Tag Archives: HP Designjet 3200

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Top Photo and Printing Posts of 2010 – and 100,000 visitors!

It was a great year on the blog. Way over 100,000 visitors!

 

Here’s a sampling of the top posts (in terms of visitors) this year:

 

Review, Nik Silver Efex Pro Software and Creating Black and White Images

 

Review: Mamiya DF Camera and Mamiya DM56 Digital Back

 

Link to new workshops

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Professional Photographers of California 2011 Print Competition

PPC Print Competition for 2011 is coming up fast! Here’s a few details – if you want a shot at fame and glory, you’d better get busy!

2011 Print Competition January 25, 2011 Holiday Inn, Mission Valley 3805 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, CA

NEW FOR 2011! Prints and digital files are accepted. All entries must be in the same format. Online registration, image upload and online payment are required for all.

ENTRY FEES

$35 first image, $10 each additional (max 6)

FINAL ENTRY DEADLINE

for digital and shipped cases 5:00 p.m., January 14, 2011

DELIVERY DEADLINES FOR PHYSICAL PRINTS

For delivery – December 1, 2010 – January 14, 2011 Marcy Dugan 726 W Maple Ave. El Segundo, CA 90245

FOR HAND DELIVERY

January 24, 2011 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Holiday Inn, Mission Valley 3805 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, CA

 

Here’s the link to the PPC Website for more details, including rules and entry forms!

Link to New Workshops

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Latest Workshop Wrap-Up: Black and White / Film Noir Photography

We had a great time at our Black and White/Film Noir photography workshop over the weekend, at the Santa Clarita Valley Center for Photography. Good turnout, a terrific model (Jessica), and some great images.

 

Students At Work!

 

I think that one of the things that worked well was the emphasis on students learning to use light and shadow to create a sense of form and dimension.

Also, we used continous lighting (hot lights) which helped the students in two ways: photographers could shoot together, rather than one at a time, and continous lighting makes it possible to see the image “developing” as the model moves from pose to pose.

While I was teaching I was shooting with the camera tethered, which gave everyone an opportunity to see captures almost in real time. It didn’t hurt at all to have a 30 inch display, either!

 

Jessica

 

We wrapped up with some classroom time, reviewing use of black and white adjustment layers in Photoshop, and Nik Software Silver Efex Pro for black and white conversions.

All told, a great session – we’re already planning another one in a month or two.

New Workshop, January 13, 2011 Black and White Photography and Silver Efex Pro from Nik Software. Click for more info.

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New Workshop: Mastering Digital Color for Photographers

Announcing a new workshop series with SCV Center for Photography and David Saffir:

Tuesday, January 5, 2010 6:30pm to 9:30pm and Wednesday, January 6, 2010 from 6:30pm to 9:30pm.
Cost:  $139 total for both nights (and includes the Mastering Digital Color book).  This is a 2 evening workshop.

Instructor: David Saffir

Mastering digital color isn’t just about having the ability to control color from start to finish in a creative project – it’s also about using color to maximize creative opportunities, and bring your vision to life. Color management is a wonderful point of leverage in every way that counts – cost, quality and competitiveness!

Mastering color in photography involves a stream of decisions that, at first glance, can seem unworkable, or even intimidating. The reality is that leveraging your color is based on a handful of basic principles – and once you have your color system refined and dialed in, you can go in almost any direction imaginable.

This is a down-to-earth, practical seminar that will help you make your color dance, and also help you improve your photography business.

In summary, we’ll cover:

- Color in “real life”

- What happens to color in the camera, computer, and printer

- What you need to do to make creative color control routine, easy and efficient

- Special tips and tricks to use color as a creative tool in capture, editing, and printing

Class highlights include, but are not limited to:

- Color space – that box of crayons you use every day

- Top tips for in-camera color control

- Important computer-based color controls

- What should a photography production guide look like?

- Why your display gives you good color – or why it may not

- How to choose color-savvy displays, printers, and other technology

- Managing consumer-level, and pro-level image editors for max color

- Important differences between Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, and iPhoto

- Why most photographers calibrate their display, and why they often

fail at screen to print match

- Advanced color tools – hardware and software – and why you probably don’t need most of them

- How inkjet printers handle color and what you can do about it

- Profiling is not a dirty word

- Maximizing color results with inkjet printers on selected paper types: gloss/satin, fine art/watercolor, canvas, and “synthetics”

- Quality control checks for each stage – inspection, correction, and troubleshooting.

