If I could live off praise I wouldn't be sitting here now typing this pile of old tosh but for some odd reason we need fresh air to live but can't survive on fresh air alone. Now it's nice when stuff sells, okay if I took more 'commercially minded' images I'd probably sell more but if you read the previous post you will now know that I take photos because I like to...shock horror old man takes quirky snaps beacuse he just wants to...red top tabloid stuff I think you'll agree. Now I also mentioned that I can live without a constant stream of praise to boost my already hyper inflated ego I even considered disabling comments so that folk came and just looked and then floated away...hang on I'm on the cusp of rambling...
So approbation, yesterday was a good day, a really good day, Getty sent me an email wanting more images and besides the flappy dither I got into wondering where the chuff I'd put all the old model releases I found uploaded and waved good bye in that 'tear in the eye first day at school' way and look forward to them furthering there fledgling career on Getty images...and then, well for me, a biggie....I got an appreciation..meh shmeh you may well say but it was from Julieanne Kost principal digital imaging eveangelist for Adobe .com. Now this was for one of my behance projects and although the images weren't optioned in the end I think they make a pretty decent set to look at. Check out Julieannes very slick and informative Lightroom and Photoshop videos on Adobe TV Now then I ran my own image library last year and as a sales tool it was as useful as a Chocolate teapot so I binned it..older viewers will know that one of my business principles is 'Give it 12 months....' but I ended up with thousands of images just sitting about, shooting the breeze and drinking caffeine based beverages on a selection of hard drives..and then I realised that those fine folk on flickr had given us all 1Tb of space to fill...so I will... I started yesterday with some North Wales stuff and more 'quirky stuff' will be shovelled on later today.. Feel free to call by, look and if you really have to..offer some approbation, after all it's the fresh air that feeds us all.
0 Comments
...and a chance to catch up with all things online. Now it may suprise some of you but I'm actually in this business to try and make a wee bit of a living, that's one of the drivers that makes me go out and do some odd stuff or maybe it's just the way I'm wired up anyhow...but I never have a 'mojo' problem..after all I'm the boss and should know by now how to motivate the members of staff (me that is) into a whipped up fervour of photographic maelstroming.. Now being on various sites I have noticed over the last few years the comings and goings of swarms of 'I've got a camera so I'm a photographer' folk , it's like the light burns bright then fades or dies... It's a tough old world , really because of the huge volume of camera and phone images that swarm onto the web every minute ( word of the day appears to be swarm..).. akin to all those little sperms wiggling about but only 1 will ultimately succeed......
So I look at flickr and how folk try to boost their chances of fertilisation...yes..taking them out of groups and putting them back in again, nothing turns me off a photo more than seeing a really good one then the following day it appearing at the top of 'my contacts ' images again like it was all newly minted and camera fresh.... flickr is the tabloid red top of photography...you stick it on it lasts for a day and then makes way for the deluge of images that flow after it....... it takes up residence in the old photo home, to be roused from it's slumbers by someone actually doing a tag search then once more back to daytime TV and the whiff of stale urine... I am always impressed by folk who keep posting and never have a like or comment and in some cases views and have thousands of images online....well done... you're taking photos for the right reason, because you like taking them and sometimes that maybe the motivation...the mojo invigorator ..you take photos because you like ..taking photos.... simple really..dosn't matter if it's top of the range Dslr or pick up and chuck mobile phone...love taking photos , it's all quite simple really. Now then I put photos on flickr because I can, I have no fear of there not being any comments and because those image editors from Getty frequently pop in and ask for another batch, yes it's business, of all the 'image libraries I inhabit well Getty, gets top dollar and actually sells stuff, I do have 1,000s online in various libraries and handfuls with getty but the one that always comes out top of my sales charts is Getty... and it's a tough old world on Getty..a thrashing whirlpool of little sperms all jostling to be top of the pops, look at me , look at me....... So when your mojo flags and that expensive piece of kit garners another spiders web on the shelf just ask yourself why you got the gear in the first place, remember the moment you took your first snaps and get out there and relight that fire again...whether it's for love or money just remember that you like taking photos and then take some. So Imentioned Adobe Exchange and I thought I might as well run up a quick video on how to use it and maybe show you all the flexibility and creative aspects of working with just a few layers...so here we go...I'll start off with a simple mono landscape I shot earlier this summer up in Camusdarach on the North West Scottish coast. So just a quick one but maybe a help in getting your creativity going. If you do use this and publish just put a link back to this so other folk can benefit...cheers
Hidden in plain sight in your top toolbar in CC or CS6 is Window...now then one of the sub menus is Adobe Exchange if you click on it you'll get wafted over to here http://adobe.ly/1cX7NGU . Now most of it in there is self explanatary. Try out some of the free stuff, once you've downloaded any of the free stuff then it'll probably ask you to restart your system. Then you'll have access to them...now once you click on a texture or edge border Photoshop takes over automatically and applies the effect to the image that is open. Try Yale..gives you Holga and Lomo effects plus borders and film types..here's one I did with a simple click Just part of an anti pasta i was having up in Newcastle..extended the white from the plate and then used Yale from Adobe Exchange to add the border, black and white layer at about 40% to hold back some colour ,....flatten and there you have it.
