The Incredible Spot Healing Brush In Lightroom 5 Beta
Guys I have to say that Adobe has really done a kick but job with the updates in Lightroom 5 beta. The cool thing about a Beta is the fact it is free. You do not have to of ever owned Lightroom in the past ans you can still get the new Public beta, feel free to download it here. Since this post only covers the Spot healing goodness, feel free to read about all of the features here.
One of my gripes about Lightroom has always been the retouching features. I could get 80% of the way there during a retouch, bet then I had to do the heavy lifting inside Photoshop. Well not anymore, Lightroom does an amazing job with spot healing brush, almost like the performance from Photoshop but it is much easier to use. Now I am not going to be throwing rocks at Photoshop anytime soon, however I am extremely excited to play with Lightroom 5.
If you send a few minutes watching my video below, you can see for yourself why I am so darn excited.
Multiple Exposures In Camera Can Make Some Cool Stuff. Image Above by Sara Byrne
Hey guys, I stumbled across a photographer’s work named Sara Byrne. She is doing in digital what was possible with most 35mm film cameras, double exposure. In the film days, you would make an image, then hold a button to recock the shutter but not wind the film to the next frame. I would do weird stuff like put a moon in a sunset, or put stars on a cloudy day, weird stuff like that. For me it has always been somewhat of a gimmick and one I never gave too much thought to.
Well, in the 5D Mk III (one of my cameras), it allows you to do multiple exposures in many different ways. I am sure other cameras can do this, just google to see which ones. In the 5D MkIII, the only mode I am interested in is the 2 image additive. You can shoot an image at any time, then later on use it as a base exposure to add a texture shot. How cool is that? I say it’s cool because you can start to plan shots and wait for the right texture to come along. I am an avid texture junkie. I collect them like people collect baseball cards. Now I have a chance to start putting my texture habit to new use. The best thing is, the magic all happens in camera and you end up with a Raw file.
Spend a few minutes watching Sara’s video. She really does a nice job of explaining the technique. Thanks for taking time to stop by today. Sincerely, Thomas Shue Image Above by Sara Byrne Image Above by Sara Byrne
Today I want to show you how to drag the shutter. First off dragging the shutter means you are leaving the shutter open for however long you need to. You leave it open in order to let enough ambient light into your scene to render an image the way you want it to look. It’s all about personal taste, exposure is always subjective. Now, this technique works best when you are working in a dark environment. I say this because the camera doesn’t see movement in the dark. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it in a bright scene too. Just remember if you are dragging the shutter in a bright scene, your subjects are lit the entire time the exposure is taking place. You need to make 100% sure your subjects can stay still and keep their eyes open for as long as the shutter is open. I say this because any movement in a bright scene will show up as motion blur in the final image.
Now, if you work on a dark scene, you can use the flash to freeze your subjects rendering them sharp. The sequence of events for dragging the shutter is as follows. With your flash off, set a shutter speed long enough that renders the background in such a way that it looks exactly how you like. Then turn on your flash and dial up or down the power to get a proper exposure on your subject. The flash will fire as soon as you press the shutter button freezing your subject 100% still. Then the shutter will stay open for as long as you have the shutter set and the ambient light will just pour in, thus creating the final image with the background as bright as you want it to be.
I hope you understand the process of dragging the shutter so you can go out and try it. If not check out this video below to see if helps you better understand. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you all have a great day. Sincerely, Thomas Shue
Hi folks, today I have a very special treat. The man who took me under his wing and taught me almost everything I know about lighting has come out with some new training material. The mans name is James Schmelzer, who I affectionately know as Jimmy. You see, Jim is a very special person, not only is he great at photography, he is great at being a human being. He is a super funny guy that I can never get enough of, and today I want to share with you what he shared with me, his new DVD.
If you really want to know how to light then you need to know what Jimmy knows. Jimmy has been in the photography game for almost Thirty years now. He is a Brooks Institute graduate, a master craftsman photographer and the owner and operator of one of the best studios in the world, called Elite Photographic. When Jimmy is not kicking ass in the studio or doing some huge wedding, he is often on the road helping others learn to light.
A week or so ago, I got a chance to catch up with my friend at WPPI where he was hard at work. You see Jim has a long-standing relationship with FJ Westcott and he travels to some of the biggest shows in the world to teach lighting. If you ever get a chance to visit a large photography trade show, find the Westcott booth and go meet Jim. I promise any time spent with this man will be time well spent.
So, here’s the deal, I was just hanging out at the booth when Jimmy reached into his bag and tossed me a DVD. All he said was, “check it out and tell me what you think”. So that is exactly what I am doing. Jimmy if you are reading this, the DVD is so great. Thanks for giving me the chance to learn from you, Again! Every time I watch you work, I learn something valuable and new. Jimmy I mean this when I say it, I value your friendship and want to publicly thank you for everything you have ever done for me. I am a better photographer and person because of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Sorry for all the mushy stuff, but I have one last thing I want to say to my friend. Jimmy, I want you to know that everything you have ever taught me, I openly share with anyone who will listen. You are the reason I teach lighting to others and I hope that one day I can impact others in the same way you have impacted me.
So, on with the info about the DVD. Jimmy has taken all of the basics of lighting and laid them out in an easy to understand way at the beginning of the DVD (fundamentals and theory). Then he shows you how different light sources behave with the various modifiers. More so, he shows you how to control light and place it where it should be, while taking it away from anywhere it shouldn’t be. Also he shows how to create and control the quality of light. There is a huge difference in good exposure and good lighting. Many of people believe you need soft light to create beautiful images, this is simply not the case. Hard light can be extremely beautiful if you know how to shape it. Also during the DVD he lays out some very beautiful setups. I plan to steal (ahemm, I mean borrow) all of these setups and make them my own. The DVD is full of tips and tricks that will help you take full control over your lighting. All you have to do is practice until you master what he shows you.
