Lightroom 6 Merge Function"Select your images and merge." Anyone who has ever stitched a large panorama in Photoshop knows that creating a massive pano is much more complicated than that. Even if it was as simple, Photoshop users know that merging many RAW images can take hours (and might not even work). That is why when I heard those words about the new merge function in Lightroom 6 (LRcc) I was skeptical. I have never been one for Adobe's Photoshop. When I open the program, I get dizzy looking at all of the icons. While I understand that Photoshop can make a photographer's life much, much easier, I prefer using Lightroom exclusively. Yet, there are still two or three functions of Photoshop that I desperately want (without actually using Photoshop). The merge tool of the newly launched Lightroom 6 is one of these tools. How To Merge Photos1) After selecting the photographs you wish to merge in Lightroom's Develop module, chose "Photo" and then "Photo Merge." 2) You will then be able to select a Panorama or HDR application for the photo merger. 3) After completing simple these steps, you will also be able to select (or allow Lightroom to auto-select) the desired perspective functioning. For me, being able to choose between cylindrical, spherical or perspective brings Lightroom 6 just one step closer to the perfect editing software. Within minutes, your stitched panorama will be ready. With the addition of the merge function, Adobe Lightroom developers are acknowledging that users may need/want some of the tools that LR's big brother has without the hassle of Photoshop. I expect to see more Photoshop tools (i.e. layers) incorporated into future versions of LR. Yet, for now, the merge function is a large step in the right direction. Keep it up Lightroom. Keep it up.
Prism PowerPhotographers look everywhere and will seemingly do anything to make unique images. We spend our hard earned money on expensive lenses and complicated photo software, spend hours of time making D.I.Y. tools and modify our gear hoping to craft interesting photographs. We are thinking too hard and spending too much. We often overlook the most basic objects that can be incorporated into our gear bag. One simple way to create a unique image is not to modify your camera, but to modify available light. To do this you won't need to break your back or your wallet. You just need a prism, a kid's toy. What is a prism?Though small and lightweight, a prism is a powerful optical element. The flat, transparent, polished surfaces refract and reflect light. Prisms shatter light into spectral colors (the colors of the rainbow), split light into components with different polarization or simply reflect light. The science is relatively simple. Photons (particles that transmit light) change speed as they move from the air into the glass (or plastic) of the prism. This change in speed causes the light to be refracted and change angles or directions within the prism. In a nutshell, light leaves the prism differently than it enters. For photographers, the possibility of modifying the direction of light can be mesmerizing. How do you use it?Using a prism is really simple and thankfully, there is no wrong way to use it. 1) Place the prism over a portion of your lens. Be careful not to scratch your glass! 2) Manipulate the prism to refract or reflect the light differently. 3) Go nuts. Experiment- Position the prism in front of your lens instead of directly on it - Draw an element into your composition that is well outside of the frame - Blast highlights out - Distort faces - Pull a vibrant light ray down from the setting sun Coupling a prism with an additional variable (i.e. shutter speed or aperture) makes the photographic possibilities vast. The options for prism play are further compounded when the characteristics of the available light change. As with anything, the important factor is to practice. Purchase a prism online and get shooting today! Have you used prisms with your photography? I would love to hear about your techniques in the comments section.
PhotowalkGet up off the couch, grab your camera, grab another photographer and go on a photowalk. Not every shoot has to be about the photos themselves. Sometimes it is good to shoot for the sake of the company and the place.
Sadly, It is rare that photographers collaborate or shoot together. For me, any chance to meet fellow shutterbugs is a welcomed treat. This past weekend, a larger group of photographers went on a photowalk to Ihwa Mural Village. Located in Ihwa-dong, the Ihwa Mural Village was a project carried out in 2006 to support the Ihwa community. Over sixty artists worked to create large murals and sculptures for visitors to enjoy. However, the project itself can be seen as a double-edged sword. Residents of Ihwa-dong find it hard to relax in their own neighborhood as their homes are constantly surrounded by couples, photographers and tourists. Despite being ethically conflicted, I very much enjoyed the art and the fine people of Ihwa Mural Village. Here are a few snaps from the brief walk around the colorful district. Photobook InspirationA few months ago, I saw a Facebook post about Eugenio Recuenco's Revue. The post had a picture of a fellow photographer sitting in a local bookstore, thumbing through Revue with a smile on his face. Respecting the talent of the photographer making the post, I decided to blindly purchase the photobook. I now know exactly why my colleague was smiling (as well as why they were checking the book out at the bookstore). Revue is 300 pages of inspiration.
