Rediscovery

Since moving into my new home, I've been rediscovering lenses I don't often use anymore. This one, for example, is my Sigma 50mm dedicated macro lens.

The subject of course is my Roughneck Monitor, Argo. He was basking in the sun and kind enough to smile for me.

I had the lens set for f/8, but could have used f/11 or probably even f/16, but I was handholding it and didn't want to bump the ISO higher than it already was.

Anyway, this is straight from the camera, no adjustments.

Of Fog and Macros

Still on my journey with the Macro lens. I'm shooting every day, even if I post nothing worthwhile. 

This morning, we had ice rain. This afternoon, heavy fog. I deliberately amped up the ISO in this shot to increase the noise so that it might add to the fog effect. I would have tried this shot with my 17-35mm and come away disappointed, I think, so in a way trying landscape work with a prime went rather well.

Oh and tomorrow? More ice scheduled. Go figure.

More Macro Work

Okay, so I goofed. I meant to bring my camera to work this morning, and with all the other stuff I had to bring, I forgot. But rather than skipping out, I shot one more Macro event for your viewing pleasure. The following image is intentionally overexposed. Continuing with the single light setup I cranked up the power to 100%, set my aperture to 11, ISO to 100, and a custom white balance of 3000k for a light blue tint. Then ensuring the framing is correct, I poured apple juice into the glass, and used a remote trigger to freeze the action with 1/250th of a second for the shutter speed.

The idea is hardly unique, but without a helper, I had to shoot at this angle. What I'd like to do, which requires two people, is angle the glass at about 30 degrees to really get the water splash curve up and over the glass. Then get down on the level of the glass, parallel with the lip, and shoot.

When I get a helper for this shot, I'll give it a swing. Until then, enjoy!

Macro and Light Work

So, getting a headstart on staying on top of my goal of shooting daily, I pulled out a set of cheap wine glasses and I used only one light, trying to give them depth and direction. The first shot was converted to Black and White (which made almost no difference, but I'm throwing that out there) and the second one was shot with a blue filter over the single light, which was set at 45 degrees to the subject matter. I set my Aperture to 11, ISO 100, Shutter speed for the Black and White was  3 seconds, and on the blue one, 1/250th of a second (I tripped the flash.)

With a single light, you can create dynamic lighting, and while the subject here is rather simplistic, I want to explore this option more with a person, I think that could create some great images.

A Month of Macros, Catching Up

Okay, so the "severe fog warning" was a bust. I was up in time for it, there just wasn't any. What we did have was rain, which effects thereof can be interesting to shoot, but given I wasn't feeling all that swift this morning, I decided against. What I did do instead, was work with some more controlled lighting, and my ever growing collection of ties.

While my job allows casual dress, and indeed almost demands it, my last job was three piece suit and tie affair, and so I have a large collection of ties. Arranging them to be interesting, however, much much more challenging that I was expecting, and in the end, I don't think I pulled it off. The settings were the same as the miniature work from the other day, with the exception of different colour background. In any case, I'll let you be the judge. Tomorrow is the start of a full work week, and I will be shooting some detail from the city.

New Project: One Lens a Month

Every photographer, at one point in time in their life, collects too many lenses. I get it, we all love new gear, whether it's the online steal we couldn't pass up, or the hidden gem found at a thrift store, we accumulate gear like it's going out of style.

The trick with all of this gear, is using it. Sometimes it gets used once or twice and set back in the closet, forgotten, other times, it becomes our go-to lens. In this series, I want to use only one lens for the entire month. In this case, for January, I'm going to use my Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Dedicated Macro.

I've mentioned the lens on this journal before, and the issues with working with Macro lenses, but as a quick recap, they have very narrow Depths of Field, and do not tolerate sloppy handling. I'm going to try to post a picture a day show with my macro lens. The astute of you will notice it's already the 3rd of January. Yeah so I'm a little late on this. So here's two shots to get things going. 

This Sea Creature was a local hobby store close-out, I think I paid 2$ for it. I wasn't sure what to paint it, so I went with underwater type scheme. I'm not a fast painter, nor an especially good one, so it took me some months to get it to this state. 

The background was an ordinary 12"x12" scrapbook sheet, taped to my desk, two strobe lights, at half power, at 45 degree angles from the figure, and my Nikon D2x. F/10 and 1/250th of a second for the shutter speed. No other adjustments, pre- or post-, were made. In other words, straight from the camera.

This Minotaur is a work in progress so forgive the sloppy painting. All the settings listed above, were duplicated here. The figure is from a company called "Reaper Minis" and this is from their "Bones" line. They are truly affordable (he was 3$) and nicely detailed, but made of some of the most infuriating material I have ever seen disgrace a miniature. It's a weird mixture of recycled plastic and...well..rubber as near as I can tell. As such, any paint has issues sticking to the material and either becomes tacky and never dries right, or glosses up and pools, sliding right off the surface. Scrubbing them (I bought more) with soap and water (or Simple Green) made little, if any, difference. Even primer had issues, but in the end, I found a very good primer that is airbrush-ready (I'm using my airbrush on a red dragon.)
In any event, I chose the Macro lens because it's both a great Macro lens, and a fantastic (if a few stops slower) 50mm normal, or prime, lens. So while I am re-acquainting myself with Macro work, I can always use it as a normal lens. I just heard on the radio it's supposed to be foggy tomorrow morning. If I can get my carcass out of bed in time to catch it, that will be the next set of images.
Stay tuned! 

