Category Archives: this and that

this and that

Camera 101

Posted by jussi on August 21, 2011 at 1:43 pm.

Olen surkea opettaja, mutta muutama kaveri pyyti että opettaisin heille digijärkkärin perusteet ja menin lupaamaan.

Tavoite on käydä kameran toiminta läpi ja vaihtaa automatiikka manuaalikomennukseen ja antaa tällätavoin enemmän määräysvaltaa omiin kuviin. Perusjutut  käydään eka “höpöttämällä kahvin kera” ja kattomalla pari havainto kuvaa. Lopuksi pieni kuvaus jossa ehkä opittua voi soveltaa.

Ihan vain perusjutut:

-ISO herkkyys (100-200-400…)

-Aukko / Suljinaika (f5,6 @ 1/250s)

-Syväterävyys

-Polttoväli ja sen merkitys

MILLOIN: alustavasti 14.9.2011 keskiviikko ilta .. tarkka aika selviää kun saan tilan.

MISSÄ: Kotkassa, yritän järjestää mariankadulta pienen tilan missä tämän voi jouhevasti järjestää.

HINTA: Ei mitään, ilmanen, kahvit kaupan päälle

First off I am a horrible teacher. But few of my friends asked if I can teach them the camera basics and I said yes. So here we go – again.

The goal is to go through basic camera operations and take you out of the auto mode to manual, to give you more controll over your images. Idea is to go through these things over at coffee and then go out shooting.

Just the basic stuff and how they corralete.

-ISO – setting (100-200-400-800…)

-Aparture / Shutterspeed   (f5,6 @ 1/250th)

-DoF (Depth of Field)

-Focal lenght (what to use and why)

- Very basic on camera flash (why the popup must die.)

WHEN:initial date – might change is 14th / september

HOW LONG: “lecuture” about and hour and the off to shooting join both or just the other..

WHERE: In kotka.. most likely I am trying to get a small spacer from the building I live in to hold this. Just like last time..

COST: not a dime – free for all .. coffee included..

images, this and that

What Models Like?

Posted by jussi on August 11, 2011 at 4:39 pm.

Sorry Iina – you just came example..

No matter how long I keep shooting I never seem to understand what models like.

During a shoot I take anywhere from 300 to 900 pictures. At minimum I get about five frames per setup to choose from. The problem is choosing which to take to the end. More I shoot easier it is for me to pic what I like and do those – although its still the hardest par of the post process.

No matter how often I shoot  the pics I choose are rarely the faves of the models. Not so surprising then that most of them ask for more pictures even though I’ve told them I’ll only deliver 3-5 pictures from the hour long photoshoot. (One reason is of course the time it takes to do all the retouching for ten images but lets not get to that one now.)

Iina here is a good example. She liked the picture above but not the one under because “her face.” Not too specific thought but we’ll go with that. And thats part of the problem also – I think. I never know in detail what models think of the pics. This shoot was a bit different though because after the session we headed to Joonas’ flat and I imported the files on the laptop. Iina, Krista and Jonna were able to see  the raw files straight out of the camera and comment on those. Too bad I had couple of beers so I can’t remember anything they said about the pics. Only comment I recall is “slurps.” Right..

It would be fun to have models look through the whole catalog of images of them and tell me what they think in detail What they like, don’t like and so on and so forth. I hardly think the feedback would be too technical: “ouh, I like the pose but the hair light is too hard.”

this and that

Very Last Minute Gift Guide

Posted by jussi on December 23, 2010 at 1:46 pm.

So you still got nothing for your special photographer? Ouh, boy you are screwed.

Here is more ideas if non of the ideas presented in the last minute gift guide were helpful.

1) Kalle’s Book PMMP- Vaahtopäät

For heaven sake go get it.

2) Box of whine.

Lets face it, we think our photography as art when it hits a certain level. So let us be like bohemian painters with cheap red whine. Sure we aren’t that interesting and lack in temper but we usually are very well behaving artist without diva-like gestures.

3) New toy

Cheap video camera for still shooter? Just to give him or her a laugh. “ouh video, right.” Grey card shaped like a heart. Ouh, how cheesy but you got the idea. Don’t worry it will go into use eventually. Photography related stuff is not advisable if you do not know exactly what the photog wants. Wrong type of flash can easily ruin the holiday spirit for the sensitive artist. So go for something less useful but fun.

4) Ban From Photoforums

This is a awsome gift and very cheap infact free of charge If your own little photog has a tendency to pixlepeep and hang on photoforums for hours discussing low-iso-noise or debate about correct use of striplights. (Ouh, I could go on and on and on.)The gift? Just contact the admins of the forum and ask them to ban the nick he/she uses.

5) What Not to Buy?

We photogs are quite unique and there are some good rules which are worth mentioning. First don’t buy a picture book if you the genre is wrong.

Give me a nature or black and white street photography book and I’ll tear you a new one! Same with gear, it has to be the right camera body or the right lens. For begingers who really don’t know what they need is better not to buy anything. So no books of wrong genre and no gear.

Coffee mugs and towels. This is more general sort of advice but those two items are something that people buy when they got nothing on you. Don’t let him/her know that you haven’t got a clue.

So good luck.. and happy holidays.

this and that

Last Minute Gift Guide

Posted by jussi on December 20, 2010 at 11:47 am.

Okay, its the 20th of December and you have gotten nothing for your photographer loved one. I got some ideas that will not cost you a million like everything related to photography usually does.

1) Kalle’s book! PMMP Vaahtopäät (~30e)
Its awsome, great, magnificent and and absolute must have book for someone wanting to be concert photographer. Go to the nearest bookshop and help your self out of trouble.

2) One class from CreativeLive – I think they are up for download.. (~120e)
Online courses are smart thing at this point. Of course the Storbist Box or the One Light DVD would be great but no way they would get shipped in time.

3) One month pass to KelbyTraining (~25e)
Same as #2 but this is 1/4 the price. This is something I’m thinking of bying for myself. The slow holidays will go quickly with teachers like Joe McNally

4) Anything From Joe McNally (~40e) [only for those who have very good book shops around the corner]
And speaking of Joe he just published a new book: guide to digital photography. This is would be OK for your own little photog who just picked up the camera.  But for more advanced shooter I’d go with the Moment it Clicks (the photography bible as far as I’m considered) or for the Hot Shoe Diaries.

5) Bert Stephani’s Motivational Light DVD
Yet another one download&burn-your-self dvds. Thing with this one is you gotta be at least somewhat familiar with lighting. So if your own little photog carries more flashes than lens’ in the camera bag then this just might the thing.

6) And this is for someone truly desperate.
Go to the local camera store and buy a gift card.

this and that

Move Tomorrow

Posted by jussi on December 11, 2010 at 12:34 am.

Its Christmas time and Dancestudio Move is holding their annual Christmas show tomorrow at Kyminsuu theather.  Sorry to say I’m not there, but that does not mean you should not be!

Saturday on the 11th / showtime at 3pm and 6pm / tickets 3e&5e

GoGo!

btw, the picture above is shot during a recess on a move springshow couple of years ago. The girl was practising on the sidewalk and using a window as a mirror. Its one of my favorites just because its so different than those 5000 dance pictures I’ve shot during the years with Move.