72 HIGH TIMES I OCTOBER 2019
HPS CHALLENGE
If you’re shooting indoors, that usually means
shooting under high-pressure-sodium (HPS)
lamps. HPS lamps can be a nightmare if you
don’t know how to handle them. Think about
all those orange/yellow photos you’ve seen
over the years. Many of the them have those
trademark angled bands that plague phone
photographers. The problem is the light spec-
trum from HPS lights is completely different
than normal sunlight. HPS lights are limited
to the yellow/orange light spectrum. Much of
the blue and green spectrum is missing, and
photos tend to look like someone pissed on
them. There are a few good solutions, but the
easiest is to shoot with your camera in RAW
mode. This allows you to adjust the white bal-
ance later in post-production. If your camera
doesn’t support RAW mode, see if it supports
using a custom white balance. I shoot in both
RAW and JPEG mode, so I set my white bal-
ance using a piece of printer paper under the
light. That way I know I have the correct color
balance in my photos. To avoid the yellow/
orange bands, drop your shutter speed to
1/60th of a second. This will slow down the
shutter enough to eliminate the bands.FLOWER POWER
Before long, your plants will get their legs.
These are the shots everyone looks forward
to. You can start getting bud shots as soon as
pistils form. If you’re shooting outdoors, mid-
to late September will give you some of your
best shots. If the weather holds out, October
may reward you with amazing colors and
backdrops. If you’re growing in a greenhouse,
you can use the same techniques you used
for veg. Turn off all the lights and don’t forget
to use your tripod. Sometimes I’ll mount a
flash to a light stand and overpower the natu-
ral sunlight. This allows me to create a studio
feel. If you can move the plants, then by all
means bring them into a controlled, studio
environment, but don’t be afraid to take the
studio to the field.
If you’re in a greenhouse or outdoors, cut
one of the better colas from the plant and
bring it into a controlled environment for
photos. You can set up a portable studio any-
where you have the space. If you have a lot
of strains to shoot, the colas can be placed in
water and set in the fridge overnight to finish
the next day. Make sure you tag the strains so
they don’t get mixed-up.I use a couple of little alligator clamps
used for soldering electronics to hold the
buds. One clamp will hold most decent-
size nugs, while two clamps will hold large
colas without tipping over. The clamps
allow you to position the bud for perfect
framing.LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Light position is critical. If you want a soft,
traditional-style photo, then the classic
three-light setup works well. You can also
substitute reflectors for lights, depending
on the look you’re trying to achieve. Place
your main (key) light at a 45-degree angle
to the subject (the bud). Your second light
(the fill light) will be placed on the other
side to fill in the shadows. Your third light
can be used to light the backdrop, or you
can point it toward the subject to create a
backlight or halo effect.
Light placement can make a huge
impact on your photos. Traditional lighting
layouts tend to flatter the subject. The
light is soft without excessive contrast. By
moving the light to the side while reducing
the fill light, you can create high-contrast,
dynamic photos. Moving the lights behind
the flower can create interesting halo
effects. Combine this technique with col-
ored gels to create surreal-looking images.SIZE MATTERS
Light modifiers can drastically change
the look and feel of your photos. The
physical size of your light source dictates
the properties of the shadows. Placing a
large soft box over the flash changes the
shadows from sharp and harsh to soft,
with lower contrast. Most of us are familiar
with umbrella reflectors, a.k.a. brellas. The
entire purpose of the brella is to soften the
shadows so your pimples don’t look so
bad. With no light modifier in play, the look
is drastically different. The shadows are
sharp and dramatic. However, with a soft
box, the shadows are almost invisible, and
the image takes on a soft feel. Both looks
can be useful when shooting cannabis.GEL OF A SHOT
Colored gels are a unique way to modify
the look of your photos. Gels are thin,
colored, transparent plastic sheets that can
be placed over your lights. Point your col-
ored lights at the background for amazing
backdrop effects. Combine colors for even
more unique effects. Set your camera to
timer mode (five seconds) and add a vapor
puff to the mix. If you time it right, you can
get some amazing effects from the light
hitting the vapor. Don’t be afraid to try new
things!Peppercorn