Monday, October 5, 2009
Another Photo Makes It To ADIDAP's Flickr Round
I post photos to several groups on Flickr. One of those is the All Day I Dream About Photograpy (adidap.com) group. I have a second photo featured in the Flickr Round. Woo Hoo! Makes me feel good. Here is the post. Here is the photo. It made #10 but I'm not sure if they are rated. Probably not.
Plastic Fantastic. Gotta Love It.
My 50mm f/1.8. I love this lens. Anyone who has one must agree with me on this. At first I was a little dissapointed with the results I was getting. Not consistent with the focus. Turned out to be my 50D's autofocus. I did a little micro adjusting and things are great now. I won't live with the lens on my camera but I sure have a new found respect for this inexpensive little lens.
Here are a few of my favorites from the last couple of weeks.
Chris.
Here are a few of my favorites from the last couple of weeks.
Chris.
Photo Of The Day - 275 of 365. Portrait Session.
Saturday October 3 2009.
I did a portrait session for some friends of mine today. I haven't worked on them much yet but I really like this shot.
I did a portrait session for some friends of mine today. I haven't worked on them much yet but I really like this shot.
Canon 50D, EF50mm f/1.8 II, ISO 400, f/2.8 for 1/50 sec.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Photo Of The Day - 274 of 365. Sanitizer Reflection.
Friday October 2 2009.
That time of year is here again. Good Ol' flu season.
That time of year is here again. Good Ol' flu season.
Canon 50D, EF50mm f/1.8 II, ISO 100, f/1.8 for 1/50 sec.
Work Flow.
Recently, I was asked by my friend Corey Teeple about my work flow and how deciding to convert to DNG would affect that work flow. I gave some hard thought to my work flow. Basically after the shoot it goes like this.
That's pretty much how I roll. Deciding to convert to DNG allows me to have the development information embedded in the file so I won't loose it. Other than slowing the import a bit, I don't think it will affect my work flow at all. I will sometimes try something new maybe do some black and white conversions but not much. I just love the vibrant color.
I would love to hear how others go about thier work flow. Leave me a comment and lets compare.
Follow me on Twitter.
Chris.
- I import to Lightroom via a card reader. It's faster than connecting the camera to the computer. I used to import to a folder for each date but over the last couple of years I found that to be a nightmare for archiving. Lightroom has such great filtering tools that I just don't need to break them down that far. I import them into a general import folder then every month I back those up to dvds and move the photos to a yearly folder using Lightroom. I have a couple of presets that I use during import that give me a general starting point for my editing and add some basic data into the exif.
- In the library module I now go through the shoot and select the photos that will get further consideration using a simple flagged/not flagged system. I add my keywords even to the ones I'm not flagging. Then I filter for just the flagged photos. Some photographers will delete the ones they did not flag to save room but I keep them. You never know when an out of focus photo will work well with a new creative filter in photoshop that has not come out yet. I keep them just in case. Besides, disc space is cheap these days.
- Now I move on to the develop module for some basic editing. I check the white balance, exposure, sharpness, crop on all the photos just to make sure they are the way I like them or what the client likes. Then I'll dive into some curves adjustments, HSL adjustments, maybe some contrast or just some black level adjustment. I don't do a whole lot of post processing on the majority of my photos. I like the natural look to them having a film background and being at the mercy of the developers has caused that I think. But sometimes I just see the need for some work in photoshop and for that I use Photoshop Elements. It has the majority of the tools that I would ever need.
- Now I will go through the flagged photos and give them a rating a 3 or a 5 depending on how much I like it. I usually only give the 5s to the client but I'll work on the 3s a little more and see if I can jump it up to a 5.
- If the photo is noisy, I'll send it out to Noiseninja as a TIFF for some work there. Love that program by the way.
- I've been playing with an evaluation copy of Imagenomic Portraiture. All I can say is WOW! Even I looked good after that program. LOL.
- After bringing the TIFF back into Lightroom I'll either export it out as a high res JPG or upload it to Flickr. If I put them on Flickr for a client to review, I create a set just for them and make all the photos private. I send them a guest pass to the set for them to look at. I am looking at using possibly Smug Mug as a back end in the future.
