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Phase One introduces first Schneider Kreuznach ‘Blue Ring’ zooms

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Phase One has announced two Schneider Kreuznach ‘Blue Ring’ lenses designed with the XF system in mind, the first zooms in the series. The Schneider Kreuznach 40-80mm LS F4.0-5.6 and the Schneider Kreuznach 75-150mm LS F4.0-5.6 are optimized for the company’s full frame (53.7 x 40.4mm) medium-format system.

The new Blue Ring lenses join the recently announced Schneider Kreuznach 110mm LS F2.8 and 240mm LS F4.5. Both feature the ability to sync flash at shutter speeds up to 1/1600sec and built-in electronics that allow autofocus to be individually calibrated. Phase One claims this series of lenses is built to its highest quality assurance standards

Phase One Announces First Schneider Kreuznach Blue Ring Zoom Lenses

Prime Lens Quality Featuring Full Frame Sensor Coverage, Improved Precision, and Advanced Electronics

COPENHAGEN, July 18, 2016 – Phase One, creator of the world’s finest open-platform high-end camera systems and professional imaging software, today added two new Schneider Kreuznach lenses to its comprehensive family of lenses. These two Blue Ring zoom lenses feature impressive front glass elements, with front lens diameters of 63mm and 65mm respectively, delivering edge-to-edge coverage of full frame 645 format. Used on a Phase One XF 100MP system, the lenses are able to take full advantage of the sensor’s resolution; a 100MP capture renders a 100MP image with breathtaking fidelity.

— The Schneider Kreuznach 40-80mm LS f/4.0-5.6 Zoom lens renders ultra sharp resolution on all zoom distances from wide to normal focal length;

— The Schneider Kreuznach 75-150mm LS f/4.0-5.6 Zoom lens delivers great versatility. It’s preferred for on-location fashion shoots, with a range from normal to telephoto.

Together, these two lenses comprise an effective zoom range from 40mm to 150mm. Each lens is equipped with a zoom lock function on its barrel and is designed to maintain focus position while zooming. They each support flash synchronization up to 1/1600s. The new built-in electronics permit individual focus calibration when used with the Phase One XF Camera System.

“Creating optics this large with such tight tolerances is quite an achievement, “said Espen Beck, Phase One Senior Product Manager. “A Phase One full frame 100MP medium format sensor is 1.5 times larger than the cropped size 50MP medium format and 2.5 times larger than sensors found in high-end 35mm DSLRs. Capturing the full resolution of a square sensor this size with a round lens and avoiding crop means that the entire lens must be larger, which requires larger movements of individual lens elements while meeting the requisite standards for speed and precision.

“Schneider Kreuznach lenses are designed to deliver the ultimate analogue input to be shaped and refined with the Phase One XF 100MP Camera System and Capture One software. This design also benefits the Phase One XF 50MP system, which can exploit the ‘sweet spot’ of the lens, producing impeccable results.”

Designed by Schneider Kreuznach and produced by Phase One Japan, Schneider Kreuznach “Blue Ring” zoom lenses are refined with robust, aerial-grade mechanics and manufactured to meet Phase One’s highest quality assurance standards. Their enhanced precision, mechanical build, and look and feel complement the Phase One XF Camera System design.

For more information, including specifications for the two new “Blue Ring” lenses, please go to: https://www.phaseone.com/en/Products/Camera-Systems/Lenses

There will be a hands-on Webinar demonstration of the lenses on Tuesday, July 19.

For more information, times and to register, please go to:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/2633991530877302018

Availability and Pricing

The two new Blue Ring Zoom lenses are available to order now. They are compatible with the Phase One XF, Phase One 645DF+ and Mamiya 645DF+ or DF camera systems.

The Schneider Kreuznach 75-150mm LS f/4.0–5.6 Zoom is shipping now. Manufacturer suggested retail price: 5.490 EUR / 5,990 USD

The Schneider Kreuznach 40-80mmLS f/4.0–5.6 Zoom is expected to ship by August 1, 2016. Manufacturer suggested retail price: 7.990 EUR / 8,990 USD

Phase One Camera Systems and all accessories are available through Phase One photography partners worldwide: www.phaseone.com/partners.

