fun! Thanks Wayne! (Nolting)
A little bit of photoshop fun to share (I am not promoting this product): http://shop.cafepress.com/design/19434884
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Have you ever reated a sleeveface photo????
Sleeveface -- one or more persons obscuring or augmenting any part of their body or bodies with record sleeve(s) causing an illusion...
There is even a book...The Sleeveface book is jampacked with over 200 Sleeveface images picked from around the world.
Watch How To Sleeveface, the instructional video.Sunday, March 8, 2009
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Set up for a big splash
"YOU CAN DO THIS-I KNOW YOU CAN!"
The calendar says September and for most of us that means the normally sunny days of summer will soon give way to the howling winds, rain and snow of winter. So I thought, what better time to share a really fun, easy to set-up, yet quite challenging photography tip that is guaranteed to end your summer with a "splash"!
Truth be told I have never been a big fan of flash and it all goes back to my early years as a photographer. I just found the use of flash not only unflattering to my subjects but for years, I could never fully understand how flash 'worked'. That of course had to change, and it did, since it was an absolute necessity to succeed as a commercial assignment photographer, but whenever possible, I will still always opt for AVAILABLE LIGHT!
And one of my favorite set-ups finds me in the great outdoors, taking full advantage of MID-DAY light! Yes you read that right, Bryan Peterson shoots during that God awful time of day called high-noon. Yep, these words of 'wisdom' about shooting in the mid-day light is coming from a guy who is quoted as saying that "the only reason to be out and about during mid-day light is to work on your suntan" but you know what? You can actually get some really cool "studio flash-like" exposures when shooting at mid-day, and you can still work on your tan while doing so! Now that's some darn good management of time!
In the first example, you will see my set up for shooting 'food photography". Along with a simple glass vase, filled with bubbly mineral water, (which is sitting atop a small table and an open 5-in-1 reflector, silver side up), I have added a 'seamless' colored backdrop of blue, (nothing more than a large piece of colored poster size paper found at any art supply store).
My camera, along with the macro lens is mounted on tripod, set to focus close on what will soon be fruits falling very fast through this water, (strawberries in this case). Set your ISO to 400, I assuming it's a sunny day, you should be able to record a correct exposure at f/8 at a 1/200 or 1/1600 second, both plenty fast enough to freeze the falling strawberries. Also, before you or your assistant start dropping the strawberries into the vase of water, manually take one of the strawberries and hold it up near the glass in the same area where you wish to photograph it as it drops through the water and now focus on that spot, making certain to leave the focus of your camera in manual focus mode.
Now that I was all ready to go, I simply asked my daughter Sophie to drop a single strawberry into the water and fire away with the camera also set to Continuous Mode, (rapid fire mode) and after shooting for just a few minutes, I would stop and take a moment to review what 'luck' I was having and sure enough, I discovered that I recorded far too many images where the strawberry was either not far enough into the composition or it had dropped to far near the bottom of the composition, BUT by golly, in and amongst all of these missed opportunities, 87 missed opportunities to be exact, I found several jewels, one of which you see here.
Why stop at one strawberry when you can try three at a time? (I love the power of THREE which is why I chose three). And after several additional attempts, an image of three falling strawberries was also recorded as they broke through the surface of the water.
Note the lighting in both of these exposures. The strawberries are lit both from the sun above as well as from underneath due to the sunlight hitting the reflector and bouncing up from below. Who says you need strobes? Obviously too, this set-up is NOT limited to strawberries! Let your imagination run wild and soon you will be dropping most anything that will fit into your vase and IF you can find a large enough vase, try dropping a slice of watermelon!
Enjoy!
Bryan F Peterson
Founder/PPSOP
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
another photoshop disaster
Let's streamline the comments a little by explaining that people don't usually have fingers growing out of their shoulders, no you can't do that right now, there's no such thing as a "stray layer" and sure, this blog is going downhill, but that just means we're saving gas.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
12 Super Silhouette Shots
From here: http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/12-super-silhouette-shots/#more-1899
Sometimes it is what is missing from an image that makes it so special.
