Comments on: a raw element of style http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-raw-element-of-style photography by Neil van Niekerk Tue, 22 May 2012 16:45:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: trev http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-20361 trev Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:22:48 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-20361 Hi Neil, To be honest, I absolutely love that 3rd image [one "blown out" before you 'fixed' it] as I reckon it would make an absolutely fantastic 'romantic fade-out' shot in an Wedding Album, hell, I even deliberately create those types of shots from a 'good' one just to get that effect for albums. :) Veeeeery nice. Trev Hi Neil,

To be honest, I absolutely love that 3rd image [one "blown out" before you 'fixed' it] as I reckon it would make an absolutely fantastic ‘romantic fade-out’ shot in an Wedding Album, hell, I even deliberately create those types of shots from a ‘good’ one just to get that effect for albums. :)

Veeeeery nice.

Trev

]]> By: Neil vN http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-20322 Neil vN Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:31:12 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-20322 <blockquote>Jonathan ... I've photographed a number of smaller concerts way way back in film days ... and then realized I was concentrating too much on the photography, and not enjoying the event. So nowadays I snap a few images with my iPhone as a keepsake. I'd rather just take in the music and performance by the band. But I'd actually like to photograph a few concerts again. I have better equipment now, and digital and the higher ISO settings we can shoot at now, would make it a very different experience. Regarding <a href="http://neilvn.com/tangents/2011/06/18/raw-vs-jpg-the-final-discussion/">the RAW vs JPG quandary</a> - I have a very specific opinion about this. Neil vN</blockquote>

Jonathan … I’ve photographed a number of smaller concerts way way back in film days … and then realized I was concentrating too much on the photography, and not enjoying the event. So nowadays I snap a few images with my iPhone as a keepsake. I’d rather just take in the music and performance by the band. But I’d actually like to photograph a few concerts again. I have better equipment now, and digital and the higher ISO settings we can shoot at now, would make it a very different experience.

Regarding the RAW vs JPG quandary – I have a very specific opinion about this.

Neil vN

]]> By: Jonathan Seawright http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-20317 Jonathan Seawright Tue, 12 Apr 2011 05:35:40 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-20317 Amen! And I was dealing with some guys who just simply couldn't get over saying that "if you're good enough, you'd get it right in camera". Not if you're shooting a concert with 100+ moving automated lights and a handful of POS flashes going off in the 30 feet near the stage... Among the other factors at a concert xD It's a workflow thing. All that matters is the end result - and RAW is a means to that end. My curiosity has peaked. Have you ever shot a concert, Neil? Amen! And I was dealing with some guys who just simply couldn’t get over saying that “if you’re good enough, you’d get it right in camera”.

Not if you’re shooting a concert with 100+ moving automated lights and a handful of POS flashes going off in the 30 feet near the stage… Among the other factors at a concert xD

It’s a workflow thing. All that matters is the end result – and RAW is a means to that end.

My curiosity has peaked. Have you ever shot a concert, Neil?

]]> By: Neil http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-1341 Neil Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:49:21 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-1341 <blockquote>Clive .... You should be able to use a white card to determine exposure outdoors as well. Neil vN</blockquote>

Clive ….

You should be able to use a white card to determine exposure outdoors as well.

Neil vN

]]> By: Clive Brookes http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-1340 Clive Brookes Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:29:25 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-1340 Well, I've been out and about and as you suggested I'm to use manual settings... I'm getting happier with the TTL flash now... But on metering, I generally use a grey/white card in my studio... So why can't I use the card outside for exposure and WB? Regards Clive, in the UK Well, I’ve been out and about and as you suggested I’m to use manual settings…
I’m getting happier with the TTL flash now…

But on metering, I generally use a grey/white card in my studio…

So why can’t I use the card outside for exposure and WB?

Regards

Clive, in the UK

]]> By: Rachel http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-1339 Rachel Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:56:02 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-1339 I bet those people that say you should shoot in jpeg all the time if you know what you are doing are also the same "elites" that only shoot using "available" light and are anti flash etc. From my research jpeg shooters use the same amount of memory as raw shooters they just have to take many more frames to compensate for the ones they lose in situations just like your example above. Seems to me that you know what you are doing just fine!!!! I bet those people that say you should shoot in jpeg all the time if you know what you are doing are also the same “elites” that only shoot using “available” light and are anti flash etc.
From my research jpeg shooters use the same amount of memory as raw shooters they just have to take many more frames to compensate for the ones they lose in situations just like your example above.