For a demo of a Phase One Camera System, please sign up here: www.phaseone.com/demo

About Phase One

Phase One A/S is the world-leading provider of medium format digital photography systems and imaging solutions for professional photographers and industrial applications. Established in the early 1990s, Phase One is a true digital photography pioneer with a passionate commitment to image quality excellence and creative freedom. Phase One’s engineering and design expertise has produced imaging breakthroughs from high- resolution camera systems to advanced software for better photographic workflows and raw file editing. Phase One’s understanding and ability to optimize hardware and software integration underscores their award winning Capture One Pro software – widely preferred by professional photographers.

Phase One’s industrial division focuses on imaging accuracy for industrial applications ranging from aerial image acquisition to cultural heritage preservation – from mapping the globe, to protecting priceless works of art and documents.

Today, with control over all aspects of the medium format camera system supply chain, Phase One is uniquely positioned to help photographers and imaging experts everywhere stand out above the competition and realize their creative visions without compromise.

Based in Copenhagen Denmark and embracing the high demand of Scandinavian design excellence, Phase One is dedicated to delivering the best image quality and user experience. With offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Cologne, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tel Aviv, and with its expert teams of global partners, Phase One is committed to serving and supporting its customers worldwide.

Phase One and Capture One are registered trademarks of Phase One A/S. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Learn more here:

Phase One at: http://www.phaseone.com

Twitter at: http://www.twitter/PhaseOnePhoto

Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/PhaseOnePhoto

Google+ at: http://plus.google.com/+phaseone/posts

LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/company/16665

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

July 19, 2016
Samyang introduces XEEN 135mm T2.2, first ‘summer blockbuster’ lens

Samyang is making good on its promise of a new lens every week for five weeks, kicking things off with a XEEN 135mm T2.2 cinema lens. It slots into the company’s relatively new lineup as the longest lens in the range.

Like its siblings, the XEEN 135 is offered with interchangeable mount fittings for PL, Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E and Micro Four Thirds bodies. Its manual focus only and uses an 11-blade aperture. No price is given, but XEEN series lenses have averaged around $ 2500 each.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

July 19, 2016
Mindshift Gear gives Moose Peterson backpacks a facelift
Mindshift Gear has given the Moose Peterson backpack range an update with new design elements and materials, according to the California-based company. The bags now feature tuck-away belts and harnesses, stronger seams and shoulder straps as well as new zipper pulls that make it easier to open and close the compartments when wearing gloves. The three bags each retain the original ‘Moose Ear’ automatically closing flaps that help to keep dust out of the main sections of the bags, but now the bags are slightly larger to take accomodate bigger modern DSLR cameras.

The bags each hold three DSLR bodies with attached lenses, with the MP-1 V2.0 being the larger model that’s suitable for very long lenses, and the MP-7 V2.0 is the smaller, but still capable of holding a 70-200mm type lens on one of the bodies. The MP-1 V2.0 is priced at $ 349.99, the MP-3 V2.0 is $ 279.99 and the MP-7 V2.0 is $ 199.99.

For more information visit the Mindshift Gear website.

Press release:
MindShift Gear and Moose Peterson Collaborate to Update Classic Moose Peterson Outdoor Photography Backpacks

SANTA ROSA, CALIF. – Working in partnership with renowned wildlife photographer Moose Peterson, MindShift Gear has updated the three classic Moose Peterson backpacks. Initially designed for wildlife and safari photographers, the backpacks feature a three-compartment layout that helps protect their gear from the elements.

The Moose Pack series is available in three sizes: MP-1, MP-5 and the smallest, the MP-7. The backpacks can carry up to three DSLR camera bodies with telephoto lenses attached—up to 600mm f/4. This strategy enables photographers to be ready to capture wildlife at any distance without changing lenses or exposing the sensor to the elements.

