New Portraits/Hair&MU

More shoots...

Ok, been a couple weeks since last post, but i have been sitting in front of the computer for hours and hours!!!
Finally, i have finished pretty much every bottle, all 5 of them.

The following bottles i am having different opinions on which image i preferred. The actual bottle had the graphic design on the back of the bottle, but it distorted heavily when trying to photograph the front, with the design still perfect.

So i took off the design, perfected the bottle, and used the design as either a background, or have it on a low transparency behind the bottle's label, which it's supposed to be anyway. One of the bottles have been composed differently as well, a bit of an overlap between glass/bottle.

These photos arent quite finished, as the Gin bottle still needs more editing, (water ripple coming from underneath), and the Absolute bottle needs its label put back on.

Absolute Raspberri

My 4th photograph for alcohol advertising. I am still going along clean, simple techniques, and using different elements in the photograph to pull together a convincing shot (for magazine use). This shoot was VERY difficult in the terms of timing. Of course the ice will melt under the modelling lights, which made it slightly difficult to position the lights to get the highlights etc. I also found it increasingly hard to photograph the ice, so it wasn't so "flat". when shooting i couldn't see the contours of the ice, jaggered bits at all. So this image is actually 3-4 images put together. I am yet to photoshop in the correct exposed label on the neck of the bottle. and the label needs some work, as i was chipping away at the ice, i noticed i was actually scrapping off the red label, which also took off the lettering in a lot of spots. Luckily... i have another bottle to photograph the label, and just stick in there which will be good. :).

I added a reflection to the images, as it was very "floaty" on the white background. I was however considering doing a different background entirely, by photographing a whole bunch of natural (unfrozen) berries, and have the bottle centered.... we will see how this goes first though.

Bottles left to photograph are SOUTH gin, and Absinth Fairy.

Kiwi revised.

So going with the thought "less is more" i revised the amount of kiwi in the shot. Removing the top right kiwi fruit as it was kind of heavy for the frame of the photograph, and it made it look as though the bottle was in a tank, (how the water comes from the top.)

So also removing some bubbles, and less clutter around the image, i came up with this:

Alan Benson

A couple weeks ago Georgia and Nathan went to Poachers Pantry, Murrumbateman on a FREEZING Wednesday afternoon. (Tina and Teri went Thursday). We started off the first 20 mins or so watching Alan work his magic on a plate of canapes. I was honored to work as his reflector assistant twice that day. First I held his gold reflector whilst the 2 shivering models tried to enjoy some food outside. The gold reflector added warmth and a glow to the model's faces, and emphasized the food on the plate. I then got to hold a diffuser reflector whilst the model was on the ground serving a plate of dips and canapes. This actually in my opinion gave me wind/frost burn on one of my fingers, and i couldn't feel anything with it for 2 days. However I did a good job apparently, and Alan got the shots he needed.

I then proceeded to help Nathan and Georgia inside who were taking stock photographs on a white background for web and pamphlet advertisement to deep etching.

They kept bringing out items for us to photograph, which i was actually reluctant to do as i was there to watch Alan. In between items we took 10 mins or so to see how Alan progresses his shots.

His photographs were taken step by step. The food on its' own, and then positioning props around the plate. His lighting techniques were quite easy, but i probably wouldn't have thought about doing some of his techniques. One shot which did stand out in particular was the pizza shot. The dish was lit through a glass block, and speedlites, the glass dispersed the flash with a warm glow, very much like window light through blinds.

So some equipment Alan took with him was a MacBook, tethered.

Lightroom was his preferred cataloging and tethering software.

85mm tilt shift lens

70-200mm nikon lens.

D3 Nikon Body.

prefers available light even when shooting outdoors, not even speedlites.

Black Diffusers,

White reflectors

Transparent diffusers

Loves Square cropping when deciding his final set of photographs.

When shooting outside, be on aperture priority on 2.8

Speedlites

Poachers provided wooden boards for texture and colour for the food.

42 below - bottle

ok so below is my final edit of the 42 below - bottle only.

I included and "morphed" 2 bottles together, the first being the silhouetted bottle, and the 2nd being the label. Below is the Layer by layer process of my final photograph.

