Videos – Page 9 – Gavtrain.com

Coastal 15 minute photo challenge

I know there are a lot of photographers out there who enjoy my 15 minute photo challenge videos, including me. Although I don’t get the chance to make as many as I once did they’re certainly not consigned to the history book… far from it.

If you’re new to my blog then you may be wondering what a fifteen minute photo challenge is. Basically its my way of sharpening my camera skills and training my photographers eye but limiting myself to a fixed amount of shooting time. Not only that but I’m also restricting the geographic area in which I can look for photos which can be a blessing and a curse. The end result is often unpredictable and always challenging, it often takes me out of my comfort zone which is always a good thing to do every once in a while.

Keep scrolling down to see a few of the final photos.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFU4SSEjYVs[/youtube]
Can’t see the video? Click Here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFU4SSEjYVs

Equipment used in the video:

Adobe Photoshop CC
http://www.adorama.com/ABPSCS6W.html?KBID=67338

Canon 60D
http://www.adorama.com/ICA60D.html?KBID=67338

Sigma 10mm-20mm
http://www.adorama.com/SG1020EOS.html?KBID=67338

Sigma 10mm-20mm
http://www.adorama.com/BRRS7.html?KBID=67338

Vanguard ABEO Plus 283CT Tripod
http://www.adorama.com/VGABEO283CT.html?KBID=67338

Vanguard GH-200 head
http://www.adorama.com/VGGH200.html?KBID=67338

Planning for Black & White

Way back when I started learning photography the only real option for serious photographers was to make black and white prints and we were darn good at it too. Skip forward 25 years and now everyone takes colour photos but thanks to post processing everyone can also make black and white images too.

There’s an art to making top quality colour photos but making quality mono photos is an extra challenge. One of the reasons many photographers find shooting for black and white a challenge is because we don’t see the world monchrome, we see colour. However there a few tips you can apply at both the camera and Photoshop stages which will quickly step your black and white photography up a gear.

In this video for Adorama TV I visit Nutley Windmill on the Ashdown Forest with the plan of shooting for black and white. Then it’s into Photoshop to make the magic happen.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZhk-S9Y-vs[/youtube]

Equipment used in the video:

Adobe Photoshop CS6
http://www.adorama.com/ABPSCS6W.html?KBID=67338

Canon 5D Mark II
http://www.adorama.com/ICA5DM2.html?KBID=67338

Canon 24-105L f/4 IS
http://www.adorama.com/CA24105AFU.html?KBID=67338

Vanguard ABEO Plus 283CT Tripod
http://www.adorama.com/VGABEO283CT.html?KBID=67338

Vanguard GH-200 head
http://www.adorama.com/VGGH200.html?KBID=67338

Bonus composite videos

Last week I uploaded the two part video with Mark Wallace and myself. If you missed it the click here to go back and see both videos.

Mark was kind enough to share all the photos he shot with me and it seemed like a terrible waste not make use of at lease one more. So in the video below I’ll show you how I created this photo composite. Going mono was all part of the plan and makes compositing two images together a whole lot easier as you no longer have the issue of matching colours to get in the way.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/vbFlTkkOglU[/youtube]
Can’t see the video? Click here http://youtu.be/vbFlTkkOglU

In this video I do a deep dive tutorial on how to use Photoshop to composite the original photos. I start with how to use Adobe Camera RAW to create an HDR background and then add some light rays with my recent Friday Freebie Light Ray Brushes.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/szQ0kj1xuZc[/youtube]
Can’t see the video? Click here http://youtu.be/szQ0kj1xuZc

Composite with Mark Wallace

A few weeks back I had the absolute privilege of spending a few hours with photographer and fellow Adorama TV presenter Mark Wallace. He was on a European vaccation and we met up in London for a chat over a cup of tea.

Dispite Mark being on his holiday and neither of us planning to shoot a video we decided the oportunity was too good to miss. The plan was for Mark to shoot a portrait in his studio in Phoenix, Arizona and I’d shoot a background in the UK and composite the two photos together.

So here’s part one which starts in the UK before moving on to the USA.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/Eh1-IaDmUnc[/youtube]

Part two is where I get to shoot a new background and composite the two photos together. I’ll be using Photoshop Elements 11 to do this which features the same ability to make amazing selections of hair that’s found in Photoshop CS5. In otherwords the technique I use in Elements is the same in Photoshop CS5, CS6 and Photoshop CC.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/uAPtbWLc_J0[/youtube]

We had a real laugh shooting this video and who knows, may be one day we can organise a bigger, better shoot or two. Mark made a BONUS outtakes video which you can see here and may be the best video of the three 🙂 http://youtu.be/gJf6vJ5_WXc

Equipment used in the video:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 11
http://www.adorama.com/ABPSE11WM.html?KBID=67338

Canon 5D Mark II
http://www.adorama.com/ICA5DM2.html?KBID=67338

Canon 24-105L f/4 IS
http://www.adorama.com/CA24105AFU.html?KBID=67338

Vanguard ABEO Plus 283CT Tripod
http://www.adorama.com/VGABEO283CT.html?KBID=67338

Vanguard GH-200 head
http://www.adorama.com/VGGH200.html?KBID=67338

Candlelight From A Speedlite

Candle light is one of the toughest types of light to work with for several reasons. There’s the obvious health and safety issues with naked flames and when your studios ‘made of wood (like mine is) that’s a big concern. That aside, candle light is also incredibly dim which is why film and TV directors fake candle light… and so do I.