The backpacks also feature the same innovative “Moose Ear” flaps that close automatically, protecting camera gear from dust and debris common in wildlife photography. And because nature photographers often travel to remote locations, the packs are designed to meet airline carry on requirements, and even fit in the overhead compartment of the smallest regional jets.

Moose Peterson is a recognized Nikon USA Ambassador, Lexar Elite Photographer, recipient of the John Muir Conservation Award, and Research Associate with the Endangered Species Recovery Program. He also shares his knowledge through writing, being published in over 143 magazines worldwide, authoring 28 books including Photographic FUNdementals and Taking Flight and Captured, and lecturing across the country to thousands of photographers. As one of the original Nikon shooters to receive the D1 in 1999, Moose became the first wildlife photographer to shoot strictly digital.

“Moose Peterson backpacks are renowned for serving the needs of traveling photographers,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo’s CEO and lead designer. “It has been a joy collaborating with him on bringing these classic designs back to the marketplace. While their design and materials have been enhanced, the designs of all three backpacks retain Moose’s original vision.”

KEY FEATURES
- Original 1998 ‘Moose Ears’ design with auto-close compartment flaps protect the interior from dust, spray, wind, etc.
- Three compartment system allows you to keep lenses attached providing the quickest way to access gear
- Tuck-away harness system with removable waistbelt easily allows you to streamline your bag when loading it in a train, plane or automobile (MP-1 & MP-3 only)
- Sized for carry-on, allowing you to get the maximum amount of gear on the plane
- Long glass carrying solution with body attached
- Tripod/monopod mounting system on side and front
- Flap guard protects front zippers
- Highest quality RC Fuse YKK zippers, 600D and 420D nylon construction for long-lasting durability and strength
- Dual-density foam padded shoulder harness, cushioned with air mesh
- Zippered side pockets fit full-sized flashes (MP-7 only)
- Stretch water bottle pocket fits 32 oz. water bottle
- Robust zipper pulls are easily gripped with or without gloves
- Seam-sealed rain cover/drop cloth included protects against rain and dust
GEAR CAPACITY

Moose Peterson MP-7 V2.0
- Holds 1 gripped body attached to 70–200mm f/2.8 and two ungripped bodies with primes attached, two flashes and accessories
- Or, holds 1 gripped body and one ungripped body with 70–200mm f/2.8, 24–70mm f/2.8, 14–24mm f/2.8 (or 16–35mm f/2.8), a 2x teleconverter, two flashes and accessories
- Maximum lens size: 200mm f/2 attached to a gripped body
Moose Peterson MP-3 V2.0
- 3 gripped DSLRs with lenses attached, 1–2 additional lenses and 1–2 flashes and accessories
- Or, 3 gripped bodies and 1 ungripped body detached from lenses, 4–5 standard zoom lenses, 1–2 flashes, a 2x teleconverter and accessories
- Maximum lens size: Holds 600mm f/4 detached or 500mm f/4 lens attached to a gripped body
Moose Peterson MP-1 V2.0
- 3 gripped DSLRs with lenses attached,3–5 additional lenses, 2x teleconverter,1–2 flashes and accessories
- Or, 3 gripped bodies and 1 ungripped body detached from lenses, 7–8 standard zoom lenses, 1–2 flashes, a 2x teleconverter and accessories
- Maximum lens size: Holds 800mm detached
MATERIALS
Exterior: For superior water resistance, all exterior fabric has a durable water-repellant coating, plus the underside of the fabric has a polyurethane coating. The backpacks also feature highest-quality abrasion-resistant YKK® RC-Fuse zippers, 420D velocity nylon, 600D polyester, 1680D ballistic nylon, 320G DuraStretch mesh, nylon webbing, 350G airmesh, nylon webbing, 3-ply bonded nylon thread.

