Notes to myself: Focus stacking

Learning about photography techniques is not as good as actually doing it. Therefore I was glad I did not miss last night's educational night at the camera club. I learned to use the adjustment rails I bought quite a while back, but never put to use. The following image shows how the rails are put together to provide x-y movement. This inexpensive contraption can be used for focus stacking in macro shots. With an L-bracket added, it can also be used for panorama shots.

After shooting a set of images with varying focal points, the images have to be processed in Photoshop to combine into one image. Here are the steps to do focus stacking in PS:
1) Files>Scripts>Load files into stack (to load multiple images into layers in PS)
2) Edit>Auto-Align Layers (to align the layers in a focus stack)
3) Edit>Auto-Blend Layers (to blend the layers)


As an added bonus, I saw someone using an interesting camera app that night. This app is called DslrDashboard. This app allows me to use an Android phone to control my DSLR camera via a USB cable. It looks very interesting. I have installed the app but am waiting for my USB OTG cable to arrive before I can try out the app. I am hoping to be able to use the larger screen of an Android device as the LCD display for my shootings. Image viewing is but only one of a myriad of features this app is capable of. But don't hold your breath if you are not a Nikon user... DslrDashboard is primarily for Nikon, plus some Canon cameras. Even then, it is not for all models.

Notes to myself: Insights into black-and-white photography

The talk at the camera club tonight taught me what a novice I am at black-and-white photography. I realize that up until now all I know about making black and white images are just the methods and not the skill. (It is like learning to drive a car. You can learnt to operate a car in a few minutes. But it takes years of practice before you become good at it).

The speakers tonight are from the Ringwood Black-and-White Camera Club. They have been doing it since the film and darkroom days. Here are some useful tips I have picked up tonight. They are not all new or astounding, but I have gained a clearer insight.

1. We "see" images with our brain and not our eyes. The brain has an uncanny ability to just focus in on any subject and filter out everything else. B&W simply helps us to focus better than colour images on the artwork in an image. Colour distracts.

2, The eye has more green receptors than red or blue receptors. Also, in dim light, the black-and-white receptors are more effective than the colour receptors. Therefore in dim light we see things more or less in B&W. When an image is presented in B&W, our perception is heightened, just like when the light is dim, all our senses are in high alert. I don't know how true this is scientifically, but it makes sense.

3. Not all subjects lend themselves well to B&W. Rainbow, colourful flowers, and sunset are examples of what won't do well in B&W. As in colour images, a B&W photographer knows what type of shots to go after.

4. In B&W conversion, it is necessary to control the R, G, and B channels separately to bring out the contrast successfully. (Not sure if this is due to the fact our eyes have more green receptors than red or blue receptors). Just moving the contrast slider is not good enough. Also, make use of colour filters and dodge and burn tools to do selective toning.

5. A B&W image is better at evoking an emotion in the viewer. Therefore a successful B&W image is one that can evoke an emotion.

In summary, the beauty of B&W, done properly on a suitably chosen subject, can turn an ordinary image into a piece of art, just like some of the portrait images I saw tonight.

Notes to myself: starburst effect and rainforest

 Just a couple of tips I picked up from the Wilson's Prom weekend with the camera club.

To create a starburst effect, set the aperture to f16 or f22. Wait till the sun is just peeping out. The pattern of the starburst depends on the lens in use.

The other useful tip was getting the white balance right while shooting in a rainforest. I recall several years ago I tried all sorts of ways to get the white balance right in the camera. I even used an Expodisc to try and calibrate the white balance setting, but was not successful. The right way is to use a polarizer and turn it until the setting is right. Images below are without and with polarizer.

Notes to myself: How to unlock the Pocket Wifi

I have a Pocket Wifi E585 which had been locked to Vodafone. I have managed to unlock it using the procedure listed here: http://www.unlockguru.com/2011/06/unlock-huawei-pocket-wifi-mifi-e585-free/ . I won't rehash what the author has so well documented. I'll just list down the difficulties I encountered and how to overcome them.

First of all, the steps documented in the given website are full and complete. This is my first attempt at unlocking a mobile device and I succeeded, thanks to the precise documentation given.

The only problem after unlocking was the constant connecting and disconnecting that happened over and over again, making it impossible to start using the wifi. A quick google search shows that the key to this is to set the correct APN (Access Point Name) on the Pocket Wifi settings. One of the many useful threads is this: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1845171#r5

The website to get the correct APN for your service provider is: http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/mobiles_apn. For example, for TPG Mobile, the APN is "internet". For Telstra, it is "telstra.internet"

Knowing what the APN is now, go back to the Pocket Wifi dashboard on your PC (with the Pocket Wifi connected) and set the APN in the Profile Settings and Connection Settings. You can set more than one profile. Apparently, only the correct one will be automatically selected and used. I had to do the APN settings many times before I finally got the right one to work. So don't give up if it doesn't work rightaway. You probably did not get the right APN into the right place.

Here is how I did my Profile setting (See image. Click to enlarge)

Notes to myself: Installing a micro SIM to an iPad

When I inserted my TPG micro SIM card into the iPad, I expected it to work right-away when I turned "Cellular" to ON in the iPad "Settings". However, it was not quite so simple.

First, I had to go to my TPG account, click on Mobile Service Control Panel for my designated phone, and ensure that "GPRS (data)" has been enabled.

