Tablet Tip: Improve Your Workflow

   

Happy Thanksgiving! We're all very busy right now with the holidays upon us, and then add work and keeping up with clients, something has to be sacrificed and in the end it'll be time. So today I thought I would share a quick tip that Will help improve your work flow. 

If you own a Wacom Tablet such as the Intuos 5 like I do then you already know how much of a life saver it is. But did you know to speed up your work flow even more tilt the tablet on about a 45 degree angle. Artist do this all the time because it's the natural way to draw and write.

I use a photo album and place the Intuos 5 right on the edge so it is balanced as seen in the image below. Whether using Manga Studio 5 or PS/LR5 this setup works well in all situations. And I know it'll help you too.   

Don't worry if this setup feels unnatural at first it will take no time to get use to the change, just make sure your comfortable. 

If you like this tip and look forward to more like it please subscribe. 

Getting that Digital IR Look

Save that Image?

Don't hit DELETE just yet, TRY this out first

Today I'll attempt to save one image that normally would have been deleted, and I'll take another image to a entirely different level. How? By giving each image an IR look without the use of expensive film or equipment. I'll be using Tone Curves strait out of the camera, skipping Lightroom & Photoshop all together, save time: I'll be on my way.

I use this for an image that I either don't like or really like, mainly landscape images and almost entirely outdoors. The sun needs to be bright so that it blows out the highlights. An inferred filter can be quite costly, and removing the IR filter on your digital camera will cost about $200us. 

I've chosen two photo's a Color image and a B&W. Let's look at the B&W first.

The Running Nun (that was not intended to be a play on words)

This image was photographed in B&W with a custom WB. It's important when attempting to do this that a custom WB is used, but not necessary. To get a custom WB you need to point your camera at the ground, with the sun shining, preferably on grass and with the sun shining. 

Now that I've set my custom WB, I just went ahead and took the image like normal, sometimes if I'm going to create an IR image then I will purposely over expose the image. Here's the before and after image.

Well I'm not going to win any awards, this certainly isn't going to bring me any cash either. I didn't even choose to display this image in my Google+ Albums. That is an entirely different edit, and quite a better one too! Check that out here Cross Process Nun It's fun and gives the image an interesting and contrasty look and feel, it impresses friends and family and after a while I end up keeping several images that otherwise just wouldn't cut it. 

Here's how I did it... Tone Curves

Normally I tend to put a slight S curve into my Luminance Curve, however her I placed one dot in the middle as an anchor point, turns out I didn't even need it. In the Red curve I did however add a little to the highlights in the B&W image.  And I used the green to pull a little out of the highlights and increase in the shadows. Notice in the Blue Curve how it just begins to start clipping, I've found that either the blue or red curve will just begin to clip but I keep it backed off from this point, however I do not want both to reach that point in the image. 

 

Now let's take a look at the colored image conversion...

Here's the before and after

The thing that really bugs me about this image is the overcast sky, winter's in Iowa... I'd preferred to have had a really contrasty sky but I don't want to pass up those fall colors. I really like the interesting sky in the first photo. 

Here's a Tip: try shooting with a high ISO 400-800 to add texture to the image!

Here are the four tone curves, split up like in the first image, notice how the red and blue just about stay the same it's the green curve that changed but notice how I changed it I took it in one arking loop, soft and gradual. Make sure you write down the slider setting also, 3 out of the 4 had tweaks made to them. 

Keep shooting and good luck!


Here are some more images that I played with.

Original B&W high ISO 

Original Color

Original B&W scanned from film

Shoot the Snoot, Advanced Techniques

Diffused, White, Black and Confused?

Just because we have the gear and spent our valuable dollars on it, doesn't mean we'll get the shot let alone know what to do with it.

In this Post I talk about how to use a snoot and look at the few albeit simple differences the slightest changes can make.

The first three images below produce dramatically different results, leaving the camera settings the same, the distance from the light source doesn't change either (about 5' from the end of the snoot). As with all the images from this post the only change was the way I used my snoot. And I'm about to share them with you.

The Top image has been made with a white snoot, typical results nothing to fancy, sure can tell they are fake silk flowers. I choose flowers for this example because of the many colors and edges in the image lots of contrasted areas between the highlights and shadows.

For the Middle image I used a diffused snoot. No, I've not placed a diffuser between the flash and the subject material, what is it then? 

I've made a snoot out of diffuser material, some of the light travels through the snoot but most of it gets diffused through the sides of the snoot and now become a little late and softer getting there, now I've begun to produce a more interesting look.

Top 

Remember you're not putting a diffuser over the flash or between the snoot and the subject, the end of the snoot stays open just as if you are using it normally.

 Middle

Now for a more extreme quality to my image. I've used a fully black snoot.

Take the Rogue Flashbender for example, its white on one side and black on the other, try using the black side for the inside of the snoot. It produces more contrasty image quality. Now I've got a much more interesting image, even for fake silk flowers, this end result is dramatic and fun. I've still got one more tip so keep reading. 

 Lower

Difference Between the Black and White snoot, zoomed slightly out.

A snoot is just a easier and much cheaper way to create a spotlight drama that you can get from stage lights and barn doors, it will be a great way to take photo's of the kiddos during halloween, and it doesn't have to be night out side either these where taken at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon right next to a window. 

Black

White

One last Tip for the Snoot Shoot!

I choose this clock for subject matter but I could have just used a plane backdrop, all I did with the snoot here is pinch the end a little and got this wonderful teardrop quality falloff from the light. Remember it's important to have the light coming from the same side as the pinched edge of the snoot. Here the light is just over my right shoulder and about 8' from the clock. 

Keep practicing and Happy Shooting. I look forward to seeing some of the interesting images you can create, feel free to share your results and post them in the comments below.  

Turn Your Screen Into A Beauty Dish

Below I've posted nine panels as .jpg images that can be used to display as a light source directly from a computer monitor or screen in a 16:9 Ratio. It's possible to create different shapes in the eye's of the subject your photographing.

To download just click on the image and save as...

For easy use just place in a folder and open full screen using the arrow keys to move between images.

Tips on Using a Screen display as your Lighting Source:

1.  Make sure you turn up the Backlight to full power.

2.  Place the display on a cool white, this maximises your lighting strength. 

3.  Keep in mind there will be a quick falloff from this type of power source onto the subject your lighting, so you will need to have your subject's face close to the display.

4.  Because of the type of light make sure the makeup is intense(includes fingernail polish eye shadow, lipstick), and the rest of the face is covered very well as this sort of light can be very harsh on the skin depending on your Backlight type, i.e., fluorescent, LED...

5.  Turn the display on it's end, (I use a 32" INSIGNIA HDTV and turn upright to light the entire head and shoulders evenly)

6.  Use a small piece of white foam core as a reflector next to the screen, like a V-flat.

7.  Finally, any ambient light will overpower the light which comes from your screen, keep that off or to a minimum, this includes flash it can disrupt the pattern in the eyes.   

 

 

    

Have fun and be Creative! Share with us your results, post them here and as always Happy Shooting!

Also if you haven't check this out yet here is the link below!

Free till Oct. 31st DxO Film Pack 3

Rainy Day Riddle

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring and I've got gum stuck on the bottom of my shoe. Oh what to do!

How about a some magic images! Rain seems to scare most people away from going out and taking photographs, can't say that I much blame them. I mean who wants to get their gear soaked and possibly ruined? I sure don't. So today I decided to stay in and take some trick photos.

I assure you these are not composite images, your looking right at the originals, think you can figure out how I accomplished this.