You’ve probably seen photographs similar to the image above before, but this one is special in that it wasn’t created digitally. Photographer Matthew Spiegelman shot it with a 4×5 camera and 180mm lens using a two-way mirror. The photo is titled Portal {Matthew Spiegelman in his studio with mirror, two way mirror, c-stands, clamp with suction cup, two geared tripod heads, three strobes, 4×5 camera, 180mm lens} [Variation 6]” 2010.

Portal by Matthew Spiegelman (via My Modern Met)

Image credit: Photograph by Matthew Spiegelman and used with permission

Fashion photographs are generally shot to make the clothing and the models look attractive, but British photographer Neil Bedford chose not to go that route when shooting a series for clothing label Neighborhood‘s lookbook. He had his models press their faces against invisible panes of glass, resulting in quirky and humorous fashion photos featuring smeared faces.

(via It’s Nice That via Lense)

Image credits: Photographs by Neil Bedford and used with permission

We considered many different camera options for the movie, and the Canon 5D hadn’t even been released when we started our search. It ended up being the right camera for the right job at the right time. If you roll back through Shane’s archives, you will find information on the Terminator prequel shoot, which was our first experience with DSLR filmmaking at a production level. There were still many obstacles in that process that needed to be worked out, both by Bandito Brothers and Shane’s Elite Team before we could shoot an entire movie that way. For a project that scale, we had to adapt our workflow to integrate Avid and come up with a solid naming convention. Improvements to the camera, in the way of firmware updates, also helped simplify the shooting process, but the 24p update wasn’t developed until we were basically finished. Here are more details on our approach to Preparing for Act of Valor.

The 5D camera package

I was the media manager for most of the larger shoot locations, which entailed using laptops to backup the few CF cards we had, so they could be cycled back to the camera crew. I would review and rename the media when time allowed, and my HP DreamColor review display eventually became one of Shane’s staple tools for DSLR production. Eventually we were able to have a full editing workstation in a trailer near set for reviewing shots and prepping them for our Avid edit. This allowed Scott Waugh to do the initial editing in between shoots. Here are more details about our experience Shooting Act of Valor.

Directors Mouse McCoy and Scott Waugh watching playing on an HP Dream Color

Director Scott Waugh watching playback

Based on our shooting style and the options made available by using the 5D, we shot nearly 200 hours of footage. Since there was no way to automate the syncing process between the different cameras and separately recorded audio, that became a labor intensive process for our assistant editors in Avid. Instead of using a Unity, we just duplicated the source media across our editing systems. As sequences came together, would get source lists to start Twixtoring the Canon source files in AE and link them into Premiere sequences using EDLs. We added the 2K film scans and scaled the rest of the footage to 2K to match. Here are more details about Editing Act of Valor.

While Bandito Brothers has always prided themselves in being authentic and real, we did end up with hundreds of visual effects shots in the movie. About half of them were in response to issues that resulted from shooting with the 5D, but we also needed to add blood hits and do fixes like painting out crew members. Additionally, we did a fair bit of motion graphics work. While the film based VFX shots were relatively straight forward, with 2K film scans at 24p, the Canon footage was much more challenging.

Twixtor is an amazing tool, but it is not perfect. Whenever there is too much motion in a scene for the software to accurately track what is going on, it gives some strange results. Since Act of Valor is a fairly dynamic movie, to put it lightly, we had our share of issues to fix manually. For complex visual effects shots, our artists had to do this cleanup process on nearly every 5D source layer before they could even start doing any regular VFX work. We also dealt with a number of different types of rolling shutter artifacts.

We also had over a hundred subtitles, due to the Spanish and Russian dialog of the bad guys. Our map graphics were rendered as overlay layers with alpha channels and composited over the backgrounds directly in Premiere Pro. Dust busting was done as a final step in Photoshop after our color correction and texture passes. Here are more details about the process of doing Visual Effects on Act of Valor.

The biggest challenge we faced in the finishing process was preparing for three different aspect ratios for our deliverable (2.39, 1.78 and 1.33) without sacrificing resolution. The traditional approach to this costs you resolution and detail, which we couldn’t afford to lose with DSLR source material. Doing the online edit in Premiere Pro CS5.5 gave us some interesting workflow options. By doing the work across a series of subsequences, we were able to synchronize changes across multiple cuts of the movie at different aspect ratios. We also did a full texture pass in Cinnafilm’s Dark Energy software to match the DSLR footage to our film footage. Our final delivery of DPXs was used to make film prints, DCPs, and SR tapes. I have many more details on my site about Finishing Act of Valor.

