Professional Photographer Magazine Web Exclusives

Tips for Greener Photography: 7 Ways to Pool Resources

2009-07-01T20:31:56Z

One of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint is by pooling resources and combining efforts. Teaming up with other local photographers and businesses is not just good ecological sense, it's good business sense. Pooling resources will reduce your overhead costs and increase your profits. Here are seven tips to help you begin combining efforts:

1. Exchange Information

Develop a directory of green-minded photographers and photography-related businesses in your area. Networking can lead to more local shoots and helps build a stronger local economy. Approach related businesses and establish a referral program for their clients and yours. Make it a point to share information with other nearby photographers about your locale, like new shooting locations or shops that give discounts to locals. With the combined knowledge of your group, everyone can be a local expert.

2. Go Halfsies

Buying in bulk is better for the environment because it reduces packaging and transportation (and cost!). Team up with other photographers to buy high-count packages of stock items you all use, such as print bags and print boxes.

3. Cooperative Studios

Why pay for a studio space that you only use a few times a week? Organize a cooperative studio space with other photographers. You can share more than just the cost of the space and utilities; in a cooperative space, you can share common tools like studio lights, tripods, backdrops, etc.

]]> 4. Make It a Date

Chances are, when there is a great photography exhibit, conference, or workshop in your region, your local peers will plan to attend. Carpool! You can also go as a group to the farmer’s market or to your area’s Green Drinks events.

5. Trade Services

Take advantage of the untapped resources in your area. Expand the concept to non-photography business. Trade headshots for bookkeeping services; trade canvases for catering services.

6. Long Range Errands

If the nearest professional photography supply store is an hour away, avoid driving every time you need to purchase a single item. Get a list going for long-range errands and wait until you have a long list to make the trip. Announce your intentions to your cohorts and be gracious about picking up items for them as well. Do the same thing when you are placing orders online. It doesn’t make sense to waste a huge amount of carbon to ship a single accessory.

7. Trash or Treasure?

Before you let your Canon 30D moulder in a box, consider that some of your buddies might still be using a Canon 20D. Or they may be mentoring a student who doesn’t have a camera at all. E-mail your local photographer buddies and see if anyone is interested first. Unwanted belongings have a better chance of actually being re-used if you place them into the right hands.

Megan Just holds a B.S. in Natural Resource from Oregon State University. She is a member of the Jessica Riehl Photography team and can be contacted at www.meganjust.com.

Pro Review: Datacolor SpyderCube

2009-07-01T07:57:14Z

By Stan Sholik

I’m sure most professional photographers have some device in their camera bag to white balance their digital captures by now. The majority of these devices, ranging from an ExpoDisc to a coffee filter, provide a white balance by correcting the color temperature of the light before you begin shooting, saving it as a preset for the session.

While this approach yields excellent results for white balance, these devices do nothing to assist us in adjusting midtone brightness, shadow density and contrast to ensure we are taking full advantage of the dynamic range of the capture.

Datacolor, with the introduction of the $59 SpyderCube, takes a different approach to white balance and in doing so provides a device that addresses all of the visual elements we need to extract the maximum tonality from our images. Standing only a little over three inches tall, the SpyderCube is the Mighty Mouse of color balance.

Also included in the SpyderCube box is a cloth carrying bag, not shown.
©Stan Sholik

]]> Unlike the majority of white balance devices, the SpyderCube isn't designed to give you a camera white balance setting for the photo session. Rather, it is a postproduction tool geared for working with RAW files, but usable with JPEGs within the limitations of available adjustments to JPEG files.

The SpyderCube really is a cube, with a polished sphere at the top and a short cylinder at the base. The sphere at the top provides a specular highlight and the cylinder at the base houses a standard ¼-20 threaded fitting for mounting the unit on a tripod or other compatible support.

The base of the SpyderCube houses a threaded insert for tripod mounting.
©Stan Sholik

Three faces of the cube are designed to face the camera. The top two are divided diagonally with white and gray surfaces for highlight and 18-percent gray balance. The lower face is black with a fairly deep black hole in it. The black surface provides an area for shadow density control. The black hole is used to provide an absolute black, even in a high key scene.

The SpyderCube.
©Stan Sholik

The SpyderCube is placed anywhere in the scene. Placement doesn’t seem to be at all critical. I’ve had it out of focus in macro photos and small in the scene with large sets and portraits in the studio. What is critical is positioning the SpyderCube so that the three important faces are seen in the camera.

The SpyderCube can be placed anywhere in the scene. Before a portrait session I place it on a stool in subject position and shoot so that it will be large enough in the frame to get good readings. ©Stan Sholik

The SpyderCube doesn’t need to be in focus. Here I held it close to the flower that I would be photographing. ©Stan Sholik

If you’re capturing RAW files you can be as sloppy as you want with white balance. While I would normally white balance accurately by creating a white balance preset, for the purpose of this review I just used a camera setting close to the white balance of my light source.

You need to be precise with highlight exposure of course. By previewing the SpyderCube image with camera set to show flashing highlights on the LCD and adjusting exposure so that the white surface facing your main light is just beginning to flash will yield an optimal exposure.

The rest of the adjustments are carried out in post production. The Datacolor website has videos showing a Lightroom and a Photoshop Camera Raw color balance workflow using the SpyderCube. I go about it slightly differently, so let me briefly explain my process.

After opening the image with the SpyderCube included, I zoom in so that the SpyderCube is large enough for the eyedropper to accurately read the surfaces. If you use Camera Raw, use the color sampler eyedropper and click on each of the important areas of the SpyderCube to set info points.

In Camera Raw I use the sampler eyedropper to place info points in the important areas. Point 1 (with which I don’t usually bother) is in the specular highlight on the sphere; point 2 is in the lighter 18% gray patch; point 3 is the darker 18% gray patch; point 4 is in the lighter white patch; point 5 is in the darker white patch; point 6 on the dark face; and, point 8 is in the dark trap.

I use the white (gray) balance tool to read the brighter gray surface. Then I adjust my highlight exposure sliders until there is no longer any clipping on the brighter white surface. The specular highlights on the ball at top will still be clipped, but let them go.

Next I set the maximum black by clicking on the black trap and using the black slider (or whatever device the software you use provides) to set this value to 0, 0, 0. Then I use the Shadows tool (Tone Curve tab) to ensure there is separation between the black trap and the black surface surrounding it.

Finally, I use the Brightness tool to adjust the value of the brighter gray surface to 128, 128, 128. The Datacolor videos recommend doing this step before the shadow adjustment, but I found that both the highlight and shadow adjustments will change the midtone value, so I leave that for last. It’s a good idea to check all your points one more time to ensure they are still where you want them, and then zoom out to see the full image. Save the adjustments as a preset (if you’re in Camera Raw) and you are ready to apply the adjustments to the rest of the images in the session.

After making all of my adjustments, the screen looks like this. I save the adjustments to apply to the captures in the session.

Once you have made the image neutral with highlights and shadows set “by-the-book,” you can adjust the image to look pleasing to your creative taste. I’ve yet to shoot a portrait that looks good to me when it is dead neutral. But having portraits dead neutral each time allows me to apply a color correction on which I have standardized so that my results are consistent session after session.