I have also cleaned up the bottle, as seen in 1st and 2nd image. on the bottle has engraved information on the back of the bottle, but as it is clear it is still very visible from the front, so i have edited it out. it looks so much more effective without the busy images coming from behind.

The Label took a lot of work as i had to overlay the correct exposure onto the silhouettedbottle. A lot of time was spent on the bottom labels as i had to erase all in between the lettering.

Im still not entirely happy with the bottom labels, potential more editing to come.

KIWI FRUIT BEING EDITED IN NOW ! :)

So this is something which i have put together......

more anjeo

Ok so using my standard "bottle" from the previous post, i replaced the bottles in the following photographs, these photos are the "honey dripping", and sticks, still waiting on the shot glass as editing takes so long! They still have a little more work needed, (esp on the bottom 2 photographs) around the honey. Im very much liking the honey dripping one....

kiwi fruit splash.

So on Open Day i took advantage of the studio being open. And took high speed photographs with the kiwi fruit that will be an integral part of my 42 Below advertisement.

These photographs will be later composited into the final image creating more of a balance and advertising interactive photograph. So here are some i took on Saturday, i was looking for bubbles, splashes and "swoosh" sort of looks. If needed i will photoshop in some elements In Kate's Imaging class. hmmmm....

retouching 2

so this is my second image editing.. start off with the raw image with Lightroom edits.

Photoshop cs5 enables selection around the hair to be absolutely amazing, which i can "cut out" the model, as the background is obviously not acceptable.

The following layers include photoshopping to the face and clothing with the new background. Using a combination of clone, dodge, blur and patch this is the final edit.

Gavin Blue

Gavin Blue

submits estimates in writing.

book-keeping/accounting

communications

repairs & insurance

45 weeks per year

3 days per week = 1080 hours = $88 per hour

Does not give single price for work.

-itemized by time.

not afraid to say no

worked with

-NAB

-Dan Murphy's

-Tiffany's

-Womans Weekly

-TAB

Do not be vague with description of what's included.

No verbal quotes.

Charging for equipment in quote.

"Digital Capture"

Digital Capture Processing - Post Production $150 per hour

Leave the client with the experience of value.

Seperate hiring of other professionals price for advertising usage.

Hourly rate can be calculated by the fact you can't work for anyone else in that day.

$250 per day for assistants, $180 graduates assistant

-takes care of equipment

-ask questions anticipate work

Terms of Trade

-Cancellation

-Variation of Job

-advances on invoices even new clients, or 35% upfront charge.

-Create a rates card

-Probable usages and costs

1 day = $1800

1/2 day = $1000

minimum call out 2hours = $500

digital capture per day = $150-500

post production = $120 per hour

digital retouching = $120 per hour

freelance assistant = $250-300 per day

location search 1 day = $1000

location search 1/2 day = $500

GST is added

Base usage agreement

-12 months

-advertising

Base usage agreement

-24 months

-corporate

Loves Truck photography.

worked with

-Andrew Craig & Stuart Crossett

Speedlites:

Fast/light/in-obtrusive/highspeed/no leads/cheaper/sync.

infra-red/line of sight needed to work

no radio slave

commander unit only 1 stop incraments

no modelling lights.

Charity work, - ACOCP (still births)

practice shoot

So i did a practice shoot with one of my ideas for final folio.

This is glassware, using movement and water. I tried to use very similar technique to an image by Norimichi, this is what i came up with.

So it took me about 20 mins to decide to setup this shoot, and another half an hour to setup the glasses without them falling over... although they had fallen over twice before, breaking 2 glasses aswell.

When i do the final shoot for this photograph i need to find a way which minimizes mess, and can avoid breakages. Perhaps a layer of rubber, (those grip things you use when opening jars), and a water tray from one of the darkrooms. Maybe the use of a sound release, or light release which can trigger the shutter when a sound is made (glasses falling), or a light flashing when in movement. Or a shutter release when I push it over.

Camera settings:

ISO 100

1/160 @ F13

40mm focal length

http://www.norimichi.com/