Never the right time, gear, light or place but never say no!

Food Photography

IMG 6706 300x300 Never the right time, gear, light or place but never say no!One of the things I have some across as a travelling photographer is that as soon as people find out your a photographer they would love it if you could just take some photos of this and that.

My reaction to this has always been to cringe, my mind racing to the gear I don’t have, the poor light or a million other excuses. This is all part of why people need a professional photographer to take their images for them and why we always get better results.

 

IMG 6708 300x300 Never the right time, gear, light or place but never say no!

This precise scenario arose recently with a friend wanting some images of the great food produced by their kitchens to promote their restaurant. Food photography is well known as quite a difficult area of photography to get right.

The gear I had was just my SLR and flash gun.  Not the ideal setup and with the images to be shot in the kitchens themselves, during a busy food service just before the food went out to the diners, the pressure was going to be on!

IMG 6734 Version 2 300x300 Never the right time, gear, light or place but never say no!

Overall I was really pleased with the images I produced, especially as I had no time for prep and considering that in a normal commercial arrangement I would have insisted on completely different conditions for the shoot.

 

 

 

 

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Never the right time, gear, light or place but never say no!
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A quick Snap!

Freshwater Crocodile, NT

Sometimes the best joke is the worst one …

IMG 6677 1 300x200 A quick Snap!

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Alamy QC Workflow from camera to upload

Alamy Workflow from Camera to Upload

Over the last couple of weeks I have been uploading the images that I have been shooting over the last few months of my travels around Australia to the Alamy Stock Library.

I thought that in this post I could share my workflow from loading the images from my camera to my computer and all the way through to the upload to Alamy. This includes the process to edit the images so that they are ready for Alamy’s stringent quality control.

Most of my photographs are shot with my Canon 5d Mk2 shooting using its RAW format. To process the images I use my MacBook Pro with Aperture 3 and to do the final edit the images Photoshop CS3.

Alamy QC Workflow from camera to uploadFirst of all I need to get the images from the camera to my computer, at the same time I add my IPTC Metadata and keywords. To do this I connect the camera via USB cable to my Mac and open Aperture. When Aperture loads I select the import option on the top left of the application. This opens up the import interface and I can select all the photos I wish to import.  When the images are selected I can then use the import settings menu on the right hand side. I have set up my Aperture so that all my Australia Images have their own library and each shoot has its own project. This import will go in as a new project. I enter all the information including the caption and keywords, which will correspond with Alamy’s caption and keywords.  Having pressed the import button it is generally time to hit the button on the kettle and make a brew whilst Aperture imports and processes all its thumbs and the metadata.

The next stage whittles down the images until I have the images ready to export. To do this I use Aperture’s star rating.  My first sweep through the images is the first star sweep. All images that I want to keep get one star. On my first sweep I am only looking at getting rid of only obvious no goers, ie. out of focus, poor exposures or accidental exposures. (of course I never normally have any of these!) The second sweep through the images I do in full screen mode and I only two star the images I definitely want to send to Alamy.

Alamy Workflow04 Alamy QC Workflow from camera to upload

Third star sweep leaves only the images I want to send to client, or in this case Alamy.

The third sweep through is for editing.  All the two star images are checked so the exposures are aesthetically correct, cropped and the white balance is spot on.  At this stage it is also a good idea to have another look at your keywords and add any others you wish to add to individual images. I then export the images as Jpegs at original size to a folder on my desktop. Its now time to do an in-depth edit with Photoshop.

Alamy Workflow05 Alamy QC Workflow from camera to upload

Exporting from Aperture, Jpeg original size, Don’t forget to add a custom file name, I always add the master file name also for future reference.

When the files have opened in Photoshop the first thing I do is check the levels. When the levels box opens I use the histogram and pull in the edges so that the sliders are in to where the histogram shows data. If there is a significant change to the image I then use curves to make it aesthetically correct.  The next thing I sort is the image size.

Alamy Workflow06 Alamy QC Workflow from camera to upload

Finder always shows a compressed image size. Make sure you check the true file size in photoshop.

