Tuesday, November 30, 2010
WEDDING DRESS WEDNESDAY
Fall 2010 by Jim Hjelm Blush
And it gets better. When you're done drooling over these fabulous dresses and are left sitting there wondering how to get your hands on one, With Love Bridal Boutique in Stittsville comes to the rescue! With Love is hosting the Blush by Jim Hjelm trunk show from December 3rd until the 11th. For two weeks only the entire 2010 Fall collection will be in store for you to see first hand. Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity!
To set up an appointment contact With Love Bridal Boutique via email at info@withlovebridalboutique.ca or by phone at 613-435-5542.
Armageddon
Photographer: Anirudh khusape
Do you all know what is Armageddon?
Armageddon means the End,the end of the world either by natural or man made factors.You all might be familiar with the Mayans Calendar that predicted "The world would end by 21st December 2010" well lets see! Guys this is December rolf!.Different cultures,religions across the globe have predicted different dates of Armageddon,based on planetary movements and calenders.
If you liked the post you might like Honey Bee
Freedom!
Enjoying Sunset
If you liked this beautiful sunset,you might also like Anti Gravity . Join our fan-page
Monday, November 29, 2010
Zack Arias OneLight Workshop review...
I can save you the time of reading this review and tell you straight up that the OneLight Workshop DVD from Zack Arias is number one on the list of things you should own of you want to learn photography. There is no close second, this is by far the leader of the pack.
Which relly only leaves you two choices, you can head over and buy the OneLight DVD right now, or take a few minutes to read this and THEN head over to buy it.
Before I slipped the first DVD into the machine I already new I was a HUGE Zack Arias fan, because unlike many folks I read covers, inserts, and anything else that comes with the DVD and as I came to the end of the insert in the OneLight DVD case I read the following:
"My goal with the DVD is to give you a solid foundation of how light works and how to manipulate it... but I also want to be a voice in your life that encourages you to take care of your family FIRST. Put away your credit cards, turn off your computer, and enjoy the life this industry affords us. Photography will require everything of you if you let it. Even your family. Don't let it take your family."
I knew right then it did not matter how good (or bad) the DVD was, I could not respect Zack any more than I did right then.
The DVD started out great and ended the same way.
Now, for the review.
Zack says in the very beginning that if you take a shot thinking "I can fix that in Photoshop" that "you need to slap yourself as hard as you can in the head because you are being lazy and mediocre" and I could not agree more.
Everything in this workshop DVD is taught (and learned) in manual mode on both the camera and the flash, which means ALL of the thinking will be done by you, NOT your gear.
Fear not, there is no math involved.
The first "Chapter" starts with explaining the five variables of exposure:
1. Shutter speed
2. Aperture
3. Flash Power
4. Flash to subject distance
5. ISO
This is then followed by one of the best demonstrations I have ever seen of how shutter speed (which controls ambient exposure) impacts your image by including or excluding ambient light.
Zack then moves through the remaining 4 exposure variables with equally impressive demonstrations.
Once we have been given what we need to know about exposure Zack walks us through a basic lighting gear talk (stands, hot shoes, cold shoes, sync cords, triggers, modifiers, and lights), what we need to know about the gear we can use in the studio and on the road to "get the light right".
I found every bit of this interesting, informative, and essential to know before you ever touch the camera.
Then the real fun begins, Zack then takes us into the studio where we start applying all of the "stuff" that came before.
But before he starts shooting he talks about how to act as a professional photographer with your clients, especially when it comes to female clients.
When he does start using the camera Zack starts by shooting images that suck, by using on camera flash (with and with flash modifiers). Yup, images with hard, harsh shadows and flat subjects.
He then start shooting with off camera flash and Zack made them suck too... just so he could show us how we would go about fixing them.
Then for the next several hours we are taken to (and through) different shooting scenarios, inside and out, daylight (learn how to over power it) and night, each with it's own set of difficulties to overcome and Zack shows us how to shoot it correctly so that the shot is great "in camera".
Even something simple like an electrical outlet on the studio wall, it would be a quick and simple fix in Photoshop but Zack shows us how to work around that too. He covers them all, from big to little and everything in-between.
Before this DVD I never would have thought of shooting a subject with the umbrella closed around my flash, But I would now.
There are a ton of new things I am thinking now and you will be too, I promise. There is also so much more in this workshop DVD than I can cover here (like post production in Lightroom and Photoshop), but know that if you buy this you'll be getting one phenomenal educational opportunity.
The OneLight DVD should be on the top of your Christmas list, email it to your friends and family, leave every computer browser window opened to the order page, or if you want to be less subtle ask every day "did you order my OneLight DVD yet?".
Do whatever it takes.
Here is a 7 minute video montage from the 2 DVD worskhop. Enjoy.