Interior: high-density velex, 210D silver-toned nylon lining, hexa mesh pockets, high-density closed-cell foam, 3-ply bonded nylon thread.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Moose Peterson MP-7 V2.0
External Dimensions: 15” W x 15.5” H x 8” D (38.1 x 39.4 x 20.3 cm)
Large Camera Compartment: 5.3” W x 14” H x 6.5” D (13.5 x 35.5 x 16.5 cm)
Small Camera Compartments (each): 5” W x 6.3” H x 6.5” D (12.5 x 16 x 16.5 cm)
Weight: 2.5–3.3 lbs. (1.1–1.5 kg) (Lower weight excludes all dividers and accessories)

Moose Peterson MP-3 V2.0
External Dimensions: 14” W x 20” H x 8” D (35.5 x 50.8 x 20.3 c m)
Large Camera Compartment: 6.8” W x 18” H x 6.8” D (17.3 x 46 x 17.3 cm)
Small Camera Compartments (each): 6” W x 8.5” H x 6.8” D (15 x 21.5 x 17.3 cm)
Weight: 3.2–4.6 lbs. (1.5–2.1 kg) (Lower weight excludes all dividers and accessories)

Moose Peterson MP-1 V2.0
External Dimensions: 14” W x 23” H x 8” D (35.5 x 58.4 x 20.3 c m)
Large Camera Compartment: 6.8” W x 21.8” H x 6.8” D (17.3 x 55. 4 x 17.3 cm)
Small Camera Compartments (each): 6” W x 10” H x 6.75” D (15 x 25 x 17 cm)
Weight: 3.7–5.1 lbs. (1.7–2.3 kg) (Lower weight excludes all dividers and accessories)
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
July 19, 2016
Nico360 to be ‘world’s smallest’ 360-degree camera

A Hong Kong-based startup is looking to fund production of Nico360, a waterproof 360-degree camera. Claiming it will be the ‘world’s smallest’ at 46 x 46 x 28mm, Nicocam says its camera will include two 16MP Sony sensors capable of 25MP still images and 2560 x 1440/30fps video. As with many other 360-degree cameras, Nico360 will be able to produce content for stereoscopic VR headsets. A 1/4″ mount will be used, and the camera will accept microSD cards.

Users will be offered four video recording options: Flat Mode, Sphere Mode, Planet Mode, and VR Mode. Spherical panoramas will be created via in-camera stitching; Nico360 will also offer live video streaming using either via Bluetooth 4.0 or WiFi 5Ghz/ac. Finally, Nico360 will feature an integrated stereo microphone, stabilization and 32GB of internal storage.

Nicocam plans to sell Nico360 for $ 199. A $ 99 pledge will reserve backers a ‘super early bird’ version on Indiegogo, and the camera is estimated to ship to supporters in October 2016. The funding campaign also offers a ‘full accessories pack’ for $ 89 and a 5000mAh Battery Selfie Stick for $ 39.

Via: Indiegogo

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

July 19, 2016
New resolution: how much progress has the Fujifilm X-T2 made for video?

4K video capability was one of the big surprises in the X-T2’s specification. We’ve taken a closer look at how the camera operates in movie mode and added a sample video to our First Impressions Review.

Only beta firmware exists at present, so there’s no F-Log mode available yet, and the operation may yet change, so we explain where the X-T2 has improved and how it could be made still better.

As well as our (beta) video sample, we’ve also expanded our still image sample gallery.

Click here to read more about the X-T2 and its video

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

July 18, 2016
Planning A Shoot With A Creative Team
Plan a shoot!

Hey FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers,

Last time we discussed what is a creative team and how to find one. Once you have assembled your creative team, it’s time to plan a shoot together. I’ll be using the experience from one of my previous shoots to talk about this process.

I’m going to walk you through some of the planning behind my editorial for Kenton Magazine, “Surrealia,” however, the same basic principles apply to planning a test.

Get Inspired!

Come up with a concept and do your research. The idea behind this shoot started when talking to an illustrator, and good friend, Matt Tedford. (Check out his work, he’s awesome!) We wanted to collaborate on an editorial so took some time to sit down and look at other editorials which incorporate illustration.

