Sure, will do next week (busy weekend, sorry)
And don't worry, all you'd need for that is your camera, relatively fast lens and a speedlight...
We'll get back to my studio after that and then I'll drive you to the hotel...
busy weekend?? I'm sitting in a fricking horse trailer camping out for a show tomorrow after riding most of the day with a dog for company and watching my battery wind down and wishing I'd brought a LONG extension cord.
btw, I don't HAVE free weekends last weekend was a double shoot. But I'm thinking more along the lines of batteries OR a battery pack for my SB-900 (which I have not yet used).
oh sh*t and book a hotel room. I KNEW I forgot something. Once my severance check arrives I'm ALL over this.... :smack
erm, and a new laptop. this one is definitely officially the 'barn' one with all the dust it ingested today. ibook 12in G4, I think that puts it at 4 years old. It's time!
busy weekend?? I'm sitting in a fricking horse trailer camping out for a show tomorrow after riding most of the day with a dog for company and watching my battery wind down and wishing I'd brought a LONG extension cord.
btw, I don't HAVE free weekends last weekend was a double shoot. But I'm thinking more along the lines of batteries OR a battery pack for my SB-900 (which I have not yet used).
oh sh*t and book a hotel room. I KNEW I forgot something. Once my severance check arrives I'm ALL over this.... :smack
erm, and a new laptop. this one is definitely officially the 'barn' one with all the dust it ingested today. ibook 12in G4, I think that puts it at 4 years old. It's time!
I guess you're going to be busy too :-)
Mine "busy" is simple though:
Saturday - a day long shoot with a beautiful young lady;
Sunday - a money-making trip to a fashion show :-)
both should give me a fine chance to test my new Wireless USB setup :-)
Be sure to let us easterners know if you plan on doing this over here on the east coast. Especially around the Harrisburg - Philly area in Pennsylvania! I would be interested in attending!
GaryB
GaryB “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams
Be sure to let us easterners know if you plan on doing this over here on the east coast. Especially around the Harrisburg - Philly area in Pennsylvania! I would be interested in attending!
OK, as promised, here is the list of things you will need to make it most out of this weekend.
A camera wtih full manual capabilities and a hot shoe.
Typical settings range is: ISO 100, 1/250s, f/4.0 .. f/8.0
Lenses: whatever you have except extreme wide and extreme tele. My personal choice for APC body would be 17-55/2.8 and 70-200/2.8. For FF body 24-70, 24-105 would do.
Fast primes between 50mm and 135mm could play nice, too.
I'm using Canon, so you will be able to use some of mine if you don't have a proper one.
Lightmeter with flash metering capabilities: optional
For Miss California shoot Saturday night: speedlite. I'm gonna use my 580EXII, maybe with STE2.
For Sunday: a laptop with a copy of Adobe PS CS4 or LR2. If you don't have one, install a 30 day trial. CS3 and LR1 will not give you the same results due to the recent advancements in RAW processing and general performance improvement in the said products. If you don't have it - I have a disk which you can use to install in trial mode, simply notify me in advance (it takes about 40 min to install and update).
Charming personality and great attitude - mandatory and non-negotiable :-)
I hope you all have a great time, it sounds so much like a great event! Perhaps if there is a NikII version, more will be able to attend......
Looking forward to some excellent results photos and posts,
George Z
It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
I hope you all have a great time, it sounds so much like a great event! Perhaps if there is a NikII version, more will be able to attend......
Looking forward to some excellent results photos and posts,
George Z
Thanks George!
I'm looking forward to it! We have a great model, tons of things to learn/explore, I'm sure it's gonna be fun and productive weekend for everybody! Will bring a literal meaning to the "hands-on" practice
Just fyi (esp for Leah:) - we won't have time to go to your hotel to change.
The transition schedule looks like this:
we wrapping up studio part at 4pm or so
model leaves, we pack for party shooting
we take off NO LATER than 4:20
Brian, it's up to you if you want to drive there (so you can go home directly from there) or jump into my car and I'll take you back to the studio first (unless you park by Leah's hotel). The time difference is not that big driving wise (5-10min tops), but having your own car will alow you to take off early if you decide to do so.
Thanks Neil! It was long day, but I think we did OK. Biggest problem (for me, at least) was the most infamous subject of the fashion/modeling world - flakes. The model who was hired to pose for us simply vanished off the face of the internets two days ago. Al my attempts to reach her failed. So here I was Friday night, 9pm, with the workshop starning in 12 hours, and no model...
