This is entry #5 in my ongoing series of Photoshop help. In this episode, I go over the steps used to process my image "Earthbound Stars". This particular technique will not work with every subject, but I encourage you to try it on some of your own photos. To catch up on earlier episodes of Photoshop help, click here.
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In this new video, I discuss how to use an external flash to illuminate a macro subject, while underexposing the background with the camera settings. Special thanks to Sue for filming this on a hot and sunny afternon. As always, your input is appreciated. If you have any questions or ideas for a future episode, drop us a note.
This is part 4 in my ongoing series of Photoshop Help screencasts. In this episode, I show you how to create a vignette in less than 2 minutes. Try it out on one of your images and see what a big impact it can make. If you have suggestions for future episodes please tell me about it in the comments or on FB. Thanks!
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Sue filmed this impromptu video inside the blind as I photographed Puffins. As with our first episode of "Q & A", she gets me to talk through the photographic details of the shoot. I discuss histograms, exposure, gear, and more.
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I recently edited this video for NYIP after visiting the RTP program in East Harlem. The pure joy photography brings their members is something I won't soon forget. Unfortunately, they are very short on cameras. If you have a digital point and shoot you no longer use, please consider sending it to them. I'm sure they would be eternally grateful. For more information, visit online here.
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The other morning Sue and I set out on a bird watching excursion to find the Sandhill Crane. While we never ended up spotting one, we did have fun with these Black-Capped Chickadees. Filmed with a Flip Video.
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Here is the third installment of my Photoshop Help screencast series. This one focuses on using the Channel Mixer tool and layer masks to convert a color image to Black and White.
Of course there are other methods of acheiving black and white, as demonstrated below.
Remember, your input will determine what the next tutorials will be about. Let me know in the comments area. Thanks for watching!
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This is my second Photoshop CS4 screencast and I'm starting to feel a bit more comfortable while recording them. In the first one, I covered how to make a layer mask in less than 2 minutes. Here, I show you how to use the High Pass filter along with Hard Light and a layer mask to selectively sharpen a portion of the image. Like all things with Photoshop, there are multiple ways of accomplishing the same tasks. Try this out for yourself and let me know what you think. Thanks!
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This project involved the use of many different pieces of equipment, and techniques. I've detailed the process below, but I'll be glad to answer any questions in the comment area.
1) LENS
I used the 12mm Fisheye optic mounted in the Lensbaby Composer. This unique lens allowed me to include the architecturual features of Grand Central Terminal while still capturing the activity on the floor below. The Fisheye optic comes with a series of aperture discs that control your depth of field. I used f8 to make sure I had sharp focus from the foreground to the back wall. For more on Lensbaby, check out the interview I did with CEO Sam Pardue back at Photo Plus in NY.
2) FOCUS
Since you cannot autofocus with a mounted Lensbaby, I had to rely on my eyes to manually focus. While I have 20/20 vision, I didn't want to leave anything to chance so I used the wonderful "LiveView" feature. By doing this I was able to magnify the display on the LCD to 10x. It's like zooming in on the entire scene withouth actually changing the effective focal length of the lens. At 10x everything is much larger which allows you to micro focus on any portion in the scene. Previously I had only used LiveView for Macro work with tiny subjects, but it really shined here as well.
3) SUPPORT
The camera was mounted on the Gorillapod for DSLR's. While this little item will never replace my trusty Gitzo, it was perfect for this project as I was able to set everything up on the bannister without being bumped by the bustling crowds.
4) CABLE RELEASE
I needed the camera to remain completely still so I used a cable release. I know there are special wireless and programmable cable releases, but I just used the good ole' manual remote.
5) TIMING
This scene was shot over 25 minutes. I took a shot approximately every two seconds for a total of 750 images. How did I time it? Easy; everytime the previous image popped up on the LCD I took the next shot. This worked out to be roughly every two seconds.
6) SHUTTER SPEED
To create a Time Lapse it's helpful to use a slow shutter speed. This is sometimes referred to as "dragging the shutter". The idea is to make the motion more fluid and less like blips popping in and out of the frame. For this piece I found a shutter of 0"6 to be work really well.
7) CAMERA SETTING DETAILS
I used the Canon 40D. My exposure was set manually. This is necessary to achieve consistent exposures even with any shift in lighting conditions. The settings were ISO 400, 0"6, and f8. I also used custom white balance. Instead of RAW, I opted for JPEG as RAW files do not generally work with Time Lapse software.
8) SOFTWARE
The trick is to have all of your images in numerical order in one folder. I did this upon the initial upload from the CF card to Lightroom. I then used Quicktime Pro to open the image sequence and select how many frames per second the photos would play back at. I experimented with 24 frames per second and 15 fps before deciding on 12 fps for the final piece. Again, JPEGs are the only file types that would work here. The software also had a bit of a processing issue with the LARGE/FINE files. It seemed that Quicktme Pro could not handle 750 ten megapixel files. I had to use Photoshop CS4 to do a quick batch process and resize the images to 6x9 at 72dpi.
9) MUSIC
The amazing ominous track is by Nine Inch Nails from their album Ghosts (Disc 1). It is part of Creative Commons Licensing and is therefore legal for me to use. My sincere thanks to them as it is one of my favorite instrumental albums.
I've been a big fan of Time Lapse productions for quite some time now. I hope you enjoyed this piece and use the above technical details to create your own film. I'd also love to hear your feedback. Thanks!
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Here is a short video in which I detail the gear and techniques used to photograph the Veterans Day parade in New York. The piece ends with my tribute to our men and women in uniform.
Monday, August 30, 2010 at 6:00AM 
