How to Enlarge Your Lightsource for Softer Light, easily.

I did a little experiment this evening just to demonstrate how to make a really large lightsource and give much more even light on your subject than just blasting away with direct light.

I have two 65x65cm light boxes that are quite handy. So here is a pic of them set up pointing directly at a nice Dutch vase. The camera was on the tripod in front of the table.

From here it looks like that should make for some pretty good light on the vase, but as we can see in the next photo they also leave some not so great specular highlights on the vase and two distinct shadow areas behind the vase.

Not a bad photograph as such, but we can do much better than that! So, in order to increase the overall size of the light source I simply faced the lights up at the ceiling. Of course I also had to increase the power output of the lights because the light now had much further to travel and the inverse square law robs us of light very quickly when we increase the distance the light has to travel.

As you can see from the pic above the light has now been spread over a much larger area. So what has that done for our lovely Dutch vase?

Well the first thing you notice is that the ugly specular highlights have vanished and the light is much more evenly spread on the vase itself. The second thing is that the shadows behind the vase have also disappeared. Overall a much more pleasing result!

If all you have are two speedlights instead of the bigger studio lights then don't be disheartened because the exact same principle still holds true and will work just great. Simply pump up the power a bit and let 'er rip, it will have a similar wonderful softening effect on the quality of light.

Happy product photographing folks!

A (slightly) Different View of the Landskrona Citadel

I adjusted the angle a little to have a view of the bridge over the moat.

Citadellkliniken in Landskrona

The Citadellkliniken in Landskrona is probably the most beautifully located clinic I have ever seen, nestled as it is on a piece of land jutting out into the Öresund, with a lovely beach on one side and gorgeous seafront parkland on the other. Taken at 22.37 with the sky still fairly bright from a sun that set at 21.27 it is resplendent in a golden glow that couldn't be more spectacular!

Tripod, Aperture Priority, f11.0, 10.0s exposure time chosen by the camera, ISO 200, quick run through DXO and then time spent in PSP X5 working on colour, contrast and sharpening.

Water Tower - Landskrona

This huge water tower dominates the landscape at the harbour area in Landskrona and just begs to be photographed! ;-)

Photo Shoot Your Way to Sales Growth - from TIME Business & Money

There is an interesting article on TIME's website in the Business & Money section that says what we knew all along! ;-) Click on the link below:

Photo Shoot Your Way to Sales Growth

Why I think shooting after sunset is a good idea!

Yesterday I posted a comparison between a CPL filtered and un-CPL'd photograph and how using a Circular Polarising Filter can improve the look of your photographs during the day when the sun is shining.

But now I'm going to show you a photograph taken from the same spot (almost exactly) but that has a whole lot more "wow" factor simply because of the time of day it was taken. I took this photograh about 55 minutes or so after sunset but while the sun was still giving plenty of golden glow to the sky. The foreground is also lit by the street lights which kind of matches the colour of the sky, and also prevents the foreground from just being plain black.

Of course this required me going back to the beach much later and dressed a little warmer, but I think the results were well worth the effort!

At this time of the day colours are super saturated and beautiful. However, because the light is nowhere near as bright as during the day shutter speeds are way slower than while the sun is shining so a tripod becomes essential. I used f11.0 and let the camera choose it's own shutter speed which was a full 30 seconds in this particular case. A bit of playing with sliders in PSP X5 lowered the highlights, raised the shadow areas and increased the saturation some more until I got what I was after.

Nikon D90 and my trusty el cheapo 18-105mm kit "plastic fantastic" lens.

Landskrona Citadel - a High Dynamic Range Photograph.

From Wikipedia: Landskrona Citadel (Swedish: Citadellet or Landskrona slott) is situated in Landskrona, Scania, southern Sweden. Initially built 1549–1559 as a purely defensive fortification with two complete moats, the inner with a width of 70 metres (230 ft). The outer (complete) moat is between 40 and 70 metres (130 and 230 ft) wide, and has cross fire bastions for artillery and guns. Outside the outer moat, a third narrower moat covers the northwest and northeast. There also exist remains of a fourth moat (between the two outer moats). The fortifications and moats system surrounding the castle is known to be one of Europe's largest and best preserved.

Three bracketed photos taken 2 stops apart, a quick run through DXO 8 for the special pixie dust magic that the elves at DXO lavish upon RAW photos to make them look better, and then "Exposure Merged" in Corel Paintshop Pro X5. Tweaked the levels, contrast and did some sharpening, also in PSP X5. For this type of photography a sturdy tripod is essential because of the very long exposure times. I used my D90 and the 18-105mm kit lens, Aperture Priority and f11.0, always RAW. :-)

Comparison between Polarised and Unpolarised images.

After all these years the effect of a circular polarising filter still seems a little magical to me. First picture is without and then a few seconds later I took the second with the circular polarising filter applied. I am sure you will agree which looks best!

Like I said... magic!

This is a beach in Landskrona, the building is a clinic of some sort and in the distance you can see the island of Ven. The concrete blocks in the foreground are left over fortifications from the Second World War that Sweden built just in case the Germans invaded. They remain unused to this day, to the great relief of everybody in Sweden.

