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kmingk

Just Me.

  • Portfolio
  • Archive
    • Grad Students Halloween Party 2016
    • Praxis Showcase 2010 Highlights
    • 2015 Canada Blooms Near North Hardscapes
    • 2014 IEEE Toronto AGM Highlights
    • 2014 GSU Halloween Party
    • 2014 GSU Halloween Party 2
    • IEEE Day: Wine and Cheese
    • 2014 Akido Club Photoshoot
    • Canonball 1T5
    • 2014 Toronto Christmas Market
    • 2015 Nocturne
    • Cute-Baby-TBP
  • Stuff.
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Photography Trick: Invisible Black Backdrop

I had a fun little shoot using a technique I learned from this YouTube video.  It involves making use of a small aperture to create a black frame, then using a speedlite to light up the subject.  

Learn a super fast and super easy technique to add a black background into your pictures no matter where you are...indoors or out! In this short video I show you how to use your camera to create a black background in any location and your flash to light just your subject/model.

It was a fun little shoot, and the result was alright.  However, I shouldn't have done this in a hallway where the speedlite would light up the walls and hallway as well.  Great thanks to my friend MW for helping me out being my subject :)

Next time would be to use a multiple light setup to give her a rim light so her hair won't just blend in with the background as much. 

Hallway Shot - Had to stop down the sides to make it black.  Otherwise the hallway was slightly visible. 

Wall Backdrop - Tried using a narrowed beam for a little bit more moody shot.  The light got reflected due to the close proximity of the wall in the back, Also messed the focus a little bit.   

tags: Flash Photograpghy
categories: How-To, Photography
Thursday 03.27.14
Posted by Kei-Ming Kwong
 

Food How-To: Chocolate Affogato

Affogato is a coffee based drink where hot espresso is poured over ice-cold ice cream.   I tried a variation where I used a shot of salted hot dark chocolate with cookie dough ice-cream.  Since the ice cream and the chocolate shot were sweet, the result was slightly over sweet, but an amazing combination of flavours between the vanilla and dark chocolate flavour makes up for it. 

Next time, darker chocolate shot + vanilla ice cream instead. Definitely more experimentation to come. Very simple to make if you have chocolate and ice cream at home

The Ingredients - a scoop of cookie dough ice cream, a shot of 60% dark chocolate. 

The Ingredients - a scoop of cookie dough ice cream, a shot of 60% dark chocolate. 

Ingredients List

  1. A Shot of strong hot chocolate 
  • Melt Dark Chocolate (~60-70% dark chocolate) mixed with a small amount of milk in the microwave, mixing every 10 seconds to ensure the chocolate/milk won't burn. 
  • Once melted, added a pinch of salt. 
  1. A Scoop of Ice Cream (I just took what I had at home, Haagen Daaz cookie dough ice cream)
  2. Pour and Serve!

Final Product

Salted Hot Chocolate Affrogato

Salted Hot Chocolate Affrogato

tags: Dessert
categories: Food, How-To
Tuesday 03.25.14
Posted by Kei-Ming Kwong