- Occasionaly I do some prints which I send to London Drugs of all places here in Edmonton. The store I use does a great job and they are very consistent. Pricing is great too.
That's pretty much how I roll. Deciding to convert to DNG allows me to have the development information embedded in the file so I won't loose it. Other than slowing the import a bit, I don't think it will affect my work flow at all. I will sometimes try something new maybe do some black and white conversions but not much. I just love the vibrant color.
I would love to hear how others go about thier work flow. Leave me a comment and lets compare.
Follow me on Twitter.
Chris.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Budding Photographer Interview - Val K (Tacogal on Flickr)
When I look through the photos Val shares on Flickr, I see such vivid color and fun shots. I'd call her style photojournalistic in nature but that just scratches the surface. Her floral photos are stunning.
Photographer name: Val K aka Tacogal
1 ) How long have you been interested in photography?
Three years ago I got my first DSLR and was hooked. Prior to that I used a Pentax SLR starting back in the 70’s mostly slides. At that time we were living in Northern Manitoba and all our film was sent to Winnipeg for developing and that usually took 2 weeks. Wow how life has changed.
2 ) What got you started in photography?
As a child my family hardly ever took photos, so when I married and started my own family I vowed that there would be lots of photos. Of course living in Northern Manitoba for 5 yrs we took a lot of photos of nature as the country was just so beautiful. From those early days we have 1000’s of slides which we have begun to scan and transfer to cd’s.When we started our family the camera was always at hand. To this day I am always the person at every function that is busy clicking photos.
3 ) Do you have any photographers who's work you admire?
No one person in particular however since joining Flickr I certainly have enjoyed several members work especially in our FOTD group. I have read almost every Scott Kelby book and have learned so much about post processing from his books.
4 ) What inspires you to make photographs?
As the seasons change I find my inspiration also changes. Fortunately living on the west coast I can usually be outdoors comfortably in all four season. However I do find in the winter months my photography does move indoors more.
5 ) Do you have a specific style that you like to shoot? Such as portraits, fine art, photojournalism etc.
I am not sure that I have a specific style yet if I had to pick one it would probably be photojournalism.
6 ) What is your favorite photographic subject?
I love the outdoors and nature photography. My garden and flowers give me an endless source of photo opportunities which I really enjoy.
7 ) What gear do you shoot with?
Three years ago I was given my Canon Rebel XTi for Christmas. The two kit lens that came with the camera have been used very little as I purchased the Sigma DC 18-200 and primarily use that. My “Purse” camera that goes absolutely everywhere with me is the Canon G10 which I absolutely love!!
8 ) What is your favorite lens?
Sigma DC 18-200 and am dreaming of a macro lens!!
9 ) Do you shoot in Apeture Priority, Shutter Priority or Manual?
Primarily I shoot in Apeture however I am trying to become more comfortable with my Manual settings.
10 ) Where do you see your photography in 10 years?
I am a total hobbyist and have no aspiration to go pro. However I aspire to achieve more professional results to share with my friends and family. I would like to take some photography classes to further challenge my skills.
11 ) Do you have a tip for our readers?
Always have a camera with you, even it is a basic point and shoot. Take lots and lots of photos! Also read as much as you can about taking better photos. There is so much free information on the internet and all we have to do is read, listen and watch.
12 )Do you have a favorite photo of yours that you would like to share with us?
This photo of the marina in Sidney, BC from the deck of wonderful restaurant that we often dine at.
Photographer name: Val K aka Tacogal
1 ) How long have you been interested in photography?
Three years ago I got my first DSLR and was hooked. Prior to that I used a Pentax SLR starting back in the 70’s mostly slides. At that time we were living in Northern Manitoba and all our film was sent to Winnipeg for developing and that usually took 2 weeks. Wow how life has changed.
2 ) What got you started in photography?
As a child my family hardly ever took photos, so when I married and started my own family I vowed that there would be lots of photos. Of course living in Northern Manitoba for 5 yrs we took a lot of photos of nature as the country was just so beautiful. From those early days we have 1000’s of slides which we have begun to scan and transfer to cd’s.When we started our family the camera was always at hand. To this day I am always the person at every function that is busy clicking photos.
