All Forum Comments
Comment by Don posted on Mentoring for Newer Photographers at 05/09/2009 - 16:43
where in canada you from?
Comment by Don posted on BnW Portraits at 05/09/2009 - 16:21
Ok, Intervention time:
back ground elements distracting..
posing not very flattering..
lighting not flattering...
creative processing...not gonna fix the above mistakes, and should be done over....
here's what I'd suggest:
have this young lady stand in front of a large window (prefer north facing or overcast daylight).......
get yourself right up to the window as well, so the light from the window has some direction (like 45 deg from the cameraback position)...
now make sure there are no distracting background elements, get somebody to hold up a sheet if you must).
do a manual color balance off a sheet of white paper, take an exposure (in av or manual) reading off your palm in the same light hitting your subject and open it up a stop for a starting point...
now place your subject in front of the window, facing the window looking out the window... (there is a nice profile shot)... then have the subject turn here hips AWAY from you about 45 deg, and step back a little with the leg furthestfrom the camera..., have her look over her shoulder towards the camera....you need to have the camera above her eye level, there is your next shot (for head and shoulders/cleavage)..
lastly have her shift her weight onto her back leg (furthest from the camera) and have her now turn her shoulders and hips towards the camera, until her face is 2/3 profile in the camera with the light falling on the far side of her face there is your last shot.....
always focus on the eyes and closest eye if you have to choose...
use a reflector to fill shadows if needed
now go back add what ever psing you like to taste...
when it comes to portraits, photoshop is the seasoning you add to a good soup, for flavour not a dose of salt to cover up a burnt soup...
your next try will be much better, i assure you.
back ground elements distracting..
posing not very flattering..
lighting not flattering...
creative processing...not gonna fix the above mistakes, and should be done over....
here's what I'd suggest:
have this young lady stand in front of a large window (prefer north facing or overcast daylight).......
get yourself right up to the window as well, so the light from the window has some direction (like 45 deg from the cameraback position)...
now make sure there are no distracting background elements, get somebody to hold up a sheet if you must).
do a manual color balance off a sheet of white paper, take an exposure (in av or manual) reading off your palm in the same light hitting your subject and open it up a stop for a starting point...
now place your subject in front of the window, facing the window looking out the window... (there is a nice profile shot)... then have the subject turn here hips AWAY from you about 45 deg, and step back a little with the leg furthestfrom the camera..., have her look over her shoulder towards the camera....you need to have the camera above her eye level, there is your next shot (for head and shoulders/cleavage)..
lastly have her shift her weight onto her back leg (furthest from the camera) and have her now turn her shoulders and hips towards the camera, until her face is 2/3 profile in the camera with the light falling on the far side of her face there is your last shot.....
always focus on the eyes and closest eye if you have to choose...
use a reflector to fill shadows if needed
now go back add what ever psing you like to taste...
when it comes to portraits, photoshop is the seasoning you add to a good soup, for flavour not a dose of salt to cover up a burnt soup...
your next try will be much better, i assure you.
Comment by Don posted on BnW Portraits at 05/09/2009 - 15:49
go with whatever camera case/pack will hold your gear (like maybe..say...for example the fastpack 200 you already own...) and toss that one inside, or strap it onto your large backpack....
Comment by Don posted on Backpack for travels: 30% space for equipment and 70% personal stuff at 03/09/2009 - 22:36
nice work....
now about the photos...
bouncing some light into the scene will make the photos a little richer...
like maybe a cheap halogen worklamp bounced of a white wall or ceiling from behind you....
now about the photos...
bouncing some light into the scene will make the photos a little richer...
like maybe a cheap halogen worklamp bounced of a white wall or ceiling from behind you....
Comment by Don posted on My 'real' work at 31/08/2009 - 15:49
Rataegeoff wrote:
Thanks Graham, The nozzles are all firing 100%.
Do folk find colour differences depending on whether you set PS or the printer driver to do the colour management? I have used both RGB and sRGB colourspaces but I think the level of blueness is more fundamental.
Only one of the colour cartridges is a non-epson one (supplied by IJT if anyone knows them) but since that was only just changed I doubt it is the actual issue-but if all else fails I will certainly swap for an original cyan.
There are a bewildering selection of colour management options and a good selection of help files on the Epson website. Maybe I'm being a bit simplistic to expect an inkjet printer to have a go at reasonable photo printing straight out of the box.
Is there such a beast as a colour chart which causes the individual cartridges to fire one at a time and then in combination?
I am thinking that there are two blue cartridges (cyan and blue) and only one yellow so of if all colour mixtures are too blue then this would indicate a printer driver/setup issue rather than a single cartridge being faulty?
