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Week Ender 91
One of Canon USA’s Explorer of Light, Stephen Wilkes finished a project called NYC Day to Night. Photographer Wilkes stayed put in one location for hours to shoot the frames needed to do a proper composite of New York city turning, well, from day to night. Looks and sounds easy but imagine the hours and hours of shooting and then shifting through hundreds of frames of photos just to choose the proper exposure for 1 composite image.
As Wilkes puts it: “I imagined changing time in a single photograph. Using this new technology, I’ve been able to express this fascination through a new series of photographs: “Day to Night”. I photograph from a fixed camera angle continuously for up to 15 hours, throughout the “Day to Night”. A select group of images are then digitally blended into one photograph, capturing the changing of time in a single frame.” -from Gizmodo.
The photographs will be on view in New York City’s Clamp Art Gallery from September 8th to October 29th.
Good stuff! Go to Stephen Wilkes site and head on over to the fine art link for more of Day to Night and other beautiful photographs, particularly like his China-Old and New series.
Times Square by Stephen WIlkes
Park Avenue by Stephen Wilkes
Update: August 10, 2011
From forums around the web Lion looks like it is creating much trouble for some folks. I have not upgraded yet and yes, work files are all backed up twice over. I just don’t want to be on the other end of unnecessary Apple trouble. The best way to avoid the ongoing Lion upgrade fiasco is to wait and see if Apple does anything. By far the worst problems I’ve read are the SMART errors on hard drives that many Mac users are getting before even installing Lion.
More links for your reading pleasure.
- SMART error-Apple support forums
- Michael Willems- Is Lion Really A Chihuahau?
- Lion Recovery Disk Assistant
Week Ender 88
Roar… Mac OS X Lion 10.7.0 has finally been released. Since July 20 it has already sold over 1 million copies and one of the biggest upgrades for Mac users. Is it worth the trouble of downloading a 3.5 GB file from the App store at USD39.99 (PHP1720.00) with some third-party software compatability is still question?
Based on many reviews already populating the net, Lion, is a good but not a necessary update. Photographers running on Snow Leopard with hundred if not thousands of dollars worth of post processing software should have a look first if installed software are compatible. On a personal note, can not imagine the mess an update like this would do to a photography work flow with incompatible software installed. Though it is safe to assume that all major software giants have updated their software with downloadable packs waiting a few weeks for bug fixes isn’t a bad idea. Adobe has already updated CS5 (an easy to do update that was under 3 hours for me). Canon DSLR and related software also works with the Lion. If your Mac purchase was after June 6, 2011 you are eliggable for a free upgrade to Lion with OS X Lion Up to Date program.
A compilation of links below to make sure that you have updated all software before upgrade to Lion.
- Apple: How to upgrade
- Adobe
- Bootable copy DVD
- Bootable copy USB
- Canon DSLR
- Canon Australia
- Canon Printers
- DxO Labs
- List from Go-DSLR.com
- List from Photographybay.com
- Mac Rumors
- Nikon
- Photomatix
- Rob Galbraith: Canon Testing Software For Lion
- Various Printers
The best way to ensure a painless upgrade to roar… Lion would be to first update whatever software you have. If you don’t want to download, Apple will be releasing a flash drive version of Lion for US$69.99 in the coming months.
Week Ender 87
The timelapse of Polish photographer Patryk Kizny at LookyCreative features his work in a compilation, Timelapse Cinematography Showreel.
Not very often do you see smooth movement of the camera in timelapse aided by some type of mechanical boom. The editing can only be done with hours and hours (understatment-of course) of photos. Look closely and there are parts that have a subtle HDR treatment. Maybe some of his mastery will rub off on me. These timelapse vids are tedious to work on having tried a few times.
In Mr. Kinzy’s Showreel there are snippets of gear being used inserted throughout the timelapse. Take a look and head on over to his site for the full version of each video.
