Over at ADR Studio they seem to be working on a wonderful project. It looks like an iPhone, but is an Instamatic like camera that will print out a self adhesive photo. With built in WiFi and Bluetooth, you can upload the images directly to Facebook or Instagram (with an internet connection).
Click over and take a look at the photos... Very cool Idea..
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Is it a product shot, or is it to "Arty" for that?
Well I think it's time to start a little more talk..
I have tossed around the idea of doing a few product shots, not only for more practice, but just to build a portfolio of a salable style and an expansion of my talents.
This is a shot I started to practice with on Sunday. Out of about 7 shots, I chose this one based simply on it's position in the frame and clarity of the shot. It has a lovely High Key playful background; really crispy crunchy tones and contrast; and some interesting shadow in the shift lever blade.
But I beg to ask, is it a product shot or is it to "Arty"??
shimano_lever, a photo by Phynyght Studio on Flickr.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Four beats to the bar and no Cheating..
I have to say that if you know anything about Modern Photographers or Art and the name David Bailey doesn't pop up, I would be shocked..
He has seen and done more than any of us would ever imagine. His portraits are just sublime. His art takes on an unusual dark sinister look, but remaining distinctly beautiful at the same time. They are so Picasso like, just dreamy and wonderful. His playful nature seems to bring a quality out of his subjects that NO ONE ELSE could even get.
He is truly a man that should be revered..
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Pick a Lens and go shoot!!!
As a photographer we like having a bunch of the best kit (we can afford) and being able to shoot as many beautiful images as we can.
Lens selection is probably something a lot of starting out photographers seem more daunting than actually selecting the Camera body. There are so many lens's out there and they all sound kinda the same, but are all very different. One thing I have always wanted was someone to give a brief description of Lens selection and why you would use that lens. I was never able to find anything like it around, so I thought "What the hell, I will give it a crack".
So here is a list of lens types (based on the basics) and why you might choose them. I will also give you a quick rundown of what's currently in my bag.
Really there are only a couple of types of lens:
Prime Lens: These are super nifty and can be quite cheap. Most fixed sizes are available from 20mm up to 200mm. Where does a Prime fit, well they are kinda the "Old School" of shooting. You use your feet for zoom (in or out) and pick the f for the depth of field.
Zoom Lens: These are a bit broader and come in many different configurations. A Zoom will replace a fist full of primes, and if you get a really lovely fast lens, it will replace the Primes with just as beautiful crisp photo.
Tilt Shift: These wont be used by many in the General Population, but are a great idea if you want to specialize in Architecture photography. They are also great fun to play with for exaggerated portraits or whimsical landscapes.
Macro: These lens's are the gift to Entomologists and Botany photographs the world over. I have seen these with a focusing distance of as short as 5cm and a reproduction of image to 1:1!! Amazing results can be had. These are great for anything up close.
Fish Eye: Do you need a lens that will give you 180 degree range of sight, then get a Fish Eye. These things have been used for things as simple as Landscapes and House Interiors, and they are perfect for that. They have a wonderful "Forced" field of view that is very quirky and distorted. Use the Fish Eye for a modern day Portrait, or go find that lovely Outdoors area where you have always wondered ho to get it all in the frame.
They are all they basic types. So what the hell do you do now!!!
I think the myth of lens's needs to be broken a little. Do you need to spend 2-3K on a lens? Maybe. I say maybe because as a consumer and someone who is kinda frugal, I don't want to be spilling out cash all the time. My dad once said "Smart people buy once and Poor People buy all the time" and that is to be said for Lens's.
So shooting Weddings, Zooms are your friend!!! I think out of all the Wedding guys I know would use 2 lens's all day long and that's it!! They would have a 24-70mm and a 70mm-200mm both in a really fast f2.8 and shoot all day long. It gives them such a wonderful range of shooting options and the convenience of 2 simple shooting options, and only having to change from one lens to the other (if you don't have 2 bodies) is just perfect.
Landscape people, your even easier. ANY LENS IS FINE!! Yep I said it!! OK, spending up on a say LOVELY 24mm Prime in f 1.8 will give some amazingly crisp and clean images, but really? If your starting out on Landscapes and Urban, kit lens's are just fine but the wider the better. These weird super dooper 50-500mm zooms are useless and serve no purpose at all. My landscapes are probably 90% 35mm f 1.8 lens and that's it. I might go to a 50mm just to tighten up my view and focal point, but nothing much more than that. I would LOVE a say 14mm Fish Eye, but at the moment I can't justify the money.
So really, there is no right or wrong lens for you to use, but have a really good think about what your going to photograph. I would even go to the point of say you should really go rent a lens for the weekend and try it out. That way before you outlay some major coin, you know it will work for what you need. I'm of the opinion that if it covers 75% of your shooting needs, it's worth the cash.
So my bag? Well I'm a Nikon user and currently carry these lens's.
Nikkor DX 35mm f1.8G (made to give 35mm on DX format sensor)
Nikkor 50mm f1.8D
Nikkor 85mm f1.8D
Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 HSM
I might give the Sigma the Heave Ho because I find it a bit "Soft" on the edges. Its a lovely lens, but for some of the shot's I'm trying to achieve, it's just not sharp enough. So I will end up getting the Nikon version, but will decide on a D ring or G ring (D ring has no Vibration Reduction).
