Nov 10, 2011

100X100 – episode 17

A blessing or a curse?

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So far I haven’t really made up my mind about the role and usefulness of ‘creative filters’ in post-processing. Sure, they are my go-to tools for B&W conversions and HDR processing, and I will use them without hesitation as long as their effect on the final image is subtle and seemingly non-existent. Based on that same logic, I will rarely include Photoshop in my workflow, except for ‘mandatory surgery’: I prefer staying within the capabilities and confines of Lightroom and its basic toolset.

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And yet, having installed a fair selection of plug-ins for some time now, I find myself revisiting my original position. Photomatix Pro has become my workhorse for photorealistic HDR images, and Nik Software’s excellent suite serves me well for more artistic versions and interpretations.

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For creative experimentation, I would have a hard time doing without Nik’s ‘Efex Pro’ triplet. It has become so easy to see a fast preview of any effect, thanks to the many built-in presets, and there’s ample sliders to tweak the processes to your personal liking. And then the luxury of the almighty U Points!

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There’s one drawback in taking this route. Potentially, a big one. It is so easy and alluring to take an otherwise bland, uninspired shot and transform it into something ‘worth looking at’. Indeed, a trendy effect may make the picture look more interesting – at least to its author - than content or composition deserve. I note the same pitfall in so many iPhone snaps that litter Twitter and Facebook: often empty shells but coming in a nice gift wrapper.

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On the other hand, creatively fooling around makes you wonder why an skipped discarded at first suddenly looks more promising, even takes on a new personality. Perhaps that brings us to a better look into composition and the use of light and color. And thereby teaches us a thing or two to make our next pictures a tad better. What do you think?

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100 – Silver Efex pro, Color Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro

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Nov 7, 2011

Long time no see…

I have been suspiciously absent from this blog for a while. Not one specific reason for the silence, rather a multitude of them!

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First and foremost, I was totally engulfed in the by now annual digital photo enthusiasts event organized by Belgiumdigital, the leading Dutch language photography forum. This year we opted for a smaller scale but more interactive BelgiumdigitalLite version.

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Again, the organizing team prepared for a full day packed with workshops, photo opportunities, software demos, all kinds of equipment on display, and a series of fully loaded studio setups –complete with models - for all to go wild.

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Besides that event, I got plenty of opportunity to shoot but mostly on projects that do not allow me to share the pictures…

That’s behind me now, and I am looking forward to post again on a more regular basis.

Gear notes: D700, X100, and various kit through friends

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