Make Light Real

Neil September 30th, 2010

Mac Pro quad 2.6ghz for sale $1350

• 6gbRAM

• 500gHD

• SuperDrive PLUS LightscribeDVD (both slots full)

• 4 Slot SATA PCI card

• 2 slot STAT external converter (from motherboard to external)

This is a massive data crunching machine! You can easily run in 9 SATA connections putting you at 9TB of fast live storage. Two slots for RAM are still open so there’s space to upgrade if you need more RAM.

I will ship UPS or FedEx 3 day insured delivery included in the asking price of $1350 – OBO, want to sell by Oct. 5.

PAYPAL (click link here) – Credit Card (call with your details 585.721.0632) – and money order by mail accepted.

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• Gear , Technical

Neil February 18th, 2010

The Wacom Bamboo Pen Tablet and Evernote « Evernote Blogcast

Annotating images

On bother Windows and Mac, use the Wacom Bamboo Pen tablet to annotate images in your favorite image editor, then bring those annotated images into Evernote. We’ll process them and make the handwriting searchable. If you already have an image in Evernote, right click and open it with your image editor. When you’re done annotating, hit save, and the image will automatically update in Evernote thanks to our Live Update feature.

Twitter giveaway time!

The great folks at Wacom are generously offering three (3) Wacom Bamboo Pen tablets. Here’s how to enter:

• Follow @evernote and @wacom on Twitter
• Send a public tweet containing the hashtag #evernotewacom

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• Creativity , Free stuff , Gear

Neil November 12th, 2008

his post is in the Thinking Big series combined with a couple other techniques:

• Thinking Big: outside the music hall
• Lighting a HUGE space – for anything that may happen
• + Light Control: turn the sky from white to blue
• + Balancing the Sun with flash – Crosslighting

Equals how to cross light a mountain!

One of the repetitive questions I get from people are – why such a big flash – and why take it all over with you? I suppose it would be like asking someone who works online the whole time why they use a broadband internet connection (http://www.o2.co.uk/broadband/mobile/), for them the answer is pretty obvious. And it is for me too, it just makes so many more options available.

Quite frankly – this is EXACTLY why!

In my lighting case that I loaded onto the plane in Rochester New York was:

• 1 Alien Bee 800 Monoblock flash unit
• 1 Paul C. Buff Vagabond portable power unit and power cord
• 1 Black Impact Air Cusioned light stand height 230cm (model #SLS-LS8A)
• 1 Pocketwizard reciever
• Paul C Buff 11 inch parabolic reflector

Here’s one of the resulting peak moment shots that I try to reach for in my wedding photojournalism. The lighting case was loaded in the helicopter’s coffin gear carrier for the trip up the mountain and across the island. But a large mono-light wasn’t all I had in my arsenal…

Of course I want to cover the whole event with variety as well as style so get past the jump and let’s talk details…

• Comments(14)
• Creativity , Exposure , Gear , How To: , Motivation , Photographic Flash , Photography Lighting , Tutorials

Neil October 9th, 2008

AutoLoader from MikeD’s Photoshop Workflow Tools

NEW! Turbo mode improves loading speed by up to 10X over version 2.

NEW! Bridge integration lets you AutoLoad files selected in Bridge.

NEW! Run actions right after the image is loaded and right before the image is saved.

Remembers it’s position for any number of runs, allowing you to switch between edits.

Loads and saves PSD (flattened or not), TIFF (flattened or not) and JPEG (any compression level).

Take an additional 5% off your order from hearing ’bout it at Make Light Real!

use the additional bonus code

SPREADTHEWORD

If you purchased AutoLoader before July 8 2008, don’t fret: you are entitled to get the new version at a discount of $15! Just go to the brand-new site and add AutoLoader to your cart. To get your upgrade discount, use the code

AL3UP7112

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• Action download , Gear , Photoshop Retouching , Workflow

Neil October 2nd, 2008

Here’s my recommendations for a ‘projection’ display setup:

If you haven’t heard, selling your photography in person, using a display setup can dramatically increase your sales!

1. First, the display piece of the puzzle which is now basically a big monitor – Samsung LN46A550 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $1600

Why a TV you ask?  Higher resolution and clearer picture than a projector!

