Monday, December 26, 2011

Another Year Passes in a Flash


The last week of the year is special, and one to be taken advantage of. I spend it balancing time between family/friends and looking back at the past year while preparing for the next one.

There are some cool things lined up for 2012 already, but today's post is about looking back. Herewith, the favorite posts of 2011 -- mine, and yours... Read more »

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Shooting Holiday Lights, Redux


A lot of you have been tweeting or otherwise sharing the 2006 post on How to Photograph Christmas Lights (thanks!) so I thought it merited a refresh. Included are updated photos, tips on dealing with LEDs and a video that should totally make sense to your your point-and-shoot friends.

We are hunkered down and in full-bore holiday mode -- including, as seen above, a trip to cut down our tree the other evening. Strobist will be back the day after Christmas with the traditional end-of-year B.O.S. post.

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays to all.

-30-

Monday, December 19, 2011

Making a Case for the Beauty Dish


When posting on my four favorite soft light mods, I included a beauty dish but lamented the necessity of a dedicated case to keep it from getting scuffed up. Dishes aren't cheap to begin with, and neither are decent cases.

Problem solved... Read more »

Friday, December 16, 2011

Five-Digit Studio Flash Catfight: Broncolor vs. Profoto


As Profoto and Broncolor battle for supremacy in the high-end studio flash world, things are getting all like, "Rawrrr, nice sweater. Does it come in your size?"

And just like Lexus and Infinity luxury car ads, they each want to point out their being better in some measurable way. Witness this Broncolor-produced "real-world shootout"… Read more »

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Brad Trent's In-Camera Digital Man

I didn't see this on Damn Ugly Photography (sorry Brad) until it was picked up by the Profoto blog, in itself a Damn Good Blog. (Especially when you consider it is run by a buncha tie-wearin' corporate weenies…)

Brad Trent's "Digital Man" was created in-camera with a mix of surprisingly simple lighting, some crucial on-axis fill … and a $10,000 light mod. Definitely worth a few minutes of lost cubicle productivity on a Wednesday.

:: Brad Trent's $10K Digital Man ::
and...
:: How To Do This for Less Than $10k ::

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Monday, December 12, 2011

Rewind The Flash Bus: Now on Video

Above: Flash Bus Busted, Phoenix, AZ

This spring, for reasons still largely unknown to the logical side of my brain, I signed on to a 42-day, 12,531 mile road trip.

It was not a decision taken lightly. On the one hand, we'd be getting up at oh-dark-thirty every morning after sleeping in a coffin-sized bunk on a moving bus. On the other hand, I'd get to hang out up-close-and-personal with one of the true legends of the photographic community. I am speaking of course of McNally's first assistant, Drew Gurian.

On April 6th, we pulled into the Pennsylvania Convention center in Philadelphia. By then we pretty much had our stuff together, and the bad jokes weren't getting any better. So we figured we should film it. Read more »

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Q&A: Controlling the Sun When Using Flash - A Comparative Guide

After Monday's post lighting a soccer player into the sun at a wide aperture, several questions came up via comments and Twitter about the relative benefits of doing this in different ways.

Yes, there are different ways to do it -- namely ND, high-speed sync and special-chip cameras. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. The full how-to and scorecard, inside. Read more »

Read Strobist on Google Currents

With a dozen SB's and a shoe box full of AA's, Strobist is all about being mobile. Google has just launched their answer to Flipboard, and for those of you mobile readers who choose to download the app, the site is available on that platform.

The app is free for iOS or Android users, and you can download it here.

Once installed, hit the magnifying glass search icon at the bottom right of the app and search "strobist". It is only US on launch, but that should change soon enough.

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Monday, December 5, 2011

On Assignment: Soccer Through Sunset


Any time I am shooting an outside portrait and the start time is up to me, I am for an hour before sunset. The reason is simple: You know the light is gonna just get better and better until it is time to wrap it up.

