-= T2i / 550D users UNITE! (2) =-

marubozo wrote in post #12184301
I've been experimenting with lighting today but since weather isn't cooperating for outside work I bought a few subjects to shoot.

And have I ever told you guys that the 28mm f/1.8 lens is quite sharp? Here's a 100% crop of the above image.

Maru, exciting. Great job.

marubozo wrote in post #12184457
Thanks, I appreciate it.

Well, this is how it was done. A flash, a shoot-through umbrella, a tripod, and a gold reflector. Then I just let the camera do the work!

I knew there was something more than just pointing the camera at a subject and shooting...<smile>.

[QUOTE=Allan.L;1218480​1]Just as I was going to call it a day a chickadee presented me with a shot. I used a fill flash (yn560) on its 3rd lowest setting, shutter speed was 1/250 hand held @ 500mm.

Allan, the more I see your pictures the more of a fan I am becoming of the 150-500 lens.

Pete

RafaPolit wrote in post #12183901
Ok, so... I was reading DPreview about the new LensBaby Composer Pro. I have heard about LensBaby before, but never delved into exactly what the product was. I find it very interesting concept to create very 'artistic looking' images. Basically they have different 'lens containers' that hold a variety of optics. The containers are all but one able to tilt, which produces a very defined area of sharpness and the rest of the image remains blurred. For those interested in what it is LensBaby offers, here's a nice link to a video on their page:
http://lensbaby.com/vi​deo.php?id=7

The whole concept is really interesting, but, for a non-dedicated photographer, I find that it is a bit pricey for the few times such a result is wanted or needed. So, I decided to try and replicate the concept of the result in post. The concept being: you have regular DoF and, by tilting, you add a specific area of the frame that can be in focus, the rest is blurred even if it is at the same distance from the sensor plane. After some trial and error, testing, and trying to replicate both the blurriness and the haloing this lenses produce, I was able to come to a result I am more or less happy with (specially if the results mimic a $400 lens combination! ).

Have any of you looked into this and had interest in the results achieved? Well, here's my take, done all in post, of course, I don't have a lensbaby .

What do guys think? I think it helps bring the focal point to the face and helps filter out part of the busy environment. I more or less like the effect, though I clearly see its not for everything and not for everyone either.

Best regards,
Rafa.

Rafa, I like it. Am also interested in the process you used. How do you achieve the tilt on the lens?

RafaPolit wrote in post #12184153
Now, I have a 17-55 of 77mm thread and I need yet another one for the lens. Seeing this trend, and seeing that its not like UVs that need to stay on the lens at all times (at least for me!), I recommend getting a good ND filter (I'd go with either Hoya or B+W) of the largest diameter and buying step-up-rings which can be had for very little.

For your lens lineup, you are even on better ground, since all your lenses have a 77mm. The donwside is that filters cost proportional to the diameter, so your filters will not be cheap. The best part is that you can buy once and it will fit all the lenses you posted above.

As to NDs, they come in different strength. You can find from 1 to 10 f-stop reductions. I think 3 f-stops are the most helpful, as anything less is probably easier done changing camera settings. 3 is a nice sweet spot. But, if you want to drool a little (as you made us drool with your lenses ), head over to this thread:
Post your 9 or 10 stop ND photos

Some day I'll have one of those. At 10 f-stops, a picture that will normally require 1/30th to expose properly you actually need 35 seconds to expose properly. So, at dusk or dawn when you would need around 1 sec to expose properly, you can actually expose for 17 minutes! Its not for everyone, but some of the results are just breathtaking.

I have an ND8 filter which I haven't used much. Curious about what makes a 17 minute exposure at dusk better than a 35 second exposure.

Also how do you figure out the timing? Anything over 30 seconds and the camera switches to bulb. Is there some sort of formula for this?

Maru, I see you are doing your new flash great justice! I can really see the improvement from your natural light only setup. Very nice pictures, the first is my favorite one

When will do do some action stopping shots now (water drops, golf balls, milk etcc..) ?

RafaPolit wrote in post #12184341
Abuha, no, the gradient sky effect is actually the result of the day of time those pictures are usually taken combined with the long exposure (which is given by the filter). Although it can be a by-product of GRADUATED neutral density filters, which are also very common. These are filters that have a graduated part and then fade to clear glass. Those are ideal for achieving, in a single exposure, a correctly exposed sky and ground, which is hard to do. I'm sure most of those images use a mix of several filters.

The longer the exposure of an image, the richer the colors get. That is what is most interesting of long exposures, you get a depth of color you can't achieve in fractions of a second. Here's one from me showing the gradient without ND filter:

The advantage is precisely what I described earlier: you can have a single set of filters and use them on a variety of different lens diameters. They also provide some more easier access for stacking filters and they produce less vignetting when stacked. The extreme downside is that, as mentioned, filters cost proportionally to their size, and filter-holder sized filters are REALLY expensive! Its a tough call... but having all your lenses of the same diameter, I'd stick to circular filters, but that's just me


Do you mean the lens' filter thread? Its 77mm... if you mean the forum thread where images are posted, its here:
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=234558

What is your native language Abuha, where are you from?

