yOOrek's Rants'n Raves http://blog.yoorek.com The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:34:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 The bokeh Machine has arrived http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/03/12/the-bokeh-machine-has-arrived/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/03/12/the-bokeh-machine-has-arrived/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:32:10 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/03/12/the-bokeh-machine-has-arrived/ Presenting the one and only – Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 also known as bokeh/cream machine. This is one of my first photos taken with it. I am supposed to have a photo shoot on the weekend so let’s hope I’ll get to use it more.

aNNa

aNNa Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Winterthur, Switzerland, March 2010

…

• NIKON D700 • 1/60 sec at f/4.0 (0 EV) • ISO 400 • Spot metering • Aperture priority • flash fired • 85mm f/1.4 @ 85 mm •

• NIKON D700 • Shooting Mode?Single-Frame • AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF • VR?Off • Focus Mode?AF-C • AF Area Mode ?Dynamic Area (9 points) • Primary AF Point ?C6 (Center) • AF Points Used ?C6 • Focus Distance ?1.00 m • DOF ?0.03 m (0.99 – 1.02) • FOV ?21.9 deg (0.39 m) • Hyperfocal Distance ?60.12 m • Light Source ?Flash • Flash ?On, Return detected • Flash Mode ?Fired, External • Flash Control Mode ?iTTL • Flash Setting ?Normal • Flash Type ?Optional, TTL • Flash Flags ?Fired, [1], Bounce Flash • Group A (Mode, Compensation, Output) ?(Off, 0, -) • Group B (Mode, Compensation, Output) ?(Off, 0, -) • Group C (Mode, Compensation, Output) ?(0, 0, -) • File Type ?NEF • Bit Depth ?14 •

2010-03-11-2253-5797-2

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright © 2010 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/03/12/the-bokeh-machine-has-arrived/feed/ 0 Maya http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/maya/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/maya/#comments Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:39:47 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/maya/ And yet another from the 31st of December 2009. Post processed in Lightroom with Bleach Bypass preset.

Maya

Maya Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Winterthur, Switzerland, December 2009

New Year’s Eve dresses are being tried out, makeup is being tested, new poses are exercised.

• NIKON D700 • 1/320 sec at f/10 (0 EV) • ISO 400 • Pattern metering • Manual • flash fired • 50 mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm •

• NIKON D700 • Shooting Mode?Single-Frame • AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D • VR?Off • Focus Mode?AF-C • AF Area Mode?Dynamic Area (9 points) • Primary AF Point?B2 • AF Points Used?B2 • Focus Distance?2.24 m • DOF?1.27 m (1.77 – 3.04) • FOV?38.8 deg (1.58 m) • Hyperfocal Distance?8.32 m • Light Source?Flash • Flash?On, Return not detected • Flash Mode?Fired, External • Flash Setting?Normal • Flash Type?3.01 (SU-800 Remote Commander) • Flash Flags?Fired, [1] • Group A (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Manual, -, 50%) • Group B (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Manual, -, 25%) • Group C (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • File Type?NEF • Bit Depth?14 •

2009-12-31-2009-4699

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright © 2009 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/maya/feed/ 0 007 Girls http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/007-girls/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/007-girls/#comments Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:24:54 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/007-girls/ Another one from the last day of 2009. This time AnnA & Maya pretending to be 007 girls. Had to take away the smoking gun from AnnA’s hand though. :-)

007 Girls

007 Girls Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Winterthur, Switzerland, December 2009

The only thing that is missing is a gun

• NIKON D700 • 1/320 sec at f/10 (0 EV) • ISO 400 • Pattern metering • Manual • flash fired • @ 50 mm •

• NIKON D700 • Shooting Mode?Single-Frame • AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D • VR?Off • Focus Mode?AF-C • AF Area Mode?Dynamic Area (9 points) • Primary AF Point?B11 • AF Points Used?(none) • Focus Distance?2.99 m • DOF?2.41 m (2.21 – 4.61) • FOV?39.0 deg (2.11 m) • Hyperfocal Distance?8.32 m • Light Source?Flash • Flash?On, Return not detected • Flash Mode?Fired, External • Flash Setting?Normal • Flash Type?3.01 (SU-800 Remote Commander) • Flash Flags?Fired, [1] • Group A (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Manual, -, 50%) • Group B (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Manual, -, 25%) • Group C (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • File Type?NEF • Bit Depth?14 •

2009-12-31-1958-3675

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright (C) 2009 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/007-girls/feed/ 0 NYE Preparations http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/nye-preparations/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/nye-preparations/#comments Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:07:38 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/nye-preparations/ Of course I had to take her photo. Various dresses were tried. Different makeup styles were tested. And finally new poses have been exercised. Then, off she went to a New Year’s party leaving me to post process the photos. Two strobes – one camera left at 1/2 power, the other camera right at 1/4 power, triggered through SU-800.

Maya

Maya Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Winterthur, Switzerland, December 2009

New Year’s Eve dresses are being tried out, makeup is being tested, new poses are exercised.

