Category: Studio

22Mar

Pure

Posted in Digital Photo Challenge, Photo Competitions, Portfolio, Portrait, Print for Sale, Studio | 1 Comment

When one looks up the description of a “Portrait” on Wikipedia the explanation and examples are that of taking either full face or full length image (or painting which is the origination of the art form dating back centuries). One sentence however is most prominent to me:

…in photography a portrait is generally not a snapshot, but a composed image of a person in a still position.

Not just body posture, head angle and arms but eyes themselves provide a clue to the subjects mood, character and feelings.

"Pure" © Harvey Grohmann 2013 All Rights Reserved

“Pure” © Harvey Grohmann 2013 All Rights Reserved

Shot details: Nikon D7000 | Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX HSM OS @85mm
ISO-800 | f/8 | 1/100s | EV -0.7 | Hand Held
Post Processing in part with Topaz Labs.
Location: Studio

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips, Triggers, Timers, Batteries etc: BandH
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs Noise Reduction, HDR, B&W Conversion & more!

ALL IMAGES ON THIS SITE ARE © Harvey Grohmann. Read more for Terms and Conditions:
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30Jan

Is (Digital) Medium Format all it’s cracked up to be?

Posted in Camera, Gear, General, Hardware, News, Sensor, Studio | 2 Comments

According to this MF photographer, there are limitations…

After receiving a newsletter from DP Review about the Phase One Mamiya – Leaf tie-up , one commentator, kb2zuz; (Kurt Heumiller)-USA, who shoots for the Yale Center for British Art, with a Hasselblad H3D-II 39 MS and H4D 50 MS, had this to say about the Medium Format  debate (added below for those without restricted internet access):

What are the mythical advantages of sensor size (or the often related larger pixels)? Less noise, better dynamic range, shallower depth of field. I work with an H4D every day, … I can tell you this, at anything over 50 ISO it has worse noise than any 35mm “full-frame” digital I’ve seen. It has only slightly better dynamic range (and again, that’s only at 50 ISO). Yes with the 120mm f/4 lens it will have a shallower depth of field than an 85mm lens on a full-frame at f/4, but you can get f/1.2 lenses for full-frame. Most MF lenses are f/2.8 or slower, there’s a couple f/2.2 lenses… so there goes the DOF advantage. I use medium format every day and there are reasons for it: multi-shot uninterpolated images, no AA filter, and high megapixels. That’s about it.

I’m no expert on MF, but I’ve long thought it would be better than FF or APS-C in all regards, at that sensor size, and I’ve seen jaw dropping images by MF photographers, but there are other factors I should have taken into consideration, (more…)

04Mar

The Sigma 28-70mm EX DG f/2.8

Posted in Gear, Glass, Hardware, Lens, Portfolio, Portrait, Pregnancy, Studio, Zoom | Leave a comment

Whilst there is a newer version out, namely the 24-70mm EX DG HSM f/2.8 one can still pickup a decent 2nd hand version of this lens for a fair price.
New, Nikon and Canon’s versions are over R20,000-00. Sigma’s is about R8,000-00 (as of 2009)

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips and Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.

16Feb

Photo Shoot – Awawas Espadrilles

Posted in News, Portfolio, Product, Studio | Leave a comment

Bennita from AWAWAS just collected her CD of product images I shot for her. What a cool, fun range of hand made Espadrilles. Thanks Bennita for an enjoyable shoot!

Bennita and her team of ladies make them right here in the Kyalami area of Johannesburg. The sole is made from hemp (no, you can’t smoke your shoes!) and there are funky colours and now ethnic African patterns to suit everyone. She says they are very popular especially with her local South American clients who buy a few pairs every couple of months for themselves and family. They are sold in various boutique stores in Gauteng and cost under R400-00 a pair. Contact her on +27 +72 189 9968 (local 072 189 9968) or at bennita [@] awawas [dot] co [dot] za and say you saw the shoes on Photocommission.com!

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips and Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.

30Nov

The .458 Winchester Magnum

Posted in Arms/Military/Weapons, eShop, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Studio | Leave a comment

The .458 Winchester Magnum

The .458 Winchester Magnum

Image shot a while back in my studio of this fine weapon. More details about it can be found at Game and Gun.

 

 

 

 

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips and Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.