The fun of manipulating photographs digitally is all very well, but when does it become too much?
17 Nov 2010
Photo too Overworked?
The fun of manipulating photographs digitally is all very well, but when does it become too much?
4 Nov 2010
New camera technology? Who cares?
Photography is and always will be first and foremost about creating memories! Years from now that great new wonder camera will be forgotten, but the memories that remain in print will be passed on from generation to generation. One day you will forget what resolution that Japanese techno-wiz ultra spec had or how sharp that German wunder kamera was, but you will always be able to step back in time and recall those memories from yesteryear just by looking at the photos you once took, regardless of the quality of the camera or lens.
Here is one of my late Grandpa, (who I loved very much) taken with my first camera, a Box Brownie. Who cares if it is out of focus, or the colours are not quite right? Who bothers to remember what the specs were of the camera? This is my enduring memory of Grandpa, a cheerful, loving grandfather with slightly wild eyebrows!
How about that first day off to school? I don't even remember how ugly the cars were back then except by this photo! And boy, was I ever a cute kid! ;-)
And finally, here are my great-grandparents that I never even met!
After all these years the memories remain!
So here are the lessons to be learnt from this little walk down memory lane:
1.) Always have a camera with you.
2.) Take lots of photos of your family, you never know how long they will be with you.
3.) Worry less about how sharp your pics are in the corners wide open, it really doesn't make for better memories!
4.) Your ancestors were probably better looking than you. ;-)
(If you are doing paid work for clients the advice above doesn't count, give them the best you possibly can.)
Add some of your own benefits below:
Here is one of my late Grandpa, (who I loved very much) taken with my first camera, a Box Brownie. Who cares if it is out of focus, or the colours are not quite right? Who bothers to remember what the specs were of the camera? This is my enduring memory of Grandpa, a cheerful, loving grandfather with slightly wild eyebrows!
How about that first day off to school? I don't even remember how ugly the cars were back then except by this photo! And boy, was I ever a cute kid! ;-)
And finally, here are my great-grandparents that I never even met!
So here are the lessons to be learnt from this little walk down memory lane:
1.) Always have a camera with you.
2.) Take lots of photos of your family, you never know how long they will be with you.
3.) Worry less about how sharp your pics are in the corners wide open, it really doesn't make for better memories!
4.) Your ancestors were probably better looking than you. ;-)
(If you are doing paid work for clients the advice above doesn't count, give them the best you possibly can.)
Add some of your own benefits below:
1 Nov 2010
29 Oct 2010
Convex Mirror for my Strobist DIY Beauty Dish!
My Convex Mirror for my Strobist DIY Beauty Dish arrived at Midas in Centurion today, so I went and picked it up! It was a grand total of R25 (US$3.27), so not too bad.
Here it is by itself:
And here it is mounted inside the CD spindle cover:
The idea is that the convex mirror will throw more of the light from my SB600 flash into the white bowl of my Strobist DIY Beauty Dish and distribute it more effectively towards myvictims willing volunteer models. More light is always a good thing in photography.
The ugly mug hiding behind the camera is me.
;-)
Sample photos to follow soon, watch this space!
Here it is by itself:
And here it is mounted inside the CD spindle cover:
The idea is that the convex mirror will throw more of the light from my SB600 flash into the white bowl of my Strobist DIY Beauty Dish and distribute it more effectively towards my
The ugly mug hiding behind the camera is me.
;-)
Sample photos to follow soon, watch this space!
26 Oct 2010
23 Oct 2010
Strobist DIY Beauty Dish, on the cheap!
Some of you may remember that a while back I made my own flash diffuser. The original post is here. Well, I am sad to say that it was a dismal failure! In fact I couldn't tell the difference between photos taken with or without my diffusion disaster... at least it didn't cost me anything!
But for some time now I have wanted to build something more effective, a Strobist DIY Beauty Dish! Woohoo! But would it work?
Stuff I used:
1. Old flower pot
2. CD spindle case
3. White and black spray paint
4. Plain white piece of plastic
5. 4mm rivets and washers
6. White silicon
7. Stanley knife
But for some time now I have wanted to build something more effective, a Strobist DIY Beauty Dish! Woohoo! But would it work?
Stuff I used:
1. Old flower pot
2. CD spindle case
3. White and black spray paint
4. Plain white piece of plastic
5. 4mm rivets and washers
6. White silicon
7. Stanley knife
19 Oct 2010
Monochrome Waterfall - The "magic" of black and white film.
I may have posted this one in the past, but when looking through my photos this morning I was struck by how wonderful real black and white film looks and how, try as I might, I just don't quite seem to be able to replicate that look by converting from digital. Can anybody explain to me what the magic of black and white film is? And have you had any success getting your digital to get that same look? If so, please let me know how, I am sure there must be others out there wanting the same answers!
Nikon F801s, Nikkor 50mm f1.8D, Ilford XP2 Super, polarising filter to get rid of reflections, 5 second exposure on a tripod, developed in C41 by my local lab, scanned on a CanoScan 5600F, edited in the GIMP.
17 Oct 2010
I found a true artist!
As I mentioned here: Am I an artist now? I have heard that you are not a real artist until you have photographed a toilet, so using that criteria I have deduced that my friend Chun Chung Lee over at Light Frame Photography is a true artist in the very real sense of the word! Check out this beautiful photo right here: Time For Reflection
A hearty round of applause is in order!
A hearty round of applause is in order!
16 Oct 2010
Featured Photographer - John Sevigny
Love him or hate him, the guy certainly stirs up emotions and makes you sit up and take notice!
This is my favourite John Sevigny photograph, something in this pic just speaks to me:
A whole lot more John Sevigny here: www.johnsevigny.com and here: http://gonecity.blogspot.com/
This is my favourite John Sevigny photograph, something in this pic just speaks to me:
A whole lot more John Sevigny here: www.johnsevigny.com and here: http://gonecity.blogspot.com/
15 Oct 2010
Ellie - Cross Processed!
Another of Ellie, but this time by natural light and run through the "Cross Process" plugin of Paintshop Photo Pro X3.
14 Oct 2010
Low Key Portrait
I attended an excellent studio lighting workshop by Pat Bredenkamp today and at the end we were allowed to play with the lights for a bit, so I had some fun! Single 250 watt studio light high right and slightly behind the model with snoot and honeycomb grid.
12 Oct 2010
The Aliens have landed!!
I was bored and decided to have a little fun with an LED flash-light, my tripod and a few victims willing volunteers!
 |
| Arrested by the Aliens! |
 |
| Bedazzled by the Aliens! |
7 Oct 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)