2.39 aspect ratio tape marks on the 5D

Anyhow, it was quite the process to get the final product on the big screen, but the results have been well received. The good news is that many of the limitations we faced, like 30p frame rates, have been solved, but the same principles can be applied to other obstacles that are sure to be faced when pushing the envelope of traditional filmmaking.

by Jonathan Blaustein

Waiting for the sunshine.
Waiting for the sunshine.
Tired of the gray days.
Tired of the gray days.
Oh, but it ain’t comin’,
it ain’t comin’, Soon.
No, it ain’t comin’,
it ain’t comin’, Soon.

The above text is not actually an old blues song. I swear. It’s an ironic little ditty my wife and I invented while living in Brooklyn. The winters wore me down in an onslaught of gray. Yes, I was Vitamin D deprived, so eventually, we moved.

Here in Northern New Mexico, we get something like 330 days of sunshine a year. No lie. And the depth of our blue skies gives a primal satisfaction to humans and animals alike. (Well, I’m guessing about the animals. I can’t actually speak to them, despite rumors to the contrary.)

The thing about all that sunshine: it’s addictive. Like photography itself, which derives from light, the volume and quality of light become an addiction. (Try saying that five times fast.) I don’t know how people live without it in Portland, as even a few days of gray will start to get me down. Like now.

It felt like Summer in April this year, (Big Ups to Climate Change) but the last four days here have been cold and wet and gray. Bone-cold. Bleak. Monotonous. So I’m feeling depressed. Forgive me.

Given that I can’t do anything to make the sun burst through the clouds, I thought I might as well sink into the moment. Revel in despair. Oh, the misery.

As I sifted through my book pile, though, I came across “Farms,” by Berhnard Fuchs, recently published by Koenig Books in London. What’s that, you say? A book about farms? What’s so depressing about that?

Well, these farms were photographed in the sad, desaturated light of Fuchs’ adopted home of Germany. Not a drop of real color to be found in this one. (Well, beyond a touch of green grass, that is.) We see barns, of course, and hay piles, leafless trees, and a pitchfork that has seen better days.

The book is the metaphorical equivalent of rubber-necking at a car crash. Nasty, on the surface, but impossible to look away. I don’t know why people take pleasure in the anti-aesthetic, (myself included,) but they most surely do.

The photographs are well-made, as is the book itself. It’s wrapped in substantial-feeling canvas, which matches the palate of the images within. So much melancholy. So much ennui. Yet strangely beautiful. Quiet. Lonely. Dignified.

I see images like this here on the farm all the time. (In real life.) But I don’t point my camera at them. I’m too busy waiting for the good weather to come back. So let’s consider this the book review where I bitched and moaned a bit, and gave you the opportunity to say, “Hey, Blaustein, get over yourself. Summer will be here soon. I promise.”

As to the book, which ought to be more of a focus of my musings, it’s really good. I recommend it. But only if you have the mental fortitude to pick it up, revel in its sad light, and then put it back on the shelf. Better to go outside and take a walk after all.

Bottom Line: Beautiful and bleak

To purchase “Farms,” visit Photo-Eye

Full Disclosure: Books are provided by Photo-Eye in exchange for links back for purchase.

Books are found in the bookstore and submissions are not accepted.

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“I do feel these are extraordinary times. I do feel that we in a sense are at the beginnings of a renaissance with regards to journalism,” he said. “I know that’s hard for many people to hear given the pain of the disruption to the traditional sources.”

via Google’s Richard Gingras » Nieman Journalism Lab.

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Our sponsor Redrock Micro has a new HDSLR cage called the ultraCage DSLR and base they’ve announced.

The all new ultraCage DSLR and ultraBase: the essential accessory for your video DSLR camera. Beautifully crafted, form fitting, the ultraCage and ultraBase deliver maximum stability with minimum weight, and open up a world of accessories and add-ons to create exactly the rig you need. Use your ultraCage standalone or as part of one of our award-winning DSLR rig Bundles. Transform your DSLR camera into a video production powerhouse.

Redrock Micro Launches New ultraCage & ultraBase for Video-Capable DSLR Cameras

Hollywood, CA and Dallas, TX – Redrock Micro, the recognized leader in affordable professional-level cinema accessories, today launched the new ultraCage DSLR and ultraBase support for video-enabled DSLR cameras. The ultraCage DSLR has been called an essential accessory for converting the DSLR camera body into a movie-making production powerhouse.

Next Generation Support for the New Generation of Video DSLRs

Video DSLRs have arrived as legitimate filmmaking tools. Groundbreaking cameras like the Canon 5D MKIII and the new Nikon D800 deliver advanced movie features and outstanding results. However, the form factor of DSLRs severely limits the stability of shots and the ability to adapt accessories that are commonplace for high-quality filmmaking. Redrock products have evolved along with DSLRs and now offer the best solutions for shooting high quality movies with DSLR rigs.

