75mm Lux tasteful nude

[Guest guy_mancuso]

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Thanks Allan because now i would like to post it also with ACR and make this a more technical in a sense. I

m also liking what ACR is doing . If you notice it seems like the mid -tones got better. I noticed on her arm closet to camera the transition area on C1 looks like it banded bewteen thehighlight and the shadow and in ACR looks like that tonal shift is better. Here is a ACR version, different image too. BTW she rolled her pants down so I could only get so low on the belly , but i do agree more of it may have worked better as the curve went under and came back to her body, nice pickup on that.

 

Since this is a clean image to work with and lot's of skin tone to see and she does have very normal white skin . I may run a 3 way test on developer .

 

So Let's just show a ACR version for now.

 

Again i think this is a tasteful image to work with so please no one get offended by it and if you do please let me know and I will have Allan pull the thread. I'm not here to offend anyone

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[Guest guy_mancuso]

Okay now I will pick a image that we have not seen and run a test between C1 with Edmunds linear, C1 with Phase 25 profile skin tone that is and ACR. Give me a ew minutes here . Also I will work it to the visually best side becuase that is what we do anyway instead of the defaults. Notice a better tonal range between shadow and highlight, let's see if I am seeing this right

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Okay lets' start with C1

 

Number 1 Edmunds Linear low sat

Number 2 Phase One P25 skintone

Number 3 Phase One P25 number 4 skintone

Number 4 ACR took a touch of magenta out, maybe it should hav been red but watch the transition area's and i left contrast as normal on all of them

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[Guest guy_mancuso]

Went back to the Phase skin tone and just added a touch of red

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[Guest guy_mancuso]

Notice the background is more neutral in the Phase profile compared to the ACR. That background is pure grey

[wparsonsgisnet]

... I am also liking what ACR is doing . If you notice it seems like the mid -tones got better. I noticed on her arm closet to camera the transition area on C1 looks like it banded bewteen thehighlight and the shadow and in ACR looks like that tonal shift is better....

 

Guy, I'm having trouble seeing the difference when I have to scan each image off the screen. Can you crop just the portion for comparison, say chin to elbow so we can see the diffferent conversions more easily? I've got the neutrality in the background you discussed.

 

Would you also itemize the workflow. For example, I have been processing images in C1 with Jamie's profile, then saving them and moving to PSCS2 for more work. I take it that when you use PS you are skipping C1 and using the dng convertor and the raw module. Is that right?

 

This is a very beneficial thread. Thanks. And I find it very useful in the DigiForum; thanks to Allan for moving it back.

 

Regards,

[Guest guy_mancuso]

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Well this is were the rubber hits the road and the most important issue right now is good profiles besides the Cyan cast this is the area to be looking at and making adjustments. In C1 all i did was use the Phase One P25 skintone profile . Now there is nothing going on in PS and i suggest try to get everything done in the Raw processing and just use PS for airbrushing and such. You should not have to go into PS to adjust any color , gofor it right in the beginning. The only thing i made a adjustment on is the exposue really but my lighting to start with is very balanced , I will pat my own back for that and also the key to be successful. First you simply must light the scene correctly or your just fighting all the time in the raw processors. So from there it is pretty simple but you as a shooter need to on the money or damn close.

 

Now there is very little difference in the skintone 1 and 4 , looks like 4 maybe adding a touch red which it looks like this profile needs a little of but a very clean profile.

 

Bill on ACR i am just using the ACR 3.6 that is installed and it just opens in PS and crop and than convert for web so yes it is done in ACR only and actually pick the M8 preset on the pull down and just hit the auto button and white balance and your in. So very easy to do and you may want to try this with some images.

 

C1 basically the same thing. Not doing hardly anything beyond the normal stuff. Oh in ACR use Prophoto working space and make sure PS is also in the same workingspace.i use Joseph Holmes profiles which convert from Prophoto to that in PS which i set up to convert to my working space in PS.

 

Let's see if the crops help

[canlogic]

Guy can you post more info on your lights. I tried to find them with a google search but didn't come up with much.

 

Thanks

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Dyna-Lite Twinkle Studio 2 Monolight Strobe Kit (120V)

 

Dyna-Lite Photography Flash Equipment, Twinkle T4222-PS Package System

 

There just nice little lights that actually work

[wparsonsgisnet]

Tim, if you google just on the brand name you'll get some results.

[canlogic]

Tim, if you google just on the brand name you'll get some results.

Thats what I needed the brand name. Got it now. Thanks.

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Bill need to run but try this with a flesh tone image and just try the different convertors and see what you like. They all can get you to the same point just depends on which gets you there the easist and most productive way. I mean I can do a ACR and in C1 match it but i may have to do more work or vice versa. I love C1 for the workflow but i will still change in a heartbeat if something works better , this is a area that i am not married to one product. leica yes but convertors try them all find a niche you like. And this is still after many years of working with them so you may never settle on just one

[Jamie Roberts]

The Twinkles look a lot like these; which is what we use on location too. Fits in one small bag.

