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Nik software announces ‘Snapseed’

By on January 14, 2012   /   app store, software   /   Leave a comment
Will ‘Snapseed’ be part of your workflow?…

The wonderful people over at Nik Software have just released a new piece of software named ‘Snapseed’, which I must say after trying it out for an hour or so; is truly  an amazing piece of software.

The biggest advantage of the product is the ease of use and the speed of how it alters your images as you move sliders, textures and focal points around the image.

Here is an examples from the site, image courtesy of Snapseed.

 

As the images below show, there are pre set categories, or filters that once you click on, allow you to view your image with the alterations done. If you like it, apply it, if you don’t cancel it and go back to the start. Each adjustment is saved before you go onto the next category and once all your alterations are complete you simple export it to iPhoto with one click, alternatively you can save it wherever you like on your harddrive.

Now there is one draw back, but it is small; you cannot import Raw images only jpegs, but they are imported in the same size you originally captured it and there appears to be no loss in quality, compression of resolution. However, depending on your image capture order, for example, one flash card records Raw, the other records in jpeg, then this is simple. If you don’t have this ability on your particular camera body and you shoot Raw, then export the image from Lightroom as a jpeg, once done just drag the image over to the Snapseed interface and it is immediately imported and workable; How easy is that?

Now, the other advantages, firstly, there is an IOS application for iPhone and iPad, but now there is also a Mac Version as well. I think the main advantage of this will be in the ability to make quick adjustments to any of your images and get them published quickly and easy onto say, 500px, Flickr or your blog. Additionally there is no need to open any other application, for example Photoshop CS or Lightroom etc, so even on a mac book pro 13.3; there is no waiting around for filters to be applied, the speed is truly amazing.

Now the only other thing I have done with the image I have shown in the before and after is opened it in PSCS5 and added some localised sharpening in the luminosity channel, that’s it. I would perhaps not add a frame on every image, but on this occassion it kind of suits the final product.

The first image below is the original Raw image, captured with a Nikon D700 and a Nikon 70mm -200mm f/2.8 at 200mm. The image below that is the altered images after applying some filters from Snapseed. Click on the second image for larger view.

So, you can take a look at the App Store publication here and if you like it then for £13.99 ($19.99), it’s your’s to keep.

For me I think this is an excellent addition to the arsenal of plug in’s and software I use. It won’t replace OnOne Perfect Suite, or Nik Colour Effect Pro 4, or even Topaz’s great plugin’s, but then again it isn’t meant to. If you own an Ipad, then I believe this will be an incredibly easy and time saving piece of software for you.

The applying of filters in Snapseed, click on image for a larger view

As it is owned and designed by Nik Software, then you can pretty much guarantee that there will be updates soon and there will no doubt be great additions to what is already a great piece of software.

 

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500px updates

By on December 24, 2011   /   updates   /   Leave a comment
Some new images for 500px…

I have just posted some new images over on 500px and finally sorted through the appearance of my portfolio for the site. If you haven’t yet done so, why not go over and look at some very inspirational images from some excellent photographers within the community. My collections can be found here, but check out the new images posted by others.

Click on the image for a larger view…

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Review : Viewfinder Photography

By on December 22, 2011   /   reviews   /   Leave a comment
Viewfinder Photography…

If you have not heard of or used Viewfinder Photography for any of your equipment needs then I would strongly recommend that you take a look at their site.

Based in Leicester, United Kingdom, they are a regular exhibitor at the Focus on Imaging Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham in the first quarter of each year. They rub shoulders with the big names in the industry in the same hall, and whilst the equipment doesn’t have an’ Elinchrom’ or’ Bowens’ label on it or doesn’t have ‘The Flash Centre’ staffing levels, they are one of the exhibitors that most visitors will make a point of going over to.

I have been a purchaser of their equipment for a few years and I am still, to this date, extremely pleased and confident in the quality of their equipment and the professional approach to how they conduct business.