That's exactly how it was with a shoot last week of local soccer standout Zach Johnson. But this time we veered away from the normal afternoon/sunset game plan a little. Read more »

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Speedlinks: 'The Office' Edition


I'm still an old-school guy when it comes to developing projects. I like to keep my ideas on physical surfaces. And without whiteboards in The Cave, we revert to stickies. Like, everywhere.

Today's speedlinks are office-themed; one an actual shoot-in-a-boring-office solution and another to show what can be done with … a lot of stickies. Read more »

Monday, November 28, 2011

Dean Bradshaw: Putting the Pieces Together

Photos © Dean Bradshaw

"Photography has taken me to some amazing places and allowed me to meet people I would never have had the opportunity to otherwise meet," says Aussie transplant Dean Bradshaw, who now works in Southern California. "For me it has been a lifestyle and a way of interacting with the world more than just something I do to pay the bills."

Bradshaw said that he likes to think of photography as the intersection between art and real life. But that intersection doesn't always happen spontaneously. Usually it takes perseverance, serendipity, bootstrapping and an ability to pre-visualize the pieces of a photo before they ever comes together.

Case in point, the process of creating the image of a San Diego breakdancer, above. Read more »

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Giving Back With Your Camera


It's Thanksgiving, a day when many people in the US will eat way too much food and then collapse on the couch to watch the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers on the teevee. (Heh.)

But thoughts of giving thanks often prompt thoughts of giving back. And there is a lot of collective talent among the readers of this site. So today, a bit of an open thread on ideas for giving back with your camera.

I'll start off with a few specific suggestions from my own experience, but I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Read more »

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Parabolic Activity



Ever have a problem with onlookers nosey-ing around on a shoot?

Photographer Radu Dumitrescu (that's his voice on the tape) was shooting in an abandoned house in Bucharest, Romania when a couple of intrepid guys noticed flashing lights inside the house and decided to investigate. When they raised their cell phones to capture hard proof of the afterlife, Radu laid down on the remote trigger and gave them a show.

They only got one reaction on tape, but Radu said the guys repeatedly came back to the house only to be scared back off again by the flashes. Anyone who can have this much fun with a flash trigger is truly a man after my own heart.

-30-

Monday, November 21, 2011

Learning to See Light


As photographers, we are pretty intuitive about recognizing interesting ambient light when we see it. But stick a flash and umbrella in our hands and we tend to default to much more standard styles of lighting -- especially at first.

In the real world, great light rarely comes from 45 degrees up and to the side. So if you want to be able to create more interesting light with your flashes, you should work to better recognize how ambient really works. This way, you can recreate those different looks when you are in control of the light. Read more »

Friday, November 18, 2011

Sony Users Finally Get Some Remote Trigger Love

I don't do a lot of reviews or gear announcements on this site, but I think the Sony version of the Strato II is notable just for the frustrating gap it fills for Sony users.

Sony's deciding to go with perpetuate Minolta's nonstandard hot shoe after purchasing the company has always left me scratching my head a little. As a result, there has been precious little third party gear support for plug-and-play off-camera lighting.

That just changed with the release of the Sony-specific version of the Phottix Strato II Multi remotes. By all accounts the standard hot shoe version of the remote is a decent performer, which bodes well for these units.

If you are a Sony user, hit the jump for specs and links. Read more »

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Bucket List: A Visit to San Francisco and TWiT


This week I enjoyed my first-ever visit to the city of San Francisco, which is truly an amazing place. On the agenda was lots of hiking, plus trips to Google and Flickr. But I also traveled north to the picture-perfect small town of Petaluma, home of This Week in Tech.

I drove up there on Tuesday to appear on the TWiT Photo show. For those who missed it live (sadly, also missing the chance to heckle via the live chat room, heh) the archived video is after the jump. Read more »

Monday, November 14, 2011

Christian Colberg's Orchestrated Coworker Portraits


If you get the chance to visit Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore, take a moment to view the collection of portraits of BSO musicians on the wall. (Pictured above is violinist Yasouki Tanaka.)

