Well, I don't know what sort of week you've all been having, but it's been a bit of a downhill journey at chez chromasia. Tabby and Finley have both got stinking colds and have both been waking up several times a night, so Libby and I are now half-dead, and my laptop decided to die on me a few hours before I was supposed to be giving a presentation on Monday evening. All in all, it's been a bit of a trial. Fortunately Tabby has been a bit better today, but Finley has been feeling decidedly sorry for himself.
All that said, we did manage to take the kids to the park for a while this afternoon and I managed to find a bit of time to try out my new lens, a Lensbaby 3G. If you've been visiting chromasia for a while you may remember that I posted some shots in 2005 taken with a Lensbaby 2.0, some of which I was quite pleased with (e.g. this one and this one). What I never really got the hang of though was the lack of control; i.e. the focus with the Lensbaby 2.0 can be continuously varied, but not locked. The Lensbaby 3G, on the other hand, allows you to lock the focus and, as a result, is considerably easier to use.
Anyway, this is a shot of Rhowan, taken at f/2.8, and the blur is a consequence of the lens; i.e. it wasn't added during post-production. And I know I've posted several portraits of Rhowan that aren't entirely dissimilar to this one, but it's a style that seems to suit her.
captured camera lens focal length aperture shutter speed shooting mode exposure bias metering mode ISO flash image quality RAW converter cropped?
3.23pm on 17/9/08
Canon 1Ds Mark II Lensbaby 3G
approx. 50mm
f/2.8
1/10
aperture priority
+1/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
Capture One Pro
1x1
To be honest, it is a bit too much brightness to me. But that's my oppinion only. The other thing that the left eye (it's the right one from here) looks blurred and it's a bit distracting.
comment bydjn1 at 10:01 PM (GMT) on 24 September, 2008
On my monitor this looks high-key rather than too bright, but I haven't recalibrated my monitor since reinstalling my OS on Monday so will take another look at it after I've checked my calibration.
comment bydjn1 at 10:05 PM (GMT) on 24 September, 2008
I've just taken another look at this on my daughter's laptop, which isn't calibrated, and it looks blown out. I've rechecked the image again in Photoshop though, and none of the highlights are clipped.
I agree with djn1, it looks high key, but not so bright that all the detail is lost. I think the eyes make the shot for me, they just stand out so much from the rest.
comment byJennifer at 10:09 PM (GMT) on 24 September, 2008
Ghostly - rather cool! I'm sure I can see you reflected in her eyes.
I need one of those lense babies! This is intense! Excellent work david :)
comment bySuri at 10:57 PM (GMT) on 24 September, 2008
wonderful high-key shot: an angel smile!
for me, it's not too bright and I can see enough details I need to understand the picture.
I'm "taped"!
comment bymicha at 11:31 PM (GMT) on 24 September, 2008
I think the beauty of this pic is the way you made it possible to one read her eyes! Love the way she holds the spectator eyes..and then when it becomes uncomfortable one can just find her smile lost the whiteness of the pic. Well done.
comment byRobbie Veldwijk at 11:57 PM (GMT) on 24 September, 2008
Nice dreamy photo!
comment byRichard at 12:30 AM (GMT) on 25 September, 2008
Nice image david and not blown out! However, I think you pulled the trigger too soon on the 3G. They just launched another model that on the outset looks very easy to use.
comment by dfp at 01:10 AM (GMT) on 25 September, 2008
looks great on my monitor Dave, love it!
comment byKevin H. Stecyk at 01:55 AM (GMT) on 25 September, 2008
Beautiful dreamy photograph David! :)
comment by ed at 02:20 AM (GMT) on 25 September, 2008
making a comment just to say No Comment! i mean come on really.....
comment byFia at 05:28 AM (GMT) on 25 September, 2008
Beautiful portrait. Love how you really put the eyes in focus.
comment by will pattison at 08:54 PM (GMT) on 25 September, 2008
simple, beautiful...brilliant. exactly what i expect!
and, for you blown highlighters....i seriously doubt you will EVER see a nightingale image with a blown highlight.
wp.
comment byEric at 04:14 AM (GMT) on 26 September, 2008
So beautiful! Amazing shot, I love this one a lot! And BTW, though this is my first comment on your, I absolutely love your work, very inspiring! Thanks for sharing! :))
comment by kate at 04:18 AM (GMT) on 26 September, 2008
another great one. :)
comment by Mark at 06:37 AM (GMT) on 26 September, 2008
A very graceful portrait, much enhanced by the tight crop. I'm a sucker for these ultra subtle tones. This would look great as a really large print.
comment bySasa at 01:21 PM (GMT) on 26 September, 2008
wonderful.
comment by Nabbles at 07:21 PM (GMT) on 26 September, 2008
This shot feels sureal and ghostly. Kind of nice, but I would have loved to see more conventional B&W processing on this image. I think with a bit more tonal range in the shot it would be more interesting.
comment byDiana at 07:55 PM (GMT) on 26 September, 2008
I simply love her beautiful big eyes and the soft tones of the skin. You did a great job with this photo. I am a big fan of chromasia website, I watch you every time with great interest. Congratulations for the quality of the photographs and keep up the good work!
comment bydjn1 at 10:40 PM (GMT) on 26 September, 2008
Thanks everyone :-)
comment byBenoit at 09:26 AM (GMT) on 27 September, 2008
So enchanting!!! This white is pure and her smile is just enough but not too much. This picture looks so beautiful that I'm asking me how you can have this sort of vision before shooting!!! Seems to amazing how you're mind is working!!! So... Love the shot and your post-process which is really a big part of your style/success.
comment byaurore at 07:57 PM (GMT) on 27 September, 2008
splendide!
comment byRoger at 02:32 PM (GMT) on 30 September, 2008
Superb David, love the effect and maybe I ought to get one now.... :-)
Rog
comment by speedjive at 01:46 PM (GMT) on 2 October, 2008
Gosh, lot of negative comments on this one
I think it's great, it looks like a marble statue, although the eyes are a bit too dark and obvious - maybe if she had closed them, or did you beef up the contrast intentionally.
