Gavtrain.com – Page 10 – The place to learn Photography and Photoshop

Bluebell 15 Minute Photo Challenge

I’m a sucker for bluebells, so when I got the chance to shoot some at a local wood I grabbed it. The bluebell season can be very short but there’s still something to be said for waiting for the right light and shooting at the right time of day. For me that meant late afternoon when the sun was low but not so low that it would make the woods very dark.

Bluebells, like many flowers, are a bit top heavy so as well as picking the right light I wanted to avoid shooting on a windy day. Luckily everything came together so I packed my camera and by 24-105mm lens and set off to do another 15 minute photo challenge.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b0trjfaRok[/youtube]

Food Photography Workshop

One area of photography that you may not know that I work in is food photography. You’ll rarely see any food photos on this blog but there’s plenty over at Sams Kitchen, which is the blog run by my wife Sam.

Sam is a food writer and recipe creator and also a darn good food photographer. Her work regularly appears in various foodie magazines as does her (and my) photos.

A few weeks back we ran a food photography workshop and will be running it again on the 13^th June… Details of the next food photography workshop are here.

The workshop was aimed at bakers who wanted to improve their food photography and photographers who wanted to learn the real basics of how the camera worked whilst photographing some great looking baked goodies.

The day was great fun with Sam demoing various food set ups and style tips, whilst I ran around answering camera questions and running through some really quick and simple post processing trick in Photoshop Elements.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziA0gCr2X28[/youtube]
It was really great to see people getting excited about food photography and discovering how really simple changes in styling and shooting made huge improvements to the photos.

If you’d like to get involved in the next workshop visit www.samskitchen.net/?page_id=1682 for more information.

Making The Most of Motivated Lighting

Motivated light is a term that’s more normally used in the world of the movies but there’s no reason for us stills photographers not to be aware of it and use it to create some great effects.

So what is motivated light? Put simply if you can see (or think you can see) the source of the light that’s illuminating the scene, you’re looking at a motivated light. But there’s a bit more to it than that.

Usually I go to great lengths to avoid seeing my lights in the shot, especially if the light is directed towards the camera lens. Even a tiny edge of light in the frame can play havoc with contrast and flare. If I have to see a light I can minimise flare by turning the power right down but then it doesn’t produce the light needed to get the exposure right. So how can I have the motivated light source in the scene and keep control of the exposure?

The answer is… I cheat!

In the video below I’ll look at two ways to create motivated light. The first way is in camera by teaming a low powered flash with a high powered flash that’s out of shot but in the same direction. The second way is by creating the effect in Photoshop.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6sZlhhe3h4[/youtube]

Of course motivated light doesn’t have to be done like this and by definition motivated light can be something as simple as a window or room light that’s in the shot. So the chances are you have used motivated light in the past without even knowing it.

Model: Kerry Allingham
Make-Up: Anna Matos

Gear used in this video

Canon 5D Mark III www.adorama.com/ICA5DM3.html?KBID=67338

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens www.adorama.com/CA24105AFUC.html?KBID=67338

Flashpoint Light Stand www.adorama.com/FPLS9.html?KBID=67338

Black Rapid RS-7 Strap www.adorama.com/BRRS7.html?KBID=67338

Flashpoint StreakLight 360 Ws Creative Collection www.adorama.com/FPLFSL360K2.html?KBID=67338

Sekonic L-308S Flashmate www.adorama.com/SKL308S.html?KBID=67338

Flashpoint Zoom Li-on Manual On-Camera Flash http://www.adorama.com/FPLFSMZL.html?KBID=67338

Smoke Machine Background

One of the draw backs of working in any studio is the finite nature of the backgrounds you can work with during a shoot. Of course if you’re handy at a bit of DIY you can build your own sets and create some amazing backgrounds but that takes time and besides, carpentry isn’t one of my strongest skills as you’ll see when I made my current studio background.

So what can you do to quickly change the background? Well I have a bunch of different fabrics which work really well but as you’ll see in this video, nothing beats the smoke machine for effect and downright fun!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvLjiahVBrs[/youtube]

That shoot was part of a series I shot with a Fortune Teller theme and the smoke machine was perfect for the background, as the smoke builds up, the effect changes from a slight haze to thick fog.

The smoke is a whitish/blueish colour so to get the full effect of the smoke you’ll need a dark background and ideally a light to illuminate the smoke from either the side or back.

Adding a splash of colour to the fog is as easy as popping a coloured gel on the flash that illuminating the fog. In this case I added a red gel to the flash on the right and increased the saturation of the natural blue colour of the fog in Photoshop.

Too much smoke can ruin the shot by reducing contrast, especially if you light it from the front. For that reason I keep any smoke shots until the end of the shoot.

Finally it’s worth checking that the smoke “juice” is water based to avoid leaving a residue all over your studio and is non toxic… pretty obviously. The smoke builds up pretty quickly so also keep a check on the model and anyone else in the studio. At the first sign of problems get some fresh air.