 

Amazon.com: Elinchrom D-Lite 4 Compact Monolight Flash Kit, with Two 400 Watt Second Monolights, Stands, Softboxes & Carry Case.: Camera & Photo

 

BTW--the crummy elinchrom site is all Flash, so I can't point you at a specific URL, but the Dlites are right off the home page.

 

Guy--how's the recharge on them? I know for portraits you don't care so much, but we use them on a dance floor The DLites are good but not great for that, but the portability makes them a blast to use instead of on-camera flash!

 

(sorry for hijacking the thread here a bit!)

 

 

Best,

 

Jamie

[wparsonsgisnet]

Guy, it looks like you had a great weekend. The wedding involved horses, or something like that? My wife says men are dumb. I say women have lousy taste.

 

Thanks for your responses. I will work with the 3.6 converter in PS to see how my portraits work. I got 3 of 4 pix to look satisfactory this weekend. I'll play in PS.

 

I have another shoot coming up on the 12th and will try all the lighting suggestions that people gave me in the thread I had on that subject.

http://www.leica-camera-user.com/digital-forum/15579-need-some-suggestions-studio-shots.html

 

What I really like in PS is the dual combo of brightness and exposure. In C1, we get exposure, but no way to raise the values of the midtones. I really miss this.

 

Considering that we have just entered the age of digital photography (just a joke, but since I am only now able to use my M lenses on a pro back, it'll do as a milestone) with the M8, Leica isn't doing badly.

 

The images we can see here are truly stunning. The slight bumps in the road are standard for this lifetime, as least.

 

I have been thinking about the comment that there should be a longer view of the tasteful nude. I think if more were showing, the picture would have had a different atmosphere.

 

I took pix the night before my 2nd son was born, b/w, sidelited, to emphasize the pear shape of the bride's body at that time. This subject deserves a good book. I wonder if a collaboration on this subject by Forum members would work and be publishable.

 

Regards,

[Jamie Roberts]

{snipped}What I really like in PS is the dual combo of brightness and exposure. In C1, we get exposure, but no way to raise the values of the midtones. I really miss this. {snipped}

 

Bill, there are three ways in C1 (at least) to raise the midtones...

 

1) use the midtone slider I don't do this because I don't like the color shifts that come with it (which is also why I don't like the Brightness control on ACR).

 

2) the "better" way to do this is to drag the white point or black point slider into the historgram, till you're clipping (usually you have some room to spare in a typical exposure). Decide which you're going to sacrifice for midtones: highlights or shadows (just like you would with film), or do two exposures and merge in PS.

 

3) the "best" way to do this in C1 is to use a little curve! Just place a point where you want it, then drag the curve control so your midtones are higher, is all. Unlike the ACR curve control, you won't kill the shot by moving it a bit Also, if you hold down the SHIFT key, you can drag very, very minute amounts. Then use the contrast slider to bring back any contrast! Who needs PS ?

 

Heh--the *other way* to raise the midtones is to play with the C1 film curves presets. Film extra shadow generally lightens--you guessed it--shadows, but also relatively raises lower midtone detail (it's really just a contrast thing).

 

Hope this helps. By playing with the individual RGB white point and black point sliders, you can also eliminate nasty lighting casts almost entirely! Try THAT in JPEG

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Well said Jamie and great tag team effort here.

 

Jamie they are AC power only, no batteries and i wish they could make them with batteries. That really would be great

[wparsonsgisnet]

Fantastic, Jamie. Thanks.

 

We are getting some really useful technique sharing regarding M8 use. What a treat!

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Bill I will try some more stuff with the converters and such but take your time and just try some different things, I'm off to shoot a corporate event for next couple days but we will continue this becuase like i said this is the part that counts. The M8 will record but we must take it that step further to finish it. Are we having fun yet or what. Love this stuff.

 

This is from the same lighting set up . My daughter and a friend

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[Machaon]

Thanks Guy.

 

I am trying to find out how to get the best focus with a M8 at full aperture (1,4/75 or 2/90 apo) while wearing glasses (progressive). Any trick ?

 

Best wishes

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[Guest guy_mancuso]

First the 1.25 magnifier works very nice on the longer lenses. But i think most M shooters would agree to look for vertical line for focusing. One huge trick is tab lenses at the very bottom of the lens if set there on all tabbed lenses it is 4.5 ft than go right for further and left for closer. i think what helps too is thinking how far a subject is also fro M style. Also with people go for the eyes or nose even better to line up and than recompose. Maybe some of the older M shooters can shed some light on RF, I really only have been doing it a couple months and still a puppy as they say with it. Let's see if we can get the old dogs off the porch and talk about focusing. LOL

 

Wearing glasses can be a big issue, maybe a diopter would help if your near sighted