September 30, 2008 • 10:31 pm
September has to finish with an image I have been working on as part of a personal portfolio for a student named Hannah. Following four A Level results, she is now studying art, design and photography at College prior to going to University. The image was taken on location using nothing more than the Nikon D3 with an SB 800 flash attached to the hotshoe and a Sigma f/1.8, 50mm lens. The camera was set to manual mode aperture 5.6, shutter speed 1/60. The diffuser unit was fitted to the end of the flash and it was angled 45 degrees upwards. The model stood higher on a concrete platform and I shot from below trying to achieve the full portrait shot.
The compostion of this image is nice to look at and the finished effect was achieved with the initial development in Lightrrom 2 and then straight over into CS3, converted to Lab and then alterations made to the original RAW file with curves adjustment and slight (18%) adjustments to shadows and highlights.
I then added some extra filters through Nik Plug In, burned the image with a new layer set to 50% grey, changed the blendng mode to overlay, using a brush at 4%, added the extra texture and depth. The final part was to add an un sharp mask filter to present it for the web.
Other images in this collection will be published at the start of October. If you would like to know more about my own workflow then keep checking out the blog entries, more details about this will be posted shortly.
Filed under: Collections, People
September 28, 2008 • 2:15 pm
Just added to the Wildlife catalogue are these great images showing a couple of giraffes, both of which are Brothers. Also featured is the image of the Emu, captured whilst on a photowalk at a Park in Europe. Shot with the D3 using the Nikon 70mm – 200mm f2.8 lens, aperture was set to 5.6, ISO 200 and sutter 1/80 sec. Due to the fence that was in the front of the bird it was difficult getting the shot without the distraction of a green meshed fence. So, standing on the wall next to the pit area and lifting the camera up in the air as high as I could, I shot about nine frames in quick concession. This was the finished article. I am pleased with the shot, as it was a bit hit and miss, but would the effort.
The giraffes were captured in various positions trying to get the best out of their composition and characteristics. More images of these will be posted shortly.
Filed under: Collections, Wildlife
I have just added this image to the main Sports Collection in the Portfolio. I have attended numerous local Polo matches over the season to shoot some of the action shots that make the game it is. It took me some time to learn the rules of the game and then appreciate the positioning of the players and the difference the handicaps makes into the type of game you can expect to shoot. For this shot I used the Nikon D3 with the 80mm – 400 mm f4.5 lens attached. Shooting in AP, ISO 1200 to freeze the action, shooting multiple frames per second on a Lexar Digital Card. SInce shooting these games I have now added to my collection of lenses, but more on this topic later.
This image was submitted as part of my sports module within the course I am currently completing. This and the other images I submitted will be posted shortly. Shot in RAW, brought into Lightroom’s develop module and then exported to CS3 for the final alterations, filters, noise reduction and un-sharp masking applied.
Filed under: Collections, Sports
September 27, 2008 • 10:21 am
The People Collection is starting to build with a series of images that were taken whilst on the current course. Taken from a different angle to all others, the images show the subject matter and composition that allow the viewer to look at the full frame from an angle that would not normally be seen. I am currentl working on some other images for this set and once completed will be published in the full gallery.
The images have all been taken with the Nikon D3 with the 80mm – 400mm f4.5 attached. ISO was set to 1000, the shutter speed was set to 1/1500 sec to freeze any movement in aperture priority mode. Raw alterations were first completed in Lightroom 2 and then sent over to Photoshop CS3 to add some filters, vignetting and un-sharp mask detail.
I am starting to form a much quicker workflow using both of these excellent pieces of software and will post a more detailed list of this next week. In addition to this I have just received the new Lightroom 2 book from Scott Kelby which adds to the vast collection I already have. This new book accompanied with the the Kelby Media Training workflows has assisted greatly in this process.
As the blog develops I will complete my own review of the literature and software I use, that may just assist others who are just starting off in this subject, or want to compare their workflow with mine.