Can I just ask that if you use any of the techniques I go through ,could you add a link back to the page where you found the technique on...just so everyone can have a go and you spread the word..this is all free remeber, no adverts no agents will call, lets just spread the knowledge base out there together. ..not very often but it can have a serious effect on Photo fun time. At Old Trafford today to photograph some new in store display systems that had been designed in America specifically to show off Man Utd kit... well got there and found that non of the new stuff was being used as display systems , no classy glass 'Brundle Fly' boxes, no illuminated plinths and no special glass embossed wall displays...so I did what was wanted off the customer shoot list, dropboxed them and am waiting to hear what the chuff has happened... which leads me onto killing 2 birds by doing a bit of multi exposure stuff whilst i was lurking around outside..... So if you are that regular reader you'll be getting more than a working knowledge of how these are done....one in and one out of focus.....meh...that'll be it then, check back on the blog for the multi exposure settings piece I did. So no Photoshop faffing just left it all to the camera..... And today's job was to snap these fantastic underlit red glass plinths and smokey dynamic glass panels and boxes that looked like tele transportation units around the mannequins.....they weren't there as you can see below.
Just a quick one about making the most of the Camera Raw filter in Photoshop CC and how you can use Smart objects to increase flexibility in your work flow...probably best to watch It's also on my youtube channel so if it's not big enough on here have a toodle over there
So shave, face polish, clean the camera sensor, switch my brains on...... for tonight I will be off out photographing some stuff for Nikes design studio...it's a funny old interconnected world The image above is created in camera...okay converted to mono in Camera Raw but the soft/sharp blurry look is just another way of using the in camera multiple exposure menu setting and if you pin 'em back I'll quickly let you know how it's done.
Readers of exif data can tell that this was shot at F1.8 ...now then... get in your camera menu and set yourself for 'Multiple Exposures' Check out my previous blog pages if you are a Nikon user or dig out your manual if you use something else. So wide open aperture so there will naturally be quite a steep fall off in the area of sharpness, I focussed on the large flower head , so that was the first shot and as I'd set up the camera to do 2 shots in the multoiple exposure menu I completely defocussed..in this case to infinity although you don't have to be that severe which added softness and blurry light into the image. I didn't move position and you can always do this tripod mounted. Now I suggest you experiment with different apertures and points of focus...heck bring your zoom into it as well and maybe move on to doing more than 2 exposures, set yourselves free and do a bit of experimentation you may suprise yourself with the results. Set your imagination free and do this with a bit of free lensing.....hmmmmm. On another note the Worldwide Photowalk is with us again and this year I've booked us in to the magnificent Victoria Baths...it should be warm and dry which is a bonus already. We'll get a short guided tour and then time to snap until your fingers ache. They have given me access to the AV projector room so we can use that for some software toots or look at some images during the shoot. Check it out here.... http://worldwidephotowalk.com/walk/chorlton-on-medlock-manchester-united-kingdom-victoria-baths-manchester/ They are charging us £10 a head and it appears to be non negotiable and I've contacted some folk about doing some modelling during the day so we may have to cough up a bit more..no reply on the models so I'll keep looking Okay I wasn't but I am now....thought we'd be a bit different to all the other walks out there.
http://worldwidephotowalk.com/walk/chorlton-on-medlock-manchester-united-kingdom-victoria-baths-manchester/ So a quick guided trip around the Victoria baths, and then free access to all of it and all it's architectural detail/light/shape/angles/structure and stuff...if I can I'll try to get some models in but it may cost.... although you were all so photogenic last time....I'll run a few mini tutorials but I'll announce those once we have a batch of folk signed up so please don't be putting your name down just yet, just go and book a place on the walk page for the moment. We filled up pretty quickly last year but please be sure that you wont be clashing with any personal commitments and please if you do book ...turn up...I had reserves who could have come along last year if only I'd been told that you couldn't make it. Let's not forget we are in competion mode in this event against all the other walks that are taking place over this weekend worldwide and if you look on the walk page they have a list of prizes. As like last year one of you will get a Scott Kelby Lightroom 5 book for your efforts so again a bit of competitive snapping is called for. So if you havn't already follow the link above and get your name down.... So if you saw this image posted on the internet you'd probably assume that it's either a Lensbaby, smeared vaseline over a UV filter or a bit of Photoshop faffery or even now with LR5 some work with radial filters...well it's not.
