Where’s Shawn?
As you have undoubtedly noticed by now, this blog has been somewhat silent for most of the last week. I had an incredibly busy Labor Day weekend and I also started a new “day job” a couple weeks ago. My free time in the last week or so has been comprised mainly of getting settled in the new job and refreshing some of my technical abilities… For those that don’t know, I’m a security consultant during the day and most of my work time is made up of, essentially, hacking websites. This requires, of course, a significant amount of technical ability in addition to quickly adapting to, and learning, new technologies. And, while I did pretty much the same thing at my old job, the change of environment and scenery has reinvigorated me somewhat and I’ve been spending a lot of time sharpening some skills that were previously being neglected.
Anyway, that’s the reason for the silence here. Never fear, though, as I get into a more settled routine, I will be back to the regular blogging schedule (if there ever really was one).
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September 3rd, 2008 at 9:28 am
Good luck Shawn.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:34 am
Thanks Jeremy!
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:29 am
Get back to work!! no breaks for you!!
Are you going to Gettysburg on the 14th?
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:30 am
Haha… Yes, I am planning on going on the Gettysburg photowalk on the 14th. We might make a whole weekend out of it but I’m not sure yet. You in?
September 5th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I am, bringing the whole Family up Sunday Morning
Check out these –
http://www.mpalmerphotography.com/2941/
this is what I shot on Wednesday – I have more from yesterday and today.
September 6th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Wow! Those are really good! How about bringing some of them with you on the 14th too! I’m hungry now.
I look forward to finally getting to go shoot with ya!
September 6th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Thanks Shawn,
here are the other links
http://www.mpalmerphotography.com/2941HDRINT/
http://www.mpalmerphotography.com/2941Sept042008/
http://www.mpalmerphotography.com/2941Sept052008/
Let me know what you think – Its my first time shooting food
September 9th, 2008 at 1:59 am
Mike,
I’m not Shawn and i’m not a pro, but i’ll offer some unsolicited feedback on your food shots. It’s all meant to help constructively, not to criticize, so please don’t be offended by any of it. All is very subjective, too.
It looks like between the four links you’ve used at least two different lenses for the food shots: a long-ish macro (if it’s a nikon, i’d guess a 105/2.8) and an all around one for the wedding cake shots.
The ones made with the macro, most of them are very pleasing, with beautiful bokeh, nice tones and decent composition. On some of them, however, the focal plane is placed very weirdly and unnaturally. It’s hard to shoot macro, i know, and that is one very important aspect of it: out of all the blurred impression, what is it exactly that you want to underscore by the crisp part in focus?
Additionally, it seems like most of the macro shots could be setup on a tripod — or were they? — so, squeezing out a little more DoF would probably be doable there. I think you might want to do a little more of that on some of those shots, where possible.
As for the cake and martini shots, i like the DoF better, but on some of them the bokeh is much harsher and much less aesthetic. Like on #6 of 72 from sep 5th. Perhaps, there a shallower DoF would be in order?
Personally, i would recommend the book “Digital Food Photography”, L Manna, ISBN 1-59200-820-8. It’s not a masterpiece, but gives you some very useful pointers and lots of examples, visual and otherwise.
Hope this helps, apologies if you didn’t need this long rant.
Shawn sorry for hijacking your blog.
September 9th, 2008 at 5:17 am
No worries, MrYu… Your feedback is always welcome!
September 9th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Hey MrYu, No worries at all,
I put them out there for any feedback and yours are appreciated.
I did not use a Macro lens, have one but it stayed in the bag. I used a D300 with a Nikkor 24-70 2.8 for all of the shots except the really tight shots of the fruit and cheese plate where I used the Canon 77mm 500D close up lens that screws on the lens. Its is a nice rig so you are not stuck at 105mm. For the HDR is used a D200 with Nikkor DX 12-24mm. I also used a tripod on most images since I was getting F2.8 @ 1/60. The 24-70 is not a light lens to hand hold all day like the 105.
I hear you on the critique, I see it also, but I was also working with the marketing director, operations manager, and the Chef on the shots and that is what they wanted. If you shoot professionally you have know when to stop and let them decide on the final product. They spent time with me pre-shoot with the vision of where they wanted the look of the shots to go creatively.
Thank for the book recommendation, I think its great also – http://mpalmerphotography.blogspot.com/2008/07/white-and-orange.html Feel free to stop by my blog also and leave comments also. I like to see others work and if you leave comments regularly, I will link you and go to your site and comment also.
Thanks again for the comments
September 10th, 2008 at 7:12 am
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