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Return of the 25mm

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All good things must come to an end. I packed up the 25mm lens and sent it with Kuro-Neko (Black Cat Couriers) back to its home in Shinjuku. It’s a pity that the rainy season came early this year, as I’d hoped to have got a wider selection of images with the lens.

It’s a huge piece of glass. It’s a giant in terms of size, weight and cost, but also quality. If you have the cash, and want to get as wide as possible, then this lens could be just what you’re looking for.

Shisa ( Pentax 645D with 25mm )

F.A.Q.s – Lighting Setups

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Suzanne Somersall Jewelry - White Gold + Diamond Sakura Earrings

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry - White Gold + Diamond Sakura Earrings

I’ve had several people asking if I can explain how I took the latest set of studio portraits. Here is the answer with the help of  the Lighting Setup generator by Kevin Kertz.

Lighting Setup for Suzanne Somersall Studio Shoot

Lighting Setup for Suzanne Somersall Studio Shoot

The mainlight, a 150cm gridded octobox, was powered by a Profoto Pro-7a 1200W generator. The two hair lights, 30x120cm gridded softboxes, were powered by Profoto ComPact monolights. The generator was triggered with a PocketWizard which then triggered the two hair lights via their optical slaves. I used the Pentax 645D with a Pentax 67 105mm lens and a 67 to 645 adapter.

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry – Studio

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Suzanne Somersall Jewelry -

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry - Tanzanite Barcelona Ring

Continuing on from the location shoot with the E-type Jaguar, we moved into the studio. We worked our way through the various pieces in Suzanne’s LUXE collection so that she will have a wide range of images to work with when producing catalogs, websites or posters. The large files produced by the 645D camera mean that the client (Suzanne) will have more options with how the images can be used and the detail in the pieces was fantastic.

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry -

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry - Gold Diamond Necklace, Ring, Earrings

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry -

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry - Gold Diamond Pendant, South Pacific Coral Pendant

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry -

Suzanne Somersall Jewelry - Gold Canary Diamond Sakura Ring & Earrings

A big thanks to Amanda for modeling, and Ursula (Ursula Styles) for hair and makeup.
Check out more of Suzanne’s jewelry at Kirakirajewelry.com

Photography 101 Workshops – June 25&26 and July 2&3

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Ayano-san on the April Photography 101 Course

PHOTOGRAPHY 101

Weekend Workshops June 25&26 and July 2&3.

Who is the course for?

The beginner or novice photographer who has a digital SLR  and wishes to progress beyond the green fully auto mode. People who want to take better photographs of their friends and family rather than point, shoot and hope for the best.

What do I need to bring?

Your digital  SLR camera, lens, your camera manual, memory card, battery and charger. If you have a digital compact rather than a digital SLR camera then I can lend you a digital SLR for the course. You don’t need a particular brand of camera or lens.

What does the course cover?

Equipment – The anatomy of cameras, lenses, memory cards, filters and tripods.

Exposure – Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, Camera Modes, Metering

Composition – Angles, Repetition, Rules, Lines, Simplicity

Data Management – Sorting, storing and protecting your images.

This is a fun workshop rather than a lecture. As we cover new topics we will be taking photographs, reviewing the images, and discussing the results.  You’ll be learning by practicing each new skill rather than just reading about it.

Number of Students in the Class? Maximum of 4

Time and Place? 9.00 to 17.00 on June 25&26 and July 2&3. Class takes places at my home in Ishikawa (Uruma City), and surrounding locations. The workshop takes place both indoors and outdoors. It could be sunny or rainy so bring suntan cream and umbrellas! Bring some cash for the lunch breaks on both days.

What is the course fee? US$250 or ¥21,000

Who do I contact? To reserve a place send an email to chris@travel67.com (please write WORKSHOP RESERVATION on the subject line) or phone 090 1367 9198.  Please state the name and date workshop you wish to book  A 50 dollar deposit is required. I’ll send a paypal request for the deposit to those who are booking the course.

July 8 & 9 (& 10) Painting the Night with guest instructor Trevor Williams

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Lighting Painting with Trevor Williams

Light Painting and Night Photography Course

July 8 & 9 (& 10)  Painting the Night with guest instructor Trevor Williams

$150 or ¥12,500

Come join me for two nights of fun and photography. I would like to introduce the magic of light painting and night photography.  The first night we will be covering long exposure and night photography essentials. Learn how to make an image rather than take an image. Use time and light to build up your picture from a black canvas in to exactly what you envisioned.

You’ll then be prepared for the second night which will focus on light painting and other creative techniques. I will reveal some of my secrets and show you step by step how to create  amazing light paintings. You’ll also learn how to make custom tools and use them creatively.

Light painting and night photography has a certain magic about it. When the shutter closes you will find your self running back to the camera to see what you have captured. Friends and family will be stunned by the images you’ve been able to create. After the weekend you’ll have the knowledge and skills to go out and start painting Okinawa with light.

             Trevor Williams

Lighting Painting with Trevor Williams

Dates: The two night course is scheduled to take place on the evenings of July 8th and 9th. July 10th is a backup day in case of rain on both the 8th and 9th. In the event of a typhoon leading to a base lockdown the course will be rescheduled. The course will take place in central Okinawa (Yomitan / Uruma City).