For a studio still life, I set my D2x on ‘Flash’ white balance, set the SpyderCube at the edge of the set and made a capture. For high angle shots like this, the design of the SpyderCube is less than ideal. A flat surface on the back would be better, but then it wouldn’t be a cube! ©Stan Sholik

In post production I corrected the image with the SpyderCube and applied the correction to the final capture. ©Stan Sholik

The final corrected still life. ©Stan Sholik

The flower image here is “correct” according to the SpyderCube, but too low key for my taste. So I made a few other adjustments in Camera Raw and created an image more to my liking (below). ©Stan Sholik

Very few scenes or subjects will have a full range of tonal values and a reliable neutral available to you. With the SpyderCube, you will have them. It’s found a permanent home in my camera bag.

Pro Review: Portrait Professional v9.0

2009-07-01T05:44:36Z

By Cheryl Pearson

Many photographers spend countless hours learning the latest tricks and techniques for retouching images using Photoshop. Accomplishing the desired effect can be tedious and time consuming. Then we work to perfect the techniques so that retouching won't slow down our workflow.

But what if you didn’t have to work so hard? What if one application did all this retouching for us with just a few simple steps? Anthropics Technology’s Portrait Professional v9.0 software attempts to create what we need, and even goes one step further. Not only does this program retouch the photograph, it slightly restructures the face giving it a more pleasing appearance. While most of us would need an array of tools, filters and adjustments to accomplish all this in Photoshop, Portrait Professional v9.0 can do this extremely complex task with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Portrait Professional v9.0 seems too good to be true, but it’s actually extremely easy to use and streamlines workflow in a way that saves a tremendous amount of time. So how does it work? The software was developed through analysis of hundreds of faces and the creation of a knowledge base of appearance and aspects of attractiveness so that the software could be programmed to essentially know the changes needed to make a portrait more appealing without altering the facial features too drastically.

Images ©Cheryl Pearson.

]]> Although the application uses a set of complex algorithms to define the changes, the steps you are required to perform for each portrait are simple and straightforward. Once you launch the program you are guided through each step. Opening the photo and selecting Male or Female sets the default facial adjustments for that gender. The program then asks you to set five points on the face for the eyes, nose and mouth. The right panel guides you through this task, displaying the correct placement for these five points. A dialogue box provides instructions for fine-tuning the facial outlines created by setting these points.

Once these adjustments are made, the image is processed and within seconds a completely retouched portrait with subtle facial reshaping appears. The eyes are enhanced, teeth whitened, and the face is cleaned-up, even visible wrinkles are less defined. In most photos I tried, the retouching did not appear overdone and the facial re-sculpting was quite subtle.

One of my favorite features is the before and after image display. You can choose to view both version in lieu of just the retouched image. In both displays you can press Enter to toggle back and forth from the retouched portrait to the original. This proves essential when viewing the facial reshaping, particularly if you wish to make adjustments, and gives you an idea of which elements of the face were altered and in what way. The program will do various alterations, such as reshape the jaw, slim the face, elongate the neckline, shorten the nose and change the width of the eyes. The specific changes can be difficult to perceive without toggling the comparison.

In this example, the subject's face is slightly elongated, the jaw line narrowed, and eyes separated by a small amount.

I did find that in some portraits with a slightly angled face position the facial adjustments didn't look as natural as I would have preferred. With certain portraits, the automated adjustments distorted the facial features in a way that deviated too far from the original image (below).

Underneath the photo thumbnail in the right panel is a drop-down menu with various default settings where you can choose to reset the image back to the original. It's also possible to leave the retouching intact while converting the facial restructuring back to its original state. Once the retouched photo is generated, the right panel displays seven controls to fine-tune the adjustments, so if you don’t like the automated results, you can change it completely or make further enhancements. The Face Sculpt Control section has a button to turn this feature on or off, providing the option to skip reshaping and keep the other touchups. The on/off option is available for all seven controls.

The controls—Face Sculpting, Skin, Eyes, Mouth, Hair, Skin Lightening, and Picture Control—all worked well. I would continue to use Photoshop to perform all of the adjustments that fall under Picture Controls (exposure, contrast, etc), because Photoshop has far better control and quality in this arena. All seven controls contain submenus. Each submenu contains individual sliders for each facial feature for fine-tuning each element of the face more precisely. Having all of these options in one program is like having a variation of the Liquify tools and all the retouching tools from Photoshop in one panel, making it quick and easy to make adjustment to your portraits.

For example, under the Hair Control tab the user can define the hair area. This area becomes highlighted in magenta with a resizable brush to extend or cut back on what you would like selected (below). There are sliders for Shine, Lighten, Redden, and Vibrance, with an additional dialogue box to refine Hair Fill Shadows and Hair Smoothing. You can adjust these sliders individually, or use a Master Slider in each of the seven main controls to move all the sliders under it as a group. Each slider is color coded with green, orange and red. With certain controls, once the slider moves past the green area the enhancements start to look unnatural or display artifacting in that area of the portrait. One very useful element, a dialogue box with an explanation of how that control works and what it adjusts, appears if you hold the cursor over any of the controls or sliders.

The top tool bar contains a Touch-up and Restore Brush. The brush size and strength can be defined for both brushes, allowing you to paint over and restore details in certain areas of the portrait. The Touch-up tool paints over blemishes, wrinkles, stray hairs, etc, while retaining the texture of the area. The restore brush also worked well to bring back detail in just the selected areas.

Another convenient feature is the ability to complete the retouching process on multiple individuals in the same image. If you select Next in the top right panel and select Enhance Another Face In This Photo, that image starts again at the beginning steps. The portrait can be saved completely once all faces are retouched.

Full Body Skin Control is a feature you may not use with every portrait, but I found it valuable. In a ½ or ¾ length portrait you can define the skin selection. Smoothing these skin areas together keeps the skin retouching consistent throughout the entire image.

Overall, this application is one I would use with all my portraits. In most cases, the automated retouching and face reshaping needed no further adjustment. The extensive set of effective tools to fine-tune each aspect make it easy to correct anything that doesn’t look quit right. This program encompasses all that is required to create a completely retouched image in a condensed and easy to use interface.

With the capability to resculpt the appearance of your subjects, Portrait Professional v9.0 goes beyond a simple and expeditious option for retouching photographs. Although you may not want to use this option in all of your images, having a quick and effortless means to create these alterations when you do is a real time saver.

I personally don’t think facial resculpting is appropriate for all portraiture, and that it’s something that should either be requested by the client or discussed with them beforehand. While I do think some general/minor retouching is OK, portraits should stay as true to what the person looks like as possible. This is why it's good to know how to use the automatic retouching feature, which wasn’t too drastic or unnatural in most of my tests, but be able to turn off the facial structuring if it's not appropriate for an image or doesn't work well with a pose. Of course, any photographer who's interested in using this software will have to make their own determinations about how much information they provide to clients about retouching, and for which cases resculpting is appropriate.

There are two versions of the software, Standard and Studio. Prices range from $99.95 for the standard version and $149.95 for the Studio version. The Studio version handles raw processing and 16-bit TIFF files, and allows the user to batch process files. The Studio version may also be used as a standalone application or as a plug-in for Photoshop. Visit www.portraitprofessional.com for more information and to download a free trial.