Caught while Mating!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Beach
Friday, November 26, 2010
Big Butterfly (Attacus atlas)
Photographer:Hakeem
Attacus atlas this moth is found in the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia. Their bodies are hairy and disproportionately small compared to their wings. Male Atlas moths are distinguished from females by their smaller size, more tapered wings, and larger, bushier antennae.Neither sex possess fully formed mouthparts and therefore do not feed; throughout their 1–2-week adult life they survive entirely on larval fat reserves that they build up while they are caterpillars. Isn't it amazing?
You will love this post too Nature
Unusual places
Black Friday memory specials!
SanDisk 4GB Ultra Compact Flash Memory Card with 30MB/SEC Speed
Regular Price $27.95 - Sale Price $17.95
SanDisk 4GB Extreme III Secure Digital (SDHC) Memory Card
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Lexar 16GB Platinum II Memory Stick Pro Duo Memory Card
Regular Price $47.95 - Sale Price $27.95
Lexar 8GB Professional 400x CompactFlash Card
Regular Price $79.95 - Sale Price $47.95
Lexar 16GB Professional 400x CompactFlash Card
Regular Price $129.95 - Sale Price $79.95
Two must watch shows on Photography...
From the past: "Documenting the Face of America" brings to life the remarkable stories behind the legendary group of New Deal-sponsored photographers who traversed the country in the 1930s and early 1940s and created what has become a national treasure.
It was the first time Americans saw each other’s faces and witnessed what life was like across the nation: north to south, east to west, rich and poor, black and white.
The film explores the personal vision and the struggles experienced by photographers who created some of the most iconic images in history. Still recognized today, Dorothea Lange’s haunting photograph of the “Migrant Mother” remains one of the most famous images of all time.
From the Present: "The President's Photographer" tags along with the president's chief photographer, Pete Souza, who is never far behind President Obama.
This National Geographic Special, gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the everyday workings of the American presidency as we follow Souza, offering a chance to see what it's like to cover the most powerful man in the world, while attempting to capture for history. It also provides us a history of the presidential photographers who have come before him.
I have seen both of these shows (more than one) and give them both two thumbs way up, so check your local listings, grab a piece of leftover Thanksgiving pie, and enjoy the shows.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Bees at work
Shutter Speed 1/125sec
Aperture f/8.0
Location: Karjat, Kondana
If you liked this pic then you will love this one for sure Unique flower
Happy Thanksgiving...
I hope that today (and every day) you are surrounded by those you love, that you feel blessed, rich in spirit, and that you carry hope and charity in your heart.
There are many of you who are struggling and I hope even more for you... that people reach out to support and comfort you, that your burdens become lighter, that you never feel alone, and I pray that in the days to come you can worry less, love more, and that when strangers see you on the street they wonder what you are smiling about.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Mathapoovu (regional name)
If you want to do something really moving...
Saturday December 4th is Help-Portrait Day.
The premise is quite simple:
1. Find someone in need
2. Take their portrait
3. Print their portrait
4. Give them their portrait
And do it all for free.
As I write this the memories from last year come rushing back, it was moving, emotional, and one of the most gratifying things I have done in the last 12 months.
One story from last year... a man brought his son in for a portrait and after we handed him the print he stared at it for awhile smiling, he then shook our hands and thanked us (repeatedly), explaining that this was going to be a Christmas gift for his wife... the only gift he was able to give her.
You can read our entire post from last year here.
If you are interested in getting involved by helping out at an event in your area (or starting one) you can get the details here.
Let me leave you with a short 2 minute video our our humble Help-Portrait day.
Subscribers will need to return to the blog or head directly over to our YouTube channel to watch it.
Here are a couple images...
Mark your calendar for the next meeting scheduled for January 10 (2011) and you will want to bring your laptop as the evenings instruction will be (hands-on) Lightroom workflow.
Hope your face is in next months picture!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Color management and monitor calibration...
But it is such an important part of photography workflow that if you ignore it, it will surely come back to bite you in the butt.
So... if you would be happy with Stevie Wonder editing your images you can stop right here, otherwise please read on.
Here are a couple educational/informational resources to check out:
1. Last night Earle Christie did a great presentation/Q&A at the Maine Photographer Coalition and an online article he wrote on the subject "Predictable Color"is a must read.
2. If you want to delve even deeper into the subject then head over to Digital Dog and you'll feed your need to knowledge.
3. Monitor calibration (back to Stevie) - if you are editing your images on an un-calibrated monitor it's like putting on rose colored glasses before you start editing your images, which makes it a huge exercise in futility, because I don't know anybody who can make precise (and accurate) color corrections and adjustments when they're not even looking at the real colors!
There are a handful of really good tools out there to help you calibrate your monitor and after looking at the different options I settled on what I think is the best and easiest calibration tools available, the Spyder3Elite from DataColor.
I could ramble on about why I like this product more than any other, but you can take a quick tour of it here and see how it would fit into your workflow.
If you think I am overstating the importance of monitor calibration then don't take my word for it, take the word of someone many believe to be one of the finest photographers of our day, Vincent Versace.