I'll keep trying the options.
Thanks, Geoff
there is your problem.Thanks Graham, The nozzles are all firing 100%.
Do folk find colour differences depending on whether you set PS or the printer driver to do the colour management? I have used both RGB and sRGB colourspaces but I think the level of blueness is more fundamental.
Only one of the colour cartridges is a non-epson one (supplied by IJT if anyone knows them) but since that was only just changed I doubt it is the actual issue-but if all else fails I will certainly swap for an original cyan.
There are a bewildering selection of colour management options and a good selection of help files on the Epson website. Maybe I'm being a bit simplistic to expect an inkjet printer to have a go at reasonable photo printing straight out of the box.
Is there such a beast as a colour chart which causes the individual cartridges to fire one at a time and then in combination?
I am thinking that there are two blue cartridges (cyan and blue) and only one yellow so of if all colour mixtures are too blue then this would indicate a printer driver/setup issue rather than a single cartridge being faulty?
I'll keep trying the options.
Thanks, Geoff
also check your settings to see if they are right for your paper...
try Epson ink AND Epson paper BEFORE you try any other brands... only then would you know for sure if the "new" ink or paper is worth the cost savings...
Comment by Don posted on Epson R1800 printer -very blue results at 31/08/2009 - 14:47
we had the button fall off a brand new k10, which was propmtly exchanged, and no probs since...
Comment by Don posted on shake button blues at 30/08/2009 - 17:55
if you are planning on using the flash units, wirelessly, pick a wireless channel different from the default in case somebody else shows up with the same triggers...
super clamps are your friend... pick the area you'll be working from and light up a spot where you'll be shooting the models... for fast set up... the other stage grip is your friend... mount your lights near his, and point them in the same direction, and boom dinners done... 1/8 or 1/16 power, manual iso 400-800 will get you some motion freezing power...
or plant an assistant with a wireless flash on a poll (ie mono pod) that you can trust to aim the light where you need it...
or just use a quick flip bracket and some kind of Gary Fong light difusser.....
or use the stage lights
super clamps are your friend... pick the area you'll be working from and light up a spot where you'll be shooting the models... for fast set up... the other stage grip is your friend... mount your lights near his, and point them in the same direction, and boom dinners done... 1/8 or 1/16 power, manual iso 400-800 will get you some motion freezing power...
or plant an assistant with a wireless flash on a poll (ie mono pod) that you can trust to aim the light where you need it...
or just use a quick flip bracket and some kind of Gary Fong light difusser.....
or use the stage lights
Comment by Don posted on How to work a runway... at 30/08/2009 - 14:41
Daniel Bridge wrote:
The strength of the heart shape is very much reduced in your shot Don, perhaps a bit of experimentation will reach a happy medium.
Dan
very true..... the ring is the subject in a wedding shot, and the shadow is meant to be subtle, but Nathan, will find what works for him...Don wrote:
there is a page in the Bible, in Corrinthians about Love.... "Love is Patient, Love is kind.."..etc
that is a staple in our Wedding coverage...this shot is always a pleaser!
good luck!
But in theis case you chose 'the lust'. there is a page in the Bible, in Corrinthians about Love.... "Love is Patient, Love is kind.."..etc
that is a staple in our Wedding coverage...this shot is always a pleaser!
good luck!
The strength of the heart shape is very much reduced in your shot Don, perhaps a bit of experimentation will reach a happy medium.
Dan
Comment by Don posted on A present for the wife.. at 29/08/2009 - 23:02
nathanever82 wrote:
hey Don,
I've been experimenting a bit... and unfortunately, I really can't get reflectors or softboxes to do the job.
See its a 1 light setup, and any form of diffusion will actually not produce the hard shadow needed... so...
suggestions?
yep....hey Don,
I've been experimenting a bit... and unfortunately, I really can't get reflectors or softboxes to do the job.
See its a 1 light setup, and any form of diffusion will actually not produce the hard shadow needed... so...
suggestions?
get a peice of white foamcore...
hold your flash against the foamcore, over the ring... your flash will create the hard spot, and the foamcore will reflect soft light off the shiny ring surfaces, just a matter of positioning it right with the flash behind the ring and the foamcore over top...
i used a reflector, but same concept:
here is an earing..sorry no ring handy...
there is a page in the Bible, in Corrinthians about Love.... "Love is Patient, Love is kind.."..etc
that is a staple in our Wedding coverage...this shot is always a pleaser!
good luck!
Comment by Don posted on A present for the wife.. at 29/08/2009 - 22:51
how do you use the search functions to learn the answer to a question that has been asked before (often many times) and get multiple perspective in the answers if every question gets asked and answered by pm or email?