HDR and downtown buildings in Halifax Nova Scotia.

       This past Monday April 15th/2013. seemed like the first day of spring as it was sunny throughout the day and very seasonable temperatures. After a long day of working away at the computer, I decided to take my photo gear with tripod that night and try to capture an array of different photos with HDR post processing in mind. Since I wanted to add a architecture section to my website, I decided to focus on buildings that I thought would make an interesting subject. I took 80 or so shots and came up with the best of what I thought would be the most interesting to blog photos about. Each photo took a half or full day to work on using Photomatix Pro and Photoshop CS6.

Freak Lunchbox, Barrington St. Halifax NS. This is a photo-realistic shot that was digitally enhanced in Photoshop and Photomatix Pro.

ISO - 500 and aperture F8. This shot was bracketed for one and two stops over, one and two stops under and one shot at the proper exposure. I brought all 5 exposures into Photomatix Pro where I used a B&W artistic filter and again used a surreal filter and merged two separate files in Photoshop CS6 using layers and masks to paint in different areas. The adaptive wide angle and the free transform filters were also used to straighten lens distortions.

The Cable Wharf, Murphy's

ISO - 800, aperture F8. Five exposures bracketed one and two over, one and two under exposure and one correct exposure. All exposures brought into Photomatix Pro and final output was taken into Photoshop CS6 for final touchups.

The Old Triangle Pub

ISO - 800, f/5.6, 1/3 s. Five exposures bracketed in increments of one and two over and one and two under exposure and one correct exposure. Like the Barrington St. file, I brought two separate files into photoshop CS6 for layering and painting. I use layer masks in Photoshop for a lot of my painting work. 

Overlooking Prince St., 

An HDR Colour toned photo comprised of five files merged into Photomatix Pro. and output and toned through CS6.

      This coming Monday night I hope to get out again and again with HDR as the main focus of my shots. I will try to do a little research on what I am going to shoot before hand and try know exactly what time will be the " Blue Hour " to capture the most aesthetically pleasing photographs. For those who do not know what the Blue Hour is it is; (from the French expression l'heure bleue^{[citation needed]}) is the period of twilight each morning and evening where there is neither full daylight nor complete darkness. The time is considered special because of the quality of the light) ( Wikipedia).

         

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My Favourite Vintage Guitar Photos

     About 9 years ago a friend called me up to tell me about a business venture that he was doing where he wanted to hire me on a contract basis. He was selling vintage guitar calendars at kiosks in malls around the metro area of Halifax as well as shipping them worldwide to various interested vendors. He asked me if I would be interested in photographing  different vintage guitars for the yearly publication. Although I was working in the industry on a full time basis, I jumped at the opportunity as a part time business venture for myself and my photo business. I photographed 8 editions  of the calendar between 2005 and 2012. Each year I photographed a set of 4 new guitars and we brought back 8 earlier photos from calendars that were published previous to that years publication.

    Below are some of my favourite shots from the 8 editions that I photographed. 

"The Iceman is an Ibanez guitar produced by Hoshino Gakki. Hoshino Gakki exported copies of American electric and acoustic guitars in the 1950s, and by the mid 1970s the Ibanez guitars had reached a level of quality comparable to American guitars. Lower labor rates at the time, plus efficient manufacturing meant that Ibanez guitars could be sold for almost half (or less) of the cost of a Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster." (Wikipedia)

1978 Ibanez Iceman 

                                           

"Though a well-known brand in the music business, Guild guitars have been around since 1952, when a Polish music-store owner named Alfred Dronge founded the company in New York." 
(Vintage Guitar Calendar 2011)

Late 50's Guild Archtop

"Two 12 string editions of the  B 25 were produced starting in 1962. The B-25-12 had a cherry sunburst finish and was available through 1970." (Vintage Guitar Calendar 2011)

1964 Gibson 12 String B-25-12-N

"In 1958, Swedish - based Hagström started manufacturing electric guitars. The first Hagström Deluxe solid body guitars featured a distinctive sparkle and pearloid celluloid finish, an ingenious repurposing of materials previously used in their accordion production line." (Vintage Guitar Calendar 2012) 

Hagström Super Swede Guitar

"Hondo was an American guitar company and brand that produced entry level acoustic guitars, electric guitars and basses with designs that were usually based on the designs of more expensive models such as the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul." 

(Vintage Guitar Calendar 2012)

Mid 70's Hondo II

"The Dobro name originated in 1928 when the Dopyera brothers formed the Dobro manufacturing company. The Dobro had a single resonator cone which was inverted, with its concave surface facing up."
(Vintage Guitar Calendar 2010)

1960's 12-String Dobro

"First introduced in 1948, the double pickup Gibson ES-350 was produced in small numbers only until 1956." 
(Vintage Guitar Calendar 2011)

1951 Gibson ES-350

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Vintage Guitars - Images by Stephen Jesswww.stevejess.com

A few food photos.

Recently I have had the opportunity to shoot a few food assignments at local restaurants here in the Halifax area. I can't print those photos before they are published but it has reignited my love of food photography and styling. So I decided to photograph a few interesting food subjects here in the luxury of my basement studio and across the street at a neighbours who was preparing food for a local market in Truro.

                             

So tomorrow I am off to another food establishment on another assignment for the same magazine. In a few months after the publication, I hope to have another blog entry with a few more interesting food shots and a little more story to go with the photos.

Thanks for Reading

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