Rafa.

my native language is pashto and I am from eastern Afghanistan, English is my 4rth language and I am currently working on the 5th

Rivest wrote in post #12184979
Maru, I see you are doing your new flash great justice! I can really see the improvement from your natural light only setup. Very nice pictures, the first is my favorite one

When will do do some action stopping shots now (water drops, golf balls, milk etcc..) ?

Thanks. I already did some, but you may have missed the post. Check my flickr stream, they are a few days back.

Nope I saw them, but I didn't remember that you used your flash.

Nicely done

Rivest wrote in post #12185087
Nope I saw them, but I didn't remember that you used your flash.

Nicely done

Yeah, it worked a lot better than I had imagined. I don't know what the length of a 1/128th flash on the 580 is, but it has to be pretty short!

At 1/128th of power, it's a crazy 1/35000!

LuFaiNe wrote in post #12180197
Alyce don't forget that you can always type in a search into youtube or google on tutorials to do pretty much anything in Photoshop. BTW what version of Photoshop did you get?

Thanks I will look into youtube and I am getting the book lol, need all the help I can

natums wrote in post #12180565
random flower. I suck at vacation pictures, lol.

and I pulled out the 70-200mm +1.4x extender to try to take a few shots, this was the only thing I could find that was worth shooting, lol. The 24-105mm is a great range and I'm enjoying it outdoors!
r

You are doing great I love the flower very beautiful, take pictures of the cool buildings, people surfing, volcano if you can or beach. Just some suggestions. It is cool if you don't want to take pictures of the stuff I pointed out.

gepixelt wrote in post #12181659
Good luck with photoshop, Alyce. Don't give up as fast as I did

btw - where is AL?!

LOL I will not give up. Makes me want to learn more when I can't figure something out I Hate to give up on things lol.


Thanks peter

Mookalafalas wrote in post #12182135
Holy Cow, this thread has gone nuts!! I literally can't keep up anymore. I finally got out today and did some shooting. It really hasn't been that long since i posted here, but it's already like a zillion pages back.
My favorite pic of the last few days is Bohh's turtle. I like how you got down there on level with it and then nailed the focus right on that little yellow eyeball. Nice work!
A couple from me.

r

that first picture has great color and second picture is awesome I love it

Gawain wrote in post #12182252
Um, Vectoria, car racing is for women as well.......

O I know that for a fact I use to race a SRT4 and was told at one time I the fastest women in the country for a week until a girl got mad and beat me LOL with srt4 and I raced a GT mustang

AnnieBananie wrote in post #12183386
I know that anything and everything that can be wrong with this photo is..... I don't think it's fixable (although if anyone wants to try, just send me a PM and I'll try to send you the high res version).

The reason I'm posting it though is because I wanted to share the expression on this duck's face with you. If that isn't precious, I don't know what is. This critter looks like it's just about died and gone to heaven.

I know you guys know how we sometimes just gotta share something, even if it's not right.

Yes I do love that expression on that duck very nice

marubozo wrote in post #12184531
I'm not certain, but it looks like it could be a female western kingbird. It also resembles an eastern phobee, but the yellow on the underside is throwing me off. Not sure if it's the bird or the lighting.

Dug out the bird book it is an Eastern Phoebe still in it winter plumage. That is why the underside is slightly yellow

RafaPolit wrote in post #12183901
Ok, so... I was reading DPreview about the new LensBaby Composer Pro. I have heard about LensBaby before, but never delved into exactly what the product was. I find it very interesting concept to create very 'artistic looking' images. Basically they have different 'lens containers' that hold a variety of optics. The containers are all but one able to tilt, which produces a very defined area of sharpness and the rest of the image remains blurred. For those interested in what it is LensBaby offers, here's a nice link to a video on their page:
http://lensbaby.com/vi​deo.php?id=7

The whole concept is really interesting, but, for a non-dedicated photographer, I find that it is a bit pricey for the few times such a result is wanted or needed. So, I decided to try and replicate the concept of the result in post. The concept being: you have regular DoF and, by tilting, you add a specific area of the frame that can be in focus, the rest is blurred even if it is at the same distance from the sensor plane. After some trial and error, testing, and trying to replicate both the blurriness and the haloing this lenses produce, I was able to come to a result I am more or less happy with (specially if the results mimic a $400 lens combination! ).

Have any of you looked into this and had interest in the results achieved? Well, here's my take, done all in post, of course, I don't have a lensbaby .


What do guys think? I think it helps bring the focal point to the face and helps filter out part of the busy environment. I more or less like the effect, though I clearly see its not for everything and not for everyone either.

Best regards,
Rafa.

Very interesting thanks fro sharing and the picture of you dad is great

marubozo wrote in post #12184301
I've been experimenting with lighting today but since weather isn't cooperating for outside work I bought a few subjects to shoot.


And have I ever told you guys that the 28mm f/1.8 lens is quite sharp? Here's a 100% crop of the above image.

Fantastic love the second picture I am jealous of your lens also.