open the flash and set it to rear curtain synch (that's the important part). This will give you whatever exposure time you select (2 seconds here) to make a single sign and then hold your hands still. The flash will go off at the END of the exposure so you will get a blur as your hands move however the flash will give a hard image of your hands at the end. You'll have to play with the exposure time and aperture but I think you can get some interesting shots that will show what you want.

Here's A Link to an admittedly bad shot of a small spinning airplane I did a couple of years ago using the same technique.

 

[ClarkKent18]

Because you can write your name with a cigarette lighter under the exposure you used, if you're quick enough.

Get three peoples hands in there together , signing, with a bit more light and a faster shutter. Then all three pull their hands out of the frame, and then you have something.

The photo is an abstract shot. Viewing ASL from someone that is hearing has no idea about the language or the culture. That is why all the signs are blurred and you can not make any of the signs our.

I think that you are getting closer, though I preferred the lighting in your earlier ones. The hot spot in this one is distracting. Keep going with this approach, and try simplifying the number of signs you make - though if this one was more evenly lit it would be more readable without simplification. Can you try to choreograph the signs, or darken/cover parts of you arm/hands so that there is no bright common area throughout the majority of the exposure?

I like that idea of covering up my arms and only having my hand in the shot. I only used about four signs, "story telling ASL in class." I have already turned in the my work, but I want to keep trying different shots so increase my knowledge about photography. I will post other shots once I have time. I only had one spot light to use and that is why it is brighter on one side then the other. I wish I owned a manually fired flashgun. If I did, I would have one killer shot that would look so much better. That looks like my next thing I need to get.

Thank you everyone for you feed back. If you have more ideas, please keep them coming. I am still new to long exposure and I want to expand my knowledge on how to play around with it.

Please keep the feedback coming. Thank you again for all your input on this idea I had.

 

[Tiberius47]

It's a beautiful idea. More work to nail it is definitely warranted!

 

[WesternGuy]

I really like the idea - your first attempt is very good. I think that the suggestions here are probably worth trying. If you do try any of them, please post here.

I know that when I see someone signing, your image is close to the way I see things as I do not sign. I feel the same way in these circumstances as I do when I hear someone talking to another person in a language that I do not understand. Same problem - need a translator...

Cheers,

WesternGuy