I cannot speak to the Leica but in August I purchased a Sony RX100 and highly recommend it. The performance of the optics-sensor-display system is truly remarkable and will replace all needs I have for an interchangeable lens system except ultra-extreme wide angles and telephotos.

One shortfall of the RX100 is the Instruction Manual that comes with the camera is wholly inadequate. However, a comprehensive User Guide is available at:

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/George/Desktop/Photogrphic%20Manuals/SONY%20DSC%20RX100/DSC-RX100%20%20%20Cyber-shot%20User%20Guide.htm

is very detailed, and performing all of the actions described therein would constitute a photography course in itself. Before deciding between the Leica and the Sony you should review the User Guide carefully to ensure that the RX100 meets all of your expectations. It certainly meets mine.

So, would you rather a for (their) profit insurance company lackey determine medical payments for your or your loved ones untreated terminal condition, or a government not-for-profit government administrator?

Beyond the already mentioned issues of backgrounds for Jewelry, it often has surfaces polished to near the wavelength of light of the light source, reflecting what is known as “specular light”. This light can be very intense and overexpose portions of the image spoiling its clarity. For a good example of specular light look at the reflection of the sun from a chrome bumper in full sunlight.

To correctly cancel specular light and truly enhance the quality of your jewelry images follow this lighting procedure:

1. Position a shiny coin perpendicular to the lens-coin line.
2. Position two photo flood lights at 45 degrees to either side of the lens-coin line.
3. Place a linear polarizing filter over each of the photo flood lights, which will cause the coin to be illuminated only by polarized light.
4. Focus your lens and place a linear polarizing filter on the lens of your camera.
5. Rotate the linear polarizing filter on the lens of your camera until the coin appears black in your view finder. You may also need to rotate the linear polarizing filter over each of the photo flood lights to achieve this effect.
6. Place a Grey Card just in front of the coin and manually measure and adjust for the correct exposure.
7. Replace the coin and the Grey Card with the jewelry to be photographed and make your exposure.
8. There is no need for further tinkering as you go from one piece of jewelry to another, just switch to next piece of jewelry and make your exposure, and so forth.

Let us see your results.

Dancnbare

Your second image of the Tate Barn is truly magnificient, allowing me to take in the:

eye-candy, explore the architecture, consider the amount of real wood in this barn, take in the unusual composition, get lost in the repetition, feel the textures, and hear the music....


Dancnbare

Actually the eye does no better than the lens, that is it too only sees highlights, midtones, or highlights, but not all at same time. Unconsciously the iris very rapidly opens and closes in response to various light intensities, but it does not see all intensities at the same time as is often presented in HDR images. I believe that this is what gives HDR images the "special effect" of being surreal. The value of surreal images depends on the intent of the photographer.

Jewelry often has surfaces polished to near the wavelength of light of the light source, reflecting what is known as “specular light”. This light can be very intense and overexpose portions of the image spoiling its clarity. For a good example of specular light look at the reflection of the sun from a chrome bumper in full sunlight.

To correctly cancel specular light and truly enhance the quality of your jewelry images follow this procedure:

1. Position a nickel perpendicular to the lens-nickel line.
2. Position two photo flood lights at 45 degrees to either side of the lens-nickel line.
3. Place a linear polarizing filter over each of the photo flood lights, which will cause the nickel to be illuminated only by polarized light.
4. Focus your lens and place a linear polarizing filter on the lens of your camera.
5. Rotate the linear polarizing filter on the lens of your camera until the nickel appears black in your view finder. You may also need to rotate the linear polarizing filter over each of the photo flood lights to achieve this effect.
6. Place a Grey Card just in front of the nickel and manually measure it and adjust it for the correct exposure.
7. Replace the nickel and the Grey Card with the jewelry to be photographed and make your exposure.
8. There is no need for further tinkering as you go from one piece of jewelry to another, just switch to next piece of jewelry and make your exposure, and so forth.

Let us see your results.

Dancnbare

Select your favorite image from your portfolio, make a copy of it, and "De-saturate” (remove the color or “Hue”) the image. That is converting it into a black and white image. Now apply the standards provided by others to this post to critically self-evaluate your image. If you could re-shoot this image what if anything would you do differently? Without color does the image still knock your socks off? Repeat this process with several others of your favorite images and you will begin to see a pattern of photographic issues that you will want to improve.

There is nothing wrong with color per se, but eliminating it during evaluation allows one to see beyond “all the pretty colors”. If an image is strong without color the addition of color is just a bonus. Ask yourself, did Ansel Adams’ “Moon Over Hernandez” require color to be successful? If an image is not strong without color it generally will leave you with your socks on even with the addition of color.

Select your favorite image from your portfolio, make a copy of it, and "De-saturate” (remove the color or “Hue”) the image. That is converting it into a black and white image. Now apply the standards provided by others to this post to critically self-evaluate your image. If you could re-shoot this image what if anything would you do differently? Without color does the image still knock your socks off? Repeat this process with several others of your favorite images and you will begin to see a pattern of photographic issues that you will want to improve.

There is nothing wrong with color per se, but eliminating it during evaluation allows one to see beyond “all the pretty colors”. If an image is strong without color the addition of color is just a bonus. Ask yourself, did Ansel Adams’ “Moon Over Hernandez” require color to be successful? If an image is not strong without color it generally will leave you with your socks on even with the addition of color.

Consider a self-portrait assignment, and open yourself up to include concepts ranging from symbolic images, through fresh thumbnails for online display, through nude self-portraits, which of course you need not show anyone, or not. Self-portraiture is an assignment that will never be completed as the scope of your assignment will automatically expand as your photographic skills grow. You are your own best school!

Good luck, George

I too love Highway-1. But to my eye your image is slightly rotated clockwise giving the illusion that the Pacific is going rush ashore in a tsunami. A slight counter-clockwise rotation of the image in software such as Photoshop would correct this illusion.

Overall, a great shot of a great vista.


Dancnbear