Help with ghost illusion

[not-in-use-anymore]

Hello, I'm trying to create a MOC with Luke and ghost Ben on Hoth, but I'm having problems. I'm using the Pepper's ghost illusion to do this and found out that the area the ghost is reflected on should be a dark color, while the item being used as a ghost should be a bright color. Unfortunately, Hoth is not dark and Obi-wan doesn't seem to bright . Does anyone have suggestions? I'm using Power functions battery box and one pair of lights(I'm a purist also, I'll use any non-broken parts made from Lego).

(I don't have any pictures, I can't find my camera, and my other one takes horrible shots)

[prateek]

You could take a long exposure picture and take the figure out before the shutter closes. For example, you could have a 10 second exposure, and at 5 seconds, quickly take out the fig to give it a translucent effect.

[Kaitan]

I don't think you're going to get the effect you want using Hoth as a setting, for the reasons you've already stated. If however you are determined to do a ghost ben using pepper's illusion effect, why not change the location to Dagobah? Dark enough there! You might still need brighter lights than the power functions can supply, or at least another couple of them :) As a matter of interest, what are you using to reflect the image?

Kaitan

[Big Cam]

You could take a long exposure picture and take the figure out before the shutter closes. For example, you could have a 10 second exposure, and at 5 seconds, quickly take out the fig to give it a translucent effect.

I must agree this would be my approach, then add some blue tinting, but even without it, it gives the perfect ghost effect.

[smokebelch]

You could take a long exposure picture and take the figure out before the shutter closes. For example, you could have a 10 second exposure, and at 5 seconds, quickly take out the fig to give it a translucent effect.

Pretty much how I get the 'ghost' effect on my shots

[not-in-use-anymore]

I don't think you're going to get the effect you want using Hoth as a setting, for the reasons you've already stated. If however you are determined to do a ghost ben using pepper's illusion effect, why not change the location to Dagobah? Dark enough there! You might still need brighter lights than the power functions can supply, or at least another couple of them :) As a matter of interest, what are you using to reflect the image?

Kaitan

Actually, that's a great idea! Right now I'm just testing it with a 6 brick tall frame with a transparent door, but later I'll try to find some larger glass. Though I don't take photos too often, what was exposure again?

Edited April 7, 2010 by indianajones

[Ras 74]

Pretty much how I get the 'ghost' effect on my shots

Just such a lovely picture smokebelch!

[Big Cam]

Actually, that's a great idea! Right now I'm just testing it with a 6 brick tall frame with a transparent door, but later I'll try to find some larger glass. Though I don't take photos too often, what was exposure again?

Exposure is the amount of time the shutter is open. If you are using a Point and Shoot digital camera you might not be able to adjust this.

DSLR's have the ability to manually adjust the amount of time the shutter is open, if it's open for lets say 4 seconds, and you remove the fig after 1 second, it has 3 seconds to capture everything behind it, giving you that ghost effect.

What kind of camera are you using?

[Mr. Elijah Timms]

I guess it's a pretty safe bet there's a purist mentality at play with you folks? Personally, I'd shoot the Ben separate and just slap him in there on a separate, semi-opaque layer in Photoshop... but I certainly appreciate the dedication to the dying art of photography.