Absentee Blogger

First up, I want to apologize for being an absentee blogger.  The wedding season is here and I'm feeling a little dizzy with excitement and awestruck at how busy we are.  But, I haven't forgotten about my little camera blog, in fact, look for a couple of posts soon that I've been trying to get out.  

I was inspired to write this afternoon because I ran down to my local camera store and bought a Canon 7D.  As some of you know until now I've been using my Olympus E3 as the second camera at weddings behind my 5DmkII.  It worked really well, but carrying two complete sets of lenses for cameras that won't share them was getting old and killing my back.  So the plan now is for outdoor weddings where there is a threat of rain, we will have the Pentax and Olympus equipment with us at the ready if needed (stored away) and now we both shoot all Canon on a regular basis so we can share all our lenses and equipment.  This will cut down on the size and weight of our gear bags which will make 12 hour wedding days much easier.  

And this, now, pretty much makes Olympus my hobby camera.  That's not a bad thing.  You can do much worse for a fun camera than a robust E3.  And I won't be wearing out my Canon's on birthday parties, photo walks, and random landscapes.  Does this mean I'm now a Canon guy?  Nope.  You'll still hear me ramble on and on about Olympus I'm sure. 

And why a crop sensor body?  Well I have the 5DmkII and love the full frame, but when I'm carrying two cameras I actually really like having one crop and one full frame camera.  My plan is to pretty much have my 135mm f2.0 live on the 7D and use anything wider on the 5D.  Best of both worlds.  By the way, the 7D is a much nicer camera to use than the 5D in every way except for the files I get out of the 5D which are amazing.  If it didn't produce such nice images, I would have flogged the 5D long ago.  It's a love/hate thing.  Oh and I couldn't afford the 1DMkIV.  I wanted it, but my Visa Card didn't.  

That's me goofing around at the Smug

Last night we hosted our first Smug meeting.  It was really fun, with about 20 photographers out for the first night.  Hanging out with other like minded people is really enjoyable for me, really great stuff.  I tried to tone down my inner camera nerd so as not to scare anyone away.  Below you can see the time lapse of the event.  Thanks for dropping by!

Click on the Image to watch the video

Nik HDR Efex Pro vs Photomatix

Processed in HDR Efex Pro

Well I've been using Photomatix ($120 retail) for quite a long time and I like it, at least as much as I like HDR images.  I think my taste for my HDR was sort of on the grungy side and I admit I don't do a lot of them (I'm far from a Trey Ratcliff).  I had saved a preset in the program that looked how I thought things should look and this look below was one of them.  I recently picked up Nik Software's HDR Efex Pro ($159.95 retail) and wanted to do a little comparison.  Mind you, if you know me you know that my comparison's are hardly scientific pixel peeping moments.

Processed in Photomatx

We recently had a shoot in a local garage getting some promo shots for the owner.  We decided to play around with some HDR looks that weren't meant to be realistic, more fun and graphic, so I did have that in mind when I was processing them.  I certainly know how to create some very subtle HDR looks using Photomatix that most people don't even know are HDR images, but I don't think that's what we want here.

I put the 8mm fisheye Zuiko lens on the Olympus E3 and put it on a tripod up high in the garage.  I prefer using the Olympus over my Canon for HDR for a few reasons.  Firstly, it is simple to setup by just a quick menu dive for a bracketed sequence exactly how you want it.  Secondly because it is only 10 megapixels you aren't dealing with such huge file sizes (I don't like to downsize my 5D mk II files because darn it I always forget to turn it back).  The Olympus makes the process pretty simple.

What I decided I'd do is throw the 5 images into each program and quickly try and edit them to how I thought they looked best using presets and minor tweaking.  I didn't want to spend a ton of time on them.  The Photomatix look is kind of cool to me, sort of grungy dirty, awesomeness.  Probably not to everyone's taste.  Put flipping through the HDR Efex presets I quickly found a few that were probably more squeaky clean and while still over the top, maybe more polished.  I'm not sure really.

The truth is both programs do the job very well and both are easy to use.  The Nik program has the advantage of the U-Point technology which will allow you to select parts of the image to alter independently.  That's pretty cool.  I know with a lot of these images with a sky in them they start to look pretty bad so being able to tone them down while inside the program is pretty cool.

