Dec 10 2015

How to Adjust White Balance In Lightroom

Another good post from my friend, colleague and student, Rhonda Griscti. Her post this time is on understanding White Balance. A good read to be sure!

My Leica Travels

Why should you care about White Balance? Because a proper white balance is how we get the colors in our images to be as accurate as possible. Why would you need to get the color right in your shots? You might have noticed when examining shots after taking them that at times images can come out with an orange, blue, yellow etc look to them – despite the fact that when you were taking them the scene looked quite normal. The reason for this is that images different sources of light have a different ‘color’ (or temperature) to them. Fluorescent lighting adds a bluish cast to photos whereas tungsten (incandescent/bulbs) lights add a yellowish tinge to photos.

We don’t generally notice this difference in temperature because our eyes adjust automatically for it. So unless the temperature of the light is very extreme a white sheet of paper will generally look…

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Mar 14 2015

Creating Digital Negatives For Van Dyke Brown Printing

How I make my Image Stack for Digital Negatives…

Green Negative for UV blocking.

Easy Digital Negatives is another remarkable book by Peter Mrhar

This post is about how I create my Digital Negatives for printing in Van Dyke Brown. Before I get into the meat of the subject I need to tell you that I am a follower of Peter Mrhar’s gradient maps for creating my negatives rather than using curves. The maps will allow you to create a much more controlled negative without the issues normally seen in curves like wild spikes and twists which can really mess up your image. Peter has written a book on the subject called Easy Digital Negatives which can be purchased on Amazon for a small fee. The entire book leads up to the last chapter where he gives you an automated script that plugs into Photoshop that will create the gradient map. Read the entire book first to understand how to develop a exposure test strip and a 245 step print that his script need in order to build the map.

The basic recipe that Peter gives is:

Create a exposure test strip to get the correct exposure under your UV lights for perfectly exposed dark tones (black/Brown). You do this with a piece of sensitized paper with a strip of un printed negative material covering 1/2 of the paper. You then place a total UV blocking material leaving 1 inch of uncovered space, and expose for 1 min. Then move the UV blocking material to uncover another inch of open paper/film for another min. Repeat this procedure for about 10 min to create your test chart. Annotate each exposure with pencil on the paper prior to developing to know what the exposure time was for each movement of the blocking material. Process and completely dry. Where the darkest tone that was under the unprinted negative material matches the darkest tone next to it on the paper only side you get your max exposure time. This then becomes your base exposure for the paper/emulsion comes from. You will need to do any paper treatments to your paper first like acid washing or applying Fumed Alumina.
Van Dyke Brown Step Wedge Calibration Chart for 3 Min Exposure

Now print your 256 step chart that Peter provides on a piece of paper treated the same as in step 1, with a UV blocking color which you will learn about below. Process and dry. Scan the resulting image according to Peter’s instructions and feed it to his script in Photoshop and it will pop out a Gradient Map for you to place in your image stack (example below).

That is all there is to it to create your gradient map (his script will also create a curve if you so desire).

Ok, lets talk about how you put together your file to create your digital negative once your have your gradient map in hand! Below is a copy of my adjustment layers in my digital negative file.

Image Stack in Photoshop for Digital Negative

Starting at the bottom and working up, take a look at each layer:

Background, default layer in every PS file.
White Background, if you select this the non image area of your negative will print black (green) and leave the emulsion unexposed and white.
Transparent Background, basically the same as layer 2. I have this here so that I can select it and be able to read my text layer above on the negative.
Black Background, if you select this layer then you will get a negative with the non image area printing white which will force expose the paper black.
256 step tablet. You can select this layer to print a test chart.
Picture Goes Here. Place your image to be printed above this layer.
Picture, REMEMBER even though we are printing a B&W image it MUST be in RGB mode because we are going to print the negative in COLOR to have a UV blocking layer on the top of the stack!
Text layer with data to be printed on the paper but separated from the image. This is the bottom of a grouped set of layers that are all selected by simply selecting the group name, read on…
Gradient Map for Lana Paper, acid washed and exposed for 2.5 min. This is the meat of the layer stack. This one layer will correct your MID TONES while the 2.5min exposure will correct for the dark tones. This layer is what make your negative work.
Lana paper group name. Select this and the next 2 will automatically be selected. I have expanded them so that you can see them here for explanation.
Group of 3 layers for Stonehenge papers with the same basic steps as 8, 9 & 10 with the only difference being a GRADIENT MAP created for Stonehenge paper rather than Lana paper! you can have groups for each of your papers used in the stack and simply check the boxes you need for the paper you are going to print on!
Invert, you MUST click on this prior to printing the create your negative image, switching your blacks & whites.
Red UV blocking color, click to choose, be careful to not select both Red and Green.
Green UV blocking color, click to choose, be careful not to select both Green and Red.