Model: Kerry Allingham
Make-Up: Anna Matos

Gear used in this video

Canon 5D Mark III www.adorama.com/ICA5DM3.html?KBID=67338

Canon 50mm f/1.8 II www.adorama.com/CA5018AFU.html?KBID=67338

Flashpoint Light Stand www.adorama.com/FPLS9.html?KBID=67338

Black Rapid RS-7 Strap www.adorama.com/BRRS7.html?KBID=67338

Flashpoint StreakLight 360 Ws Creative Collection www.adorama.com/FPLFSL360K2.html?KBID=67338

Sekonic L-308S Flashmate www.adorama.com/SKL308S.html?KBID=67338

Curtain Action – Friday Freebie

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Friday freebie so lets put that right with a Photoshop action.

This Action creates a set of beautiful curtains in a theatrical style with a single click of your mouse. There’s four colours to choose from and it’s a brilliant way to frame your vintage style images. The curtains are created from scratch using standard Photoshop filters and effects and to add an extra touch of realism they have a ragged edge and a gentle bow.

Full download instructions are below but you can also Download the Curtain Action

Once downloaded just unzip and install the action into Photoshop. Unfortunately this action is unsuitable for Photoshop Elements

To use the action, start with the photo you wish to use already open in Photoshop and then play one of the four actions in this set. The first thing it does is make a copy of your photo so the original will be untouched and safe. There’s a lot of things for Photoshop to do with this action so it may take a minute or two to run through.
DO NOT switch to another image whilst running the action.

There are no options or controls for this action but at the end you may need to use Free Transform (CTRL+T) to re-size and re-positing your photo under the curtains

The action will work with Photoshop CC2014, CC, CS6, CS5 and CS4

If you create a photo using the Friday Freebie then let me (and everyone else) know by leaving the link in the comments below.

Usage rules
The action is copyright Gavin Hoey 2015. Use is limited to any personal but non-commercial purposes. Please share the Friday Freebie by linking back to this page. Do not redistribute the original image without my permission.

Download instructions

he direct link to download the actions is https://www.gavtrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Cutains-Gavtrain.zip

You must UNZIP the action before installing it in Photoshop

No support is provided with the Friday Freebies. If you need help Google or YouTube the question and you’ll almost certainly find the answer

Flash Duration To Freeze Action

One of the many amazing things you can do with flash is use it to stop fast moving things in their tracks. Unlike working with a continuous light it’s not the shutter speed that freezes the action, it’s the tiny amount of time that the flash lasts… its duration.

Basically it works like this. The more light you need the longer the flash duration, so reducing the flash power shortens the flash duration and increases it’s freezing power.

Different flashes produce very different flash durations and older design studio heads worked in a very different fashion but if you take a standard speedlight as an example, it will have a flash duration of around 1/200th second at full power and 1/10,000 sec at minimum power.

In the video below I put the theory into practice by bumping two wine glasses together and photographing the results with different flash powers

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwcFbRUfHkk[/youtube]

In case you’re wondering, the wine glasses are made of plastic and I drilled two tiny holes in each to attach them to the fishing line.

Gear used in this video (Links to Adorama)

Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera Body Kit

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM AutoFocus Wide Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens

Flashpoint Zoom Li-on Manual On-Camera Flash

Vanguard Alta Pro 284 Carbon Tripod

Universal Swivel Holder

Flashpoint Pro Air Cushioned Heavy Duty Light Stand

My Photography Show 2015 Schedule

There’s only two weeks to go until The Photography Show opens its doors at the N.E.C. in Birmingham and I can’t wait. Running from the 21^st – 24^th March, it’s the UK’s biggest and busiest photography show and it’s packed to the roof with major photographic suppliers and small independent retailers.

But this isn’t just another trade show, there’s also loads of things to see and do. There’s a constant stream of live demos and talks from some of the best photographers in the UK and beyond, there’s also hands on workshops and masterclasses.

I’ll be there for the whole four days giving various talks and demos on Photoshop, Lighting and Photography. If you’re coming along it would be great to meet you and the best place to find me is at one of my talks either in the Adobe theatre, the Guild of Photographers “speakers corner” or in the Behind the lens theatre.

Saturday

10.15 am	Adobe theatre	Video Editing In Photoshop
1.00 pm	Behind the lens	Take & Make Great Photos
2.30pm	Guild of Photographers J75	Fearless Flash Photography
3.30 pm	Adobe Theatre	Make your photos look amazing with Photoshop

Sunday

10.15am	Adobe theatre	Video Editing In Photoshop
2.30 pm	Guild of Photographers J75	Fearless Flash Photography
3.30 pm	Adobe Theatre	Make your photos look amazing with Photoshop

Monday

10.15 am	Adobe theatre	Make your photos look amazing with Photoshop
12.30 pm	Adobe theatre	Hidden gems in Photoshop for photographers
2.30 pm	Guild of Photographers J75	Fearless Flash Photography

Tuesday

11:00 pm	Adobe theatre	Make your photos look amazing with Photoshop
1.15 pm	Adobe theatre	Hidden gems in Photoshop for photographers
2 pm	Adobe theatre	Video Editing In Photoshop
3 pm	Guild of Photographers J75	Fearless Flash Photography

All my demos are free and available on a first come first served basis. There’s no need to book but as the Adobe theatre in particular has limited seating I’d recommend getting there early!