Anyway, both good images.  I like both programs and I'd say if you own one or the other there isn't really much need to buy both.

I'll be blogging soon about this garage shoot, it was very cool.  The owner wanted some different, more creative images for his site, and publications.  He didn't want boring headshots and standard photos and we were happy to oblige.  I'm also putting together a video of a shoot I did with a model about a week ago which was pretty fun.

Thanks for dropping in.

EDIT:

Latest Try

I think I found a new one that I like best after tinkering a bit more.  I'll let you decide which program I used to get it.  

233/365: Know Your Rights.

233/365: Know Your Rights., a photo by Chris Petty Photography on Flickr.

So Chris Petty Photography posted this on his Flickr Stream and in the Photography Ramblings Group. I'll let you go there and read his comments, but despite the profanity (I'm working on my own profanity, it's not going well) it is such a good read and gives some insight into how photographers feel when their work is unfairly taken, stolen and used without permission.

Chris is from Nokomis, Illinois.  Want to see more of Chris' work? Click here.

Oh and I did a shoot yesterday I'm pretty excited about, more because I used film and micro four thirds cameras exclusively than for any other reason, but the images were cool (even though I haven't seen the film ones yet). Stay tuned because I videoed some of the session.

Before I go, yesterday we had a heavy rain storm followed my intermittent hail.  I had the bright idea to run outside in my socks, put my waterproof Pentax on the cement of my driveway and do some HD video of the rain hitting the ground.  Turns out my neighbours were leaving their house at the time I did it.  They must think I'm the weirdest guy ever.  Who runs out of their house in the heavy rain, puts their camera on their driveway and runs back in the house?  Me, that's who.  I think with these cameras I'm always trying to decide if I can find an excuse to get them wet.

Olympus E-PL1 After a Day

Well I must say that this is a pretty fun little camera.  I know it's psychological because of a burnt in brand addiction to Olympus but I'm enjoying the camera more than my GF1 so far.  The E-PL1 is getting pretty much blown out in stores right now, so if you've ever thought of buying one, now is the time.

I've tried a couple of the art filters.  So far I've only shot in jpg.

Soft Focus Art Filter

I thought I'd hate the art filters for the most part, but when you're just messing around they are kinda fun. Especially if you are in jpg fun mode in  your brain and just want to pop out photos without any editing later.  I like editing my images on the computer, but for family snapshots or casual fun, then I don't usually invest the time.  I had some preconceptions about which filters I thought I'd like and soft focus wasn't one of them, but actually I quite like it.  I took a couple of images of my daughter before she went to school this morning to try them out.  She only had patience for two shots.

Pop Art Filter.

I don't really care for the over saturated look of the Pop Art filter.  In all fairness I messed up the shot as it was backlit and I didn't compensate so maybe it looks better if properly exposed.

I also did a quick video with what I thought would be my favourite filter, the grainy black and white.  It was cool.  I liked it.  This is pretty easy to do, and probably with a better result in post, but if you are looking for quick and easy, then why not do it in camera?

The things I like about the camera so far:

• It has a nicer grip and is easier to hold than the GF1
• The art filters are actually fun (I admit I'm surprised)
• the menus make sense to me compared to the GF1 but I'm a long time Olympus user so I probably understand their logic
• the little pop up flash can be held down and pointed up at the ceiling.  Won't get much range, but that's cool.  Kind of like my old Panasonic L1 DSLR.
• The buttons, dial on the top feel solid and are in the right places
• I like the video record button 
• This camera and the GF1 are the right size for a walk around street camera

The things I don't like so far:

• The buttons on the back are hard to manipulate for my fingers and feel flimsy.
• the battery door that opens and houses the SD card and battery kind of blocks easy access to the SD card.  I find it hard to get it out. 
• the kit lens seems sharp enough but comes off as feeling cheap.  A typical kit lens.
• I get a mixed impression about the feel of quality build from the camera.  Parts of it (top, front and sides) feel solid, parts feel cheap and breakable (back).  
• The LCD on the back is terrible and given I don't have the viewfinder yet, it kind of wrecks the fun.  I will get the viewfinder.

