Behind the Scenes: Retouching

 Quick post today with a before and after, (mouse over to see unretouched image) 

I wanted this image to have a vintage, disco look yet still feel modern. A little modern Diana Ross-y 

I added a film grain look, along with the vintage cross processed look with Nik Color effect 4. Then thought after the fact that I wanted lens flares, if I had added the lens flare after the grain the flare would have no grain and therefore anything beyond would just look fake. 

QUICK TIP: When experimenting with filters I always make my working layer a smart object, you can simply drag and rearrange the filters to affect the image in the proper order. 

Since I was mainly testing these 2 filters not much else was done to the image, a little cleanup and a darker version of the shirt  overlayed to bring back tone. 

 I was testing a few new filters - 

Nik Color effects 4  - (which is great!!)

and 

Knoll Light Factory for Photoshop - A very popular plug-in for After Effects, has this little brother for  Photoshop that gives you all sorts of options for going crazy on an image. Very cool but $150 for lens-flares may not be fore everyone

What do you think?? 

Thanks 

DAN

(BTW: Thanks Bobby Earle for the idea for this post that  stole  Borrowed.) 

Digital Pinhole

That distressed look, out of focus, cross processed image of your cat, or the latte you got at Starbucks is getting a LOT of use these days. Instagram, Hipstamatic, etc. etc., all the IOS apps are really making distressed images come back in a big way. I have to admit I love these images, for me it brings me back to the days of shooting Polaroid and when I had a 110. 

Today I decided I would attempt to make a digital pinhole camera to shoot images from camera looking like these apps do in post. I thought the easiest way would be to find an extra body cap for my Canon 5d Mk2 drill a hole in it, put a piece of black gaff or electrical tape on there and poke a tiny hole in it.. I couldnt find an extra body cap. So I used the next best thing, the base of a non working cheap 2x teleconverter, then set up as I said before, with just a piece of black electrical tape.  If you want to do this go to a camera shop and get a spare body cap, drill a hole in it then apply the electrical tape, it would be much easier than the route I took and only about 5 bucks.. Pretty easy!!

 (Scroll right to see all images)

This was pretty fun to shoot with today. I loved the looks I was getting from people on the street. I know they were looking at me like,"Who's this crazy guy think he is shooting without a lens on his camera!!"

Here is my setup (recommended that you wait until the paint is dry before heading out to shoot if you paint on aluminum)

If you do this or have done this share your images!!

Thanks

Dan

Moving Day

Klempaphoto.com has been hosted (in part) and registered through Godaddy.com. I have looked beyond the questionable advertising, the multi step processes that you need to go through to register ONE domain, and I ALSO looked past the poor customer service when I transferred to the company ( the tech actually told me not to forward my email to gmail because its just more work for him!!)

Now Bob Parsons CEO of Godaddy posts a video about his latest trip to Africa to help rid a village of a "problem elephant" by shooting it is the point where my domain registration must go elsewhere. Is this because I am a PETA member who hates all hunting, leather and fur wearing people, NO. Do I think he did a disservice to this village, that potentially had legitimate issues, Not really. What he did for them was 2 fold, they got food from it and saved a crops from being continually damaged, I get his point. 

 I believe he may have gone to far in this instance creating and posting this video. A man of his wealth and means has more the ample resources to provided alternate means of food, and relief to this village that do not include shooting a animal that is listed as threatened by the IUCN. I believe this was done for his own personal "Look at how great I am" mentality and it was not the humanitarian effort as he described. This is only confirmed in my mind by the soundtrack choice, "Hells Bells" by ACDC. If this were really done for the pure humanity of if it I am sure Hells Bells would have not been the first choice of soundtrack. 

I am now leaving godaddy because I feel the company is more flash and hype than actual substance.

The video and comments for Bob Parsons can be found here (Warning Graffic)

Snow Day!!

I really love the snow, not just a few inches, I love when it DUMPS and the city comes to a halt. 

People seem to turn back the clock to their childhood and just have fun. People sleigh-riding 

down the hill in the common, to random strangers starting snowball fights a fresh coat of snow 

makes a fresh attitude, if only just for a one night.

Thanks 

Dan

CAMBODIA

This past trip to Cambodia and Thailand has really got ahold on me. The food, the people, the scenery are all mesmerizing. A beauty which is difficult to put into words. 

The people work so hard for so little, but have a happiness about them that you would be hard pressed to find in your average American. The experience made me look at what's important in my life, not so much the material things I've attained, but the personal relationships I'm blessed with.

These 3 images represent the peacefulness I saw inside the people of Cambodia. No, Cambodia was not all Temples and Monks, but I think its fitting as an illustration of the country. The temples are strong and have stood the test of time, weather and war. The Monks illustrate, quite literally, the colorful, peaceful and happy people of Cambodia.

 Thom Bayon

Angkor Wat

Ta Prohm

 Thanks

Dan