RULES:

Select ONE and ONLY ONE gradient map group or your picture will not print properly!!
Select ONE and ONLY ONE color UV blocking color or you picture will not print properly!!

Let’s talk a little about the UV blocking colors. It seem a little strange to use a COLOR layer when printing B&W but you need to realize that some colors are better than B&W for controlling your UV exposures! I have 2 color layers included in my image stack but there can be many others depending upon your printer, ink set and choice in negative film. For my system (Epson 7900 24 inch printer using the Image Print V9 RIP) I have found that the Green layer works much better. I am going to show you the difference below between using a B&W negative vs. the GREEN negative. Pay close attention to the density of the grasses next to the sky in both prints.

First using a B&W negative with the same gradient map…

B&W negative

As you can see the density of the negative especially in the grasses looks great, but when you look at the output print you can see that the grasses all turn white at the horizon and get lost!

Bent Tree, B&W Negative

Now let’s take a look at the negative with the GREEN UV blocking layer…

Green Negative for UV blocking.

The first thing that you should notice is that the density of both the sky and the grass seems much less dense but when you look at the output print the difference is amazing!

Bent Tree, VDB, w/ green negative

The grasses are now full of texture and you do not loose any detail at the horizon. The exposure on both images are the same thus you have the same amount of dark areas of shade and in the tree, but the mid tones now are full of greater details. This was simply achieved by adding the color UV blocking layer.

As I talk about these technical details they may seem simple, but it did take a while for me to master them in all of their glory. The image used as an example for you is not yet to my liking. The sky is a little too dark and the shadows are too black. I have just this week created a new negative with corrections for those specific areas and will be printing this image again tomorrow!

Nothing comes easy with alternative printing. Our printing lives are full of trial and error, but once we master the basics of the digital negative the trial and error period will drop down considerably.

You can download a copy of my PSD negative stack files both here in my download link on the bottom of the right hand menu and on Facebook in the Van Dyke Brown Printing group or in the Digital Negatives for Contact Printing group. There is a download file button on the top of each group page that will take you to these files.

I hope that this has been helpful for you. If you have any questions on this process please leave a comment here or join the FB groups above and you will find a great group of people on each group who can and will assist you in your process!

Jan 25 2015

Continued Work In Van Dyke Brown Alternative Print Process!

Perfection in Brown…

Glade Creek Mill, Van Dyke Brown, Revere Platinum Paper exposed for 5 Min

Oak Reflections in Infrared, Van Dyke Brown, Revere Platinum Paper, 3 Min Exposure

After another 2 weeks working on the negative density, I have finally gotten to the point of good negatives, not great yet but I will get there. I have to master the use of UV blocking color in the negative for them to be perfect and that is a project for the future. To date though I have reached perfection using normal B&W negatives.

My CORRECTED Digital Negative for the Van Dyke Process

Here is the corrected negative that I used in the image of the Oak trees above. It is much dense and has been corrected for the mid tones as printed in the Van Dyke Brown Process! It has much greater contrast and required only a 3 min exposure in my UV unit.

One thing that you have to remember when making your UV exposures is to place the ink side of your negative down on the paper surface. If you reverse this the picture will be backwards, but more importantly, the UV light will burn the ink surface and ruin both the negative and the print.

B&W Negative for Van Dyke Brown Print exposure calculated for 3 Min.

Compare it to the negative on the right. This negative was used in the previous post here where the image printed much darker and with less mid tone data. Take a close look at the difference between the two negatives, the first has much brighter areas for increased black contrast and more detail in the trees. The difference is amazing and was easily achieved by the process discussed below…

Here is a small copy of the print generated by the 2nd negative from the previous post. Notice how much darker it is and that there is no detail in the mid tones of the image! It only took me a short while to create the Gradient Map from the process that I learned in Peter Mrhar’s book below.