The photos were done by one of their own, violist Christian Colberg. Shot with minimalist gear over the course of a summer, the project is a template for any amateur photographer with a day job doing something else. In other words, this is what can what can happen when you allow your vocation and your avocation to cross-pollinate. Read more »

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Nick Fancher: Run-and-Gun with Hard Lights



Columbus, Ohio-based photographer Nick Fancher shoots for JackThreads, which means manic spurts of product, apparel and shoe photos. To that end he shoots guerilla-style, scrounging multiple locations and setups on the quick.

Which is no problem, as he travels light with RadioPoppers and speedlights, preferring to work without modifiers. This means he can light at modest ranges and easily match or overpower the sun as needed.

Check out the vid above, in which we follow Nick through a typical multi-product day of shooting. Neat stuff -- I like the multi hard-light look. He tends to crank the flashes to 105mm for extra punch, which also restricts the beam for a cool fall-off.

And if the name sounds familiar, Nick was featured a little ways back for his Mad Men-themed engagement shoot. If you haven't seen that, it's worth a look.

(Thanks, Mark!)

-30-

Monday, November 7, 2011

A Flash of Inspiration: The Accidental Backlight


Strobist reader Philip Rasmusson, from Göteborg, Sweden sent me the above photo, along with a tweet asking:

"This totally happened by accident, with someone else's flash going off in the back. What do you think?"

Well, I can tell what you think, Philip. I think you like it, 'cause you were happy to claim it and stick a logo up on it. (Smart man.)

And any time a happy accident like this happens, bells should go off in your head. In particular, I can think of at least 5 bells going off right now… Read more »

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Heinz Maier's Insanely Beautiful Water Droplets


For those of you who like to tinker around with the art of water droplet photography, the bar has just been raised. Significantly.

Using the hydraulic setup you see above, German photographer Heinz Maier captures the tiny slices of time in which multiple drops of falling water interact with each other.

The lighting tools, which are not shown here, are very simple: a small DIY cardboard softbox with two flashes (cutting the already fast t.1 times in half) some sample gels (complete with spindle holes, no less) and a lot of creative thinking.

The results look like complex glass sculptures… Read more »

Monday, October 31, 2011

Boot Camp III Assignment #4: Results

Results from Boot Camp III, Assignment #4, in which you were asked to create a "36 Hours In…" style travel package about a place near you.

This was a more demanding assignment than the first three (which is why it was saved for last) and that really showed in the number of entrants. To those who completed the shoot, congrats. And I hope that you learned more about your own turf by looking at it through the eyes of a potential visitor… Read more »

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Imitate, then Innovate


Brownie points to whoever can name the (very famous) artist who created the painting above. Extra bonus points if you can say why it is relevant to how smart photographers can learn their craft. Read more »

My Favorite Portable Background Stand is On Sale

Just a quick heads-up to anyone looking for a portable-but-sturdy BG stand/crossbar setup on a budget: LumoPro is doing an instant rebate on their MF613 background kit. A good deal at $150, the rebate takes it to $125.

Mine sees near constant use (in several different ways) and has held up great. The rigid crossbar can be used in 2, 3 or 4 sections. Above, it is set up 3-wide to support a queen-sized diffusion sheet.

Almost all of LumoPro's grip gear is on instant rebate through October 31st. The background stand kit is about 2/3 of the way down on the list, here.

-30-

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Backsplash on a Budget: Jaroslav Wieczorkiewicz' Water Angel


The best compliment I can give to a photo is to think of it as a "stopper," meaning that it absolutely demands your full attention when you first see it.

A couple weeks ago I made a quick trip to London to serve as a lighting consultant on a very cool photo project (more on that later). While there, I worked alongside Polish photographer Jaroslav Wieczorkiewicz -- not even realizing at first that he had been the one who shot the last "stopper" I had seen.

And even better, he did it with a minimum of gear and buckets full of creativity. Read more »

Friday, October 21, 2011

What White Balance for Flash Photography?