Professional-level Support and Stability

The ultraCage DSLR delivers rock-solid support and stability for DSLR cameras. The ultraCage secures the camera body at three points: screws into the camera base, fastens to the top hot shoe and locks the camera in place with the anti-rotation pin. The ultraCage supports a wide variety of DSLR bodies and has been tested with the Canon 60D, 7D, 5D MKII, 5D MKIII, and Nikon D800/ D800e camera bodies. You will not find a support cage anywhere that is more stable, functional or reliable.The ultraCage DSLR adds industry-standard 15mm bottom rails for accessories such as a mattebox, follow focus or lens support. The built-in 15mm top rail support is great for adding accessories you want to keep with your camera on every setup, such as camera-top monitors or remote focus motors.

The cage surrounds the camera with 22 mounting holes (standard 1/4″ and 3/8″) that are perfect for attaching and positioning virtually any other accessory available. The ultra Series of accessories from Redrock can extend the ultraCage with extended top and bottom rails, triple the mounting points and additional mounting plates for advanced accessories such as external batteries, external recorders, audio units and remote focusing.

In addition, the powerPack Universal accessory delivers a powered cage option so all camera-top accessories and the camera itself can be powered from a single, long-lasting source using an external battery.

The ultraCage DSLR and ultraBase are ideal for the following types of users:

• Professionals using DSLRs for filmmaking
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Redrock Micro's new ultraBase

Slim, Contoured Design Molds to DSLR Body, Adds Features Without Bulking Up

Unlike other offerings, the ultraCage curves with the camera’s contours and doesn’t make it any larger than absolutely necessary. All doors and features are completely accessible, and the cage is unobtrusive enough to stay on the camera even when shooting stills. The precision-machined aluminum housing and available carbon fiber rods keep things light without sacrificing strength. 

The Foundation for Any Shooting Style, from Handheld to Studio

The ultraCage DSLR can be used to create any type of rig, from handheld to full studio. Redrock offers pre-built bundles for handheld, shouldermount, and studio setups based on the original ultraCage. Using Redrock’s family of 400+ cinema accessories and building blocks, virtually any rig can be created to fit your shooting style and budget. With the ultraCage DSLR, your camera can now take advantage of Redrock’s ultra Series of advanced support accessories for sleek, sophisticated camera setups.

The ultraCage DSLR Advantage

The Redrock ultraCage DSLR and ultraBase are the only professional-level camera support to deliver all these key advantages:

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• wireLock protects and converts HDMI output to full size HDMI supported connector
• Cage provides 360 degrees of protection for your DSLR
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For More Information

Product details can be found on the ultraCage DSLR and ultraBase at store.redrockmicro.com/Catalog/ultraCageHandheldRigs/ultraCage-DSLR

Pricing and Availability

ultraCage DSLR and ultraBase are shipping starting mid-May, and are available from Redrock direct at store.redrockmicro.com and from authorized Redrock Micro resellers worldwide. ultraBase starts at $299, ultraCage DSLR starts at $595.

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Redrock Micro revolutionized independent film production in the early 2000s with the M2 cinema lens adapter, and reinvented digital filmmaking in 2008 with HDSLR cinema rigs and accessories. Today, Redrock Micro continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning digital cinema rigs and accessories, DSLR rigs, depth-of-field adapters, stabilization and support gear, sophisticated focus controllers, and advanced cinema accessories. More information is available at redrockmicro.com.

(cover photo credit: snap from the PR)

"Coming At You"
©David A. Ziser 

This is just one of the images I captured yesterday at my B&H Central Park shootout.  It's just a simple portrait of this lovely young lady, Laurence.  What makes it special is the lighting.  Whenever you shoot under a gazebo like structure the light is usually flat and uninteresting. Unfortunately, most photographers are perfectly happy to shot away and be satisfied with an ordinary result.

How about we choose instead to make our lighting exciting and bring in some light from a direction that really flatters our subject?  I choose to do this by shooting my Quantum strobe through my super large 84inch Westcott translucent umbrella.  As you can see, the extra effort was worth it.

I balanced the strobe with the ambient light till I had the look and feel I wanted then asked my model to hit a comfortable pose and shot away.  I think we captured a really nice, easy portrait on a Thursday afternoon in Central Park

Camera specs: Canon 5D Mark III fitted with Sigma 70-200mm IS lens at 200mm, F3.5 @ 1/400 second, ISO 200.  Enjoy!  -David

Announcing my 2010 Success Collection! http://digitalprotalk.blogspot.com/2010/05/announcing-my-2010-digital-wakeup-call.html

(click images to make bigger)

Flaunt

Creative Director: Jim Turner

Photographer: Kristina Wilson

Note: Content for The Daily Edit is found on the newsstands. Submissions are not accepted

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One of the big announcements that caught my interest at NAB was Adobe CS6′s inclusion of the high-end color grading software SpeedGrade within the suite.   This is a similar move to what Final Cut Studio did several years ago when they included "Color" within their suite for free – and I have always been a huge fan of that software and the added creative control if gave me over the final look of the video I produce.   SpeedGrade  gives us the ability to do high end color grading within the Adobe CS6 ecosystem without outsourcing that process to a third party plugin – and that’s a very welcome move.

