by successfulbob | landscape photography, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, photography, photography education, video
The water dances, trickles and flows across the red rocks leaving music in it’s wake accompanied by the morning song of our avian friends…
Thought I’d share a video on beautiful Oak Creek at Red Rock Crossing in Sedona, Arizona. I am once again extremely fortunate to live in absolutely beautiful place. Here are a couple minutes of peace and tranquility. Turn up the volume sit back, relax and listen.
Two Minutes of Tranquility. Enjoy!
The Initial photo starting the video is an HDR rendition blended together from a five stop capture. Processed three of the images in Camera RAW and layered them together in ®Photoshop and used masks to blend them together. This allows me to process the image exactly the way I want without the strong ‘HDR’ look. The scene definitely called for some help in taming the dynamic range.
Here’s the HDR version….
Here is a single capture from the Cathedral Rock scene…
Images and video were captured with Lumix GX7 and the 12-35mm f2.8 Vario Lens. Just after sunrise for about an hour. I was not pushing things captured in Mpeg format cause I know I’m only going to make a YouTube Video. The files were processed in Adobe Premeire Pro. Been trying to learn the program but found it to be a bit deep (because it has so many possibilities) so I’ve been a bit slow to take it up. But I found on KelbyOne.com there are some great Premeire Pro intro videos from Brandon Ford that got me over the hump and this is my first official test.
By the way, if you are/were a NAPP member don’t let it lapse as you are now subscribed to KelbyOne training at the old NAPP rate of $99 per year. If you let it lapse you’ll only get back in at the higher rate. I’m finding the content there to be professionally produced and a great value. Tons of tutorials and tons of videos on all the Adobe products and they are producing more each week. Even at the higher rate it’s a great deal if you want to learn a lot from the best.
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | landscape photography, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, photography education
I really enjoy the panoramic format and I thought this scene from my morning hike called out for it. I’m always amazed at how plant life is able to grab a purchase on the rock formations.
This scene is from Courthouse Butte in Sedona, Arizona. I think this will make a pretty nice watercolor. The trailhead is about 7 minutes from my house and there are a bunch of variations for catching about a 3 mile hike in the AM.
Another trail in Sedona leads to Oak Creek at Cathedral Rock. This was some calm water where I was shooting reflections of the trees and a dog jumped in the water and added some beautiful patterns…
Images made with Lumix GX7 and the 12-35 mm f2.8 Vario lens.
I’m thinking about presenting some workshops in Sedona for limited numbers of people. Photograph at dawn til about 8AM. Have some breakfast. Process some images and work on Photoshop and other artistic techniques then photograph sunsets. Probably be a day and a half or two days. Interested? Get in touch.
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | Lumix GX7, macro, photography, photography education
Here’s an extension of the another post on getting in close by adding tubes to the lens… Playing with flowers and their pistols.
Small roses photographed after a short shower.
Day lilly image close-up. Playing and practicing
Vello Econo AF Extension Tubes. The Econo tubes were only $49.95 I’d thought I’d give them a whirl. More info here. The Lumix GX7 was great with the 35-100mm f2.8 Vario lens having the view of the image on the screen and being able to set the point of focus exactly where you want it to be.
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography
Getting in close can really change how you can see the world…
But, purpose built macro lenses can get pretty pricey and with the new micro 4/3rds systems still growing it’s selection of lenses I was looking for a way to get in close without breaking the bank. Enter extension tubes. If you use them it allows you to convert any of your lenses to give you a whole new look. There is obviously the traditional extension tube manufaturing company Kenko that run around 180 bucks. I found a similar economy version made by a company called Vello. And they even call it Econo AF Extension Tubes. Since the Econo tubes were only $49.95 I’d thought I’d give them a whirl. Happy to report they work just fine. And, a bonus is that the auto-focus works just fine. With the Lumix GX7 having the view of the image on the screen and being able to set the point of focus exactly where you want it to be.
The kit contains a 10mm and 16mm tubes. You can use them alone or you can stack them for a 26mm extension. Ideally you want to be on a tripod when using extension tubes but if you are really steady and have the camera set at a fast enough shutter speed you can get away with hand holding as I have done here because I was on a trip and left the tripod at home.
Without just a little info you won’t be excited about this photo. The wasp is smaller than the tip of my little finger and the flowers are about the size of the last joint on my little finger.
Captured with the Lumix GX7 and the 35-100 mm f2.8 Vario Lens at 100mm with, I believe, 26mm of extension tubes attached. ISO 400 – f8 at 1/60th sec. Note that the lens was at it’s longest setting in order for the tubes to focus properly. You can’t zoom throughout the entire range on a zoom lens.
I’ll revisit this idea in some future posts as I really like the different perspective you achieve by getting in close. As always if you have any question don’t hesitate to ask or drop a comment on the page.
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | photography - art quote
Once you move past learning the basics and advanced features of your camera gear it’s time to push the creativity button.
Oh, wait! there is no creativity button. Darn it!
“Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work.”
Rita May Brown – novelist, poet, screenwriter, activist
The last line of this quote is the base and most important part. Work. It’s the most important part of creativity. It’s great to have ideas. It’s great to have concepts. But without digging in and working hard to make it happen it never will… Once you have made a commitment to an idea work it for all it’s worth. And, trust you are heading in the right direction…
