Posts for: TimHGuitar
May 3, 2022 13:10:34 #
Here's a hint... it begins at about 60 years old.
Apr 10, 2022 16:40:43 #
If you are photographing 50 or more folks, then I would suggest a larger format camera if you have one. Personally, I would shoot 4x5 film. I would set up the groups in a line up of 3 rows and focus on the front row. Focus on their eyes. I would then tilt the lens and film back so that the back row folks are also in focus. I would use F 16 if possible. This will insure everyone would be in sharp focus. I would shoot at least 4 sheets of film and scan them all. All four should be shot with the camera in the same position. Then after scanning all 4 final films you can replace certain heads with an exposure from another film - just in case someone blinks or turns their head at the moment of exposure. Usually only one of the 4 has the best expression for the majority of people in the shot, but maybe 3 or 4 of the folks needs to be replaced from the other alternative shots. This is the best case scenario. Shoot 4x5 film and then scan them into Photoshop so you can choose the best expression from all 50 folks.
If you can't shoot film, then use the best digital camera you can. The front row is the one to focus on and use a smaller F stop to get the back row in focus as well.
If you can't shoot film, then use the best digital camera you can. The front row is the one to focus on and use a smaller F stop to get the back row in focus as well.
Apr 10, 2022 16:31:00 #
There are some photographs that will really stand out when you are finally old enough to value things that matter in life. I've spent time with my aunts and uncles when they reach the age of 80 or more, and more often than not, their conversations involve getting me to look over old photographs and they ask me to copy them and to enlarge them so that they can see them better. I return the next weekend and they tell me the stories behind each photograph. As it turned out, those stories were not known to the family beforehand, and I am now considered the family historian because of my experience with the older generation. I am now 70 years old and have become that older generation.
Wedding photographs are often neglected when it comes to the old family photograph albums. This is because so few older folks had the money to spend on their wedding photos. Often there's only one that survives.
I would suggest that you look at old wedding photographs from your own family's history. Notice the ones that mean the most to you. These are probably the ones that include family members who are now gone. Perhaps they came from far away to attend the wedding, and many of the younger members did not often see them.
In this case, the group photos are important. If so, make sure that the photographer you hire can set up a group photo where everyone is in focus. Their faces are clearly shown and their expressions are all decent. In the old days, it was common to press the shutter just when someone in the group would blink. Nowadays, assuming the photographer is shooting digital, they can replace heads with the best expression for each individual. The photographer, in this case, exposes a number of shots of each set up and looks for the best expression of each person in the group and replaces certain head shots with ones from another exposure, thereby providing you with a group photo where everyone is decently represented.
These concerns are often those of the parents because the bride and groom are more interested in their wedding party and their close friends who will be attending. But it is my experience that in the long run, family rules. Friends come and go, but family is there for the long term. This scenario escapes the bride and groom until they reach the age of 50 or more. That's when family history becomes more important. It's when we begin to lose the older generation when we realize that we should have spent more time with them and listened to the stories of their lives.
For what it's worth, that's my recommendation. Make sure the photographer can capture meaningful group photos (along with the post processing work in photoshop) along with the current popular "candids" that are flooding the wedding market.
Wedding photographs are often neglected when it comes to the old family photograph albums. This is because so few older folks had the money to spend on their wedding photos. Often there's only one that survives.
I would suggest that you look at old wedding photographs from your own family's history. Notice the ones that mean the most to you. These are probably the ones that include family members who are now gone. Perhaps they came from far away to attend the wedding, and many of the younger members did not often see them.
In this case, the group photos are important. If so, make sure that the photographer you hire can set up a group photo where everyone is in focus. Their faces are clearly shown and their expressions are all decent. In the old days, it was common to press the shutter just when someone in the group would blink. Nowadays, assuming the photographer is shooting digital, they can replace heads with the best expression for each individual. The photographer, in this case, exposes a number of shots of each set up and looks for the best expression of each person in the group and replaces certain head shots with ones from another exposure, thereby providing you with a group photo where everyone is decently represented.
These concerns are often those of the parents because the bride and groom are more interested in their wedding party and their close friends who will be attending. But it is my experience that in the long run, family rules. Friends come and go, but family is there for the long term. This scenario escapes the bride and groom until they reach the age of 50 or more. That's when family history becomes more important. It's when we begin to lose the older generation when we realize that we should have spent more time with them and listened to the stories of their lives.
For what it's worth, that's my recommendation. Make sure the photographer can capture meaningful group photos (along with the post processing work in photoshop) along with the current popular "candids" that are flooding the wedding market.