We all have our preferred suppliers, those that we buy our kit from, if like me, you have had a good experience with them, we tend to go back there. We rely on pricing, quality, delivery, service, returns and enquiries, which all play a part in the decision as to whether we purchase from then again. Reviews and feedback always seem to be a last minute decision or a friendly email from the supplier asking for feedback to a recent purchase or experience. Some get completed, some don’t.

My own studio equipment is very much Elinchrom based for all my lighting, why?, Well because I find them exceptional in quality, ease of use, interoperability with modifiers and excellent in design and appearance. So, why then do I use Viewfinder Photography for supplies?

The main reason is because they have certain items of equipment that I just can’t get anywhere else for the price range they have. They also have a particular piece of kit that I use for light extensions that again, other versions used from other suppliers have been poor in performance and reliability.

All images courtesy of Viewfinder Photography

If you want equipment that does what it is designed to do at a fraction of the cost of leading brands, then pop over to their website and take a look at their shop window; you will be pleasantly surprised….

 

 

  • 300mm x 1400mm Deep recessed softbox
  • 3 diffusers
  • rigid construction
  • side windows for easy access to modifiers
  • additional gold interior
  • comes with speedring of your choice

This is the first item in the list because it is exceptional in quality, accessory ability and ease of use. The item comes in a flat box, once opened you will find the black bag that contains all the fittings. The striplite itself, the four metal poles, various plastic bags containing the gold modifiers that fix internally, as can be seen in the image above. You also get two black strips that afix to the striplite to narrow the 200mm width even further.

But what makes this even better is the additional honeycomb grid that fixes to the internal frame of the unit. So once assembled, as in the image on the left above, you get three internal white diffusers and the honeycomb grid, so controlling your directional light and creativity is all down to imagination and what you want to actually achieve in the studio.

The unit is somewhat difficult to put together in the first instance, be aware there are no instructions with it. When the item is ordered from the company, you are given a choice of the type of speed ring adaptor you want with it. I opted for Elinchrom, to match my studio lights. The unit that is then delivered in the box, is excellent, robust, sturdy and made in a manner that when you hold it, it cetainly gives the impression of lasting for a considerable amount of time.

That is quite handy, as the four metal poles, more like rods really, require some serious placement into the speedring adaptor to fit properly, however once in they really do make the shape and structure of the striplite some what substantial. When you pick the unit up and attach a light the whole item looks and feels really sturdy and can stand a few knocks on the way.

As usual, the Elinchrom BXRi 500 studio lights clip into the speedring easily and the whole unit makes a worthy addition to the studio.

If you are after a striplite then I can recommend this unit and any other striplite that is offered by Viewfinder Photography.

My second preferred item from Viewfinder Photography is the strobist light modifier. This little soft box has been designed by a professional for anybody to use, whatever your level is. What is guaranteed is the quality of the improvement to your images. The image on the right shows the interior of the soft box, the other image showing the diffusing panel that attaches with velcro, which is standard in the industry. What makes this unit worth every penny is the method by which the speedlite fits securely into the modifier. There are many units out there that seem similar, however if you decide to take the unit on location it can be a bit of a drama in the wind. This unit is completely different in a manner that allows the modifier to stay attached to the speedlite a lot easier and doesn’t feel or look like it will fall off on the first occasion you move it. Having a couple of these in your bag will certainly make your session alot easier and portable.

I have tried three other units of this style before, from some very reputable companies, but without naming them, let me say that out of all of them, this one is top of the list for me. So, if you are looking for a modifier for your speedlite, I would recommend one of these.

This accessory pack is one of the first items I bought from Viewfinder Photography a few years ago. For all those little things that you want to adapt your light with, this pack does just that. I took this to a Zulu evening in Africa a few years ago and used the reflector dish on the speedlite all night. The images, shot in manual mode were so much better and the advantage of it was how compact it was for travelling. The diffusion globe in the box on the right, is genius to say the least; it forms a beautiful pool of light around the model and takes away any contrast caused by direct flash. I have used the snoot with a gel attached to the speedlite to light a background, again excellent results. If you wish to read other users reviews on this then look here and take a look at the review tab.

