Jeremy Cowart

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Today a first, meaning I normally don’t do this, but who knows….
After I joined KelbyTraining a lot of things have changed for me, being part of the “dream team” PhotoShopWorld instructor team also means that you get to hang out with some of the best photographers in the world. My first PSW (both terrifying and exhilarating) was also the first time I met Jeremy, he had a defective MBP and because we both shared the same stage I offered him to use mine and we got talking, soon the help portrait movement was brought up and I was asked to do something in the Netherlands (which I did and it has been one of the most rewarding things I ever did, mentally).

My first impression of Jeremy was that he was a real person, not someone who just “plays” the part and thinks something else. During that PSW I also got one of his “LifeFinder DVDs” a DVD I highly recommend. It’s not a DVD that is 100% aimed at the technical part of photography but more on the creative part and the way to build a good portfolio with images that are different and will let you stand out. Normally I always feel the need to fast forward instructional DVDs and videos because I’m always in a hurry and I don’t have the “rest” to watch something from beginning to end, exceptions are for example the great videos on KelbyTraining with Jay Maisel and……. the LifeFinder DVD so make sure to check it out. Don’t get me wrong by the way, I watch a lot of the stuff on KelbyTraining and I love it, but I will often divide it into “watching sessions” when I watch more than an hour in one sit it’s really special 😀

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Ask away Question 2

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Today a question about small flash.

I have a question about small flashes. What do you think, I have 2 Nikon flashes SB600 and SB800. What is the best way to trigger them. Buy a Nikon Commander or use Skyports. With the commander I can control the flashes, if I use skyports I’ll have to set them manually. Advantage with skyports is that I can use my RangerRX and maybe use the Nikonflashes as well (just to give some accent light if needed). Also I do have multiple transmitters and receivers already, just need 2 universal receivers for the Nikonflashes. The skyports are working with a radiosignal and the commander is working with infrared.  My first tought is go for the skyports, maybe you have some arguments not to?

 

Regards, Marc

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Ask away Question 1

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Today the first question from our “Ask Frank” blog post.

I would like to ask you about the setting that you use usually for the skin tones in your images. how do you do to get this skin tone in PS or using any filter?

 

Another question is related to Photoshop. if I use a color calibration for the monitor (called it ABC ), I will get a new profile. this profile is different than the profile in the camera (SRGB for example). if I change the profile for the picture from SRGB to ABC i will get totally washed color how can I fix that?

 

thank you for this chance to let us ask you some questions.

 

Regards,
Mohammed

Sigma 120-300 f2.8 OS HSM

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Today a small “review” on the Sigma 120-300 f2.8 OS HSM EX lens.
For years I’ve been using the Canon 100-400L for most of my sports and “private” work, and although I love the lens I sometimes missed shooting on f2.8 especially with soccer, however also realizing that long f2.8 lenses are incredibly expensive and often only are available in primes I always forgot about it. When Sigma released their 120-300 f2.8 OS HSM EX lens I was more than interested, and finally I bit the bullet.

Now I have to fill you in on some of the history and you understand why I waited so long.
I started out with the 100-400L, but replaced it by the optical better 80-400OS from Sigma, which was replaced after a year due to the weak AF (slow and often hunting), I decided to try the 150-500 from Sigma because at that time I was more into zoos, birds etc. but that one also fell through, to soft at 500 and also bad AF. So I ended up buying the Canon 100-400L for the second time….. you would think I would stay with it, and I did for a while, but now with the 120-300 f2.8 I think I finally found a replacement.

 

Let’s first look at how they look next to each other, because beware the Sigma is not for the weak….
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