Category: Digital

Don’t Shoot What You See, Capture What You Feel

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In a lot of ways, this image is nowhere near being a realistic depiction of the scene in Ottawa early today: the use of a fisheye optic, the fact that is in monochrome and not colour, the application of a digital equivalent of a dark red filter, all of these in one sense make it unrealistic. On the other hand, what I found amazing this morning was the stark, dramatic lighting and lines in this part of Ottawa. This image shows what I felt, as much or more  than what I saw.

Early morning downtown Ottawa

 

Nikon D7100 DSLR, Lensbaby Composer with Fisheye Optic
Post processed in LightRoom, Nik Efex

Channeling the 1960’s

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I had the pleasure yesterday to do a film/digital shoot with my friend Maria Rozynska, who I first met as a fellow cast member in the Alexander Showcase Theatre’s production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Maria is an excellent actor and dancer, and these talents translated well for the photo shoot! The concept for the shoot was 1960’s. Maria provided a perfect wardrobe, and a pair of retro style sunglasses topped everything off. This image is one of the digital shots. Film to come!

At the Fountain

Old Technology

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This past weekend at Doors Open Toronto 2014, one of the buildings I visited was the fascinating Coach House Books, a Toronto printing house that values traditional methods. One of the more interesting pieces of gear is the Heidelberg Offset press. Like me in many respects: Big, bulky, and dating from the 1960’s 🙂

Old printing tech

 

Nikon D7100, Lensbaby Composer with Sweet 35 Optic

Getting Around a Limitation

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There is only one thing I don’t like about my Bower fisheye lens, namely that it doesn’t take filters. It’s not an issue for digital, but it does introduce some limitations for black and white film. At least I can take colour digital and convert to Black and White after the fact (and add filters). Today’s image (created yesterday at the RC Harris Water Treatment plant here in Toronto) has the equivalent of a dark red filter added, to dramatically darken the sky, even though I was shooting directly into the sun.

RC Harris Water Treatment Plant, Toronto

 

Nikon D7100, 8mm/3.5 Bower Fisheye lens
Post work done using Adobe Lightroom

Marble

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One effect I like with the Lensbaby Fisheye optic is how it can turn a back alley wall of graffiti into an image that looks like one of the marbles I used to play with as a young boy.

Marble

 

Nikon D7100, Lensbaby Muse with Fisheye optic

Fisheye Friday

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This week my Lensbaby Fisheye optic arrived. Inserted in my Lensbaby muse assembly, it requires focussing by squeezing on the bellows, making for a bit of a challenge, but it is a lot of fun! This morning I tried it out at Sugar Beach here in Toronto ( a surrealistic location if you ask me), and I love what the exaggerated perspective does at this location!

Sugar Beach

 

Nikon D7100, ISO 400, Post-processing with Nik SilverEfex Pro 2

Reflections

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My favourite part of today’s image is the reflection of the lighting in the sunglasses worn by my subject. The lighting used was a small strip light/soft box, to make the lighting very directional. In addition, a strobe was used behind her  head, facing the camera as a rim light in order to create highlights in her hair.

Reflections

 

Nikon D7100 DSLR, 18-200mm Nikkor lens, ISO 100. Post work done in Nik Efex and Lightroom
Neewer 300DS Studio strobe with strip/softbox light, Yongnuo YN 560 III flash used as rim light

Side Light

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Having more fun with light tonight: this image of an Indonesian wood carving was made by placing the flash (a Yongnuo YN-560 III, triggered by an RF-603 wireless trigger) to the left of the carving, at 1/16 power

Indonesian Carving

 

Nikon D7100, 18-200mm Nikon lens, ISO 100

Background

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This post is about the background. 🙂 At a local thrift store I found an old bedspread for $5. I love the pattern: it has a vintage look, and in some ways reminds me of Batik. I’ll definitely be using it again! 🙂

Patterns

 

Nikon D7100, 18-200mm lens