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Behind the scenes
- Thread starter danlindberg
- Start date
dj may
Well-known member
After reading the good comments about Hejnar Photo rails, clamps, etc. I decided to give them a try. Since I was visiting the U.S. November 2023, I ordered a variety of products that I could pick up while there. This setup consists of Hejnar horizontal rail, vertical rail and clamps. The horizontal rail is clamped on the A-S Core 75 Leveler, which is mounted on Gitzo Systematic 5 XL. A RSS ball head takes care of the vertical panning, which I have since replaced with a Novoflex Q 48. This will be in my backpack from now on, and the ball head is retired. The ball head had also served a purpose when I needed more tilt than the Core 75 could provide. The difference in weight between the Hejnar/Novoflex setup and the ball head alone is 150 grams. I highly recommend Hejnar.
Leica S3, APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120. About 14 images stitched.
Leica S3, APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120. About 14 images stitched.
GeorgeBo
Well-known member
Early bird gets the waterfall while also avoiding other people 
Image processed with a basic run through Phocus Mobile 2 iPad until I can get home and look at the remaining shots on my main computer. Have consolidated my kit down to a manageable small backpack. Even room for the Z8 and a couple of small adapted lenses for a behind the scenes shot.
Image processed with a basic run through Phocus Mobile 2 iPad until I can get home and look at the remaining shots on my main computer. Have consolidated my kit down to a manageable small backpack. Even room for the Z8 and a couple of small adapted lenses for a behind the scenes shot.
cunim
Well-known member
This was an exercise in using hard lights to shoot a fountain pen. We have three hards and one medium soft light (the overhead). There is a linear grid gobo in the Dedolight projection attachment on the front light. There are also four mirrors, ranging from shiny to somewhat diffuse. Yes, I know, there are way easier ways to do this. IQ4, 138HR, tilted and stacked
Back in the 1930's, Waterman's made most of their pens out of ebonite, which is a sort of recycled rubber. Not very glamorous, but these were some of the best pens ever made and I do like the feel of the material. The nib on this Model 7 pen is the rare "Pink", which was marketed as being just the Huckleberry for fancy writing. Expressive writing was a thing back then. Now we just tap keyboards.
Back in the 1930's, Waterman's made most of their pens out of ebonite, which is a sort of recycled rubber. Not very glamorous, but these were some of the best pens ever made and I do like the feel of the material. The nib on this Model 7 pen is the rare "Pink", which was marketed as being just the Huckleberry for fancy writing. Expressive writing was a thing back then. Now we just tap keyboards.
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Will Deleon
Well-known member
Bts of a recent product shoot. Very simple setup with great results.
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davidsuchoff
Active member
Excellent work, Will! Could you please share what the light and projection unit (?) you are using on the left? Additionally, what is the little stand you are using to hold the clear rod?
Thanks!
Steve Hendrix
Well-known member
I can recognize the Broncolor Picolite with Spot Attachment on the left and the Broncolor Flooter (light on the right). Great stuff.
Steve Hendrix/CI
Will Deleon
Well-known member
Steve is correct on the lighting modifiers! Pico Projection attachment for precise light on the label, flooter for some rim light / added shimmer to water. The small stand is a Matthew’s Micro Grip system.
Thanks!
davidsuchoff
Active member
Steve and Will thank you both for the information.
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
I've been wondering that, too. I do miss his simple and elegant compositions.
Curious...how many hours of retouching?
Will Deleon
Well-known member
Retouching wasn’t very much. Just compositing a few plates of water, cleaning / color correcting label and bottle. I would say about 1.5hrs ?
thanks !
cunim
Well-known member
This one continues my compulsive use of hard lights with specular objects. There is a pair of projection units in front of the vase, and another behind it. A diffuse light sits inside the vase. IQ4, XF, LS120 BR, stacked.
This is absolutely the wrong way to shoot vases - at least according to the usual product practices. We are supposed to diffuse our strobes with angled panels to give us attractive gradients, and the rule is to keep light sources as close as possible and maximise softness. That creates attractive images, especially at web resolutions. However, I find that diffusion kills textures and can remove the detail that arises from surface roughness. So, I use hard lights, accepting the very small bright reflections which I clone out later. To my eyes, the results are more true to life than with soft lighting. YMMV
The vase is from Japanese potter, Makuzu Kozan, appointed to the imperial household during the Meiji period (essentially Victorian times). His work varied widely over the years but was always technically and aesthetically sophisticated.
