Perspectives on Photoshop World 2014 Las Vegas

So straight up, I am a huge believer in the work that the people at KelbyOne do when it comes to photographic and related software training.  They have been in my personal experience, unfailingly supportive, friendly and consistently deliver great content.  I just returned this morning on the red-eye from Las Vegas and wanted to get my thoughts down before I fell asleep (again). I flew in a bit early because there is a lot of interesting stuff to shoot in the Las Vegas area, especially if you are willing to get off the strip.  In truth, I shot nothing on the Strip at all, it's not really my scene.  I did do a helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon, went to the Valley of Fire for sunrise, went to the Neon Sign Graveyard and also did a Pre-Con workshop with the inestimable #JoeMcNally.  The Pre-Con is an add-on package to Photoshop World and if there is one you want to do are well worth the time and money.  My friends Isabel and Stephanie did a Pre-Con on light painting with Dave Black and said it was really good.

For those who've never been, Photoshop World #PSW14 is the firehose of training.  You choose your tracks, your instructors, your classes.  Show up awake, and prepare to drown in knowledge transfer.

This year, I want to thank Glyn Dewis, Jim DiVitale, Joe Glyda, Raphael "RC" Concepcion, Roberto Valenzuela, David Ziser, Dave Cuerdon, Jason Groupp, Dave Black, Moose Petersen, Julianne Kost, and of course, Sergeant Major Joe McNally (rank earned while he was "encouraging" us during his workshop) for delivering superb content in a friendly and powerful manner.   I'd like to thank Bill Fortney for pointing out again that Moose Petersen suffers because people confuse me for him.  (He's the one with talent!)

Classes start right after the Keynote and run into the early evening.  PSW also has a welcome reception where you can have a beverage with the instructors the first night, a party (if so inclined) the second night, a Midnight Madness bash the third night and a big wrap up with videos and prizes as the closing event.  There is a tradeshow floor with plenty of vendors to talk to as well.

One of my favourite events is The Art of Digital Photography where some of the instructors present their personal best in a slideshow format.   Dave Black always manages to pull tears and did so again with his moving tribute to Michelle Kwan.  McNally is always disarmingly funny.  Di Vitale always kicks off and shows why he is the master of the composite.  Julianne typically does her presentation in parts and is one of the few who really make iphonography truly impressive.  Joe Glyda, always has a personal assignment, this time was a dam assignment from the Hoover Dam that was peppered with Joe's moderately bent sense of humour.  First time presenter Bill Fortney showed his beautiful Americana landscape and macro work.  The session is always closed by Moose whose images remind us why he so loved as a landscape artist.

The Kelby team do a great job at organization managing over 3,000 attendees with people whose full time jobs at Kelby Media have nothing to do with events management.   There are always some hiccups but I find that when you ask politely, most of the time things are sorted immediately.

The Las Vegas event is at the Mandalay Bay so the hotel is connected to the conference which adds convenience.  Las Vegas certainly has the hotel space for a conference this size and is a fairly reasonable plane ride.  Food and activities are very expensive however as the entire goal of the city appears to be to separate you from your money as fast as possible.  I've attended PSW in Washington DC, Orlando and Atlanta and found it more economical but definitely not as convenient.

Up to now, PSW has happened twice per year.  It looks like there will be only one in 2015, August 10-13 in Las Vegas.  Given the amount of work, and the incredible coordination required, I can certainly see the rationale for consolidation.

The big question people ask me is if it's worth it.  I have to say yes.  Consider it a $2000 investment in yourself.  You have airfare, hotel and attendance not including meals and any other entertainment, but I don't see any other option to get this much variety in training, with this pantheon of instructors anywhere else.  Jason Groupp did advise that WPPI is a larger event, focused on Wedding and Portrait photography and that may be an alternative if one of those is your specialty.  I like that at PSW I can learn about pretty much anything in the realm of photography and software editing from a wide variety of instructors and know that their content is backed up by superb video training online.

What would I change if asked?  I would definitely look at making the Pre-Cons a two day event.  While they are an extra cost, I would definitely do two, because of the actual photography involved under the leadership of great instructors.  Consider this.  The Pre Con with Joe McNally cost less than some lesser known offerings of similar duration.  And it was with Joe McNally.  Joe was there early and his entire crew built us 6 different sets, arranged the talented artists to be there and did all the setup, and provided all the lighting.  Big thanks to John and MD, a huge shake for my friend Michael Cali, and also a cheer for Joe's wife Annie.  I have done a number of classes and workshops with Joe and I ALWAYS learn something new.  Here are a few of my own images from that workshop

I would also suggest that the classes explicitly advise whether they are tutorials or slideshows.    My personal preference is the tutorial and my hat goes off to my new mate Glyn Dewis who in addition to being a brilliant teacher is one of the nicest fellows I have ever met.  He is incredibly gracious and easy to talk to.