- Compare color quality issues between different output devices: dye, dye-sub, and pigment printers among them

- Creative Color control and outdoor lighting

- Creative Color Control and studio lighting

Attendees will also receive a free copy of the book “Mastering Digital Color” (250+ pages), by David Saffir.

To sign up, please call the SCV Center for Photography, (661) 904-2092, email info@scvphotocenter.com or visit www.scvphotocenter.com

Coming in February 2010 is the second workshop in the series “Mastering Printing.”

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Blog Link: Why Finish Your Prints?

Today there are many new sprays and liquids that can applied to protect the entire print surface, as well as gels that can be applied either to the whole print or selected areas of the print for artistic effects. Plus, independent testing groups such as Wilhelm Imaging Research have shown that products such as Premier Eco Print Shield can extend the display life of a print….

For the rest of the story please follow this

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Upcoming Seminar: Fotoweek, Nov 9, 2009, Taking Your Photography and Business To The Next Level

Tools of the Trade:  Taking your Photography & Business to the Next Level, Sponsored by HP and MEI Computer

Monday, November 9th at VisArts (Rockville Town Center) 155 Gibbs Street, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20850

9:00-10:30 – Studio Planning & Set-up, Physical Environment and Ergonomics, Lighting, Display/Monitor Selection.Discover the latest software and hardware the pros use to manage workflow and achieve consistent results. 

10:30-12:00 – Getting the Most Out of Your Inkjet Printer. Camera to printer workflow:  selecting a printer, accurate color previews, printing from image editing software.Media selection. Printer troubleshooting, print correction, archiving. 

12:00-1:00 – Lunch With featured printing demonstrations.

1:00-2:30 – Fine Art Printmaking plus Fine Art Reproduction.  Create Fine Art and Decor Prints for other photographers and galleries.  Learn price points, media types, how to work with galleries and organizations.Fine Art Reproduction, tools for Fine Art Reproduction 

2:30-3:30 – Succeeding in Print Competition  Avenues for Success: Choosing a competition, understanding print comp terms and conditions,  Selecting images, printing, what the judges want to see, and more. 

3:45pm-4:30PM Fine Art Media for Limited Editions. Matching Media and Client Needs, Media Types for Social Photography Commercial/Fine Art/Other Purposes   

4:30-Finish: Q&A & Printing. Participants are encouraged to bring a high resolution digital file to print.

For more information and registration please visit MEI Computer’s web sign up page.

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Demo Equipment – One Time Only

All – Just finished the Tour 09 events in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The sponsors are offering lightly used demo equipment at very good prices. If interested, please contact me via email, and I will put you in touch w/ the distributor.

 Please excuse the “commercial” message; I have had a number of inquiries already, and thought I’d share the info. This is a once or twice a year thing, at most. :)

 Best regards,

 

David Saffir

 

______________________________

  

Mamiya Dl28 kits (AFD III camera body, 80 mm lens, 28 MP Leaf Back) normal pricing $ 14,999 special pricing $ 10,999

Special closeout bonus $ 500-$1,000 in related “free goods” (please inquire)

 Tour Demo Eizo Color Edge monitor sales;

 CG241 w-bk normally $ 2,450 (price drop) special $ 1,799

Two units available for $ 1,299 that are factory refurbs from trade shows, with warranty

 CG243 w-bk normally $ 2,450 special $ 1,999

 CG301 W-BK normally $ 5,299 special $ 4,500

 Epson Expression 10000 XL-Photo Scanner with Transparency option

Normally priced at $ 2,999 special pricing at $ 2, 795

Epson Perfection V700 Photo Scanner

Normally priced at $ 599 special pricing at $ 479.99

Printer Demo Unit Specials from the Fall Tour;

One only; Epson 7900 – 24” normally $ 3,995 special demo unit with full warranty $ 3,495

Qualifies for $ 700 Epson end user rebate thru Oct 31st, act now!

One only; HP Z-3200-24” normally $ 3,895 special demo unit with full warranty $ 3,295

Qualifies for $500 show coupon, also Cash In and Trade Up of $500 Value $ 1,000 rebate!

One only; Canon ipf 6100-24” normally $ 2,895 special demo unit with full warranty $ 2,495

Qualifies for $ 400 end user rebate, and 1 set of 12 x 99ml extra inks! Total Value $ 1,300!

We still can write Premier Media Bonus of Buy 3 , get 1 FREE on any of these deals!

Misc. odds –n- endz deals;

X-Rite Eye One Display 2 show specials normally $249 special $ 199 while they last!

