Another Look at the Orchid

One of the great joys of photography today are the expansive tools we have to create our art. Rather than a darkroom, we can use our digital tools. In this case, the iPad using the digital painting program, Artists Touch. I really enjoy this. Jeff

Another painting App

...via MobileMonet. 

A fun, easy to use App on the IPad or iPhone. It is free!!  Enjoy, Jeff

Sent from my iPad

The Panhandler

Another Times Square image straight from the Fuji X10 as a JPEG. Cropped only. This panhandler dressed in some way out Caribbean Reggae costume was aggressively exhorting people to give him money. He was not successful. He angrily ran over to me, yelling that I pay him. I did not. Had he been a little more diplomatic, I likely would have.

This was shot at f4.0. 1/500 sec, ISO 400. The Fuji reproduction of colors is impressive. This was shot in Standard Film mode. Other color choices include Velvia and Astia. Enjoy, Jeff

Fuji X10- The Couple

This street shot, taken with the Fuji X10 is essentially straight from the camera as a JPEG. Cropped a little and that is it. When I walked by them in Bryant Park, NYC, I was struck by their expressions, the juxtaposition of their mood and the Xmas bow to the right. Also note the matching of the gentleman's socks to his wife's phone case. I shot this in stealth mode using a Flip Bac mirror which allows you to see the image ( in reverse) on the LCD and avoiding detection. I really like this shot. Enjoy, Jeff

Grand Central Panorama

This weekend was my chance to try out the new Fuji X10, little brother to the x100. Great retro looking camera that takes great images. Instant on with a twist of the lens dial as well as immediate focus and no shutter lag. This camera produces exceptionally sharp JPEGS and great color balance, even in AWB. A neat feature, initially featured in Sony cameras is Pano Sweep. I used that feature to do this Panao of Grand Central. It needed just a little tweaking in PS. I am pretty pleased with it. Enjoy, Jeff

Lion at the NYC Library

Shot with the iPhone. Edited in Photoforge and Snapseed.

Times Square Panoroma

Panoramic imagery becomes easier with great Apps like Autostitch. I have tried several pano programs for the iPhone and this is the best!! I shot this handheld with the iPhone4, overlapping each vertical frame by 30-50% and the App did the rest. The most important shot in architecture Panoroma photography is the center one. That needs to be the first shot and then take the side images without the center structure included. As you move the camera the center image undergoes perspective distortion. The App does the rest Enjoy, Jeff

Old Graveyard

This 1800s cemetery is in Larchmont NY where our son's family lives. I shot this with the iPhone as I wanted to edit there in Camera+. I used a variety of filters and then chose this old fashioned frame, appropriate for the image
Enjoy, Jeff

Street Portrait

This is Rocky, a Woodstock NY resident that has an amiable smile and easily posed for a portrait. I shot this last year with a Fujifilm S3 Pro DSLR and a Nikon 60mm 2.8 lens. This again is the technique of finding someone interesting, engaging them and shooting while talking. Rocky gave me a great street portrait. Thanks, Rocky.
Enjoy, Jeff

Leaves with Topaz Adjust 5

The same leaves as below but further developed in the Topaz Adjust 5. Love it! Jeff

Scanner Photography

A lot of folks don't realize that even an inexpensive flat bed scanner makes a great 8x12, f2.0 view camera. You just can't take it on a photo shoot! Using my old Epson 2450, a bunch of late fall leaves from our deck, this image was scanned at 300 dpi with the lid open. If the lights are off the background goes black. Everything next to the glass is super sharp due to the size of this huge "sensor"! Loaded into photoshop, I used the Imaging Factory B&W Pro black and white conversion filter to get this result. A little sharpness was added using the High Pass filter technique at radius 2.0. Enjoy, Jeff

The Value of Cropping

 

 

 

 Sometimes, a portion is better than the whole. Here, the more dramatic part of the ram is the face and horns, not the whole animal. Sometimes it is better to select that piece of the image that has impact, edit it to bring out more punch and have that as your final image. Enjoy, Jeff

The Tiger in Portrait

 Shooting through glass in a zoo can allow for some dramatic images.  Make sure the glass is reasonably clean, don't set the lens aperture too narrow ( to avoid picking up the marks on the glass), focus on the eyes and you have a chance of getting a decent shot.  This is a nice "fact" shot of a tiger, nothing artsy, just a capture of a beautiful, powerful creature.  Enjoy, Jeff

 

Lion in Monochrome

Shot through glass with the iPhone 4. Converted to monochrome and edited in Snapseed. Enjoy , Jeff

Photo Painting

Again a relaxing half hour with Artists Touch, a great iPad painting program. Originally a nice Lake Placid fall image, now a "painting" Enjoy, Jeff

The Street Portrait

Some might call this Photojournalism. I don't. I asked this activist in Woodstock, NY if I could photograph him. Engaging him in conversation, I shot away with my Fujifilm S3 Pro and Nikon 55-200 VR lens at f5.6. This is a street portrait, capturing this man with his backpack, belongings and literature to distribute. Photo-jounalism is really more like using your camera to capture a story, that is written with an image rather than printed words.

