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I've burned myself while capturing fire. Choked on smoke, inhaled dirt and spend hours cleaning up a mountain of baby powder all for the sake of atmosphere shots. I've chased birds up and down cliffs in Maine because I just "had" to have birds in the shot. This project has definitely taken me to places I've never been and even more so, proved that I have a very strong addiction to the art of photography and digital compositing.
The people around me have come to know what certain types of shots will take in terms of frustration and time. Tonights shot was no different! I had been browsing the internet on one of my many short tangents and came across one of my "virtual" Acquaintances most recent work and instantly felt the need to compete. Not with the same type of image, just a photo that rivaled the "wow" factor and work involved.
From the second I had mentioned to Joyce that I was going to go "epic" she knew that any plans to relax early were out the window. She likes to predict just how long a photo will take based solely on a few key points. What element I am playing with, what will I be creating from thin air and who's in the shot. Shots with Shawn are always a little bit more time consuming as the first 10 minutes are spent trying to both persuade him to do the shot and then calm him down. He's like a child on a sugar high. He has a hard time being serious for more than a second. However, he is nearly always able to pull it together and give me the emotion or action I'm looking for.
Well, after Joyce had the necessary information she made a prediction of around 3am for the finish time. I of course always tell her she's crazy and that it wont be that long. She just laughs and says "we'll see".
So what does it take to make someone explosively turn to water. I honestly had no idea! I had never attempted a composite with the use of water like this. I searched the internet and found a few crappy tutorials and a hand full of less than amazing images. The only images that were close to being what I was looking for were a few from old Gatorade ads. I knew I was going to have to wing the shit out o this one… But where to start?
Well, anytime I get to freeze action of moving things, I always smile. I love to freeze a single moment in time. Water unfortunately moves a slight bit faster than 1/250 of second and I was just not able to freeze water with the sharpness I have come to demand out of my photography. I'm not sure that I'd be able to achieve sharpness even with the Paul C. Buff Einstein Lights sync speed of 1/320. If I had powerful enough speed lights I would have opted for a different approach. I would have used the bulb setting and just used the speed lights super short flash duration to expose the shot rather than the shutter speed. This has worked in the past for freezing extremely fast moving objects like the rubber breaking from around a balloon falling in mid air, showing a ballon shaped blob of water. An event that is too fast for the human eye to see.
I had setup for the water shot by placing AB800s with Gridded soft boxes at both 9:00 & 3:00. My ability to composite the water was resting solely on getting a completely black background. Using a front light like the beauty dish would have illuminated the background and making the water useless. I had setup a black backdrop on what was officially the longest boom I've ever used. I had attached a c-stand arm to the end of my Avenger boom bringing the total length to just under 12 feet. After sandbagging the shit out of both the boom and stand I was able to stretch the full width of a Walmart black bed sheet on it, swing the whole wobbly rig over the pool all of that just to get a solid black backdrop!
I would pre focus then lock the camera in manual focus. Joyce would get water amounts varying from a cup to a bucket and we'd count down 3…2…1… She'd throw the water as I clicked the shutter. Capturing the water was simple yet not totally sharp. I knew I could do no better with the gear I had so I opted to except what I had and move on.
Shawn's shot was lit with the standard 3 point lighting. I had him put practice the pose and just as he got it I said "ok, now get in the pool" he looked confused and asked if I was serious. "of course, you're going to be turning to water, if you're not wet it just wouldn't look right" He reluctantly got in the pool and after 2 minutes of bitching about it being cold, Joyce decided to help him and splash him with water. After shawn was thoroughly wet, we got back to shooting. A process that took all of 10 minutes, 2 mintues if you subtract Shawn's theatrics!
It was now off to the digital world!
Post Production:
This is obviously where the magic happened. I masked shawn out in record time using the quick selection tool in Photoshop. This was the first time I'd ever used this tool and I don't know why I've never used it before! Its quick and pretty damn accurate. It's a secondary tool coupled with the magic wand. I suggest you try it.
After masking, I simply yet time consumingly overlaid selections from the best water shots. Using the natural highlights on his skin I essentially recreated his silhouette with water spray. I was then able to paint away areas of this head and body to give the impression that he was turning to water. This has to be the most abridged version of a post production process ever. This wasn't all together difficult just very time consuming. There is over 60 layers of water. Every area of his skin that is being "liquified" has an actual overlay of water as an edge. This gives a more realistic appearance and helps sell the overall effect. I wasn't sure about the background but knew that solid black was just not right. I played with a few different types of gradients and settled on my good friend mr. circular gradient.
So this was definitely one of those images where I had to force myself to say "I'm done" I knew I could have gone on for ever. I'm sure I could have replaced the background with some crazy image of a city turning to water or some shit like that. I instead opted to call it a night and watch a bit of Vanilla Sky.
The time was now 4 minutes past 3am and once again…. Joyce was right! I will now use her strange ability as a tool in developing more accurate client bids. She can sit in on meeting and at the end she'll be able to tell how long the shoot and edit will take like some sort of strange human calculator. Its brilliant!