X-Rite Color Munki Photo normally $ 499, special $ 449 and qualifies for $50 coupon thru Dec. 31st

X-Rite Color Checker Passports, only $99, normally $ 129

Sekonic L358 light meters normally $299 special $ 259

Westcott Spyderlite TD-5 Window light kits ( stands, lights, softboxes and carry cases ) normally $ 1,650 special $ 1,495

Used demo X-Rite Eye One XT spectro kit special $ 999 (one only)

Used demo X-Rite Eye One IO spectro table $ 1,299 (one only)

Used table top GTI small light viewing booth $ $399 (one only)

NOTE: No refunds or exchanges, all sales final

 

 

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Home At Last

Back home after four weeks of traveling. Been to Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, New York, and now back to California. I feel very lucky to have met so many interesting and talented photographers, artists, business people, curators and archivists, and others. The Tour 09 events hosted by a range of manufacturers (Canon, HP, Epson, Mamiya, and X-Rite, among others) and Digital2You taught many lessons, which I’ll share soon.

Pro Photo East was a bit smaller in scope than last year – but I’m sure that the number of photographers I talked with during various activities increased – and the intensity of interest in digital imaging and new developments has not diminished in the least. The HP exhibit was absolutely packed on every day – breaks were few and far between. I particularly enjoyed the evening session on Friday, where we heard presentations from photographers Joel Meyerowitz and Thomas Hoepker, and Eileen Gittens, president and CEO of Blurb.

Lot of new developments seen and experienced, and I will be posting info about these in the coming week. Some of the things in the hopper include print finishing, canvas mounting, new cameras, imaging software, a cool new printing rip, latex-based printers, medium format imaging, raw processing, and color management.

Last night our plane sat on the runway for almost four hours, waiting for a break in a very intense rainstorm.  I was quite glad to touch down at the LA airport later that night, however late, and return to Santa Clarita.

More to follow!

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Medium Format Gaining on DSLRs – Part Two


I’ve received a number of emails and comments regarding changing attitudes among photographers regarding medium format digital vs. DSLRs. Seems to me, first of all, that it’s not about the equipment. My daddy used to say, “it’s not the car, it’s the nut behind the wheel”. That said, I find that I can often see the difference between medium format (MF) images I’ve created, and those taken with a DSLR. My own approach has changed quite a bit; I think it is fair to say that I use my MF cameras much more nowadays than the DSLRs.

Some of the things I notice are sharpness, resolution, acutance, dimensionality, subtleties in tone transitions, and detail in shadow/highlights. In some cases, a MF lens will also show a difference in bokeh (smoothness of out of focus areas). In all of these, excluding the last item, I feel it is a combination of factors that makes up one’s perception of “difference”. For example high acutance coupled with low resolution looks much different than a situation where both are high. (a typical look for the former is a so-called “over-sharpened” image with that crispy look with lots of edge halos).

At the end of the day, images I’ve made with my MF cameras usually look quite different than those from the DSLR world – this is particularly the case when I’ve made a large print. The image below communicates some of these in spite of the limitations of computer screens. In print, it has amazing depth and dimensionality, and impressive detail in the leaves and textures in the rocks.

Columbia River Gorge

Columbia River Gorge

Hasselblad H-series camera body, P25 back, 100mm lens, f/11, approx one second exposure. It is true that one can make a very “sellable” image using a high-end DSLR. But can one achieve that look, that feeling of a unique image or print that one can almost walk right into? Doesn’t this affect both creative approach and one’s competitive position in an environment that challenges us all? And what about client’s perceptions? Haven’t many of use had the experience of a client choosing a photographer who owns MF digital vs DSLR? Does this set one apart from the pack? Thinking back, it’s made a difference for me – I’ve made far more money with MF than I ever have with my DSLRs. I’m working right now on a tour of seven cities, teaching use of MF digital cameras, high resolution printers, fine art printmaking, and art reproduction. The interest from photographers in MF is intense – something of a wake up call, in fact. More to follow.

Here’s a recent review of the Mamiya AFD III with the Leaf Aptus digital back.

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Medium Format Gaining on DSLRs


A quick thought which I’ll write more about later in the week: in the latest series of workshops, I am getting a lot of feedback from photographers that they are re-evaluating the usefulness of medium format cameras vs. 35mm format DSLRs.

Prices are converging – for example, Mamiya is offering a 28MP digital back along with their state-of-the-art AFD III camera with an 80mm lens and Capture software for around 10-11k. The image quality pretty much kicks 35mm to the curb – and that competitive edge, along with the new pricing is getting a lot of attention.

Not too long ago I wrote a review of this camera, which you can see here.