Monday 7 December 2009
No Pixels where harmed
Lets look at it this way, we spend a fortune on cameras that can capture the smallest detail, along with the sharpest lenses. We shoot in raw (well at least we should) and then it comes to making some modifications to the image in photoshop and if we read some of even the best photoshop gurus, we get started with patch tools, clone tools etc and of course the blur tool to "smooth the skin" What we are doing is damaging pixels, you might not know it at first, but I can bet if you get an image printed large, and I do from time to time, you will notice the damage.
Recomendation for you, go and read works from Gry Garness Better still go any buy her retouching for CS4, its so worth the money at £24. Learn to re-touch with simpathy.
Beleve me, photoshop is so much better when No Pixels where harmed.
Mart
Monday 27 July 2009
Strobist meet
The weather behaved and a good time was had by all.
A great mixture of modifiers, brollies, grids and softboxes used and also a play at high speed syncing with pocket wizzards. Got to organise the next one now :-)
Mart
Tuesday 30 June 2009
Carture one
Comparing the pricing means that with the tethered option Capture one is actually making sense.
More examples and thoughts to come.
Mart.
Sunday 21 June 2009
Sunset
Sunday 14 June 2009
Something different
Thursday 11 June 2009
Masks we wear part 3
Wednesday 10 June 2009
The masks we wear part2
Mart
Thursday 21 May 2009
The masks we wear
Its been an eventfull week for me. No details but I have not had a camera in my hand for a few days, and that allways gets to me. I have a raft of new projects, ideas and just stuff I want to do.
I tried a few ideas out and one has stuck with me. This is just a test shot but it will give you a feel for part of the image I hope will come together this week.
Saturday 16 May 2009
Lost Light
HERE
Much to do,
Cheers,
Mart.
Thursday 14 May 2009
High Speed Sync
Hi Speed sync off camera,
Ok I found this by accident and it has become a very useful tool in my lighting. Tricking an off camera flash, be it a small hot shoe or a larger power pack strobe into high speed sync. I only know this works with Nikon, sorry all you Cannon shooters.
What you need:-
Camera, obviously!! Works with my D700 or D300 no problems and should work with any Nikon that has the Auto (FP) setting option in the camera.
SB800 Flash. I use the SB800 because, I have one and it’s got an external PC port.
A pair of pocket wizards. This does not work with the cheaper Chinese radio triggers, sorry but it just doesn’t.
An external flash that could be another hot shoe, or an AlienBee or an Elenchrom Ranger (if you have one I either hate you or love you, but only if you’ll lend it to me!!)
Ok, put your Nikon into High speed FP sync mode in the menu (that’s the flash, bracketing menu)
Put your SB800 on the camera in TTL mode and it will tell you it has gone into FP mode automatically.
Now comes the trick bit!!
Connect a PW via the camera flash port to the SB800. Take another PW and attach normally to the off camera flash you want to fire. Set your off camera flash to full power and bingo!! It syncs at whatever speed you want it to!!
I find it a great addition for adding some nice fill on a very sunny day, or stopping some fast motion. I know Nikons CLS will do the same, but it just does not have the range or work that well in very sunny weather for me.
Don’t ask me how it works, I don’t know.
Set up pics and test pics to follow.
Cheers,
Mart
Saturday 9 May 2009
New Direction
As part of our direction for the next year, we are splitting the blogs and soon to be web sites in two. MS photoraphy blog will keep you up to date with out comercial and sports orientated work and we are launching Lost-Light as a pure people photgraphy endeavour. Its going to be a fun 12 months or so pushing the boundries of what we can offer.
Catch the Lost-Light Blog HERE
A big thanks to tallented photographer Glyn Dewis for mentioning me on his Blog HERE Glyn asked for opinions on his new site and for those that know me, if you ask you will get an honest reply. For all you Nikon users Glyn has a very good description of using multiple exposures in camera to get some great effects.
Now down to work,
Cheers,
Mart.
Tuesday 5 May 2009
Strobist Meet
Great backdrops of the Dee estury and the views into North Wales. Will be holding another in the not to distant future.