So far I'm enjoying this camera quite a bit.  For roughly $400 you can't beat it really.  I can't imagine a cheaper Rebel or similar DSLR that is about the same price would be near as fun or accessible.  This type of camera isn't ready to replace the DSLR for several tasks (fast focus, great low light, etc) but it is miles better than any point and shoot on the market without bringing the intimidating user manual that might come with an Olympus E5, Canon 7D or Nikon D300s.  And for $400 you can buy 3 or 4 of these cameras for the same price.  I can only see the market for these little interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras from Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Samsung growing and replacing sales of high end point and shoots and low ends DSLR's.  They really are a great solution for serious photographers wanting a second (or third, or fourth) camera and for people wanting the benefits of larger sensors without the size and complication of a DSLR.  Soccer moms and advanced amateurs rejoice!

8x10 Wedding and I Couldn't Resist..... Again

I wanted to drop in a quick post about a new purchase of mine, but was surfing the net and came across this wedding photographer that shot a whole wedding with 8x10 film.  Now I've always wanted to shoot a wedding entirely with my 35mm manual focus Olympus OM4t, but this really ups the ante.  You can check it out on Doug Boutwell's blog and while you're there look at some of his other amazing work.  I was blown away.

And now my little confession.  I bought an E-PL1.  I know I know I already have the Panasonic GF1.  And it is cool, but I'm an Olympus guy.  I like the Panasonic a lot (especially since I dressed it up) but Olympus has always had my heart.  Now that I've switched entirely to Canon for my paid work it is weird, I get more excited about playing with my four thirds cameras on my own time.

This weekend I'm going to be photographing a model.  We had agreed that it would be all on film, but now I think I'm going to partially change my mind and shoot some of it for the first time with these little micro-four thirds cameras just for fun.  Maybe a half and half kind of thing.  Fun.  You know, what photography is supposed to be.

My initial first impression of the E-PL1 is that it is a nice little camera.  It doesn't feel quite as solid as the GF1 in your hands, though similar.  The kit lens that came with it gives a poor first impression.  Plasticky and at f3.5-5.6 not terribly fast.  I'm sure I'll either sell it or throw it in a drawer at some point, though I'll first play with it to see if it is OK.  At under $400 though how can you lose with one of these cameras?  I know the E-PL2 is out, but lets be honest, these aren't professional grade cameras, they are fun cameras that can do incredible things in a tiny package.  Do you really need to be on the bleeding edge?  This camera is $150 less than the smaller sensored high end point and shoots like the LX5, G12 and XZ1 and is roughly (or practically) the same size.  Grab one before they disappear!

5Dmk II with Canon 135mm f2.0 lens at f2.0 1/320th of a second ISO 3200

If you remember I recently added the Canon 135mm f2.0 lens to my bag for weddings and portraits.  My equipment bag is changing a lot this year from last, but I had the chance to try the Canon lens last summer and just had to have it.  I used it for the first time on the job at an engagement session last week and it was fantastic.  It has easily become my favourite Canon lens.

My gear for this year?  Looks like I'll be leaving the Olympus behind for the first time (unless we get rain for an outdoor ceremony)  and I'll be sporting a 5DmkII, a 7D and for lenses the 20mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8, 135 f2.0 and 24-70 f2.8.  I plan on pretty much leaving the 135 on the 7D making it an effective 200mm fast prime.  The 24-70 will live on the 5D for the ceremony and the primes will fill out the rest of the day.  Or that is the plan anyway.  I'd like to add the Canon fisheye at some point as I always enjoyed making one or two images with the Olympus fisheye, particularly at the ceremony.

For lighting we are planning on using way more video lights this year, the LED kind.  We have one, and are planning on purchasing a couple of those new Canon 320EX flashes with the built in LED lights to round out our collection of 580EXII flashes.  I have my eye on one of the Jerry Ghionis LED light sticks as well which I saw at the Sandy Puc tour in Seattle.  Pretty slick.  We'll also be sporting the usual studio strobe with a battery pack and reflector.  I'm excited.  First wedding of the season in one week and then its a full on sprint of weddings until the end of October.  Can't wait!  Won't be as grand as the royal wedding, but hey it will still be awesome.  By the way, loved her dress, hope those come back in style.

Thanks for dropping by the blog.  I always appreciate that people take the time to read it.