Lighting:
Model:
AB800 Med Softbox at both 10:00 & 2:00. Full Power
AB800 Beauty Dish Boomed overhead. 1/4 power
Water:
AB800 Gridded Med Softbox at both 9:00 and 3:00. 3/4 Power
Definitely what I would class as a very unassuming bird as it doesn't have very interesting colours and tends to get overlooked.. but I like them nevertheless :-)
3 different exposures of -0.7eV, 0 & +0.7eV. Photomerging in Photomatix and further editing in CS3 (layer masking on that man, clone stamp, layers of level, curves, photo filter and sharpness)
Camera was handheld.
All photographs appearing in this Flickr are the exclusive property of Ezreen Photography (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior express written permission.
It has come to my attention that some folks may see a homeless person in this pic. I saw and felt something else entirely. Clean, neat, shiny shoes, no other belongings with her, definitely not begging. I just see a dignified little old lady resting.
Definitely I won't make 365 images for this project but let's see how many I will get in the end.
VSCO presets (=
Definitely into virgin territory for 3238 this weekend as she took part in the Alton bus rally and running day. Four trips from Anstey Park were performed, three to Alton station and the town centre and this trip, the 1135 from Alton Anstey Park over route 408 to the delightful village of Bentworth, where she is seen upon arrival with its ultimate destination the 'Star Inn' in the background. Our route number was changed here to 235 for the return to Alton via Medstead. Quite a contrast today to the hustle and bustle of North London's Holloway garage open day last weekend. Sunday 17th July 2016. DSCN37616.
Dennis Dart SLF-Plaxton Pointer 10.6m. New in 1997 to Maidstone & District and latterly with Arriva Kent & Surrey and Arriva Kent Thameside.
My apologies, but I'm going to be posting a LOT of images today. Feel free to look the other way, should you tire of them.
When Erik and I stepped up to the edge of this meadow/marsh, I asked him, "So, do you think this is a dry meadow or a wet meadow?" To which he replied, "Definitely a dry meadow. Definitely."
Seconds later, we were trying to pry our shoes from the wet, marshy ground. I couldn't stop repeating, "Oh, definitely a dry meadow! Definitely!"
Made with my Hasselblad 500 C/M.
Definitely a better view on black, so please press L. Enjoy!
After seeing The Lego Movie on Friday, I was so "pumped up" to take photos this week but... Saturday morning, my computer died. We rushed out to get another one but setting up the new one is not going smoothly. My photo editing software (which was working last night) is not working today. I haven't even set up email and all of my work-related software. It's been a very frustrating few days.
I have no idea what this blossom is - I just thought it was lovely. I'll upload a photo of the full tree soon - perhaps someone can tell me what it is?
Definitely worth a day trip from where I live, the town of Annecy is beautiful and has a wealth of gastronomic goodies we don't see in Switzerland much. My favorite: Suc des Glaciers!
359/365
Handwarmer and power bank a gift from my son Ben. Will definitely come in handy when I go out on a winter ramble .🎄❤
Definitely autumnal this morning with mist along the river. Two Limousin heifers standing by the River Forth
This is definitely a Tagalog dish that Cebuanos are not so familiar with- I think it may have been my first time to taste it too. And I love it. The noodles are made of rice so no cholesterol in there but of course the ingredients are swimming with fat. No problem. Just eat in moderation. Try.
Mandaue City, Cebu, the Philippines
check out my Asian noodle indulgences part 1 and part 2, featuring egg, rice, wheat and mung bean noodles specialties like pancit malabon, soto ayam, La Paz misua batchoy, ban pho, bam-i, hokkien mee from Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam in colloidfarl.blogspot.com/
Definitely Dreaming - Week 10 Hats
OK, I know it is only 1 hat and the theme this week was hats, but this will just have to do :))
I'm always wanting a low maintenance flower for my garden and this beauty proves to be just that. It blooms in the late summer and early fall after everything else is gone.
Saw this Halloween display and message in New Orleans, LA.
Read about the salt water intrusion. THIS is a really scary thing.
www.cnn.com/2023/10/15/us/new-orleans-saltwater-lead-pipe...
Well, even though it has been snowing and cold and definitely more winter than autumn outside for a few weeks now, I have been so busy that I had not really had many chances to take many good winter photos, or, the few that I had, I didn't want to upload yet because the fall photos had so much more colour!
So, since last Sunday I was out at the amazing Southland Dog Park with Beefy and his best doggy buddies Levi, Sage and Teddy, and I was finally able to get some nice winter shots, here is my very first winter photograph since much, much earlier this year!
These tall, skinny, leafless stalks or reeds or whatever they are caught my eye at the dog run, standing straight up against that white, snowy backdrop and the dramatically overcast sky!
It was a cold, cold day, but, as always for a weekend, there were a ton of people and dogs out at the dog park, and all 4 puppies had an absolute blast running around non stop for about an hour and making lots of new puppy friends!
No new snow today, which is nice, but it is definitely still very cold and bleak outside here!