Supplement: Noise-reduction Software Image Examples

2009-06-29T18:01:12Z

By Diane Berkenfeld

Sometimes though, you have to push the ISO capability of the camera or shoot with less light than you’d like. That’s where noise reduction software comes in. Adobe Photoshop has a noise reduction feature, but it's not as robust as the plug-ins and standalone applications whose primary function is to reduce noise. Most raw conversion software also incorporates noise reduction, which works well for raw file shooters.

These comparison examples from Nik Software Dfine 2.0, Imagenomic Noiseware 4.0, and Picture Code Noise Ninja supplement that article from the July issue of Professional Photographer magazine. All images ©Diane Berkenfeld.

This original (left) was captured with an Olympus E-20 at ISO 160. Click for larger view.

Click through for 100% detail image comparisons.

]]> Detail (100% scale) of the original (below). Chrominance noise is visible in fur and ears.

Detail of Dfine noise reduction (below):

Detail of Noise Ninja noise reduction (below):

Detail of Noiseware noise reduction (below):

This Keep Out sign was taken in 2003 at Ellis Island with the Kodak DCS Pro 14n DSLR. Anyone who ever shot with that camera knows that at its minimum ISO, it produced decent images, but go above ISO 400 and the noise was unbearable. The exposure is 1/180 second at f/6.7, ISO 400. Exposure was adjusted after noise-reduction application usine curves. ©Diane Berkenfeld

Detail (100% scale) of the original (below):

Detail of Dfine noise reduction (below):

Detail of Noise Ninja noise reduction (below):

Detail of Noiseware reduction (below):

Diane Berkenfeld has been a professional photographer for 20 years, and writing about photography for the past nine. Check out www.zenfolio.com/dianeb to see her work.

Pro Review: Alien Skin Snap Art 2

2009-06-25T20:00:04Z

By Betsy Finn

Alien Skin’s Snap Art 2 is a natural artistic plug-in for Adobe Photoshop that allows you to choose from different media and to perform limitless combinations and adjustments.

My college art training regimen included painting, drawing, and art history, so I was excited to see how closely Snap Art 2 could approximate different visual media techniques. Snap Art 2 offers a number of basic starting points: color pencil, comics, impasto, oil paint, pastel, pen + ink, pencil sketch, pointillism, stylize, and watercolor.

The Snap Art 2 interface includes options containing a variety of Abstract (low realism), Landscape (moderate realism), and Portrait (most realism) settings. I selected the “Color Comics – Large Feature Size” and added a focus region to retain detail in the cat’s face. Before applying the filter, I made sure to save my modifications as a new custom setting.

The comparison below shows several of my favorite media selections. I’ve enlarged the comic version so you can see the shading detail. The watercolor media setting, when set to abstract (with a focus region), was one of my favorites in the series (also see detail comparisons).

]]> Detail Comparisons:

Snap Art 2 creates a duplicate layer with your modifications, which is very convenient if you want to try out a few different filters on one image. Each time you create a new filter effect, Snap Art 2 titles the layer with the name of the factory setting and notes if modifications have been made (see below).

Alien Skin offers several resources on their site to help you get started with Snap Art 2. There are several video tutorials, as well as case studies, and even printing advice. One “add-on” I found extremely useful was the Photoshop panel, a free download to help you use Snap Art 2 more efficiently.

The Snap Art 2 panel allows you to quickly and easily access your filters without having to go through the full menu navigation. Before I discovered the free panel add-on, I had been thinking, “It would be nice to be able to easily switch modes.” While you have to exit one media filter to enter another, having the panel makes this process much simpler. One caveat: I noticed that when applying filters from the panel, the resulting layer titles only list the general media rather than the factory setting details as mentioned above.

Alien Skin has included a method, of sorts, for previewing filters. In the Snap Art 2 panel, clicking the button “Preview All Filters Gallery” will generate a jpg composite file. This may be helpful for getting a general feel of “where to start.”

After consulting the preview gallery, I settled on the Impasto filter for my next image. I ended up running the filter twice, because the first time I forgot to apply a focus region (see examples below).

While testing out the focus region, I noticed that when the filter is set to very abstract, adding a focus region did not bring that area back into focus. In the end, I ran the filter without a focus region, and just masked out part of the watercolor rendition (using a partially opaque brush).

The image below was created using the “Colorized Portrait Sketch” mode in the sketch panel. Note how the highlights and even some of the midtones become dramatically lighter as a part of the process. This is meant to approximate the blank paper “canvas.”

I found that the sketch panel default filters did not work well on my high key image; the “Portrait Sketch” function washed out the subject’s entire face. By manually adjusting the filter controls (e.g. decreasing brightness), I was able to achieve a more realistic (and usable) rendition, below.

I’m always curious to see whether a plug-in provides functionality that can be approximated using Photoshop itself (and if so, how easily). After spending a few minutes playing with the default filters in Photoshop, I gave up trying to replicate the sketch texture—I just couldn’t get it to match. For a quick filter application that creates a “work of art,” the Snap Art filters provide much more flexibility than those found in Photoshop.

Some of the rendering effects betray a hint of automation – but I do think Snap Art 2 would be a nice addition to a canvas gallery wrap or artistic print. I’m a big fan of the dramatic impressionistic applications, and I liked how easy Snap Art made it to add texture and depth to my images. While not a substitute for real hand-created art, Snap Art does a good job at automating a once-tedious process. The plug-in should be useful for photographers who don’t have time to create a digitally painted image, or anyone looking an easy way to create artwork effects inside Photoshop.

Snap Art 2 is available for purchase on the Alien Skin website for $199, and a demo version of the plug-in is also available for download.

Video: Lightroom with Silver Efex Pro Workflow Demo

2009-06-25T19:26:33Z

Earlier this month, Kim Larson wrote about her wedding workflow and how she uses Nik Silver Efex Pro with Adobe Lightroom. Here she provides a screencast to demonstrate how the two applications work together.

Review: Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

2009-06-24T18:54:22Z

The “all you can eat” lens!

By Don Chick, M.Photog.Cr., CPP

What kind of genie would you need to call if you wanted a lens that is reasonably priced, has fantastic zoom range, and is super fast? We’ll let you know when we find one, but in the meantime, if you’ll settle for two out of three, Sigma offers the new 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM lens for an MSRP of $800.

On my Canon DSLR (with a 1.6X lens factor) its 13.8X zoom ratio translates to a 29-400mm equivalent! Combine that zoom ratio with optical stabilization, macro capability, an MSRP of $800, and you have a lot of lens for the money.

I must admit that when first asked to do this review I was skeptical about a lens in which the manufacturer was trying to do so much in one package. There have to be compromises to balance zoom range, speed and cost, but Sigma has done a great job combining features in the 18-250mm.

The first thing that I noticed was the weight, which, at around 22 ounces, has a substantial feel and heft of quality to it. Even though the lens has that feel, the overall size is not that big. When set at 18mm, the overall size is 3.1x 4 inches long (excluding lens hood). When zoomed to 250mm, the overall length increases to about 7 inches. The markings are white against a black body, so they stand out and are easy to read. Sigma eliminates an additional expense for the user by including a lens hood designed specifically for this lens.

]]> The first feature I checked out was the zoom range. A lens with an 18-250mm range is simply incredible. My favorite subject to photograph is people, I simply love portraiture; with this lens, though, I began to appreciate flower photography, especially small flowers. You can see the entire zoom range of the lens in Figures 1 and 2, below.