So If I have confused you more, let me know what you want to shoot and I will try and give you an idea of what I would get..
Lens selection is probably something a lot of starting out photographers seem more daunting than actually selecting the Camera body. There are so many lens's out there and they all sound kinda the same, but are all very different. One thing I have always wanted was someone to give a brief description of Lens selection and why you would use that lens. I was never able to find anything like it around, so I thought "What the hell, I will give it a crack".
So here is a list of lens types (based on the basics) and why you might choose them. I will also give you a quick rundown of what's currently in my bag.
Really there are only a couple of types of lens:
Prime Lens: These are super nifty and can be quite cheap. Most fixed sizes are available from 20mm up to 200mm. Where does a Prime fit, well they are kinda the "Old School" of shooting. You use your feet for zoom (in or out) and pick the f for the depth of field.
Zoom Lens: These are a bit broader and come in many different configurations. A Zoom will replace a fist full of primes, and if you get a really lovely fast lens, it will replace the Primes with just as beautiful crisp photo.
Tilt Shift: These wont be used by many in the General Population, but are a great idea if you want to specialize in Architecture photography. They are also great fun to play with for exaggerated portraits or whimsical landscapes.
Macro: These lens's are the gift to Entomologists and Botany photographs the world over. I have seen these with a focusing distance of as short as 5cm and a reproduction of image to 1:1!! Amazing results can be had. These are great for anything up close.
Fish Eye: Do you need a lens that will give you 180 degree range of sight, then get a Fish Eye. These things have been used for things as simple as Landscapes and House Interiors, and they are perfect for that. They have a wonderful "Forced" field of view that is very quirky and distorted. Use the Fish Eye for a modern day Portrait, or go find that lovely Outdoors area where you have always wondered ho to get it all in the frame.
They are all they basic types. So what the hell do you do now!!!
I think the myth of lens's needs to be broken a little. Do you need to spend 2-3K on a lens? Maybe. I say maybe because as a consumer and someone who is kinda frugal, I don't want to be spilling out cash all the time. My dad once said "Smart people buy once and Poor People buy all the time" and that is to be said for Lens's.
So shooting Weddings, Zooms are your friend!!! I think out of all the Wedding guys I know would use 2 lens's all day long and that's it!! They would have a 24-70mm and a 70mm-200mm both in a really fast f2.8 and shoot all day long. It gives them such a wonderful range of shooting options and the convenience of 2 simple shooting options, and only having to change from one lens to the other (if you don't have 2 bodies) is just perfect.
Landscape people, your even easier. ANY LENS IS FINE!! Yep I said it!! OK, spending up on a say LOVELY 24mm Prime in f 1.8 will give some amazingly crisp and clean images, but really? If your starting out on Landscapes and Urban, kit lens's are just fine but the wider the better. These weird super dooper 50-500mm zooms are useless and serve no purpose at all. My landscapes are probably 90% 35mm f 1.8 lens and that's it. I might go to a 50mm just to tighten up my view and focal point, but nothing much more than that. I would LOVE a say 14mm Fish Eye, but at the moment I can't justify the money.
So really, there is no right or wrong lens for you to use, but have a really good think about what your going to photograph. I would even go to the point of say you should really go rent a lens for the weekend and try it out. That way before you outlay some major coin, you know it will work for what you need. I'm of the opinion that if it covers 75% of your shooting needs, it's worth the cash.
So my bag? Well I'm a Nikon user and currently carry these lens's.
Nikkor DX 35mm f1.8G (made to give 35mm on DX format sensor)
Nikkor 50mm f1.8D
Nikkor 85mm f1.8D
Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 HSM
I might give the Sigma the Heave Ho because I find it a bit "Soft" on the edges. Its a lovely lens, but for some of the shot's I'm trying to achieve, it's just not sharp enough. So I will end up getting the Nikon version, but will decide on a D ring or G ring (D ring has no Vibration Reduction).
So If I have confused you more, let me know what you want to shoot and I will try and give you an idea of what I would get..
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Teenage Paparazzo
Some viewing for the day.
This is kinda an old film, but is a very good film. It's a little one sided.
Austin Visschedyk is a 13 year old Pap that Adrian Grenier thinks he can "Save" from the scene.
I do enjoy this film a lot.
Adrian is a really good narrator. He looks under and around as many stones and people to try and get to the bottom of what it is. He show what it is that Austin sees in what he does, and even has a go at being a pap himself. He get's some kudos from the other Paps, which in turn get's him deeper into the story. They actually open up to him a little.
If you haven't ever taken the time to watch it, do so. It's 90min of shear disgust, delight, and complete mesmerizing discord.
If your a Fotoblur Member.... Please Vote....
This is the one and only lovely Kathy Angelone.
I have taken a fair amount of portraits in my time, but nothing as awe inspiring and personal. I love this photograph so much.
I'm hoping to get this image into Fotoblur Magazine, so I need everyone to go over there and vote. If you click the "Vote to Promote" arrow at the side of the image here, the more votes I get the more likely it will end up in the magazine.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE VOTE!!!
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