Nik Collection

Anyone using Photoshop, Lightroom or Aperture software surely appreciate getting this great Nik Collection "additional editor" for free. There are plenty of tools to add nice effects, for black and white editing, sharpen and much more.

To download and install Nik Collection, just go to: https://www.google.com/nikcollection/

For my surprise it works even with Gimp for Windows. Bernhard Huber has kindly written instructions how to make it work: http://bernhardhuber.blogspot.fi/2013/05/using-niksoftware-in-gimp.html

On Bernhards file editing instructions there are no lines included for all tools you get on Nik Collection. So, you have to add those as well. Here's an example for 'HDR Efex Pro 2':

["HDR Efex Pro2", "\"C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Nik Collection\\HDR Efex Pro 2\\HDR Efex Pro 2 (64-Bit)\\HDR Efex Pro 2.exe\"", "tif"],

So, that is an example what you need to add on ShellOut.py -file, to access that particular tool from Gimp menu.

Exclusion

Great deal of photography is about exclusion. It is a magic of leaving things out of the picture, things the person who views the image does not necessary know about.

If you haven't ever visited Tampere Finland, and seen this building, you can not know what is around this view. You can't know how tall the building is, if it continues far to the left or right, or what is below. But you can use your imagination!

So, the picture is like a fictional book. With everything you have experienced before, you can complete the story. Fill in the empty spaces not told. Build the rest with your dreams and nightmares. See the chimneys that reach the sky. Smell the smoke and hear the sounds of machines.

The Crow...

A few months ago, on a Sunday morning, I was having my coffee on a small coffee shop,
inside the shopping mall.
As usual, I had my camera hanging on my shoulder, as I never leave my camera in the car.
I was enjoying my coffee, when I feel a sudden tap on my shoulder:
"You can't take photos here!" a security guard told me.
"I'm having a coffee, not taking photos." I answered.
"You have been warned..." growled the security while moving away.
"Have a nice day." I replied.
I was trying not to get bothered with the situation, but eventually I started to feel upset. Why
was I the only one to be harassed, when quite a few people were taking selfies and photos
to each other with smartphones and compact cameras, just around me ?
It's not the first time I've been asked to avoid to take photos on the premises. What upsets me
is the criteria, that seems to be the looks of the camera.
Does it look like a pro or semi-pro gear like a dslr (!)? You can't take photos here.
A tiny compact or a smartphone ? Go ahead, feel free to shoot.

I really didn't had the intention to take any photos inside the mall. I went shopping with my
wife, visited a few shops, but a couple of hours later I still felt upset with the situation, for I felt
it was unfair...

19mm - f/2.8 - 1/320 - iso 400 - Aperture Priority

On my way out to the parking lot I decided to make it right: got my camera and took a quick shot of the damned crow.
Vengeance ? No, I call it justice...
See you!

Orlando N

A less successful story

             



Greeting Spring



I tend to go and greet the  Spring.
This is by going to a lake
just outside our city.
Where the Swans lands to eat and rest,
A true sign of spring.

Some years ago.
Some boys had shot a serie of fireworks in this place.
4000 Swans flew into a panic. That year the greeting was not as we thought.
When I arrived many swans had returned but
far from all.

I was  starting to shoot and suddenly
something happend. Everyone was looking at me
then complete mess, birds screaming
running, flying at each other and in a matter of
seconds  the birds were gone. There I stood
alone with the angry bird watchers, who
everyone wanted to give  me a hard lesson  ....

My camera gave away
a sound of ratatatata ..... and the  flash went off
I had forgotten to set the approximate
values, and I forgot to turn off
the automatic flash. The photos I took  became
 a yellow disaster. I have turned them into
B/W to see if it is something to keep.

be something to keep. So tell me what you think ....

These days I never forget my own misstakes, (Just  about every day)
 I set the camera on approximate values  before I enter the ground
so I dont have to be killed by birdwatchers
The birds can fly I am stuck on the ground.
All alone with the birdwatchers .

We make misstakes and by the time they also might give us a great laughter and we learn I hope you will enjoy ...

Learning from masters

I saw someone writing how important it should be to try create something own and original. However, on photography it is darn difficult to be truly original! And in developing an unique style I also see a danger of repetition.

Therefore I rather try multitude ideas, techniques, genres, topics, and point of views. By learning all kinds of things is actually more important in amateur photography than almost a foolish attempt to become a famous artist some day...

And one nice way to experience new tricks is to study the ideas and techniques used by masters of photography. Like Picasso, I have gone through several periods. I have tried to imitate the style of Duane Michals, Bill Brandt, and also internationally less known Finnish photographers like Matti Saanio.

But one of my great personal challenges has been to follow at least some of the six "rules" defined by Philippe Halsman (1961):

"the rule of the direct approach,"

"the rule of the unusual technique,"

"the rule of the added unusual feature,"

"the rule of the missing feature,"

"the rule of compounded features,"

"the rule of the literal or ideographic method."

One option is to build a setting where more than one of those ideas become implemented. Another approach is to keep eyes open and find subjects that goes along with any of those rules suggested by Halsman. It can be an unusual light, a low camera point of view, but also something exceptional seen around. And what is good to keep in mind, is that even the most simple thing can turn into something exceptional with something as simple technique as "direct approach".

So, do step close enough to the subject, try wide angle, seek for golden hours, and look up or down! You don't only get an exceptional picture, but you also enrich your personal life by finding new ways to see things in general.