All Forum Comments
you guys don't have, that would make mine less-rare....
Comment by Don posted on Pentax 1,7x rare! at 02/07/2009 - 16:02
a diffuser between the sun and your subject (ie, a white or translucent shower curtian taped over a pvc (plumbing) pipe frame), held by a stand or assistant...
or a large reflector on the shadow side... lots of options for dealing with harsh light!
or a large reflector on the shadow side... lots of options for dealing with harsh light!
Comment by Don posted on First photo! at 01/07/2009 - 14:20
BODYHEAT wrote:
I am the first to admit that I am a complete neophyte when it comes to digital photography. It is quite a steep learning curve and very different from what I am used to or even what I expected (I am not sure what I expected, except that it would be more straightforward ()
I expect that my first shots will be variable as I learn my way around the K20 but that's the trouble, they are not very variable at all. I have tried manual and green settings, aperture priority and sensitivity priority, artificial light and bright sunlight, you name it, to try and see what different results each yields and I seem to have fairly consistent issues with white balance or colour temperature perhaps. So there is something I am not doing right or failing to set up correctly.
I have set it to shoot raw all the time so felt that white balance shouldn't be an issue (or am I wrong?). I even reset every button to make sure there were no erroneous values creeping in and set everything to AWB where possible and the shots to 'bright' etc
Simple shots of the garden come out great. It seems to love greens and nature colours but when I try and do packshots of my products for my website in a tent, either indoors under 5000K lights or outside under bright sunlight, they all seem to come out with some sort of blue cast on them and very 'grey', almost regardless of my settings...
To get them to be pleasing to the eye I have to do massive corrections on the PC post process (I have found a program called Photo-brush to be very user friendly for this as I can't seem to understand the Pentax software ).
On each shot I have to play with white balance and almost without fail bring the blue back down to the same sort of levels as the green and reds; I have to boost the brightness and exposure by at least one stop and various other tinkering to try and make them look like they look in real life. Some I can't seem to get right at all due to this 'blue cast' the seems to be over the whole picture.
What am I not doing right or overlooking? It is not the old lenses as I am getting the same results with the DA*16-50 on auto or manual settings. I have tried almost every combination of settings that I can think of; from fully auto to fully manual but obviously I have a 'blind spot' here (excuse the metaphor), and yes the histogram looks perfect on the review on the LCD (although I am sure reading histograms is an art all in itself)
Advice appreciated from our knowledgeable members
set your white balance off the white wall of your light tent, and it should be fine. better yet, use a greycard to get both color balance and exposure set.I am the first to admit that I am a complete neophyte when it comes to digital photography. It is quite a steep learning curve and very different from what I am used to or even what I expected (I am not sure what I expected, except that it would be more straightforward ()
I expect that my first shots will be variable as I learn my way around the K20 but that's the trouble, they are not very variable at all. I have tried manual and green settings, aperture priority and sensitivity priority, artificial light and bright sunlight, you name it, to try and see what different results each yields and I seem to have fairly consistent issues with white balance or colour temperature perhaps. So there is something I am not doing right or failing to set up correctly.
I have set it to shoot raw all the time so felt that white balance shouldn't be an issue (or am I wrong?). I even reset every button to make sure there were no erroneous values creeping in and set everything to AWB where possible and the shots to 'bright' etc
Simple shots of the garden come out great. It seems to love greens and nature colours but when I try and do packshots of my products for my website in a tent, either indoors under 5000K lights or outside under bright sunlight, they all seem to come out with some sort of blue cast on them and very 'grey', almost regardless of my settings...
To get them to be pleasing to the eye I have to do massive corrections on the PC post process (I have found a program called Photo-brush to be very user friendly for this as I can't seem to understand the Pentax software ).
On each shot I have to play with white balance and almost without fail bring the blue back down to the same sort of levels as the green and reds; I have to boost the brightness and exposure by at least one stop and various other tinkering to try and make them look like they look in real life. Some I can't seem to get right at all due to this 'blue cast' the seems to be over the whole picture.
