RPS 155th International Print Competition 2012
Posted in Articles on November 30th, 2011 by Haryono
The Art of Food Photography [a Painters Approach]
Posted in Articles on November 30th, 2011 by Guest ContributorA Guest post by Will Kemp.
Ever wanted to create more drama in your food photography?
Want to break away from the whimsical cupcake shot?
Sometimes the inspiration isn’t from instagram but in your local museum.
To be exact Classical paintings.
I teach aspiring artists how to understand the importance of colour, contrast and composition when learning how to paint. I’m also a keen photographer and there are many similarities between the two.
Painting, as with photography, is more about keen observation than having the latest shiny sable brush. As a painter, you know you will be studying the same image for maybe 10-20 hours so you want to make sure it is exactly right.
Below are my 5 top tips to recreating that Old Master look.
1. Use a Single Light Source
This is very effective when you’re painting because it really helps to give the illusion of depth and that is one of the trickiest things to achieve when your trying to convince the viewer of your subject.
When you use one light source you produce lovely shapes of what are called cast shadows, as in the shadow cast by an object. I often study the shadows more than the subject. You don’t need an expensive light, the photo above was lit using a $5 torch.
You can use this technique when composing your photograph to try and keep it really simple, that way it looks more dramatic .
2. Contrast is King
No, not content, contrast. Beginner painters often don’t paint shadows dark enough in their painting, thus not giving a illusion of depth.
You can’t adjust the HDR for the painting so you have to create it in front of you rather than after the event. Try to limit Photoshop to under 5 minutes.
3. Use your Eye as the Zoom
In can be very tempting to constantly zoom in and out of a subject, to move the angle high and low.
With paintings you have physical limitations with your eyes. Roughly a 50mm equivalent crop factor, so experiment sticking with one prime lens and move your legs, not your zoom.
4.Create Harmony with Complementary Colours
To mute down a orange in painting you add its complementary colour, blue.
This helps to create harmony and balance in your piece.
If you look at the local colour of the onions, a warm orange juxtaposed with a more muted cool blue of the bowl it helps to make the onions ‘pop.
One strong colour, orange balanced with muted versions of its complementary colour, blue helps to balance and this formula was used again and again in Old masters paintings.
5. Find interest in the Ordinary
As a painter you learn to find interest in anything you see, the way light just hits an object, and the power of negative space, in this case the handle of the bowl and the cast shadow of the onion on the table top. Both are really helpful for you to be able to draw objects more accurately.
So don’t wait to have the perfect object, the perfect lighting or the perfect equipment.
You don’t need it. Just start simply, and enjoy it!
Will Kemp is a professional artist currently teachingClassical painting techniques on his blog and has just released the Art of Acrylics online course.
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
The Art of Food Photography [a Painters Approach]
Creating Easy Time-Lapse Movies In Lightroom 3.0
Posted in Articles on November 30th, 2011 by Peter West CareyAre you looking for a quick and easy way to create time-lapse videos and already own Lightroom 3.0?
Thanks to the hard work of Sean McCormack, your search is over. Being budget minded and already owning Lightroom, I came across Sean’s plugin and was pleasantly surprised at the price tag (free). While the plugin currently does not export to 1080p, only 720p, it makes creating these fun, and often stunning, videos a lot easier than previous methods.
What is the genius of this technique? No resizing or need to export RAW files. This, to me, is heaven. Resizing is not that big of a deal, but exporting hundreds of images to recompile takes more time. Don’t forget most techniques usually require the purchase of Quicktime Pro.
What is the downside of this technique? No music and no Ken Burns Effect as with other programs. This is a simple version for those not creating super-gloss time-lapse. It can, however, be used to create multiple smaller video that can be assembled, with music and Ken Burns Effect, using another program, such as iMovie (free with Mac computers).
First, for those not acquainted with the technique for shooting time-lapse, let me point you to two posts already covering the subject on DPS.
With your shots in hand, it’s time to use the power of Lightroom to make your task a whole lot easier. First, take a look at Sean’s post here on Pixiq for the download and install instructions.
Creating a time-lapse is now extremely simple and handled via the Slideshow module in Lightroom.
1. Organize your photos into a Collection
After editing images to your desired taste, highlight them all in the Library module. Then, click on the + next to Collections in the left information panel.
Next click ‘New Collection’ and then give your new Collection a name. Be sure to check the box for ‘Include selected photos’.
2. Switch to the Slideshow module and pick your Preset
In the Slideshow module, you will see the new Presets on the left. Select the Preset you desire and then make sure your recently created Collection is also selected.
3. Export and Enjoy
Lastly, click on Export Video, give it a name and pick a location and let Lightroom do the rest!
Some tips on shooting time lapse with examples.
I played with Sean’s plugin for only a few attempts before heading to Peru on a ‘vacation’ (in quotes because who among us with cameras ever really vacates that aspect of our lives?). I had the chance at Machu Picchu to sit in one spot high above the city and let my camera snap images while I relaxed for about four hours. I played around a little with different speeds. To give you some idea of the speeds at which to shoot, check out the attached videos below.
Shot at one frame every 30 seconds and assembled at 24 frames per second.
Shot at one frame every 10 seconds and assembled at 24 frames per second.
Shot at one frame every 3 seconds and assembled at 24 frames per second.
As you can see, one frame every 3 seconds doesn’t work so well with a fast moving train and I would have shot more if not for the warning to not put arms outside of the train. It’s rather hurried. The video with one shot every 10 seconds works for faster moving clouds. In the video of one every 30 seconds, because of the time gap and speed of the clouds, the action looks a bit fast.
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
Creating Easy Time-Lapse Movies In Lightroom 3.0
What Do You Want To Learn About Photography In The Next 13 Months
Posted in Articles on November 29th, 2011 by Peter West Carey
By PNASH
I’m getting a big jump on the end of year posts by diving right into what I believe is an important part of achieving what you want in life; making goals.
Goals give us a sense of direction especially when we are faced with days where our rudder has gone missing and distractions are high. For photography, I try to outline what I want to learn at the beginning of the year as well as other general photo goals. And the goal list does not need to be a static document. It should, in fact, be alive and constantly added to as new techniques and art forms are discovered by you.
I love the collaborative utility of the DPS community and as much as I enjoy writing for it, I also love learning from it. Reading DPS has turned me on to techniques and concepts which had never crossed my mind. The information contained on this site has also help me understand concepts in a different way and for that I am thankful.
Looking ahead to the coming year, what are your goals, photographically speaking, for 2012? We’ll even throw in the month of December, 2011, as a bonus.
To start things off, I would list:
- Learn HDR techniques I’ll actually use. I’ve avoided it for the most part, but come across enough situations when it would be helpful to employ.
- Design and execute concepts with neutral density filters. I have a number of ideas in my head of what I want, now’s the time to get them shot.
- Employ a flash when traveling more often. I know I can pull more character out of certain scenes if I’m using an off-camera flash, but I’ve been hesitant to lug one around.
- Help others improve their photography. This is always on my list and something I earnestly love. Knowledge is more valuable when shared.
- Get my hands on a medium format camera and play. I had one in the days of film, now I’d like to see what the digital world holds for this format.
In the comments section below, please list any photo goals you have for 2012.
Who knows, some might even be turned into DPS blog posts to help you learn!
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
What Do You Want To Learn About Photography In The Next 13 Months
Rokinon 85M-P 85mm F1.4
Posted in Articles on November 29th, 2011 by Haryono