Archive for the 'Portraits' Category

A day at Marstrand. Strobist.

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on August 23, 2010
in 10-20, 50mm 1.4, Adobe Lightroom, Full size, ISO50, Portraits, Sigma Photo Pro, Sigma SD14 and Studio
. 3 Comments

SDIM7428.jpg
The knife maker. Shot on Marstrand using SD14 + Sigma 50mm 1.4 and using sun as main light and Sigma 530 DG and back shape light.  ISO50. Now, ISO50 is such a compressed format that you really need to expose with great care. His shoulder is totally white and if it was shot at ISo100 it would still be information there. There is, if I convert to Monochrome but because it’s only info from one or two channels (Showing strange colors if still shown) Sigma has decided to erase everything in those areas.. I had lots of overexposed ISO50 shots yesterday and I regret shooting at ISO50. Stupid me.

SDIM7456.jpg
If you look closer you’ll see a light shadow in his glasses, that’s where the round shape of a tiny beauty dish were before I erased it using LR3. Strong sun from the back and the Sigma 530 DG from slight above using a beauty dish making the sharp light disappear. SD14 + 50mm 1.4 + ISO50 (or more ISO25). Too much light entered the 50mm so I had to emphasizes those shadows and the hat quite a lot.

SDIM7493.jpg
The oldish couple. Shot using 10-20 with sun as main and 530 DG as side light. Slight green color on the left shows where 530 is placed. SD14 and ISO50.  This came out slightly dark, best viewed at full size.

SDIM7518.jpg
The above shot was slightly overexposed ISO50 shot, skin was overexposed in the color version – this version is equal to ISO25.  These two guys are well known over at www.99.se Goflorp (handle) and Rei Trulsson.. Nice to talk a bit with to of my readers in real life. :)

SDIM7523.jpg
Childhood friends passing by, had to take their picture. The 530 from the far right. I should have used one more flash on their legs, that would probably make this shot a lot better. And yes, the 530 was a little too powerful this time. SD14 10-20mm ISO50

And finally, three shots of Linn. I’m so happy to have her around so I can play!! :D

SDIM7418.jpg SDIM7563.jpg SDIM7571.jpg

These last two could have been more worked on in SPP or LR but.. I didn’t. In the last shot the flash was slightly to close to her and skin is a little overexposed. Could work better as monochrome. All three  shot using SD14 and 10-20mm. ISO50 on all.

All above images available as full size on flickr. Handle with care.

Sigma 530DG super + Sigma DP1

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on August 19, 2010
in Flash, Full size, Portraits, Sigma DP1 and Sigma Photo Pro
. 3 Comments

SDIM0006.jpg
(Strobist info: Behind blue pillow is a gridded speed light. High left slightly infront of girl is a naked flash shooting at low power directly at subject). Camera: Sigma DP1 @ ISO400.

I couldn’t resist playing some today using my Sigma 530 flash – I brought with me a cheap transmitter from China as well that works pretty well, although not as smart as the one I have already from Elinchrom (Skyport). The Chinese version flashes as many times as it can until shutter is closed – so shooting indoors with low shutterspeeds and using the super fast Sigma gun, you will most likely get a strobe effect – lots of flashes in a short session. Nice if subject is STILL! People hardly ever is.  Skyport never does this – it sends ONE signal not a continues flow. The Chinese version is a 10th of the price of the skyport.

SDIM9981.jpg

SDIM9987.jpg

Using the Sigma DP1′s fantastic ability to make colors is a sport in it self! Little sister holding the Sigma 530 and myself holding the second gun. Super simple setup. Without light this picture is totally dead. Camera, the Dp1 stands by itself on my Benro 91M8 tripodded monopod. Used in all shots above. :D

SDIM9995.jpg

Playing indoors using the same two guns as in above shots. Myself being the tripod for the second gun. Not a perfect shot but still fun. :) (And yes, she was tired. :D)

SDIM0040.jpg

Being outdoors a dull day as today isn’t always fun – incase you don’t have my gear! Then it’s FUN! One speed light (Sigma 530) with the grid, the tripodded monopod and a 2s delay. hmm.. perhaps it was 10s.

All shots edited using Sigma Photo Pro and uploaded using LR3.