Show tickets are free for professional photographers and the trade (if booked in advance) and £13.95 for enthusiasts (£18.00 on the door)

Controlling reflections in glasses

So you’ve got the lights, you have your model and you’re ready to shoot. Then you take a test photo and all you see is huge white reflections. It’s a problem that happens all too often but fortunately there are a couple of solutions that are quick, easy and effective.

Let’s start with the simplest solution. Get your subject to remove their glasses. It sounds obvious but it’s surprising how many photographers don’t have the nerve to ask. Whilst this can work wonders with occasional spec wearers, anyone who wears glasses full time will look most weird without their specs on. It’s also not going to work with the cool crowd who wear sunglasses all year round.

If you’re using flash or continuous light the chances are the reflections are likely to be from your lights and where you position the lights will affect the reflections you see in the photo.

Light from the front (including on camera flash) will produce the biggest, brightest and least attractive reflections. Because light travels in straight lines it’s going to hit the front of the spectacle lenses and bounce right back in to the camera. This really is one lighting position to avoid.

Knowing that light travels in straight lines means that moving the light source to the side will move reflection. Here the light is at about 45 degrees and the result is a reflection that’s much reduced in size.

Taking the idea a bit further, if the light is fully 90 degrees to the glasses results in a tiny reflection but also produces a split light effect which might not be the look you’re after. If you look really close you’ll still see a slight reflection. Why? Well the surface of glasses isn’t flat like a window, it’s curved so you’re never at a 90 degree angle across the whole surface of the lens.

To minimise and remove reflections the best position for the light is up high. By elevating the light the reflections will disappear and the lighting pattern remains flattering too. Asking the model to drop their chin or slightly angle the glasses down can have a similar effect.

In the video below I go through all of the tips in this post in more detail and even give you some tips on how to add a reflection of your own choosing.

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

Gear used in this video

Canon 5D Mark III www.adorama.com/ICA5DM3.html?KBID=67338

Canon 50mm f/1.8 II www.adorama.com/CA5018AFU.html?KBID=67338

Flashpoint Light Stand www.adorama.com/FPLS9.html?KBID=67338

Black Rapid RS-7 Strap www.adorama.com/BRRS7.html?KBID=67338

Flashpoint StreakLight 360 Ws Creative Collection www.adorama.com/FPLFSL360K2.html?KBID=67338

Sekonic L-308S Flashmate www.adorama.com/SKL308S.html?KBID=67338

Westcott Rapid Box 26″ Octa Softbox www.adorama.com/WERB26OM.html?KBID=67338

Fractured Paint Brush – Friday Freebie

Back in 2011 I made a video on how to create a fractures or shattered image using Photoshop. I’ve added it to this post in case you missed it. To create the effect I made some fractured paint brushes which I uploaded to the Adobe Exchange website and shared for free. Three and a half years is a long time in the fast moving world of the internet and the Adobe Exchange (as I remember it) is no more, so I’m sharing them again here.

Full download instructions are below but you can also
Download the Paint Spatter brushes

Once downloaded just unzip and install the brushes into Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and your ready to go. The video below should give you some ideas of how to use the brushes.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUjXJ5ZPO5M[/youtube]

If you create a photo using the Friday Freebie then let me (and everyone else) know by leaving the link in the comments below.

Usage rules
The brushes are copyright Gavin Hoey 2015. Use is limited to any personal but non-commercial purposes. Please share the Friday Freebie by linking back to this page. Do not redistribute the original image without my permission.

Download instructions
1. Click on the correct download link below (no sign up is needed)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Mmmm3K1utNcjlPYWRvekRYanc/view?usp=sharing

2. Click the Download button

3. The download should start automatically

4. No support is provided with the Friday Freebies. If you need help Google or YouTube the question and you’ll almost certainly find the answer

Getting your photography noticed

Recently I recorded a series of short videos as part of the Lovers of light” photography competition. In this clip I have a few words to say about getting your work noticed.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10TGbr0XfTQ[/youtube]

Who’s your audience
The first step to getting your photography noticed is deciding who you want to be noticed by. Are you trying to attract customers, looking to reach corporate clients or seeking the approval of your photography peers. If you know your target audience you can start planning a strategy to reach them.

Find your style:
Shoot what you love and it will show in your photos. It might be that you have a hobby or sport that combines well with photography or maybe you have a passion for a type of photography and want to explore it.

If you shoot and share a random selection of photos your audience will be most likely be the same.

Develop your style:
Sticking to a style that you can explore and develop will also help you develop a band of followers who share your style. But don’t get stuck in a rut, challenge yourself to try new ideas within your area of photography. Look at the work of photographers you admire and try and emulate their shots. Don’t try and reproduce the same shot exactly but give it your own spin.

Be Social:
Social media is a great way to talk to fellow photographers and share your work. Post new photos to your social media channels regularly and post your work to more than one place. Stick at it, the more you post the greater the chance you’ll break through.
Don’t give up!

And finally, enter competitions. Even if you don’t win you’ll gain experience and have a reason to shoot more. Remember the first step of winning a competition is to enter. http://www.velux.co.uk/loversoflight