If your eyes are beginning to strain or you like to take notes, the ProPass option (extra $$$) is definitely worth it.  You get early access to front row seating, early entry to the keynote, a ticket to the event party, some swag and a discount coupon for the Kelby bookstore.  Corey Barker's latest book moved from $42 to just over $10 for me as a result.

In the years that I have been going, the tradeshow floor has gotten smaller with fewer vendors showing up.  I doubt that Kelby Media is hosing anybody to be there but it would be nice to see a lot more vendors and more vendors with actual stock to sell.  Ordering over the Internet may be the way that many people shop, but sometimes personal service should turn into an immediate reward.  A big shoutout to my buddy Joe Johnson Jr, and the rest of the great people at Really Right Stuff for the time that they spent with Isabel and Stephanie, talking about the best route for tripods and supports.  I think everyone knows that I believe that the products from RRS are the best on the planet.  Their new video head is really impressive and Joe said he was going to send me one of their new sliders for a heavy duty evaluation.  I was also very impressed by the Phottix line of products.  Jason had never laid hands on the Mitros+ flashes before and was getting great multi flash radio controlled TTL exposures in his class in minutes.  The user interface could not be simpler.  The Mitros+ sells for about $400 and is as powerful as a top line Nikon or Canon TTL flash but also includes a radio transceiver built into each unit.  For those who already own a bunch of TTL flashes but want the efficiency of radio instead of infrared (I still stand by my statement that just because Joe McNally can make infrared work at 100', the rest of us develop apoplexy trying to make it work at distances greater than 10'), the Phottix ODIN system gives group controls, radio transceiver, channel flexibility and much more.  I will be pushing on my Canadian affiliate partner Henry's to start carrying these units in Canada.  Phottix also has this really cool collapsible beauty dish that is very impressive.  RC stopped by and he talked to me about it at some length.  Sadly B&C and Hunt were sold out and B&H was only doing web orders.  Hopefully we will see these locally soon enough.

Some attendees say that the event should be longer.  I think an extra day of pre-conference and one more day of classes would be ideal.  Of course I would then need several days to recover and would definitely look for transport other than the sardine tin crush of Air Canada Rouge.  That is a really horrible travel experience despite the great attitudes displayed by the flight attendants.   It would be easier of course if other travellers did not think that a small automobile qualified as a carry on and learned that one carryon and one personal item are not the same as four pieces of monster hardshell luggage.  And a screaming baby is neither appreciated or wanted by ANY other passenger.

I need to thank Moose for his sense of humour and for having his photo taken with me to help direct people to the real Moose Petersen.

I suppose I should disclose that the old line "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" should be modified to "what happens in Vegas, ends nearly immediately in Vegas" so before either Steph or Isabel post anything (they are on a plane as I write this), I did actually get married in Vegas to a lovely lady named JaneMarie courtesy of the very talented wedding photographer and instructor Jason Groupp.  Fortunately for JaneMarie, the wedding was annulled before class was over.

Photoshop World returns to Las Vegas in August 2015.  You should go.  It's in my plan now.

The Photo Video Guy Podcast - Episode 43

Stupid mall cops, breathing on your lens and Pirelli.  Nikon news and rumours, Canon news and rumours, Canon 6D quick look.  DxO Optics version upgrade.  Snapseed is FREE!  ThinkTank starts Mindshift Gear. Processing tools and the best tripod EVER.

The Best Tripod I Have Ever Owned

And boy, have I owned tripods.... Like many of us who have been photographers for years/decades, I've accumulated a number of tripods over time, some I still have, many are long gone and others are "in process".  This week I received the tripod that is the best I've ever owned.

Following a series of conversations with the very helpful folks at Really Right Stuff, I ordered a leg set to go with my existing head.   My kit today consists of:

• TVC-34L legs
• TA-3-QC Quick Column
• BH-55 Ball Head
• TA-2-LC Leveling Base
• TH-DVTL-55 Dovetail adapter for the Ball Head
• B-150B Package Macro Rail Set
• PCL-1 Panoramic Clamp
• PCL-DVTL Dovetail Adapter for Panorama
• 192 Precision Plus Package Rail Set for Panoramas
• TQB-89 Tripod Case

I love the construction quality of the RRS equipment.  While the legs and pano gear are new, I have used the other gear for some time on Gitzo GT3541 legs and loved it.  What I needed was a taller tripod that gave me stability without necessarily having to extend the centre column fully.  The 34L legs do that.  They are slightly larger in diameter than the legs of the Gitzo and have a refined construction method to their carbon fiber tubing.  The leg set is only nominally heavier than what it replaces and delivers the stability I want.  I like the wider domed rubber feet and that I can easily exchange the feet for rock feet or spikes should the need arise.