Lucky little Bee

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on July 29, 2010
in Adobe Lightroom, Full size, High ISO/ASA (400+), ISO50, Portraits, Sigma DP2 and Sigma Photo Pro
. 16 Comments

Now, I had a some days together with only DP2 – the strange thing is that when I bring the DP2, then all situations are begging for wider – and when bringing the DP1 the opposite. But these below worked perfectly well using the DP2′s 42mm lens. Also, a reminder. Edited on nothing calibrated but I think they should look ok.

Lucky Bee
This little girl  stood outside the window of a restaurant and she looked at me constantly – the guy sitting there is the restaurant owner and he tried several times to scare her away by banking on the window and by by looking at her with angry face.. But she remained with the same face, looking at me.. This is perhaps the only time I been thinking about adoption. :P

Also notice that some have a cropped version as well.. it’s not me taking two shots. :)

Trying to hideCrop of hidden manCorn and stuffCrop of cornModern Dali

StrangerCrop of strangerIn DaliLinn awaiting drinkCrop of Linn awaiting drinkAt dentistTesting wedding make-upfarmwilleDesaturatedLinn at market BananamanCrop of BananamanPosition Fishing pigscrop of pigat hospital 2at hospitalStreetMy chinese dad

Two young girls in Kunming.

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on July 21, 2010
in Full size, High ISO/ASA (400+), Portraits, Sigma DP1 and Sigma Photo Pro
. 3 Comments

Girls coming

A couple of days ago Linn wanted to get her nails done as it’s extremely cheap in Kunming compared to Sweden (about 1/20th of the price) and while waiting I walked around a bit and saw these two young girls coming in a near by alley.

Girls playing, Linn fixing nails

I walked a bit more and when I returned I saw the same girls standing outside the same store where Linn did her nails. I took another shot.

Girls playing, Linn fixing nailsGirls playing

Now, they really did time pass fast and we had a great time together. They really wanted me to take lots of shots and their mother came too – but I didn’t get a picture of her. (or one of the girls mother as of the one child per mom rule).

Girls playingGirls playingGirls playingGirls playingGirls playingGirls playing

All shots taken with the Sigma DP1s and developed using SPP 4.1 / but I really have no idea about colors as I sit on an old laptop only visually calibrated.

These are part of my China 2010 set. Almost all are higher ISO, 200 and above. lots at 400 and 800 as weather was pretty dark. Raining a lot. Also I’m not keen on the way SPP 4.1 handles noise at higher ISO, will perhaps redo some using SPP3.3.

Post processed using Lightroom 3.

Some beautiful SD15 shots by Olga and Bob!

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on July 12, 2010
in 50-500 OS, Flash, Portraits, Sigma Photo Pro, Sigma SD15 and Wedding sessions
. 22 Comments

And finally here comes some real Sigma SD15 shots taken by Olga, Bob assisted with the strobe or reflector. Both the SD15 and lens used belongs to me and that says something about the ease of use. :) Just pick it up and focus on picture making. All shots taken with the new Sigma 50-500 OS and developed using Sigmas lates SPP 4.1.

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Enjoy!

Tomorrow morning I leave for China together with my beautiful wife and we will be gone for about a month. Although I will bring laptop and cameras so I’ll post from there. Until then, enjoy these shots!

Some new wedding shots!

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on July 12, 2010
in Adobe Lightroom, Link, Portraits and Wedding sessions
. 8 Comments


Bob and Olga did a amazing job, I never thought I would fit properly inside any of those images but they managed to squeeze me in! :D They used three cameras, the Sigma SD15, the Nikon D700 and a Sony 850. Nice setup, uhu? :) Click here to see the rest over at Bob and Olgas place!

There will be some really amazing shots made by the SD15 posted later as well.

Let there be light!

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on May 19, 2010
in Adobe Lightroom, Flash, Full size, How to, ISO50, Portraits, Sigma DP1, Sigma DP2 and Sigma Photo Pro
. 9 Comments

Decided that I wanted some practice using my Sigma 530DG Super and my Elinchrom Quadra. Today was a bright sunny day and I was hiding together with my students in the shadows trying to get optimum conditions for photography. I used both Sigma DP1 and DP2 and as soon as you see strong colors around the flash, that’s the DP1 used and It’s me forcing it by placing the light inside the frame (I enjoy those colors tremendously) . All shots processed using Sigma SPP4 and Lightroom 3 Beta 2. (from TIFF)

Before After

These above where the very first shots, I noticed that I had to turn on something in order to make it work. :) And as you might notice it has a very strong “flashy” feeling and by increasing shutter speed and lower the quadras power I got a more natural looking light. See below. Also notice that there is no “color” problems as long as light is outside frame.