Strobist reader Gabriel Bratescu, of Bucharest, Romania, asks:

"What white balance setting do you use when you shoot with 1/4 CTO filter, flash or sunny? I find that my indoor pictures that I shoot with Flash WB tend to be a little to warm so I shoot with flash but with Sunny WB."

Great question Gabriel, and the answer comes down to global color control vs. selective color control. Read more »

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

BrakhaX2: Sketchy Mondays X 52



So, remember the Sketchy Mondays project, by father/son team Moshe and Eddie Brakha?

A refresher: Totally self-generated, no-boundary work done every Monday by an A-List commercial studio. Just for the creative spark; just for the hell of it. All of this done with a DSLR and few complementary-gelled hot lights. (Yeah, I know it's not strobe. Just go with it.)

Check out what happens when you say, "What the hell, let's just shoot something cool on our own, every single week," by scrolling through a few pages on the Sketchy Mondays website. Awesome stuff.

-30-

Monday, October 17, 2011

Emily Knudsen's Baby Veggies

©Emily Knudsen

By David Poller -- As a Boston-based commercial food photographer, Emily Knudsen likes to make sure the groceries are the star of the show. But for a class assignment while still a student at the Hallmark Institute of Photography, bright and silvery metal was on the menu. Her task was to shoot a shiny metal subject so the light would flatter and define, not distract and overwhelm. 

"No reflections," she was told. And while technically photography depends on light reflecting off something, the point was to shoot a highly reflective metal subject without having the light source show up on the subject as harsh highlights. In essence, the assignment was about controlling specular highlights. Read more »

Thursday, October 13, 2011

On Assignment: Theresa Daytner, Pt. 2


Having shot the section front photo of Daytner out in the lobby, we quick-walked the lights into her office area. Working from the back and by swapping just one light mod, we were able to get something pretty different for the inside pages. Read more »

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Learn Core JAVA in Easy Steps [Page 5]





Conditional Constructs :-

  1. Switch
  2. If
  3. If Else
  4. If Else If ladder
  5. nested If

Looping :-
  1. While
  2. Do While
  3. For
  4. For each





--> Switch :=
switch(expression){
case 1:
statements;break;
case 2:
statements;break;
.... 
default:
statements;
}





--> If :=
if(condition){
statements;
}

--> If Else :=
if(condition)
{}
else
{}

--> If - Else - If :=
if(){

}else if(){

}else{

}

--> Nested If :=
if(){
if()
{}
}

--> While :=
while(condition){
}

--> Do While :=
do{}while(condition)
--> For :=
for(start, end, condition){} 

--> For Each :=
for(String Devharsh:array)
System.out.println(Devharsh);

Learn Core JAVA in Easy Steps [Page 4]





Operators:

1. Arithmetic
 - Assignment
 - Increment
 - Decrement

2. Relational
 - Boolean

3. Logical
 - Short Circuit
 - Long Circuit


PriorityOperatorsOperationAssociativity
1[ ]array indexleft
()method call
.member access
2++pre- or postfix incrementright
--pre- or postfix decrement
+ -unary plus, minus
~bitwise NOT
!boolean (logical) NOT
(type)type cast
newobject creation
3* / %multiplication, division, remainderleft
4+ -addition, substractionleft
+string concatenation
5<<signed bit shift leftleft
>>signed bit shift right
>>>unsigned bit shift right
6< <=less than, less than or equal toleft
> >=greater than, greater than or equal to
instanceofreference test
7==equal toleft
!=not equal to
8&bitwise ANDleft
& boolean (logical) AND
9^bitwise XORleft
^ boolean (logical) XOR
10|bitwise ORleft
| boolean (logical) OR
11&&boolean (logical) ANDleft
12||boolean (logical) ORleft
13? :conditionalright
14=assignmentright
*= /= += -= %=
<<= >>= >>>=
&= ^= |=
combinated assignment
(operation and assignment)



Tuesday, October 11, 2011

remedies to prevent the common cold



Ayurvedic remedies to prevent the common cold and relieve symptoms?