Mar 24, 2022 13:54:02 #
stanikon wrote:
Northwest Houston Photo Club, meets 1st and 3rd Tu... (show quote)
How convenient... and quick response. I'd go if I were you A. T.
Mar 24, 2022 02:41:15 #
frankraney wrote:
You don't? 
I had mentioned (in an earlier comment) that when photographing a large family photo, I left space on the edge of the group and after making a few exposures, I then handed the camera to someone else and went into that space to include myself into the group photo. Afterwards I used Photoshop and looked closely at all the expressions and pasted in some heads where the eyes may have blinked and I placed myself into the space left empty. That was one example of how to use Photoshop. In this case, PS, was part of the planned photo shoot.
Mar 23, 2022 12:43:25 #
Fotoartist wrote:
Photography is not a matter of quantity to me. Sometimes I spend weeks editing a single photo. It's better to work on something you would hang on your wall and how much wall space does anyone have?
Cool!
Mar 23, 2022 12:19:16 #
brian43053 wrote:
I too am very intimidated by Photoshop. Took a class or two and from what the teacher showed me I figured if a photo needs to have that much editing done to it then it probably isn't worth anything to begin with. The teacher said he once spent 2 hurst's editing a photo!! Am I missing something here? IMHO opinion - if I can't do necessary edits in Lightroom or Neo then I just scrap the photo. Again that's just me.
In some cases (after knowing what Photoshop can do), a photographer will photograph knowing before hand what he/she is going to do in Photoshop after the captured image is done.
Mar 21, 2022 12:36:34 #
I think PS is not for everyone. When I was in the business of making photographs, I was constantly getting jobs that required composite work. I was asked to drop in logos, drop shadows, merge two or more images into a single Point of Purchase ad to be displayed. Although, at one point, I had up to 50 employees, only a handful could tackle the job of figuring out the best way to make all the elements that would ultimately go into making the final (many exposures) exposing of the color negative. Once deciphered, any of the employees could carry out the tasks ionvolved. But the problem solving aspect of getting to the final negative was a challenge. Generally, there's only one "best way" to approach any job. that was the daily challenge.
Photoshop is like that. You have all these tools but you have to see the end result before you start using those tools. That's the rub.
Photoshop is like that. You have all these tools but you have to see the end result before you start using those tools. That's the rub.
Mar 20, 2022 13:33:12 #
jtbdal wrote:
I am a somewhat occasional photographer shooting g... (show quote)
Which lens is the sharpet? And which nlens are too heavy and always needs a tripod? I can see different situations for each lens.
Mar 19, 2022 15:40:49 #
TimHGuitar wrote:
Hi Lynda - br Photoshop can do so many things t... (show quote)
Forgot to add that I clone away the tables that were included in the original captures.
Mar 19, 2022 15:38:47 #
lyndacast wrote:
I have been reading so many amazing responses to my previous post and wanted to thank of you who took the time to explain your perspectives, how you use PS, what is best functions are, and how to proceed with integrating it into my workflow if, and when I might need it. I will study each of the excellent responses in depth in the next few weeks, but really wanted each of you to know that I so appreciate the feedback.
Lynda
Lynda
Hi Lynda -
Photoshop can do so many things that there isn't anything it can't do. This, of course, is my opinion and it may be limited by what I'll ever want to do in a photograph. Having said that, I am not interested in many experimental techniques like dipping a print into developer and then bringing the wet print (unfixed) into the light and letting it fog for 10 seconds and then stopping the image from getting any darker. This stuff I did when I was young and I don't experiment like that anymore. Still, if I think about it I can get that kind of effect in Photoshop if I think about how to use the tools to do that. It may not look "authentic" thought.
But for "regular" things like replacing one person in a group shot. PS is easy for that. I shoot a number of shots when I shoot digital captures of a group, When I do shoot I don't move from my position. Then if 3 people out of 20 don't have their best expression on their face, I simply cut them out of the shot where they do look good and then I place them onto a layer above the main shot. I can then have a group shot where everyone looks at their best. When I shot film (weddings, for example) I couldn't do that and had to wait until everyone looked their best, and even then, someone might blink.
Of course you may need to clone in edges so the clone tool is essential to learn. But since everyone is in the same position and size, it's fairly easy. If you want to take an expression from another capture you'll need to resize that shot by using the "Transform" tool to get the head size similar to the one in the main group shot. So, now, you'll need to be familiar with the transform tool. I shot a group family shot where I left room for myself on the edge of the frame. Then I had someone shoot the group shot instead of me. I simply placed myself into the shot where I was the photographer and then I was included in the large family shot. These are examples where you can accommodate the tools available when you are shooting the photograph.