Seems to me that you know what you are doing just fine!!!!

]]> By: Yoghi http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-1338 Yoghi Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:42:07 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-1338 Hi Neil.. see you again.. I've been thinking a lot about exploring your flash technique using proper speedlite. Finally I bought an SB-600 and change it into SB-800 a few days later. Sure, it's really a big difference using 3rd party speedlite versus Nikon's.. Talking about RAW, yes, I completely agree with you. Last month I got a project to shoot 50-yrs wedding celebration in Padang Style (one of so many cultures in Indonesia). And I found that the lighting was so terrible. You got a very shaded area inside the room, a dim incandescent light on the stage, while the background of the stage is very reflective (dominated by gold and mirror-like accessories). I've tried to use JPEG for several test shot and found it's hard to get the correct WB due to the background and lighting situation.. Later, I decided to shoot in RAW and corrected it easily in CaptureNX.. So, in summation, I'm a RAW believer too :) Hi Neil.. see you again.. I’ve been thinking a lot about exploring your flash technique using proper speedlite. Finally I bought an SB-600 and change it into SB-800 a few days later. Sure, it’s really a big difference using 3rd party speedlite versus Nikon’s..

Talking about RAW, yes, I completely agree with you. Last month I got a project to shoot 50-yrs wedding celebration in Padang Style (one of so many cultures in Indonesia). And I found that the lighting was so terrible. You got a very shaded area inside the room, a dim incandescent light on the stage, while the background of the stage is very reflective (dominated by gold and mirror-like accessories).

I’ve tried to use JPEG for several test shot and found it’s hard to get the correct WB due to the background and lighting situation.. Later, I decided to shoot in RAW and corrected it easily in CaptureNX..

So, in summation, I’m a RAW believer too :)

]]> By: jim brandano http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-1337 jim brandano Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:04:00 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-1337 Hi Neil, Just wanted to thank you for all the info on here. I have had you bookmarked for 5-8 months and always learn something from your post. Again thanks Jim Hi Neil,
Just wanted to thank you for all the info on here. I have had you bookmarked for 5-8 months and always learn something from your post. Again thanks
Jim

]]> By: Stephen http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-1335 Stephen Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:15:35 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-1335 In a private tutorial session months ago, Neil mentioned to my wife and I that not only does shooting in RAW help the photographer in recovering from badly exposed shots, but it also helps if you want to do some artistic effects. If you want to make the photo "black and white," it was easy to do it in a RAW editor quickly. Concerning RAW size, although RAW takes up more space than JPG, there are large-sized memory cards out there. I have an 8GB Compact Flash card, which on my Nikon D200, will store about 480 images. Thus, there is a possibility for losing a lot of photos if the card goes bad. In a private tutorial session months ago, Neil mentioned to my wife and I that not only does shooting in RAW help the photographer in recovering from badly exposed shots, but it also helps if you want to do some artistic effects. If you want to make the photo “black and white,” it was easy to do it in a RAW editor quickly.

Concerning RAW size, although RAW takes up more space than JPG, there are large-sized memory cards out there. I have an 8GB Compact Flash card, which on my Nikon D200, will store about 480 images. Thus, there is a possibility for losing a lot of photos if the card goes bad.

]]> By: Linda Wang http://neilvn.com/tangents/2008/06/03/a-raw-element-of-style/#comment-1336 Linda Wang Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:40:15 +0000 http://planetneil.com/tangents/?p=168#comment-1336 Shooting in raw also limits the number of photos you can take on one flash card, so that if your flash card goes bad, you've only lost that small number of photos. The downside is that you need to carry around lots of flash cards, and you need a lot of memory on your computer. Speaking of carrying lots of flash cards...Neil, I saw you with a nifty looking flash card carrying case at Ken and Amy's wedding. It looked like a CD carrying case, but with perfect sleeves for flash cards. Where did you get it? Thanks again for the terrific insights! Shooting in raw also limits the number of photos you can take on one flash card, so that if your flash card goes bad, you’ve only lost that small number of photos. The downside is that you need to carry around lots of flash cards, and you need a lot of memory on your computer.

Speaking of carrying lots of flash cards…Neil, I saw you with a nifty looking flash card carrying case at Ken and Amy’s wedding. It looked like a CD carrying case, but with perfect sleeves for flash cards. Where did you get it?

Thanks again for the terrific insights!

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