In this video tutorial I’ll show you how to turn a speedlight in to realistic candle light which is safe, predictable and bright enough to keep your ISO at sensible levels.

I’m using a modified lantern as my virtual light source. If you want to get the same lamp then pop along to your nearest Ikea where you can pick one of the Rotera Lanterns up for around £2.00 (see link below) all you need to is leave it exposed to the elements for a few years and it’ll look just like mine 🙂

[youtube]http://youtu.be/Z_7kQorCwkU[/youtube]
Can’t view the video? Try this link http://youtu.be/Z_7kQorCwkU

Equipment used in the video:

Adobe Photoshop CS6
http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=photoshop+cs6&category=4294967278+11&KBID=67338

Canon 60D
http://www.adorama.com/ICA60D.html?KBID=67338

Canon 24-105L f/4 IS
http://www.adorama.com/CA24105AFU.html?KBID=67338

Ikea Lantern
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/26472200/

Smoke video clip

This weeks Friday Freebie is in two parts as I’m giving away a 30 second video clip of smoke and a tutorial on how to use the clip to create a simple animated text effect in Photoshop CS6

Full download instructions are below but you can also
Click Here To Download the smoke video clip

You can preview the video clip by clicking here

One of the headline new features of Photoshop CS6 is its ability to edit video clips with exactly the same skills you’d need to edit photos. Unlike Photoshop CS5 the video editing is available to all version of Photoshop CS6 not just the extended version.

Now I know most photographers are yet to embrace video and it’s certainly a very different discipline to learn but if you fancy trying your hand at video then this weeks Friday Freebie is for you.

Usage rules
The video clip is copyright Gavin Hoey 2013. Use is limited to any personal, non-commercial purposes. Please share the Friday Freebie by linking back to this page. Do not redistribute the original video clip without my permission.

Download instructions
Click the link https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Mmmm3K1utNbzNDc0E3ZWhNc28/view?usp=sharing

1. Click the Download button

2. The download should start automatically

Once you’ve got the video you’ll need something to do with it. There’s plenty of ways you can use the clip but to get you started here’s a quick and simple text animation effect.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/sfQfPoTs64U[/youtube]

Backlit portrait with just one light

I’m a huge fan of using speedlights, or flash guns as I grew up calling them and I know a lot of photographers own at least one. For me the humble speedlight is a powerful tool capable of producing amazing portraits.

In this video I try to break the laws of physics by using one speedlight to light both the back and front of a model with just one light. The secret is reflecting the light off of a silver reflector which in effect makes one light become two.

As a final touch I’ll create a sparkling background by adding a little bit of flour into the air behind my model Kristina but in front of the flash.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/p3xCN7geBI0[/youtube]

Equipment used in the video:

Adobe Photoshop CS6

http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=photoshop+cs6&category=4294967278+11&KBID=67338

Canon 60D

http://www.adorama.com/ICA60D.html?KBID=67338

Canon 24-105L f/4 IS
http://www.adorama.com/CA24105AFU.html?KBID=67338

5 in 1 reflector
http://www.adorama.com/WE5I1R20.html?KBID=67338

Shooting Ice Hockey for Adorama TV

A few weeks back I got the chance to shoot an ice hockey match at the rink in Bracknell. I had a blast, so much so that when I was invited back to shoot the Bracknell Hornets vs The Cardiff Devils I knew I had to shoot a video for the event.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=che7EgvJbDc&feature=share&list=UU8Pksdbj37CdE00kmE7Z1dw[/youtube]

If you enjoyed the video and fancy having a go yourself then contact your local rink. Offer to shoot a minor league game (like the one I shot) which often has smaller crowds. If you fancy shooting a Bracknell Hornets game not only will you’ll have to wait until next season but I’d recommend sweet talking to their official photographer Kevin Slyfield who was kind enough to arrange for me to shoot the video at the John Nike ice rink in Bracknell

Gear used in this video:
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 70-200mm L f/2.8 IS
Giottos MML3270B Monopod

Lovingly Made Photo Challenge

It’s been a while since undertaking my last 15 minute photo challenge so for all of you who have been asking when they’ll return I’ve got some happy news.

My latest 15 minute challenge is now out and with any luck it won’t be the last. This challenge was recorded at Lovingly Made which is a vintage home and garden store located just outside East Grinstead in Sussex. They were kind enough to invite me along to photograph anything that took my eye and there was no shortage of great photos to be had.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/lA_5cVYdv74[/youtube]
Can’t see the video? Click here

As you can see from the video much of my time was spent in the store finding the smaller scenes to photograph. Fortunately I’d packed my flash and the Westcott Pocket Box which I’m in the process of reviewing. This proved to be invaluable for controlling the light.

Products used in the video:

Canon 60D

Canon 24-105mm L f/4 IS

Westcott Pocket Box kit

Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT

Adobe Photoshop CS6

2 Self-Portraits with 1 light

When I first started to learn about lighting I focused all attention on the complexities of flashes first and foremost. Of course whilst lighting is the cornerstone of great portraits, so is an ability to get the best from your model and trust me on this, that can be a lot harder to master.

One way to practice portraiture is shooting a self-portrait project. It’s a great way to practice and perfect various lighting arrangements without the need of a model, subject or assistant.

In this video I’ll show you how to shoot two very different self portraits but remarkably, the lighting will be identical for both. The only thing that will change is the background.

Why change the background, you may ask. Well, the first shot has a black, low key background and the second set of photos has a grey background, which is much simpler to remove and replace with a new background in Photoshop, as you’ll see in the video.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/C2b61bZ-J44[/youtube]
If you can’t see the video Click Here