I added the quick column not because I really wanted a taller height but to give me flexibility on slopes.  I rarely find that the ground where I shoot is level or flat.  The wider diameter legs feel more stable, especially with the weight of the Hasselblad H4D-40 and 300mm lens mounted up.

On top of the column I mounted the TA-2-LC leveling base.  Mine was actually a universal base that I converted from a 3/8-16 screw on top to a Really Right Stuff lever clamp.  This way I can level out whatever head assembly I choose to use before adjusting the head.  It adds a bit of length to the unit and some weight but the fast levelling capability more than overshadows the additional size.

I added the TH-DVTL-55 dovetail plate to the bottom of my existing BH-55 ball head.  The BH-55 is without a doubt the best ball head I have ever used.  It handles everything, is easy to deploy and never creeps.  By putting the dovetail plate on it, it makes it easy to change heads or insert accessories such as the Panoramic clamp.  At some point I might want to get one of the Omni Pivot Packages and the ability to change heads quickly is appealing to me.

The PCL-1 Panoramic Clamp also has the PCL-DVTL plate on it so I can quickly mount it on top of the BH-55 or between the BH-55 and Levelling Base depending on my needs.  I find that the RRS Lever clamps are superb, fast to lock and unlock and take up less space than the knob style clamps.  Don't get me wrong, the knob style clamps are extremely secure, I just like the speed of the levers.  I also got the 192 Precision Plus rail kit to make it simple to find the nodal point and to be able to use either camera body or lens mount orientation on the rail, because the mini-clamp is rotatable.

The macro rail kit is extremely precise and very smooth.  I had been using the simpler Manfrotto macro rail before and it worked fine for lighter cameras but it was a bit awkward with the Hasselblad and macro lens.  I added the adapter in the package as my Canon 180mm macro is a collared lens, so I can mount either body or lens orientation quickly.

I do have other RRS gear purchased over time and have never been disappointed.  I am always impressed by their team's knowledge and customer first attitude.  I've never had a quality issue and the one time I thought I had an issue, it was actually my fault for using a clamp wrong.

The main reason that took me to Really Right Stuff was the ability via L-Plates on my camera bodies to switch from landscape to portrait orientation without altering the lens plane.  To some this sounds like an expensive solution to a simple issue, but for me, I took a chance and have been proven right.  All my Canons, my Hasselblad and the Leica have L plates.  Nothing to lose, fast and secure mounting and no hassle makes this system hard to beat.

I don't sell Really Right Stuff gear.  I'm just a customer.  But I have to say I think it's the best gear out there and well worth the investment.

REVIEW : Canon 180/3.5L Macro Lens

Introduction I enjoy macro photography and have worked hard to try to build a bit of skill on the subject.  While many lens claim to be "macro", to be true macro lenses they need to deliver 1x life-size on the sensor.  This means that if you have a full frame sensor of 24mm x 36mm, then the lens must be able to produce an image of the subject that is 24mm x 36mm in real life.

Macro photography can be challenging because depth of field diminishes as the image plane gets closer to the subject.  This is just optics math in action, so consequently, small apertures are used for the closest shots to avoid having only a pinpoint deep focus depth. At the same time, macro lenses need to be optically fast to aid focusing in poor lighting conditions.

Macros are best done from a stable platform, such as a tripod because you might find yourself with slower shutter speeds to accomodate the small aperture, and you want to avoid pushing the ISO too high to maintain the highest possible resolution and low noise.

When we shoot close, we also often need to manage the light as proximity might create shadows or block out the light entirely.  The sample images included here were done with multiple flashes because the ambient light just would not work.  Flash is very useful in macro work because our subjects may be moving, and when very close, even subtle movement can blur the photograph.

I have owned the Canon 100/2.8L macro for some time and like it very much.  I do not advocate macros shorter than 100mm because with a shorter lens you must be physically very close to the subject.  This distance between the front element and the subject is referred to as "stand-off distance".  By the same token, we also know that as focal length increases at a given aperture and camera to subject distance, depth of field is reduced so to go too long will result in depth of field compromise.

