Category Archives: Pic of the Day
Peter B Lewis Building – Cleveland, OH
To the naked eye this may look like an easy shot. One building right in the frame – snap…done. Except it’s not that easy. It’s a Really big building. It’s a really big building with a very narrow street and no room to step back. Oh and it’s a really big SHINY building.
Did I mention I was shooting in direct sun? So direct sun, really big building, no room to step back and shiny shiny material.
I found and angle that worked pretty well and shot at 11mm to get the whole building in (I did dodge a bit of traffic, don’t try this at home kids). I shot 9 exposures and used them all. The hardest part was getting the aluminum to look right. If I added too much local contrast it just looked dirty. I wanted it to look smooth and reflective. This is where the new super adjustment brush in Lightroom 4 comes in handy. I was able to knock down the clarity in some sections making it smoother, while adjusting the highlights and even white balance (to remove an ugly greenish cast).
Also, CS6 was a huge help correcting the perspective thanks to the new adaptive wide-angle filter. Instead of futxing around forever wondering if a very crooked building was “straight” I was able to pick a few vertical lines and voila - problem solved.
So is it an exciting shot? No, in the end it is just a big shiny building. But a really cool big shiny building 
Almost a Man – Making A Portrait Out of Nothing
I am not a portrait guy. I don’t know lighting very well and am a klutz when trying to use my flash. That’s why I decided I wanted to spend some time this weekend working on improving my “people”
skills. Lucky for me I had a model. Unlucky for me, he wasn’t exactly a willing one. I guess eleven year old boys don’t think posing for his crazy dad is all that much fun. However his reluctance got me thinking. He isn’t a little boy anymore. He isn’t exactly a man either. I wanted to find some way to shoot him that was a bit edgier so that he would look “cool.”
To see how I got the shot, keep reading below the fold.
Also posted in Photo Breakdown
Tagged black, family, headshot, highpass, nonhdr, portrait, teen
2 Comments
City Lights – Cleveland, OH
Shockingly not an HDR shot. Just a little Lightroom 4 manipulation. I love Lightroom 4.
Fireworks – Epcot
Just a little fun this morning. Enjoy the day everyone.
Clothcraft Clothing – Cleveland, OH
Sometimes you plan where you want to go shooting. Other times you see something that makes you abandon your plans without a moments hesitation. That happened to me this weekend while driving down I90 heading to downtown Cleveland. I was going to shoot a few signs and detail pieces for a project I’m working on when out of the corner of my eye I spotted this HUGE derilict brick building.
I yanked my car over 3 lanes (no lie – but hey I looked first) and pulled off to explore. At first I was dissapointed due to the large fence around the structure…until I noticed the semi-truck sized hole on the side. Bingo. I grabbed my gear and went hiking through the undergrowth of broken glass, weeds and carrion until I could find the right angle.
I didn’t have time to go in – not to mention I wasn’t dressed for urban exploration. However on my next trip I plan on getting a little dirty. I’m glad I’m not a neighbor of this old wreck (it was a Hugo Boss warehouse for years) but as a photographer I love finding places like this. I have more shots to share later.
Have a good Monday everyone.
From Above – Cleveland, OH
Heading out this afternoon to Cleveland, OH to start prepping for this weeks classes. I won’t have time to go up in the helicopter this time, but I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting “perspective.” Save the money you would spend on a piece of gear that might gather dust and go UP to get some great shots.
If you do go up, look for a helicopter with an open door. You don’t want to shoot through glass if you can help it. Helicopters are…bouncy so you need to shoot fast. Open your lens up, set your focus to infinity and start snapping away. You’ll probably take a lot of bad shots, but you’ll get a bunch of keepers too.
It helps if you work with your pilot too. Let them know what you are looking for and they can often find a great angle to capture a shot you can’t get any other way. They are often used to working with photographers so they know the drill.
Let me know if you go up in the sky. It’s worth every penny!
PS – Just as a reminder this weekend I’m teaching not 1, not 2 but 3 Composition in the Field classes for The Digital Photo Academy. Part photo-walk, part instruction, all fun. Two classes are in University Circle and one special class in The Flats to explore the old industrial section of “Bridge City.” If you aren’t doing anything this weekend and want to expand your skill with a camera come on down.
Florida Sunrise – Cocoa Beach, FL
I woke up to snow drifting down this morning. It’s April! Snow? My colleagues at work laughed and said welcome to Canada. Why did I move again?
So today it’s a little more beach dreaming. Sunrise at Cocoa Beach was my ..ok one of my… favorite ways to start a weekend. There is just something magical about a morning sky and the sound of the ocean. Oh well, that’s what vacations are for.
Tagged Atlantic Ocean, beach, cocoa beach, cocoa beach pier, Florida, HDR, ocean, Photomatix Pro 3, sunrise
4 Comments
Follow Me
