Pentax a work in ART

All shots: Pentax *istDS - Pentax-a 35-80 Smc F 35-80/4-5.6 Macro Zoom

Getting back to it all i forgot how much fun photography can be. All these pictures were taken using a desk lamp with a 5600k fluorescent bulb in a home made macro studio. I then ran them through picasa and had fun. I didn't have to work with people just a full session of creativity.

I really do feed off doing things that are new and on the edge. When i first got my cameras it was like this for me. A joy because everything was new. But doing photography on a daily basis things just get so trite. Even looking at other people's work and magazines you see its the same style same lighting everyone doing the same cookie cutter work out there.

It's interesting how the light can engulf a subject, how the light can hit it an angle and create shadows. The last one was inspired by Melissa Rodwell. I saw her video tutorial on shooting a model and she had a blurred image like this with her model. It came out really good.

All these pictures were taken with a Pentax ist DS. I have a newer one and i'm selling the older one. The camera has really been there for me. And who knows where the new kx will lead me. I find I spend more time just reading about the camera than actually using it but the weather has been bad and I've had my weekend occupied my too many outside forces. Hopefully i will find my balance again and start having some fun.

Pentax SMC M 55 f1.8....Cone Flower

Got this lens for 55 dollars on Ebay and must say I love it. Its sharp, small, and very well built. It looks good on any pentax DSLR from my ist DS to my Kx...The lens is smooth and easy to focus, and a bit soft at 1.8 but sharp at 2.8 and above. I will be using this more often for portaits and flower work.

Alice In Wonderland Fashion Shoot

Taking ideas from movies can make a great theme for a photo shoot, after all movies are photography. These are some of top pix from my recent model shoot. Getting the shots is one thing, then the creativity starts. With Photoshop and Lightroom anything is possible.
All these pictures were captured with a Pentax Kx...wonderful little camera. Very fast, great image quality, and most shot with the kit lens. The images were then worked on in LightROOM and PHotoSHop. Any noise was eliminated with Noise Ninja a great program as well. In Lightroom I used various of the 300 free presets available online. Its just a matter of trial and error. I basically took each photograph and made dozens of virtual copies modified in various ways and kept the ones I liked the best. It was a learning process for me as this Photographic Journey continues.
The colors on these are very vibrant and that's because I've been using the LAB color space in photoshop. It just makes the colors POP. I used to think that my camera was very saturated before but this is miles ahead of everything else.

Qtpfsgui HDR...

Pentax ist D, FA 28-80, processed in QTPFSGUI HDR

This picture to me is so life like. I processed a single image in QTPFSGUI, a freeware HDR program. It really does have a 3D feel to it. When I see it, I remember the day, I feel like I am there.

The Heart of Rock and Roll...God Gave Rock and Roll

Pentax ist D, FA 28-80, cheap EBay circular Polarizer, LAB color space

The hard rock hotels have big guitars no matter where you go. I got a couple of cool creative shots shooting into the sun but made the mistake of shooting them at ISO 1600 and were too noisy but used Noise Ninja on them and they came out good. I have also been playing around with the LAB color space in photo shop. It really does enhance the colors but at the price of bluring some details when converting back to sRGB. Though I have the KX I still use the pentax ist D for most of my walk around street shooting since its a easier camera to junk around with. I leave the kx for more formal situations and events like Star WARS weekend or Model Shoots.

If you wanna be a singer, or play guitar
Man, you gotta sweat or you won't get far
Cause it's never too late to work nine-to-five

You can take a stand, or you can compromise
You can work real hard or just fantasize
But you don't start livin' till you realize - "I gotta tell ya!"

God gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to you
Gave rock and roll to everyone
God gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to you
Put it in your'e Soul

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Pentax ist D, FA 28-80 lens.

Went out to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in tampa. I had been there about three weeks ago for mothers day and had taken my Pentax ist D with me but recently I aquired a Polarizer which really helps and enhances the contrast and clouds. I have also been working with editing the pictures using the LAB color space which really enhances the colors a whole lot better than sRGB or even Adobe RGB color space can.

New Sounds

More Cityscapes