Take a picture once a day, whether you need to or not

[Selby]

If the ExIF is correct, it was shot at 23mm - which means he was very close.  ;)

You got it.  I was amazed it came out as well as it did.

[kubodhi]

www.gimp.org

Much better than Photoshop elements not as good as Photoshop.

For a free web-based solution, check out http://aviary.com when you have some time.  The web is really moving towards feature-rich and legitimately competitive apps.

[apocrypha]

Take a HUNDRED pictures a day, whether you need to or not:


The joys of commercial photography. 500 products shot in 5 days. 10-12 hour days, working in a chilled (8^oC) packing area, with a different assistant from the client company each day and a liaison who was totally uninterested in the job and grossly overworked as well. Satisfying to get it completed, but so, so glad it's over!

[K9]

 

How do you decide whether a carrot is suitably photogenic, or was that all done for you?

[apocrypha]

At 10-15 shots per hour I decide *quickly*! 

We kinda got into a pretty good workflow routine tbh - we had an assistant from the supermarket who was chasing products and getting pallets of stuff delivered by warehouse staff, I had a photographic assistant who was then keeping me supplied with those. He'd line up bunches of stuff as it came in, doing his best to pick some good looking ones, then I'd select from those and clean, arrange, shoot and adjust.

I also couldn't shoot tethered (technical issues) so once an hour I had to give the CF card to him, he'd back it up on a portable drive, transfer to a laptop and then the Morrison's assistant would rename files and tick products off the list, while I carried on shooting on another card. It was pretty non-stop for all of us tbh, I'm slightly amazed that we actually managed it.

Just to put it in perspective, the fastest rate that the studio who were employing me have ever achieved on pack shots is 54 in a day, in the studio. I did 125/day on 3 days, on location. It's the first big job they've put me on and I think they're pretty impressed too. Hopefully it'll mean they offer me some more creative stuff in the future too!

[kubodhi]

No kidding.  Best of luck!  Your creative work speaks for itself, so I hope they have the sense to give you a shot.

[bhodi]

That's pretty amazing. At least your camera gear is a business expense!

[K9]

Awesome, glad you're managing to put your talent to profitable use. If I'm ever at the auto-checkout at morrisons I'll give the icons on the screen due appreciation too! (I'm guessing this is what they need pictures of everything for?)

[apocrypha]

Thanks guys! And yeah bhodi, been putting photo gear down as business expenses for a couple of years now, I'm hoping this year will be the first year I officially make a profit! 

[Samwise]

[voodoolily]

[apocrypha]

V nice, both of those! Samwise, you got access to Photoshop? The distortion in that pic drives my OCD crazy! 

[voodoolily]

V nice, both of those! Samwise, you got access to Photoshop? The distortion in that pic drives my OCD crazy! 

I don't see any distortion in Sam's photo, just that it needs to be tilted approximately 10 degrees clockwise. 

[Mosesandstick]

It's the bulging effect! You notice these sort of issues like an OCD maniac once you do these things for too long. Great photos everybody!

[Samwise]

I touched it up a little bit (using Paint .NET -- rotated 1 degree and applied a little bit of negative bulge, which makes the straight lines square up a bit more so I think that's what you were talking about).

Pic is of my sister relaxing in her favorite spot at Fordham.  I'm totally jealous and wish I had a stained glass window I could perch in.

[Lantyssa]

I want her boots.  It's a very pretty picture though.

[voodoolily]

My FB friends have prolly already seen this one, but it's my favorite subject matter:

[Merusk]

I was fiddling around with my camera to play with some shots I took for wall hanging purposes and Perseus started yawning.  I snapped a quick shot because he always opens his mouth so wide.   When I took a look at the full picture this cropped version instantly came to mind.

[K9]

I touched it up a little bit (using Paint .NET -- rotated 1 degree and applied a little bit of negative bulge, which makes the straight lines square up a bit more so I think that's what you were talking about).

Pic is of my sister relaxing in her favorite spot at Fordham.  I'm totally jealous and wish I had a stained glass window I could perch in.

Any chance you could pop up a before and after for comparison? just curious, barrel distortion is something I think I tend to miss, so I'd be keen to see what the difference is.

Also, a few of my recent snaps. (click through for full size)

[MrHat]

That last one is pure background awesome.

[Mosesandstick]

I find the juxtaposition of the baby and the cat funny. Nice photos K9, I'm with MrHat on the last one being my fav.

This took me hours to take, and hours to process. I guess it's all learning. It's a gif, and I think it'll only play once.

[K9]

Thanks a lot

That .gif is fun, how many frames is it?

[Mosesandstick]

27 frames, 0.1 second spacing, taken at around 20 minutes apart.

[K9]

It's one way to spend a saurday I guess 

Good job though, I'd like to give some stop motion a go myself. What software did you use?

[Mosesandstick]

I was revising and doing an all-nighter, hah. Nothing like taking a break from the books, going to the camera and coming back. For shooting I did everything manually, it's much easier to do it with an intervalometer or when hooked up to a computer. I used PS to put the GIF together. Good old photoshop, can do everything, but it's a bitch to learn how to use it.

[K9]

I'm trying to get involved with the Photosoc chaps since they have all the Photoshop goodness, it's just a matter of finding the time.

[DraconianOne]

K9, where are those middle three pics taken?

[K9]

The last four were all taken around Friend's Clump in Ashdown Forest in Sussex, about a month ago.

[Strazos]

Not a great picture, but one of the only ones I took last week (on my work BB):

[K9]

Nice picture; the UN General assembly room is one of the most infuriating things I have ever attempted to photograph. It's just oddly shaped with weird lighting. Nice detail there though. How did you manage to get so close though? When I was there on a tour we couldn't get anywhere near the podium.

[Strazos]

I wasn't in on a tour...

And yes, the lighting was absolutely diabolical; weird shadows, things looking dark (with flash).

If I was REALLY smart, I would have gone to the UNSC as well. 

Here's another...looks like crap, but I mostly blame the lighting and crappy blackberry camera:


Took way too many shots to get something workable, but at least the room was largely empty.

[Samwise]

Any chance you could pop up a before and after for comparison? just curious, barrel distortion is something I think I tend to miss, so I'd be keen to see what the difference is.

Here we go:

[Strazos]

errr..what's the difference?

[apocrypha]

Love the gif moses! And nice kite K9, very Flickr!

[Mosesandstick]

Thanks! If you want to look for distortion always focus on straight lines, otherwise it's hard to miss. However, once you start looking for straight lines you can never stop. Focus on the white columns.