During the workshops I always try to do something different, and Halloween is of course an awesome excuse to go all out and Felissa is always in for some fun.
Today we are doing things slightly different.
In the first blogpost today I share the video we made for this workshop, and later today I’ll share the images separately so you can see them in all their gory glory LD
But first the video, I hope you enjoy it as much as we loved creating it.
All credits for the edits are for Julia our Intern who really did her best to create something unique.
https://frankdoorhof.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Felissa-23-September-28-2024-copy.jpg8001200Frank Doorhofhttps://frankdoorhof.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/studioFD_Logo-1FV.pngFrank Doorhof2024-10-31 08:00:512024-10-28 17:09:38It’s story time for Halloween…. are you ready for some horror?
It’s almost time for the most scary time of the year: Halloween
I LOVE Halloween, not only as a horror fan but also as a photographer.
There is so much fun you can have with the theme and I can already tell you that for tomorrow we have something really special planned on both the blog and our YouTube channel, and trust me you don’t want to miss this.
Almost Halloween shoot with Claudia
But today I share the results from the workshop I did with Claudia at Foto de Vakman in Uden.
And as you can see… Claudia was already in the mood for Halloween….
These images were shot during a short in store workshop.
Check our website for more dates of workshops. Most workshops are in Dutch, but if you let us know a few weeks in advance we can switch the workshop to English.
Online Workshop
Are you unable to attend a workshop? We do offer online workshops. You let us know what you want to learn and we’ll arrange a model. We set up multiple cameras in our studio to do a special live shoot, just for you. You join us on YouTube and Skype. After the shoot, you’ll get to retouch the images. See this webpage about the online workshops
Also, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for a lot of free learning about photography like the Digital Classroom, a monthly free online themed photoshoot from our studio.
We are always releasing new backgrounds in the ClickBackdrops line-up.
A very popular system is the Clicki. With the Clicki you can easily shoot great photos on location.
For portraits, the Clicki works like a charm. But sometimes you need a little bit more space. So we also now have the Clicki available in a large 2×2 meters, making it a great option to build a small set for newborns or pets where you use the Clicki both as a background and floor, as you can see in the following samples. This only works with small pets and products.
The Clicki 2×2 Square background
Today in the blog some images I shot with Chewie our Black Labradoodle.
Using the Geekoto GT400 and Geekoto Lantern softbox as the main light and the Geekoto Quicky as the accent light.
As you can see a great way to use the new Clicki.
And if you don’t need the floor you can of course use the Clicki as a 2×2 meter backdrop :D.
We will be shooting some more images soon.
So if you need more interesting backgrounds or small sets on location, check out our Clicki system, You’ll love it!
By the way, if you need another print than the ones we offer don’t worry, Clicki (and all other backgrounds) can be printed on almost all materials and sizes.
Hardware calibration using BenQ’s Palette Master Ultimate (PMU)
We have some exciting news to share about the AQCOLOR ecosystem! The BenQ SW series can be hardware calibrated using the Palette Master Ultimate software. Now the PD series is also able to be software calibrated with PMU
The importance of calibration
When we capture our images you might expect that the camera will do everything just fine. But in reality, the camera just “guesses” and not all cameras, lenses, and sensors are the same. Of course, we all know the Rogue ExpoDisc and the Calibrite ColorChecker series for white balance. And we must not forget the light meter.
Of course, it’s also important to make sure that the display you use can show you the colors as accurately as possible.
To make sure this is done as accurately as possible you have to calibrate your monitor with a so-called color analyzer.
This is a small metering device you put in front of your monitor and just follow the steps the software asks.
More ways to calibrate
As with most things, there are different ways to do this.
One of the things most people will do is follow the operating system. Often you are shown different patterns and squares and you have to adjust some sliders till they look right. In essence, there is nothing wrong with this. And if it’s the only thing you are willing to do, please do this at least.
But it doesn’t really make your screen more accurate for proper color judgment, it just takes out some clipping and major problems.
For a proper calibration, we can’t trust our eyes.
To calibrate you need tools
I’ve been doing high-end calibrations since 1997. And can say that even with all that experience, and spotting problems almost immediately, I’m not able to do a perfect calibration without using tools.
But also when doing it right there are several options
When we look at the calibration of your monitor we roughly have two options:
1. The first one is calibration via software.
This is where you use the software delivered with your hardware analyzer. By the way if you want something really simple but that works like a charm check out the new Calibrite123.
When you use the software the calibration is done via the operating system, it will create a so-called ICC profile. The profile is loaded when the OS starts. And is used when the software supports the use of color management.
There is nothing wrong with software/OS-based calibration, but there is a way to make it even better.
2. As an alternative, we also have something called Hardware calibration.
With hardware calibration, we use the software that is delivered with your monitor. In the case of the BenQ, this software is called Palette Master Ultimate and has recently been revamped to be easier and much much faster, and more accurate. The main difference is that the calibration is not done via the OS but inside the monitor.
In practice both calibration methods are great.
With the hardware calibration you are working with the monitor software aimed at that monitor and the calibration is in essence done inside the monitor. This means that the results will be slightly better in gradients and the whole process is more streamlined for that specific screen yielding faster and often better results.
The disadvantage of hardware calibration
The main disadvantage is price.
To get hardware calibration you need for high-end screens. It’s hardly ever found on the screens that are one step below the top-line. Or it’s a limited version of the high-end line. So for hardware calibration, you do need to spend a little bit extra in most cases.
But now we have a great in-between option: BenQ Palette Master Ultimate
As the topic title probably already spoiled it, BenQ has now released the news that now not only does the SW series support Palette Master Ultimate but also the PD series is now able to use Palette Master Ultimate. Which is a huge update for these already very attractive monitors. This means a workflow that is fine-tuned for your monitor and is familiar if you already own a SW series monitor.
When someone asks me which monitor to buy I’m always honest in my reply, we have been working with BenQ for many years and every monitor I review is very nicely priced and has a great performance. With the PD series now also supporting Palette Master, I think my advice to check out BenQ can be changed to “don’t look further get the SW or PD” 😀
Oh and by the way, if you live in the EU region we have a cool discount for you.
BenQ has been supporting Digital Classroom almost since season 1. So, every year we have some nice deals for you guys. And this year it’s the best yet. If you live in the EU region and drop me an email we have a 10% discount coupon for the BenQ photography/video/design monitors. And with this new update, I think BenQ will sell a lot of new screens to starting photographers because the PD series is I think one of the best ways to get into the more professional monitors.
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