One of our most popular posts on this site is How to Photograph Silhouettes. One of the things that I love about Silhouettes is that the lack of detail created by a silhouette can leave the viewer of the image to fill in the gaps with their imagination.
Today I thought I’d add to the theory of the topic by posting some examples of silhouettes to give a little inspiration to take some of your own.
Have you taken any Silhouettes? Share them in our forum’s Share Your Shots section.
How to Photograph Silhouettes - Updated
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-photograph-silhouettes-updated/
How to Photograph Silhouettes in 8 Easy Steps
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-photograph-silhouettes/
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Letting Technology Do Your Work to Capture Fast Moving Images - Phototrap
The following article on capturing fast moving images was submitted by wildlife photographer and author Joe McDonald from hoothollow.com. Learn more about Joe and his work at the end of this post.
Some of my most successful and exciting images have involved high-speed flash photography of wildlife in action, and incorporated a lot of planning, a heavy use of technology and equipment, and a bit of luck as well. Over the years I’ve photographed a variety of action sequences, from owls and bats flying at night to leaping geckos, frogs, and grasshoppers, to striking rattlesnakes, gliding sugar gliders and flying squirrels, and a host of others.
Planning
The planning that is involved revolves around pre-visualizing the images I intend to make, whether that’s a collared lizard running on its hind legs like a miniature dinosaur or a Texas wood rat leaping from one branch to another. This pre-visualization is important since I’m not reacting to a pose and then snapping the shutter but instead I am firing the camera at a specific time with the hope that my subject will be where I’m expecting it to be.
Technology and Equipment
The technology and equipment involved includes using electronic flash units with a sufficiently fast flash duration to freeze my subject’s actions, and a tripping device to fire my camera or flashes at the precise moment. Of course, there is a bit of luck involved as well, as its possible that every pose captured just isn’t right. However, if one defines luck as when opportunity meets preparedness, one can make ones own luck and accomplish the task. That I can’t help you with, but I can the first two, so variables, so let’s look at the flash requirements first.
TTL flash units will work well for static or relatively slow moving subjects when you are not concerned with stopping fast-moving action. While TTL flashes can indeed do so, the problem with TTL is that the flash duration will vary depending upon the f-stop used, the flash-to-subject distance, the ISO, and the subject’s reflectivity. Generally, a TTL flash will fire its fastest flash burst, or shortest flash duration, when the flash to subject distance is minimal, the ISO is high, the aperture is wide-open, and the subject is light-toned. Conversely, a TTL flash will fire at its longest flash duration at the other extreme – maximum flash-to-subject distances, low
ISO, small aperture, and dark subjects.
For most high-speed flash work I need to pick a particular flash duration for the subject’s requirements and I can’t rely on the guesswork or assumptions required with TTL. For example, I recently photographed periodical cicadas in flight where an extremely brief flash duration was required. I used six old Nikon SB units set on Manual Mode at a 1/64th power ratio, giving me about a 1/30,000th sec flash duration. For another project, involving avian jet fighters also known as barn swallows, I used a powerful, custom built flash system that offered a 1/25,000th flash duration with a high guide number, enabling an f22 aperture with a flash-to-subject distance of four feet. Normally, the faster the flash duration, thus the lower the Power Ratio, the lower the guide number, which means you’ll need to be fairly close to your subject if you’re going for depth of field.
Perhaps it is possible to catch a diamondback rattlesnake’s strike mid-way, or the flight of a cicada as it passes into focus, or a barn swallow as it rockets through a window opening. Perhaps, but I know I can’t do it unassisted, but I can with a camera-tripping device that fires my camera automatically when a subject trips the system. And so, that is what I use.