Bringing Out The Best

Same white flowers, adjusted in post to bring out the browns. I think the spots really add something to the image, in the prior shot of the single flower, you could just make out some pale yellow dots, but here the flowers really stand out.

Isolation or Purity?

White. A symbol of purity, both in body, and spirit. Singular, a sense of isolation, or completion?

Again, not sure what the flower is, but I have a huge clump of them and isolating one was difficult.

Man's Duality

Good. Evil. Light. Darkness. Two sides of the same coin? Perhaps, perhaps not. But overwrought prose aside, here are two of the same (I think) purple flowers. I like how they are slightly facing away from each other, as if they were lovers having a disagreement.

In Full Bloom

Yes, I've been remiss in my photographic duties. Not only have I not done any concert work lately (on account of the main heavy metal venue shutting down) but I've done little else as well. Blame it on job hunting (got a new job, much better place, more money, nicer people, better benefits, etc etc etc) and recovering from a flu.

But excuses are not images and so on this sunny warm weekend, I have re-acquainted myself with my camera (Nikon D2x) a Macro lens (50mm dedicated) and the local flowers in my backyard.

Here is a trinity of....well purple flowers. The amount of knowledge I have on plants would fit inside a thimble, and have room to spare for your thumb. So, it's a purple trinity of flowers.

Caption Contest

So I have a new snake, a Solomons Island Tree Boa, whom I have named Linus (on account of the fact she had a death grip on the wood branch when I bought her, and she wouldn't let go.)

Well Linus has been picky about food, so I bought an Anole for her to eat. At first, the Anole was scared and wouldn't go near Linus, and vice versa (dumb snake.)

One morning after switching on the lights, I was greeted with this. Brilliant, my snake isn't eatting the food I bought for her.
But the pose was too cute to pass up, and on a reptile forum (vaherps.com) I asked for a caption to go with this. Here is the winning caption, as posted by forum member Shanna.
"Anole: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when my fear is gone I will turn and face fear's path, and only I will remain."

My Best Side

Tried again with the Green Tree Python. A little more co-operative here, but only a little.

Cute guy, wish he stayed that colour.

Nikon D2x, 50mm Sigma Macro, SB-600 Flashgun

Chapter 9

Too rapidly to see, Radu thrust Mjolnir deep into Ninja.

"Aieeeee!" yelled Ninja

"When will your kind learn," asked Radu, "you cannot defeat me. No mortal on this planet can."

Ninja lay silent on the ground, still forever more.

"Now, "said Radu, dusting off his hands, "where is that pesky Werewolf you travel with?"

Ninja said nothing, the wind whispering through the trees was the only reply.

Chapter 8

"Here I am Ninja," whispered Radu.

Ninja paled beneath his armour, the fiend was so fast, he'd never seen any creature move like that. In one split second, Ninja knew he'd made a final, and fatal mistake.

"No!" shouted Ninja.

"Yes." spat Radu.

Chapter 7

Ninja landed on the wall, ready to send another blow to the vampire (as Ninjas are often wont to do) but suddenly, Radu was gone!

Ninja looked around, where could Radu have gone?

Chapter 5

"Foolish Ninja," said Radu, squaring off with his opponent, "I have lived for thousands of years, do you really think you could stand against me? Your mighty master thought the same, and now his bones lay bleaching in the cursed Sun. His students thought to sneak upon me and attack en masse, and their doom was their only fate!"

"You talk too much," said Ninja.

Chapter 4

"Then prepare to taste my blade!" hissed Radu, as he thrust Mjolnir at Ninja.

Ninja blocked Radu's strike easily, "You are too slow fiend! The Sun makes you weak! You will never survive out here!"

Chapter 3

Suddenly, the Ninja sprang up to face Radu.

"Here I am!" Ninja shouted, "Face me you terrible spirit!"

Radu, hand still shielding his eyes from the glare, turned and looked at Ninja, eyes narrowing and wings folding forward.

"You have taken my most valued possession Ninja," hissed Radu, "hand it over and walk away, while you still can."

"Never!" shouted Ninja.

Chapter 2

Radu looked, but could not find the Ninja.

"Curses! They are too stealthy, I shall never find my possession!" lamented Radu.

He looked and looked, but could see nothing in the bright Sun. But Radu had a feeling the Ninja was near.

Chapter 1

Radu was awoken by a disturbance in his chambers. He sat up, and looked around. Something was missing. The Ninja had stolen his prized possession! He lept out and frantically began to search for the Ninja.

"Ah! Curse this bright Sun! I am weak!"