So, in short, the more you know about Photoshop and its many tools, the more you can do. I do everything with PS. I am having a show in a gallery next year. I just came back from the gallery where I shot the walls of the gallery. I place 6 foot wide tables in front of the 4 walls. I will now place the framed photos I want to display on these walls. I know what size to "transform" the framed images to because I know what sizes the frames are AND, based on the 6' wide tables, I know how much to transform the famed images based on their relative size to the 6' wide tables. This is another example. Then I will "float" the frames away from the walls by adding a drop shadow behind 2 sides of each frame. I will "blur" the drop shadow and place it underneath the layer of the framed images thereby having the framed image "cut awayi" the blurred drop shadow that will fall within the framed image. The drop shadow will only appear on 2 sides. This will make the composite look 3 dimensional. This is another example, so you need to know how to "blur" something.
Hope this makes sense and helps.
Mar 18, 2022 22:11:37 #
I only use Photoshop for everything. I didn't like the PS 4 or 5 so I am still using PS2 or PS3. I like the color correction tools and I use layers all the time. It has to many tools that you can use one or two or three tools to get the same result. It just depends on what you are used to and what you want to do.
It's the kind of software that allows you to make the decision on how to accomplish something. It is powerful so it can take years to learn. I bought a software called Dico Met and it came with a workstation and very expensive monitor. This was in 1995 and Photoshop had just come out. It was for amateurs and didn't have the power that the Dico Met workstation had. We were working with files over 100 mg, which was huge back then. It cost me $100,000.
Within 3 years we had purchased three copies of Photoshop and we were using it for smaller jobs and using the Dico Met for things that Photoshop didn't do... transferring the files to that workstation to complete the job. Within 5 years we were no longer using the Dico Met. Once layers were allowed in Photoshop we never touched the Dico Met again.
Given the improvements over time Photoshop could do everything I ever wanted. At some point the improvements were unnecessary and even though we purchased the newest versions, I, myself, stuck with PS2. The digital department kept up with all the upgrades and had a number of software programs including CorelDraw, Illustrator, and a whole bunch more I can't recall. Now, I only use Photoshop and iMovie for everything.
It's the kind of software that allows you to make the decision on how to accomplish something. It is powerful so it can take years to learn. I bought a software called Dico Met and it came with a workstation and very expensive monitor. This was in 1995 and Photoshop had just come out. It was for amateurs and didn't have the power that the Dico Met workstation had. We were working with files over 100 mg, which was huge back then. It cost me $100,000.
Within 3 years we had purchased three copies of Photoshop and we were using it for smaller jobs and using the Dico Met for things that Photoshop didn't do... transferring the files to that workstation to complete the job. Within 5 years we were no longer using the Dico Met. Once layers were allowed in Photoshop we never touched the Dico Met again.
Given the improvements over time Photoshop could do everything I ever wanted. At some point the improvements were unnecessary and even though we purchased the newest versions, I, myself, stuck with PS2. The digital department kept up with all the upgrades and had a number of software programs including CorelDraw, Illustrator, and a whole bunch more I can't recall. Now, I only use Photoshop and iMovie for everything.
Mar 18, 2022 11:32:47 #
gwilliams6 wrote:
Mundy is correct . In the USA anyone in a public p... (show quote)
Human story shots. Good work. The juxtaposition of the rifle and mother with the children tells a lot.
Mar 17, 2022 19:00:48 #
I shot this at an outdoor function - an open concert. One that sticks in my memory.
Mar 16, 2022 21:04:08 #
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
I realize some folks are not interested in all or ... (show quote)
Well put. For the most part the people included in my street shots are not aware of them being included in a photograph. I tend to look at folks as a representation of something else. That is, I don't try to photograph personal pictures of people. I do think that this is mostly in the tradition of photo journalists. If you consider the photos of Bresson or Gene Smith or Walker Evans, the photographs are speaking of an idea or situation that needs to be addressed or should be seen and revealed. They are not in the vein of cameramen who followed Princess Diana around. That was a tragedy that should not have happened.
Another thing I want to point out is how our personal information has been taken and used without our consent. This is something that has happened since the advent of the internet. Most of us are not even aware of how our personal information is used. This, it seems, is a greater violation of our privacy than someone simply including us in a photograph.