In finder some of my cropped images show up as 16mb on disk which is below Alamy’s 17MB minimum for upscaling but this is a compressed size.  To get the true size go to image size in photoshop and it will tell you the true image size. Alamy’s minimum file size is 24MB but you can upscale a 17MB file up to 24MB. Normally my camera punches in at around 60MB with an image size of 5700×4000.  Alamy thinks that the bigger the better and are happy to accept files as big as your camera can make and if I were sending in the images on DVD I would probably send in the images at full res but as I upload my images I reduce the image size to 4000×2667 which gives me a file size of 30.5MB which uploads a lot quicker!

Alamy Workflow07 300x234 Alamy QC Workflow from camera to upload

Change the image size in photoshop to make you image just above Alamy’s 24mb minimum file size.

 

 

All is not complete though and the next stage is crucial – you have to inspect your image now closely for any imperfections.  Zoom all the way in to 100% and scroll across the entire image carefully looking for any imperfections. Some people find it easier to increase the contrast in the image for this step to make the imperfections show up clearer but I rarely do so.  Imperfections normally come from dust on the lens or sensor or alternatively from digital noise, I then check that the colour profile is still set to RGB colour save and close the file. I then get online and upload the file to Alamy.

Alamy Workflow08 Alamy QC Workflow from camera to upload

ALWAYS zoom in to 100% and check you image for any imperfections which may occur anywhere on your image

To see my Australian Stock Images on Alamy visit my Alamy Homepage.

Alamy QC Workflow from camera to upload
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Mindil Sunset Market – Darwin

Mindi Sunset Market Darwin 2011 05 122 1024x682 Mindil Sunset Market Darwin

Running on a Thursday and Sunday evening the Mindil Sunset Market is a visitation highlight of Darwin. We decided to drop in on the midweek Thursday market and it was a great evening out. Make sure you take an empty stomach as I have never seen so many food vans in the same place before! From Tai food to kangaroo skewers and everything in between all the food looked amasing and you have plenty of time to make your choice and walk over the dunes to the beach to watch the sunset while you dine.

Mindi Sunset Market Darwin 2011 05 125 1024x682 Mindil Sunset Market Darwin

After the sun had set for the evening we went down into the market and looked at all the local wares that were on offer. The quality of the crafts were high and all the stalls were fantastic, there were tarot card readers and other entertainments as-well. A big thanks to Mick from Micks Whips who helped me achieve #164 on my bucket list “Learn to crack a bull whip” he put on a great display of skill promoting his stall with bull whip tricks.

As the evening got later live music from lots of artists kept the market in full swing and the atmosphere fantastic.

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Mindil Sunset Market Darwin
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Uluru – Ayres Rock – The Red Heart Of Australia’s Outback

Uluru Ayers Rock Australia 2011 03 302 1024x682 Uluru Ayres Rock The Red Heart Of Australias Outback

After the long drive along the first part of Route 87, Stuart Highway and the detour along the Lasseter Highway to Ayres Rock Resort. We arrived (thanks to daylight savings!) at 3.30pm with plenty of time to check in to the resort’s campsite and get our powered pitch (a special treat after roughing it through the outback!) Ironically this campsite has been the cheapest one of our tour down under so far a bargain at $39 for the two of us and Dori to stay the night.

After a quick refreshing shower (the first for a few days!) we went offsite down the road into Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park. With a mandatory fee of $25 a head for access to the park which handily was valid for three days, paid at the gates, we drove in and got to grips with this magnificent wonder.
Its amazing how many clichés I could list and the amount of people I could quote but I shall refrain and state simply that its a wonder you have to see for yourselves.
After exploring and reading about the Aboriginal traditions and Tjukurpa in the Cultural Centre we drove down to the start of the Mala Walk and got up close to the rock. Heading back out of the park we stopped at the sunset viewing car park to sit on top of Dori and watch Uluru light up. The colours were phenomenal and you could never truly record it on film.
The next morning we were up and drove into the park to watch the sunrise light up Uluru.  With such an early start to the day we then were able to get to the base of the rock in time for a free tour from a park ranger which departed at 8am.  The tour was fantastic and we learned much more about the aborigines, their beliefs, local wildlife and the geology of the rock.
The shots I caught as the sun set are typical of peoples travels to this part of the world. I didn’t want to be different, for one it is disrespectful to the Aboriginal people who have asked that parts of Uluru are kept secret except for to those who visit, which is the same with some of their customs. The other reason is that for years I have seen photographs of this place and I wanted my own photo that I can hang and be proud that I made it half way round the world to this point and that if I made it this far, I can sure as hell make it to the rest.