I initially edited the photo in iPhoto, then Topaz Adjust and finally in Photoshop using the Screen Blend Mode on his face to lighten the intense dark shadows.

Enjoy, Jeff

The Winter Landscape

Thatcher Park.  Our winter snow storm!!  Up and excited early this AM, I went to the Helderbergs where there is usually more snow and great winter landscape potential.  I used my Maxxum 7D with a Tamron 11-18 lens, ISO 200.  f8 and 1/125 second for most shots.  I fine tuned the white balance in iPhoto and with the second image I did a little "dodging and burning" using the blend modes, Screen and Multiply.  Enjoy, Jeff

 

Thatcher Park

Thatcher Park

 

Photojournalism

There is Occupy Wall Street and then there is Occupy Albany, a smaller version. Here in Academy Park was a mix of young activists, socialists and various folks discontented with things as they see them. Take from the rich and give to the poor.

I used my Maxxum 7D with a Tamron 11-18 lens on P mode, ISO 400. Interesting time! Enjoy, Jeff

Photojournalism

I liked the opposition of this protestor and the police car.

Photojournalism

There were food and clothing stations at the protest. I was impressed with the friendliness and peaceful intent of the participants.

Photojournalism

Pitched tents, families and little kids are involved in the protest.

Photojournalism

A Vietnam veteran who opposes the Occupy movement as anti-American argues with two police officers. He wants them to clear the park of the protestors.

Western Digital Washington Square, NYC Photowalk and Model Shoot

I was very fortunate to be one of the eight photographers selected to participate in a teaching Photowalk with Bruce Dorn. (Google him and you will see how famous he is!!)

Western Digital, Lexar and Lowepro sponsored the contest. We met in Washington Square yesterday and spent 3 hours learning from Bruce and photographing this beautiful model, Rebecca Leigh West ( Google her too!). Bruce went over the basics of exposure, depth of field, ISO, shutter speed and was with us setting up shots in pre-picked locations in the park. He reviewed and used reflectors and how to use them, best lenses for different types of environmental portraits, depending on the background and effect desired. We each had 15 minutes one on one with the model. Bruce was there and really shared a lot of knowledge with me, when my turn came. For this image, I used my Maxxum 7D with a Minolta 2.8 50 mm macro lens.

After the shoot we went over to Amity Hall, a nice pub for some good food, beer and swapping photo stories.

Despite my 40 years of serious photography. I learned a lot. Much thanks to this lovely model, Rebeccca. She was a professional, very patient and knew how to pose in any light. Enjoy the following images. Jeff

Rebecca West

In this image a warming reflector off to the side filled in the shadows a bit. Note the hair-light created by the low sun. Bruce chose this location for that effect. Camera: Minolta Maxxum 7D DSLR, Sigma 28-70 lens. ISO 100, f3.5.

Rebecca West

A colr shot edited to create a slightly bleached high fashion look. I used Iris Photo Suite and then Snapseed. Shallow depth of field was created by shooting at 70mm with an f-stop of 3.5.

Rebecca West

Bruce picked out this location, noting the benches curving out to the left. The light pole creates balance and anchors the frame. Another monochrome conversion gave a nice appearance. Like the image below, I used Simply Black and White, an App that allows you to see the effect of filters on a monochrome image, as if you were placing colored filters on your lens of a film camera, shooting in Black and White. Camera: Minolta Maxxum 7D DSLR, Sigma 28-70 lens. ISO 400, f3.5.

Rebecca West

Here Bruce suggested using the iron fence and columns on the left and the vanishing sidewalk as a good spot to pose Rebecca. Since she was wearing a black coat and I felt a monochrome conversion would be best. Camera: Minolta Maxxum 7D DSLR, Sigma 28-70 lens. ISO 400, f3.5.

Fall and sunlight glare

Sometimes light glare can enhance the mood of a photo. I think this is the case here. Lens spots from the low sun add to the warmth and color of this Fall image. A mood is created that makes me long for apple cider and pumpkin spice donuts!! Enjoy, Jeff

Simple Treasures

Just going for a Photowalk can yield satisfying results. There at dusk on west Commercial St. in Provincetown was this little cottage tucked away between two condos. I was struck by its symmetry and Americana. Shot with iPhone 4 and edited in PS Express and Photoforge. Enjoy, Jeff

Mystical Passage

I am intrigued by these little dark paths that present themselves to us. They represent mystery and the potential for newness. Would you take this one?

Enjoy, Jeff