4418

A few weeks ago I wrote a feature for the X-Equals blog explaining how I process (and to some extent shoot) my jazz photos. I thought this could be of interest to some of you here, since I detail the processing approach to the two pictures shown here.

You can find the article here.

For months, I've been looking slightly fascinated at cyanotype prints. I was first exposed to them through Cyanotype Kit that had everything you need (except sunlight). I'm not advocating you should buy it, but I will be getting it, especially since I haven't found the glass rods on sale individually anywhere else. 2. Preparation There are two things you need to prepare: your paper and your digital negative. Both are easy. For the paper, you need to be in a dim place with no direct sunlight (but you don't need full obscurity either). Lay the paper flat in front of you and position the glass rod alongside the short side of your sheet (assuming an A4 sized print or thereabouts). Then fill the syringe with sensitizer and gently press it at the junction of the rod and the paper all along the width of the rod. You want to be fairly quick at this so you can spread the fluid on the page before the paper absorbs all of it. Then push the rod away from you, thus distributing the sensitizer ...

For months, I've been looking slightly fascinated at cyanotype prints. I was first exposed to them through Sinead McDonald, and then via 500px's own Britta Hershman. I loved the subdued and slightly uneven rendition. So when the opportunity arose to take a lesson with Sinead last time I was in Ireland, I totally jumped on it. This post aims at describing the process for those who may be curious or intimidated by it. It turned out to be so easy that I intend to do some more Cyanotypes with my kids as soon at time and weather allow. I'll break it down in steps for easier understanding: 1. What you'll need You need a few things for the kind of Cyanotype I was shown how to do: a. a digital photograph, if possible a contrasty one since cyanotype doesn't do subtle very well b. an inkjet printer and some inkjet film. Printer quality is not an issue here, see below for why c. a bottle of cyanotytpe sensitizer (I used Fotospeed Cyanotype Sensitizer). Some people also like to do their ...

chi·a·ro·scu·ro (k-är-skr, -skyr)

n. pl. chi·a·ro·scu·ros In all senses also called claire-obscure.

1. The technique of using light and shade in pictorial representation.

2. The arrangement of light and dark elements in a pictorial work of art.

Modern DSLRs - at least in the high end of the spectrum - have a frankly amazing dynamic range, even in low-light conditions. With the fast progression of high-ISO viability, the ability to capture detail in low-light is really high. As an amateur concert photographer, I always try to get well exposed subjects when I shoot concert shots.

Recently though I've delved into some of the emblematic photos or the jazz era, and the iconic power of these badly lit shots struck me. It may have been because of technical limitations back then, but the use of chiaroscuro really made some of these shots really strong.

So I decided to try that myself. I revisited some 'old' shots of a Klezmer Madness concert I attended that I had discarded because I thou ...

One of the things I was keenest to explore when I started photography was shooting fiber optics. I find photos of fiber optics fascinating and wanted to try and do my own.

I found it to be surprisingly difficult: in order to get the nice bokeh rings that one normally associates with these kinds of shots you need to have a really wide aperture (or a macro lens, which I didn't have at the time), but that in turn creates issues with light and color management in the sensor for long-ish exposures in the dark. This shot is from a series that I had to do in JPG instead of RAW for that reason.

Furthermore, I discovered on the occasion of my first attempt that bokeh rings that are inside of the minimal focusing distance of your lens are incomplete, create a strange disconnect when you view the shots.

This one was the best of that early series. When time allows, I want to revisit the concept with different color lamps, my macro lens and a white background.