The Professional Photography and Photoshop Thread

[MacrossMan]

very nice bro!!! we need more of those pics from you

some pics while playing with my new favorite lens...70-200 2.8 IS . its so bokehlicious lol

and my newly calibrated 50 1.4

Very nice Vegas! My sentiments exactly about the 70-200 2.8; but you know I've gotta represent for the Nikon heads around this joint. Digging the DJ pics too bro. Didn't know you were into that as well. Pioneer ProDJ equipment is the best hands down. I'm taking an Into to DSLR class and my had my first session last week. My assignment this week was to capture a "vehicle"...any vehicle. The only catch is I couldn't use the auto mode on the camera. I pulled out my manual and learned how to change my ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. I took a couple "vehicles" out and tried capturing them while playing around with those settings. It's amazing that once I got an understanding of how those three affect the amount of light coming into the camera that I was able to manipulate how the picture turns out. Looking forward to my next session Thursday evening.

[Kanedas Bike]

Very nice Vegas! My sentiments exactly about the 70-200 2.8; but you know I've gotta represent for the Nikon heads around this joint. Digging the DJ pics too bro. Didn't know you were into that as well. Pioneer ProDJ equipment is the best hands down. I'm taking an Into to DSLR class and my had my first session last week. My assignment this week was to capture a "vehicle"...any vehicle. The only catch is I couldn't use the auto mode on the camera. I pulled out my manual and learned how to change my ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. I took a couple "vehicles" out and tried capturing them while playing around with those settings. It's amazing that once I got an understanding of how those three affect the amount of light coming into the camera that I was able to manipulate how the picture turns out. Looking forward to my next session Thursday evening.

Very nice...I always love coming into this thread...I may have to make a Digital SLR and lens my next "big" purchase.

-b.

[Vegas]

Very nice Vegas! My sentiments exactly about the 70-200 2.8; but you know I've gotta represent for the Nikon heads around this joint. Digging the DJ pics too bro. Didn't know you were into that as well. Pioneer ProDJ equipment is the best hands down. I'm taking an Into to DSLR class and my had my first session last week. My assignment this week was to capture a "vehicle"...any vehicle. The only catch is I couldn't use the auto mode on the camera. I pulled out my manual and learned how to change my ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. I took a couple "vehicles" out and tried capturing them while playing around with those settings. It's amazing that once I got an understanding of how those three affect the amount of light coming into the camera that I was able to manipulate how the picture turns out. Looking forward to my next session Thursday evening.

dude, your skills had vastly improved!!! keep it up man.

yah man, ive been dj'ing for awhile but i recently upgraded from a gemini setup to a pioneer one and was so happy that i decided to.

im rocking 2 cdj 400's, a djm 400, a pair m-audio speakers and a xone xd-53 head phones.

i mainly spin progressive trance music and sometimes house. its nice to know someone dj's here too

@Kanedas Bike... join us its fun lol

Edited May 24, 2010 by Vegas

[MacrossMan]

dude, your skills had vastly improved!!! keep it up man.

yah man, ive been dj'ing for awhile but i recently upgraded from a gemini setup to a pioneer one and was so happy that i decided to.

im rocking 2 cdj 400's, a djm 400, a pair m-audio speakers and a xone xd-53 head phones.

i mainly spin progressive trance music and sometimes house. its nice to know someone dj's here too

@Kanedas Bike... join us its fun lol

Thanks man, but I don't know that the skills have improved. I will say that having a better understanding of those settings can make a big difference in the look you're trying to achieve. I've been DJ'ing since 2004. I use the DJM-3000 mixer and CMX-3000 dual CD player with the Sony MDR-V700DJ headphones and a host of other gadgets. I do it all man, but mostly corporate and wedding gigs as well as the occasional private party.

Really enjoying the hobby though.

[MacrossMan]

Okay Nikon heads, what will it be? Nikon D400 or Nikon D700x; and how soon? I'd like to move to full-frame and I am happy with my Nikon glass, but the D3 is out of my price range and the D700 seems to be on its way out the door. Any thoughts?

[derex3592]

OK guys, after a couple of days of research, just pulled the trigger on my 1st ever "new" digital camera off Amazon. Went with a Canon SD3500IS. 14 Megapixel, 5x zoom, 24mm wide angle lens, full 3.5" touchscreen and lots of features. Going to Alaska in a couple of weeks and needed something "good" and portable. Also looking forward to using it for better pics of my Macross stuff! Any comments or advice? It should be here by the weekend so I can start learning and practicing with it! I'm really excited about it!

Vegas??? anybody wanna give me any pointers?? Coming off of my parents old Fujifilm Finepix S-5200. Old camera, but it served us well. Too bulky for the trip though.

[Vegas]

Vegas??? anybody wanna give me any pointers?? Coming off of my parents old Fujifilm Finepix S-5200. Old camera, but it served us well. Too bulky for the trip though.

sure man no problem. just pm me anytime

i heard that your new camera is good and has alot of features

Edited June 15, 2010 by Vegas

[mickyg]

I've been following this thread for quite a while now and have only chimed in minimally.

...But, I've got a question.

I was taking some shots of my partially completed VF-25G kit and wanting to do my best to make it look "real" in terms of perspective and angle, etc... Anyway, I figured if it were the real thing, I'd be taking the photo on the ground, at about head hight (I'm 6'2") and from a distance that would allow me to fit the whole fighter into the frame. And given the size of a typical fighter jet, it'd likely be a pretty wide angle lense. So that got me thinking, "what distance would I need to be at to do this" and I came up with something about a fighter distance away (give or take). For a model kit, that would be what, 10 inches or so? I don't have a lens that will focus that close. And if I did, what focal length would work? I was thinking a dedicated macro lens but they start at 50mm usually and I'm thinking the field of view would be so narrow that I'd need to be farther away than 10 inches to fit the whole valk in the frame.

So here's the question: What do you guys who take great photos of your valks, use to photograph them? Can you really get close enough to this right with an SLR? For the record, I've got a Canon 500D (1.6x crop factor) and an 18-135mm zoom, and a 50mm prime. My best estimate is that I'll need a 24mm or so lens with the ability to focus from 6-10 inches. Does such a thing exist? Any tips?

[Froy]

Use the depth of field.

This is what I do.

1 set manual focus and then set the minor focal lenegth (18,..etc)

2 If you have a tripod use it.

3 Set AV.

4 Use the bigest F number (22,20... etc,this will cause a very slow speed that is way you need the tripod)

5 Get close to the subjet, it does not matter if it gets blurry, make some shots and the review them. If they are too blurry you may need to get a steep back form the subjet, if it is sharp you may still have some distance to get a little close to the subjet.

The depth of field may give you some room to get colse to the subjet and still get a good photo.

The only problem is that you will have a very sharp background.

Edited June 23, 2010 by Froy

[anime52k8]

So here's the question: What do you guys who take great photos of your valks, use to photograph them? Can you really get close enough to this right with an SLR? For the record, I've got a Canon 500D (1.6x crop factor) and an 18-135mm zoom, and a 50mm prime. My best estimate is that I'll need a 24mm or so lens with the ability to focus from 6-10 inches. Does such a thing exist? Any tips?

if you want shorter minimum focal distance, consider getting a close up lense or extension tubes (or this one).

a close up lens screws onto the front of the lens (the one's linked will fit the lens you said you have), extension tubes fit between the lens and the camera. in both cases they decrease the minimum focal distance, but also make it so you lose infinite focus (i.e. now objects can be too far away to focus on). extension tubes work better for decreasing Minimum focal distance on wide angle lenses, close up lenses work best on longer telephoto lenses.

generally I prefer close up lenses as a good ones have very little negative effect on the quality of your pictures and the performance of the camera/lens. extension tubes have the effect of increasing the effective f-stop by about 1 stop on a 12mm tube and about 2 on a 25mm, which can be bad on an already slow lens (like the one you have).

[mickyg]

Thanks guys! Your advice is much appreciated.

Froy: My lens' minimum focus distance is pretty big (about 18") - using your tip isn't going to work in my case, as anything closer than that MFD is going to not only be fuzzy but way out of focus and obviously so. Increasing the aperture isn't going to help here. It'll make the background sharper but not the model itself. Also, I'll have to experiment with really big aperture values as diffraction starts to really make things fuzzy above f/16 on my (too) dense camera sensor. Still, worth playing with to see how much of that diffraction I can actually see for web pics.

Mike: Thanks for the links - very helpful! I've been considering extension tubes and will have to look into how much closer they allow me to get to my subject. For some reason, I was thinking they only allow the amount of the extension tube. So in my case, I can move an inch closer to my subject with the 25mm. In my case, if that's correct, it's not close enough. I'll have to have a look around to see what the actual value is. Surely it's not as simple as I'm making it out to be. I'd consider a close up lens but since most of what I want to do is on the wide angle, the tubes will probably be a better choice.

Thanks again.

[anime52k8]

For some reason, I was thinking they only allow the amount of the extension tube. So in my case, I can move an inch closer to my subject with the 25mm. In my case, if that's correct, it's not close enough. I'll have to have a look around to see what the actual value is. Surely it's not as simple as I'm making it out to be. I'd consider a close up lens but since most of what I want to do is on the wide angle, the tubes will probably be a better choice.

Thanks again.

I honestly don't know how to calculate minimum focal distance so I couldn't tell you how much of an effect it will have, but I can say that it will be much more than the length of the tube. 1/2 to 1/4 the MFD you have now is much closer to what you'll actually get with a 25mm tube on a lens less than 24mm.

[mickyg]

Sounds perfect! Kenko sell a set that retains all the electrical stuff for the autofocus and aperture controls (not to mention all the the stuff the lens tells the camera). I'm not too concerned by the change in fstop as this will all be done with a tripod and as small an aperture as I can get away with. I might experiment with focus stacking if the depth of field isn't good enough.

I'm annoyed you can't buy single Kenko tubes but imagine the set is probably more versatile anyway.

Thanks again for the tips!

[mickyg]

I just did a quick experiment:

• set up camera a short distance from a suitable target
  
• remove lens and separate it by a small amount (about 12mm) from body
  
• use manual focus
  
• find target is not in focus and use another object (like a finger) to move it in front of the lens
  
• find your focus distance has decreased to something absurd, like a few mm from the front of the lens (or less if you're at 18mm like I was)!
  
• repeat the process but turn the focus ring to the complete opposite side (just in case) and find focus distance between minimum and maximum is almost nothing
  
• repeat whole process with a longer focal length until you find a focus distance that equals the original 8-10 inches I'm after.
  

After all that, I found the best focal length to allow me to be the distance I want to be from my subject is about 50mm. At that focal length, my field of view is too narrow to fit a whole valk into the frame. I knew you have to give up infinity focus with an extension tube but I had no idea it cut what should be maximum focus distance to something so incredibly small! Just goes to show how important that distance is between the lens mount and the imaging sensor.

So those of you who were hoping for a positive outcome from all this - it looks like I can't do what I want with a dSLR. And that's take a photo from the same scale distance a scale human would be standing from the model. I can do it with a point and shoot though!

Edited June 24, 2010 by mickyg

[anime52k8]

just cheat and use Photoshop, that's what I would do.

[mickyg]

See, now you're going to have to tell me how you got that crazy camera angle! That's the kind of shot I'm looking to do! Obviously, if you were really standing watching a few jets take off like that, you'd be a fair distance away and using a decent telephoto lens, so that view is very convincing indeed. So did you use photoshop to trick the perspective, or just for the effects?

[anime52k8]

See, now you're going to have to tell me how you got that crazy camera angle! That's the kind of shot I'm looking to do! Obviously, if you were really standing watching a few jets take off like that, you'd be a fair distance away and using a decent telephoto lens, so that view is very convincing indeed. So did you use photoshop to trick the perspective, or just for the effects?

here's how I did it. (including the original YF-21 pics): http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=29427&view=findpost&p=762412

anyways the original pictures where shot with an f/4 aperture and 28mm-35mm focal lengths; I had the camera on a tripod adjusted so the lens was level with the gap between the plane and the top of the printer that it's sitting on; and I believe I had the camera sitting about 2-3 feet from the toy.

[Shaorin]

that's some REMARKABLE shop work there, anime52k8...

BTW; i think that my pet guinea pig "Aurica" is beginning to take a fancy to the VF-1;

note the contented look in her eyes. just wait till i introduce her to the YAMATO 1/60 VF-1 v.II!

it just might be too much for her little pea-sized heart to handle!!

Edited June 26, 2010 by Shaorin

[Octane]

I am looking into getting a Yamato 1/60 Cannon Fodder VF-1J. Going through my version one VF-1A's, I noticed the regular ones are light tan and the TRU ones are darker like the VF-1D.

My question is: Would anyone that has all three, be willing to do a comparison pic for me so I can try to match my squadron?

[Muzaffar]

My very first YF-19 toy.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Muzaffar

[miriya]

My very first YF-19 toy.

Awesome! Who makes that and where did you get it?

[Muzaffar]

Awesome! Who makes that and where did you get it?

I got it many years ago. It's from the Doyusha 1:144 diecast series.

[anime52k8]

I haven't posted anything in a while so here's my just finished MG Sinanju.

(Click any photo to view the slide show)

[MacrossMan]

It's been a minute since I have posted anything. In between work and school and this whole photography thing taking off I haven't had much time to post. Got a new piece of equipment in today and thought I would share it you guys cause I know you'll be able to appreciate it. I’m awaiting my Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head with quick release lever to go with this as well as a Kirk Enterprises L-bracket to get some serious tripod photography going. I also picked up Nikon's 14-24 2.8 for wide angle photography as well as a studio lighting set-up for an in-home portrait studio. Will be posting more pics as the goodies arrive.

[ae_productions]

Uploaded the Tomahawk pics, played around with Photoshop - worked out well I think. Love this destroid! =D

Just when you thought it would be impossible for the Tomahawk to be any cooler. Great pics!

[MacrossMan]

Since I started following this thread my Macross collecting has suffered and my photography "toys" have grown. I see how many guys in this thread slowed their collecting all together to focus on photography must haves; the stuff aint cheap! A gang of Valks could be had for one purchase, depending on which piece of equipment you cop. My Macross passion will never cease though as I have a few 1/48's (1/48 forever!!!) and 1/60's I still need to cop. I think I have the photography stuff I need to do what I want to do for now.

Here are my latest grabs: The might Nikkor AF-S 14-24 2.8; those who know...KNOW! Really Right Stuff BH-55 with Acra-Swiss quick release clamp. Gitzo GT3531 and a few Kirk Enterprise quick release plates and lens foots and studio lighting kit (not pictured).

Edited August 22, 2010 by MacrossMan

[Vegas]

IMG_3540 by デストロイド, on Flickr

heres mine, manfrotto all the way lol. not as fancy as macrossman's & dante 74's but it gets the job done

[izzyfcuk]

NICE STUFF!

BUT.....The Nikkor shouldn't stay there you know..ouch

[Major Focker]

scored a bargain last weekend at the singapore IT fair: Vanguard Alta Pro with pistol-grip ballhead.

was originally just after the tripod (which came with a standard ballhead) but then saw the pistol-grip/joystick head. when i inquired about replacing the standard ballhead with the pistol-grip and packaging it with the tripod, the sales lady tried to sell me another similarly priced set which had the pistol-grip but a simpler tripod. fortunately, the manager overheard us and agreed to the package deal at the same price as the tripod and normal ballhead. instant S$100 savings

and just as he said that, some of the other merchandisers started shouting "last hour of the fair! all display items 20% off!". i raised my eyebrows and asked if i would get that too. he just laughed and agreed.

so got the set for S$240 (~US$160) and they threw in a lens cleaning kit and an umbrella. in hindsight, i should've asked for the beach mat instead

[Chronocidal]

So a few weeks ago I was about to finally buy myself a better camera (upgrading from a 6 mp HP thing with a disgusting macro). Was planning on getting a Canon SX20IS, mainly for the all-in-one-ness of a superzoom, and with the intention of using it to learn the basics. I nearly hit the "buy" button about half a dozen times on Amazon, but I held off for.. who knows why, but it paid off, because they just came out with the SX30IS. Amazon said it wasn't released yet, so I waited...

Walked into my local wallyworld sunday, and had to pull my jaw off my shoes, because they already had it. I live in the middle of nowhere practically (north of Edwards AFB about an hour), and this particular walmart seems to be getting a nice supply of camera-related goods. I got to play around with the Canon and Nikon DSLRs they had on display a bit (which was a nice intro to how they work), and finally walked out of the store with the SX30 ($430) and about $50 worth of assorted camera-related goods.

Obviously this thing is no DSLR, but it's got a nice set of features that should keep my occupied learning to use them. I tried a few shots in the automatic modes, and portrait isn't bad, but I've been having fun playing with the full manual mode. The zoom on the thing is crazy (35x, sheesh), the 35mm equiv is roughly 24-840mm. I've mostly been focusing on macro shots though. Shutter speed goes between 15" and 1/3200, aperture from F2.7 to F8.0 (I think, I've been re-reading this thread all week to get a grasp on terminology). The manual focus mode is interesting, still need to get the hang of it.

I may yet get a Nikon or Canon DSLR in the future, but I'd rather learn on something a little less fragile/expensive first, and not have to worry about wearing the camera out taking practice shots.

For now though I have to go recharge the battery, I completely drained it fiddling around with the settings.

[eugimon]

sweet, congrats on the camera.

[Johvic]

contributing

and another one

[macrossnake]

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/uploads/1284939387/gallery_10429_417_69006.jpg

photoshop work.

[Chronocidal]

Playing around with manual settings can be fun

[anime52k8]

I took a day trip to Alcatraz Island about 2 months ago, and I've just now gotten around to going through some of the photos.

anyways; you get a really good view of the bay, San Fran, and both bridges from the south/southwest side of the island by the light house so I tried to take some shots to make into a really big panoramic photo. I'm going to try doing it by hand but just to get an idea of how it will look I whipped a couple together using the stitch feature on Windows Live Gallery.

the first one's just strate photos with no color/exposure correction so it looks very splotchy, and the second one is just really wiggly because Windows live sucks like that.

Edited October 10, 2010 by anime52k8