Cebu City, Philippines
Built in 1972, the Cebu Taoist Temple is inside the Beverly Hills Subdivision. It was built by Cebu’s wealthy Chinese community at a time when temples were non existent. The temple holds several deities in multi-level Chinese style architecture within the vast compound. As the photos are proof, the temple is as colorful and clean as it can get. Much of the Chinese temples in Manila are the exact opposite.
The Taoist temple is open to worshipers and non-worshipers alike but must abide by a set of rules. Silence is definitely on the top of the list and photography is only allowed on the exterior but not inside the temple. Even the finer details near the doors and roof details are off limits to shutterbugs. For kids who like to side step the rules there are security guards around the premises who will whisper the rules.
The images below were shot handheld in a drizzle. 3 different exposures were captured as the sky was a washed out white with 1 exposure. So, to keep things short, all the RAW files were thrown into Photomatix and batch processed for good measure.
The entrance way to the temple. No cars ares allowed inside.
The grand view of the Taoist temple emerging from the entry way.
The main building. There were more tourist than worshipers that day.
The main building's front view. Remember, follow the rules: silence and only exterior photography.
Details
A view of Cebu City from 300 meters above sea level.
Shooting a photographer shooting the Taoist temple
The temple is not accessible by foot-rent a car or hire a cab. Make sure the driver waits until you finish or it'll be a long walk down.
Impromptu Event Shoot
It just happened. No advance booking or details. Came home to the tune of 200 images with a stomach full of good food.
The Atrium is beautifully lit but a disaster to DSLR white balance. Flash was used on most of the photos (except the 1st and last 2) and had to be off camera for a bit of directional lighting. No flash diffusers were used. Exif details: Canon EOS 7D+Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM+Speedlite 580 EX II on slave mode. For ultra wide angle lenses it is better to use off camera remote flash. Just be creative with your hands and don’t forget to bring a tripod.
8000+ is the number of shots I’ve been editing and post processing lately. Most of you will probably have noticed the last post was end of June. Yes, even using power tools like Aperture, Lightroom, DXo and CS5 takes a fair bit of time. Good thing all the shots were combos of events, products and portraits.
In light of the situation Here is a preview of the contents in my gear bag in the x-ray machine at a hotel that will go nameless. The security guys were nice enough to let me put the bag through the conveyor a second time to get a shot.
Click for larger nakedness
Maybe a write up of my workflow in the future. Anyone interested? In between processing images and getting bug eyed there is a pretty good line up of posts for the coming few weeks. The photos are ready but the write ups will have to wait for that break in time. Stay tuned and see you around.
It’s now back to post processing.
3 Landscapes and 1 Hour To Go
Tonight, June 16, 2011 at about 1:30 AM the total lunar eclipse will begin and last till 7AM. According to one blog at about 3-4AM the moon will turn red with the eclipse maximum at 4AM. It will be a long clear night for some photography however the weather bureau is reporting that a low pressure off Palawan is expecting to bring clouds and rain shower. Well, anything can happen over these skies and it is clear as day outside with the bright full moon shinning up high surrounded by twinkling little stars.
Shooting for the past 3 nights has brought beautiful landscape shots. Each of the photos captured on June 15, 14 and 13 respectively. Yes, the 3rd shot isn’t a moon scape but it was too good to pass up. Last nights moon was the most mystical with that halo. Knowing nothing of astronomy only a guess and some googling tells me the moon is reflecting off the suns gases or something to that effect. Anyone shed some light?
Unlike a solar eclipse a lunar eclipse is safe to watch and will not do any damage to a digital camera’s sensor. No filters required, mount DSLR on tripod and just point up at the moon. Set aperture at f/7.1 and shutter speed at 1/125. Adjust shutter speed after test shots and the moon should be pretty evenly exposed. Remember the moon is pretty much like shooting the sun. Use a slow shutter speed and the moon will be over exposed.
We will try to stay up to photograph as much of the lunar eclipse as possible. See you all at breakfast. *yawn*
The Streets of Hong Kong
All photos shot in the Causeway Bay area of Hong Kong Island.