Filed under: Collections, People
September 26, 2008 • 7:53 pm
The People Collection has had its first two entries published. Black and White sets the scene for both of these images as the subject matter is similar in formation. The first image above is one of my favourite due to the composition and simplicity of the subjects. Closer examination of them reveals characters and expressions that without the capture would have been missed. The image was corrected slightly in lightroom 2 and then exported as a PSD to Photoshop CS3. In there a Nik Filter; ‘Silver Effects Pro’ was used and then local adjustments to contrast and structure were made. A vignetting and un-sharp mask completed the black and white look. A slight amount of noise was added to give the image the type of feel I wanted to portray, that of an older photo shot using conventional film and not lexar digital as was the case with the Nikon D3.
Filed under: Collections, People
September 25, 2008 • 12:08 am
The latest update to the collection goes to the Wildlife Catalogue, a truely great image that I am very pleased with. This image was taken using a Nikon 70mm – 200mm / f2.8 lens mounted on a Nikon D3 and handheld, ISO 200, EV +1 (1/3 stop) , f2.8 at 1/350 sec. I shot this image prone using the camera bag as support for the steady platform. It took twenty minutes to get the shot, but well worth the weight in temperatures of 32 degress celcius.
This is the first time I have ventured into wildlife photography and is relevant to one of the modules I am completing for my amateur diploma course. As the other images are processed I will post them directly to this section for views and comments.
Filed under: Collections, Wildlife
September 24, 2008 • 9:13 pm
The introduction of the Sports Catalogue is now under way with a stunning image of one of the rugby balls used at the Martin Johnson School of Rugby. The image was captured with the Nikon D3, ISO 200 and the Nikon 80mm – 400mm f4.5 VR. Alterations in Lightroom 2 for WB and then sent into CS3 for some curves adjustments, shadows and highlights and finished off with an unsharped mask filter applied in the luminosity channel.
I am currently placing together a set of images in celebration of Martin Johnson and his recent Managers post. These images will be placed in a seperate gallery and will be published via this site.
Filed under: Collections, Sports
Shot using a Nikon D3 and a 24mm – 70mm f2.8 Nikon lens, this image was taken low to the ground to emphasise the foreground detail in both the main plant and base of the left plant. Three images have been combined here. All bracketed and shot with a 1 stop EV on each side of the main RAW file. Converted in Photomatrix Pro as an HDR image, however the main slider was placed to the right keeping the quality and resolution of the image intact. Once generated, back into Photoshop CS3 and some alterations to the curves and luminosity with emphasis placed on contrast and blending layer masks on top in different opacities has given me the final image that has been entered into the main porfolio.
Foreground detail was a must for this shot to work as was the unsharp mask that was applied to specific areas in detail. A small amount of gradient filter and vignetting has set the image up for presentation.
Filed under: Collections, Nature
September 23, 2008 • 10:36 pm
Just thought I would post one of the images that is being placed in the Object Catalogue. This is the first image for this collection. Taken using the Nikon D3 with the Nikon 24mm -70mm f2.8 lens. The image forms part of a wall however to take away the flat tone and lack of contrast in the image; I did some minor alterations in Lightroom 2, sent it into Photoshop CS3, flipped it and added curves via the Lab Channels. Once enhanced, I then added some filters via the Nik Software Plug In, added some more contrast and then did a small amount of burning to give the image some depth, then finsihed off with a small amount of unsharp mask.
Filed under: Collections, Objects
September 22, 2008 • 7:40 pm
I am just piecing together a landscape catalogue, out of some images that I shot in August 2008. The above example was taken with the D3 whilst on a photowalk in Europe. Shot using the Nikon 24mm – 70mm f2.8 at f8, with the aid of a polarising filter, the image was immediately likeable.
Edited in Lightroom 2 and then dropped over into Adobe Photoshop CS3 for some adjustments to the curves in LAB Channels, a filter was used from Nik Software to enhance the sky and some tonal adjustments made to the foreground and path that leads the viewer into the frame. This image can be found in the Landscape Collection in the main portfolio site. Additional images will be posted shortly to compliment this catalogue.
Filed under: Landscape