Luckily, I managed to find a great replacement, a rather experienced girl out of New York, of all places, so we had a fun first part (learning the light and posing). And after that we went to Miss California International party for a totally different type of shooting exercise...
All in all I came back home about 9:45pm. Did some uploads, answered urgent emails, and went off to bed.
Day two starts in 45 min
Thanks Neil! It was long day, but I think we did OK. Biggest problem (for me, at least) was the most infamous subject of the fashion/modeling world - flakes. The model who was hired to pose for us simply vanished off the face of the internets two days ago. Al my attempts to reach her failed. So here I was Friday night, 9pm, with the workshop starning in 12 hours, and no model...
Luckily, I managed to find a great replacement, a rather experienced girl out of New York, of all places, so we had a fun first part (learning the light and posing). And after that we went to Miss California International party for a totally different type of shooting exercise...
All in all I came back home about 9:45pm. Did some uploads, answered urgent emails, and went off to bed.
Day two starts in 45 min
Expect the unexpected, eh? You know, in my experience, when you got a lot hanging on your plans something spectacularly awkward will just fall out of the sky But gee, I'm glad Plan B worked out so well. You'll chuckle about it all later.
Everybody that attended....lets see some of the fun stuff.
it's coming! We're working on post-processing techniques today and learning TONS.
Nik has also totally redone my workflow to the point that I barely know where to start anymore. In a good way but whoa/ugh/gah! I have to sit down and figure this out before my next big show.
My assistant couldn't make it to the class, so unfortunately we're out of the extensive behind-the-scenes coverage. However Leah had her Canon P&S with her and I'm sure she snapped at least something.
Unfortunately the picture of me and blaser staring at the laptop screen showing a freshly taken image of a heels-only-wearing model and paying zero attention to the said heels-only-wearing model staying right between us (and staring at the same picture) didn't make it...
Day One: Shooting
Technique:
* assembling lights from scratch
* adjusting lights
* light metering basics
* tethered shooting basics
* light modifiers and what they do
Lowkey:
* 1 light: butterfly, rembrandt, clamshell, side. With and without reflector
* 2 lights: backlighting (skipped over conventional diagonal pattern due to its simplicity)
HighKey:
* basic: 4 lights
* advanced: 6 lights
Miss California Party
* candids
Day Two: Workflow
* TtMO (time-to-market optimization)
* effective culling (Bridge/LR)
* effective RAW editing (ACR/LR2)
* tips and trick of portrait postprocessing (PS CS4)
Naturally there are tons of other stuff, especially lighting/posing wise... But you can only fit so much in so many days...
This is really good to see the setup. I wish there was a workshop like this around my area.
I'm sorry I didn't take more setup shots. My mind was on one track and one track only, especially after I almost blew it with the flake: make it work.
I do have a few more test shots from the day one, but Leah and Brian should have much better ones, and it's definitely their time to show off:-)
As to having a sequel, my currently considered options are:
Mountain View, CA (always nice to see SM/BA people:-)
Toronto, Ca (i.e. the other Ca). Or Edmonton, if Ann can help it:-)
Comments
busy weekend?? I'm sitting in a fricking horse trailer camping out for a show tomorrow after riding most of the day with a dog for company and watching my battery wind down and wishing I'd brought a LONG extension cord.
btw, I don't HAVE free weekends
oh sh*t and book a hotel room. I KNEW I forgot something. Once my severance check arrives I'm ALL over this.... :smack
erm, and a new laptop. this one is definitely officially the 'barn' one with all the dust it ingested today. ibook 12in G4, I think that puts it at 4 years old. It's time!
I guess you're going to be busy too :-)
Mine "busy" is simple though:
Saturday - a day long shoot with a beautiful young lady;
Sunday - a money-making trip to a fashion show :-)
both should give me a fine chance to test my new Wireless USB setup :-)
GaryB
“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams
- A camera wtih full manual capabilities and a hot shoe.
- Lenses: whatever you have except extreme wide and extreme tele. My personal choice for APC body would be 17-55/2.8 and 70-200/2.8. For FF body 24-70, 24-105 would do.
-
Lightmeter with flash metering capabilities: optional
- PocketWizard tramitter/transceiver/mini : optional
- For Miss California shoot Saturday night: speedlite. I'm gonna use my 580EXII, maybe with STE2.
