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@SRR wrote:
He hit the border this morning and will probably be within the shit of PAP before you know it.
So he’s doing well.
Thanks SRR good to know he’s still doing his thing!
If you’re able to see if you can’t persuade him to indulge us all here with some on the ground observations and info.
Very best,
StivHe’s been busy:
http://www.nickwhalen.wordpress.com
Contact info there. See if you can’t get him to do a PB’s feature.
@SRR wrote:
He’s been busy:
http://www.nickwhalen.wordpress.com
Contact info there. See if you can’t get him to do a PB’s feature.
Yeah I’ll see what I can do…though it seems like he may have forgotten us here.
It’s great stuff but the boy needs a photoshop tutorial…. :roll:
Best,
StivI have to agree with Stiv there…
Some of these shots from the first batch are seriously lacking fill-in flash. Camera RAW in either Adobe Bridge or Photoshop will allow a lot more detail on those dark faces to be lifted. Most shots could be brightened up by setting the levels, and maybe push the contrast a little with the curves.
Doesn’t look like any sharpening has been used, but that’s difficult to tell unless it’s been overdone.
I avoid picking on spelling and grammar on forums, too, but on a reportage blog, you expect higher standards… “passerbys” should be “passers by”.
Still…. Nick’s out there doing it, and I’m not, so more power to his elbow.
Cheers.
Rob,
using TTL meetering was an advance that pretty much took most figuring out away from the photog as opposed to having to match the ambient light with the fill as a manual calculation so as long as the flash can conform to the camera you’re using (not a built in flash mind you) and your TTL (Through the Lens) meetering it’s almost mindless to do, one only needs to make sure ASA, f-stop and distance from subject is corrected from time to time. The camara AND the flash have to have the TTL function though to utilize this wonderful function otherwise you have to measure ambient light distance and flash power matching all of them to the f-stop you wish to use.Oh as far as diffusion material you can just use opaque frosted plastic from art stores or even from plastic cups in a pinch. there’s all sorts of material I’ve even used plain white paper.
As far as the Photoshop, Lee nailed it there’s just SO much that can be done, I was viewing most of the images on a Medical grade diagnostic 24in monitor that’s calibrated to 18 different gray scale points and RGB and an AAPM luminace range so if an image is dark it’s dark simple as that, and some were very much so consistantly with minimal saturation and very flat contrast.
That being said Lee also hit it on the head that Nick “Is there and he is doing it.” and I’m not, so all the props in the world to him!! :)
But my (paying) job is critical digital (medical) image analysis and photographer/videographer so hate me for letting that bubble to the surface and get the best of me :oops:
Best,
Stiv@Stiv wrote:
Lee also hit it on the head that Nick “Is there and he is doing it.” and I’m not
But let’s not denigrate ourselves to readily. It’s not as though we never get out there and do it. Just not on this occasion.
:)
That was pretty informative Stiv (and ROB too), thanks. I usually just take a few photos on my trips and don’t know much of the real photographer knowledge so was curious what you had to say about his.
I’m also surprised by his ability to get up some pictures that quickly from there, esp when I’m sure journos with probably higher bandwidth stuff (not to mention all the aid ppl) would be clogging up the lines.
@ROB wrote:
See the problem here is that when I travel I only like to take carry-on luggage.
So far I try to take a small laptop, a dslr and assorted chords/chargers. Lugging around a remote flash aswell….
I’m exactly the same… hand luggage only, containing laptop, dSLR, charging leads, and one change of clothing. Problem is when I go somewhere cold that requires a bulky jacket.
I have never used anything other than the on-board flash. Will do some time, but it’s never caused me any concern so far.
@Lee wrote:
@ROB wrote:
See the problem here is that when I travel I only like to take carry-on luggage.
So far I try to take a small laptop, a dslr and assorted chords/chargers. Lugging around a remote flash aswell….
I’m exactly the same… hand luggage only, containing laptop, dSLR, charging leads, and one change of clothing. Problem is when I go somewhere cold that requires a bulky jacket.
