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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

PENTAX 645Z thoughts

Not many of us need, or can afford, a DSLR that costs as much as a good used car. Cameras like the Canon 1DX and Nikon D4S are full 35mm frame cameras that cost this much. Their features, build, and quality are what sets them apart from lower priced, but they are very expensive. In the $5K-$7K range. For those that need them, tho, they are indeed worth it.

The next step up from those are medium format cameras. Leica S and Hasselblad H5D variants can run from around $15K to over $40K. 

In between stand Mamiya and Pentax 645 cameras. Mostly hovering around $10K to $12K. 

Pentax has announced a new 645 style camera with a whopping 51.4MP sensor. And it comes in at a price closer to pro 35mm full frame digital cameras, under $8500, body only.



Still not a product that too many of us will be buying. Then, why am I excited about it?

Way back in the early 2Ks, I told myself I wouldn't think about going digital for my professional work until a digital camera could match Kodachrome for color, sharpness, depth, etc... I stuck by that thought. Well, the digital world caught up with (and later passed) my Kodachrome standard with the introduction of the Canon EOS-1D mkII in 2004. 


That $6500, 8.2mp DSLR was a game changer. Even tho I couldn't even come close close to affording it, I knew that the its tech would filter down into consumer grade cameras eventually. It didn't even take that long. In 2008, I got my own 10.2mp DSLR camera system at an affordable price and haven't looked back much at all to film.

So, with this new endeavor of Pentax and its monster Sony sensored camera, I expect that to filter down to things I can afford in the near future. Maybe sooner than any of us expect.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Commercial Property and Realty Photography

A landing page showcasing commercial property and realty photography by Stephen Harker and SweetHark Crafts. 

Samples below:































Contact us! 

Visit our website SweetHarkCrafts.com 
call/text us at (405) 532-2522

Saturday, May 24, 2014

A little photographer humor


















Jewelry by Marnie Ann

Here are some new creations from Marnie Ann.

Bracelet and earring sets sold for $6.00 per set, S/H extra

Bracelet or earrings only, $3.00 ea, S/H extra












Edit: These items have already sold out.

Small Space Photo Studio for Small Product Photography

Here is the set up:

A chair with a canvas backdrop draped over it.

Sturdy tripod.

Camera with medium range zoom, adjustable flash, and cable release.

Strobe with soft box on light stand.


As you can see, the space available is limited, but the set up doesn't need a lot of room. I set the shoe mount flash on 1/64th power and bounce it out of the way, basically using it as a trigger for the slaved studio strobe. 

I set f-stop for the flash and shutter speed to capture a bit of ambient glow. Bracket exposures and clean up and crop with imaging program. 

Final result of small products:



Now, I use the same set up for some creative images of dried flowers to use as part of my fine art gallery.

In this endeavor, I choose to enhance colors and exposure for a more striking appearance. As usual, tho, minimal enhancement is better than radical. In my humble opinion, of course. And your mileage will vary depending on subject matter and intended use. I crop to the size I intend to print and mount.

Here are the unprocessed photos:



 
 
Here are the finished images:




These finished images will also be printed as greeting cards, magnets, and sold as limited use digital files. The jewelry pics go on a marketing website for the jewelry/craft store that made them. 

A tiny space, some basic equipment, about an hour and half total time. 

Use these ideas for your own projects!