April 19, 2012

1

inspire, tips

Video: Histogram Tales, Detailed Histogram Reading.

by Gavin Seim: Taking the time to watch the histogram is invaluable. Left is dark, right is light on a histogram. But beyond that you can better understand and work the highlight and shadow detail your way, before exporting to Photoshop, printing etc. And it’s not hard.

I recorded this video and hope to do more soon. In it we analyze what the histogram tells us about an image and how we can learn to better understand our images using it.

Starting with presets is a great way to get an image going, but don’t be afraid of those curves sliders to move things around. You can control tone and dynamic range beautifully on the RAW file without losing contrast. Just watch for artifacts or noise if you push things far (see the Six Keys).

Get comfortable with your histogram. It can tell you a lot, both in camera (trust your histogram more than what you see on the camera screen) and in post (just about everything you need to know). Powerful stuff indeed. Lets take a look…

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March 23, 2012

0

f164, photo couch, podcast, technique, travel

Photo Couch Podcast #28 – Take a Breath

Photo Couch Podcast #28 MP3

In Big Bend NP once again, Gavin is working in the field and musing about how much we can gain by stopping, taking a breath and thinking about our scene before we release the shutter.

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Subscribe in iTunes – Direct Podcast Feed – Facebook Page

Photo Couch is the companion podcast of Gavin’s f164 project. Sort of an audio journal. Nothing fancy here. Just short musings, tips, and thoughts on photography. You can listen below, or subscribe for free and get all the latest episodes. If you want more, you can also check out Gavin’s full podcast, Pro Photo Show.

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March 12, 2012

0

lightroom, news, ProPhotoShow, Updates, video, workshop

EXposed Promo Spot – Dorky Jogger

We’ve been on the road more than two months now and I’ve been recording footage for the new EXposed video series. Maybe it’s cabin fever, but we wanted to have some fun, so I’ve been running some b-roll and quick promo spots to hold us over until the real series releases this summer.

I plan to post those along with some more serious info spots as I work towards the final collection that is EXposed, and will indeed be serious. But still with a bit of fun. Behold, Dorky Jogger.

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March 4, 2012

0

beauty, f164, Fine Art, infrared, journal, line, National Park, Nature, signature, silver, technique, travel

The Skinny Kid – Joshua Tree NP

The Skinny Kid by Gavin Seim. Joshua Tree NP, Feb 2012

The family and I camped down on the flatland’s and took a nice drive into Joshua Tree that day. It was warm, but got cooler in the highlands and the choice to wear shorts turned out less than ideal. So the family was back in the car warming up after hiking and I ventured out near Skull Rock, finding this skinny little Joshua Tree standing alone, everyone ignoring it’s simplicity.

The Skinny Kid grew on me and soon I was experimenting with angles and ideas for how to best showcase what he had to offer. In the end this simple black and white scene struck me. A starkness of line. A cast shadow showing that his reach extends beyond his size. This tree has a perfect vantage. He gets to watch over this rocky landscape without distraction and reign as King of it’s trees.

Release details: Prints available. Contact the gallery. Learn more about prices. Available prints…

 

For Photographers. How it was made…

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February 17, 2012

0

inspire, tips

90 Seconds of Reading. Three 30 Second Tips to Better Photos:

by Gavin Seim:

Countdown To 60: After you choose that subject but before before you release the shutter, try taking a full minute to think about your scene and how you’re about to capture it. Really. Don’t just look at it. SEE IT. Sometimes we feel pressured to click. But even with a portrait, learn to take a little time and you’re images WILL improve. With some scenes you can even spend longer. Check out the 111 Project.

Sparks: I stood outside well before the exit. Experimenting, considering the scene, trying to predict the light. The effort paid off with a great candid from a challenging scene.

Cut The Trash: I know, you’ve already taken 60 seconds, you have a plan. But look again. Maybe even take a test frame. Controlling tone, removing clutter and distracting elements is one of the most neglected elements in art making. If something is not adding to the image, it should not be in the frame. Either you move, move it, or it will move the quality of your final image down to LOW.

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