Suggestions on how to take a good Welding Photo

[Cactiflower]

I have been handed a task of taking a few pictures of a welder in action. I have tried to search some tips on how to make them look awesome with the sparks and such and had no luck. I am wondering if any one has any tips that may help me capture ethat perfect photo of welding in action. Thanks

 

[KmH]

Get the following inexpensive book and look at page 85: Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera

 

[Stradawhovious]

ND filters and bracket. The problem is that the spraks created by welding are really really bright. To properly expose them, you will more than likely black out the rest of the background. It also might help if you tell us what you have tried.... It suonds like you have given it a go to no avail.

If you want to get the background, you could always use a flash off camera..... set your shutter speed to the fastest sync speed your camera can handle, set ambient exposure to the sparks that are being created with your aperture, then use a couple of flashes bounced off the ceiling to get the background to come through..... but I guess it really depends on what you are going for.

Now that I'm done talking, someone that actually knows a thing or two about photography will probably be along to give you better advice.

 

[shufti]

Don't know which type of welding you're referring to, but watch out you don't get a 'flash' in your eyesight. Can stay on your vision, on and off, for years.

 

[Kerbouchard]

Welding sparks are a lot like lightning. You don't have to worry so much about their exposure. It's going to be overexposed. That's fine.

If I was trying to take the shot, I would start with a shutter speed of about 1/15th of a second, use bounce flash to freeze the subject, and the slow shutter speed to get the arcs from the sparks.

 

[Cactiflower]

thanks for all the imput the pics i did try were really dark and not so much tthe wowo i was looking for
I am goin to try a few more shots today if any come out i will post them thanks again

 

[bazooka]

Just curious if anyone knows this, but is there a chance that the sensor being open too long to the welder could damage the sensor, similar to your eyes?

 

[shufti]

Not sure. I'm curious as to which type of welding. I got a flash when i worked in a steel foundry in 2006. Reading this thread reminded me that i no longer get occasional vision spots from it, but it must have remained for three years or so.

I think the sensor panic is a bit overstated tbh. I've shot into the sun without problems. Some people say it's more like long exposures, locked-off. Who knows?

 

[KmH]

Just curious if anyone knows this, but is there a chance that the sensor being open too long to the welder could damage the sensor, similar to your eyes?

No, because the sensor is inorganic, and doesn't work anything like the human eye does. The image sensor has a UV filter in front of it, the human eye doesn't

As mentioned the OP didn't say what kind of welding: arc, TIG, MIG, MAG, gas, etc.

In the movies and such, when a lot of sparks are being produced it's from cutting with a gas torch, not welding

 

[Robin Usagani]

underexpose the surrounding, then use ETTL flash. That what I would do if I give it a shot without researching

 

[ajkramer87]

Did you take any shots yet? If so how did they turn out? Welding is something I do for a living. Never really thought about taking my camera with me. I will have to give this a go.

 

[AtuspidsGoddess]

LOL I had to look twice at the title of this post...and thought...don't they mean wedding?!....:lmao:

 

[JWellman]

My guys have a shop full of all kinds of cool things to photograph. A few days ago I thought I'd see how I did with welding photos. I'm not really sure how I did (??) but I had a lot of fun trying.