Foundry pour
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Joined: May 2002
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Foundry pour
I had my first opportunity to visit the foundry division while they were doing a pour this evening. Took a few shots.
1. Filling the cupola with molten iron
2. Filling a smaller cupola with a very specific grade of iron
3. Filling a mold
4. Sparks from some overflow after the mold is filled
5. Filling another mold
6. Looking down into the main heater for the molten iron (the origin point before it goes into the main cupola). 2600*F!
7. Filling the main cupola (side shot of what is shown in picture 1)
All were shot using my 50 f/1.4 prime. Not really the ideal lens, as a zoom really would have helped in this case. Most were shot at fairly slow shutter speeds (1/80 or less, many at 1/25) and an aperture of f/3.5, typically. Even a cheap zoom could have probably taken many of these shots while letting me zoom a little closer, eliminating some of the contrast I had to deal with since I was taking some of these shots from outside where it was quite a bit brighter.
I didn't have the ability to move around much, due to the heat, sparks, and general danger of standing near the cupola. So, these are more about a neat process, not necessarily as an attempt to show off any skill.
That said, comments and critique welcome!
1. Filling the cupola with molten iron
2. Filling a smaller cupola with a very specific grade of iron
3. Filling a mold
4. Sparks from some overflow after the mold is filled
5. Filling another mold
6. Looking down into the main heater for the molten iron (the origin point before it goes into the main cupola). 2600*F!
7. Filling the main cupola (side shot of what is shown in picture 1)
All were shot using my 50 f/1.4 prime. Not really the ideal lens, as a zoom really would have helped in this case. Most were shot at fairly slow shutter speeds (1/80 or less, many at 1/25) and an aperture of f/3.5, typically. Even a cheap zoom could have probably taken many of these shots while letting me zoom a little closer, eliminating some of the contrast I had to deal with since I was taking some of these shots from outside where it was quite a bit brighter.
I didn't have the ability to move around much, due to the heat, sparks, and general danger of standing near the cupola. So, these are more about a neat process, not necessarily as an attempt to show off any skill.
That said, comments and critique welcome!
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 19,734
Likes: 247
Originally Posted by Borbor,Mar 10 2009, 11:29 PM
Could've went to 1/100 then if you'd just bump the iso up to 400 instead of staying at 100. That'd help the shutter speed a lot.
2 and 3 are gems. I sorta wish the guy is better exposed in #2
2 and 3 are gems. I sorta wish the guy is better exposed in #2
That said, I may have gotten away with cropping on ISO 400 since it's a dark environment. I'll try that next time (I can go back any time).
I actually darkened #2 a bit - you may have preferred the original since the picture was moderately brighter.
Thanks for the critique and compliments! I'd never shot anything like this before so I was really experimenting quite a bit.