I haven't stopped by for a while but seeing shots of this quality remind me to bookmark your site again
comment byShayan at 02:06 AM (GMT) on 9 October, 2008
i love the dreamy feeling of this picture. What kind of post processing did you do to get her so ghostly and ethereal? actually one of my favorites of your gallery.
comment by age 11 lil girl at 07:54 AM (GMT) on 27 October, 2008
how old is the little girl becuase shes really cute and a fantastic photograph just dreamy its like the best picture for winter like she is the dreamy snow princess
Well, I don't know what sort of week you've all been having, but it's been a bit of a downhill journey at chez chromasia. Tabby and Finley have both got stinking colds and have both been waking up several times a night, so Libby and I are now half-dead, and my laptop decided to die on me a few hours before I was supposed to be giving a presentation on Monday evening. All in all, it's been a bit of a trial. Fortunately Tabby has been a bit better today, but Finley has been feeling decidedly sorry for himself.
All that said, we did manage to take the kids to the park for a while this afternoon and I managed to find a bit of time to try out my new lens, a Lensbaby 3G. If you've been visiting chromasia for a while you may remember that I posted some shots in 2005 taken with a Lensbaby 2.0, some of which I was quite pleased with (e.g. this one and this one). What I never really got the hang of though was the lack of control; i.e. the focus with the Lensbaby 2.0 can be continuously varied, but not locked. The Lensbaby 3G, on the other hand, allows you to lock the focus and, as a result, is considerably easier to use.
Anyway, this is a shot of Rhowan, taken at f/2.8, and the blur is a consequence of the lens; i.e. it wasn't added during post-production. And I know I've posted several portraits of Rhowan that aren't entirely dissimilar to this one, but it's a style that seems to suit her.
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
Canon 1Ds Mark II
Lensbaby 3G
approx. 50mm
f/2.8
1/10
aperture priority
+1/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
Capture One Pro
1x1
the picture looks so bright on my macbook that don't see much detail.....
To be honest, it is a bit too much brightness to me. But that's my oppinion only. The other thing that the left eye (it's the right one from here) looks blurred and it's a bit distracting.
On my monitor this looks high-key rather than too bright, but I haven't recalibrated my monitor since reinstalling my OS on Monday so will take another look at it after I've checked my calibration.
I've just taken another look at this on my daughter's laptop, which isn't calibrated, and it looks blown out. I've rechecked the image again in Photoshop though, and none of the highlights are clipped.
I agree with djn1, it looks high key, but not so bright that all the detail is lost. I think the eyes make the shot for me, they just stand out so much from the rest.
Ghostly - rather cool! I'm sure I can see you reflected in her eyes.
I need one of those lense babies! This is intense! Excellent work david :)
wonderful high-key shot: an angel smile!
for me, it's not too bright and I can see enough details I need to understand the picture.
I'm "taped"!
I think the beauty of this pic is the way you made it possible to one read her eyes! Love the way she holds the spectator eyes..and then when it becomes uncomfortable one can just find her smile lost the whiteness of the pic. Well done.
Nice dreamy photo!
Nice image david and not blown out! However, I think you pulled the trigger too soon on the 3G. They just launched another model that on the outset looks very easy to use.
looks great on my monitor Dave, love it!
Beautiful dreamy photograph David! :)
making a comment just to say No Comment! i mean come on really.....
Beautiful portrait. Love how you really put the eyes in focus.
simple, beautiful...brilliant. exactly what i expect!
and, for you blown highlighters....i seriously doubt you will EVER see a nightingale image with a blown highlight.
wp.
So beautiful! Amazing shot, I love this one a lot! And BTW, though this is my first comment on your, I absolutely love your work, very inspiring! Thanks for sharing! :))
another great one. :)
A very graceful portrait, much enhanced by the tight crop. I'm a sucker for these ultra subtle tones. This would look great as a really large print.
wonderful.
This shot feels sureal and ghostly. Kind of nice, but I would have loved to see more conventional B&W processing on this image. I think with a bit more tonal range in the shot it would be more interesting.
I simply love her beautiful big eyes and the soft tones of the skin. You did a great job with this photo. I am a big fan of chromasia website, I watch you every time with great interest. Congratulations for the quality of the photographs and keep up the good work!
Thanks everyone :-)
So enchanting!!! This white is pure and her smile is just enough but not too much. This picture looks so beautiful that I'm asking me how you can have this sort of vision before shooting!!! Seems to amazing how you're mind is working!!! So... Love the shot and your post-process which is really a big part of your style/success.
splendide!
Superb David, love the effect and maybe I ought to get one now.... :-)
Rog
Gosh, lot of negative comments on this one
I think it's great, it looks like a marble statue, although the eyes are a bit too dark and obvious - maybe if she had closed them, or did you beef up the contrast intentionally.
I haven't stopped by for a while but seeing shots of this quality remind me to bookmark your site again
i love the dreamy feeling of this picture. What kind of post processing did you do to get her so ghostly and ethereal? actually one of my favorites of your gallery.
how old is the little girl becuase shes really cute and a fantastic photograph just dreamy its like the best picture for winter like she is the dreamy snow princess