Figure 1 (above): 1/25 second at f/6.3, ISO 800, focal length 250mm, noise reduction applied. ©Don Chick

Figure 2 (above): 1/25 second at f/6.3, ISO 800, focal length 18mm. ©Don Chick

In addition to photographing flowers, I took the lens to my son’s baseball game. While these images are what I refer to as “record of the event” shots (meant to record an experience and not for competition, or to impress one’s colleagues), they too reveal the zoom range of this lens (Figures 3 and 4).

Figure 3 (above): 1/1,000 second at f/7.1, ISO 200, focal length 250mm. ©Don Chick

Figure 4 (above): 1/1,600 second at f/7.1, ISO 200, focal length 18mm. ©Don Chick

The lens barrel has a non-slip rubber surface that you hold to focus or zoom. This material makes zoom adjustments quick and smooth, and the focus ring turns easily with little resistance. The focus ring rotates from nearest to infinity with little more than 1/4 turn, making the adjustment from one extreme to the other very quick. Since the lens barrel itself doesn’t rotate with focus or zoom, a circular polarizing filter won’t change as adjustments are made to either.

One amazing feature with this lens is the Hybrid Optical Stabilizer. When looking through the viewfinder (and zoomed to the 250mm setting), you can see a big difference when the feature is switched on because there’s not only anti-shake in the camera body, but also compensation in the viewfinder. Sigma claims that the OS will give the user approximately a 4-stop advantage over not using the feature. To test it, I photographed some paperwork. You can see from Figure 5 (below) that the optical stabilization definitely helped produce a sharper image. The most dramatic results for the optical stabilization were when I held the camera with only one hand. While this may not be the most common method of supporting the camera when taking a photograph, there may be times when this method is the only way to “get-the-shot.”

Figure 5: Click for large view.

Sigma documentation says that the lens needs approximately one second after depressing the shutter release half way in order to produce a stable image. Photographers should bear this in mind to optimize the capability of this lens.

With the lens zoomed to 250mm and in very close to the subject, there were times when the lens seemed to struggle to settle on a focus point. However, I did find that the more contrast a subject had, the easier the lens found correct focus. Also, to overcome this issue (when photographing flowers especially) I simply switched to the manual focus mode.

Above: 1/250 second at f/6.3, ISO 320, EV -0.33, focal length 250mm. ©Don Chick

Summary: This lens has a lot to offer and is worth serious consideration. The one primary drawback for the professional is the relatively slow aperture. While not all my wedding work is done with on-camera flash, there are times I do so out of necessity. The extensive zoom range would make this lens attractive to keep on a camera at a wedding as one would not have to keep switching lenses in order to cover the ever-changing situations encountered at a wedding. With its relatively slow aperture, this lens may not be the primary lens for a professional, but it certainly is excellent for scouting, back-up or when you want to travel light. Because of the wide range capability, I would seriously consider taking this lens along.

Pro Review: onOne DSLR Camera Remote for iPhone and iPod Touch

2009-06-19T17:06:09Z

By Jack Reznicki, Cr.Photog.Hon.M.Photog., API

Don’t you just love it when software does what you want it to do, even goes beyond your expectations, and is relatively inexpensive? The new remote DSLR app by onOne Software for the iPhone and the iPod Touch is just that. A $19.99 app that lets you not only fire and control the settings on your Canon EOS camera (and very soon your Nikon) remotely but is also simple and elegant, with some neat surprises. Like an easy to use intervalometer.

If you don’t want the extras, you can even get a simple version that fires your camera and reviews the images, for $1.99. Yes folks, no typo, just under 2 bucks.

You do need to have your camera tethered to a WiFi enabled laptop or even a small net top computer via USB cable for it to work. Once that’s done, you are set up on a private network connection directly to your camera. You pay for and download the app from the iTunes App Store, load it to your iPhone or iPod Touch. Then download and install the free DSLR Camera Remote Server software from the onOne website onto your computer, and off you go. Just remember to turn off your camera connection software, Canon Utility in my case, or the app will read “busy” when you go to connect. I was amazed and pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to install and have it running. None of the usual hair pulling.

On a recent shoot for the Toys R Us Special Needs Catalog, I set up a Canon EOS 5D Mark II at the ceiling of my studio to capture a bird’s eye view of my shoot. While the camera was tethered, I was not. I could go anywhere and either take a photo and see it come up on my handheld iPod Touch, or I could set it quickly to Live View and get a real time motion view of what the camera saw. I could watch from my office, which assistant was working and which was napping. At any point, I could hit the “fire” button and take a photo. Too dark? Wrong white balance setting? Well, at a touch on my iPod Touch I could change the exposure, the white balance, the shooting mode from manual to automatic, change the EV, the ISO, even the color space. No need to pull out a ladder and contort my head to look at the camera settings. Or worry about how it might look later, as I can see it as it captures. Think of the great possibilities of shooting from remote. Like photographing from a bird blind, self-portraits, interacting with a child on set or shooting from hard to be at places, like behind a basketball backboard.

]]>

You also have the option to record your image files to the computer or both the computer and your CF card. I love redundancy, so I shoot to both.

During my shoot, since I was shooting and couldn’t be in two places at once, taking photos of me taking photos, the solution was the built in intervalometer. The controls are very simple to set. You set the total number of shots you want and at what intervals you want the camera to fire. One shot an hour, one shot ever 2 seconds? I set up my camera to take a photo every 30 seconds. One shot every 30 seconds is 2 shots a minute, 60 minutes to an hour, equals, if I remember 5th grade math, 120 shots an hour, times 6 hours of shooting will yield 720 shots. So I set the controls to take 800 shots to be safe. I will later take all the images and make a Quicktime movie of the stills. Fun to see us all on the shoot, scurrying around like super fast ants.

It’s easy, it’s quick, it’s simple, and it’s fun. What a pleasant surprise. Can’t wait to see what other apps come down the pike.

Coming soon, an upgrade to the onOne DSLR Camera Remote will have this interface:

Cameras supported at this writing:
(* Indicates camera support for LiveView preview mode.)

Firewire Connection: 
Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 1Ds Mark II, 1D Mark II N

USB Connection:
Rebel XT/350D/Kiss Digital N 
20D
5D  
Rebel XTi/400D/Kiss Digital X 
Rebel Xsi*/450D*/Kiss X2* 
Rebel XS*/1000D*/Kiss F* 
30D 
40D* 
50D* 
5D Mark II* 
1D Mark III* 
1Ds Mark III*

Review: Hahnemuhle Gallerie Wrap System

2009-06-16T20:24:48Z

By Theano Nikitas

Gallery wraps are gaining in popularity with the general public as evidenced by more than a few online sites offering wrap services for consumers. The do-it-yourself photo and canvas versions from Hahnemuhle were introduced last fall and offer a relatively simple and cost-effective method of wrapping photo canvas.

Hahnemuhle offers three options for gallery wraps: Gallerie Photo Wrap, a simple, all-in-one option, as well as Standard and Pro Gallerie Wrap systems. The former is available in two set sizes: 8 ½ x 11 and 13 x 19 inches, with finished sizes of 6 x 8 and 10 x 16, respectively. The latter two offer more versatility since wrap bars are available in boxes of 20 in lengths from 8-24 inches (Standard) and boxes of 8 at 8-60 inches (Pro). Each type requires corner positioners, corner braces, pins and archival glue. Center braces are available for the Pro versions.