The ayurvedic approach to preventing illnesses is by building up the immune system and toning the body to withstand viral attacks. The following remedies not only help to prevent catching a cold but also help in relieving symptoms naturally if you already have a cold.
  • Every morning make a drink consisting of a cup of warm water mixed with the juice of half a lemon and a spoonful of honey.
  • Amla fruit is known to have a very high vitamin C content and regular use builds up the body's immunity. Amalaki capsules or Triphala capsules taken daily rejuvenate and build up the body's defences against illnesses and infections. Another well known ayurvedic herb for colds is Vasaka
  • Chyawanprash is the best known ayurvedic remedy to build immunity and prevent colds. Made of a 5000 year old formula this remedy contains over 40 herbs in an amla base. A tablespoon everyday helps maintain optimum health especially during the winter months
  • If you have a cough, take a spoonful of honey every night. It has been found that honey has the same cough suppressing properties as dextromethorphan - the chemical ingredient found in cough medicines to suppress cough. While coughing is the body's natural mechanism to remove phlegm, taking honey at night helps to relieve coughing and allow a restful night's sleep
  • Make a warm tea by adding ginger, crushed cardamom, crushed black pepper, cinnamon powder and sugar. Boil and strain the mixture. This drink will instantly help to open nasal passages, relieve sinus pressure and soothe the throat
  • Gargle with warm water every day.
  • Use a neti pot to drain and moisten nasal passages
  • Inhale warm vapors by adding a tablespoon of carom seeds in a pot and allowing the water to steam. Put a towel over your head while inhaling.
  • Applying a small amount of amrutanjan to the forehead and nose will instantly give relief when you have a blocked nose or headache.
  • Avoid cold dairy products such as yogurt and ice cream
  • Avoid fans blowing at your face
  • Take warm showers. The vapors will moisten nasal and throat passages.
  • Drink plenty of warm water and herbal teas


Herbal remedies for Common Cold


Vasaka

Helps in relieving coldsHimalaya Herbals Vasaka
Septilin

Prevents and fights infectionsHimalaya Herbals Septilin
Chyawanprash

Builds immunity, prevents coldsDabur Chyawanprash



Monday, October 10, 2011

On Assignment: Theresa Daytner, Pt. 1


For a long time, business portraits have been my bread and butter. Specifically, run-and-gun, no-assistant, modest-amount-of-gear biz portraits.

The editorial clients I have do not have a ton of budget. Thus, my goal is to work efficiently and still produce something that works well for the publication.

A good recent example was an assignment to photograph Theresa Daytner, a local entrepreneur who is a national rising star in the field of construction. It's a typical enough job to where I thought it would make a good example for a 360-degree look at the process. Read more »

Hair Color Styles At Home

Get Rich Quick: In the new economy, highlights are out and single-process color is back with bold, shiny shades that won't break the bank.


Into the Woods
Looking forward to fall's golden, crimson, and russet hues, stylist Thomas Hintermeier thinks the best single-process shades mimic nature. For brunettes wanting more drama, he suggests adding a warm auburn tone: "When you go in the sunlight, you'll have a vibrant red shimmer."


Smashing Pumpkin
The longer your hair, the more weathered the ends are. By adding pigment (instead of bleaching it out), a single process smooths damaged cuticles so hair seems shinier and healthier. But steer clear of burgundy, says Hintermeier. "Bluish-red hair doesn't exist in nature—try gold undertones instead."

Haute Chocolate
Sixty-four percent of Canadians prefer dark hair, according to the Dove study. However, if your real hair color is a distant memory, Hintermeier suggests using your skin tone as a guide: "The deeper your complexion, the darker you can go. Whether you want something natural or dramatic, highlights aren't the only option anymore."

Gold Digging
According to a recent Dove Global Hair Study, more than half of American women believe blonde is more beautiful. But liquid alchemy is high maintenance. Hintermeier suggests an allover sandy-beige tone to blend in old highlights and breathe new life into washed-out shades: "You can't always highlight, because you'll end up with white hair."