Van Dyke Brown Print, Over Exposed by 2 stops due to the uncorrected negative

Easy Digital Negatives is another remarkable book by Peter Mrhar

Easy Digital Negatives is another remarkable book by Peter Mrhar that I use in the creation of my negatives. It enables you to easily create Gradient Maps to adjust the mid tone values of your negative tailored to the alternative process that you are printing with! I highly recommend this text over all of the others!

There are several good books on Digital Negatives out there but As I said the is the easiest that I have read and used plus the results of using a Gradient Map over a Custom Curve. I suggest that you purchase several texts and try them in your workflow to see what works best for you!

I hope that you enjoyed this short post on the Van Dyke Brown Process. You can look for more about it in the future!

Jan 6 2015

More Leica M Monochrome Magic!

Creating World Class B&W Images With Leica Monochrome

Bodie Island Light, M Monochrome

In my continuing love affair with the Leica M Monochrome camera system I have learned more each day towards creating amazing etherial B&W art… Keep in mind that I have been shooting B&W film (35mm, 6×7 and 4×5) for several decades and know and understand the process very well. But using the Monochrome is such an easy progression that it seams as though the camera is leading me down this path on its own. Yes there is some small post processing to be done using Nik Filters Silver EFX and once in a while I will add some Viveza as well, but for the most part it is almost perfect out of the camera as long as you get the exposure correct in the shooting!

Leica Tri-Elmar 16 – 18 – 21 mm Lens

In the image below of the shrimper Stormy Seas, I used the Leica Tri-Elmar set in 16mm. There is no image distortion from such a wide angle and it is sharp with good depth of field. When using this lens on the Monochrome you are forced to use the frankenstein viewfinder that you purchase with the lens but that is a small price to pay for such a useful lens. I also have a Voigtlander Hellar 12mm lens in the camera bag and it works very well on the Monochrome and uses an external 12mm viewfinder, but it does distort the image slightly due it its wideness but you can correct for that in Photoshop. The thing about the Tri-Elmar is that it replaced 3 separate lenses that were stolen with one small lens!

Stormy Seas Shrimper, M Monochrome with Tri-Elmar at 16mm

Using a fast lens like the 50mm Summilux ASPH for the image below of the Roanoke River Lighthouse allows you to hand hold on dark or stormy days and still get crisp images that jump out at you! For this image I also had a yellow filter attached to bring out the structure of the clouds. This is one of the HUGE pluses of the Monochrome in that it reacts to the standard B&W filters the same way as film does!

Roanoke River Lighthouse, M Monochrom

But as always my main use for the camera is long exposures which is where my true love lives! Being able to take ocean shots and smooth out the waves is exciting beyond words and the Monochrome does a great job of it with its 4 min bulb limit. Look at the image below of the (another version) Roanoke Marshes Light House. I was there when the light was on and each time it circled it created another slightly offset star effect. It allows me to create images full of wonder and depth!

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse with operating Light, 16 second exposure, M Monochrome

The implied stillness of the water with the graduated reflections create an image full of mood and depth. This is one of my favorite images of this Light House and the fact that during the 16 second exposure the light revolved around 3 times to generate 3 slightly offset star patterns just add more mood to it. This particular shot was done with a B+W 103 3 stop ND filter to allow the longer shutter speed at f/8 for sharpness with the 50mm Summilux ASPH lens!

Now let me share a detail shot of a fishing boat just up the island from the Light House. It is simple yet tells a complex story of the boat and job.

Fishing Float, M Monochrome

I love the textures of the image and the sharpness. The texture on the surface of the individual floats are great and perhaps would have been better served by a closer shot. It was taken with the Macro Elmar 90mm lens (a great lens to invest in) and was done on the tripod!

Mushroom, Macro, M Monochrome with Macro Elmar 90mm plus macro adapter

Really Right Stuff TF-01 and Ball Head

Continuing with the 90mm Macro Elmar I give you a closeup image taken just as I left the Outer Banks. This mushroom is only about 2 inches tall and I had to lay down under a log to get it. Yes a tripod was used but it was the Really Right Stuff table pod which is an amazing tool to have in your kit for just this sort of work Look at the textures on the bottom and stalk of the mushroom. This 90mm lens is the only 90 that I will ever buy for my Leica cameras!