Continue reading ‘Let there be light!’

Chinese artist XuYun, late session..

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on April 23, 2010
in 10-20, 30mm 1.4, 50-500 OS, 70mm, Full size, Portraits, Sigma Photo Pro and Sigma SD14
. 7 Comments

My friend and artist, XuYun has been artist in residents at the Nordic Watercolour Museum on Tjörn. She’s just leaving and I rushed out to her little island to take some last minutes pictures of her. Here’s some of them. All taken with SD14 and lenses used 10-20, 30mm, 70mm and 50-500 OS. Can you see what lens took what photo? edit: Some images has a warm light coming in from the side, my doing. Some of these shots has been lit by light from reflecting windows.

XuYun - Chinese artist #3XuYun - Chinese artist #2 (Double size output)

above: Double size output

XuYun - Chinese artist - village overview

Continue reading ‘Chinese artist XuYun, late session..’

A kids portrait.

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on April 22, 2010
in 30mm 1.4, Full size, Portraits, Sigma Photo Pro and Sigma SD14
. 7 Comments

This is Joakim and I shot him today with my SD14 + my good old 30mm.
And yes, it was really cold when I took this shot, and bit of warm reflector comes in from the right.

Joakim

It’s really an amazing picture, not because of the lens or camera per se, but because I one hour earlier dropped both my camera and lens onto the asphalt from chest level. It’s my first time like that, and I didn’t just trop it, I almost threw it away doing some stupid move when moving it from hand to shoulder. I can still hear that heavy sound..

Everything works and it now have this beautiful dent on top that likely will make it more valuable the day I decide to sell. :D

Double size output original..

H&M Spring collection..

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on April 17, 2010
in 50-500 OS, Full size, ISO50, Portraits and Sigma SD15
. 4 Comments

Another 50-500 OS shot.. :) Golden reflector reflected too much yellow – skin tone was gone so I made it black and white. Still nice I think. :)

More of Linn

Sigma 120-300 shot Linn @ 2.8!!

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on April 17, 2010
in 120-300, Full size, ISO50, Portraits, Sigma Photo Pro and Sigma SD14
. 0 Comments

Liu Dong yun
Sigma SD14, 120-300 @ 2.8  1/500  ISO50 (hand held)

The 120-300 is a classy lens, here I’m trying hard (especially the second shot) to shoot it against the 50-500 and I might add it was a bit tricky as the wind was blowing and I could feel how much movement I was making. Now, these shots are both ISO50 and both wide open at 2,8! Quite a bit faster than the 50-500 can do. Also, colors came out quite different compared to the 50-500 shot. Now, I used two different SD14s and they have a little bit different coloristic, and I’m not sure how much is down to the lens, camera or work in SPP.

Continue reading ‘Sigma 120-300 shot Linn @ 2.8!!’

50-500 OS @ 300mm – hand held 1/60s

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on April 16, 2010
in 50-500 OS, Full size, Portraits, Sigma Photo Pro and Sigma SD14
. 2 Comments

Liu Dong Yun

I really do enjoy the Stabilizer, I feel like I could take those impossible shots such as this one. :)  Camera used: SD14, at ISO200. Lens set at f7.1 and a shutter speed of 1/60s. Pretty amazing really. No extra sharpness added. Full size available as well.

And when I think about it, this lens has such incredible bokeh and really really nice color characteristics and also a very functional OS  and it’s a SUPER ZOOM! 10x!!

And thanks Bengt for assisting me with the reflector! :)

Other posts on the 50-500 OS
http://www.rytterfalk.com/category/lens/50-500os/

Elke, Dennis, Niklas, Martina and Ester shot with 50-500 OS

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on April 16, 2010
in 50-500 OS, Full size, Portraits, Sigma Photo Pro and Sigma SD14
. 1 Comment

Elke 50-500Some new <a onclick=50-500 OS shots" width="500" height="333" />Niklas <a onclick=50-500 OS" width="500" height="333" />Some new 50-500 OS shots

And at a full 500mm:

martina 50-500 @ 500mm

Below: And some more from the dog session, this time playing with F16 1/100s compared with F7,1 1/500s. Handheld of course. And you might notice a slight back focus which I think I need to correct when possible. Will wait for the SD15 before I do something though. Still, it’s not clear as I don’t see the ground below the dog. grrr. And if you look at the shot above, which is a full 500mm and perfectly in focus. hmm.. Perhaps it’s only visible on longer distances? Or perhaps it’s me? likely.