Phototrap
The device I use is called a Phototrap, a custom-built camera or flash tripping mechanism made by an ingenious inventor in Arizona. The Phototrap emits a beam, an infrared beam comes standard, that, when broken or reflected back to the sensor trips a circuit that fires either a camera or a flash.
This sounds pretty straightforward but there’s a hitch, and that’s the mechanical delay inherent in virtually all digital cameras, thus a subject can break the beam and be passed a point of focus before the camera fires. In a way this problem is similar to an automatic door opener – the door must open at the right time, otherwise one could go crashing into a still closed door. With a camera and Phototrap, the shutter must be open at the right time, when the subject is at the right plane of focus.
Unfortunately there is no set formula for compensating for this lag time, which varies from camera to camera but generally incorporates about a 50ms delay. While that delay is a constant, your subject’s speed of travel will vary by the species, or even by the individual, so some trial and error is required. Fortunately, though, with digital this experimentation, this trail and error required to get the timing right, costs only time and effort, unlike in film days when the cost of developing and the time involved while film is sent off for processing made this chore quite painful.
Once the lag time for your camera and the distance traveled by your subject is determined, using the Phototrap becomes quite straightforward. The trap works on three different modes, one of which will best suit your needs for a particular subject. In mode one, an infrared transmitter is placed at A and the receiver at B, where anywhere in the line of sight between these two points a passing subject will trip the Phototrap and fire your camera. This method works well for animal trails, burrows, or even flight paths where your camera coverage area will incorporate most of the distance between A and B. Unfortunately, though, a subject right next to the receiver or transmitter will trip the system as well, and thus may be out of the frame.
The second mode uses the subject’s reflectivity to help trip the beam, and this method also makes for rather precise framing. The transmitter and receiver are placed at right angles to one another, thus the receiver can not ‘see’ the transmitter. However, when a subject passes at the right angle point – the bend in the elbow, so to speak, it reflects light back to the receiver and the camera fires. The beauty of this method is a subject will not fire the camera if it passes too close to either the receiver or transmitter, but will only fire when its at the ‘sweet spot’ at the elbow where its reflection will return to the receiver.
The third mode is similar, in a way, in that the transmitter and receiver are placed side-by-side, attached by a Velcro strip. The beam passes into air space where a passing subject reflects the infrared beam back to the receiver. This works up to around two meters, but it’s the perfect option for catching birds flying to a feeder or a nest hole since everything can be triggered from one position, thus not compromising a bird’s air space.
Using the Phototrap is great fun, and I honestly believe I could probably spend all of my life in the area around my home just working subjects in this manner, catching high-speed flash action shots. While the initial work in setting up can be a bit time-consuming, and even frustrating, once everything is in place the system runs itself. When I was working the barn swallows I’d visit the barn two or three times a day, either to change 8 gb cards or to change the batteries on my flash. I was free to do other things, including working on other photo projects, but at the end of the day I had a collection of shots I never dreamed I’d ever see. That’s a nice feeling!
About the Author - Joe McDonald has written 7 books on wildlife and digital nature photography (see some of them below). He is a multiple winner of the prestigious BBC contest and he and his wife Mary run workshops and photo tours in wildlife photography (specializing in East Africa) - you can contact them via email at info@hoothollow.com or visit them online at hoothollow.com
This appeared on this Blog: http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/letting-technology-do-your-work-to-capture-fast-moving-images/
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
It is difficult to be a photographer
And now we know how Gary REALLy got all those awesome bird photos :-)
OK, this last one really does include someone you know.
Tom will do anything for a photo and I have photos of him on the ground photographing the clowns at NECCC to the horses at Assateague...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Freeze Water in Flight
Freeze Water in Flight
Take amazing high-speed photos with water balloons and your digital camera.
It's ironic that I am so preoccupied with photographing motion, essentially capturing the essence of speed and dynamics in what is by its definition a static medium. Perhaps it is because, as a kid, I was fascinated by stroboscopic photos that seemed to reveal slices of time that humans never otherwise see.
Take amazing high-speed photos with water balloons and your digital camera.