Really Right Stuff TF-01

I hope that you enjoyed this last dedicated post on the Leica M Monochrome camera. I will have many more images to share from it in the future but I think that you are likely getting tired of dedicated posts!

Thanks for taking the time to view these!!

Dec 28 2013

How to get the BEST B&W images out of your Infrared camera!

Final B&W Version!

I am VERY particular in how I process my images, either color or IR it doesn’t make any difference! This comes from years of visualization, photography, a career at Eastman Kodak, endless hours of post processing and just plain being old and cranky! I look for specific compositional elements in each and every image I create then look to create a stepped series of varying contrast levels to draw the viewer into the image. This is important in my color work, but CRITICAL in my B&W images.

This post though, is specifically about B&W IR post processing. But before we actually get to that point I wish to share with you my workflow that I go through up to the point of processing it for B&W.

Assuming that our images have been edited for choice and artistic content and been processed from RAW to 16 bit TIFF…

I evaluate each image to see if it is viable as a processed RAW image. This means that it has been converted to TIFF, then evaluated as is. If it looks good (nice bronze skies and monochromatic leaves), I will then post process it according to the the same workflow below that I use for B&W and save it. Then…
Convert the image to Faux Color IR but running the Faux Process (channels swap and color saturation & hue adjustments) and save.

Step 1 Evaluate the RAW image to see it it stands on its own!

Step 2 Process the RAW image into Faux Color.

Only when these steps are completed do I start my B&W conversion and processing. The reason for this is that the best B&W conversions are generated when we have gotten the best possible color adjustments done! The better the colors the better the B&W! This is true of both color camera or an IR camera.

As you can see from the B&W image above of the bone yard at Cape Romain here in South Carolina, the image is full of alternating contrast areas that draw the viewers eyes into the image from the bottom left corner up to the center. This was a choice made in post processing.

So remember, you will get a much better B&W image if you first post process the color version! This will give the software (Nik’s Silver EFX Pro) a greater latitude of colors and contrasts to work from rather than just converting the RAW version directly into B&W.

Compositional Elements

In Infrared photography, there are 3 main elements that we need to get an emotionally charged image:

Sky with moody cloud structure.
Water
Green plants.

If you can get all 3 you will get a much more powerful image, but as long as you can get at least 1 you will have more to work with to get a good image. If you find yourself in a location where none of the 3 desired elements can be found then look for repeating patterns! Look at the example below. This image is of old Rt. 66 through the west taken at the height of a world class snow storm a few years ago in 720nm IR. There is no water, clouds or plants to work with. But we have a vanishing perspective due to the repeating telephone poles plus great structure in the snow cover scrub! There is also just a hint of the sun behind the top of the first telephone pole which adds interest and change of contrast.

Old Rt. 66. A hint of sun behind the top of the first telephone pole. 720nm IR

Now, as easy as all of this sounds, it really does take some planning and simple photoshop skills. Plus the more you practice it the better and faster you will get!

So lets take a look at our sample B&W converted per post processed B&W image below. To get to this point, you take your color image and open it in Niks Silver EFX software filter. You would then choose the recipe that you like the best from the left hand menu watching the effect on the preview image on the screen. When you find the version you like the best you would then adjust the contrast, structure and highlights/shadows to get your starting image, then accept it and drop it back into Photoshop!

This then is the results of what we just did:

Adams Mill Bridge, IN, B&W Converted NO Post Processing!

This is a very nice image to be sure! But, it can be drastically improved with very little work. By selecting areas of alternating contrasts we can enhance the emotional impact of this image and draw the viewers eyes into the image giving it an almost 3 dimensional feel! Lets take a look at these areas!

Take a close look at the image. Look for ways to give alternating areas of light and dark, low contrast and high contrast. Use these areas to create steps into your image. For the image above of the Adams Mill un processed this is how I approach it:

Visualizing areas of light/dark, low/high contrasts to step your viewer through the image!

Looks like a puzzle doesn’t it! But is is really easy once you decide HOW you want to approach the image. We are going to use the Nik plugin filter called Viveza to accomplish all of these changes. Simply start on one edge of the image and work your way across. Nik gives you a very powerful selection and masking tool call selection points. These points pick out areas of similar color or shading.

