Tag Archives: featured

Flat Earth Joe, Nate, Photoshop, Road Trip

Analog Efex Pro

5 Comments

Recently my WB Joe stumbled across an article that Google had made their Nik Plugins free.

I rushed to the website and downloaded this collection of 7 plugins to play with immediately.

I thought I would give you a quick overview of some of the settings of these plugins, starting with the Analog Efex Pro plugin.

The description of this plugin from the website is as follows:

Get the photo you’re looking for, even if you don’t own the equipment. Let effects inspired by traditional cameras bring you back to the vintage age of photo development.

There are 9 default classic cameras you can start from and I’ll show you what those look like.

Let’s start with the original image from a gas station in tourist hot spot Cottonwood Falls, Kansas (photo assistant – Nate Miller).


Original Image
Original Image

When I took this photo, this was my original vision.


Original Vision
Original Vision

Here is a look at the 9 default Classic Camera settings in the Plugin.


Classic Camera 1
Classic Camera 1

Classic Camera 2
Classic Camera 2

Classic Camera 3
Classic Camera 3

Classic Camera 4
Classic Camera 4

Classic Camera 5
Classic Camera 5

Classic Camera 6
Classic Camera 6

Classic Camera 7
Classic Camera 7

Classic Camera 8
Classic Camera 8

Classic Camera 9
Classic Camera 9

But these Classic Cameras are just a jumping off point. Within this plugin you can play with roughly 50 different DIRT & SCRATCHES settings, 3 different LENS VIGNETTE settings, and roughly 50 different FILM TYPE settings.

I played with it a bit and came up with this image that feels like Cottonwood Falls, Kansas to me:


Analog Efex Pro

It is a cool FREE plugin to grab and add to your arsenal. Especially if you’re like me and love old and vintage photography.

Works with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements (more or less), and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

There are several more plugins in this collection. We’ll be taking a look at those as well.

Nate, Nature, Road Trip

Desolation View

On my recent trip to Kansas I stopped and took a few photos here and there.

Kansans were burning their prairie, which made for interesting views. I missed a golden opportunity to get a pretty sweet fire picture. So I did stop to get a picture of the aftermath of a prairie fire.




This scene was right across the highway from a Scenic View. I found it to be scenic.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 22mm
APERTURE: f/8
EXPOSURE: 1/250
DATE: 04/03/2016 – 10:10
LATITUDE: 38.32089°
LONGITUDE: -96.54260°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Nate Miller

Bethany, Nature, Road Trip

Minnehaha Fallen

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This is the last photo from my trip to Minnehaha Falls from February.




Because of recent events, I’ll probably be visiting Minneapolis again in the near future.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 18mm
APERTURE: f/20
EXPOSURE: 8 seconds
DATE: 02/26/2016 – 18:14
LATITUDE: 44.91549°
LONGITUDE: -93.21059°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: BETHANY YOON

Don’t forget that tonight is the Panera Youth Group Fundraiser. From 4-8 tonight! See you there.




You need bring this flyer with you!

Carla, History, Nature, Ruins

Post Process

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This image is the result of an experiment in post-processing. When I have a good solid wedge of free time, I will explain in further detail with a ton of examples. Or I might not. Magician and his tricks… you know.

For now, just enjoy this image of the fallen Wagon Wheel Bridge.




Of course, there will be many more pictures of the mangled remains of the Wagon Wheel Bridge in our future.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 18mm
APERTURE: f/8
EXPOSURE: 1/250
DATE: 03/11/16 – 14:06
LATITUDE: 42.06255°
LONGITUDE: -93.97008°
PHOTO ASSISTANT: Carla Stensland

Bethany, Nature, Road Trip

Minnehahaed Out?

I believe I only have one more Minnehaha Falls picture to share after this, so for those of you that hate Minnesota. Or waterfalls. Or life. You will only have to endure one more.

Which is good, because we are coming up on flower season. I can think of at least one person that is excited about that!




I’m adding something new to the Particulars list. Photo assistant. Sometimes, that just means the person that went with me. Or that just was my company on the ride over. Or that they held the camera once. Or maybe they actually did something. Who knows? I’ll let you unravel the mystery.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 18mm
APERTURE: f/22
EXPOSURE: 8 seconds
DATE: 02/26/2016 – 17:52
LATITUDE: 4.91550°
LONGITUDE: -93.21014°
ASSISTANT: Bethany Yoon

Black & White, Carla, Ruins

The Bravest Act

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As many of you may know, the historic Wagon Wheel Bridge recently collapsed after being damaged by ice dams.

Carla and I went out there to take a looksie. Here is one of the photos from that trip:


Wagon Wheel Fallen

Some of you may be wondering why I’m not wishing you guys a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Listen, I’m for just about any holiday. Even one that is designed to mock the Irish for having the genetic predisposition for alcoholism. Mock away, I say.

But today, the Iowa State Cyclones battle the Gaels of Iona in the NCAA tournament.

I wish for nothing but sadness for anything that is remotely Gaelic.

I will mock (celebrate) the Irish tomorrow. By eating a Reuben. Which was invented by a Lithuanian in Nebraska, but is somehow now considered Irish food. Whatever.

GO CYCLONES!!!

No particulars today. I’m lazy.

Bethany, Black & White, Nature, Road Trip

Mini + 2(Ha)

5 Comments

On my recent trip to Minneapolis I efforted to photograph Minnehaha Falls.

Below is a picture from those efforts. (Waterfall not included)


Minnehaha Creek

Bethany and Tempe accompanied me on this trip. It was then that she revealed to me that her favorite way to break the law iS to illegally park. My favorite way to break the law is to trespass to take photographs. Although what really constitutes trespassing, really?

The trail to get down to THE falls was chained off, but since the area was already lousy with people, I pressed on. As soon as I got to the bottom of the stairs it became incredibly evident why this trail was closed down. The trail was a victim of the perfect storm of slippery. Packed snow, that had melted and then froze over. Then to add another layer of slick, the mist from the waterfall was falling onto the trail and freezing.

I managed to only bite it hard one time. Not on this picture though.

Don’t worry Bethany and Tempe stayed safe up top.


PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOCAL LENGTH: 26mm
APERTURE: f/25
EXPOSURE: 5 seconds
DATE: 03/26/2016 – 15:50
LATITUDE: 44.91524°
LONGITUDE: -93.21016°

Nature

Longer

2 Comments

One of the last pictures from that walk around Ledges over a month ago.




I seem to be in a water mode lately. You’ll see. Or you have seen.

PARTICULARS

CAMERA: SONY SLT-A65V
ISO: 100
FOAL LENGTH 60mm
APERTURE: f/22
EXPOSURE: .3 seconds
DATE: 01/31/16 – 15:08
LATITUDE: 41.99454°
LONGITUDE: -93.88488°