The NTSC (National Television Systems Committee) has established the color standards all TVs in America try to meet. And typical LCD TVs only meet about 72% of this standard. Samsung LCD HDTVs use Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp backlights to give you 92% coverage of the NTSC standard, ensuring truer, more breathlessly vivid colors.       

Samsung’s exclusive Wide Color Enhancer technology delivers more brilliant colors, even in bright areas of the picture where blues and greens are washed out on conventional screens. The system displays wider color reproduction, showing you truer colors – the fresh green of spring foliage, the intense blue of the summer sky.

2. Second you’ll need a mount to connect that big screen you’ll need a good wall mount to display it in a prominent place!

3. Third, you’ll need a computer to run your display system, ordering software and full multimedia experience grab an Apple Mac Mini, as it can run Mac OSX as well as windows!(You’ll also want the cable to connect the mac mini to the TV)

4. Fourth, an Apple Airport Extreme will get everything networked together at gigabit and N wireless speed.

5. Fifth, since you’re thinking that once you load up your Mac Mini with a few movies and podcasts you’re probably going to need more space, well I recommend the the Newer Tec Mini Stack at say…1TB @ $300 for maximum multimedia experience with your Mac Mini +iTunes or Amazon Unbox.

Load them into your shopping cart, check out, and setup your first sales consultation and watch them pay for themselves.

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• Gear , Inspiration , Reviews

Neil May 26th, 2008

If you can swallow this yucky corporate video there’s probably a nugget there for you.

I use the extra small softbox, as you can see in my bag, but I always use it hand held because the principle:

the larger your light source, the softer your light

Only applies if you are computing your exposure solely on the quantity of light that is coming from that source.

Your light source is relative to the subject.

A 18″ softbox is a small light source compare to a 70 inch man – so what is it good for?

Working close

I often use the ST-E2 transmitter and keep the flash on TTL allowing me to control the contrast using Exposure compensation on the camera. In this way, you can see how I’ve blended the daylight balance in the room – the tunsten source in the background – and finally the softbox providing the ‘key’ or main illumination shaping the subject.

There aren’t any shadows though, because my baseline exposure is the light in the room. I’ve used the soft box to create a shaping highlight. So there’s a bright shaped area, and a darker flatter area.

In this shot an assistant was holding the light (as I can only shoot hand held – light to my left). Here again you can see how I have blended the ambient and bumped it up with the softbox. Using your light to see shapes is really the psychological core of ‘making light real’. Light gives you that power to sculpt and form.

To achieve this exposure with your camera in TTL auto flash as well as Aperture, Shutter Speed, or Program exposure mode.  Adjust your main exposure compensation value to -1EV.  That’s it – the flash exposure will correct for everything else – easy eh?

Upcoming later, I have a video clip titled the 3 minute portrait, that will show how I’m using the mini softbox.  So the question of size must come up at some point….and you have to know the right answer when you’ve found the right question.

Is the 18 inch softbox big enough?

NO – so (moments later) I switched to using the ceiling as my soft-box.

Size is relative to proximity (distance from the subject) and you want to always have a softbox as big as or larger than your subject.

• Comments(3)
• Exposure , Gear , Photographic Flash , Shoe Flash Technique , Tutorials

Neil May 20th, 2008

Clerissa asks:I am shooting a new wedding in the courtyard Calle Independencia. I haven’t worked much with outdoor weddings and as you can see there won’t be much lighting. So I have a couple questions:

1. What do you think would be the best type of lighting? Should I try and rent something? I have two camera flashes and a couple of strobes. The strobes are not wireless though… but there may be a way to get power to them. There is also a second level I may be able to use to be less invasive. I think there are some places for viewing of the second level.
2. Is there a way to get that same kind of warm effect like you do with the gels on the flashes when shooting outside?
3. Is there a way to make the daytime shots look more warm? I find a lot of outdoor weddings start around 1-2pm and in Arizona the lighting is usually so bright it washes everything out.