So here is how it all works:

Start Nik Viveza in your editor.
Start from one edge and work across the image.
Using a selection point, place it on the first area to be edited.
Adjust the size if the selection point as necessary.
Adjust the brightness slider to set the light/black point you desire.
Adjust the structure (sharpness) with the structure slider.
Adjust the contrast with the contrast slider.
If you find that your edits affect areas outside of your desired area simply add another (or several) adjustment points with no editing in those affected areas to bring them back to where they were. This is called an anchor point. You will find that you will add anchor points all over your image to bring areas back to their un edited version.
Simply work your way across the image editing as you go. Create areas of alternating contrasts and you will generate a powerful B&W image in very little time!

Here is the finished version of the image above!

Adams Mill Bridge, IN, B&W Converted Post Processed

Go back and forth, look at the differences between the 2 images. In the 2nd image, there is a tonal range of complete black to complete white. The un-edited version has a little contrast but lacks punch and it does NOT have a complete tonal range!

This looks very simple doesn’t it! Well it is!! It just requires that you pre visualize what you desire in your finished image then simply make it so.

I hope that you enjoyed this simple tutorial. If you would like an enhanced version with complete step by step instructions and screen captures please visit my BLOG at:

http://www.markhilliardatelier.wordpress.com

and look at the post on my Color & Infrared Video Post Processing Tutorial on a 2 DVD set.

Please let me know what you think of all this!!

Nov 18 2013

Fuji X-E2 – Amazing Quality!

My Fuji X-E2 – Just Perfect!

Shrimper Carolyn Ann, Fuji X-E2

I have to tell you that I am REALLY a Fuji fan. I have the following Fuji bodies:

X-Pro 1 – Color
X-Pro 1 – 720nm Infrared Conversion
X-E1 – Color
X100s – My walk around companion!
X-E2 – Color

I also have ALL of the lenses but 2!

I moved to Fuji after a long search for a small light weight camera system after loosing 80% use of both hands and arms. I went through ALL of the micro 4/3 systems (and even kept 2!). I sold $40,000 in Canon bodies and L glass and have NEVER looked back!

In the Fuji, not only have I found perfections but being a range finder styled system it is like going home to mom!

X-E2

I have a X100s that I use for most of my walk around work, it is just so tiny and generates amazing images. So when Fuji announced the X-E2 with the same sensor and with even more upgrades I ordered one from Amazon. Much to my amazement it shipped a week later! I have had it in hand now for about 2 weeks and just yesterday took it out to a local fishing port for a bit of creative work. I love the upgrades and how fast this camera is. It even passes the X100s in ability. I originally purchased the X-E1 in order to take advantage of its electronic remote shutter release. It enables me to hook it up to devices like a lightning trigger and my water drop collision system. The X-E1 did a great job with these devices and I expect no less with the X-E2 but that is for another day.

X-E2 Top Panel

Yesterday I took it out to shoot shrimp boats in North Carolina and have to tell you that the camera just blew me away. It is such a major upgrade over the X-E1 that I cannot believe that they came from the same company! The controls are CRISP, the knobs just snap from position to position with no play and they stay where you put them. The larger LCD is nice but the faster EVF is a sight to behold. I dressed the camera in a RRS L bracket with grip and put on a nice soft release. Physically except for new buttons and placement the camera is identical to the X-E1. One MAJOR improvement is the addition of 3 stops of EV adjustment instead of the normal 2 that Fuji has provided in the past.

All in all I am really happy with this upgrade. I will keep the X-E1 and convert it to 800nm IR in the near future. There is no sense in letting that viable and great camera go to waste!

Little Scrapper, X-E2, RAW converted in ACR

Next I put the camera into the JPG mode and shot color & B&W images in camera. The results speak for them selves!

Shrimper Donkey X-E2

Shrimper Donkey, CAMERA B&W X-E2

Carolyn Ann, Color, X-E2

Carolyn Ann, In Camera B&W X-E2

Working Shrimper Deck, X-E2

Working Shrimper Deck In Camera B&W, X-E2

This posting was never meant to be a review, rather a statement of its impact upon me with sample images!

Please let me know what you think…

Nov 16 2013

Video Workshop Customer Comments & Feedback!