It's ironic that I am so preoccupied with photographing motion, essentially capturing the essence of speed and dynamics in what is by its definition a static medium. Perhaps it is because, as a kid, I was fascinated by stroboscopic photos that seemed to reveal slices of time that humans never otherwise see.
In any event, you don't need access to a bank of strobes or Matrix-like super high-speed photo gear to do this sort of thing yourself. Take this photo that's getting a lot of views on Flickr right now, for example. The photographer captured a water balloon milliseconds after it was popped over the model's head.
My daughter and I decided to perform our own version of the "water hat" experiment. Since it's not very warm here in the Pacific Northwest (we live in Washington state), we skipped the "hat" part--Marin popped the balloons off to her side, so she'd stay as dry as possible.
Getting Started
We started by filling some balloons with water. I filled; she tied them off; and we took a brownie pan of six out in to the front yard in the early afternoon, when we'd have the most light.
Light is important because you'll want to use the absolute fastest shutter speed possible--and the more light you have, the faster you can set the shutter. Pick a sunny day, and, if your camera has an aperture priority mode, dial in the maximum aperture (like f/2.8 or f/4). With the aperture open all the way, the camera will counter with a fast shutter speed. I shot my photos at between 1/2000 and 1/8000 second, but you should be able to get interesting results as slow as 1/1000 second. If you have trouble getting a fast shutter speed, increase your camera's ISO.
Having a fast shutter speed is great, but how do you know when to shoot? Without fancy sensors or access to a science lab, it takes a little planning and luck. I set my camera on a tripod and framed Marin, poised with the water balloon.
One last detail: Set your camera on its fastest shooting mode. If you have a bust mode that takes a slew of pictures when you press the shutter release, you've finally found a good use for that setting. If you have a "motor drive" setting that takes pictures continuously as long as you hold down the shutter release, choose that.
Now it's time to rehearse. I told Marin I would count off "3, 2, 1, poke!" Like the banter between Danny Glover and Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon, she asked if she should pop the balloon on "poke," or wait until after the "3, 2, 1, poke," and then pop it. (I verified that she should pop it on "poke.")
Taking the Photos
I counted down. "3, 2, 1..." and just as I said "poke," I pressed and held the shutter release until a half dozen photos had been taken.To the left is the first successful photo I got.
We couldn't have asked for a better result out of the starting gate: We'd captured, almost perfectly, the instant after the balloon burst, but before gravity had a chance to make the water lose its form. In essence, Marin was caught holding a ball of water.
What if you miss the magic ball-of-water moment and get a shot of water dribbling between your model's fingers? That's why we brought a brownie pan full of balloons. Just try again, and possibly vary your timing. You can start your photo burst before the "poke" signal, or try to make it happen simultaneously. Either way, given a few balloons, you're bound to get some astonishing photos.
Your results will depend upon your camera's fastest shutter speed and how many photos per second it's capable of capturing, as well as other less tangible factors like the available light and the way you compose and execute the shot. You can see more photos from this experiment on my Flickr page.
So, while it's still summer and days are hot and long, give this a try--and send me your best. I'll publish a few in an upcoming newsletter.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Renaissance Faire
Join us in the summer of 2008 for the 7th annual Southern Connecticut Renaissance Faire! July 11-13, 18-20 & 25-27, 2008
The SCRF is held at Warsaw Park, in Ansonia, Connecticut. This beautiful 38-acre park in Southern Connecticut is filled with lots of grass, trees and shade.
As in the past, we will again have a Night Faire by candlelight! We are the only faire on the East Coast to do faire at night!
FAIRE HOURS:FRIDAY: 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.*SATURDAY: Noon - 10:00 p.m.*SUNDAY: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.* (Reduced admission after 6pm)
Directions: Warsaw Park 119 Pulaski Highway (Route 243 East) Ansonia, CT 06401 Use Mapquest
Another Renaissance Faire this Fall
Now is your chance to see why thousands of families from around New England have made us their family tradition as we transport you back in time. See a 400-year-old agricultural festival as it would have been back in the Renaissance complete with jousting knights, fire eaters, sword swallowers, and over 40 hours of live entertainment daily. There is so much to see and do.