Below is an audio excerpt from an interview he did with PopPhoto.com, and is his response to the question about the importance of calibrating your monitor (it's only 4 minutes long and worth every second of listening):
Vincent Versace on monitor calibration
Monday, November 22, 2010
Let the (snow) games begin!...
Not that there is much snow coming, it just seems way too early for this to be starting.
I think I'll refill my coffee and move just a little closer to the stove.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sorry for such a late notice...
This post is for local photographers - there will be a meeting tomorrow evening (Monday November 22) of the Maine Photographer Coalition which will be holding its inaugural meeting at the studio of Stacey Kane (134 Black Point Road Scarborough, ME).
Folks will be gathering for the "meet and greet" portion of the evening which starts at 7 with the "formal" meeting starting at 7:30.
The talented Earl Christie will be speaking/instructing the group on color management.
All are welcome and the meeting is free but for planning purposes RSVP is a must (just follow this link).
Hope to see you there!
I'm with you
Photographer : Jirah Rith Bernales Fermin
Camera : Sony DSLR-A330.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Sexy Legs
The Vintage Car
Friday, November 19, 2010
Beautiful Flower
Trying to figure out which flower is this.people who know please comment.I love the beauty and peaceful background.
Our review of the new LumiQuest LTp...
Here are two sample images I took (of a project from Emma when she was a wee girl), they were both shot with the exact same camera and flash settings with both on stands.
The first image was shot with the Stofen style light modifier that come with the flash (a Nikon SB-800), the second image was shot with the new SoftBox LTp.
You notice right away that the light with the LTp is a much softer, more even light, and if you look closer you'll notice that the light wraps nicely around "greenie" as it moves towards the back of the subject.
Clicking on either image will open them larger and in a new window for better examination.
Below is the video portion of this review, you subscribers will need to return to the blog or head directly to our YouTube channel to watch the video as they STILL are not pushed through with your subscriptions.
One thing everyone can agree on, I was not built for Hi Def.
;)
Enjoy.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Curious case of Cute kitten
A new Lightroom resource...
Well, it's new to me.
While sucking down my mega-gulp coffee this morning I came across a site by Wade Heninger and it's obvious he LOVES Lightroom.
Part of that love is demonstrated through his "Lightroom Tuesday" in which he compiles a ton of relevant and useful links from all over the web representing the best in Lightroom education.
Putting together such a large list of useful resources takes a great deal of time and effort (I know because I've done it too, you go through a bunch of stinkers looking for the diamonds) so folks would be wise to take advantage of this Herculean effort by Wade because he's done us a great service (and saved us hours of online searching and reading)
And as if that isn't enough he also maintains a Lightroom Q&A where you can not only ask your question but read the questions (and answers) of others.
Reading his blog I learned that he was one of the unfortunate souls that was on the Carnival cruise ship that floated aimlessly off the coast of Mexico last week, which alone makes him waaaaaay more interesting than me.
When you get done checking out Wades blog you will want to peruse his portfolio as well.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
And the "Sessions with JoeyL" winner is...
First, this has been our most successful contest ever, we have had more entrants, comments, and images submitted than ever before! Thank you all for making this blog what it is.
Second, this contest was truly random. The name of each person who entered was dropped into a program called "The Hat" which was used to randomly pick the winners name. If a person entered the contest more than once, their name was dropped "into the hat" to match the number of times they entered.
Third, I strongly recommend that everyone go take a look at the images that have been uploaded to our Flickr group, you'll see some really good stuff.
Fourth (and last), despite the contest being random I had strong inclination on who the winner might be, though we had hundreds (and hundreds) of entries there was one person who was the most prolific. They entered the contest well over 50 times! Going waaaay back in the archives (a couple years) to read and leave a comment, and the comments weren't frivolous, they were thoughtful and insightful (and greatly appreciated).
So, I have dragged this out long enough.... the winner is.... HALF BLIND!
Congratulations. If you send me an email I will forward it to Joey Lawrence and he in turn will email you the download link for "Sessions".
Below are a few more of Half Blind's images, be sure to check out his Flickr stream.
Big, BIG announcement coming next week for our Christmas giveaway, so stay tuned.
Thank you everyone.
(click on any of the images to view larger and in a new window)
Monday, November 15, 2010
Odds and ends... bits and pieces...
1. Lighten Up and Shoot is a great instructional site if you are looking to master exposure. They have a ton of tutorials not the least of which include the 5 variables of flash exposure, once you visited the site I am sure you will want to bookmark it.
2. I have harped on more than one occasion about the importance of backing up your images and one of the things you need to do is have a backup someplace other than on your desk, well Humyo.com is giving away 10GB of online storage, for FREE.
3. You can watch 5 short videos (3-10 minutes) on using flash, a combination of flash and natural light, and just natural light from photographer Jody Dole, check them out here.
4. You have until midnight tonight to enter our "Sessions with JoeyL" giveaway. The winner will be announced tomorrow (11/16/10). See ya then.