• NIKON D700 • 1/320 sec at f/10 (0 EV) • ISO 400 • Pattern metering • Manual • flash fired • 50 mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm •

• NIKON D700 • Shooting Mode?Single-Frame • AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D • VR?Off • Focus Mode?AF-C • AF Area Mode?Dynamic Area (9 points) • Primary AF Point?B7 • AF Points Used?B7 • Focus Distance?2.51 m • DOF?1.63 m (1.94 – 3.57) • FOV?38.9 deg (1.77 m) • Hyperfocal Distance?8.32 m • Light Source?Flash • Flash?On, Return not detected • Flash Mode?Fired, External • Flash Setting?Normal • Flash Type?3.01 (SU-800 Remote Commander) • Flash Flags?Fired, [1] • Group A (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Manual, -, 50%) • Group B (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Manual, -, 25%) • Group C (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • File Type?NEF • Bit Depth?14 •

2009-12-31-1954-1533

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright (C) 2009 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2010/01/03/nye-preparations/feed/ 0 Looking back… http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/31/looking-back/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/31/looking-back/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:26:40 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/?p=556 I opened my Lightroom and realized that I have a nice yearly overview of my photographic endeavors. Well, this is not entirely true. I knew that already but one has to start a post somehow. I thought that with today being 31st of December, the last day of the year, I will post the total of the photos I have managed to shoot over the years gone by. Last decade to be exact.

Screen shot 2009-12-31 at 6.07.49 PM.PNG

It all started in 1998 with one of the first digital cameras from Apple. In December 1999 I got my first P&S. In 2000 I bought a Canon PowerShot G1. In 2006 I’ve made a switch to DSLR (Nikon D50). 2009 saw an arrival of my Nikon D700. 2003 to 2005 were quite busy and difficult years for me. Isn’t it funny/strange how what people go through in life could be analysed by looking at the number of photographs one takes? Well, in my case anyway I can see a steady increase since the switch to DSLR.

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year and let’s hope that this new coming decade will bring you more happiness and creativity.
—
Without wax,
yOOrek

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/31/looking-back/feed/ 1 Magic Flower http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/31/magic-flower/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/31/magic-flower/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:56:22 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/31/magic-flower/ Alternative post processing. How do you like the results? One day I will post the originals.

Magic Flower

Magic Flower Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Winterthur, Switzerland, December 2009

Flower variations.

• NIKON D700 • 1/400 sec at f/13 (0 EV) • ISO 200 • Pattern metering • Manual • flash fired • 105 mm f/2.8 @ 105 mm •

• NIKON D700 • Shooting Mode?Single-Frame • AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED • VR?Off • Focus Mode?Manual • AF Area Mode?Single Area • Primary AF Point?(none) • AF Points Used?(none) • Focus Distance?0.38 m • DOF?0.01 m (0.37 – 0.38) • FOV?14.1 deg (0.09 m) • Hyperfocal Distance?28.23 m • Light Source?Unknown • Flash?On, Return not detected • Flash Mode?Fired, External • Flash Setting?Normal • Flash Type?3.01 (SU-800 Remote Commander) • Flash Flags?Fired, [1] • Group A (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Manual, -, 3%) • Group B (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Manual, -, 2%) • Group C (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • File Type?NEF • Bit Depth?14 •

2009-12-30-2058-1458

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright © 2009 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/31/magic-flower/feed/ 0 Looking at my desk through a pinhole http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/30/looking-at-my-desk-through-a-pinhole/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/30/looking-at-my-desk-through-a-pinhole/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:38:52 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/30/looking-at-my-desk-through-a-pinhole/ Tried pinhole photography for the first time. Mounted the Skink Pinhole Pancake lens on my trusty D50 (it has been promoted to be the experimenter’s camera since I got my D700). Here is the result. No tripod was used. I just placed the camera on the desk and used IR remote to trigger the shutter.

Looking at my desk through a pinhole

Looking at my desk through a pinhole Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Winterthur, Switzerland, November 2009

Decided to try pinhole photography. Mounted the skink pinhole pancake on my D50 first. Turned up the ISO to the max to get some reasonable time. Still, ended up being 15 seconds.

• NIKON D50 • 15.0 sec (0 EV) • ISO 1600 • Center-weighted average metering • Manual • no flash • @ •

• NIKON D50 • Shooting Mode?IR Control • Manual Lens No CPU • VR?n/a • Focus Mode?Manual • AF Area Mode?Single Area • Primary AF Point?- • AF Points Used?- • Focus Distance?0.01 m • DOF?- • FOV?- • Hyperfocal Distance?- • Light Source?Natural • Flash?No Flash • Flash Mode?Did Not Fire • Flash Setting?Normal • Flash Type?n/a • Flash Flags?(none) • Group A (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • Group B (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • Group C (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(-, -, -) • File Type?NEF • Bit Depth?12 •

2009-11-06-0311-4900

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright © 2009 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/30/looking-at-my-desk-through-a-pinhole/feed/ 0 A solitary knife on an otherwise empty table http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/16/a-solitary-knife-on-an-otherwise-empty-table/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/16/a-solitary-knife-on-an-otherwise-empty-table/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:19:26 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/16/a-solitary-knife-on-an-otherwise-empty-table/ It was the only witness to my shenanigans. Just as well.