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New App for transferring your images

By on December 19, 2011   /   iPhone, updates   /   Leave a comment
Photo Transfer is the most convenient way of taking images from one device to another…

For those of you looking for an App that does exactly what you want it to with minimum fuss, ease of use and a clear to understand interface; you have just found it….

Photo Transfer is so user friendly, it will make you think why would you want to bother with anything else? But, why the big review? Why take a blog to let me know about this? Well, it simply and effortlessly does what it was designed to do. No advertising, minimalistic interface and over wi-fi very very quick, even with large format images.

How does it work? Well, after taking some images with you iPhone for example, you launch the app and it will instruct you whether you want to download the files to your computer, laptop, iPad or iPod. No software is required except the app itself.

One of the advantages is that you don’t have to download them that way, if for example you wish to download images from your laptop to your phone, or from you iPad to your iPhone then by simply following the on screen guide the task is completed in a matter of seconds, or minutes depending on the amount you have to transfer.

Another advantage is the choice it gives you when you transfer the images, you can have small or medium, or if you prefer go for the full size image. There is no reduction in quality or any destruction to the original file. If you have a RAW file on your iPad, then this to can be transferred over, handy if you have been working on a file will away from the office and want to carry on with it when you rturn.

It also works with windows platforms as well as Mac, so if like me your run various platforms, integration is extremely easy.

There are many reviews on this item in the App Store, so that alone warrants a look to see what you think. DO I get anything for recommending it? Absolutely not, so don’t think the review has any affiliation with the makers of the App. There is a very small fee for the App, but trust me it is worth it when it makes such a task that much easier to do.

You can take a view at Photo Transfer by going to the App Store. Images courtesy of the app store

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Some weekly updates

By on November 17, 2011   /   updates   /   Leave a comment
Tags: ,
Nikon D7000 firmware update released…

The first update for you this week is for owners of the Nikon D7000.

Firmware updates have been added to their site and can be found here in the form of A1.02 and B1.03.

Be sure to read the download and installation instructions before you upgrade and remember to have the unzipped file on it’s own on the memory card before you install it into the camera. As the D7000 has two slots, place the memory card with the upgrade on it into memory slot 1. Remember not to have any other folders on the memory card as it may corrupt the installation, which takes just over a minute to complete.

The Print Space…

I read a tweat from @GlynDewis the other day recommending a profile download from The Print Space. Their paper samples cost just over £5.00 and once the order was placed on their web site the samples arrived two days later.

The quality of the paper samples is truly amazing and whilst there is always certain samples in a pack that may not suit your taste, there is within their samples, some excellent examples of the prints they produce. The Print Space offer some excellent examples of the types of services they offer, so take a look and see what you think. I intend to choose a couple of images and send them to them for printing on some of my favourite papers. I will let you  know what the finished article looks like once done.

In the meantime if you have a few minutes take a look at Glyn’s portfolio and site for some inspirational ideas and images.

Apple release a new update to IOS 5…

If you haven’t already done so make sure you update your iPhone to the latest software, it just keeps getting better and better with each release.

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Review of the WACOM CTH-470K-EN Bamboo Pen and Touch Graphics Tablet

By on November 13, 2011   /   equipment   /   Leave a comment
Looking to update your graphics tablet – look no further, Bamboo Pen & Touch is here…

 

I have been using a Wacom tablet for a good few years now and with the continual attempts to become more competent in my workflow and inevitably quicker whilst post processing, it is an essential part of my equipment. My office, like other photographers, is where you will find the ‘big guns’, those machines, units, storage devices, screens and ‘wires’ that give the environment not only the personality it deserves, but also the creativity and power that it needs to produce the images, books and prints that we need.

However, when we leave that environment and venture out on location or spend some time living out of a rucksack , we all need to take the smaller items with us. Lightweight, flexible and above all as much horse power under the bonnet as is possible.