Next, on the iPad cellular settings, I had to enter the APN, as well as the correct ID and password for my TPG account. APN stands for Access Point Name. For the different service providers in Australia, refer to: http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/mobiles_apn. The APN for TPG is "internet".

(Disclaimer: I do not know if the above is repeatable. I got to this point after I successfully unlocked my Pocket Wifi E585, which had been previously locked to Vodafone. In the process of getting the Pocket Wifi to work, I also managed to get the iPad to work using the same micro SIM card.)

Notes to myself: Adding shadow in Photoshop

Here is a quick and easy way to add shadow in Photoshop.
1. Get ready the background layer. In this case, it is plain white.
2. Add a new layer with the cut out. In this case, I chose a vase.
3. Duplicate the cut out layer and move it below the previous layer (shadow always falls behind).

The fun part:
4. On the shadow layer, press Control U to bring out Hue/Saturation Adjustment. Move the Lightness slider all the way to the left to make it dark. Reduce opacity to 25% or as desired. Add Gaussian Blur to the shadow layer using Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur.
5. Still on the shadow layer, distort the shadow using Edit>Transform>Distort.

Notes to myself: lens hood & tell a story

I learned when and when not to use the lens hood. Yes, I already knew you need a lens hood when shooting in the afternoon sun to cut out lens flare, blah, blah, blah... Tonight I learned that it is not good to use a lens hood when shooting indoors with flash. It could block the built-in flash and it does not do anything to improve the image. Used outdoor on a bright day, however, a lens hood helps to cut out extraneous light which can reduce the contrast and sharpness of the image. With this insight, I am going to be more inclined to using the lens hood (outdoors) from now on.

The other useful lesson I learned tonight is something I think I have been sorely lacking. I think I have been fairly successful in taking pictures like portraits, flowers, and scenery. In looking through my Picasa gallery, I find that I have not attempted to take pictures that tell a story. My pictures "display" something (e.g. scenery or portraiture), but they don't "tell a story". Examples of telling a story are: humour (e.g. a pet and its owner dressed alike), mood (e.g. foggy scene), setting the scene (e.g. a market scene), symbolism (e.g. a priest with a rosary), and theme (e.g. flower pot on window sill, reflections, etc). This lesson is the impetus I need when I am low on inspiration.

Notes to myself: How to do a better slideshow

Tonight at the camera club I was very impressed with the slideshow that Ray Goldsmith put together. He started by saying that it is time to write a book; what shall he write? I realized that he was saying he needs to start off with a theme. I recall that my best slideshow efforts were those that started off with a theme. I had a mental picture of what I wanted to do in the slideshow. For example, in Derby Day, I wanted to include clips from the movie My Fair Lady, and I wanted to use the movie introduction as my slideshow introduction to give it a spoof. In the Rhododendron Gardens slideshow, I wanted to show a peaceful walk through the garden using "The Garden" hymn as the theme song. It worked very well indeed. Other slideshows I did which were just "ordinary" were uninspiring because I started without a theme. I simply put all the pictures together and then added a sound track or two. So now I must remind myself once again when I do my next slideshow: I must start with a theme.

Notes to myself: Masking in Photoshop

Here is another note to myself but readers are welcome. For a long time I have not been able to master the use of Mask in Photoshop. Today I managed to pick it up after following a tip in a photography magazine.

Here is one technique that uses Mask to darken the sky while keeping the foreground constant. First, open the file in Photoshop. Make a duplicate (drag the "background" layer to the "create a new layer" icon). Use Lasso tool to get a rough outline of the sky area that needs to be darkened. Go to Select>Colour Range; and while holding the shift key click on different parts of the sky until all the black in the preview area disappears. Next, click "add layer mask" icon to turn the selection into mask. Now grab the Blend mode pulldown menu and switch to Multiply. Finally, to fine tune the area where the sky meets the horizon, use Gaussian Blur.

Variations of this technique include:
1. Instead of the Blend option, use Levels to change the brightness of the sky.
2. Instead of using the Lasso tool, use one of the Channels to aid in selecting the target area. Remember to also use Levels or Contrast to aid in isolating the target area.

Hooray! I feel I have crossed another milestone in Photoshop!

My experience with digital IR photography

When I first got my Sony F717 camera in 2002, I experimented with infrared photography simply because this camera is particularly well suited for IR (infrared) work. The F717's nightshot feature is designed to capture IR images in the dark. Used in broad daylight, visible light is screened out by using a Hoya R72 IR filter. On top of that, an ND8 filter reduces the amount of exposure. IR light is then captured by the IR-sensitive CCD sensor of the digital camera. Post processing turns a bland IR image into a more interesting coloured image. The above picture is my first attempt on coloured IR.

How to produce coloured IR: With a Hoya R72 IR filter, the image is heavily tinted in red/magenta (although not visible in the Jpeg image). The idea is to correct this by swapping red and blue channels. Using the Photoshop channel mixer, select the RED setting and set Red to 0% and Blue to 100%. Likewise, in the BLUE setting, set Blue to 0% and Red to 100%. Next, select Auto Color. If desired, you can adjust the saturation in the Hue/Saturation setting, or experiment with the Levels and Curves settings. Below are an IR image before and after post processing using Irfanview (which can also do the job).










For details on Digital IR Photography, see: http://www.dpfwiw.com/ir.htm#handle
For quick tutorial, see: http://www.tutorial9.net/photography/infrared-photography/