Nikon D300s, Nikkor 35mm 1:1.8G DX AF-S, Circular Polarising Filter, M mode.

A (fairly) Standard Three Light Portrait

Three Elinchrom lights used. Main light camera left Elinchrom 4 bounced into a black backed umbrella from about 45° up and 45° to the subject. Fill light camera right Elinchrom 4 about 1 stop down from main shot through a transparent umbrella. Back light Elinchrom 2 right and behind subject in a medium sized softbox. Nikon D300s and Nikkor 50mm f1.8D.

All this and another light, light stands, plus a background stand, backdrop, two cameras complete with lenses, plus a tripod all fit into one large rolling case to become my highly portable studio ready to leave and shoot on location at any time. Very convenient indeed!

Church in Mellösa Sweden (another take)

I posted a black and white pic of this church last year on this page here: Church in Mellösa Sweden The pic above was taken on the same day, but I prefered this one in colour. Why? I think it has to do with the red building on the left that brings a splash of life to an otherwise drab colour scheme.

Krönetorps Mölla photographed with Nikkor 35mm f1.8G DX AFS

You may remember that I posted a photograph of Krönetorps Mölla in Sweden in June last year here: A "Normal" focal length Prime Lens as a Landscape Lens. Well, this one was shot on the same day but I zoomed in by walking several hundred meters closer than I was in the other shot and caught the sun a little lower down in the sky and hence a little warmer. I like the almost painterly feeling of the photo which is achieved by the wonderfully soft lighting.

Photography is all about the light, and to get your pictures a step up in mood and quality it is worth developing a patient attitude towards what you are doing and not rush it. If that means waiting all alone for hours on end in all kinds of weather, then so be it. But I can guarantee that you will be getting more keepers that way. When I am in a hurry I hardly ever get anything I would like to print and hang on the wall, but when I slow down, apply some thought to the process and savour the moment for it's beauty then my keeper count soars!

Grillning förbjuden

Nikkor AF-S 85mm f/1.8 G = Smooth as butter backgrounds!

Even on my crop frame D300s and at a small distance from the subject this beautiful lens renders lovely out of focus backgrounds! This was set to f2.8. Taken during our Sunday cycle through the countryside.

Just to give an idea of how sharp this lens is, here is a pic also taken on Sunday with the 85mm f/1.8, and included is a 100% crop of the windmill section below that:

100% crop:

One last point, if there is any distortion from this lens I am totally unable to see it! :-)

Available Light and the Nikkor 50mm f1.8D = Great Portraits!

My friend Mario is a well known figure in Malmö as he goes around reaching out to the homeless and needy of the city offering them food, friendship and a helping hand. He does all this without pay, and many times without thanks, but keeps simply plugging away. A real hero in my book!

Taken handheld with a D300s, 50mm f1.8D lens and whatever light was available. An aperture of f2.8 ensured a lovely out of focus rendition of the background and sufficient shutter speed to give a sharp portrait.

For those of you that care, here are the settings I used according to the exif data:
Manual, f2.8, 1/125s, ISO 400, auto white balance, and a quick run through DXO Optics Pro 8.

Travelwide 4×5 camera (how you can get your very own large format camera)

I came across an interesting project that seems like a lot of fun and could generate some interest in large format photography for a small investment.

This is from their website:


Travelwide is the ultralight 4×5 film camera that goes wherever you go.

"Pretty amazing" — Photojojo

"Super cool" — The Phoblographer

"Ultralight 4x5 camera… ultra-friendly price" — The World's Best Ever

"My neck and shoulders already like this camera." — Mortal Muses

It's easy to fall in love with the incredible quality of 4×5 analog film, but no one loves lugging a heavy metal camera. We wanted to create a 4×5 that you could take anywhere in the world, and carry every day at home. The result is Travelwide. It's lighter than a DSLR, and not much larger—yet tough enough to toss in a side bag or cram into an overloaded backpack.

For much more info, and to check out their request for a small $99 investment to secure your very own Large Format camera, go to their website by simply clicking here -> Travelwide 4×5 camera

Putting my Light Tent and Elinchrom lights to Good Use

For the last couple of years I have been buying up beer mugs in second hand stores, and it was all started by my daughter who purchased this mug for me at a boot sale:

It turned out to be pre German unification, so it has a little age to it as well. Since then I have added to my collection and below you can find a few of them. I used my light tent with black board inside for the seamless background, an Elinchrom D-Lite-it 2 with 65x65 softbox and Nikon D300s with Nikon 40mm f/2.8 DX G AF-S attached. All manual settings for consistency from shot to shot. Post processed with DXO Optics Pro 8.

 

Natural Light Still Life Photograph

Taken with only my D300s and a bunch of natural light coming in through the window... and an underrated 18-105mm Nikkor kit lens.