This is absolutely the wrong way to shoot vases - at least according to the usual product practices. We are supposed to diffuse our strobes with angled panels to give us attractive gradients, and the rule is to keep light sources as close as possible and maximise softness. That creates attractive images, especially at web resolutions. However, I find that diffusion kills textures and can remove the detail that arises from surface roughness. So, I use hard lights, accepting the very small bright reflections which I clone out later. To my eyes, the results are more true to life than with soft lighting. YMMV
The vase is from Japanese potter, Makuzu Kozan, appointed to the imperial household during the Meiji period (essentially Victorian times). His work varied widely over the years but was always technically and aesthetically sophisticated.
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GeorgeBo
Well-known member
View of the eclipse here in the US from central North Carolina. Interesting combo of the 907x/100C with a Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm/11 w/1.4TC from the late 1960s (according to the SN).
The slight pattern on the last image in the frame is from tree limbs that ended up in the way and not from PDAF lines LOL
George
The slight pattern on the last image in the frame is from tree limbs that ended up in the way and not from PDAF lines LOL
George
dchew
Well-known member
The trip to Patagonia has been wonderful. Good light and good people. I highly recommend Visionary Wild / Justin Black. His trips are well-managed and top shelf. Here I am in my failed struggle to stay dry and to keep the tripod from buzzing in the wind. Classic shot from Lago Pehoe in classic Patagonia conditions.
I was committed to using frame averaging to blur the water, so 9/10 attempts were ruined by the wind. But I was able to find a few gaps between gusts. sk60xl, Alpa STC, IQ4-150, tilt and 5mm back rise (the bottom foreground is cropped).
Dave
I was committed to using frame averaging to blur the water, so 9/10 attempts were ruined by the wind. But I was able to find a few gaps between gusts. sk60xl, Alpa STC, IQ4-150, tilt and 5mm back rise (the bottom foreground is cropped).
Dave
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rdeloe
Well-known member
I especially enjoy the colour palette -- warm light on the mountains and cool light on the ocean. Lovely.The trip to Patagonia has been wonderful. Good light and good people. I highly recommend Visionary Wild / Justin Black. His trips are well-managed and top shelf. Here I am in my failed struggle to stay dry and to keep the tripod from buzzing in the wind. Classic shot from Lago Pehoe in classic Patagonia conditions.
I was committed to using frame averaging to blur the water, so 9/10 attempts were ruined by the wind. But I was able to find a few gaps between gusts. sk60xl, Alpa STC, IQ4-150, tilt and 5mm back rise (the bottom foreground is cropped).
Dave
MGrayson
Subscriber and Workshop Member
Beautiful! REALLY captures the spirit of the place. I was there on the only windless week anyone could remember. It was weird. That lake was glassy smooth.The trip to Patagonia has been wonderful. Good light and good people. I highly recommend Visionary Wild / Justin Black. His trips are well-managed and top shelf. Here I am in my failed struggle to stay dry and to keep the tripod from buzzing in the wind. Classic shot from Lago Pehoe in classic Patagonia conditions.
I was committed to using frame averaging to blur the water, so 9/10 attempts were ruined by the wind. But I was able to find a few gaps between gusts. sk60xl, Alpa STC, IQ4-150, tilt and 5mm back rise (the bottom foreground is cropped).
Dave
Great shot Dave! I've only been to the Patagonia region once, and it was further north than Torres Del Paine. The wind in that area of the world is something else for sure. We were fly fishing which was....difficult haha.The trip to Patagonia has been wonderful. Good light and good people. I highly recommend Visionary Wild / Justin Black. His trips are well-managed and top shelf. Here I am in my failed struggle to stay dry and to keep the tripod from buzzing in the wind. Classic shot from Lago Pehoe in classic Patagonia conditions.
I was committed to using frame averaging to blur the water, so 9/10 attempts were ruined by the wind. But I was able to find a few gaps between gusts. sk60xl, Alpa STC, IQ4-150, tilt and 5mm back rise (the bottom foreground is cropped).
Dave