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Route 87 – Stuart Highway – Adelaide to Alice Springs at 80km per hour!

Stuart highway route 87 outback 2011 03 2812 1024x768 Route 87 Stuart Highway Adelaide to Alice Springs at 80km per hour!

Leaving Adelaide was bitter sweet, we have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Mclaren Vale thanks to our Wwoofing hosts Angie and Leon yet it was time to move on. Our next stop was Alice Springs via Uluru, Ayers Rock.

Uluru was going to be a very special visit for us, being one of the main reasons for travelling halfway across the world to see this amazing country.
Leaving Adelaide and measuring distance in petrol prices that slowly crept up with every petrol station that we stopped at, we crawled our way north at 80km per hour. Travelling at such a slow speed was to our advantage in many ways, Dori our beloved campervan was able to sip on just the minimum amount of petrol to cruise along saving up money. We were also able to keep her engine temperature down in the heat of the outback, even so she easily drank a litre of water in her radiator every day!
The other advantage of travelling so slowly was that we could enjoy the beauty of the outback all the more. The adverse weather conditions that Australia has experienced this year has culminated in the outback getting an extremely rare amount of rainfall and as a result this usually barren land has fresh greenery in abundance, a sight that not many people will ever see.
Our overnight stops, camping in the many rest areas available along the edge of the road has been exciting, many are recessed back in to the outback away from the highway. Although at the end of each day we have been tired and weary after lots of travelling we have been treated to some great sunsets and starlit nights.
Driving along Stuart Highway, route 87 has been an unforgettable experience waving to everyone passing by from our little van as road trains thunder by, rocking poor Dori’s suspension! Watching emus and huge birds of prey flying along has been great, the outback is full of wildlife and we have definitely got our ‘Aussie salutes’ perfected!
Route 87 Stuart Highway Adelaide to Alice Springs at 80km per hour!
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Wwoofing with Angie and Leon

For those of you who read my blog regularly will have noticed a gap in time! It is because we have been staying with Wwoofing hosts Angie and Leon on their farm.

Wwoofing is an acronym for Willing Workers on Organic Farms and we signed up to be Wwoofers not long after we left Phillip Island. For more information on Wwoofing please visit their website.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time working for Angie and Leon in return for our bed and board. We learned many things during our visit from fencing & gardening to looking after their animals and many things in-between and outside of these!

Here are some pictures from our stay!


Wwoofing with Angie and Leon
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Adelaide Fringe Festival – Street Theatre Festival

Adelaide Fringe Festival 2011 03 05 1 300x246 Adelaide Fringe Festival Street Theatre Festival

Adelaide Fringe Festival 2011 was a spectacular affair and was well worth the visit into Adelaide to see it. We went in while the Adelaide Street Theatre Festival was running and spent most of our time watching these side events. The Garden Of Extraordinary Delights was the main centre and focus of the festival and with so many shows happening here and in theatres around Adelaide it was hard to pick just one show to watch. Most of the evening shows were priced at a reasonable $20-$30 and from the reviews flying around town you would be hard pushed to find a bad one!