So for example, in my office I use a Wacom Cintiq 12wx next to my Mac Pro’s. This is a great device, it acts as another screen, which is amazing when you want to work on the eyes of a model, or intrinsic detail of the skin. But to do this it has a power lead, usb 2 lead and a box that controls all the wires and holds the buttons required when calibrating the screen of the tablet. Packing this away and then setting it up can be a bind. So, to solve that problem a few years ago I purchased my first portable tablet, a small wacom bamboo that only required a usb 2 lead from the device into the side of the mac book pro.

I like to travel small and light, the mac book pro 13.3″ allows for this, so the tablet also needed to be small and light. There wasn’t anything wrong really with the bamboo I had, however after giving it to another photographer and designer who required it for some work made me think; time for an upgrade.

So, I purchased the latest model, as seen in the image above. Same size, same excellent features and shortcut keys, but with the upgraded software and most importantly, some how improved from what they already had. But, the best is yet to come, this model, the Bamboo CTH-470 has one extra amazing feature, it’s wireless; that’s right wireless, well almost; let me explain.

When you open the box the items within contain the following, the tablet, wireless pen and usb lead. You can leave it at that if you wish, but we don’t want that do we. Working as the standard pen and touch tablet it is extremely reliable and proficient.

However, for a small fee, there is an accessory that I strongly recommend you get; the wireless kit that allows you to go anywhere without the usb lead.

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Photowalking in Oxford with Perfect Photo Suite 6

By on November 9, 2011   /   photowalk, software   /   Leave a comment
A few images from a recent photowalk and an introduction to OnOnes Perfect Photo Suite 6…

My previous post (see below) discussed the new OnOne’s plug in, ‘Perfect Photo Suite 6′. Well after a recent photowalk in Oxford I decided to try out the new suite to see how it fairs to the others I use and to take the opportunity to learn the new interface and preferences.

 The suite works in the same way as many others, from Lightroom or Photoshop the plug in will open as an extension. Once inside the interface, as the image above shows,(click on the image for a larger view); you can navigate to through all the tabs and begin your post processing workflow. Like many new suites it does take some time to get use to the new layout, however, the response time and process time is fairly quick.

I did the processing of this image on my MacBook Pro 13.3, although it does have 8gb of random access memory it seemed to manage it quite well. It does strain your processor, however I also had lightroom 3 open as well as Photoshop CS5. So, by closing these down, it increased in speed dramatically. Back in the main office with the Mac Pro, there were no signs of slow processing.

The navigation of filters appears at the bottom of the film strip, they do get applied to the whole image so tweaking is a must. There is, as always, somethings that can only be done in Photoshop and although I am sure some readers will be able to manage well in this suite, my personal preference is always to finish in Photoshop, for colour profile changes, sharpening in the luminosity channel and image size changes.

The image above was tweaked in lightroom, sent over to OnOnes perfect photo suite, where a vintage filter, some film grain and split toning was done, then it was sent over to PSCS5 for some tonal contrast and gradient filter through Nik software and unsharp masking back in PSCS5 completed the process prior to an action being submitted for my standard blog frame. So, although the suite will have some benefits, don’t expect it to be the answer to all your image problems.

In time and with familiarity I am sure more use will be made of the suite, so I will monitor the progress and see if it is the answer to a quicker workflow.

Here is the finished image from the screen image shown above and below are some other images taken from the same shoot and put through a similar workflow. Click on the images for a larger view. See them in 500px.

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OnOne Software : Perfect Photo Suite 6

By on November 7, 2011   /   software, updates   /   Leave a comment
The latest update to the award winning plug’in software is available…

 

OnOne Software have announced their latest and best update to the award winning plug in for photographers. This update is fairly major to say the least and has all the plug in’s and filters you could possibly want for your specific workflow.

The suite includes Perfect Portrait, Perfect Effects, Perfect Mask, Perfect Layers 2 for combining images and products  and also works as standalone applications or in Photoshop CS5, Aperture 3 or Lightroom 3.