To get started with SpeedGrade on some of your own clips, you can send footage directly from Premier Pro, import via EDL, or import individual clips from your hard drive.  For the purposes of this tutorial, we are using a clip shot on the 5D.

When you open up the main viewers you will see a Histogram, waveform, preview window, etc.  All of these windows can be moved around to make the window comfortable for you.  You will find also that the different color corrections and color effects are applied via layers – so it will be familiar to users of Photoshop and After Effects.  Here, we start our grade with a primary layer that includes an Offset, Gamme, and Gain slide to adjust the main levels within your image.  However, also included in the primary layer are a number of other sliders that help you with saturation, contrast, color temperature, hue, etc.  Once your primary is set, it would be easy to add another primary layer to start creating an overall look for your clip, but you also have the option of using a number of presets that come stock with SpeedGrade.   As with any color grading software you ideally want to do your work within a two monitor setup.   

On our clip we added the "Cinematic 1" LUT – which we though helped pop the colors in the woman’s red hat.  In order to further this effect, we can add a secondary to isolate the red colors of the hat and tassel to help it pop more.   Once we have the color of the hat isolated using the sliders, we can increase the intensity of just the red.  However, we have found it useful to go back to your secondary layer and then reduce the opacity on it until you get something that is a bit more natural looking.

In order to get rid of any portions of the clip that were affected by the increase in red saturation that we did not want to be, we can apply a mask to our secondary layer so that only that which falls within the bounding box of the mask (or outside of it – depending on what the user defines) retains the attributes of the secondary layer.  In this particular clip, the camera is on a slider, so we are able to using motion tracking, which is built into SpeedGrade, to move the mask with the image.

Finally, for this clip we wanted to add a vignette.  To do this we added an entirely new image layer on top of our original clip (this should not be confused with the layers we have applied within a particular look).  Here we created an ovular vignette mask, which we were able to manipulate using the Widget tool – which lets us adult the size, shape, rotation, and feathering of the mask.  We pulled down the offset for this entire layer, and then defined that the effect would only occur outside the vignette mask that we created.

And with that – we have done a simple color grade in Adobe CS6 SpeedGrade.  While we only used a few layers in the above example, you are not limited to any number of primary or secondary layers within the application.  We also only worked with a single clip in the above tutorial, but for when you are grading entire sequences, there is the ability to have two playheads so you can preview your grade consistency between clips.  There are also a variety of out put options too, from within the application, and the ability to conform back to RAW clips when working with cameras like the RED EPIC and ARRI Alexa.  One note to C300 users:  SpeedGrade is missing is the ability to work with MXF files at this time, so you cannot grade C300 files natively.   However, this application is new to the suite, so I am sure we will see such enhancements down the road.

All in all, this is a powerful new Adobe application with all of the standard tools for high end color grading and a welcome addition to the suite.

Nikon D4 with 50/1.4G.

NEW: Nikon D4 Review.

Verdict: Nikon's best pro digital camera, duh.

What used to be just a page of specifications is now a full review. I've had my D4 for quite a while, but was working with the Fuji X-Pro1, 5D Mark III, D800 and D800E first, since those were of greater interest to most of you. I've been swamped the past two months!

I've also realized how Nikon's gotten smarter at sucking money out of Americans:

Cash Suck One

If you're a pro, you can't use the D800 or D800E because it can't repurpose itself fast enough from one set of SHOOT BANKS to the next. It lacks the D7000's U1 U2 control, and instead takes five clicks to swap just one bank, so you can't alter it from shot to shot. You can alter it from shoot to shoot, so for hobby use, it's fine.

Nikon carefully removed one CUSTOM SETTING, F16, from the D800's menu system. In the D4, this allows the D4 to swap SHOOT banks with the red button by the shutter, but not in the D800.

Very clever, and for those of us who shoot daily, enough to justify buying the D4, even if all the other reasons weren't enough.

Cash Suck Two

At first I praised Nikon for giving the D800 36MP, and not trying to screw us with an overpriced $8,000 D4X, but Nikon has gotten German in its cleverness.

Pros know 16 MP is more than enough for anything, and the 16 MP D4 has more than enough resolution for every pro assignment. Heck, I shoot my D4 down at its MEDIUM resolution.

However, by craftily offering amateurs the 36 MP D800, now once or twice a year, some not-that-clever photo buyer is going to ask for a job or files shot at 36 MP, because his cubicle-mate has a D800.

Bingo! Now every pro also has to shell out for a D800 for those few jobs where naive photo buyers are trying to cover themselves.

Genius!