I recorded a series of videos for Sigma America and they have them in their youtube channel, but somehow they’re unable to upload them in higher quality so I uploaded them myself – although without their intro. You have to imagine it. :) I hope you find something useful and don’t forget to watch in HD!
Archive for the 'Developed with:' Category
Now I moved so much away from my initial setup that I feel that I will show you a picture or two of what my current setup actually looks like. Woohoo! I will post some in the comments section. The above shot is slightly cleaned up – the gold surface was slightly scratched and some dents so I repainted the middle reflection and the bottom left - but other than that it’s the original photo – I’m now very satisfied with how reflections works – and if I change ring reflections still look beautiful. I must say that the pure IQ that the Sigma SD15 gives is extremely high. I’ve been looking at other photographers works with jewelry and once you go closer it just doesn’t look good. This shot is available in full size as well. A bit too full really. :)
This time I didn’t use anything else than LR3 and PS5. The only thing left now is to continue with OOF – and see where I should stop before text is readable. This shot is ISO50, 105mm, f11, 1/160s.
I noticed that it’s more or less impossible to get correct focus at more then one ring at a time (at f7.1) – so I took three shots and combined them in PS.. :) It’s really late too, I should go to bed. hmm.. This is a Lightroom 3 conversion of SD15 file, not bad – but not as good as from SPP.
I’m pretty much set now with my setup – this last shot had no changes, no painting except taking away a little dust – although getting the background WHITE is time consuming when there is so much blur to deal with. The foremost black corners will also be a little bit less black – one white foam infront of camera is missing.
Final capture for day four: We had a long talk today, me and the jewelry guy. He wanted the text within each ring to be unreadable so we decided that taking each text away using PS would take way to long, but using a wider aperture could work instead. I had to move the light quite a bit (I used lowest power at f20 on those last shots) and now I had to use a semitransparent white circular reflector in-between the softbox and the “set” . I finally got a working F8. I could go all the way down to f5.6 but then it was hard to see anything exept one or two diamonds in focus.
I also wrapped the whole sets bottom in golden reflective material – and it seams to work pretty nicely. There is a 3000px version of the below image.
EDIT. Late Evening, day three. Last edit for tonight.
This last one has very strong colors because I selected “vivid” color mode in SPP. No added saturation - actually I pulled it back a bit in PS. The full size shot, with all it’s flaws.
Continue reading ‘Jewelry photography, Day three.. (Update)’
Alright, it’s not really day two, but at least it’s first shot! I dealed a little with it in Photoshop and will play more with reflections to get the right feel (but not in Photoshop, but on the set). What do you think? It’s ISO50. I think I will get more black in the corners of the ring, like a black frame somehow. Also it’s a little too tilted. :) But that’s not the important part right now.
Right now, I only play with fake rings – will get the real stuff when it’s time for the real deal. About 200 of them.
Light from above, two paper reflectors on the side. Elinchrom Quadra. Sigma SD15, Sigma 70mm.
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.
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.
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.
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. :)
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
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.
Today I had a wedding photo session – used Sigma 10-20 and Sigma 70mm together with my beloved SD14. Linn assisted (I LOOOOVE when she assists!) and on he way home we had a car full of gear, far away from home. What to do? Of course, we stopped and took some shots of each other. Sky was rapidly changing which made everything so much more interesting. :) And just for fun I used my new Chinese equipment. Two speed lights, stand and some transmitting equipment. Shot of me was way overexposed (ISO50) but in monochrome WB there was lots of information in blown areas so I turned it BW. Shot of me is also cropped some.
Btw, the cheap chinese equipment that brought works perfectly well together with the Sigma, (including DP’s) which is really nice! I had my Elinchrom Quadra in the car but – the Yongnuo YN460-II worked great, especially when two put together.
Everything developed using SPP 4.1 and post edited using LR3 (darkening sky some etc). Full size available at my Fall 2010 set at Flickr.
You might ask why I don’t use my Sigma 530 DG Super instead of some cheap chinese ones – well, as you see the light is on a pretty light stand and it’s windy, I don’t dare having my beloved and TTL working 530 on that one without someone being able to save it of it falls. The two in the background DID fall – and one broke but was easy to fix. :)
(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.
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
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)
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.
Those fire shots from a couple of days ago made me wanna try SPP 3.3 again and I realize that I should try it much more in the future. Above shots are developed using SPP33 too even though I’m not sure it would differ that much from SPP4.1..
It’s also interesting to note that it’s the same light – well, more or less the same exposure too just a few minutes apart but I played differently with white balance in SPP. Which do you prefer?
Lots of new shots taken mostly with DP2 at my China 2010 set at flickr.
EDIT! I redeveloped some using SPP 3.3 and added some others. Please see the full set for higher resolution.
