The Digital Photo Guy

Topaz Labs Mothers’ Day Sale

For those who are interested in Topaz Labs plug-ins, this weekend only (Mothers’ Day 2012,) TL is offering a 30% discount on ALL products. The discount code is “TopazMoms” (without quotes, does anyone really enter codes with quotes?)

Hope to see you on Team Topaz.

Exploring Arizona

Finally getting around to exploring some locations for shoots. So far, I’ve found a lumberyard that’s also home to an artist so there’s a rich mixture of working tools/equipment as well as objet d’art. It’s a cool place but a little out of the way. Near town, there’s a riparian nature preserve administered by the Nature Conservancy. It’s very well managed and will probably become one of my favorites for hummingbirds and macros.

My latest find is a junkyard (auto recycler for the PC) that’s a free-fire zone for photographers. Here are some recent photos. These were all “pumped up” to some degree with Topaz Labs Adjust 5. TLA is one of my favorite PS/PSE/LR plug-ins but, as I gain more experience with it, I’m beginning to be much more selective about its use. In the beginning, I slathered it on everything but, these days, I can tell where it’s going to add “punch” and where it will look amateurish.

I’m planning a shoot at the junkyard in a few weeks so if any AZ readers would like to be a VAML (voice activated manual lightstand,) drop me an e-mail. All you have to do is hold a reflector, scrim or remote flash. I’d prefer a female assistant to put the young, aspiring model at ease. The theme will be Pin-Up, an American Icon. If we have time, I also want to photograph the model in a bikini against the pickup truck tailgates titled, “Arizona Surfboards.”

Portrait Professional

In my last post, I touted the speed, ease of use and wonderful results from Portrait Professional but forgot to provide a link. I know most of my readers are smart enough figure out the URL but, just in case you’re having a senior moment or brain spasm, here’s the link: LINK

Monitor Calibration

Lately, I’ve noticed the LCD monitor on my laptop is getting darker. In the past, it was reasonably close to what I saw on my calibrated 22″ external monior. This is a function of an aging LCD. There’s not much you can do about it except to be aware. Properly adjusted images on an old LCD monitor may appear dark. Other than buying a new laptop or monitor, the only solution is to increase the screen brightness.

Make Fast Work of Portrait Processing

Several weeks ago, I attended a portrait workshop with Clay Blackmore, a protege of Monte Zucker. The class was good but, like many classes taught by pros, filled with too much info in too little time. I don’t know about you but I like to think about what I’m doing to fully assimilate new techniques and ideas.

After the class, I learned a useful tip from Michael Jordan (no, not that MJ!) a talented Phoenix-based photographer. He recommended Portrait Professional for quickly processing dozens or hundreds of photos after an event. OnOne Software, a workshop sponsor, was supposed to send us a free copy of a portrait plug-in but they flaked out so I decided to try Portrait Professional.

This first photo of Martha took about 30 minutes because I played around with all the different controls and settings.

This second photo of Jocelyn took 3 minutes. It’s not perfect but I left the overly exaggerated nose and chin sculpting to make it easier to see what the program does. Had I wanted to improve that, it would have taken another minute or two. Also notice how the program smoothed her skin.

If you’re just doing 2-3 portraits at a time, it’s probably no big deal but if you want to process dozens or, even, hundreds of portraits at a time, Portrait Pro can get you out from behind the computer.

Ceiling Fans

If you’re in the market for a ceiling fan, don’t bother buying from Minka Aire. I bought one with a defective remote reversing module that is supposed to reverse the fan direction. Instead of simply sending me a $5 electronic module, the company wants me to uninstall the fan from the ceiling and ship it back to them for replacement. Obviously, this is how they avoid warranty expenses because how many people are willing to remove a 30 pound fan or pay someone to do so. Companies that think they’re pulling a fast one with onerous warranty conditions obviously haven’t heard about social media. I hope everyone who thinks these tactics stink will send their opinion to Minka Group, based in Corona, CA. Surprisingly, the fan was purchased from FanDiego, where the salesman promised they would stand by me in case anything was wrong with the fan. So much for promises.

Burrowing Owls and Lavender Fields

On Saturday, May 12, I plan to be around Salton Sea to photograph burrowing owls. It’s a bit late in the season but I’m hoping there will be some fledglings still hanging around. Burrowing owls are active all day long but the best light will be early morning or late afternoon. During the middle of the day, their beaks cast heavy shadows. You should have a minimum 300mm lens. With that, you can get fairly close with a bit of patience.

On Saturday, May 19, I plan to be at the Keys Creek Lavender Farm in Valley Center, CA. The first time, I was unwillingly dragged out there by my wife but found myself oddly attracted to the farm. It’s an interesting place and I’m sure there are many photo ops that I haven’t yet explored. The lavenders will be in full bloom in May and June so, if you miss the 19th, you have until the end of June for the 2012 bloom.

In case you missed it, join the San Diego Photography Collective (no, you won’t be assimilated by the borg) at Deer Park Winery on June 10 for the Gathering on the Green, a mini-Concours de Elegance. Cuties for a Cause will be there to raise money for ArtHatch, a local not-for-profit that sponsors and supports youth in art. Mea culpa: the original announcement said the fund raiser is for an animal welfare group but that was last year’s cause.

San Diego Fair Photography Workshops

The fair opens Friday, June 8 and runs through Wednesday, July 4. It’s too late to enter the Ehibition of Photography contest but there are tons of workshops and some 1-day shootouts on tap. Follow this link for the latest info.

Amazing Workshop in Phoenix

Last Monday, I attended a workshop led by Clay Blackmore, a protégé and business partner of the late Monte Zucker, arguably one of the finest wedding photographers of the last 60 years. The class was “How to Photograph Everyone” and you can get more information HERE. If you have a scintilla of interest in making amazing photos of people, this class is worth every cent. For $199, we went from 9AM until 7:30PM with Clay pushing, pulling and driving us the entire time. We skipped lunch and breaks to fit in “one more pose.” The class was scheduled to end at 5:30 but Clay and his able assistant, Calvin Hayes, met us back at their hotel for a final session with an amazing model, Tuesday. Unfortunately, by then, my brain was fried and I was only able to make a few final images of Tuesday in her wedding gown. Here are some photos from the workshop.

I’m not usually into the edgy, urban look but Martha made everything fun. I loved working with her. Tommy and Rene were the perfect complements to Martha.

Shaun is a striking redhead who is very polished and comfortable in front of the camera. In some ways, she came across as unapproachable but, like a true professional model, had a way of lighting up with a smile at just the right moments to put everyone at ease.

Tuesday is not a professional model but you could have fooled me. By the time we got to her session, my brain was fried so this is the only good photo I made of her. I was afraid of burning out her gown with my flash but I knew her dark complexion called for more light. I cranked up the Canon 580EX to 1/2 power and hoped for the best. Yes, the flash is obvious but I like that her features as well as veil are detailed.

All the photos were processed in Lightroom 3 based on tips, techniques and thoughts learned from George Jardine. If you’re serious about photography, you should use Lightroom. If you’re using LR, you should take George’s workshop. On a few photos, I went out of LR to PS CS4 for some minor retouch work.