As someone who always had problems stretching canvas for art class, I thought I would be the perfect test case to try out the Hahnemuhle Gallerie Wrap. Using the Standard sizes, I opted for an 8 x 12 set-up to wrap a vertical shot of a grey Heron printed on Hahnemuhle’s Monet canvas.

Click any image for larger view. Images ©Theano Nikitas

]]> In order to wrap around the bars, the print needs to be made 1 ¼ - 1 ½ inches larger than the final frame size on each side (the Pro version, with deeper bars requires 1.8 – 2 inches extra). OnOne Software’s GenuineFractals 6 has a nifty feature that can automatically extend your margins for gallery wrap prints.

To get started, I organized everything on a table: the 4 bars, corner positioners, corner braces, glue and pins. Before assembling, I placed the print under the bars to check positioning.

Assembly is pretty easy, although Hahnemuhle’s estimate of “minutes” to put one of these together is overly optimistic, especially for the first few attempts. Following the instructions to pull the adhesive tape from the bars prior to popping them into the corner positioners proved to be a mistake. You need to press down on the adhesive-coated bars to snap them into the blue plastic pieces and my hands ended up sticking to the bars. A much easier method is to lift the tape from the corners of each bar so the adhesive remains covered until you’re ready to flip the frame over, adhere it to the canvas and remove the blue positioning corners.

Be sure to have a straight edge and a sharp X-Acto type knife on hand to trim the excess canvas around the frame. The frame’s adhesive did a good job of keeping the canvas in position during the trimming, which was encouraging since I wasn’t sure that it would hold.

The rest of the process was relatively problem-free, although it’s important to be careful not to run too much glue along the inside edges of the frame (this holds the canvas to the bottom of the frame when the bars are folded up).

Before pulling the bars into position, you need to open up the corners by cutting a 45-degree slit. That was easy, but once attached to the ends of the bars, the canvas needed to be trimmed a little more for a neater edge.

Once the bars were pulled up and the frame actually looked like a frame, staples were (gently) hammered into the corners for stability. While corner braces are also available, only the longer set of bars on this unusually sized frame had slots for them. But the frame was more than sturdy on its own. (My partner, an engineer, assisted in this whole process and agreed that corner braces were not needed.)

Over the course of a month, the framed image has held up well, with corners remaining square and no sign of the canvas being over-stretched or scratched, despite being dropped a few times. While I wouldn’t say it’s a museum quality wrap, it certainly is suitable to hang in a client’s living room or office.

While the initial investment, which requires the purchase of four plastic corners, PH neutral glue and pins, is slightly higher than ongoing costs, the Hahnemuhle Gallerie Wrap system seems priced reasonably enough to add on a decent profit margin without having your clients suffer from sticker shock. On the other hand, if you find that orders for gallery wraps start to peak in your business, then it might pay to find a wholesale source for the bars and accessories or order from a lab.

• Prices vary based on bar length and quantities per box. Hahnemuhle Gallerie Wrap supplies are available at Adorama and B&H Photo Video.

Theano Nikitas is freelance writer and photographer who has been writing about photography-related topics for 19 years. Her reviews, feature articles, tutorials and photographs have appeared in print and online for publications such as Photo District News, CNET.com, Popular Science, DigitalCameraReview.com and Imaging-Resource.com, among others.

Pro Review: Canon PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II

2009-06-15T18:29:50Z

By Mark Levesque, CPP

Canon’s penchant for refining existing models rather than develop replacements from the ground up goes not only for their cameras, but also for their printers. The Canon PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II is one of the latest examples. This wide-format printer builds on the original Pro9500’s success, with a 10 cartridge LUCIA pigment ink set, and the ability to print borderless 13 x 19 prints on a variety of media. The Mark II utilizes the Canon Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE) technology along with a sophisticated 7,680-nozzle print-head structure to output extraordinary detail and quality. New with the Mark II are features like the ability to print 16-bit files, and Ambient Light Correction featuring Kyuanos technology, which allows the user to specify the lighting situation a particular print will be subjected to prompting the printer to adjust colors accordingly to compensate.

The Canon PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II is designed to fulfill photographers’ demands and uses a multiplicity of ink colors to achieve wide-gamut color printing as well as smooth tonal gradations on black-and-white printing on both matte and glossy papers. Impressively, there is no need to swap ink tanks as required with some competitive printers aimed at the same market segment. The superiority of this arrangement is obvious, but as a practical matter, it saves both time and ink, especially if you frequently alternate between printing on matte and photo papers.

This is a serious desktop printer, and it requires a significant space commitment (7.5" H 26" W 14" D with trays up; 14" H 26" W 36" D with trays extended). In addition to the size of the printer itself, consideration must be given to the space requirements both in front of and behind the printer to accommodate art papers, which are fed in through the front and pulled through the back of the printer before printing starts. The benefit of feeding the paper through this way is that it does not get bent at all, which preserves the coating, but a 13x19-inch Super B sheet extends significantly out the back of the printer to accomplish this, requiring some careful consideration about printer placement.

]]> Setting up the printer is relatively straightforward, requiring little more than placing the printhead in its cradle, inserting the ink cartridges and installing the supplied software. Connectivity to the computer is via USB 2.0, which is common for this type of printer, but it would really be nice if manufacturers would start including Ethernet connectivity at this level, as it makes locating the printer and sharing it between multiple computers considerably more convenient. Given that Ethernet connection is available on All-In-Ones costing a fraction of the price of this printer, it remains a mystery why it’s not included on a Pro9500 Mark II.

The printer comes with bundled software that can be used to print images directly, as well as a Photoshop plug-in, which facilitates printing multiple copies of an image on a sheet, printing color images as black and white, adjusting the color tone of images, etc. Users may have to hunt for the plug-in, as it is tucked away under file > automate > Canon Easy Photo Print Pro.

The Pro9500 Mark II printing process is very flexible, allowing both neophytes and more experienced users to obtain stunning prints with little difficulty. Advanced users will like the degree of control afforded by the printer driver and the Adobe Photoshop plug-in. The less tech-savvy will appreciate the straightforward approach to printing that the included software allows. The user can select grayscale printing in the printer driver itself, and even adjust the warmth or coolness of the tone. This driver-controlled black-and-white conversion does a reasonably good job, but for superior control over the results, convert to black and white in Photoshop or Lightroom.

One minor quibble I have with the print driver is that the control to disable color correction, as is necessary when using ICC profiles to print, is a separate window and tab away from the main interface. It would be nice to have a checkbox on the main screen rather than having to dig for it. Since using ICC profiles is the preferred method for color accuracy, it should be easier to disable color adjustments and confirm at a glance that it is, indeed, off, since the consequence of failing to do so is an unacceptable print and wasted consumables.

The Canon PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II produces brilliant prints, especially on fine art paper. Canon supplies ICC profiles for a number of popular papers, which facilitates producing superior prints without the need for user created custom profiles. The variety of supported media means the user can select just the right paper for each print, an important consideration for fine art printing, where the subtle interactions between image and paper can make the difference between a nice print and a stunning piece of art.

