Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I.

GSW Hour 2009GSW Hour 2009In-store Shoot – x slidesIn-store Shoot – x slides

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: OverviewGSW Store Shoot: Overview

AAlways Have Your Camera:lways Have Your Camera:

It’s about building good habits. Have your camera It’s about building good habits. Have your camera with you most of the time and be sure to use it with you most of the time and be sure to use it often. Actual use (practice) is the only way to get often. Actual use (practice) is the only way to get better.better.

Professional musicians practice at least 4 hours a Professional musicians practice at least 4 hours a day. How often you practice will influence how day. How often you practice will influence how good you get Making images.good you get Making images.

Lastly, always have a gut feel about what moves Lastly, always have a gut feel about what moves you in the scene. And do your best to bring that you in the scene. And do your best to bring that visual energy out in the final.visual energy out in the final.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: Set upGSW Store Shoot: Set up

GGSW: Discount Shoe OutletSW: Discount Shoe Outlet

I am along for the ride, so I kept I am along for the ride, so I kept myself busy looking for Kodak myself busy looking for Kodak moments…moments…

GWS had plenty of shoes and GWS had plenty of shoes and here is one of them. It was a here is one of them. It was a technical challenge because of technical challenge because of its surface characteristics.its surface characteristics.oBlack shy leatherBlack shy leatheroDifferent surface textureDifferent surface textureoComplex shapeComplex shapeoMultiple light sourcesMultiple light sourcesoMinimal control over lightingMinimal control over lighting Camera originalCamera original

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: PhotoshopGSW Store Shoot: Photoshop

LLab Work: Step 1ab Work: Step 1

Applying the final image crop is Applying the final image crop is the first step. Sometimes I crop the first step. Sometimes I crop to eliminate technical or to eliminate technical or aesthetic problem areas…aesthetic problem areas…

Although, in this case, I am Although, in this case, I am cropping away the usual 10% cropping away the usual 10% image-safety-margin.image-safety-margin.

Camera original /w black cropFrame layerCamera original /w black cropFrame layer

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: HDR – high dynamic rangeGSW Store Shoot: HDR – high dynamic range

LLab Work: Unusual step 2ab Work: Unusual step 2

Because of the shiny black Because of the shiny black subject and the multiple lights, it subject and the multiple lights, it created a harsh tonal range created a harsh tonal range called HDR. I used a special called HDR. I used a special Photoshop feature designed to Photoshop feature designed to deal with it.deal with it.

Image > Adjustments > Image > Adjustments > Shadow/HighlightShadow/Highlight… adjustment … adjustment did am amazing job of controlling did am amazing job of controlling the high dynamic tonal range. the high dynamic tonal range. Use the Up & Down keys to Use the Up & Down keys to compare this with the previous compare this with the previous image. image.

Special Shadow/Highlight adjustedSpecial Shadow/Highlight adjusted

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: Photoshop routineGSW Store Shoot: Photoshop routine

LLab Work: Usual steps 3 & 4ab Work: Usual steps 3 & 4

Applying the final Brightness/ Applying the final Brightness/ Contrast and Color adjustments are Contrast and Color adjustments are back to the routine moves.back to the routine moves.

Now, it will be easier to reproduce Now, it will be easier to reproduce by the printer. Although it lostby the printer. Although it lostsome of the highsome of the highcontrast visualcontrast visualimpact of theimpact of thecamera original.camera original.

Camera OriginalCamera Original Brightness/Contrast and Color adjustedBrightness/Contrast and Color adjusted

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: PhotoshopGSW Store Shoot: Photoshop

LLab Work: Advancedab Work: Advanced

I ended up using Photoshop to I ended up using Photoshop to help re-light the scene to gain help re-light the scene to gain back the wow-factor of the back the wow-factor of the camera original.camera original.

I used the traditional darkroom I used the traditional darkroom ‘burn’ technique‘burn’ techniqueplus the modernplus the moderndigital imagingdigital imagingmask painting tomask painting toachieve the finalachieve the finallook & feel.look & feel.

Heavy top and bottom ‘burns’ appliedHeavy top and bottom ‘burns’ applied

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: More picturesGSW Store Shoot: More pictures

EEnough is Enough:nough is Enough:

There were just too many shoes There were just too many shoes to shoot. I decided that I wanted to shoot. I decided that I wanted to shoot something else. But what to shoot something else. But what to shoot, macro close ups?to shoot, macro close ups?

No that did not do it. Since I was No that did not do it. Since I was already at the close up distance to already at the close up distance to the subject, I went in even closer the subject, I went in even closer than the Macro capability of the than the Macro capability of the lens. It started to look interesting. lens. It started to look interesting.

So, I manually set the focus to So, I manually set the focus to infinity and shot macro close ups infinity and shot macro close ups which gave me the results that which gave me the results that you see now and in the following you see now and in the following slides.slides.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: More picturesGSW Store Shoot: More pictures

PPlaying with Abstract Imagery:laying with Abstract Imagery:

Lot of the women’s shoes had Lot of the women’s shoes had shiny, colorful, and sparkly stuff shiny, colorful, and sparkly stuff on them which made them on them which made them perfect for the out-of-focus perfect for the out-of-focus abstract design compositions.abstract design compositions.

Remember – my focus is set to Remember – my focus is set to infinity.infinity.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: More abstractionsGSW Store Shoot: More abstractions

MMore Abstract … Playing with Light … Fun Stuffore Abstract … Playing with Light … Fun Stuff

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: Making choicesGSW Store Shoot: Making choices

DDifferent Kind of Fun Stuff:ifferent Kind of Fun Stuff:

I manually refocused to maximum macro focus and shot images I manually refocused to maximum macro focus and shot images of the whole store. The results are a little more identifiable. But of the whole store. The results are a little more identifiable. But not necessarily so without the first sentence ‘setup’…not necessarily so without the first sentence ‘setup’…

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: More about youGSW Store Shoot: More about you

TTrust Yourself:rust Yourself:

Look deep until you really see or feel something Look deep until you really see or feel something real about the image. Without that real connection, real about the image. Without that real connection, it will be very difficult to shoot, edit, process and it will be very difficult to shoot, edit, process and evolve the image into your personal vision.evolve the image into your personal vision.

Camera OriginalCamera Original Lab: Step 1 cropFrame LayerLab: Step 1 cropFrame Layer Basic Adjustments: For PresenceBasic Adjustments: For Presence Advanced Lab: Personal VisionAdvanced Lab: Personal Vision

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I

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The Blues…

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography IGSW Store Shoot: More about youGSW Store Shoot: More about you

Summary:Summary:

If you want to be an artist. The only choice you If you want to be an artist. The only choice you have to make is to trust yourself. Naturally, have to make is to trust yourself. Naturally, you have to listen to your creative muse too…you have to listen to your creative muse too…

You can’t go wrong by ‘paying your dues’ and You can’t go wrong by ‘paying your dues’ and take more classes…take more classes…oArt AppreciationArt AppreciationoArt HistoryArt HistoryoBasic DrawingBasic DrawingoBasic DesignBasic DesignoBasic ColorBasic Color

Although, it’s all for not if you do not practice. Although, it’s all for not if you do not practice. Shoot at least dozen images per weak.Shoot at least dozen images per weak.

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I

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