Answers from Neil:

1. The best type of lighting is inspired lighting, you don’t need anything but your camera to find inspired lighting – just angles of approach. What controlled lighting can give you – is so many more angles and options to work with. But not forcing the shot when the lighting is so harsh is the first step to seeing more possiblities. Check out my options below for working in harsh outdoor light.
2. A warm effect is not created by gels – a harmonious effect is created by gel on the strobe. If you gel the strobe to the same color temperature of your surroundings, you can process your images in a warm or cool fashion as you are inspired to do so – changing the color temperature will warm the image. So if you’re getting blue tones in your image, try a shade white balance in camera with this icon:
3. As for lighting in bright sun or continuous light of any kind, one way to control your light is with a light panel:

Photoflex LitePanel 39×72″ kit from B+H Photo

If you combine the light panel with direct sun you can produce a blinding amount of light – so, be careful you don’ create squinters. My recommendation to achieve the summery tones in your image is to have your subjects sit in the shade, and then control the sunlight you push in with your panel(s). Taking this approach I’d suggest you ask your clients to get married in a shaded part of the court (if there is one) and then push some gentle sunlight into their ceremony from above with a panel. I know it may seem extreme, but to get unique pictures – that’s what it takes. Here are some panel illuminated shots:

The big benefit for beginners using a panel to redirect sunlight is that you don’t have to second guess your exposure or contrast levels as you will get what you see.

I believe we’re going to have an Arizona Make Light Real workshop in the near future so you can keep your eye on the workshop schedule

• Comments(1)
• Gear , How To: , Photography Lighting

Neil January 21st, 2008

Here’s a video of me emptying my camera bag of it’s contents, just for you to see what I take with me everywhere. The real fun one is the lighting case, but that’s part of the workshop – so I’ll save it for when you attend.

Gear List:

1. Canon 1D MarkII
2. Canon 1Ds MarkII
3. Canon 50mm f1.4
4. Sigma 24mm f1.8
5. Canon 90mm TSE f2.8
6. Canon 135mm f2.8
7. Sigma 70mm f2.8 Macro
8. Sigma 15mm f2.8 Fisheye
9. Mamiya 55mm f2.8 (grown up lensbaby)
10. Canon 550EX Shoe Flash
11. Canon 550EX Shoe Flash

Lighting / Accessories

1. Digital Camera Battery High Voltage Pack
2. Canon CP-E2
3. Canon ST-E2
4. Manfrotto 3350 Baby kit stand
5. Photoflex XTS Softbox
6. Photoflex 18″ umbrella
7. Photoflex Shoe Mount Multi Clamp
8. Pocketwizard (2)
9. Sunpack Readylight
10. LumiQuest Snoot

• Comments(11)
• Gear , Reviews , Shoe Flash Technique , Technical , Video

Neil November 4th, 2007

Here’s the exact unit I purchased from Home Depot, even though they don’t have it on their site. This unit I saw on Amazon, might be easier to not have to do any wiring, and you would be able to leave it in any outlet or be able to separate your outlets further! Heath Zenith Wireless Kit with Indoor Plug-In Receiver, White, and Remote Control, Black #RH-6008-WH5-A Either way you’re only out $35 for a gadget that will allow you to control the light output from your camera position and during shooting without moving.Here’s the link to the video on Cutframe.tv

I’m using standard halogen work lights ($10 at any hardware store), and a Lowel Pro light focusable spot light.

• Comments(5)
• audio/podcast , DIY , Gear , How To: , Photography Lighting , Technical

Neil October 29th, 2007

I’ve been curiously interested in the Q-Flash system made by Quantum – but the online information is terrible….there’s SO many configuration options that it’s just plain impossible to figure out. SO I never bought one!

Well today I got an e-mail from Shoot Smarter, a sort of infomercial site that actually has some great information. They seem to be the only good information on the Q-Flash system on the net! Too bad Quantum can’t find a good information design for their own site….

Some of them are way to slow, but I do suggest you listen to lesson one for information on all the ‘pieces’ you need to make the Q-Flash system work. Then, check out lesson 8 to get a peak at Wireless TTL with FreeXwire. That’s their radio trigger system that does TTL over the radio signal. I have yet to test it – and would like to – but if it works as advertised that would sell me on the Quantum gear.

• Comments(2)
• Free stuff , Gear , How To: , Reviews , Shoe Flash Technique , Technical