Idag och i morgon kommer jag (och Fotograf Martin Carlsson) att finnas på Frölunda torg och fotografera den som vill finnas skrattande med på en stor vägg tillsammans med hundratals andra skrattande människor. Till min hjälp så finns det några kända svenska komiker på plats bakom mig som kommer göra allt i sin makt för att få bilden så trovärdig som möjligt. Dessutom får du bilden utskriven och kanske signerad?! :) Gratis! Kom! Om du säger Foveon så fotograferar jag dig med min SD15, i övrigt kommer jag använda Canon. aaaaa

11-15:00 Lördag  (Erik och Mackan)
11-15:00 Söndag (Peter Wahlbeck)

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.

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.

Slightly older part, posted this morning: Today I wanted to try something real and off went Linns ring. I told her to clean it carefully because of all the dirt seen by the mighty 105mm Sigma lens. But wow, we didn’t expect this much scratches to be there – and thanks to photoshop and my great painting skills I was able to partly save her ring. :)

This time I added the Sigma 530 DG, snooted from the right – and the big softbox as always from the top, slightly tilted so that I can reach with the Sigma SD15. Developed using Sigma Photo Pro 4.1 using vivid color mode.

After:

Before:

Also, here’s another shot, another ring, this time a fake one – just trying different ways to reflect. This time I’m holding a long hard, white paper above the ring, infront of the flash. Creates a light, pretty OK looking thingi. And don’t look too close on this one, at 100% size it looks horrible!! Sooo much dirt. (although I didn’t upload the full size of this one).

Morning part: The basic setup is taken from www.ImagingPrep.com so I don’t feel right about showing you too much, but you will be able to follow my progress thru the reflections and before after shots. Anyone know where to get transparent white wax that I can use as glue? Now I’m using the yellow bee thingi..

In day two I really felt I didn’t get the shape right, and so I put small pieces of black foam board around until I got the shape that I wanted. Now I did a very quick PS5 fix and no dirt removal (just a tiny bit) and I now understand the importans of gloves! :D

Before

How do you feel? Better than day 2?

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.

Could you guys help me with short simple topics that could help me bring “me” into this day? :D PLEASE! What would you like to know if you were sitting in the audience?

EDIT! First, I want this post to be first so I can get some more input. Thanks for email everyone (you know who you are). Also, today I received my long awaited SD15 (the REAL one) and I’ll start shooting with it from today. First tests shows really nice IQ and a perfectly aligned mirror. (my pre-version was slightly off). I also finally got myself a trigger and will be able to do long exposures. jaij!

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. :)

I was hoping for him to return so I could give him something and to my great joy he did – about an hour or so later – and I gave him something similar to a dollar and his face shine like a small child’s. He said, Now I have dinner for tonight.

Picture taken using the wonderful little Sigma DP1. Full size image on flickr.

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.

So hopefully in the coming days I might be able to show you a thing or two from what I learn – and if you have any good pointers and ideas then please share! :) Both links, text and pictures in the comments field are welcome!

Continue to day 2.

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.

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.

Crop from first shot. not 100%.

Starts with relatives gathering – us dressing up and here we are ready to show humbleness and respect to the oldest, Linns grandmother  by bowing three times. Feels very vey strange but she looked very happy so.. :)

Then it’s time for me to serve green tee to the “head” relatives of the family. Here I serve Linn’s (and mine according to Chinese traditions) mom. I enjoyed this part much more. :)

After serving all of them the tee, Linn’s grand mother gives us two red envelopes with money. That means that she accepts our marriage. She’s 86 btw and a really tough lady. :)

After the ceremony I carry Linn down many stairs and to the awaiting car, a BMW X5 limited edition.. :) Some friend lend it to us, and we had it decorated China style.

We drove first to a park by the huge erha lake, and there the wedding photos bagan.

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The park was fun, and lots of people were looking. :) I had to say Hello quite a few times.