What am I not doing right or overlooking? It is not the old lenses as I am getting the same results with the DA*16-50 on auto or manual settings. I have tried almost every combination of settings that I can think of; from fully auto to fully manual but obviously I have a 'blind spot' here (excuse the metaphor), and yes the histogram looks perfect on the review on the LCD (although I am sure reading histograms is an art all in itself)
Advice appreciated from our knowledgeable members
Comment by Don posted on K20D settings advice needed at 30/06/2009 - 19:58
what lens?
Comment by Don posted on Manual Exposure?? at 30/06/2009 - 11:45
Mike-P wrote:
with the internet, rumours are now being used for marketing research...loskeran wrote:
I just checked my calendar Mike it is not April the 1st you know
It's just a Rumour, nothing more I just checked my calendar Mike it is not April the 1st you know
it may be public reactions that determine if when and how that camera gets released...
Comment by Don posted on K-7 ... or GX30 at 29/06/2009 - 17:45
I use my flash meter way to often to give it up...
Comment by Don posted on Lightmeters at 29/06/2009 - 17:35
possible there'll be a k30 from pentax at the same time? an upgraded k20, but lower specs than the k7?
Comment by Don posted on K-7 ... or GX30 at 29/06/2009 - 17:34
I've always admired your friends work, Gartmore.
as for MJ... There is the talent, the hard work and the antics with the media that propelled him to the top and gain him publicity.
He earned his title as the King of Pop. undeniably.
In one sense stars are somewhat public property, in the sense that they owe thier wealth and fame to the people that pay for the tickets to the show, the music, the magazines etc... and as such, even the allegations that dogged him, are fair game, both in life and in death.
It is never polite to speak ill of the dead.
But I wouldn't censor anybody for making comment on such a public figure.
But I accept your desire to keep this thread civil.
And leave it by saying the show won't be over for long time to come.
as for MJ... There is the talent, the hard work and the antics with the media that propelled him to the top and gain him publicity.
He earned his title as the King of Pop. undeniably.
In one sense stars are somewhat public property, in the sense that they owe thier wealth and fame to the people that pay for the tickets to the show, the music, the magazines etc... and as such, even the allegations that dogged him, are fair game, both in life and in death.
It is never polite to speak ill of the dead.
But I wouldn't censor anybody for making comment on such a public figure.
But I accept your desire to keep this thread civil.
And leave it by saying the show won't be over for long time to come.
Comment by Don posted on RIP Michael Jackson at 28/06/2009 - 16:06
johnriley wrote:
There's no reason why harsh lighting can't be used for portraits, it all depends on the effect that you want.
I think here it's the pose and composition that needs working on in particular and the only way to do this is to keep on shooting lots of images. Photographing people is not easy, but it does improve as we go.
I'm not sure that the lighting and background gel together and I'd be very tempted to use a black background with this sort of lighting. It will be low key, very dark and heavy, but also very dramatic and this might suit her style.
John knows his stuff...There's no reason why harsh lighting can't be used for portraits, it all depends on the effect that you want.
I think here it's the pose and composition that needs working on in particular and the only way to do this is to keep on shooting lots of images. Photographing people is not easy, but it does improve as we go.
I'm not sure that the lighting and background gel together and I'd be very tempted to use a black background with this sort of lighting. It will be low key, very dark and heavy, but also very dramatic and this might suit her style.
even on a slow week, I set up different lighting and shoot a few practice shots.... even the ones I wouldn't consider "Pro" are valuable practice... here's one where the lighting has some promise, but I just grabbed my subject and tossed him in there, with no effort to stylize his cloths and hair or posing.
Comment by Don posted on Second bash at Portraits at 28/06/2009 - 00:28
get a loup check your negs/slides.
probably dust on the film got there during the printing.
probably dust on the film got there during the printing.
Comment by Don posted on Pentax MX Users at 27/06/2009 - 19:18