Almond Joy
Highlight junkies afraid of losing their sun-kissed sparkle shouldn't worry. "Your hair always has different shades because the sun naturally makes it lighter on top. Single-process color looks darker or lighter depending on the tone underneath, so you'll keep a nice shadowing," assures Hintermeier.

Long Hairstyles for Upcoming year 2010

Girls nowadays have been so fashionable with their hair styles, I hope these teen hairstyles can give you some ideas .

by the way some of the hair styles are for celebrity hairstyle , the hair styles are : straight, curly, layered,long hair,bangs,bouffant ponytail
Vanessa-Hudgens Hairstyle




bouffant ponytail

Ponytail Hairstyle

Vanessa Hudgens long layered Hairstyles

Latest Party Updo Hairstyles

Create a French Twist
What you need: Volumizing spray, comb, small U-shaped hairpins, bobby pins, maximum-hold hair spray.
How to Get the Look
Step 1: Spritz the hair with volumizer. Use a comb to part the hair across the back of the head, from ear to ear. Gather the top section of hair at the crown, twist it one time, and secure with hairpins.

Step 2: Gather the bottom section of the hair at the nape of the neck. Twist it in a column upward, so that the ends stick up.

Step 3: Grasp the column of hair and tuck it underneath itself in the direction of the twist. Secure the hair along the twist with bobby pins. Finish with a misting of hair spray.
French Twist Updo Hairstyle



Create a Double Bun
Best for: Hair that is medium to long and one length or with long layers. All textures.
What you need: Smoothing serum, comb, brush, elastics, hairpins.
How to Get the Look
Step 1: Apply smoothing serum to damp hair and blow-dry straight. Use a comb to part the hair across the back of the head. Brush the top section back into a ponytail at the crown and secure with an elastic. Brush the bottom section into a ponytail at the nape and secure.

Step 2: Twist the top ponytail several times and secure it with hairpins to one side of the bottom elastic.

Step 3: Do the same with the bottom ponytail, twisting it and pinning it in place on the opposite side of the top elastic. Pin the hair against the scalp so that it looks like one uniform bun.
Gorgeous Double Bun Hairstyle


Create a Cascade
Best for: Medium to long hair that is one length or layered. All textures.
What you need: Texturizing spray, one large elastic, large bobby pins.
How to Get the Look
Step 1: Spritz damp hair with texturizing spray and let air-dry. Gather the hair loosely into a ponytail at the crown. Don’t pull too tight; you want the natural texture to show. Secure with an elastic.

Step 2: Grab a one-inch section of the ponytail. Create a loop with the section by bringing the ends up to the scalp and securing with a bobby pin. Repeat until all the hair has been looped.

Step 3: To frame your face, gently pull out a few tendrils. If you have bangs, let them hang loose.
Everlasting Cascade Hairstyle


Create a Side-Swept Chignon
Best for: Medium to long hair of one length. All textures.
What you need: Comb, brush, elastic, hairpins, maximum-hold hair spray.
How to Get the Look
Step 1: Make a side part with a comb. Brush the hair into a low ponytail on the same side as the part.

Step 2: Secure the ponytail behind your ear with an elastic. Twist the ponytail until it begins to coil around on itself. Secure the coil around the elastic with hairpins.

Step 3: If any front pieces come loose or you have bangs, sweep them to the side opposite the coil. Spritz the entire style with hair spray


Create a Messy Bun
Best for: Curly or wavy hair of all lengths, with or without layers.
What you need: Texturizing spray, an elastic, bobby pins.
How to Get the Look
Step 1: Spray wet hair with texturizing spray and scrunch. Allow to air-dry, or blow-dry with a diffuser to bring out the waves.

Step 2: Gather the hair into a ponytail just below the crown. Secure with an elastic. Don’t worry if short pieces around the face come loose.

Step 3: Split the ponytail into three sections. Working section by section, twist the hair and pin it to the scalp near the elastic. Let the ends stick up.
Messy Bun hairstyle

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