3 ) Do you have any photographers who's work you admire?
No one person in particular however since joining Flickr I certainly have enjoyed several members work especially in our FOTD group. I have read almost every Scott Kelby book and have learned so much about post processing from his books.
4 ) What inspires you to make photographs?
As the seasons change I find my inspiration also changes. Fortunately living on the west coast I can usually be outdoors comfortably in all four season. However I do find in the winter months my photography does move indoors more.
5 ) Do you have a specific style that you like to shoot? Such as portraits, fine art, photojournalism etc.
I am not sure that I have a specific style yet if I had to pick one it would probably be photojournalism.
6 ) What is your favorite photographic subject?
I love the outdoors and nature photography. My garden and flowers give me an endless source of photo opportunities which I really enjoy.
7 ) What gear do you shoot with?
Three years ago I was given my Canon Rebel XTi for Christmas. The two kit lens that came with the camera have been used very little as I purchased the Sigma DC 18-200 and primarily use that. My “Purse” camera that goes absolutely everywhere with me is the Canon G10 which I absolutely love!!
8 ) What is your favorite lens?
Sigma DC 18-200 and am dreaming of a macro lens!!
9 ) Do you shoot in Apeture Priority, Shutter Priority or Manual?
Primarily I shoot in Apeture however I am trying to become more comfortable with my Manual settings.
10 ) Where do you see your photography in 10 years?
I am a total hobbyist and have no aspiration to go pro. However I aspire to achieve more professional results to share with my friends and family. I would like to take some photography classes to further challenge my skills.
11 ) Do you have a tip for our readers?
Always have a camera with you, even it is a basic point and shoot. Take lots and lots of photos! Also read as much as you can about taking better photos. There is so much free information on the internet and all we have to do is read, listen and watch.
12 )Do you have a favorite photo of yours that you would like to share with us?
This photo of the marina in Sidney, BC from the deck of wonderful restaurant that we often dine at.
Thank you very much Val for sharing your story with us. I encourage everyone to check out Val's photo stream. I'm sure you will find inspiration there.
Obsessed or Passionate?
I've been told I'm obsessed about photography. I call it passionate. It's been said I take photos of the dumbest things. OK, sometimes I have to agree with with that. But still, it's practice. The more photos I take the better I get. I wouldn't keep doing it if my skill didn't improve. I don't think a photo of a coffee cup on a urinal is stupid, it's art, well sort of.I'm sure I'm not the first one to do that. What would the world be if we didn't laugh at all these obserdities?What's my point.....I don't recall. I just had to find a way to post a photo of a coffee cup on a urinal. Gotcha.
Don't tell me that this photo didn't make you laugh or at least smile.
Chris.
To Convert To DNG or Not To Convert To DNG - That Was The Question.
Note I said was the question. I've decided to make the jump into the DNG file format instead of sticking with my proprietory RAW files.
Why? Well smaller files for one. Embeded develope settings for another. No more sidecar files to lose! Also, Adobe has opened the DNG format up to the world so it will live on. I've been watching to see what would happen with the DNG format for quite a while now and I'm happy to see it be opened up to the world.
If it's good enough for Scott Bourne, it's good enough for me.
Chris.
Why? Well smaller files for one. Embeded develope settings for another. No more sidecar files to lose! Also, Adobe has opened the DNG format up to the world so it will live on. I've been watching to see what would happen with the DNG format for quite a while now and I'm happy to see it be opened up to the world.
If it's good enough for Scott Bourne, it's good enough for me.
Chris.
Photo Of The Day - 273 of 365. Morning Frost.
Thursday October 1 2009. As I sat in my -4C truck waiting for the heat to warm the truck wishing I had thought about starting it sooner, I noticed the melting frost and the street lights shining in the water and ice. Put a smile on my face so early in the morning. Hence a photo of the day already!
Canon 50D, EF50mm f/1.8 II, ISO 800, f/1.8 for 1/8 sec.
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