Explore New England’s LARGEST Medieval Marketplace with over a hundred artisans and crafters selling thousands of unique gift treasures. You’ll find that perfect something here.
Experience a king’s feast of exotic foods and traditional favorites including turkey legs, bread bowl stews, delectable desserts and more. This is the event you’ll be talking about AND looking forward to all year long. Don't miss it!
You won't find a show exactly like the Connecticut Renaissance Faire anywhere else in the world. That's because we gather our performers from around the United States and Canada to bring something truly unique to New England. Below is a list of entertainment currently signed on for our upcoming season. If you would like more information follow the appropriate link.
http://www.ctfaire.com/connecticut_renaissance_festival/shows.php
The SCRF is held at Warsaw Park, in Ansonia, Connecticut. This beautiful 38-acre park in Southern Connecticut is filled with lots of grass, trees and shade.
As in the past, we will again have a Night Faire by candlelight! We are the only faire on the East Coast to do faire at night!
FAIRE HOURS:FRIDAY: 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.*SATURDAY: Noon - 10:00 p.m.*SUNDAY: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.* (Reduced admission after 6pm)
Directions: Warsaw Park 119 Pulaski Highway (Route 243 East) Ansonia, CT 06401 Use Mapquest
Another Renaissance Faire this Fall
Now is your chance to see why thousands of families from around New England have made us their family tradition as we transport you back in time. See a 400-year-old agricultural festival as it would have been back in the Renaissance complete with jousting knights, fire eaters, sword swallowers, and over 40 hours of live entertainment daily. There is so much to see and do.
Explore New England’s LARGEST Medieval Marketplace with over a hundred artisans and crafters selling thousands of unique gift treasures. You’ll find that perfect something here.
Experience a king’s feast of exotic foods and traditional favorites including turkey legs, bread bowl stews, delectable desserts and more. This is the event you’ll be talking about AND looking forward to all year long. Don't miss it!
You won't find a show exactly like the Connecticut Renaissance Faire anywhere else in the world. That's because we gather our performers from around the United States and Canada to bring something truly unique to New England. Below is a list of entertainment currently signed on for our upcoming season. If you would like more information follow the appropriate link.
http://www.ctfaire.com/connecticut_renaissance_festival/shows.php
Personalized M&Ms
http://www.mymms.com/
You can now print photos on M&Ms. Huzzah! The possibilities are pretty well limitless. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Party favors. We’re thinking weddings, Bat Mitzvahs, your birthday party, your cat’s birthday party …
Running for office. The other guy might promise pork, but everybody knows chocolate’s where it’s at. Tell your enemies to bite you. And mean it. Gifts. Plaster those chocolates with Zac Efron, a sad clown or your own mug and you’ve got a no-fail, any-occasion present.
MY M&M'S® Chocolate Candies deliver fun and a smile! So when designing your personalized MY M&M'S® experience, it is important to have fun. However, it must be tasteful and fun. And yes, we do have some rules that will help us deliver a product that we can all be proud of.
Do
Personalize
Use nice words
Be cheerful
Have FUN
Be CREATIVE
Be romantic
Use your own words
Share your beliefs
Be EXPRESSIVE
Don't
Please don't use objectionable words and phrases.
No obscenities or inappropriate images.
We don't want to leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth.
Custom Printed MY M&M'S® are for personal use only. That means no images or names that belong to a business, product, celebrity, specific sports teams, major events, landmarks, or schools or institutions. To avoid any confusion and keep everyone safe, we will not print any reference to drugs or prescription items, especially those that are in pill or capsule form.
We take great pride in the history of M&M'S® products, so the only single letter we print on our candy is the letter "m".
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