Hope you have all had an excellent Tuesday so far!
On a peaceful dock beside Pontelli...
While he was still awaiting the arrival of his first mate with the new ETWC ship, the Fog-Breaker from Terreli, Captain Whiffo had heard that a certain ex-pirate ship was likely to go cheap - and that it had true rat-lines. To tell the truth, that was really what interested him.
At any rate, after seeing to the new ETWC oat plantation, he headed off to meet with Guy Wyndzon's used ship dealer on his favorite section of the docks besides Pontelli. It was peaceful spot situated right next to the as yet untamed jungle of the island, and was a perfect place for running a good deal, the Captain thought. But then, anywhere is a good place for that to an Eslandolan...
"Good day, sir," exclaimed the agent as Captain Whiffo strolled up the wooden boardwalk, "I hear you're interested in our ship, the previous White Skull."
"Precisely, sir," replied Captain Whiffo,"I have quite the feeling to go off on a privateering mission against those villianous Mardierians at the moment, you see."
"Ah!" replied the dealer, though in truth the only thing he saw were money signs. "Well sir, I've been told that the minimum price is 100 Doubloons."
"Humph," resumed the Captain pensively, "I'll offer 101, then."
The agent grinned. "I'm sorry to tell you, but somebody else has already offered 105 DBs."
"Oh, well then, say 110."
"Somebody else has already bid 115, I'm afraid," the dealer commented cheerily.
"Ho-hum," retorted Captain Whiffo making accounts for the next likely bid, "make it 126, then."
The agent grin only widened. "Begging your pardon, somebody's bid that too, sir."
"Ba!" exclaimed Captain Whiffo, turning away and flipping his sword in the air, "150 is about my last offer then, you rascal!"
"160?" asked the dealer, opening his book and looking thoughtful. .
Captain Whiffo tapped his foot and raised an eyebrow. "Beautiful bird, don't you think, sir? Well, good day to-"
"Ratlines?" interrupted the dealer. "Mardierians? Adventure? Profit?"
"You rapscallion!" exclaimed the Captain. "155."
"Deal!"
But the fact was, Captain Whiffo had come with 175 Doubloons in the first place anyways.
Built for my story on the Brethren of the Brick Seas. Thanks for viewing, C&C are welcome!
I'm going to like this AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR
Yes, I am celebrating this a bit much... but I have been waiting for this lens for some time now... :-)
On the campus of UBC Okanagan.
Definitely think i've over-exposed this a bit too much in lightroom, but it was a little too dark for my liking, due to a cloudy day.
Definitely my second best Fiat find, the Fiat Coupé 20V. Despite the car is beautiful and cool, the engine had a lot of issues, it was noisy etc. It has a 2.0L 20V, having 147 HP, I guess, because there were a lot of engine options.
Definitely not a glamour shot here. But it shows that stuffing peanuts in your cheeks is not always as easy as it looks. Sometimes you have to keep working at it to make things fit.
Definitely one of the best looking Boeing 777-300ERs has to be this All Black Air New Zealand. Her she is taking off from London Heathrow Airports 27L runway for the long flight to LAX before continuing to Auckland.
Definitely Dreaming - Week 20 Healthy
Still keeping with a beach theme, and yep this is a beach ... tiz Dungeness.
Anyways, I'm clutching at straws for for this weeks topic of healthy, but, having a hobby that gets you out is healthy for mind and body :))
Not sure why he was wearing a coat, as it was roasting hot, but maybe you get cold standing still.
Definitely needs to be viewed Large On Black
...would be cool if it were actually a prison... but nope... it's a water treatment plant... :( but i'm just gonna imagine it's a prison for the criminally insane out in the middle of nowhere... okay not exactly middle of nowhere since it's only about 3kms away from Manly but in the other direction it's nothing till New Zealand!
Not a tonemapped HDR but rather another curve adjusted layer mask for the shadows. Probably would have been easier to do a bracket shot... painting in CS 2 takes freeeeaaaaking ages.
This time we released 8 new prints, VIZ Jetpack, Dark Comm Helmet, HOG pilot Helmet, BO Hunter Helmet, Flight Trooper Helmet, HVC Combat Helmet, VIZ Merc Helmet and BOS pack(from left to right). And it will be available on May 22nd. Hope you enjoy it~
Definitely my most unexpected find in Gambia - Jersey! Already in Europe (and even more so in Leipzig) I never had great success with sightings of vehicles from the Channel Island. Before 2016 I saw a single vehicle in my hometown and had to read up on what GBJ meant at all - I was not aware at that time that the Channel Islands used their own number plate system. Only on my way to the Italian holiday in 2017 I could take a photo of my next (and until then last) sighting. Since then I searched for it in vain. That I would find a GBJ in Gambia, I would not have thought possible, although, especially at the car dealers at the roadside European plates were to be seen again and again (D, F, GB, B, PL, FIN, CZ, LT were for example countries, which I remember). I am not able to say what it is about a vehicle from the island in Gambia, of course.