On our walk down to the Garden of Extraordinary Delights from the train station we went through the main shopping precinct of Adelaide and there were lots of acts advertising their shows and individuals doing street theatre. As we arrived at the main part of the festival we went into the Street Theatre, set up as a showcase to make available theatre to everyone.
The first act we caught were Popeyed, set up as a Russian lifesaving comedy duo, these slapstick comedians not only put on a genuinely funny act but also performed some incredibly impressive gymnastics.
Adelaide Fringe Festival 2011 03 05 2 768x1024 Adelaide Fringe Festival Street Theatre Festival
The only act we decided to see twice was up next and after a quick tour around the Garden of Extraordinary Delights we settled down to watch the Space Cowboy. We weren’t settled in our seats for long, billed as having no less than seven Guinness World Records and with a picture of him breaking the world record for the most amount of swords swallowed at the same time (19 swords!) we were soon squirming in our seats as the Space Cowboy pulled the tools of his trade out of his case and introduced them to us with relish. With a sword, a knife, a chainsaw, axe, meat cleaver, bull whips and a 3 meter unicycle the Space Cowboy put on a 40 minute show I will never forget. Fear, awe, disbelief, laughter and with more thrills than a roller coaster without the moving seat.
The other acts displayed in the Adelaide Street Theatre that day were amazing as-well and our entire day was brilliant. The acts put on at the Street Theatre relied on donations from the crowd at the end of their performances with many of the acts declaring that for them although it was their livelihood they also wanted to make their acts accessible to everyone, declaring their shows a gift to their audience who could not afford a donation.
In the evening we were dazzled by the incredible football juggling of Victor Rubiter, Victor also stars in the Guiness Book Of World Records for his football jugging. Victors act is so much more than just his juggling talent, his humour had the whole audience laughing, clapping, cheering and mexican waving throughout.
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Tasty Cheese from Alexandrina Cheese Company

Alexandrina Cheese Company Visit 2011 03 10 1 300x225 Tasty Cheese from Alexandrina Cheese Company

Based out on the Fleur Peninsula and winner of the Fleurieu Peninsula Tourism Award is the Alexandrina Cheese Company. From their 80 Jersey cows they produce their own range of delicious cheeses. They make all their cheeses onsite which means the best days to visit are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays as you can see through the cafe’s clear glass window to where the workers are making the cheese while you tuck into some delicious tastings with the friendly staff.

We were particularly partial to their Mount Jagged Mature Cheddar although their vintage cheddar was equally as good!

Alexandrina Cheese Company Visit 2011 03 10 768x1024 Tasty Cheese from Alexandrina Cheese Company

 

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South Australia’s Wine – Ballast Stone Estate – Cellar Door

Ballast Stone Cellar Door 2011 03 091 150x150 South Australias Wine Ballast Stone Estate Cellar Door

Being in South Australia and especially since we are currently staying up above McLaren Valley we thought we should embark on a few tastings.  With over 200 Cellar Doors in this region of South Australia, everywhere you go there are vineyards.  With the current crop about to be picked there is a big buzz in this region about wines at this time of year.

On our route around the Fleurieu Peninsular we came across the Ballast Stone cellar door in Goolwa.  Ballast Stone Estate’s is one of the largest owners of vineyards in McLaren Vale and Currency Creek. Having seen this vinery‘s wines exported back to the UK and with good views out to Hindmarsh Island and Sir Richard Peninsular we were excited to try some of their wines and find out more about the different tastes and types of wine.
As it was our first visit to a cellar door we were quite nervous, our knowledge of wine, just revolving around the few wine makers that we know the name, what we like, what we usually buy and not much else.  It was with nervous anticipation that we entered the cellar door.
Ballast Stone’s cellar door incorporates a cafe and several display stands. We browsed close to the wine tasting area looking at the wine bottles and showing an interest in the wines. Despite the presence of several staff at the tasting section none of them paid us much attention or felt inclined to engage us in anyway despite the fact there was only a couple of other people there.
Thoroughly discouraged by this we left got in our camper and left.  A frustrating start to our exploration of South Australian wines.  The next day we visited Tintara, Hardys wine’s cellar door and were welcomed and enjoyed chatting to their staff about our tastes in wine.

Ballast Stone Cellar Door 2011 03 092 South Australias Wine Ballast Stone Estate Cellar Door

 

South Australias Wine Ballast Stone Estate Cellar Door
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