After listening to noted photographer Bill Fortney advocate Nikon's 180mm macro lens, I arranged to borrow a Canon 180mm f/3.5 L series macro for testing purposes.  Even the 100mm when shooting life-size requires you to be very close and as I wanted to use softboxes and octas as my sources, I knew I would benefit from the increased stand-off distance the longer lens affords.

Lens Specifications

• Focal Length : 180mm
• Maximum Aperture : f/3.5
• Construction : 14 elements in 12 groups
• Angle of View : 13 degrees 30 minutes
• Closest Focus Distance : 0.48m / 1.6ft
• Filter Size : 72mm
• Size and Weight : 3.2" x 7.3", 2.4 lbs. / 82.5 x 186.6mm, 1,090g
• Includes : Reversible Lens Hood, Tripod Collar

Thoughts

The lens is very sharp and focus is quick because of the Ultrasonic motor.  Focus is internal and of the floating type.  This method is more costly to make but the value returned is minimized aberration as focus distance changes.  It's one of the distinctions between a proper macro lens and a generic one.

The tripod collar increases size and weight but I wish I had one on the 100mm that I own.  Changing camera orientation does not change the image centre, allowing for creative positioning without massive amounts of reset work from a focus and cropping perspective.

In very low light, I found that autofocus with the 1D Mk IV was not effective.  This isn't surprising as the flower petals were not particularly contrasty and even when manually selecting focus points, there just wasn't enough light to make AF accurate.  Switching the lens to manual focus completely decouples AF and the manual is fast and light.  Subjects snap in so I am quite impressed.  I also use an old Minolta angle finder to avoid neck strain and on the rare occasions where I just need more magnification, use Live View and a Hoodman loupe.  The net of it is that obtaining critical focus is simple and consistent.

I was using a set of Metz 58 AF-2 flashes in Westcott Apollo striplights and octas as the primary source and a third Metz with Rogue gels firing at the background paper.  I was using Pocket Wizard radios and their AC3 zone controller and as documented earlier was underwhelmed with the zone control performance.  As the shots were being captured between f/29 and f/32 I was pushing the Metz flashes in the softboxes very hard.  Moving the flashes to manual output from eTTL gave me more control.  This is a Pocket Wizard Zone controller issue, not a flash problem and I've documented it elsewhere.  Once past a number of false starts with the lighting, I was able to get to where I wanted to be.

Colour rendition from the lens is excellent.  As I always do, I used a B+W UVA filter on the lens.  B+W filters are superb and I still wanted the protection for the front lens element in case of something very bad happening.  I used a Jobu lens foot to convert the standard tripod mount to one that would fit the Really Right Stuff bracket that I use.  This is not a flaw in Canon's tripod foot, it is entirely done to suit my tripod configuration.

On the 1D Mk IV, the effective focal length is 234mm due to the 1.3x crop factor in the camera.  That's about as long as I would care to go for macro.  Mounting the lens on the 1Dx full frame makes this lens a really fine portrait lens too, although I don't think I would switch to it away from the 700-200/2.8L that is my portrait "go-to" lens.

I did not experience vignetting or sharpness falloff centre to edge and you shouldn't with a high end macro lens.  I opened the RAW files in both Lightroom and DxO Optics Professional and was pleased to see that the lens profiles in both were needed not at all to address lens issues.  This simple test is a strong indicator of where design issues exist in lenses.  Lightroom's profiles are excellent and in my opinion, those from DxO Optics are the best in the business.  When these acclaimed profiles make only miniscule corrections, this is indicative of superlative lens design.

Conclusions

I have to return the lens soon and will be sad to see it go.  If I did not already own the similarly excellent 100/2.8 L macro, I would not be returning the 180/3.5L.  Knowing what I know now, it's the one I would buy if I could have only one macro lens.  I want to thank Nathan Reeder at Henry's for assisting me in obtaining the lens for the review.

Highly recommended.

The Photo Video Guy Podcast - Episode 10

The Photo Video Guy Podcast is created for photographic and videographic enthusiasts featuring news, reviews, tips and tricks and is the audio companion to thephotovideoguy.ca and thephotovideoguy.com web sites.

This Episode:

Review coming on Fuji X-Pro 1 Amazon US updates Nikon availability New Filmpack from DXO Gone - D700s in Canada Not the iPad 3 DP Review Mobile Site ACR 6.7 RC 5D Mk III availability Lightroom 4 released New courses from Kelby Training Canon Lens Patent released D4 Field Imptessions REVIEW : Really Right Stuff BH-55