Now, it was getting dark, really dark and that’s when people started to gather in the city center of Xia Guan, the Capital of Dali County. Now, this festival sounds nice and I’ve noticed preparations for days. People walking around with large torches, or truck loads with them preparing for the final day of sells.
Fire festival. I heard about it for years but I never had the chance to go and now, finally I’m here! My SD15 (had to return the “pre-version” and being sent a real one) is stuck in customs and I only have my DP1s and Dp2. Not that they’re not good but the SD15 would give me more situational shots – but I’m very very happy with these images! Not as many as they could have been but SPP did a great job on those colors!
The strange thing is that EVRYONE was here, streets where filled with people of all ages and torches was being lit everywhere. Some placed like on the picture above as a big fire others where carried around.. Everything would have been just fine if it stopped here but no, these Chinese are crazy! in every street corner sits people selling some kind of powder containing wood and from the smell I guess it’s something else that ignites superfast and this powder you buy and then you take a hands full and throw it into the fire! It all fires up with a woff and a huge flame and people are cheering.
Three images below, made using SPP3.3. First is Linn, second me and third her mom.
We bought some too and we had lots of fun but we soon realized that people carrying those torches was looking at ME with fire in their eyes and suddenly I find my self in a huge flame and my back is superhot – they’re throwing this powder at each other too! And me and girls are perhaps the perfect pray – it’s from now on I feel like a hunted animal and I don’t want to go home! It’s dangerous and it’s not dangerous and they’re putting me on fire with a smile! SOO STRANGE!!! :D
Below, the second more blue version is SPP 3.3 while the first is SPP 4.1. ISO is above 1600, but exposure compensated for higher so more noise visible. Still, fire is beautiful!
This guy was trying to get closer to me without me seeing and his friend had his hand full of powder getting ready to throw at me, luckily I turned around before it all happened and could get this shot instead. hehe.. We where really running around like crazy trying to hide with groups of people and at the same time I was eager to get some shots. aaaaa
I would be surprised if there was less than half a million people on the streets – it was that many and I didn’t see ONE foreigner. So I was the haunted one. haha. And beautiful girls too, like Linn. So we tried to stay together as much as possible – she went up in flames a couple of times and her but hurt.. at least she said. My eyebrows was curly the day after, says something about the heat.
All images available at full size at my flickr China 2010 set.
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Crop from first shot. not 100%.
I found this cool mirror when passing a beauty shop. Btw, all these shops are located in something that looks very similar to a garage – both by design and size. And it’s not uncommon that the owner sleeps in the back or above. So, when the shop opens the whole door is pulled away and it’s like one wall is gone, no door no nothing. Like opening a garage. That also brings the possibility to fast find mirrors and stuff that you can shoot at like this one directly from the bright, sunlit street.
And yes. I had to take this shot like four times to get the correct exposure. It’s really a tricky situation. It’s also tilted slightly but I wanted you to have the full size original without any corrections made.
Or like this one, it’s not easy to hide when there is no wall.. (would have been great if I looked at shutter speed before pressing that trigger. Hoping for Sigma to add full auto ISO too.. :) Would really help me in situations like this one. I do use auto ISO, but would use it MUCH more if it gave me a better reach.
I remember that I shot a kid with some cool t-shirt some time ago, someone thought it was cool and I found another one - if anyone seen the movie, then you know what the text refers to. :D Often when I see one it’s either on a person that I feel bad shooting or inside some dark shop OR no camera at reach.
Sometimes the owner has this problem of what to do, cut hair or sell toys?
Sigma DP2. Developed using Lightroom 3. I know, shots would most likely be nicer if at least first processed using SPP but I developed lots of shots and I really don’t have much time for SPP..
Extra: And just came home from the fire festival which I wanted to visit last year but couldn’t and now, finally I had a go.. so crazy. I did bring cameras too, but it was pitch black except for the fire – will post some images. But it’s sleep time now.
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.
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. :)
As internet is extreeemly slow here, especially the flickr site I will not link each shot as I normally do. That just took forever with that post before this one with the young girls. These are some mixed shots from Kunming and Dali – I really love life here, it’s such a pleasure to be back! Even if I had a little too many encounters with that washing room so far. Takes a little bit of time to get used. :)
All shots developed using SPP 4.1 and post processed using Lightroom 3.
Kunming is filled with scooters and they’re all electric. Just heard on the news that China just passed USA in electricity consumption – perhaps this is why? :D
A very common way to treat English. This one is rather good too. Not too many mistakes.
Linn now has short hair. :D
Normally the guard lives in the little hut where cars passes by, but in this case it’s a barber store. Everything is possible here.
Searching for a job? Just write your number on the closest wall and you’re done! when you get one, go back and erase.. Easy? :)
Burial ground, Linns relatives showing respect for a resent loss. The little guys name is Tien Tien.
I’ll be back.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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