Scenes of St. Louis

photography Preston Page: Messy Lips Variations

2011-12-23T19:56:00.000-06:00

photography Preston Page: Messy Lips Variations: Enduring more than her fair share of juicy in a tube is model Mimi Graczyk, being applied by makeup artist Yuriko Hegay. Please let me k...

photography Preston Page: Hummingbird Wing Eyelashes #1

2011-12-23T11:34:00.000-06:00

photography Preston Page: Hummingbird Wing Eyelashes #1: Model Mimi Graczyk, hair and makeup artist Yuriko Hegay and photo stylist Susan Page prep for the last setup of the day. Yuri designed t...

photography Preston Page: Ka-Neffer-Neffer Mummy Mask, SLAM

2011-11-20T17:09:00.000-06:00

photography Preston Page: Ka-Neffer-Neffer Mummy Mask, SLAM: Many years ago, I saw a book of Egyptian artifacts from about 1855 with hand colored cyanotype prints stitched in. I still remember bei...

photography Preston Page: Megan Dillingham/Yuriko Hegay ECU Redux

2011-11-04T21:54:00.001-05:00

photography Preston Page: Megan Dillingham/Yuriko Hegay ECU Redux: This set of pictures is a second pass at processing an extreme close-up of model Megan Dillingham in makeup by Yuriko Hegay, which makes ...

10.22.2011 Fashion Sitting Picks Slideshow

2011-10-30T13:54:00.000-05:00

Processing variations created with Photoshop, Lightroom, Nik Software.

photography Preston Page: Megan and Yuri Beauty Sitting

2011-10-24T13:26:00.000-05:00

photography Preston Page: Megan and Yuri Beauty Sitting: Model Megan Burns gets last minute adjustments by hair and makeup artist Yuriko Hegay is this first click of the day, taken without warni...

photography Preston Page: Megan/Yuri/Erica/Ola - Process Redux

2011-10-18T23:46:00.001-05:00

photography Preston Page: Megan/Yuri/Erica/Ola - Process Redux: 1 - I was not entirely happy with the first version of this picture, so I ran it through a more elaborate processing workflow. Model Meg...

photography Preston Page: Mega/Yuri/Erica #4E Process Variations

2011-10-08T14:20:00.000-05:00

See photography Preston Page: Mega/Yuri/Erica #4E Process Variations: 1- Model Megan Burns, with makeup and hair by Yuriko Hegay, in jewelry by Erica Dunk/Hyper Haute. The series begins with a version strai...

photography Preston Page: Megan/Yuri/Erica #4E, Nine Variations

2011-10-05T22:02:00.003-05:00

To view eight more versions, see photography Preston Page: Megan/Yuri/Erica #4E, Nine Variations: 1- Model Megan Burns in hair and makeup by Yuriko Hegay wears jewelry by Erica Dunk/Hyper Haute. This is the next-to-last picture from t...

photography Preston Page: Megan/Yuri/Suzanne #2F Process Variations

2011-10-04T22:17:00.000-05:00

This is an R&D process for an upcoming Femme Fatale series. To see more, variations, visit photography Preston Page: Megan/Yuri/Suzanne #2F Process Variations: Model Megan Dillingham, with hair and makeup by Yuriko Hegay, wears Suzanne Lay for this series of processing experiments. This is the "...

Epson 4880 Printer

2011-10-04T14:59:00.002-05:00

Selling my Epson 4880 if anyone's interested. I've listed on Craig's List: http://stlouis.craigslist.org/pho/2632484227.html

photography Preston Page: Megan/Yuri/Erica/Ola #2D Variations

2011-10-03T22:18:00.000-05:00

photography Preston Page: Megan/Yuri/Erica/Ola #2D Variations: Model Megan Burns, with makeup and hair by Yuriko Hegay, wears jewelry by Erica Dunk and a dress by Ola Hawatmeh. This is the "straight"...

Megan/Uri/Ola/Erica #1A, 12 Variations

2011-09-30T01:37:00.000-05:00

Model Megan Burns, with makeup and hair by Yuriko Hegay, wears jewelry by Erica Dunk/Hyper Haute and a ten pound dress by Ola Hawatmah, kicks off this series of experiments with a straight shot, straight out of a terse beauty workflow. Lighting here is a small, $89 ring flash. I'm amazed by how clean the light is.