This is shot with a standard 50mm f1.8...the difference being that the lens is not attached to the camera...that's right...removed and held in front of the gaping hole in the centre of your SLR. This image was shot at the Dig It festival in Manchester and at this point I found out just how tricky this technique is if you don't use a tripod and using the tripod free's up a hand to do the all important exposure work with the camera. Now I've been working in Manual...setting the aperture at f2.8 ..here's a trick to keep your lens set at the aperture you want to use. In the Nikon in your Set up menu if you scroll through you will have in your Set Up menu a Non CPU lens menu item, don't forget you are disconecting your lens so your camera has no idea what f stop your are using..... set up a variety of F stop settings in this menu. Now this only works if you have Nikon lenses that you can physically alter the f stop ring. So set the aperture on your lens..say F8 go into your non CPU lens menu and set F8 and all you have to do then is use the shutter speed and EV dial to get the exposure correct, Now there will be light leakedge which adds to how these images will look so compensating with your shutter speed, ISO and EV dial and leaving the chosen aperture alone. This really is where sitting your camera on a tripod comes in, you need one hand for holding the Lens and another for adjusting your camera settings..or an assistant or a 3rd hand.... Now you can go a bit more extreme with this and start using non standard lenses..I've used the 80mm off my Bronica S2a to great effect, just like above you can set the aperture and then use the non cpu lens menu and make sure your only variables are going to be shutter and maybe a bit of EV... give it a try. Now , to easily access this multiple exposure item why not add it to the 'My Menu' part of your camera. Just follow these steps below. Apologies again for the naff shots of the Nikon menus.
..for in camera multi exposures. First up, let me apologies for the poxy shots of the Nikon Menu... Fuji finepix just wouldn't play along so old Nokia mobile snaps instead...sorry..but you should get the idea. So first part of the multi exposure settings, next part tomorrow. The creative part of me has already come up with ways of developing this...ICM...variable focus...different apertures and maybe carrying around a bag of props....meh..who knows what I might do..but I'll do it so you don't have to. If you do come up with something send me a link...TTFN
Okay, dear reader, I know you are now wondering why there isn't a big dollop of free lensing images appearing..but something else from left field... well with the bustle and hustle jiggling a lens and camera whilst trying to compose a shot on the streets of Manchester was a bit more tricky than I first envisaged...tripod needed , free's up one hand for other camera tickling whilst other hand jiggles lens...so out with a tripod next time...it actually does make more sense....so...I've brought forward something else I had a mind to do and that was in camera multiple exposures..... Yes..lets go all a bit wibbly wobblly timey whimey and go back to the good old days when a double exposure on my Leicaflex just meant holding the film release button on the baseplate whilst forwarding the lever to cock the shutter again for another exposure on the same frame... piece of thingy... now though it's a delve into the menu system and on the D700 and a lot of other Nikons it's right there in the shooting menu...multiple exposure but...here we go again...it defaults back to normal shooting once you've done the exposure ..so you have to go back in again...blah de blah...boring!!! But, those dear folk at Nikon have the 'My Menu section' where you can add you're most loved functions and menu items....just go to dd to my menu go back into the shooting bank add it and well...hey presto, easy to use, just take the shot and then hit the OK button with the item highlighted and off you go again.....I knew this old menu stuff would be handy...alright I also have the commander menu in there as well but that's for another time..... so... here's a few shots from a quickish toddle around Cottonopolis this afternoon..downloaded into LR5 for a quick waft and then on here..no layer work or Photoshop tomfoolery, straight out of the camera (if you ignore the LR5 bit) and onto here..... So all 'In Camera' with the merest whiff of Lightroom..you can be off and having a look at things differently...this is only a small selection I'll be putting up a full blown gallery in the Galleries section at some point but these will do for now....any questions???? Get stuck in then.....
...I will be out and about in Manchester..without a camera phone...doing some free lensing. So by tomorrow I should have some different looking stuff straight out of the camera, I'll also try and do a video as well but please..dont keep your hopes up for that one just yet.
Okay, time for more. experimental photography, or faffing as it is known. This involves taking your lens off of the front of your camera and holding it in a kind of 'Christ...I hope I don't drop it' manner in front of the gaping hole . Early days...early days and as the heavens have opened I wont be toddling into Manchester to do any of this. I'm using an 80mm Nikkor off my Bronica S2a as the lens, if I drop it, well, it will just crack the pavement..I'm sure after a bit of tugging and pulling I'll be getting some waccy results but here are a few from the back garden before 'rain stopped play' So.....it looks like you've had a play in LR/Pshops blur filter thingys but actually it's only a question of holding the lens and moving it about by small degrees to get this, well almost titl shift look to your image files, All have just had an 'Auto' button waft in LR5 and that's it....I think there are some legs in this and , on behalf of all of you,I will faff away with it until the wheels fall off..
So something a bit more in depth on the do's and dont's tomorrow, camera settings and stuff... ,,done the ironing, got a wash on, fed the chickens and fish and watered all the hanging baskets..which gives me some time to write some more of this drivel... There maybe movement on the Worldwide Photowalk front as I had an idea...that's right one of those once a year moments has happened..so I will be talking to a nice lady today about doing something a bit different, keep you posted as ever. Mwaaaahhh I sent the Nokia 925 back..whoever gets next use of it will have a proper little compact camera to fidle with (little is used in it's loosest sense).... If I can give a modicum of photo advice for the coming weekend that would be try shooting at your lenses max aperture F1.8 or whatever and go manual on the focussing..just bloody try it okay! Feel the force and switch off your targeting computers and ...well you should know the rest Lunchtime with Grandad...................
|
What's all this then????An unyeilding torrent of Photo babbel full of unconfirmed facts and manufactured photo drivel.. take from it what you like, it won't change the world but may leave you feeling nauseous... Categories
All
|