Additionally, this time you can move in and out of the individual applications instead of having to open one, do your alterations, close it and then open the next one and so on. This will be a massive workflow advantage for everyone who, like many of us, have precious time in the digital workflow arena.

Perfect Portrait is the new kid on the block and offers you the latest portrait retouching facility. These tasks have been automated to make your workflow easier to manage. But a word of warning here, anything that is automated, doesn’t necessarily mean it will do the job. It boasts an automatic face and feature recognition to get right to the areas you want to touch up, for example, eyes and skin.

Apart from the rumours of Photoshop CS6 buzzing, this particular suite is the first major release / update to any specific plug in for a while. Nik Software was the earlier release and again, a must for any photographer and an important part of my workflow.

Be aware of the price of this suite though, brand new will cost you $299.99, however, the upgrade to owners of suite 5.5 is $149.95.

Now, here’s the best bit, pop over to Photoshop Support and collect the coupon code from the first paragraph and an additional 10% discount is offered. This does help in the decision to purchase the suite, so thank you guys.

As an OnOne Software user for some years now, I have just downloaded the 2GB upgrade to the 5.5 suite, so after a few weeks of use, I will publish my own views of it and some examples of images I have altered using the suite.

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Ciao Marco Simoncelli 20th January 1987 – 23rd October 2011

By on November 6, 2011   /   sport   /   Leave a comment
Moto GP 2011 closes with another race win for Casey Stoner and a fitting tribute to Marco…

 

Upon the completion of the Moto GP 2011 season at Valencia, Spain; it is also a fitting time to remember an excellent rider from the season. Marco Simoncelli who had gained his own share of world titles was fatally injured in a crash at the penultimate race of the season at the Sepang circuit.

Today’s race was a fitting tribute to a great rider and tremendous sportsman from the world class moto grand prix. The sport provides us with amazing images and memories along with passion and entertainment throughout the season; so when events of such tragedy occur, it is with reflection and sadness that drives our motivation to continue to do what we do.

Ciao Marco, the 2012 season will be difficult and challenging without your presence.

Below are some other images I captured this season from the Moto GP and Moto GP 2 events whilst shooting trackside. Click on any of the images for a larger view.

For more images read more of this post…

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Carnaby Street gets framed

By on November 6, 2011   /   photowalk   /   Leave a comment
Photowalk in Carnaby Street, London gets digitally framed…

 

Using a Nikon D700o with an additional battery grip, all attached to a Nikon 18mm – 200mm f/3.5 – f/5.6 lens provides some good images for a compilation framed image.

Travelling through london can be challenging at most times, but taking alot of equipment with you just adds to that exhausted feeling. When I attend a particular location that may perhaps only offer me a few hours of photography, then the idea is to travel light and compact.

Out comes the Nikon D7000 and a travellers lens that offers me a good focal length for the small price to pay in respect of depth of field. There is always a price to pay for the convenience, however with having an idea in mind of what I may shoot, then the sacrifice balances out comfortably for me.

So, perhaps there may the odd shot that I wish I had say, my 70mm-200mm f/2.8 with me, but the majority of the time the lens that covers most of the focal distances I require are packed into this travellers lens.

Buildings that are unusual, whether it be in there architectural design, or colours are the ones I tend to look for. Having an idea of how the images will be presented also hels me in my workflow and whether they will end up on the site or wil be printed for the wall.

The three buildings in the image are all located in the same street, however by choosing the right colours and composition, the final look seems much more pleasing to the viewer. If the images were displayed on their own, in individual frames, then perhaps they wouldn’t be as impactive as I require.

The second image, had a great reflection from the building opposite, so with moving around a little in the street, I managed to fill the window with the advertising banner opposite it.

The images were imported into Lightroom, tweaked slightly in respect of white balance and then edited in Adobes Photoshop CS5. The template for the frame was designed first, followed by the three images placed onto separate layers, finally a new layer and the text was added.

A tutorial of how this was achieved will be posted shortly, incase you wanted to try it for yourself. Click on the image for a larger view.

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