These were our two favorites:

– Defragmentation of Beauty by Marcin Tyszka for 25 Magazine

– Abbey Lee Kershaw by Greg Kadel for Numero

One thing we planned on doing was to use seamless and have a simple background. This way nothing detracts from the illustration. This idea of a non-distracting background was apparent in both the editorials we favored and reaffirmed our initial plan.

By dissecting what we saw in our two favorite stories, together we decided on a general direction for where the illustrations should go. From Greg Kadel’s images, we loved the use of bright pops of color and cutouts around the model. From Marcin Tyszka’s shoot, we loved the organic, free feeling the illustrations had and the use of line. I left a lot of the illustration to Matt, without too much guidance, because I trust his aesthetic. Good thing too, it turned out amazing!

Marcin Tyszka

Greg Kadel

Find your team

After deciding on what type of style we want for illustration, we decided to keep the clothing simple as to not distract or fight with the artwork to be added later. Being a bit inspired by Givenchy’s Spring 2012 collection and current trends, we decided on high contrast clothing and the use of the peplum. Simple, classic and chic. Hair was to be simple, down with beautiful curls and body. Makeup was decided to be pretty natural with a light smokey eye to define the face a bit, in order to compliment the hair and clothing.

We had our idea, now we had to find our team. Be sure to look for creatives that will compliment your concept. If a hairstylist is fantastic at big, beautiful waves but doesn’t favor doing up-dos (which is what you’re planning on doing), perhaps keep them on hold until you have a shoot that requires that big, beautiful wavy hair that they excel at. If someone is enjoying what they’re doing, it will show.

Styling was easy. Jocelyne, a stylist and all around awesome person that I’ve worked with before was the obvious choice. Her style matched exactly what we were looking for. She is great at keeping it simple and classy without over styling with accessories or trying to do too much at once (which is quite common, especially among stylists just starting out.) Fashion doesn’t have to be about excess! Often, less is more.

For hair and makeup we got lucky and were able to find one artist that is excellent at both! I had seen Mayela’s work around and loved her portfolio. I contacted her with details about our shoot and next thing we knew, she said yes and it was time to shoot!

So now that you have planned your shoot, got inspired and found your team it’s time to get ready to shoot. However, with a team of people on board. How do you communicate your photographic vision effectively with your team. Stay tuned, because next time we will be discussing how to communicate your ideas clearly using mood boards.

IMAGE SOURCE:

Feature image: Defragmentation of Beauty by Marcin Tyszka for 25 Magazine (left) & Abbey Lee Kershaw by Greg Kadel for Numero (right)

Image 1: Defragmentation of Beauty by Marcin Tyszka for 25 Magazine

Image 2: Abbey Lee Kershaw by Greg Kadel for Numero
Related Posts:
- Mood Boards: Communicate Your Ideas To Your Creative Team This is the time to hear out others opinions (if you’re open to them, which it’s always good to be) and really hammer down the details. When reaching out to your team, it’s standard protocol to provide them with a mood board.
- Shooting With Your Creative Team & Post Production Once everyone on the creative team and everything for the shoot is confirmed, I’ll reach out to agencies and find a girl that suits the idea. This isn’t always the case. Oftentimes you’ll see a model and be inspired by their look.
- Working With A Creative Team What exactly is a creative team? It’s a group of people there to aid in the production of a shoot. Everyone has their purpose and is there for the same reason – to create some beautiful imagery! The larger a production is, the more people are on the creative team.
- Reaching Out To Modeling Agencies Hey FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers! Here’s a crash course in testing with agency models. First, you have to have the type of images an agent would like to see. Agencies like to see clean photos:
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July 18, 2016
Mood Boards: Communicate Your Ideas To Your Creative Team
Communicate Your Ideas Clearly With Your Team Using Mood Boards

Hey FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers,

Last time we discussed planning a shoot, getting inspired and finding your creative team. Today we’re going through how to effectively communicate your photography vision for the shoot with your team members and get the most out of them in terms of collaboration.