Jumping straight into HDR mode, the "Clean City 2" preset in Nik HDR Efex looked most natural for a starting point.

The hand colored cyanotype has become a staple of these experiments. I like the contrast.

Cranking up the glow to 11 in Nik Color Efex Pro 4. A little too far, but I like the contours.

The platinum print from Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 really pops.

Made from a clone of the platinum, this blue/sepia split tone looks smoother than most HDR versions.

The hand colored Van Dyke print is a little pink, but I like the tone range. I might take another stab at it.

HDR with a slight Glamour Glow from Nik Color Efex Pro 4. This one really pops.

The glow plus grain is a very nice baroque feel.

A killer dark sepia wash in Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

High structure smothered with a glow and slightly lowered saturation.

The Black Gold sample recipe from Nik Color Efex Pro 4 has rapidly become my favorite. However, the picture has to be prepared just right before applying the effect because it can go ugly fast.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/4 @ 1/60s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Small ring flash speed light
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 24, 2011, Processed - September 25, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Maggie/Yuri/Suzanne #2B, Nine Variations

2011-09-29T23:27:00.000-05:00

Model Maggie Brabbins in makeup and hair by Yuriko Hegay, wearing an original design blouse by Suzanne Lay in this base picture from my current beauty workflow.

The same capture after "subtle" HDR tone mapping in Nik HDR Efex.

The Bronze Age is back, with the "300" develop preset applied to the HDR.

This is a platinum print made from the base HDR in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Last of the HDR shots is the sepia/blue shadows split tone make made in Lightroom 3.

The soft "300" Lightroom 3 developer preset, applied to the natural version.

This might be my official pick, from a glamour glow sample in Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

Softening the HDR in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 using a preset I call grainy nude.

Has potential, but this hand colored Van Dyke print form Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 isn't quite right.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/13 @ 1/60s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor strobe with single beauty and small bank
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 17, 2011, Processed - September 29, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Maggie/Yuri/Suzanne #2A, Ten Variations

2011-09-29T22:03:00.000-05:00

Model Maggie Brabbins wears Suzanne Lay with hair and makeup by Yuriko Hegay in this series, which kicks off with a with the raw image processed in Nik Color Efex Pro 4 with a sample recipe called "Black Gold" that I quite like. After a slight learning curve with the tools, I'm able to run through ten variations like this in about two hours instead of the 4-6 hours.

This is the raw shot with just the basic first five steps of my fashion workflow.

This single image HDR tone mapping version was made in Nik HDR Efex. I'm finding that a "subtle" HDR image makes a good base for some monochrome conversions.

Case in point, this classic platinum print would have been fairly flat without the HDR texture enhancement.

This blue/sepia split tone version started with the platinum version above, then toned in Lightroom 3.

Adding a warm glamour glow and a tough of grain usually works, but this is hardly the strongest version.

A softer "300" version doesn't quite work either this time. It feels too flat.

A "Vintage glow with grain" recipe from Nik Color Efex Pro 4 is responsible for this version.

A small amount of warm glow from the "Evening" recipe in Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

An last, the hand colored Van Dyke print from Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/13 @ 1/60s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor strobe with single beauty dish
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 17, 2011, Processed - September 29, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro 4, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Megan/Yuri/Suzanne #2A, Ten Variations

2011-09-29T20:14:00.000-05:00

Model Megan Dillingham, wearing original designs by Suzanne Lay with hair and makeup by Yuriko Hegay, leads off this series with a vintage grain effect from the new Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

Also from Nik Color Efex Pro 4 is this warmer high contrast preset.

The "300" effect is a develop preset for Lightroom 3 that I'm trying to perfect. I'll wind up with about ten variations by the end of October.

This is the "straight" shot after my typical, just getting started, workflow.

A sepia wash, strong glow and pumped up contrast define the recipe for this version from Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

One of the downloadable presets for Nik Color Efex Pro 4 is "Life". It sure punches up the image.

Back to Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, I took a little extra time on this hand colored Van Dyke print.

A classic sepia/blue split tone has the look of Kodak POP.

The classic platinum print is something you have to see in person. They always look flat on screen.

