October 2, 2008

0

Gavin Seim, news, ProPhotoShow

Orphan Works Act Passes US Senate: Bye Bye Photographs?

UPDATE: It looks like the OWA is dead in the house. At least for now.

For us photographer in the US it looks like politicians may have their way, and we may have to start jumping through hoops just to protect our images.

The orphan works act basically allows our photography to to be used by anyone, as long as they can’t find it registered in a database that would to be created for images. NPPA is reporting that the Senate snuck this through under the radar a few nights ago. Granted it still has to pass congress, and be signs off by the president but it their really trying to sneak this through.

Your can read more details about the effect of the Orpan Works Act in our original post.

by Gavin Seim… Thanks to Metal
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September 26, 2008

16

Gavin Seim, Nature, Portrait, PPS Photography Tips, ProPhotoShow, Review, Weddings

Become a Better Photographer in 90 Seconds – 24 One Line Tips

Ghosts of Clepsydra Geyser - f164By Gavin Seim: (updated 09/11): I often hear from photographers asking me to look at their work and tell them how to be better photographers. In ten seconds I can usually tell them how to improve because we often overlook simple things. There’s nearly always something we can improve, no matter how much experience we have.

Most rules are universal to photography of any style or any experience level. Of course these rules are meant to be broken, but general concepts help us stay on track and we should only break rules for good reason. These are some tips I keep in mind with my own work. Hope they give you a few reminders. When your done here some join us in the forums to get some personal feedback. OK let’s roll.

  1. One primary subject. If you have more, you’ll have distraction.
  2. Omit needless objects. Getting them out will clean up your scene.
  3. Slow down. Many images are ruined because of RTC (Rush To Click).
  4. Tonal control is essential. Use the Zone Scale, Burn & Dodge.
  5. If a background detracts from your scene, change or carefully blur it.
  6. See Light. Where’s it coming from, how can you use it.
  7. Learn the rules photography. Then you’ll break them for good reason.
  8. Don’t just center things. Use the rule of thirds & others. They work.
  9. Eyes. Watch close, keep them sharp. They hold emotion.
  10. Use the Magic Hour. Around sunrise/sunset, light happens.
  11. Keep it sharp. Watch your shutter speed & subject movement.
  12. Space is valuable in a frame, keep clutter away with comp & tonal control.
  13. Harsh sun can be bad. Learn to manipulate it and find good light.
  14. Shadows are critical. Without them the light gets ignored.
  15. Great images start in camera. But don’t underestimate careful editing.
  16. Use fresh ideas, but also go for those old reliable images.
  17. If the weather is foul, it doesn’t mean the photos will be.
  18. Lines lead the eye. Pay attention to where they go and intersect.
  19. Change hours. Different times of day will transform a scene.
  20. Think about shadows and dimension. Flat light is usually boring.
  21. Motion Blur can be very powerful, but use it carefully.
  22. Take time to really LOOK at your subject before releasing the shutter.
  23. Study. Photography has 150+ years of history. Go learn about it.
  24. Remember… Slow down, refine, simplify. Analyze your scene.

 

seim-bridge-600x400
This award winning image has a lot going for it. Notice the balanced intersecting lines, bold colors, and simplicity of the scene. It leads the eyes and tells a story.
Focus Blurring was an effective tool here. The light at the ceremony was great but I wanted the focus on the couple. I used a Lensbaby to give me the soft edges and then some work in post production to make the viewers eye go right where I wanted. The blue could have also been done in post, but I enjoy the Lensbaby.
Silver Waves of Grain: Motion blur was used heavily in this 5 min+ exposure. This gave a ghostly feel to the fields and clouds, completely changing the feel of this scene. Then detailed tone work was done to add depth and dimension. You can click the image to read a detailed article on f164.com about how it was made.
Watch the details. Look To the Wind, is one of my early (and more recognized) HDR portraits. The space gives it a bold cinematic feel and the simplicity of the deserted beach adds strength to the scene. Looking back however I could have watched my lines more. The way the horizon cuts at the shoulder is not ideal. It's still a great image, but if I was doing it over I would try being higher with the camera for an even more powerful composition.

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September 24, 2008

3

Gavin Seim, news, photoshop, ProPhotoShow

Adobe CS4 Officially Announced

Today Adobe hosted a live online presentation of the up coming Creative Suite 4. It kinda failed on that side. For me (and others) it was so choppy and slow that it was unwatchable. Still the new features have been announced and though we’re not seeing a exact release date yet you can probably expect it soon.

There’s lots inside, though this update looks mainly evolutionary and not revolutionary. There’s some good videos over on the CS4 learning center that you can check out to get a visual.

A few of the things we’ll see are…

  • Interface update:
  • A new adjustment layers panel:
  • Mask Panel:
  • New 3d features:
  • Updates to Bridge:
  • Focus Blending (from multiple images):
  • And one of my favorites, Content Aware image scaling (this is like the Liquid Resize product we saw talked about last year:

So, what do you think? Super. Blah. Overpriced. Are you gonna get it? What are your favorite new features? Post up those comments folks.

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September 20, 2008

0

news, ProPhotoShow

Lightroom 2.1 now available

Many of you who follow me on twitter know that I’ve had many stability issue’s with Lightroom 2. I know others have had problems as well. We’ve been waiting for some bug fixes.

Well Adobe Labs made 2.1 available today. It won’t be in automatic update yet, but it’s worth getting manually. Though I have not used it much yet I do see indications that there are some good improvements. Brushes may even be working smoother now. I won’t make this long. It’s time for bed. Go get it for yourself and share a comment about what you find.

~ Download LR 2.1 here ~

Thanks to Twitterer’s for letting us know…
Gavin Seim

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September 17, 2008

16

Canon, Gavin Seim, news, ProPhotoShow

Canon 5D Mark2 is here: Canon bites back (UPDATED)

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It was bound to happen sooner or later, but sooner finally arrived A bit later that some had expected, but it came. The Canon 5D MK II is official, and looking really good. It’s been announced for Nov release. Here’s my favorite highlights.

Update 11/08: The MK II is said to be shipping mid to lat November. The date is not solid as of this update.

  • 21.1-megapixel full frame sensor:
  • DIGIC 4 processor, significantly lower noise, ISO range of 50 to 25,600:
  • 1920 x 1080 HD video capture with mic input:
  • 3.9 frames per second (14 frame Raw burst):
  • 15-point Autofocus:
  • 3.0-inch Clear View LCD:
  • Live View Shooting:
  • Auto Lighting Optimizer (helps even out harsh lighting):
  • 10.0 & 5.2 megapixel sRaw mode:
  • Integrated Cleaning System:
  • Update: IR Wireless Trigger
  • Update: Auto ISO settings
  • Update: Image copyright metadata support

UPDATE2: With MK II Samples

Delivery is scheduled by the end of Nov. Body only price will be around $2700 USD. Kit version with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS  lens will be around $3500 USD

On a personal note I can say that I can’t wait to get this in my hands. Canon took too long to get it here, but from the look of it they’ll be back in the contenders ring with Nikon. Since this is their #2 pro body. I’m curious what the new 1D will bring us. It can’t be far behind, since the specs on this would turn the current 1D into an electronic oldie. There’s a few more views of the new MK2 below. What ya think? Lets get the comments rolling.

Canon 5D MK2 Rear

Canon also announced:

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