Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
A mix of traditional timelapse and hyperlapse, this video from Vimeo user jansoli shows off New York in all its colourful glory. From the bright day light advertising, to the beautiful night lights, New York is a wonder of colour.
It’s an interesting mix of techniques. There’s even a few tricks in post to simulate flybys and shifting perspectives that weren’t possible in-camera. I’ve seen these post techniques applied before, but never with such effectiveness.
Shooting on location with flash is one of the fun parts of portrait photography for me. But, depending on the lighting conditions where you’re shooting, your flash may not be putting out the same colour as the ambient light. This means that while your subject may appear perfect, the environment can appear very cool or warm.
In this video, photographer Robert Hall explains the problem how it happens. It’s an easy problem to fix, all you need is a few gels, and Robert shows us how.
Well, this is messed up. A warning has been issued that IEDs have been found in Harlan County, Kentucky. The IEDs in question are hidden inside trail cameras. So far, nine such devices have been discovered. Sadly, some have already detonated, permanently injuring at least one member of the public. But officials believe there are more out there.
Outdoor Hub reported in June that cameras were being investigated. Initially suspected that the explosives were a way to deter thieves, the reality ia a little more sinister. The Lexington Herald Leader reported that after a man lost several fingers in an explosion, police arrested Mark Sawaf after materials connected to the IEDs were found in his trash. A note found amongst evidence found at the home suggests he didn’t want to just deter thieves, but maim or even kill them.
Food can be a difficult subject to photograph. There’s all kinds of things to take into account about the colour and texture of the food. You’ve got to make it look appetising to the camera, even if it doesn’t always look that way in real life. Shooting a single frame is difficult enough. So, imagine adding computer controlled knives, robot arm and a slow motion camera into the mix.
Then imagine dropping all the components of your meal from various heights and having them land perfectly. All this, while trying to keep it looking appetising throughout. Well, that’s exactly what director and visual engineer Steve Giralt did in his Deconstructed Burger Concept video.
Ansel Adams is one of those legends of photography that most people have heard of. Whether they’re a photographer themselves or not, they know who he is. They know of his work, they may even own some of it. For those of us who are photographers, have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be taught by the man himself?
Marc Silber of Advancing Your Photography has been making a series of short films over the last few months. Each of them covering a different aspect of Ansel’s life and work. In his newest video, Marc wants to help answer that question. He introduces us to Ansel’s daughter-in-law, Jeanne, who was ran Ansel’s business for over two decades.
I don’t know why so many photographers seem to be obsessed with racing to the bottom. But, for those that are, new Australian startup “Snappr” wants to help you win. Or, lose, depending on your perspective. That’s the thing about racing to the bottom. Even if you win, you lose, because you’re not making any kind of sustainable income.
With prices starting at only $59, it’s certainly not going to make photographers a whole lot of money. Oh, and if $59 didn’t appear bad enough already, bear in mind that’s Australian dollars. This means around around US$45. Yes, that’s right, a photographer will travel to you, photograph you for however long, and give you 5 high res digital files for only US$45.
DJI have updated their Osmo handheld gimbal camera to provide up to 7x zoom capabilities. Like the recently announced Zenmuse Z3 zoom camera for the Inspire 1, it’s actually a 3.5x optical zoom. On top of this is a 2x “digital lossless zoom”. Technically the “digital zoom” is really a crop mode, and is only available when shooting 1080p.
You get a field of view equivalent to a 22-77mm focal range on a full frame camera. It’s a comfortable range. It’s compatible with the DJI GO app, so you get full remote control and viewing from your cellphone or tablet.
Joey Lawrence has been photographing the tribes of Ethiopia since 2008. Drawn by the aesthetic of the country itself and its residents, it’s a place he’s returned to many times since. In 2013, Joey started a kickstarter to raise funds for a cinematic narrative film. The film was to be shot in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, and star the members of the tribes he found there.
The film has toured the festival circuit, picking up a number of very respectable awards. Now, the film is online, available to watch for anybody with an Internet connection. Joey has also released several behind the scenes videos to accompany the piece. You will want to sit back with a good amount of time spare to watch through it all, but it’s well worth it.
It seems that these days, 3rd party lens manufacturers are doing everything they can to try to upstage everybody else. After Nikon’s recent introduction of the 105mm f/1.4E, Tamron have now filed a patent for a 115mm f/1.4 VC lens. If they make it, this would make it the longest f/1.4 autofocus* lens out there, taking Nikon’s recent crown.
What’s even more interesting than the slightly longer focal length is the fact that this lens comes with VC (their version of VR/IS). The Nikon 105mm f/1.4 doesn’t have any kind of built in stabilisation at all. If this becomes more than just a patent, that single feature alone could see it winning out for Nikon shooters. Assuming the optical quality stands up to demands.
Fujifilm has announced its new entry level mirrorless camera. An update to the popular X-A2, the new camera comes with touchscreen, a 24MP sensor, and 60fps video. It’s a respectable little update to the X-A2. The changes seem very few, but they are very nice changes. The market this line is aimed at is obvious. With an LCD that flips up 180 degrees so you can see yourself when stood in front of it, the clues are less than subtle. Selfies.
So, with that in mind, the biggest deal with the X-A3 is the touchscreen. With the camera pointed at yourself, reaching around to hit controls behind the camera isn’t exactly easy. Now, it is. Shooting selfies isn’t going to be a big deal to everybody, but that really is this camera’s selling point. If that doesn’t interest you, there’s probably much better options out there.
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