Oh no! Zion again?
Folks, I just can’t get enough of Zion National Park. We had some rain recently and it washed the loose sand off of the rock and brought out some stunning color. Combine that with exceptional angular light from a low sun and the results had a special feel to them. For you technical folks – these were all processed using integrative techniques bouncing back and forth between Lightroom and Photoshop, exploiting the best features of each program. One of these was a HDR capture preprocessed in Photomatix Pro. I’ll let you try and guess which one.
Short Trip to North Rim Grand Canyon
Yesterday I explored the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I have to say that it was exceedingly difficult to extract any photographs due to recent wildfires and a very heavy layer of smog. Nevertheless, I did what I could. Here are a few results. I hope to return in a month or so when the aspens have turned yellow (that is, if they haven’t all burned down).
SWU Shoots at Smith Mesa
SWU Shoots just had its very first outing yesterday. For more info on the great new organization go to http://www.swushoots.com
Here’s what I came up with. I hope you can join us next week for some enthusiastic shooting. Let the good times roll!
Smith Mesa Scenic #1
Butte at Smith Mesa
Bed & Breakfast (Topaz Spicify Filter)
Smith Mesa Panorama
New Releases
I would like to share a few new selections I created in the last couple of days…
Snow Canyon Glory
Pine Valley Watercolor Effect
Pine Valley Grove Backlight (Selenium Tone)
Pine Valley Reservior
By The Cat Tails ~ Pine Valley
Giclee demonstration at HVAA ~ 9/9/2009
To photographers, giclee is a term that means nothing more than archival printing using pigment inks on inkjet printers with fine art paper stock.
To painters, curators, collectors, galleries and educators – there is an intrinsic value. Giclee is recognized and appreciated as a “badge” of excellence and permanence in reproduction prints.
I am planning to demonstrate giclee for my local artist’s organization with a twist. This will be a live demonstration INCLUDING photography. That is, I will be copying watercolor originals using a macro lens and studio lighting to create the calibrated working file. Here is the announcement from the HVAA (Hurricane Valley Arts Alliance).
The date is September 9, 2009 ~ plan ahead.
On our September 9, 2009 (please note – this is the second Wednesday) meeting , HVAA member Bob Kulon will present a live demonstration of the giclee print making process. The primary goal of this demo will be to copy original watercolor paintings as marketable, archival fine art reproductions. Giclee involves photographic and digital components. Bob will demonstrate the following steps:
- What is giclee and how did it originate?
- Lighting and photographing the original watercolor painting.
- Converting the digital file into a accurate representation of the original.
- Printing the file using archival fine art materials.
This will be a “live” experience using originals provided by the HVAA audience members in attendance. You are welcome to bring one piece (flat, not rolled) for demonstration. You will get to take your giclee home – time permitting. The value of this 13×19 reproduction is normally $17 plus repro photography charges; so you want to come early and get your art in the queue. Bob will explain the giclee services he offers should you wish to outsource this work.
Our meetings take place at 6:30 P.M. at the Hurricane City Public Library. Hope that you can all attend this wonderful presentation.
The Olive Shack
This is my second trip to Lee Vining, California. On the first trip, in October of 2007, I found this “olive” shack just off US-395 about 5 miles south of town. Here is today’s sun up image.
New Website!
Friends, my new website is up and running. Please visit it and let me know your impression: www.bobkulonphoto.com. While you are there, you will note…
- My current commercial gallery is presented.
- My show listing has been updated. The current count is 7 with more announcements coming shortly.
All the best,
Bob
“4 x 6″ Photo Excursions Announced
No folks, that isn’t a medium format film being referenced, it means 4 days / 6 participants. Read on…
4 x 6 Photo Excursion #1
Northern & Western Zion National Park
and Surrounding Areas
September 21, 22, 23, & 24, 2009
- 4 days — 6 participants
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — held during the week to minimize tourist disturbance
- Morning & Evening Shooting; instruction, discussion, relaxation, and replentishment break midday
- Transportation to shoot locations included
- 2 instructors; 2 SUVs
- $395 + personal expenses
- Details to be posted soon – call or email now if interested.
- Subject to availability. Once payment is made, your reservation is considered firm. I accept check, Visa, and MasterCard. Please contact me now to reserve your dates at (435) 673-3817 or bob@bobkulonphoto.com
4 x 6 Photo Excursion #2
Southern & Eastern Zion National Park
and Surrounding Areas
October 19, 20, 21, & 22, 2009
- 4 days — 6 participants
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — held during the week to minimize tourist disturbance
- Morning & Evening Shooting; instruction, discussion, relaxation, and replentishment break midday
- Transportation to shoot locations included
- 2 instructors; 2 SUVs
- $395 + personal expenses
- Details to be posted soon – call or email now if interested.
- Subject to availability. Once payment is made, your reservation is considered firm. I accept check, Visa, and MasterCard. Please contact me now to reserve your dates at (435) 673-3817 or bob@bobkulonphoto.com
The main website returns!
Since relocating, I have put redesigning and presenting my professional website on the back burner. I was waiting for fresh images, a bit of inspiration, and a focus for my enterprise. I am now past that and the new website has officially rolled out. A fair amount of it will be grown over coming days and weeks as I have time to add the content, but I think you should visit now to get reacquainted and bookmark it.
http://www.bobkulonphoto.com/index.html
If you have any comments, feel free to share them here.
Take care,
Bob
Structure – a finishing step worth considering
Disclaimer: I do not mean to imply I “invented” this process. Frankly, I don’t know. It came to me over the last week as a way to create subtly enhanced, yet believable, images. If anyone else is already doing this then I guess the process is so obvious that several of us deduced the same technique simultaneously.
OK, now…
Many times I will take a credible image to its natural conclusion in Photoshop and create a master color file, that is, one that has been fully edited and adjusted, but not sized or sharpened for printing. If I see strong design elements beyond the colors, I will then convert it to black and white to see if it can stand in a monochromatic rendition. Sometimes there isn’t much worth saving, other times it is subjectively better than the color and I save it as a separate black and white master file. Having these two files, color and black & white takes us to my proposed technique: Structure.
This is a simple Photoshop Layer technique. Really simple! The point is that is adds “structure” (meatiness?) to the color image without throwing of the original color rendition.
Just stack the black and white image as a layer over the color image layer and change the blending mode to Luminosity. Adjust the opacity to suit. That’s it! Try it – let me know what you think.
Layer Settings
Here are the results…
Background Layer
Black and White Layer
Luminosity Blend with Structure
