The bubble…
Well, i have written several times before on how the progress technology is influencing the consumer involvement in Photography in general and the future trend.
Based on the current progress - I think, we might soon (5-10 years) see the technology progress leaving behind the still photography for better things to come. Such as: E-Ink replacing photo prints (why would one like to see still images in an electronic NY Times news paper, if one can see video instead), self contained LCD monitors replacing photo frames (all sizes - yes, on the wall!), Hi -res video cameras replacing still photography in general, smaller and smaller cameras replacing DSLRs etc.
So, what does this mean to an Artist?…It is a good thing actually. Here is why… Read more
Thoughts for the week
Well, like always - these are just my thoughts. They are some observations and my perception on the philosophical aspects of Photography.
Updated: Ok - i have never gone back and re-edited any of my posts in true tradition of “published” means - it is done. Cant change it. This is one exception. I think i must have written this when i was either very frustrated, or drunk. So, i am re-visiting this post.
- Photography is easy. Well, “easier than before” is more technically correct. I am not talking about me reaching that proficiency level or anything like that. I just feel that with modern cameras that pretty much guarantee good pictures every click - you are mostly left to point the camera to the right place to make a great picture. During my recent visit to Photoexpo and viewing several hundred big and bright pictures hanging up proudly on manufacturer’s walls (printer manufacturers, paper companies and album makers etc.) - i kept saying to myself “I could have done that” - and to make the matters worse, spoke to a few people and realized they could have done it just as easily as well. Read more
Taking it up a notch…
Well, this is not a definitive guide…but more like a starting guide. Of course, this is based on my own experience and such and therefore like all other things - a work in progress.
- Dedication: Well, this sounds obvious, but is very important. Photography takes a lot of time not just to take pictures, but post-processing, printing, networking and marketing. Frankly - i am not sure how those guys with families and kids achieve the fame and success that they have. Remember - if Photography is not your full time career, you will be competing against those that does this for a living. There simply is no way you can reach the top - when the professional is practicing his/her skill 9 hours/day every day, and you only take pictures on the weekends. Reaching the top takes time, practice and experience. There are no short cuts to this. If you cannot spend time everyday, it doesn’t mean you cannot reach there - it only takes more time. I have seen photographers in photo clubs and such, who have been shooting all their life for 40 years+, and sill shoot crappy pictures. The fact is that they simply have not spent enough time to improve their craft. period. I think it is for this reason that some of the best artists lead solitary lives (to spend the most time and dedication to improving their craft). Read more
Seamless backgrounds
Well, this post is about seamless backgrounds and how to create them. Below is an example of where i have used this recently.
Seamless White background
Note: Not all the material in this post is mine - so i have added references where relevant:
I have a setup similar to Zack Arias - minus the white tile board. Although, i think i should get one. I use a simple DIY gobo instead. For the background, i just use 1 flash (285HV) instead of two (although, i plan on using two in future). I pump it at 2 stops over the main light - only because my background material is not “bright” white and i need to blast it with light to make it over exposed. A more professional tip is to build something like this. Finally, for the main light, i use the Morris softbox to the light along with the included extra soft cloth - to cut down the light further (Full power wtih 285HV used at the length i have at home, will usually give me f5.6 with this extra layer (and is a stop brighter without the extra transluscent layer inside the softbox). The background is typcially f11. I use a Minolta IVF to measure the light although you can use any Flash meter. Read more
Yay! 100,000 hits!
Thanks to you all - I have passed 100,000 page views on this blog recently!
Information overload!
This past week has been too much for me to handle in terms of new product announcements (Photokina, Upcoming Photoplus etc) With the economy going south, it makes me wonder - who is buying these things and how are they able to afford it anymore? Do amateur photographers need backup SLR cameras and powerful P&S as a backup to the backup cameras? Did we need CS4 right now? Whats up with all the Video integration with DSLRs? I understand the need to carry less gear and the effort to cram more features (iPhone) - but the practical reality is that we now carry more gear than ever before! Read more
Lessons from Mistakes…
Like everyone else - i make my share of mistakes. By capturing them - and possibly re-visiting them later, i hope to learn from not making the same ones. So, this would be more like the “Thoughts of the week” series - where i will document my mistakes as i make them…or as i remember them…
- Sharpen at 100%. Often times, i only produce images for consumption on the web. So, on occasions when i print them - i notice these sharpening artifacts and things i usually don’t notice or care to notice when sized/sharpened for the web (1000 pixels max dimensions, JPEG and sharpened for web).
- On the D300, which i use - if you have programmed the DOF button to do something else (I have it set for auto bracketing) - i mistakenly touch the button sometimes - and this plays a havoc esp. when trying to shoot in Manual mode. If you touch this button, it changes the settings! make sure you develop the habit of re-checking the exposures if shooting in manual mode (I use this mode *only* in studio lighting setups). Read more
Thoughts for the week
What do you do if someone asks you to explain your image? As an artist, how do you explain your image? When i first saw Edward Weston’s Pepper #33, to me, it was everything else but “a pepper”. It was sensual and moody. In fact, the absence of color made no difference to the fact that it does look like a “green” pepper! Maybe, others perceived it differently.
When i decided to do my new minimalistic series of bright, silly & childish images (currently exhibiting at the Mayo arts gallery), the most common question i get is “Why did i take a picture of Piggy/Duckie?”. So, the question is should i explain my images or not?
Read moreThe Byrata Papers
Harman was the first to announce a Byrata paper (Fb Al Gloss). A good review of this paper is here. A lot of home and professional printers including myself switched to using this exclusively. The paper is very reminiscent of the Ilford B&W Traditional Darkroom paper and is great for both Color and B&W prints especially toned prints. This paper was soon followed by Ilford’s Gold Fibre Silk and more recently by Hahnemuhle. A very good review of the 3 Byrata papers can be found here.
This post is not about comparing them again. This is about my experience on using these papers on the HP B9180 printer.
ACR Calibration for Lightroom - Part 4
The way Adobe is thinking about this, this may be the last part in the ACR series. The previous part can be read here.
With the announcement of DNG Profiles, Adobe may have finally closed the loop on the need for calibration aspects of ACR for most people. Purists may still need to tweak this, but so far - i am quite happy and the results are actually very good. Read more
- Dedication: Well, this sounds obvious, but is very important. Photography takes a lot of time not just to take pictures, but post-processing, printing, networking and marketing. Frankly - i am not sure how those guys with families and kids achieve the fame and success that they have. Remember - if Photography is not your full time career, you will be competing against those that does this for a living. There simply is no way you can reach the top - when the professional is practicing his/her skill 9 hours/day every day, and you only take pictures on the weekends. Reaching the top takes time, practice and experience. There are no short cuts to this. If you cannot spend time everyday, it doesn’t mean you cannot reach there - it only takes more time. I have seen photographers in photo clubs and such, who have been shooting all their life for 40 years+, and sill shoot crappy pictures. The fact is that they simply have not spent enough time to improve their craft. period. I think it is for this reason that some of the best artists lead solitary lives (to spend the most time and dedication to improving their craft). Read more
Translator
By N2H Popular posts
- The making of the blurb book
- Lightroom vs. Capture One
- Lightroom Camera Calibration
- ACR Calibration for Lightroom - Part 4
- The D700 Decision guide for D300 users
- HDR Processing notes
- ACR calibration for Lightroom - Part 3
- D300: Exposure, Matrix metering & Dynamic Range
- Hacking my NetDisk
- D300 ACR calibration
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