This is the time to hear out others opinions (if you’re open to them, which it’s always good to be) and really hammer down the details. When reaching out to your team, it’s standard protocol to provide them with a mood board.

What is a mood board? Essentially, it’s a collection of images to serve as inspiration and direction for how the shoot is to be pulled together. Typically, it’s a page (can be more) that compiles images and ideas which allows everyone to be on the same wavelength. Often it’s a good idea to include keywords and color references. If you’re not the kind to make a mood board, you can also compile images into a folder to send to your team but it’s the norm to compile it all on a single board.

On a mood board I tend to include inspiration for hair, makeup and styling along with an idea of how I want the image to look in the end. Sometimes this last bit will be a drawing or an image that has the same type of color scheme I’ll end up applying. Anything it takes to get your idea across. Don’t overcomplicate it.

The mood board is then followed up with emails (meetings or phone calls) to clarify any questions, hear out any suggestions and really communicate the idea to be portrayed. Jocelyne and I spent the next week exchanging numerous emails, deciding exactly which clothing to use, which trends to reference, what type of accessories to incorporate, etc. She would show me clothing which I would sort through and show images to Matt. Together we all made decisions which clothing to work with and which to forget about. No stone was left unturned.

*** It’s important to be involved with choosing which clothing you’re going to shoot. Especially if you are working with a new stylist or one that is just starting out in the field. Often times people will listen to what you say but pull clothing that suits their vision, not yours. There have been several times that I’ve showed up to a shoot to find awful clothing that was not at all what was described in the mood board. Sometimes you just have to learn the hard way. Being hands on is the only way to guarantee results that perfectly match your vision.

On the day of the shoot, make sure when your team gets there they have a clear idea of what is to happen for the day. I always take ideas and advice from my creative team but ultimately it comes down to the final concept and what is going to work best. If someone is giving you trouble on set and trying to override your ideas, pull them aside and speak with them. Don’t make it an awkward thing. “I respect your ideas but I don’t necessarily see it working with the overall concept for this shoot,” is all it takes.

Pardon for the quickly thrown together mood board – I couldn’t find the original.

So that’s how you can get the most out of your creative team using mood boards. I hope that helps. If you have any suggestions you would like to share on how you use mood boards, please feel free to leave it in the comment section below. We’d love to see it!

Now that everyone on your creative team is onboard with your photography vision it’s now time to shoot it & wrap it up in post production. Stay tuned, because next time I will be sharing with you my tips for making the time during the shoot and after the shoot in post production run smoothly.

Until then –

Alana

IMAGE SOURCE:

Feature image & image 1: courtesy of Alana Tyler Slutsky
Related Posts:
- Shooting With Your Creative Team & Post Production Once everyone on the creative team and everything for the shoot is confirmed, I’ll reach out to agencies and find a girl that suits the idea. This isn’t always the case. Oftentimes you’ll see a model and be inspired by their look.
- Planning A Shoot With A Creative Team I’m going to walk you through some of the planning behind my editorial for Kenton Magazine, “Surrealia,” however, the same basic principles apply to planning a test.
- Reaching Out To Modeling Agencies Hey FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers! Here’s a crash course in testing with agency models. First, you have to have the type of images an agent would like to see. Agencies like to see clean photos:
- Working With A Creative Team What exactly is a creative team? It’s a group of people there to aid in the production of a shoot. Everyone has their purpose and is there for the same reason – to create some beautiful imagery! The larger a production is, the more people are on the creative team.
- Concept To Creation: Turn Inspiration Into Concept You have an idea, great. How do you turn that idea into a set of images? Can it be turned into a picture narrative/story? Now that you have your base idea, it’s time to do some research!
- Concept To Creation: Finding Inspiration We’re going to look at something a bit more conceptual. I can give advice and guide you, but ultimately it’s your job to really dig in and put it all together.
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Fashion Photography Blog
July 18, 2016
Shooting With Your Creative Team & Post Production
Make It happen & Post-Production

Hi FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers,

Last time we talked about how to communicate with your creative team clearly using mood boards, today we are talking about how to make the process of shooting with your team and taking the shots into post-production run smoothly. So here we go…

Once everyone on the creative team and everything for the shoot is confirmed, I’ll reach out to agencies and find a girl that suits the idea. This isn’t always the case. Oftentimes you’ll see a model and be inspired by their look.