I buy props from time to time in second hand stores that have a used, worn, or old look about them just for these kind of shots and keep them handy in a drawer, like the wooden cutting board. Sometimes I just like the look of something even if it isn't particularly old, like the striped cloth, which I think works well with the wood. The bottles on the left were from an antique shop. The fruit veggies and nuts are from the kitchen, some of which was used for dinner shortly after being returned to the kitchen! :-)

Getting the right look in post is usually a matter of trial and error, and lots of experimentation, but the more you do it the easier it gets to arrive at the look you want to achieve. Every photo is different to me and needs to be moulded into my own vision for what I want the final product to be. There is no single way or magic potion that will work for everybody. This kind of thing is always very subjective and according to taste, mood, the weather and the alignment of the stars, so be prepared to take time and find out what works for you.

Another - Single Elinchrom Softbox Portrait

From the same session as the portrait below.

Single Elinchrom Softbox Portrait

More often than not one light is all that is needed.

Photographing an Easter Egg Display

My wonderfully creative wife made a beautiful little Easter Egg display and I just had to photograph it... before I eat and demolish it! ;-) Love you Älskling! ♥

...and a quick pull back shot to show how simple the lighting is:

Early Morning at Lake Esrum

Taken in the tiny harbour on Lake Esrum in Fredensborg, Denmark.

The Park is a Lonely Place in Winter

The Stark Colourless Beauty of Winter

-5° + falling snow = great conditions to test how tough the D300s actually is! Despite being soaking wet and freezing cold by the time I got home the D300s and Nikkor 35mm f1.8G DX combo never missed a beat and came through unscathed. A successful result I think!

Manhole Cover - Malmö City

Malmö Graffitti

Taken with a Samsung S3 Mini, processed in Lightroom 4.

Walking Street in Malmö

Nikon D300s and 35mm Nikkor f/1.8G DX AF-S lens.

Portrait with the Nikkor 50mm f1.8D

Have I mentioned before that the Nikkor 50mm f1.8D makes a really nice portrait lens? ;-) Hehe!

Lighting: Elinchrom D-Lite-it 2 with a snoot from above and behind the subject pointing down at the subject from the right side of the portrait. Elinchrom D-lite-it 4 with 65x65cm soft-box from above camera and very slightly left. Edited in Lightroom 4. Vignette added.

A Heart for Valentine's Day!

"On Location" Studio Portrait Shoot

I shot a series of portraits for a someone over the weekend and decided to share this one simply because this wonderful man's face really caught my eye, some people are just great to photograph and he was a natural!

I had a load of fun and was reminded once again that I am in this because I love working with people, and seeing them happy with something as personal as their portrait just makes my day!

Truth in Photography by Calvin and Hobbs.

Haha! Love Calvin and Hobbs, so much common everyday truth!

You can find it here: http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2012/09/20

Sunflower Centre

Nikon D90, AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G, ISO200, Manual mode, f8, 1/125s, Nikon sb700 triggered wirelessly via CLS and bounced into an umbrella to camera left.

Inside the Crypt of the Domkyrka in Lund, Sweden.

Nikon D90, Nikkor 35mm f1.8G DX, ISO800, Aperture Priority mode, f2.8, 1/6s, hand held, edited in Corel Paintshop Pro X4.

Another Take on Photographing a Bottle of Wine

As you know I recently posted something on shooting a bottle of wine in a light tent, to see it CLICK HERE.

Well, this time around I wanted to try something a little different than the last shoot and go for an entirely different look.

The Power of Bounced Flash!

Nikon sb600 atop my D300s turned backwards and about 45° upwards to bounce onto the wall and ceiling behind me. This simple technique resulted in even and soft lighting from a large light source and great highlights in the eyes of the subjects!

Should I work for Free?

Click on the link below for a well laid out and easy to implement graph to help you decide if you should indeed work for free:

Should I Work for Free?

And here is a handy jpeg (you can download it from the site above) that I am going to print out and hang in my office for easy reference:

:-)

Portrait of Ben (with Attitude)

Elinchrom D-Lite-it 4 snooted and shot from behind and right of the subject to give a little hair light action, Elinchrom D-Lite-it 4 through a smallish softbox aimed to just skim across the subject from camera left without throwing too much light onto the background, edited in Lightroom 4.3 to grunge the portrait up a bit. I used my favourite 50mm f1.8D attached to a Nikon D300s, with all manual settings applied.

Head to Head Shoot-out: Nikon NX2 vs Lightroom 4.3 vs DXO 8

For everyone expecting a full size analysis with clever, long and fancy words I am afraid you are going to be very disappointed. This is a straight shoot-out between Nikon NX2, Lightroom 4.3 and DXO 8. As such I will just show a number of photos that have been given only very basic and gentle massaging in all three programs. In DXO 8 it was entirely default settings, in Nikon NX2 I checked the buttons for auto repair of chromatic aberrations (CA's) while all other settings were left unchanged from default, and in Lightroom 4.3 I checked the boxes that enables the profile correction for camera and lens combination and that corrects for CA's while all other settings were left unchanged from default.

I used a hand held Nikon D90 with a Nikkor AF-S DX 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR attached. The lens is well known for having loads of distortion and CA's.

One Bottle of Wine, One Light Tent and Two Elinchrom D-lite-it 4's.

A very simple set-up to photograph the bottle of Pomerol wine shown above: