Exercise 7 your tolerance for noise

For this exercise , I have taken the flute from shenshen and laid it on a wooden plate mat away from the window  the weather is very over cast. So I am getting some nice low side lighting. I often look at the light falls on objects here.

Setting the camera up on a try pod with a 60mm macro lens. Setting the ISO at 100 to start. Un like film cameras there are Many ISO settings. the highest speed i could obtain here was 0.3 sec f 2.8
Setting the exposure at fist to

i have not used raw for this exercise .

Going through the scale from ISO 100 , 125,160,200,250,320,400,500,640,800,100,1250,1600,2000,2500,3250,4000,5000,6400,12800,

I think with to day improvements , hight ISo over 800 now yields better results then fats film . however now we are looking at ISO 12800 and above . Image capture has boundaries never imagined . but with the noise setting in over the 800 ISO mark as seen here . for crisp sharp images . keeping to under the 800 ISO is a must.

Below is the close up at 100 ISO

here is a close up at 12800 ISO

In observing this .  As the exercise stated . if the speed exceeds 1/2 sec exposure . On previous long exposures . another kind of noise takes over. 


i have added this , and in doing so noted how dramatic change set in at 1250 iso however after is backs off and then sets to be more visible 1600 . I note also some colour cast in the lower ISO a magenta in the whites where as moving up. The wall becomes whiter.

high light clipping Exercise 6

 After going through the exercise on linear capture . And now reading this about highlight clipping, I can now see why the debate continues "digital will never out perform film. as the Latitude of film is so much grater. Digital is more like transparency with more limitations. So Technology has yet to over come these hurdles. Some how, I feel we are a long way off getting it right. Even after this course was written. I found the newer cameras are still not what I had hoped, after using medium format. Im a Fool for selling mine at the time.

The 7d I am now using. So much highlights are lost . Reading through. I have come to terms that when photographing with digital. The rules are some what opposite to film . Especially Black and white.

In black and white . The old rule of thumb , was to expose for the shadows letting the highlights look after them selves. However , here we need to expose for the highlights.

Here I have taken a picture, a side look of a work top. Exposing  correct exposure.  Then 1 full stop open, then stopped down 1 again 1 and then again 1 stop down :



starting at F 5 1/8 sec 400ISO

 1 stop up F4

 1 stops down 5.6

 2stops f8

 3 stops down F10

Depending on how much highlights are in the scene . I note that the top picture, highlights or white areas have lost all detail. Average exposure still lacks detail on the second photo. By stopping down 1 stop . This holds details and colour . 2 stops down, still holds detail in the highs and the lows shadow areas . 3 stops down, and shadow areas starts to lose detail. 

linear capture exercise 5

Exercise:

Taking any Jpeg or Tiff image, and opening it within photoshop, to produce a smooth curve .

First I need to convert a JPeg from 8 to 16 bit.

Open Jpag in image curve . Making the image with a curve as seen here. Darkening the image . saving the image, then re opening, using the curve scale again. This time, bringing back to the original image, surprisingly hard to do. Most I could get was a bright contrasty image . A lot of the finer detail lost, and some noise in the shadow areas.

Exercises 4 Editing

Editing . using aperture 3 mac

The shoot that I had done over the 3 days  in Shenzhen, I have taken 1 set to do this exercise. The set being the day at the EYE OF THE WORLD :

less the photo of the Girl friend still gave 360 images to edit . To see if they are perfect. one must first run them through processing . as raw images do not show sharp, and contrast.
However to quickly select a few. this method showed to produce good results.

Producing in aperture 3 the following contacts . 

Editing step 1 

from the above sets . I removed 34 that are either un sharp or not worthy to look at. 

Editing step 2 

Going through the remainder photographs selecting from the fist selects to narrow down to a few that will be the bast from the batch (selects)

Editing step 3   

Here I will work through the above to find a  few that stands out from the above 

After loading this up Off to take a break to re fresh my mind . 

Editing step 4 

To narrow down the selection again .

This is not to examine or portray the eye of the world. if the project was for that. My choice would be different .

Now I have to make a choice to show my creativity for publication. 

Only to photographs to be used

this is my final selection.:

This is difficult . i asked 3 people two came with the same select , the other towards the same and my view . That is ?

Top right 8743

We all like the little girl in the water . Both in fact. However , they may be candid , but not creative. 

Arena seats top Left shows an interesting pattern with the eye focusing to the cocacola bottle . 7979.

The Arches 8048 gave a nice tunnel composition . The two night images are attractive. the Fountains have a nice composition leading round from the right to the back. With rich colour. 

Nevertheless ; neither yielded  that odd angle and creativity, So my choice are these two. 

The above Creative as to the intent when i took and composed the image . Waiting for the wind and cloud to position  the floating flowers in the right place . using the law of threes. using a triangle composition. So that the eye leads left to right moving to the back of the picture. being lost in refection. 

  

This image also intent to be creative to the fullest using a super wide 10mm lens . Filling the frame with the wall moving from corner to corner of the frame. with a boy at the end of the wall as a focal point. 

stopping down to give as much depth as possible.

Assignment 1 WORK FLOW

Gary Bridger Work Flow.

• ASSIGNMENT

Street photography.

Subject: Raya market, Gaya Street:

Points of interest: People and food.

• EQUIPMENT PREPARATION

Select and pack cameras and lenses.

Format cards and charge batteries

Pack pen and notebook.

Once the photographs have been taken:

• WORK FLOW

Import images from card to mac Aperture 3.

Process raw. Adjust sharpening, contrast etc

Select for This blog
Assignment, stock, And Select for Album up load .

The work flow:
 I then import the images from the memory card to the computers HD using aperture 3 . This software is easy to use. As soon as the photographs are loading, you can view them. Once loaded. Aperture gives an option to save or delete from the card.

I normally leave them on the card as support for another back up.

Once imported, I can then get to work on the images.

1. Burn the whole set to DVD for back up. Save by backing up, using TIME MACHINE. Macs own back up program.
 I prefer to do both. I can then work  the raw photographs. Aperture is set to editing the raw image. However Aperture does not over write the originals. It saves the master images.
Once edited, and those I do not want, are saved to the trash. I will then separate to another folder , or tag those I want to use.
I will re look at the deleted set in the trash. To make sure I do not want these images. Before permanent deletion. In saying this. I always have a back up on disc.

Then I will re assess the work I have edited. Then make my final selection. By holding command clicking on the images I want to send to a file, that I can up load from. Open Export, selecting file type and size. From that file. I name the file to export to. I can then open  any program, that will import or up load the files.

In aperture I can also select the required images as above, Then go to a plug in.
Thats an additional program inter phasing with aperture.   Eg Face book or Fickler. The option will open to up load automatically to the desired web site.
If other editing, or more advanced editing on any image is required, I can open them from within Aperture plug ins to photoshop, or Portrait professional.

Everyone has there own way in a work flow. The work flow is not always the same. Depending if the photographs are for this course. Or of the family and holiday events. I will then edit the pictures in I photo, Save then to disk. Any important images or ones that can be used, other then family or snaps. Will be exported to aperture.

I feel after some time using other programs and operating systems. Learning from experience. This work flow form is quick. easy and very reliable. The only draw back I have is internet speed. Being that I live in borneo Malaysia.



Contact of event:

The picture tend not to show true colour when up loaded to here.

Selected photographs for Album :

http://www.diveactive.com/http__www.diveactive.com/street_photography.html

Your own work flow. Lesson 2

Same as before in lesson 1. This time, an open shoot, any subject,  Like a location, holiday, or an event, that the amount  of shots taken are unpredictable. With out using any structured work flow. The taking of the pictures remains open.

A 7 day trip.

Shenzhen http://www.chinahighlights.com/shenzhen/attraction/

Prep same as above. Less the car. 

Equipment small bag. List full range lenses from 10 to 200 mm
gorilla try pod,
Cable release . batteries charged _ charger. lens cloths, and blower.
Torch for night shots as Its a city.
All memory cards formatted ready.

Lap top clear of junk and room for down loads.

The location is unknown to me . So I need to be ready for anything.

My Aim:
To capture the culture and land scape , city , and culture.
Early morning . Through to the setting sun

Work and play, Eating and rest .

Architecture: ( This will be the main focus point ) As the city is well developed.




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Just back from Shenzhen:

Things did not go to plan. First Air Aisa Lost us one night, No Visas , and had to stay over night out side the air port that had nothing that I could find to photograph. Flying next morning . The city had 3 or 4 nice building most we had no time to see. Girlfriend not interested in architecture. The culture,  very modern and boring for china, and so  boring to look at,
so we turned to the Theme parks, I have never been a snapper. And hate snap shots, But pressured to take photos, 'picture of me " here there and everywhere. She asked ,  And thats what the trip landed up to be.

Well as it was meant to be My assignment . I am going to use what I have taken. The culture shows at the parks were nice. Although the most beautiful of them, no one was allowed to take photographs.

So I made the best of what was available:  Even with some pre planning . Events  never seem to go to plan.

Next thing due, was what to shoot . RAW or J Peg . Mostly I RAW, Due to low light, I had to use High ISO and Jpeg to allow fast buffering time.

Final result and conclusion :
If you want to take pro photographs, and stick to a plan . Inform the Girl friend or wife. Even then, take another point and shoot camera. As all you get is"take a Picture of me here " grrrr
Day 1 landed up in city gardens. Not able to speak or read chinese. I was in her hands. Being that she is chinese. And then chinese is not always understood by many chinese.
Photos:
Second day . Location :
The eye of the world. An amazing place . Up the Eiffel Tower to observe and assess the area, and up again at sun set.
The day yielded some interesting photographs, and many photos of the girl friend. Umm.
shot on J peg . Then back to raw. Allot to think about. keeping my eye on possible artistic settings angles  or people.
 The play.
My first chance to use digital in a show with flood lights and action. The H setting for ISO yielded exiting results as it did in the later shoot.


Night shots were wonderful.
3rd day. Shopping. In hope to capture culture . Sadly kayos and jumble . All old culture hidden or built over. A disappointment. So I turned my camera to the modern Architecture.
The afternoon was then spent at the village .

Hanging colour and china lanterns . Although this gave me chance to explore angle . The village was not much and to many repairs, and bins in the way.
So moving in close and separating viewpoints.
We went to a play, So much colour . This was torture, As signs were shown and walked about stating . 'NO PHOTOGRAPHS!"

Over all . A Work flow helps you plan. And prepare, However as I have been an events and wedding photographer before. Be prepared as anything can happen.

Worse thing about open subject photography, and down loading editing on location. You cannot always see the detail and focus . The image is to small. On the other hand, the lap top , Saves space and clears your cards.

But the subject matter being random.  I sooner know whats going on what where and when!

6 x 4GB DVD to back up and save the originals.

The go through them all. Deleting any that are not worthy.

Convert the raw to jpeg  for unimportant work. Save Raw and large jpeg files for post processing.

I like the old saying Make a plan go with the plan.

Just some samples of the shoot over the 3 days.

This was the file folder out lay.

Shenzhen city. 

The Culture  village 

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(C) For use by the OCA and my use only.