- For Sunday: a laptop with a copy of Adobe PS CS4 or LR2. If you don't have one, install a 30 day trial. CS3 and LR1 will not give you the same results due to the recent advancements in RAW processing and general performance improvement in the said products. If you don't have it - I have a disk which you can use to install in trial mode, simply notify me in advance (it takes about 40 min to install and update).
- Charming personality and great attitude - mandatory and non-negotiable :-)
HTHTypical settings range is: ISO 100, 1/250s, f/4.0 .. f/8.0
Fast primes between 50mm and 135mm could play nice, too.
I'm using Canon, so you will be able to use some of mine if you don't have a proper one.
I'm gonna be dressed all black. "Fly on the wall" style. I suggest dark slacks, dark shirt. Comfy shoes.
I hope you all have a great time, it sounds so much like a great event! Perhaps if there is a NikII version, more will be able to attend......
Looking forward to some excellent results photos and posts,
George Z
Maybe next time.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Thanks George!
I'm looking forward to it! We have a great model, tons of things to learn/explore, I'm sure it's gonna be fun and productive weekend for everybody! Will bring a literal meaning to the "hands-on" practice
Jim, you know where to find me! And with you and Nightingale we already have a quorum, so just let me know which weekend would work for you guys!
Just fyi (esp for Leah:) - we won't have time to go to your hotel to change.
The transition schedule looks like this:
we wrapping up studio part at 4pm or so
model leaves, we pack for party shooting
we take off NO LATER than 4:20
Brian, it's up to you if you want to drive there (so you can go home directly from there) or jump into my car and I'll take you back to the studio first (unless you park by Leah's hotel). The time difference is not that big driving wise (5-10min tops), but having your own car will alow you to take off early if you decide to do so.
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
Luckily, I managed to find a great replacement, a rather experienced girl out of New York, of all places, so we had a fun first part (learning the light and posing). And after that we went to Miss California International party for a totally different type of shooting exercise...
All in all I came back home about 9:45pm. Did some uploads, answered urgent emails, and went off to bed.
Day two starts in 45 min
Expect the unexpected, eh? You know, in my experience, when you got a lot hanging on your plans something spectacularly awkward will just fall out of the sky
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
www.cameraone.biz
it's coming! We're working on post-processing techniques today and learning TONS.
Nik has also totally redone my workflow to the point that I barely know where to start anymore. In a good way but whoa/ugh/gah!
Unfortunately the picture of me and blaser staring at the laptop screen showing a freshly taken image of a heels-only-wearing model and paying zero attention to the said heels-only-wearing model staying right between us (and staring at the same picture) didn't make it...
Day One: Shooting
Technique:
* assembling lights from scratch
* adjusting lights
* light metering basics
* tethered shooting basics
* light modifiers and what they do
Lowkey:
* 1 light: butterfly, rembrandt, clamshell, side. With and without reflector
* 2 lights: backlighting (skipped over conventional diagonal pattern due to its simplicity)
HighKey:
* basic: 4 lights
* advanced: 6 lights
Miss California Party
* candids
Day Two: Workflow
* TtMO (time-to-market optimization)
* effective culling (Bridge/LR)
* effective RAW editing (ACR/LR2)
* tips and trick of portrait postprocessing (PS CS4)
Naturally there are tons of other stuff, especially lighting/posing wise... But you can only fit so much in so many days...
My blog
My Facebook
I do have a few more test shots from the day one, but Leah and Brian should have much better ones, and it's definitely their time to show off:-)
As to having a sequel, my currently considered options are:
- Mountain View, CA (always nice to see SM/BA people:-)
- Toronto, Ca (i.e. the other Ca). Or Edmonton, if Ann can help it:-)
- Somewhere on the East Coast
- Somewhere Midwest
Can be end of July or end of August. Any takers?Oh! I first read that as Middle East!!
This tease has heightened the anticipation!!
Best!
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
I don't mind going to middle east either, just price would probably go up.
...along with the temperature??!! - 51degC today
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
Nik shows off 'light'
Ways to modify your existing soft boxes for different light needs:
purdy gels:
The one light set up we started off with. Pesky point and shoot kept triggering the flashes, so I had to do this without flash. Sorry for the blur.
DAY TWO:
Transformation of a kitchen island into a computer mecca:
the lucky 'us'
with a preview on Nik's screen:
Nik 'poses' the low key light