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- Thread starter scheberies
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D
djg
Joseph, it's safe to say there's always a learning and understanding curve in dynamically changing environments
.
You don't need to become a computer whiz for the digital darkroom, just like you don't need to be a chemist for the wet one. You do need to get the priorities right and where to invest:
1. You need the best monitor you can afford, and you need to get (or borrow?) a calibration tool and calibrate it from time to time.
2. Get enough memory, remembering that the bigger your working files the more you'll need.
3. Get the processing software you're comfortable with. Try a few and see, as they're all different in approach, presentation and general feel of the resulting images.
The workflow can be a bit tedious when learning, but it quickly becomes subconscious unless you're doing certain sophisticated adjustments to specific areas of an image.
I think the biggest problem here is the overwhelming amount of things that can be done. Best is to get a basics book, or workfklow guide from a web site, and start there.
Now here's a scary thought. My PC work area is the same as my home theatre area, a.k.a. my den or whatever. I work on a futton sofa, which of course has the TV 8-9 ft. in front. My PC workstation is a big server chassis with two monitors on top which I roll towards me from the left of the sofa.
My new 50" TV which is an a truck somewhere right now
will be displaying a slightly bigger apparent image than my (alleged) 22" monitors at working distances (2.5-3 ft vs. 8-9 ft.) and will resolve just about as much (1792x1344 vs. 1920x1080). I could conceivably get rid of the PC monitors if I could squeeze in a second TV, but unfortunately it's too big and would off-center the TV viewing position too much. I need a bigger room, dang it! Hmmm, unless I stack them vertically - there's a frightening thought.
But keep an eye on LCoS technology (Sony SXRD, JVC D-ILA), which although not flat screen (it's rear projection but slim) provides a better picture than LCD with no SDE (screen door effect) and is actually cheaper at the bigger sizes they're made. This stuff just doesn't let up!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukka, and Wonderful Whatever to Everybody
.
DJ
You don't need to become a computer whiz for the digital darkroom, just like you don't need to be a chemist for the wet one. You do need to get the priorities right and where to invest:
1. You need the best monitor you can afford, and you need to get (or borrow?) a calibration tool and calibrate it from time to time.
2. Get enough memory, remembering that the bigger your working files the more you'll need.
3. Get the processing software you're comfortable with. Try a few and see, as they're all different in approach, presentation and general feel of the resulting images.
The workflow can be a bit tedious when learning, but it quickly becomes subconscious unless you're doing certain sophisticated adjustments to specific areas of an image.
I think the biggest problem here is the overwhelming amount of things that can be done. Best is to get a basics book, or workfklow guide from a web site, and start there.
Now here's a scary thought. My PC work area is the same as my home theatre area, a.k.a. my den or whatever. I work on a futton sofa, which of course has the TV 8-9 ft. in front. My PC workstation is a big server chassis with two monitors on top which I roll towards me from the left of the sofa.
My new 50" TV which is an a truck somewhere right now
But keep an eye on LCoS technology (Sony SXRD, JVC D-ILA), which although not flat screen (it's rear projection but slim) provides a better picture than LCD with no SDE (screen door effect) and is actually cheaper at the bigger sizes they're made. This stuff just doesn't let up!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukka, and Wonderful Whatever to Everybody
DJ
No one is immune from being tortured by technology. In addition to a horrible tooth ache just in time for Christmas, my new H2D has suddenly decided to not allow me to open any of the DNG files ... but DNG files from the Leica DMR work just fine so the ARC 3.3 program seems okay. Checked all my permissions ... and only have to run Disk Warrior to see if it's some other hiccup. But hey, what do you want for $25,000.
Merry Whatever to you all.
Merry Whatever to you all.
D
djg
Ouch! Sorry to hear that, Marc. A double whammy
. Hope you get both resolved pronto. Bad toothaches are no joke (and neither are unopenable - is that a word? - DNGs).
Thanks DJ. Hope we can get together again this year and do a little shooting. I want to walk around and shoot some with a Hasselblad SWC (film) and see what that Zeiss 38mm will do there.
My face looks like a Gargoyle from the swelling. No Dentist to be found on Christmas Eve ... except the butcher that caught that rotten on-call duty ... I'd rather suffer through it than end up in his chair ; -)
My face looks like a Gargoyle from the swelling. No Dentist to be found on Christmas Eve ... except the butcher that caught that rotten on-call duty ... I'd rather suffer through it than end up in his chair ; -)
albert4321
Well-Known Member
DJ, you are right about more memory for the computer. Just got a new workstation with dual processors, 4G RAM (max out) and super duper video card. My work flow is ten times faster now.
You give me an idea to lug my old laptop to use it with my 53" DLP display in the living rm. Just wonder if my spdyer can calibrate DLP screen.
Talking about toothache, my new desktop can't open RAW files from Photoshop CS. I hate to get another license for CS2.
Ho Ho Ho. One more photoshoot on X'mas day then I am done for the year (except for those print orders.)
BTW, I did a corp portraits yesterday in SF downtown and saw this kid playing at the front desk, shot with 85L available office light. I thought is kid is cute and more fun to shoot than those corperate dudes. Sorry for being off brand and off topic. (did someone mentioned the word Canon earlier?)
I am trying the hi-contrast grainy processing look.
You give me an idea to lug my old laptop to use it with my 53" DLP display in the living rm. Just wonder if my spdyer can calibrate DLP screen.
Talking about toothache, my new desktop can't open RAW files from Photoshop CS. I hate to get another license for CS2.
Ho Ho Ho. One more photoshoot on X'mas day then I am done for the year (except for those print orders.)
BTW, I did a corp portraits yesterday in SF downtown and saw this kid playing at the front desk, shot with 85L available office light. I thought is kid is cute and more fun to shoot than those corperate dudes. Sorry for being off brand and off topic. (did someone mentioned the word Canon earlier?)
I am trying the hi-contrast grainy processing look.
albert4321
Well-Known Member
Marc wrote: "shooting a grey card strip/color chart in neutral lighting, and balancing the whites"
Sounds like a zone system for the digital domain. A true photographer practice.
BTW, I am using a "WhiteBal" and it works very well. not perfect but quick and dirty.
Sounds like a zone system for the digital domain. A true photographer practice.
BTW, I am using a "WhiteBal" and it works very well. not perfect but quick and dirty.
D
djg
Marc, I think you mean next year
, although I know a good dentist here in Queens ...
Old fashioned remedies are often the best. Myself I put alo vera on anything ... OK, maybe not on a tooth, but anything that itches or bleeds superficially. I've been amazed at what it does for burns.
I just did a batch of coffee roasting and the smell is killing me. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try it, though. Time to say good night and Merry Whatever.
Old fashioned remedies are often the best. Myself I put alo vera on anything ... OK, maybe not on a tooth, but anything that itches or bleeds superficially. I've been amazed at what it does for burns.
I just did a batch of coffee roasting and the smell is killing me. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try it, though. Time to say good night and Merry Whatever.