The hand colored cyanotype is one I keep exploring. I like the contrast.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/13 @ 1/60s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor strobe with single beauty dish
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 17, 2011, Processed - September 29, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Lincoln Ward #4 Variations

2011-09-28T08:12:00.000-05:00

Lincoln Ward, with makeup by Yuriko Hegay, sat for this picture on the fire escape just outside our studio building. Lighting is hazy sun with a reflector on his lower right. This version is my 1940s Hollywood style created in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 with a strong blue filter to emulate that rugged look conferred by Orthochromatic film.

This is the version after the basic fashion workflow.

Lincoln get the "300" process here, created in Lightoom 3.

I applied the new Nik Color Efex 4 soft portrait preset for a more romantic look.

This version is from Nik Silver Efex Pro using the Yellowed #2 preset to start, with a strong blue filter to simulate ortho-chromatic film, which gives that chiseled look on men.

The "Bleached Portrait" effect has a taste of grunge, new from Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/4.0 @ 1/32s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Hazy Sun
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 17, 2011, Processed - September 28, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik Color Efex Pro 4, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Whitney/Yuri/Suzanne #2B Variations

2011-09-27T23:38:00.000-05:00

Model Whitney Bartlebaugh wears Suzanne Lay and hair and makeup by Yuriko Hegay in this "300" process I'm working on for a future "Goddess" series.

This is the base picture after minor processing.

The new Nik Color Efex Pro 4 has a soft grain preset, applied for this variation.

I'm working on a new Vintage Glamour Glow effect for Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

Finally, this is a sepia/blue split tone made from a soft monochrome created in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, then toned in Lightroom 3.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/11 @ 1/80s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor studio strobe with single beauty dish
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 17, 2011, Processed - September 27, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro 4, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Whitney/Yuri/Suzanne #2A HDR Variations

2011-09-27T22:22:00.000-05:00

Model Whitney Bartlebaugh, wearing original designs by Suzanne Lay with hair and makeup by Yuriko Hegey, starts off this series in this "straight" shot, the result of a basic fashion workflow.

Next step is a subtle tone mapping in Nik HDR Efex to pop the texture.

My official pick of the series is this high contrast sepia/black effect from Nik Color Efex Pro 4, which released just today.

Also from Nik Color Efex Pro 4 is this muted Glamour Glow.

A hand colored cyanotype is part of my standard workflow now.

The blue/sepia split tone is an homage to Leni Reifenstahl's "Blue Light" effect.

We end with a warmed version of the Glamour Glow, created in Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/5.6 @ 1/60s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor studio strobe with single beauty dish
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 17, 2011, Processed - September 27, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro 4, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Megan/Yuri/Erica #5B HDR Variations

2011-09-27T21:48:00.000-05:00

Model Megan Burns, wearing original jewelry design by Erica Dunk/Hyper Haute and makeup and hair by Yuriko Hegey, has the honor of being in the first picture I processed using the Nik Color Efex Pro 4, which just released today. The tool is about as awesome as these things get. All pictures here are based on a picture initially treated to tone mapping in Nik HDR Efex

This version is the base HDR image treated with a muted Glamour Glow in Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

The "300" processing in Lightroom 3 remains one of my favorite presets to use as a starting point. Here I added grain.

This is softer hand colored cyanotype created in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

We're ending here with a smooth platinum print from Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/5.6 @ 1/60s, Flash WB, RAW
Lighting:	Battery powered ring flash speedlight
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 24, 2011, Processed - September 27, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro 4, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Megan/Yuri/Erica #4B, Nine Variations

2011-09-26T22:52:00.001-05:00

Model Megan Burns wearing original jewelry by Erica Dunk/Hyper Haute, with makeup and hair by Yuriko Hegay. I'm experimenting with a small ring flash to bring for some pictures. This process version is the "300" preset I adapted for my purposes for Lightroom 3 from Mike Lau's original for Lightroom 2.

This hand colored Van Dyke print version started with the Yellowed 2 preset in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Experimenting again with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, I made a new high structure prest. This is a sepia/blue split tone applied in Lightroom 3.

This is the "clean", raw base picture upon which all the variations are based.

Starting the HDR permutations, this is the base version right out of Nik HDR Efex, using the the subdued preset for tone mapping.