After the park thingi it was time to go to the Hotell, a huge five star thing that was prepared for us. We stood at the entrence of the hotell giving candy and cigaretts to the guests and shaking hands. Mom and dad was standing there with us. The strange thing here was that lots of guests didn’t come for us, they came because of Linn’s father and they didn’t even look at me, walking straight to dad and congratulating.. hmm.. China.

Then when all 300 guests was seated, eating and stuff we came in walking to the front were a rental talk person stood doing the smooth introduction of our love (she had no idea who we were so this felt strange too) and she walked us thru some decorating steps, like cutting a small cake, pouring champagne on a pile of wine glas and finally to have the traditional drink with our armes around each other. hmm.. I got some shot of that but perhaps you understand.

We then walked from table to table, my bestman told eveyone to stand up and then someone at each table said something nice about the future of ours and then we drank.. :) I had water and they had rice wine. Most didn’t know but after 30 tables, rice wine would likely had me killed.

Now this is written in haste and I’m sure my English is worse then usual. But at least you got a taste of Weddings in this part of China.

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. :)

31st of July 2010. China, Yunnan Province. Dali. Get planned right away!

You might be forced to sing with me at the karaoke after the wedding feast.

Invite yourself like this:
Send message to rytterfalk@gmail.com or call me.

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.

For your info I’m currently preparing my Chinese wedding which will be held in a hotel with lots and lots of food (yes, including frog) and some hired talk guy and everything else that comes with the package.  VERY different from home I might add.  All guests will be treated strong nice rice wine, cigarettes, seeds of different sorts and everyone is expected to have a red envelop containing money when they arrive.  Someone will sit and write down what everyone brings so that we know what we will have to give for their next wedding party or whatever. :D

After the party we will most likely go to a KTV bar and treat everyone a fun out evening. KTV is Karaoke bar where you get in to smaller rooms equipped with often very good sound and picture system – in each room you will be about 10 persons with three microphones and a computer with 20000+ songs – every 10th minute staff will come in and check if everything is OK and to see if someone wants any snack or drinks. Cool!

I’m also using my DP1s a lot these days as it’s so small and gives a perfectly wide perspective.  Will show shots soon.

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!

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

Will be back!

Leave a message here or something.. Not sure what kind of mobility I’ll have when it comes to mobile phones and such.

Late evening, SD15 + 50-500 OS – the last one is pretty much fully zoomed in (420mm) both shot at ISO200 – SPP 4.0 used for processing. Originals can be found on my SD15 flickr set.

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.

Zooming by running! Above shot shows how you can get some cool colored light even from the DP2.

ON / OFF, With and without light below. Sigma DP2 used. It was pretty tricky to get a good ambient light in order for the background blue sky to show, but after a few exposures I found a good balance. ISO100 used.

And about the same place a few meters to the side, but this time using the Sigma DP1. And it’s also slightly cropped.

Silly tests below. ISO200. Dp2 and DP1.

And finally, one shot of Johannes who was holding the light most of the time. Shot taken using Dp1 and ISO200.

All shots available as full size, click here if you want to have a closer look.

And some more from the same day..

And a last one of me, taken by Linn.

PS. It’s been a hectic week and I have LOADS of images to process from weddings and groups etc.. And as I am who I am I have this obsession that some images just HAVE to be processed using ALL developers available before deciding on what to give my customer. (SPP3.3, 4, Silkypix, Raw Developer, PS CS5 and LR3). That’s pretty stupid really. Oh, and did I mention that CS5 has some really cool features that I just have to play with, on almost every single shot I open? Stupid stupid Adobe. I hate “content aware” anything..

I also dislike people writing comments using the iPad. I would start liking it though if someone would send me one. :D

above: Double size output

One more thing, I wasn’t thinking about publishing these at first so I saved them as jpeg from Sigma Photo Pro – but then I thought that it would be much easier for her to find her photos if were published. I never before published photos that has been edited from jpeg and then re-saved as jpeg again. mmm.. I wonder how much has been lost?

above: Double size output.