Customer Comments on the Color & Infrared Post Processing From Beginning To End Video Workshop

IR Post Processing in Color and B&W

I have started getting feedback and comments on the new IR/Color Video Tutorial. As they arrive I will share them here in this post with you. I am very excited over these. So far there are about 100 shipped videos out there!

TO ORDER THE DVD SET:

US Orders CLICK HERE

The cost is $29.95 plus shipping which will automatically be added when you order.

___________________________________________

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS:

Pay via Paypal using the payee address:

ellen@thelensworkgallery.com

International Charges

England: DVD SET $29.95 SHIPPING $25.00
France: DVD SET $29.95 SHIPPING $25.00
Hong Kong: DVD SET $29.95 SHIPPING $25.00
Canada: DVD SET $29.95 SHIPPING $22.00

All prices are in USD

___________________________________________

________________________________________________________

I attempted IR several years ago and was totally frustrated when it came to post processing. Despite enrolling in an online course and spending hundreds of dollars on IR books, it was a hit and miss proposition in getting any decent images. Everyone said the same thing – “swap your red & blue channels in Photoshop”. Sorry, that doesn’t work all of the time.

Everything changed after taking Mark’s IR workshop. Now it’s even easier to learn IR though this wonderful DVD set. Get your White Balance right in the beginning, watch your red channel in your histogram, then follow Mark’s IR post processing methods. He makes it that simple.

Mark is truly a master!

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Mark, I demand my money back on the IR & Color Post Processing Video tutorial ! How dare you sell DVD of that quality for $30 when it is easily worth 3 times that amount! Mark – this was the best training DVD I ever saw. You covered everything perfectly. I watched it twice yesterday and intend to watch it again today. You covered everything perfectly. You are truly a master! Thanks

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The DVD arrived today, thank you. The cover, case, packaging all looks great: very professional. Will delve into it while traveling next week.

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I really like your suggested folder structure, of leaving the original RAW files untouched, then having a separate Develop folder, for work in progress images, and another Archival folder for final, processed images. I’ve spent the past 5 years processing my original RAW files. Goodness know what damage I’ve done. Your system is much smarter. Thank you!

________________________________________________________

I have Ingestamatic working reasonably reliably now and am coming to appreciate its utility in naming files and organizing sub-folders. It’s certainly smarter than any other uploading programs I’ve used.

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I love my videos!

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I would like to thank those who have taken the time to send feedback and comments! It means a lot to me and will help improve on the next Video Tutorial that I put together!

Please keep them coming!

Nov 12 2013

UPDATED: IR & COLOR POST PROCESSING VIDEO TUTORIAL!! INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

UPDATED: Color & Infrared Post Processing From Beginning To End INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING!

2 – 1/2 hour video series on two DVDs by

Master Photographer Mark Hilliard

DVD OUTSIDE LABEL

This covers image ingestion using Ingestimatic for both Mac & Windows
Raw conversion using Adobe ACR – Capture 1 Pro and Capture 1 Express
RAW Library Setup
Backup Strategies
Intelligent IR channel swap using the Khromagraphy PS Plugin Action
Post Processing Color, Infrared and B&W using the Nik filter set in Photoshop.
Ideas on creating intense high impact images.

The majority of the video is screen capture taking you through the post processing workflow button by button, click by click. All of the major RAW converters have their own separate video and you will learn about all 3 which will enable you to make intelligent decisions on which one is for you then be able to run it!

This is an in-depth tutorial and will give you the knowledge and recipe to take your own images from one end of the process to the other without pulling your hair out in frustration!

TO ORDER THE DVD SET:

US Orders CLICK HERE

The cost of the video for US customers is $29.95 plus $5.95 shipping which will be automatically added when you order.

___________________________________________

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS:

Pay via Paypal using the payee address:

ellen@thelensworkgallery.com

International Charges

England: DVD SET $29.95 SHIPPING $25.00
France: DVD SET $29.95 SHIPPING $25.00
Hong Kong: DVD SET $29.95 SHIPPING $25.00
Canada: DVD SET $29.95 SHIPPING $22.00

All Prices are USD

___________________________________________

If you would like to read a little feedback from my students please click HERE and HERE.

Video Course Inside

Sep 15 2013

MACRO!! Fuji X Pro 1, XF 55-200mm Lens & The NEW FX Extension Tubes

Fun With Macro…

Passion Flower

Photoasy Extension Tube Set

I was invited to visit Moore Farms in Lake City South Carolina last week to evaluate them as a workshop location for future workshops. They have developed a great botanical garden destination that has more plant potential than most other places that I have visited!