The "300" effect again, this time from the HDR. I'm not that fond of it, but posted for the sake of documentation.

It still needs some work, but this is a hand painted cyanotype from Nik Silver Efex Pro based on a high structure preset.

The HDR is tempered here with a cool off Glamour Glow from Nik Color Efex Complete.

Last, but not least, HDR gets a blue/sepia split tone. The combined effect looks like Leni Reifenstahl meet Helmut Newton.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/5.6 @ 1/60s, Flash WB, RAW
Lighting:	Battery powered ring flash speedlight
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 24, 2011, Processed - September 26, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Megan/Yuri/Erica #5C, Ten Variations

2011-09-25T21:58:00.000-05:00

Model Megan Burns wears original design necklace and ring from Hyper Haute by Erica Dunk and makeup and hair by Yuriko Hegay. This top pick comes from the HDR base version, softened with a Vintage Glamour Glow created in Nik Color Efex Pro.

This is raw shot from which all the other versions are created.

Not exactly flattering, this HDR Sepia conversion is still quite strong.

This is the base HDR version from Nik HDR Efex.

The HDR base image is treated to a grunge preset in Lightroom 3.

This is my second attempt at a hand colored cyanotype.

Also hand colored is this Van Dyke print from Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

A platinum print version comes from a custom preset I made for Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

With the look of a 1950s publicity still, this version doesn't quite pop like the platinum.

The raw file is subjected to the Fresson process in Nik Color Efex Pro.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/13 @ 1/100s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor strobe with single beauty and small bank
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 24, 2011, Processed - September 25, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Megan/Erica/Yuri #5D, Ten Variations

2011-09-25T19:47:00.000-05:00

A very tough model Megan Burns wearing an original jewelry design by Erica Dunk, with makeup and hair by Yuriko Hegay receives HDR tone mapping in Nik HDR Efex in this last setup of the last shot of our 10/24 sitting.

This hand colored Van Dyke print was created in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2. It is my runner up version.

This is the raw image upon which the variations are based.

A "CSI Miami" Glamour Glow was applied in Nik Color Efex Pro.

A Fresson print effect comes from Nik Color Efex Pro, too.

This picture started as a Hollywood Portrait setting in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, then the Leni Reifenstahl "Blue Light" blue/sepia split tone applied in Lightroom 3.

This is my first experiment with a hand colored cyanotype, which started with a high structure cyanotype preset I made, then added back some color.

The "300" version looks extra dangerous - "come back with your shield or on it!"

I thought I'd try a Peter Max-ish process on the HDR version.

Finally, a faded gunge look, also based on the HDR version.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/13 @ 1/60s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor strobe with single beauty and small bank
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 24, 2011, Processed - September 25, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Whitney/Lincoln/Yuri/Suzanne #2 Variations

2011-09-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

Models Whitney Bartlebaugh and Lincoln Ward in makeup by Yuriko Hegay with Whitney in Suzanne Lay get the "300" processing for my top pick for this round. Whitney reminds me very much of a very young Joan Crawford in these pictures.

The Vintage Glamour Glow comes from Nik Color Efex Pro.

This is the base image for the series with typical Fashion processing.

The Van Dyke print comes from Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

The Fresson is comes from running the base picture through Nik Color Efex Pro.

The Leni Reifenstahl "Blue Light" processing really makes the Joan Crawford connection for me.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/11 @ 1/80s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor strobe with single beauty and small bank
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 17, 2011, Processed - September 20, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Maggie Brabbins/Yuriko Hegay #2B, Variations

2011-09-22T23:49:00.000-05:00

Model Maggie Brabbins in makeup design by Yuriko Hegay and, barely showing a dress by Suzanne Lay. I'm experimenting with a motion blur.

This is the only HDR version, processed in Nik HDR Efex.

This is the "300" processing, further exploring it for an upcoming "Goddesses" series I hope to begin late October.

The Leni Reifenstahl "Blue Light" effect was created in Lightroom 3.

This vintage Glamour Glow comes from Nik Color Efex Pro.

And finally, the Fresson is a Film Effect I made in Nik Color Efex Pro.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D
Exposure:	ISO 100, f/13 @ 1/60s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Broncolor strobe with single beauty and small bank
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - September 17, 2011, Processed - September 23, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2