Monochrome printing is exceptional, with very smooth tonal transitions and the ability to easily choose between dead-on neutral, cool or warm toned prints, courtesy of the black and gray inks. Color printing is also extremely fine, with the LUCIA ink set providing a wide color gamut in which to express one’s artistic vision. The Canon PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II is a good choice for professional photographers or advanced amateurs who wish to make fine art prints at modest volumes at widths up to 14 inches.
MSRP: $849.99

Canon PIXMA Pro 9500 Mark II Specs

Mark Levesque, CPP, is the owner of Studio Mark Emile, Nashua, NH

Tips for Greener Photography: Mulch Marketing 101

2009-06-12T14:30:42Z

Resources for Greener Promotional Materials

By Thea Dodds and Dawn Tacker

The purpose of all promotional materials is to sell your services and products, and to build your brand. But the methods of marketing have changed drastically with the rising sophistication of electronic media. Are printed materials going the way of the dinosaur? Greening your promotional kit is an opportunity to make your business sell better with less waste and lower costs. Here are some ideas to green your marketing efforts.

Shades of Green

Your promotional strategy should comprise a variety of marketing materials aimed at your target audience. It is rare that one promotional piece alone will be enough of a call to action to turn a window shopper into a client. You have to hit your target market from different angles through different types of media. This article will focus on electronic and printed promotional materials, and we’ll have future Greener Photography articles on other types of promotional materials. Each of the marketing methods here is an opportunity to choose greener marketing materials and brand yourself as an earth-friendly photographer.

]]> What are greener promotional materials?

There are several different types of marketing materials, each with its own shade of green. Even with the most conventional marketing options, there is always a “greener” choice you can make.

Electronic

The most earth-friendly marketing materials are those that have virtually zero energy cost to reproduce—electronic marketing materials. These include the most basic portfolio and informational pieces, such as your website, blog, Facebook page and Twitter account. As visual artists, most photographers are already using these media as their first interaction with clients. Assess your online presence with an eye toward efficient marketing. Can clients find the information they need? Can you track the results?

You can take your electronic presence one step greener by choosing an Internet service provider that uses alternative energy sources such as solar and wind energy to power their hosting. See Greener Photography for a list of ISPs.

Second tier electronic marketing tools used by many photographers include e-mail marketing, portfolio slideshows and electronic newsletters. These tools have the added bonus of facilitating viral marketing, as they can be forwarded by clients to their extended networks. Use analytic tools to track the effectiveness of your e-marketing campaigns.

Finally, consider the efficiency and green qualities of PDF-formatted information. Rate cards, brochures, product descriptions and even client contracts can be sent electronically. You can drastically cut down on the amount of printed materials provided to clients this way.

Printed

When you absolutely need to provide printed materials, there are ways to keep them as green as possible. First, make a realistic estimate of how many copies you need for a defined period of time and just print what you need. Short-run printing uses less resources and allows you to update your materials more frequently. Second, consider your marketing pieces and how they can fit together. For example, design a simple printed piece for each type of photography that you promote, then design an overall piece into which these individual pieces are placed. This allows customized materials with the least amount of waste.

To choose greener options for your printed marketing materials, ask yourself and your printer the following questions:

What is the paper made of? Look for recycled content, unbleached paper, or handmade/dual purpose paper like birdseed paper.
What kind of ink is being used? Consider non-toxic alternatives such as soy- and wax-based inks.
Where is the paper made? Locally made paper will have a smaller carbon footprint.
Where is the printing being done? Working with a local printer can mean less shipping.
How is it being delivered? Order printed materials via ground shipping whenever possible, which uses less energy instead of air freight. Or choose a local printer and pick it up yourself.

Brand it Green

Studies show that consumers value green products. Don't miss the opportunity to show your clients you care about the environment in your promo materials.

Put a recycled symbol on recycled paper products.
Ask recipients not to print your PDFs or e-mails unless necessary and tell them why.
Join Greener Photography and put your member logo on your marketing materials.

Share your creative branding and marketing ideas! Leave a comment below, or e-mail Dawn Tacker. Stay tuned for Greener Marketing 201 for ideas on more ways to brand it green.

Links:

Greener Photography
Brand it Green article
Greener Photography links page (web hosting and other resources)
Marketing your Photography Studio Virtually

Thea Dodds and Dawn Tacker are the co-founders of Greener Photography.

Wedding Workflow with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Nik Silver Efex Pro

2009-06-03T19:31:05Z

By Kim Larson (Images ©Life Is Art Photography)

In April, Nik Software released an update to Silver Efex Pro, making it compatible with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 and higher. The update is available now as a free download to current owners of Silver Efex Pro. We asked photographer Kim Larson to incorporate Silver Efex Pro into her Lightroom workflow and share the details.

My wedding workflow starts the minute I arrive home from a wedding, when I start backing up all of the photographs. Usually backup will take an hour or two, but I cannot sleep peacefully until all the photos are safe! I immediately copy all photos to a drive on my computer that is set to automatically backup to an off-site location every morning at 7:00 a.m. I also burn DVDs of the photos and store them in a file.

As soon as I have all the photos copied, I open Adobe Lightroom 2.0 and begin importing the files. Usually I start this the night of the wedding as well, so the photos will import while I put away my equipment or get ready for bed. I have a default metadata profile set up in Lightroom that applies my copyright information to each imported photo, and I always make sure to apply the proper keywords with the bride and groom’s names and the location of the wedding.

Lightroom is my primary processing application. If I need to fix or enhance a photo, I will edit it in Photoshop while keeping a copy of the edited photo in Lightroom. Likewise, if I apply a black and white tone to the photo with the Nik Silver Efex Pro plug-in, I will keep both copies of the photo in Lightroom. The photos that I show my clients are the finals exported from Lightroom.

When I’m ready to start working on the wedding photos, I open them in Lightroom and first go through all of them with a simple Keep or Trash mentality. I’d love to think I don’t have any “bad” photos to throw away, but it happens. So while making sure my caps lock is on, I quickly go through each photo in Lightroom’s Library module, pressing X to flag the photo as a reject and P to flag as a pick and keep it. Having the caps lock on will make Lightroom automatically advance the photos for you, making this process very quick! When finished I will go to Photo > Delete Rejected Photos and actually delete all my rejected photos. I still have all originals stored with the first backup.

]]> Next, I make a second pass through all my photos in Lightroom’s Develop module, taking a little more time to scrutinize each photo. I will further reject duplicate photos if I need to, and tweak exposure and cropping. I may also add extra keywords to certain photos if I need to. For example, if I have a photo of the bride’s bouquet and I know the name of the florist, I will add the vendor’s name as a keyword on that photo. That way, if the vendor ever wants photos that I’ve taken of their work, it won’t take long to find it.

When my second pass is complete, I make a third pass through the photos, this time adding stars ratings to indicate processing I would like to do. I mark a photo with one star if it needs to be fixed in Photoshop, three stars if I want to make it black and white or toned, and five stars if I really love the photo and I want to feature it on my blog, website, or do enhanced Photoshop work to it. If you get really comfortable with your workflow, you may be able to combine the second and third passes to do everything in one pass.

Once my photos are starred, I filter them based on the number of stars they have. First I show only photos with one star, and take care of Photoshop fixes. I then set the filter to show photos with three or more stars. In the past, I had been exporting these photos to Photoshop and running various actions to convert them to black and white. I spent a lot of time tweaking the photos to get the right conversion and toning. Incorporating the Lightroom plug-in for Nik Silver Efex Pro (above) has been a huge timesaver. Instead of opening the files in Photoshop, I edit them in Silver Efex and can quickly convert to the perfect black and white. Although it is easy to use without reading any manuals or documentation, the Nik Software website has some great video tutorials on how to use the plug-in.