For the visit I decided to take along my Fuji X Pro 1, Fuji X100s, Fuji 18-55 and the Fuji 55-200mm lens. I also picked up the new Photoasy Extension Tube Set which has a 10mm tube and a 16mm tube with the communications connections so that the camera can still talk to the lens! This was ONLY available on Ebay but recently Amazon Prime has started offering this great set!

Fuji 55-200mm

The ENTIRE time I was shooting the X Pro 1 it had the Fuji 55-200mm lens installed with the 16mm extension tube. I shot on the tripod the entire time with a remote shutter release. A lot of my shooting with in high sunlight (sometime you cannot help this) and I forgot to bring along a translucent panel to modify the light to a more gentle form. All of these things aside the camera/lens/tube combination worked great! I am VERY pleased with the results (please view the Passion Flower above!). I used an aperture of f/5.6 or f/8 (subject dependent) the entire time and usually had the lens set between 180mm to 200mm.

Because the 55-200mm lens is so long and does NOT offer a lens foot to better balance the camera/lens on the tripod you need a really stable tripod/ball head to keep the entire system stable. I am using a large carbon fibre Feisol tripod with the Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head which is as steady as you can get!

The images generated are very pleasing and sharp all the way out to the edges. The colors are very well saturated and there is no smearing at all!

The extension tubes are made of plastic with metal mounting rings and the connections match up perfectly. I found that the 16mm tube was enough for the style of shooting that I was doing on this day (1:2 to 1:4 image ratio closeups) but I did purchase 2 complete sets of tubes to get closer if necessary.

Here are some of the images generated. All of the EXIF and GPS data are included.

Purple Cotton Flower

Trumpet Pitcher Plant (carnivorous) and Anole

Caterpillar on Purple Cotton

This is a great rig for shooting macro/closeup. The addition of the extension tube set is really a God send!

	CLiR Infrared Post P… on CLiR Infrared Post Processing…
	Caitlin D on UPDATED: IR & COLOR POST P…
	KJB IMAGES on Creative B&W Educational…
	markhilliardatelier on Creative B&W Educational…

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How I make my Image Stack for Digital Negatives…

Starting at the bottom and working up, take a look at each layer:

RULES:

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Like this:

Perfection in Brown…

I hope that you enjoyed this short post on the Van Dyke Brown Process. You can look for more about it in the future!

Share this:

Like this:

Creating World Class B&W Images With Leica Monochrome

Thanks for taking the time to view these!!

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How to get the BEST B&W images out of your Infrared camera!

Compositional Elements

This then is the results of what we just did:

So here is how it all works:

Here is the finished version of the image above!

and look at the post on my Color & Infrared Video Post Processing Tutorial on a 2 DVD set.

Please let me know what you think of all this!!

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My Fuji X-E2 – Just Perfect!

Please let me know what you think…

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Customer Comments on the Color & Infrared Post Processing From Beginning To End Video Workshop

TO ORDER THE DVD SET:

US Orders CLICK HERE

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS:

Pay via Paypal using the payee address:

ellen@thelensworkgallery.com

International Charges

Everything changed after taking Mark’s IR workshop. Now it’s even easier to learn IR though this wonderful DVD set. Get your White Balance right in the beginning, watch your red channel in your histogram, then follow Mark’s IR post processing methods. He makes it that simple.

Mark is truly a master!

The DVD arrived today, thank you. The cover, case, packaging all looks great: very professional. Will delve into it while traveling next week.

I have Ingestamatic working reasonably reliably now and am coming to appreciate its utility in naming files and organizing sub-folders. It’s certainly smarter than any other uploading programs I’ve used.

I love my videos!

Please keep them coming!

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UPDATED: Color & Infrared Post Processing From Beginning To End INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING!

2 – 1/2 hour video series on two DVDs by

Master Photographer Mark Hilliard

TO ORDER THE DVD SET:

US Orders CLICK HERE

INTERNATIONAL ORDERS:

Pay via Paypal using the payee address:

ellen@thelensworkgallery.com

International Charges

If you would like to read a little feedback from my students please click HERE and HERE.

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Fun With Macro…

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