A solitary knife on an empty table

A solitary knife on an empty table Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Wallhausen, Germany, December 2009

For a while we were silent witnesses to vast nothingness spreading across the table. Then I made a move.

• NIKON D700 • 1/250 sec at f/5.6 (0 EV) • ISO 400 • Spot metering • Manual • flash fired • @ 50 mm •

• NIKON D700 • Shooting Mode?Single-Frame • AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D • VR?Off • Focus Mode?AF-C • AF Area Mode?Dynamic Area (9 points) • Primary AF Point?C6 (Center) • AF Points Used?C6 • Focus Distance?0.71 m • DOF?0.06 m (0.68 – 0.74) • FOV?37.0 deg (0.47 m) • Hyperfocal Distance?14.86 m • Light Source?Flash • Flash?On, Return detected • Flash Mode?Fired, External • Flash Setting?Normal • Flash Type?5.02 (SB-900) • Flash Flags?[0], [1] • Group A (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • Group B (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • Group C (Mode, Compensation, Output)?(Off, 0, -) • File Type?NEF • Bit Depth?14 •

2009-12-14-1756-0225

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright © 2009 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/16/a-solitary-knife-on-an-otherwise-empty-table/feed/ 0 What is she dreaming of? http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/12/what-is-she-dreaming-of/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/12/what-is-she-dreaming-of/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:51:14 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/12/what-is-she-dreaming-of/ Will anyone ever know? I was trying a new setup consisting of 2 SB-900 mounted on Manfrotto 5001B light stands, shooting through Westcott umbrellas. SB-900s were set to manual firing at 1/16th of the full power. I have to admit that I like the quality of light one gets when using brollies. It is much softer, more pleasant to look at.

What is she dreaming of?

What is she dreaming of? Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Winterthur, Switzerland, December 2009

Our Whippet, feeling sleepy (as always). I was trying out a new setup – 2 SB-900 shooting through Westcott brollies. I like the quality of light. Much better than direct flash.

View On Black | White

• NIKON D700 • 1/250 sec at f/8.0 (0 EV) • ISO 400 • Spot metering • Manual • flash fired • 105 mm f/2.8 @ 105 mm •

• NIKON D700 • Shooting Mode↔Single-Frame • AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED • VR↔On • Focus Mode↔AF-C • AF Area Mode↔Dynamic Area (9 points) • Primary AF Point↔C3 • AF Points Used↔C3 • Focus Distance↔1.12 m • DOF↔0.05 m (1.10 – 1.15) • FOV↔17.7 deg (0.35 m) • Hyperfocal Distance↔45.87 m • Light Source↔Flash • Flash↔On, Return not detected • Flash Mode↔Fired, External • Flash Setting↔Normal • Flash Type↔3.01 (SU-800 Remote Commander) • Flash Flags↔[0] • Group A (Mode, Compensation, Output)↔(Manual, -, 6%) • Group B (Mode, Compensation, Output)↔(Manual, -, 6%) • Group C (Mode, Compensation, Output)↔(Off, 0, -) • File Type↔NEF • Bit Depth↔14 •

2009-12-12-1847-2697

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright © 2009 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/12/what-is-she-dreaming-of/feed/ 0 Fisheye in action http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/05/fisheye-in-action/ http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/05/fisheye-in-action/#comments Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:18:08 +0000 yOOrek http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/05/fisheye-in-action/ Some people maintain that a fisheye lens cannot be used to photograph people. I find this not entirely true. By careful framing one can achieve quite satisfactory results.

Fisheye in action

Fisheye in action Originally uploaded by yOOrek

Original comments by yOOrek:

Winterthur, Switzerland, December 2009

Who said fisheye cannot be used to photograph people.

View On Black | White

• NIKON D700 • 1/60 sec at f/8.0 (0 EV) • ISO 400 • Spot metering • Aperture priority • flash fired • 16 mm f/2.8 @ 16 mm •

• NIKON D700 • shooting mode:Single-Frame • AF Fisheye Nikkor 16mm f/2.8D • VR:Off • focus mode:AF-C • AF area:Single Area • primary AF point:C6 (Center) • AF points used: • focus distance:0.35 m • DOF:0.25 m (0.27 – 0.52) • FOV:94.1 deg (0.76 m) • hyperfocal distance:1.07 m • light source:Flash • flash:On, Return not detected • flash mode:Fired, External • flash setting:Normal • flash type:3.01 (SU-800 Remote Commander) • flash flags:[0], [1] • Group A (mode, compensation, output):iTTL-BL, 0, – • Group B (mode, compensation, output):Off, 0, – • Group C (mode, compensation, output):Off, 0, – • File Type:NEF • bit depth:14 •

2009-12-04-2352-2708

Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Copyright © 2009 yOOrek

—
Without wax,
yOOrek (posting from Flickr™)

]]> http://blog.yoorek.com/2009/12/05/fisheye-in-action/feed/ 0