Published by teNeues press, Revue contains a massive volume of work and is everything you could want in a photobook. Quite frankly, it is luxurious (as is the price tag). Bringing imaginary worlds and their characters alive, the spanish photographer's vision is without parallel. Call Eugenio Recuenco whatever you want. Portrait photographer. Fashion shooter. Surrealist. It doesn't really matter what you label him. The fact remains that the Spaniard cannot be easily defined by quick descriptors. It would probably be best to simply say that he is one of the most inspirational visual artists alive. If you have a little extra spending money, Recuenco's Revue is an excellent buy. Not only will you be able to familiarize yourself with one of the best photographers of our time, you can use the tome as a flower press or coffee table conversation starter. Purchase the book with free international shipping. Specs Publisher: teNeues Media Format: Hardback | 304 pages Publish Date: October 2013 Up On The RoofI went rooftopping with several other photographers recently. I learned a few things (or had them reaffirmed): 1) I do not like heights. 2) Boats are big. 3) Industry creates a lot of pollution. 4) Always use a shutter release for night photography or long exposures. 5) Sometimes you just won't have the right gear with you when you need it. 6) For me, some kinds of photography are more appealing that others. 7) Photography doesn't always have to be a solitary activity. 8) Sometimes breaking the rules is worth it. 9) Sometimes the ugly places in the world can be pretty. 10) Hold on to handrails. When I was in my teens, I was in a rock and roll band. The group was a bit more than a garage quintet. We played shows. We had a van and made t-shirts. We rubbed elbows with well known national acts and shared the stage with artists as crazy as 2 Live Crew. I loved spending time with the guys in the band, the camaraderie. I loved collaborating on creation. I got off on the process of it all. What I loved most about being in a band was the moment we walked onto a stage and picked up our instruments. As soon as a microphone or guitar was in hand, nothing else existed. Nothing else mattered. On stage, I experienced what some call "flow." Sadly, many of us never experience this kind of elation, the kind of happiness experienced only when engaged in the activity we were placed on the earth to do. After exiting the band in 2002, I found it difficult to recreate the experience of flow, of profound joy. Until I picked up a camera... When I started shooting in 2009, I did not expect to find a new hobby. I didn't expect to find a new passion or career. I simply bought a camera to take better pictures on vacation. Though I soon discovered that when I was behind a body and lens I was in heaven, on a different plane of existence where earthly rules ceased to exist. I again found a flow experience. Reflecting on this makes me think of others and their joys. I think of the happiness I experience when taking pictures of various subjects. I also think about how my craft also serves as my escape. Perhaps if we each devoted our lives to the experiences that bring us the most happiness, we would have a world full of satisfied, joyful individuals.
Less Gear, Better TravelLike many other professional photographers, I have too much gear. Even though I tote the gear along with me, I don't do a very good job of using it. On a very recent trip to Hanoi, I gave myself the challenge of using every single piece of gear that I brought along. My Gear Kit- Canon 5d Mark 3 - SMDV Flashwave 3 receiver and trigger - Fujifilm Instax and film - Canon 430 exii - Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM - Sigma 24-70 f2.8 - Rogue flash gels - Manfrotto MT293C4 I carried a bit more than half of my usual gear load leaving several lenses and multiple nick-nacks to collect dust in Tokyo. I felt both physically and mentally lighter. My back was feeling good because of the dropped weight in the Lowepro bag and my mind was feeling good because of the challenge (and because if I got jacked in the Nam, I would still have a lot of gear to come home too). So how did it go?I am very happy to report that everything, even the extra battery, was used on my short trip to Vietnam. Having less gear really was a back saver. Slinging my gear bag over my shoulder wasn't a burden and at no point did I feel like I needed to rest for a spell (southern Appalachian for sit down for a minute) . I also found that I didn't need "that lens" and "this tool" to get great travel editorial and street photography shots.
The challenge proved to me that what is necessary for great photography is patience, a creative mind and the desire to shoot, shoot, shoot. I have learned my lesson. From now on, I am certain that my bag won't be burdensome. I always look forward to photo excursions. When a trip is on the horizon, I get giddy knowing that there is an adventure ahead. The anticipation itself makes me get out my passport and place it on my nightstand. Regardless of the destination, I quickly pack the nonessential items the day before I leave. I never need much. I chuck two or three shirts and a few pairs of underwear in the bottom of a bag. I get my comfy pair of old, beat up jeans ready for the plane. I put a couple pairs of socks in the bag for good measure. Even more quickly come the toiletries. Within seconds I have a toothbrush, deodorant and toothpaste thrown into a ziplock bag. As soon as I finish getting all of the rubbish sorted, I am ready to start actually packing the stuff I care about. Assembling my second bag takes much longer and is well more complicated than preparing the first. The problems I experience packing the second bag are my own fault. Like many photographers, I have been traveling for years with as much gear as I can possibly carry. I break my back lugging gear. I have convinced myself that I must "be prepared for any shot." The reality though, is that I will never be fully prepared for every situation. It is how I react to the situation with the gear I have that is important. Lets face it. I never need the majority of my gear. Three of the five lens never leave the bag. The extra polarizing filter I take just in case the first one cracks just collects dust (I don't even use the primary one). My second Canon 430exii flash either adds extra pounds to my bag or takes up space in a hotel's lockbox. I can quickly tell you how many times I have needed the backup 60d body that I usually take (ZERO!). This weekend, I leave for a short solo trip to Vietnam. I am eager to be back in southeast Asia and am excited to see what frames will be captured. Photographically, the trip has already been successful. Before evening leaving, I have met a goal. I have packed less than I normally pack (admittedly still too much). With this goal met, I have shifted my attention to a secondary benchmark of actually using every piece of gear that I pack while in Vietnam. Wish me luck. For my goal to be reached, there must be proof that the following were used:
- Canon 5d Mark 3 - SMDV Flashwave 3 Receiver and Trigger - Fujifilm Instax and film - Canon 430 exii - Canon EF 17-40 f/4L USM - Sigma 24-70 f2.8 - Rogue Flash Gels - Manfrotto MT293C4 - Plenty of memory - Extra battery |
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