Ester 50-500 OS @ f16 handheldEster 50-500 OS @ f7,1 handheld

And another one at the full 500mm. Not bad.

Ester 50-500 OS @ 500mm

All images available as full resolution here.

The fabulous 70-200 revisited! (updated)

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on April 15, 2010
in 70-200, Full size, Portraits, Review, Sigma Photo Pro and Sigma SD14
. 3 Comments

I almost forgot that I had the 70-200, and I decided to take it for a spin with my students - equipped with both the new 50-500 and the 70-200 we had an outdoor, long zoom, reflector class. Sun was setting and because I didn’t have any yellow toned filter / gel for my Quadra I used a circular golden reflector instead.

Sigma 70-200 EX shots
Original size

I was really amazed with how snappy my old 70-200 was and how precise it hit the eye – shot after shot after shot! I did calibrate it more than half a year ago and didn’t really use it since then (dark winter) but now I realize how well I did, and how friendly it have become! I didn’t remember the bokeh to be this beautiful! It’s really awesome!

Sigma 70-200 EX shots
Original size. Above shot might have been taken by Niklas, I don’t remember this to be my framing.

The above girl is one of my students, her name is Elke Knorr and she took the picture below of me. I was also surpriced to find that all her shots were all in focus as well. I will definitely use this lens more!. :) Perhaps I should make a 120-300 vs 70-200 thingi..

Also notice the light. Sun comes in from the left and a golden reflector from the right.

Sigma 70-200 EX shots
Niklas, here enjoying the 50-500. No reflector.

Sigma 70-200 EX shots
And this one shot by Martina. Look at those colors!

Sigma 70-200 EX shots
Click me and see what happens! :D

Oh, and yes. This is me with the 50-500. Look at that sweet bokeh – and those colors all came out so nice. And this is the old 70-200 2.8EX, (not the oldest oldest) without any macro – so it’s a bit irritating to have to go back in order to focus. I think 1.5m is the closest.

No extra sharpening on these images. Some PS levels but that’s more or less it. All shots at f3.5. SPP4. You can find them all as full size, plus some more here!

The mighty three processes a dog. Ingredients a 50-500 and some OS

Published
by
Carl Rytterfalk
on April 14, 2010
in 50-500 OS, Full size, Portraits, Raw Developer, Sigma Photo Pro, Sigma SD14 and Silkypix
. 3 Comments

Headlines! ahh..

I wanted to give you a little treat. Three shots each developed using one out of three great Sigma RAW developers. I took about a hundred shots of Ester, the dog and my little sister and most of them came home in very good condition. Focusing is fast and snaps into place, most of the time on the correct spot. But I’m looking forward to see how well the 50-500 works together with the SD15. Can I catch a running dog?

<a onclick=50-500 OS - Developer: Silkypix" width="500" height="333" />
First out. Silkypix! Shot was once more wide open (f6,3) and at 450mm. ISO 100. I turned off (more or less) noise reduction in silkypix to gain some natural noise but it did paint a little as you can see if you open up the full version. SPP version is softer but also very nice looking without smear.  Open original size.

<a onclick=50-500 OS - Developer: Sigma Photo Pro 4" width="500" height="333" />
Sigma Photo Pro 4 does a very good job, and gives a slightly more warm tone – which fits this image very nicely. Also, details overall looks much better here then with Silkypix. But Silkypix often gives very “pleasing” colors and you have such nice control. mm. f7.1 This one is at a full 500mm. This one in original size. (I did not focus at the dog)

Raw Developer

And lastly Raw Developer. Raw developer has such nice controls over RGB curves, lightness, overexposure, sharpness, black and white and noise. BUT it’s trickier to get perfect white balance then most other developers. I was actually helped by having Silkypix open at the same time, showing the same image. You need to know your thing but once you do Raw Developer squeezes out slightly more detail than any other developer and can give very film-like images. This one has noise reduction completely turned off. 373mm. Full size.

Other posts on the 50-500 OS
http://www.rytterfalk.com/category/lens/50-500os/