As I said, I’m not shooting pro anything but have always been able to find high speed internet in the unlikeliest of places (the net in Albania was better than my home one at the time, in between power outages, of course) so only have clothes and my little camera. The netbooks seemed all the rage amongst the backpackers in SE Asia but I would guess y’all take proper laptops.
As to climate: my only problem with that was going from Mumbai to Chicago midwinter. Things got a bit nippy to say the least.
Yes, Mumbai to Chicago in winter is quite some extreme.
I bought the wife a netbook for Christmas, but I’ve recently turned my back on PCs for good, and went over to Mac. So I’ll be travelling with my newly acquired Macbook Pro 13 from now on.
Wanted to buy the 15 or 17, but had to weigh up the costs and the ability to fit it into a small backpack.
One problem I face with the camera is whether I should take the battery pack or not. It allows me to shoot for protracted periods of time but makes an already bulky D200 even bigger.
I’m going into the Sahara in about 4 weeks, and will be having to make all these decisions very soon.
I have an fairly recent Metz strobe with the Fuji/Nikon TTL module added and while it’s not as compact as a built in strobe it’s fairly compact, I just can’t remember the modle number (I’ll look it up this weekend) but it only takes AA’s and is really pretty handy with wide to tele lens on it diffuser and swivel head.
I specifically searched it out for travel. Lots of what I used to shoot in the past was medium format film so high ASA didn’t matter when it came to grain and resolution.
Basically the real trick with fill flash is to do just that fill in the shadows that exist from the surrounding ambient light source. I pretty much rely on Double AA batteries if at all possible and take rechargable and charged. I’ve fouind that some of the highend NiCad’s actually last a respectably long time…if you remember to shut your gear off :roll:
Best,
StivGetting back to the original comments about Nick’s pictures…
This is the kind of thing I had in mind that he could be doing with his images.
Of course, it may be that Nick actually prefers his shots the way they are.Sorry Nick!
Before:
After:
(Adjusted white balance, levels, curves, unsharp mask)
Before:
After:
(Adjusted white balance, levels, curves, unsharp mask)
Before:
After:
(Adjusted white balance, levels, curves, unsharp mask)
Cheers.
Sean, you are right, although I was more illustrating the capabilities of Photoshop.
Also, if I had the RAW files, I’d have a lot more to work with and could get a much smoother, higher-quality finish.Y’know, I would happily be Nick’s editor while he’s on the road, but he appears to have ditched us. I notice he’s found time to re-register on the flag, send a couple of updates, but not so much as a “hi guys, how’re ya doing?” in our direction.
Guess Rob must have upset him at some point.
That could be the problem with being in the thick of it – trying to get photos up as quick as possible but without the support that one would get with an outfit back home for a bit of editing. Even then, not sure how well the internet infrastructure down there would support getting so many RAW photos to someone – aren’t they typically around 40-50 MB or more?
No, Rob, that was a picture of me. 8)
Vagabond, you’re right, RAW images are a bit too large for sending back. Ideally, you’d work them on your laptop on location, and then send back the compressed JPGs.
But hell, I’ll work with anything. That’s my lot in life, down here in the Polo’s Bastards basement. :roll:
@Lee wrote:
But hell, I’ll work with anything. That’s my lot in life, down here in the Polo’s Bastards basement. :roll:
Hey buddy, that’s why you’re on the big bucks. ;)
@Lee wrote:
That’s my lot in life, down here in the Polo’s Bastards basement. :roll:
……I hate to be the one to tell you this but it’s only a basement if you’re not chained to the wall.
@Lee wrote:
@ROB wrote:
Hey buddy, that’s why you’re on the big bucks. ;)
Yeah, cheers Rob. I got that big fat rain cheque you sent me!
Damn, these leg-irons are beginning to chafe.
Lee you need to smile a bit more and not use so much profanity and then just maybe you’ll get to see the sun occasionally!
Bend up a paperclip and maybe you can jimmy one of the cuff locks.
Good luck,
Best,
Stiv
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