The Skillion Exposure Blend with Luminosity Masks

This was the beautiful sunrise that greeted us yesterday morning (27th March 2012) down at the popular shooting location on the Central Coast called the Skillion. I was teaching a local photographer Shane and we made the decision to do a sunrise course which if the light is right, they are the best as you can see why. Shane had my 17-40mm on his 7D and my Lee Filter system and remote, so I set up next to him with my 24-70mm and snapped a few images as exposure brackets to show how you can do it without the use of filters. (I used Shanes camera setting as my base as he had perfected his exposure with his histogram, just as I had shown him, nice one.) I used the camera on a 2 second timer so the 5D MkII took the images one after the other so I didn’t have to touch the camera which is important for blending later on.

So this image was a three shot exposure blend with a 2/3rd stop variance between them and then blended in Photoshop using luminosity masks that targeted various tonal ranges.

Full details on my range of group and private courses can be found here. Where I teach you to take images just like this, focusing on using your histogram to perfect exposure, the composition of your image in terms of light and shutter speed, various shooting methods and techniques, digital panoramic’s and more.

Sydney City Day Courses – Sydney Opera House

This is one of the images taken on my latest fully booked Sydney City workshop ran on the 4th of March. No matter how many times you venture into the city there are always new images to capture and create.

This image on my facebook page was taken when explaining the set up and capture process of digital panoramics. I have two more Sydney courses for this year. Details can be found here.

Newcastle and Central Coast Aerial Shoots

Over the last few months I have been busy adding new styles of images to my extensive collection. This is just one of the range of aerial images I have added to my Newcastle online gallery and I have done the same style images for the Central Coast as well.

Shooting from small helicopters is quite challenging but the results speak for themselves. Depending on how the rest of this month turns out I might be able to squeeze in another chopper shoot or two. Fingers crossed for a late summer.

Keep up to date with all my shooting and new images with the facebook feed.

Redhead Beach Photos, Newcastle, NSW

Kicking off the new year with a bang of beautiful blue day time photos, the more people in them the better enjoying the summer sun (when it is out and not raining).

Big things planned for 2012 with the opening of our Commercial Retail gallery later this month. Trips away interstate, hiring staff, going to be a busy year.

Will post the big things on the blog, but for all the in between stuff, new shots etc its all on Facebook.

Newcastle Baths, Newcastle, NSW

This is a shot from last night when I ran my last private course for 2011. 15 minutes after sunset it was moonrise and with the right angle it added a nice element to the shot.

5 image stitch on the 5D Mk II

This image can be found in my Newcastle Gallery section on my site.

Delicate Nobby Beach, Crescent Head, NSW

Quite a strange name for a beach, but it is a great location about 5 min drive south of Crescent Head. This was sunset on day one of arriving. The forecast was for late thunderstorms that never eventuated but the cloud made for an exciting sunset.

5D MkII | 24-70mm lens | 8 image stitch run through PtGui Pro and processed in CS5.

Click image for larger view.

Pebbly Beach, Crescent Head, NSW

I just returned from 4 days up at Crescent Head, NSW shooting to expand my gallery range. So while I wait for my film to get processed I’ve been going through my digital shots.

This is an 8 image panoramic stitch taken from the golf course. Edited as colour but I decided to go the black and white option. Quite a mix of things to get the final B&W look but quickly it was.

1. B&W adjustment layer set to High Contrast Red and tweeked.
2. Two Channel Mixer adjustment layers, one for the ground another for the sky set at different opacity levels.
3. Mode change to Duotone and a Pantone colour added and tweaked with curve.
4. Several selective dodge and burn layers.
5. Soft glow effect added and then masked in leaving the edges more soft than the rest.

Follow me on Facebook: see what I am up too in between blog posts

The Mid North Coast, NSW Gallery can be seen here.

Landscape Canvas and Printing Service, Sydney, Newcastle and Central Coast

This is a quick video I put together of the equipment I use to print and coat my canvas. Currently printing using the Epson 9800. Looking to upgrade to the 9900 soon and the most critical piece of equipment is the Falcon F60 laminator that applies using heat and pressure an ultra strong, UV protective, gloss or matt coating to the canvas. This process cant even be compared to the messy, non durable roll on or spray coating that is used by most in the industry. You can rub a screw drive on the laminate and you wont scratch through it. The laminate isn’t cheap nor is the laminator but the final perfect application and durability for customers is worth the extra cost.

In 2012 I will be offering my canvas printing to photographers and the general public and the pricing will be ultra competitive with others in the market who are offering spray lamination.

Even photographers who can print their own canvas I will be offering a lamination service.

Will post more details in the coming month as my site gets geared to accept online image uploads and orders.

THE DIRECT VIMEO LINK

Hornby Lighthouse, Eastern Beaches, Sydney

Snapped this one last month when out and about adding new shots and compositions to the main gallery. This location is in the Watsons Bay area of the Eastern Beaches of Sydney.

Shot on the Fuji GX617 | Veliva 50 slide.

To keep up to date with recent shoots, trips away, on location shots and images. Follow my facebook feed.

Little Bay Photo, South West Rocks, NSW

Just back from a quick trip to South West Rocks on the Mid North Coast. Got some weird weather pouring rain then it clears then come the afternoon it is cloudy again. Made for some interesting light and shooting. This shot is a cracker of a location at South West Rocks. This is exactly what it looked like at the time.

A digital panoramic of the location really did it justice instead of using the 90mm lens on the Fuji GX617.

This image is added to the Mid North Coast Gallery.