The power of Silver Efex is in how quickly I can create the finished product I envision. I have multiple preset styles set up in the software to preview different film types and toning effects on each photo (above). Nik has done a great job simulating different film types. My favorites are the ISO 3200 film types for a natural grain effect. But even if I don’t use a set film type, adding a natural grain to the photos is a snap with the “Grain per pixel” slider. And instead of just creating a grain overlay on the photo, Silver Efex builds the grain into each pixel of the photo, making it much more realistic (below).

It’s also easy to open multiple photos with Silver Efex Pro, but you do have to apply your toning to each image individually. This is easy of you use a single preset style; just navigate through each image and apply the style. Although it would be nice to be able to add the same style to all images at once, it does not bother me that I can’t because I rarely want to. Each photo I process may start with the same base style, but I almost always custom tweak each one for the best result possible.

After completing changes in Silver Efex Pro, I return to Lightroom and find that there is now a copy of each image I modified in the software (above). This is great, because I prefer to show both the original color image and the black-and-white version to my client. If I choose not to, I can easily remove the original image from Lightroom while leaving the Silver Efex version intact.

The final stage is to export all of the prepared wedding photos out of Lightroom, renaming them with a number sequence for the final output. where I will use them for a proof album or the couple’s online photo gallery.

Watch Kim Larson’s screencast video showing how Nik Silver Efex Pro works with Adobe Lightroom.

Editor’s note: We know everyone has their own workflow method. Do you have a labor-saving workflow tip? Share it in Comments.

Pro Review: Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 and 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Lenses

2009-06-03T16:19:14Z

By Stan Sholik

With all of the excitement surrounding Nikon's FX (full-frame) digital cameras and associated lenses, new lenses for Nikon's DX (APS-C size) digital cameras can get lost in the mania. That would be unfortunate, because two newly released DX Nikkors deserve attention, not only for their relative affordability, but also for the quality they deliver at their price.

The lenses are the AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G and the AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED. Both are designated AF-S, signifying that they incorporate Nikon's Silent Wave Motor compatible with all Nikon digital cameras including the D40 and D60 series bodies. A focus mode switch is incorporated into both lenses, allowing you to touch up the focus manually using the rubberized ring at the front of the lens. The switch can also be set to 'M' for fully manual focusing.

Both are also G-series lenses, meaning they have no aperture ring and are intended for use on digital cameras where the aperture is controlled by the camera's command dial. They share the same type of nicely finished black plastic exterior and metal mount, both incorporate a rubber 'O' ring around the mount to aid in dust shielding, and both show China as their country of manufacture.

]]>

AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

The 35mm lens, which was announced at PMA this year, is Nikon’s fastest fixed focal length lens designed for the DX format. Its focal length with DX sensors is equivalent to 52mm on 35mm film, making the lens a fast, normal, all-purpose lens for DX-sensor bodies.

It is smaller, lighter and less expensive than Nikon’s 35mm f/2 lens designed for film and FX bodies. With Nikon bodies from the D40 to the D300, the 35mm f/1.8 is a perfect all-purpose lens with very good close-focusing as well as low-light capabilities and optically superior in every way to the ‘kit’ zoom lenses available with these bodies. Weighing just seven ounces, it is excellent for travel and scenic photography since it adds so little weight to the camera body.

The new lens incorporates a single aspherical glass element to improve image quality. Shooting at maximum aperture, the lens I tested was very sharp in the center with some falloff in sharpness and a hint of color fringing at the edges of the frame. The red/cyan fringing is more pronounced at wider apertures and higher contrast subjects at the edge of the frame, but is easily eliminated in postprocessing with Nikon Capture NX2 software. Stopping down the lens to f/4 cleans up almost all of these issues.

The lens also incorporates a 7-blade diaphragm that delivers soft edges to out-of-focus background features. Missing is Nikon’s usual window in the lens with a distance scale below. Included with the lens are a soft pouch and a round lens hood.

I captured these live snails for sale in an Asian market at the minimum focusing distance of the lens. Out-of-focus areas show the pleasant, soft-edge look rendered by the seven-blade diaphragm. Exposure: 1/60 second at f/4, ISO 800. ©Stan Sholik

Some of the work I do involves legal photography where it is important to capture images with a ‘normal’ focal length lens. I have been doing this with my 35mm f/1.4 manual focus lens on my D2X. Testing the two lenses side-by-side, the AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G delivered better image quality and is smaller and lighter, too. And it still takes the classic 52mm filters and accessories. With an estimated street price of under $200, including the lens hood and case, it’s on my shopping list.

AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED

The introduction of the 10-24mm lens is a bit of a puzzle to me since Nikon already has a very high quality 12-24mm f/4 for the DX-format bodies. With a variable aperture, the 10-24mm would seem to be targeted more to the mid-level market rather than professionals, and without my being able to shoot them side-by-side it’s tough to make any conclusions about comparative image quality. I have shot the 12-24mm and was very impressed with the resulting images, as I am with the images from the 10-24mm.

As with the 12-24mm, the new 10-24mm will find use when shooting tight interiors, architecture and corporate assignments, where a wide angle of view or dramatic perspective are required.

Using the 10mm focal length captures dramatic perspective when shooting architecture. Exposure: 1/160 second at f/5, ISO 200. ©Stan Sholik

The wide field of view allows you to capture the entire architectural site in a single image. Exposure: 1/640 second at f/8, ISO 200, 14mm focal length. ©Stan Sholik

The 10-24mm varies from f/3.5 to f/4.5, making it a little faster at the wide end and a little slower at the long end than the 12-24mm. If the focal length markings are accurate, the f/4 aperture kicks in at about 13mm and f/4.5 at about 20mm. Minimum aperture is f/22 at 10mm and f/29 at 24mm.

Both the 12-24mm and the new 10-24mm are virtually the same size and weight, both incorporate three aspherical elements and two ED (extra-low dispersion glass) elements, both use internal focusing and it seems that both will have a similar street price of just under $900.

But what sets the 10-24mm lens apart from the 12-24mm is the 10mm focal length. While the difference between 10mm and 12mm may not seem important at first glance, in 35mm film terms this is the difference between a 15mm and 18mm lens, and that is considerable, particularly when you want that 15mm perspective or need that angle of view.

With very little room behind me, I needed the 10mm focal length to capture this scene. Exposure: 1/125 second at f/5.6, ISO 800. ©Stan Sholik

Also appealing with the new lens is its close focusing distance. While the 12-24mm focuses to 11.8 inches throughout its zoom range, the 10-24mm focuses to 9.6 inches throughout its range. As with millimeters of focal length, these extra close focusing inches mean a lot when you need them.

Image quality is impressive with the 10-24mm. As with the 35mm f/1.8, there are color fringing issues at wide apertures, but again I found them easily corrected in postproduction.

Sharpness is excellent in the center of the frame, even wide open, but corner sharpness is best between f/8 and f/11. There was obvious barrel distortion at 10mm when I did my “brick wall” test, which changed to slight pincushion distortion from 16mm to 24mm. However, I didn’t notice this in my “real world” shooting. If you need to fix distortion, Nikon Capture NX2 has a Lens Distortion correction tool that will automatically correct it.

