Sep/100
How CMYK Works
I'm working on a project that requires using Away3D, and I've stumble on this great tutorial on layering images in a 3D space, and thought I'd use an image to show how a 4-color process works with a photograph - the 4 colors being Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (not to confuse with Blue). Adobe Flash file after the jump!
Original Image
Sep/100
Quick Post: X-sync
The other day I was playing with the idea of using my Dynalites to sync up with my camera to something greater than the 1/250 limit. I know that at full-power, the light duration is 1/64,000. The camera's fastest shutter speed is 1/8000, so theoretically the camera is slow enough to capture that glimpse of light.
I needed very shallow depth-of-field to blur out the busy bookshelf and keep focus on the subjects. I used a 50mm lens at f/1.6 and 1/6400 (at 1/8000 a vignette is more apparent), ISO100. I think it worked great - just can't wait to use it outdoors to kill the ambient or do some motion freeze with the power of Dynalite strobes.
Sep/100
Rendering Backgrounds
One of the things I've been experimenting lately is creating 3d mattes for background. One of the difficult things involved is matching the camera location and angle, and then lighting. Just imagine a room with matched lighting and angles (and even receive shadows from the subject) - and the best part is that you can change it within seconds.
Sep/101
Tv Repair Shop
It was one of those rare occasions where I got an assignment with plenty of time to prepare. Danny Sertich owns and operates a tv repair shop in Sandy Springs, and it's the place where tv comes back to life, one way or another. Gutted parts covered the walls just waiting for their day to resurrect an appliance.
Sep/100
When Time Is Not On Your Side
The assignment was simple enough: photograph a pilot for an upcoming airshow story. Of course, sometimes no matter how much you plan, life will throw you a curve ball. The kind where doors and landing gears are missing. And you only have 10 minutes to shoot.
May/100
Ad shoot (part 1)
The project was simple enough: shoot a big bag being used in construction/ renovation projects for the company's new website. I bet if the bag had a plastic lining, you could turn it into a pool.
But even "simple" projects can take a lot of work to produce. More details after the jump.
Apr/100
DIY (sort of) Sandbags for Counterweight
Buying sandbags is probably the most boring thing next to manuals and paperclips. The worst part is buying online and paying for shipping, so I decided to buy them empty but realized that a heavy-duty sewing machine costs somewhere $200. And by heavy-duty materials I mean leather, denim, and of course cordura (what these sandbags are made from).
Here's my solution: Gorilla Glue ($8) and sand ($3) at Home Depot.
Apr/100
DIY Manfrotto Carrying Strap for $3
I was trying to figure out a way to attach my 055XB Manfrotto tripod to my backpack when I decided the best way to go about it is just carry it separately using a strap without costing an arm and a leg. Just as a warning, I make no warranties or responsibility if your DIY stuff breaks or destroy things.
055XB tripod sans head
Mar/100
Judge Joe Brown Photographs
This is rather sad. A professional photographer using an entry-level camera with the kit lens is being sued for bad quality work. She used a Canon XTi, which is a fine camera for hobby, but when you need to get the job done at a professional level, it has many limitations and this is what happens.