You know, workshops are great places to learn. The problem with them is you aren’t always ready to learn all of the information begin presented. I say if you can learn one or two solid, “NEW” things at a workshop, things that you instantly use to better your photography, then you attended a good workshop (how’ed you like that run on sentence?). However, the great thing about a “Good” DVD is you can watch it over and over. You can master everything over time. You can absorb the information as your skill level allows you. We are human not robots, we need to have information drilled in to our brains, many, many times for complex things to sink in. Then when we understand, often times we don’t know how or when to actually apply the newly acquired knowledge. Understanding and execution are worlds apart, that’s why it’s so great to have the actual reference material to fall back on when you need it or when you are ready for it.
In closing, I hope all of the members here know by now, that I am an honest person who is always trying to help you be better photographers. Also that I never endorse a product that I don’t really like, and I never receive money for anything that I post on my blog. I hope you have noticed there are no banner ads, there are no affiliate links, no spam emails, ect.. I do all of this from my heart, because I want to, and I love to.
Now, I want to surprise my friend Jimmy by having tons of you call his studio and order his DVD for $50 bucks. Jimmy has given me so much, and it’s the least I can do. Two things will happen, one you will get a kick ass DVD with tons of incredible lighting information, secondly you will help me show Jimmy how much love I have for him. Please ask yourself which one of the two you have a problem with, I hope it’s neither.
So for the first time, I am asking you to buy something, and it’s now. Please Call Elite Photographic at 586-566-6204 and tell them that his buddy Tom from Vegas sent you. Tell whoever answers that you want to buy Jimmy’s new DVD called “Studio Photography Techniques Using Constant Lighting”. Thanks so much for taking time to visit mu blog today. I promise to not make it a habit of trying to get you to buy stuff, this DVD really a great piece of information from a great person. I hopw you all have an incredible day today. Sincerely, Thomas Shue
Do You Want To BE A RockStar But Never Take Time To Learn The Notes?
Ask yourself a simple question, when it comes to photography, do you want to be a Rock-star? If so, how often do you spend time learning the notes? When it comes to photography, we live in a world of Rock-Stars that can barley play a single note of music. The market is becoming flooded with so-called, “Professional Photographers”. I see them all the time. For them, it seems to be a “spray and pray” way of thinking. I guess they feel that if they take hundreds of images they will end up with some keepers and they can just “delete” the rest. That system can work for amateurs, but if you hang a shingle and call yourself a professional, I feel it’s absolutely necessary for you to know your craft inside and out. Knowing your craft as a photographer, is the same as knowing your craft as a musician. Start with one note and build upon it, to enhance your knowledge and skill. After you master the basics, you then have a foundation to build on. Next, if you work hard and practice - practice - practice, you will become proficient. The last step in the process is to gain experience, by doing what it is you have practiced. Then over time you cab become a true professional. (now I step down from my soap box)
Today at Skip Cohen University I had an amazing time. One of the most memorable items today was Clay Blackmore‘s presentation. Clay is an amazing photographer, and he should be. He was schooled by one of the best, Monte Zucker. Clay has really broken portrait photography to its simplest form. The system he uses is based a simple set of rules he class a mantra, “POSE, LIGHT, LIFT, REFINE”. This system might seem simple on paper, and it can be if you really learn it, but it offers a ton of variation in what seems endless possibilities.
So lets look at his system. First up is, “Pose”, you need to pose your subject before you can know where to place the light, to light them. That’s simple enough right? His system is based on two poses. The “Basic” (used to be called masculine) pose, good for both men and women. The Basic pose is when the body and face are turned towards the light. The second pose in the system is the “Feminine” pose which is good only for women. The Feminine pose is when the body is turned away from the light, and the face is positioned towards the light.
Next is part two of his system, “Light”. Clay uses only one lighting pattern on the face, it is called the modified loop pattern. Clay chooses to use this pattern because it looks good on every person. In this way he says he hits a home run every time if he uses the modified loop. As simple as this lighting pattern is, it lends itself to a great amount of diversity. I say this because of the variation in camera position or through the selection of one of the three positions of the face. The three positions are Full Face, 2/3rds View, and Profile. Each face position has a specific set of rules which define it. It is up to the photographer to choose one of the face positions to flatter the subject or to realize a vision.
Next is “Lift” and “Refine”. Watching him work today, during the lift and refine portion of each image, he basically tweaked everything until it is perfect. Sometimes its hands on where he would gently place his hands on the subjects face and physically refine it. Most of the times lifting and refining was done via verbal commands. Then Lastly, he often rotates the camera to the high shoulder to make the images look more dramatic and to enhance the composition.
You see, all of the things I have described are like music notes. It seems everyone today wants to be a rock-star without learning all of the notes . It’s impossible to play songs proficiently without a mastery of the basics and photography is no different.
I have read and reviewed Monte Zucker’s books, he was a true master. Now that same skill and wonderful system lives on through Clay and I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am to have seen him live today. If you ever get a chance to be a part of a workshop with clay, you really need to do it. Below is a video I found of Clay Blackmoore in action, You need to check it out to see exactly what I am saying.
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful day, Sincerely, Thomas Shue