Be sure to send out a call sheet the day before your shoot. This serves as a reminder for everyone as to the time and location of the shoot as well as provides everyone with the contact information for all involved. This is a standard protocol on any professional shoot.

Then… Shoot! If you keep everything organized and set yourself a bit of a time table to stick to, you’ll be on track for a successful shoot. For “Surrealia,” we managed to shoot two models with several looks in just a few hours.

Remember, make it fun! If everyone is enjoying what they’re doing, it will show. Put on some music – ask the model what their favorite band is or put on something that sets the mood to help convey the feeling in the images.

Post-Production

I know, this is the least fun part of any shoot. The edit. Jocelyne and I decided to pick our final images together and made sure our selects portrayed the model and clothing nicely.

As with any good retouch.. It took forever. Well worth it though! After retouching the images and converting to black and white, it was time to send them off to Matt for illustration.

The process I went through with Matt is basically the same as the process you go through when sending images off to a retoucher:

1) Send over the images and let them do their thing (of course, with a general sense of guidance from you.)

2) You’ll receive a “first round” which you can mark up anything you dislike or don’t see fit and send it back for revisions.

3) Repeat the process of markups and revisions until the image is complete. Don’t forget to be conscious of budget when working with a retoucher.

Working with Matt was fantastic. There was bright color, organic shape, line; all the elements we had like in the editorials we found when doing our research. Except they suited us! Matt did an excellent job of taking those elements we liked and translating them to suit his vision and compliment my photographs.

The result? A batch of images I’m proud to have my name on and remain some of my favorites to this day.

The best thing you can do when planning a shoot is be meticulous. Leave no leaf unturned. Be sure to think of every detail and put your stamp on it. The same type of work goes into planning a test, however you don’t need as extensive a concept. It can be as simple as just shooting a portrait.

Hope you liked my posts about finding, planning and working with a creative team. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me an email.

Until next time.. See ya!

– Alana

IMAGE SOURCE:

Feature image: Ophelia by Gregory Crewdson

Image 1: courtesy of Alana Tyler Slutsky
Related Posts:
- Mood Boards: Communicate Your Ideas To Your Creative Team This is the time to hear out others opinions (if you’re open to them, which it’s always good to be) and really hammer down the details. When reaching out to your team, it’s standard protocol to provide them with a mood board.
- Planning A Shoot With A Creative Team I’m going to walk you through some of the planning behind my editorial for Kenton Magazine, “Surrealia,” however, the same basic principles apply to planning a test.
- Reaching Out To Modeling Agencies Hey FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers! Here’s a crash course in testing with agency models. First, you have to have the type of images an agent would like to see. Agencies like to see clean photos:
- Tips For Working with Agency Models Alana Tyler Slutsky is back on Fashion Photography Blog, after sharing the steps to take when approaching a new modeling agency for the first time, to reveal some tips with our readers that are useful to remember when working with models from agencies in order to maintain a working relationship with both the models and the agencies they are from.…
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Photographers Need To Stop Taking Pictures
Stop taking pictures – OK – I assume that that headline grabbed your attention – and that was what it was designed for. (I have to say that I’m only half-joking about this – I’ll explain…) Recently I realized that – that for me as a photographer – one of the most effective and valuable things I could do with my time is NOT taking pictures! I have to admit it was a bit of a shock when the reality of this started to sink in but now it makes absolute sense to me.

What, you might say – You’re a photographer. What’s going on here?

I’ll explain… Since you only have a limited amount of time each day you need to prioritise and figure out what actions brings you the “biggest bang for your buck” or the highest lifetime value (you can use the term ROI [Return On Investment] as well).