While the lens has optical distortions, even with architectural one-point perspective images I never noticed it. I did however notice the lack of flare, which is important when you take in large areas of sky as you often do with lenses with this wide a field of view. Exposure: 1/320 second at f/9, ISO 200, 10mm focal length. ©Stan Sholik

The filter size is 77mm, but you will need ultra-thin filters on this lens. My normal thickness filters caused obvious vignetting. With internal focusing, the front of the lens doesn’t rotate when it focuses, simplifying the use of filters such as (thin) polarizers. A soft lens pouch and flower petal lens hood are included with the lens.

I don’t think that many professionals will be trading their 12-24mm Nikkors for the 10-24mm, but if you’re in the market for a zoom lens in this range, you should give serious consideration to the AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED.

If you are considering the new Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD Aspherical [IF] lens for your Nikon, I have tested it recently, though not side-by-side with the Nikon 10-24. While the two lenses seem similar on the surface, the internal optical design is somewhat different. I found considerably more color fringing with the Tamron lens, but it was also easy to remove in postproduction. There was also considerably more barrel distortion with the Tamron than with the Nikkor, however. Look, feel and handling are remarkably similar between the two manufacturers given the Tamron’s $400 lower street price. For me, that makes the Tamron a good bargain, but it’s the Nikkor that I would want in my camera bag.

Pro Review: Alien Skin Bokeh

2009-06-03T13:35:43Z

By Betsy Finn

Bokeh is a Photoshop plug-in by Alien Skin Software that allows photographers to manipulate focus and depth of field. The plug-in simulates the feel of specific lenses, and allows photographers to apply a range of creative focus options, post capture. Prior to experimenting with my own images, I was skeptical about Bokeh's ability to realistically alter depth of field and render creamy highlights. Based on my evaluation of Bokeh, I can say, I'm officially impressed.

While the Bokeh interface is very intuitive, Alien Skin has provided a detailed series of tutorials on how to utilize the plug-in to its fullest potential. After exploring the video tutorials and case studies online, I had a good understanding of how to use Bokeh.

One of the nice things about the Bokeh plug-in is that you can preview the effect in the plug-in's interface before performing the final render. As I previewed a number of Bokeh's Factory Settings, I was impressed at the variety of choices. Some presets were special effect oriented (e.g. Hollow Heart, Lens of Love), and others are meant to approximate a specific lens (e.g. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Nikkor 105mm f/2.5). In the example below, I chose the Diamond Delight setting, from the series Blur 20% - Bokeh With Highlight Boost.

In addition to factory settings, you can create your own custom modifications by manipulating focus region, aperture controls, and vignettes. The Bokeh plug-in comes with three basic choices of focus region: none, radial, and planar. These options can be used for simple manipulations, or, when used in conjunction with a selection, can create some stunning effects. Available diaphragm shapes include Perfect Circle, Heart of Hearts, and other various shapes with 3 to 11 sides.

The vignette can be applied naturally or based on your focus region, and you can apply color hue to the vignette area as well. Best of all, once you find a customized combination you like, you can save those settings for later use. After exploring my options, I used the radial focus region to draw attention to the main subject, and decreased the Creamy slider setting in the Aperture Controls to highlight the Perfect Circle diaphragm shape. Total time to manipulate this image was about one minute.

Below: Interface, Before and After versions.

Next, I decided to test a more advanced application of the Bokeh plug-in. I wanted to see if I could approximate a shallow and creamy background while keeping the subject in focus. Upon consulting the documentation, I learned that Alien Skin developers made a conscious decision to rely on Photoshop's selection methods rather than replicating the tool within the Bokeh interface. Selecting the subject using Photoshop's quick selection tool was simple and easy. After cleaning up my selection, I opened the Bokeh interface and applied a radial focus region to drop the foreground and background out of focus. Total time on this image was 3-5 minutes.

Below: Interface, Before and After versions.

Finally, I decided to push the Bokeh plug-in to its limit. After refining my selection, I ran the Bokeh plug-in with my selection as the focus region. The background fell off beautifully, and I was able to retain detail in the feather area as well (see selection detail). Total time to manipulate this image was 10-15 minutes, due to the complexity of the selection.

Below: Interface, Before and After versions, side-by-side comparison, detail view.

When using the Bokeh plug-in, I noticed that the rendered areas became too smooth (see grain comparison below); I found it necessary to add grain back into the image after applying the filter. On the Alien Skin forums, I learned developers plan to include a grain feature in the next release of Bokeh.

Below: Original grain (left) compared to post-Bokeh application.

If you're like me, you might wonder whether Photoshop's blur filters can do the same thing. In my opinion, Bokeh's rendering technology results in a superior image (see comparison-Bokeh-Blur - left to right: original, Bokeh, Gaussian Blur). During my comparison test (using the exact same selection), when Gaussian Blur was applied with a large enough radius to approximate the same background blur, the result had a halo effect at the subject/background transition area.

Below: Original, Bokeh, Gaussian Blur.

While Bokeh is no replacement for having good lenses and getting it right in-camera, I can see this plug-in as a practical add-on for Photoshop. Bokeh's versatility allows for a range of practical applications, from manipulating depth of field and adding vignettes to creating special effects by changing diaphragm shapes. What's more, you have your choice of using factory settings, or saving your own presets. If you ever need to drop a distracting background out of focus (after the fact), I see Bokeh being a big timesaver.

Alien Skin's Bokeh plug-in (for Photoshop CS3+) can be purchased for $199 from http://alienskin.com; and a fully-functional 30-day demo is available for download from the site.

Supplement: Light Modifier Image Examples

2009-05-29T19:27:48Z

By Ron Eggers

Innovative commercial light modifiers and huge technological advances have vastly improved on-camera flash. Ranging from simple reflectors to light channeling devices to sophisticated diffusers and mini soft boxes, these modifiers give you considerable control over the quality, temperature, direction and shape of light. Many of them can be used to simulate studio lighting techniques. Some modify light subtly, others dramatically.

Click through to view additional samples of light modification using the products mentioned in the June issue of Professional Photographer magazine: ExpoImaging Honl Photo Speed System, LumiQuest ProMax System, Sto-Fen Omni Bounce, Presslite VerteX, and Gary Fong's Lightsphere Universal.

]]> These images are composed to show the area where light from the modified flash begins to fall off. Click any image for a larger view.

ExpoImaging Honl Photo Speed System
expoimaging.net

Above: Honl Snoot in spotlight configuration

Honl Above: Honl Snoot slightly opened

LumiQuest ProMax System
lumiquest.com

Above: LumiQuest ProMax with translucent diffuser

Above: LumiQuest ProMax with 80/20 attachment

Above: LumiQuest ProMax with gold back

Above: LumiQuest ProMax with silver back

Above: LumiQuest ProMax with white back

Sto-Fen Omni Bounce
www.stofen.com

Above: Sto-Fen Omni Bounce

Presslite VerteX
www.presslite.com

Above: Presslite VerteX with white insert

Above: Presslite VerteX with mirror insert

Gary Fong Lightsphere Universal
garyfonginc.com

Above: Gary Fong Lightsphere Universal with amber dome

Above: Gary Fong Lightsphere Universal with chrome dome

Above: Gary Fong Lightsphere Universal with 1/2 Cloud Diffuser