Booking: The course is limited to 12 students. To reserve a place send an email to chris@travel67.com (please write WORKSHOP RESERVATION on the subject line)  A 50 dollar deposit is required to book a place on the course. I’ll send a paypal request for the deposit to those who are booking the course.

Requirements:  At a minimum you’ll need a DSLR and a tripod. We’d highly recommend a cable release or a remote also. If you have a hotshoe flash and or flashlights bring these along also.

You’ll get the most out of the course if you already confident manually selecting aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. If you’re new to photography and not sure about this, I’ll be running Photography 101 workshops on the weekends of June 25&26 and July 2&3.



Lighting Painting with Trevor Williams

							

		
		







	
	

		
Suzanne Somersall Jewelry Shoot – On Location
			

				

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Suzanne Somersall Jewelry Shoot (1) 645D with 67 400mm


Here’s a sneak peek at the location part of a shoot for jewelry designer Suzanne Somersall. www.kirakirajewelry.com


I wanted to start with an establishing shot that focused not on the jewelry but more the lifestyle or principles behind it, these include quality, timelessness and beauty. I just needed an elegant model, a classic black dress, and a car that was the epitome of these qualities.


We were lucky to get Amanda to model, Urusla Ajeroh for hair and make up, Suzanne selected the outfit, and Michio provided his E-type Jaguar. The fact that we had a few hours of reasonable weather during rainy season was a bonus.


Suzanne Somersall Jewelry Shoot (2) 645D with 67 165nn


Suzanne Somersall Jewelry Shoot (3) 645D with 645 55mm


Suzanne Somersall Jewelry Shoot (4) 645D with 645 55mm


Next we move into the studio to focus on the individual pieces. Images to come soon…


You can see slightly larger versions of these photographs over on Flickr, also please check out Suzanne’s website and Facebook page.

							

		
		







	
	

		
Naha Haari (Dragon Boat Races) in the Rain
			

				

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Naha Haari Dragon Boat Races


I got the opportunity to take photos of the dragon boat races today. I took along the new 25mm lens I’m trying out hoping to get some interesting shots. It quickly became clear that the weather was not going to be favorable and it went from drizzle, to light rain, to downpour over the course of an hour. Everyone was soaked, but I was still keen to get at least a few pictures of the event.


I kept the camera and lens in an Ortlieb bag until the race began and then worked on the assumption that the weather sealed body and lens would stand up to a few minutes of rain.


The camera and lens survived their ordeal without any problems, and I have a few photographs of life in the Okinawan rainy season.


25mm lens Wet Weather Testing

							

		
		







	
	

		
Aikido in Action
			

				

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Aikido Shoot - Kabayama & Templin


The above image was shot with the new 645 D FA 25mm lens. When using wide angle lenses and still trying to fill the frame with the subject, you can get a little too close to the action. A fraction of a second after this shot, Kabayama’s left foot glided a little too close to the lens for comfort. (When Q lent me the lens he had stated, “Please be careful with this one Willson.)


For the following sequence I used the standard 55mm lens giving me a little more breathing room. The third image is the real money shot – it captures the essence of the shoot in a single image, and it was the most difficult to produce.


Aikido Shoot - Kabayama & Templin


Aikido Shoot - Kabayama & Templin


Aikido Shoot - Kabayama & Templin


To freeze action in this way you have to use either bright ambient light and a very fast shutter speed, or low ambient light and a strobe with a very fast flash duration.


I turned off all the lights in the dojo, then used a strobe system with a flash duration of about 12,000 / sec to stop time.  It also required a little luck to get Kabayama sensei mid-flight as the camera only shoots one frame per second. Very pleased with this shot, I like the way the strobe casts a clear shadow of Kabayama sensei’s left hand just before impact.


A big thank you to Kabayama sensei who was willing to be slammed into the matting repeatedly in the name of photography!

							

		
		







	
	

		
Thor v Hamlet
			

				

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Thor - A Kenneth Branagh Film


Thor is going to be one of the blockbuster movies of the summer. Already getting rave reviews, it looks like director Kenneth Branagh has done a great job. If you’d like to see another Branagh film produced on an even greater scale, then check out the 1996 version of  Hamlet.


Hamlet - A(nother) Kenneth Branagh Film


Why am I mentioning this on a blog about photography?


Here are some stats about the film Hamlet…


Camera   Arriflex 765




Film negative format (mm/video inches)    65 mm (horizontal) (Eastman EXR 200T 5293, EXR 500T 5298)






Cinematographic process   Panavision Super 70




Film length (metres)   6893 m 


As I discussed in a previous blog post about the amazing movie Baraka, Hamlet was filmed on a 65mm negative. The Arriflex 765 is the cinematographic exquivalent of the Pentax 67. Even the marketing blurb is almost identical “The 765 has been specifically designed to combine the ergonomics and functionality of 35 mm cameras with the unparalleled image quality of 65 mm film.” 


Enjoy Thor as it will, no doubt,  be pushing the boundaries of CGI technology, but 15 years earlier Branagh was pushing the physical limits of film.