In our every day we are juggling a lot of roles and I dare to say that most of us are running around “putting out fires” as they flame up instead of working on the really important stuff. The really important stuff are the things that will bring us a lot of value for a limited effort. I’m sure you’ve heard about the 80/20 rule (the Pareto Principle) – this is it!

Photographers – Stop taking pictures #photography #GettingThingsDone
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Surprisingly taking pictures does NOT bring me the highest life-time value. Building processes and workflows for my photography brings me the highest lifetime value because once they are in place they run on auto-pilot, automatically. You spend some time on it but after that the process will just run and run and run… See what i mean? Taking pictures gives you some money – but you have to repeat it – over and over again…

And here is the beauty of the whole thing – When you start putting processes and effective workflows in place for your photography you will increase the ROI on your work because the new processes will add value to what you do – automatically!

IMAGE SOURCE:

Feature image & image 1: courtesy of Per Zennstrom
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Concept To Creation: Editorial Versus Campaign
Editorial vs. Campaign

Hey FashionPhotographyBlog.com readers.

Thanks for joining us on our “Concept to Creation” series where we walk you through the process of taking an idea into an image. If you were here with us last time, we investigated examples of how working fashion photographers in the industry turn their inspirations into a concepts.

Concept – crucial to binding your images together. You’ll find that any high end magazine only published editorials that has a concept holding the story together so today we are going discuss the difference between editorial and campaign images and how these can affect the concept for your shoots.

There’s a bit of a formula to it all. A set of rules that can, and are, broken.. But for the most part hold true to all editorials and campaigns you see.

Campaigns

Typical, successful campaigns do a few things. Obviously, they showcase the clothing. If you can’t see the clothing, you’re not getting paid. In fashion, clothing is king. It comes before all else.

You’ll notice that campaigns shot on location tend to stick to one area. If you’re on a sofa in a house- you’re on that sofa, in that house, for all of the images. A lot of campaign images tend to look the same. That’s a job well done! It’s this repetition that makes you remember “Oh, the girl on the blue couch with a million men is that Brian Atwood campaign.” So every time you see a girl on a blue couch with a million men, what do you think? That’s right! Subconsciously you recall Brian Atwood’s name!

Brian Atwood’s Fall 2012 Campaign by Mert & Marcus:

Notice all the images have the same general perspective, are in the same place, and are essentially the same image (with variations).

Louis Vuitton Spring 2012 by Steven Meisel

Notice a pattern?

EDITORIALS

With an editorial, you have more freedom! You’re not glued to one location, you can play with lighting (it should be relatively consistent but doesn’t necessarily have to be exactly the same in every shot), you can play with angles, etc.

As long as all the images are tied together via concept, have some fun with it. Editorials do showcase clothing however you can be a bit more liberal and artistic with how it’s shown. And one day, if you have enough power in the fashion world like Steven Meisel or Steven Klein, you can sometimes get away with having the dress you’re supposed to feature laying on the floor or hardly showing. (This only applies to the big players in the fashion photography industry.. don’t get any ideas!)

Steven Klein for Interview Magazine

Observe that there is a definite concept. However, unlike a campaign, there is more variation between the shots.

Tim Walker (& Tim Burton!) for Harper’s Bazaar

I hope you all enjoyed discovering the difference between editorial and campaign images. It’s definitely something you want to keep in mind when you’re translating your inspirations into concepts. With a better understanding of the concept to creation process, you’ll be able to turn your shoot ideas into reality.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to shoot over an email!

Alana

IMAGE SOURCE:

Feature image & images 1-3: Mert & Marcus for Brian Atwood’s Fall 2012 Campaign

Images 4 & 5: Steven Meisel for Louis Vuitton Spring 2012 by Steven Meisel

Images 6-9: Steven Klein for Interview Magazine

Images 10-13: Tim Walker (& Tim Burton!) for Harper’s Bazaar
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