March 10, 2010

smc PENTAX-D FA 645 55mmF2.8 AL[IF] SDM AW A Unifocal Standard Lens for use with Medium-Format Digital SLR Cameras; The First Model of the smc PENTAX-D FA 645 Series
HOYA CORPORATION PENTAX Imaging Systems Division is pleased to announce the launch of the smc PENTAX-D FA 645 55mm F2.8 AL[IF] SDM AW. Developed as the first model of the PENTAX-D FA 645 lens series, it not only features new optics optimized for high-quality digital photography to assure exceptional image-description performance, but also provides an image circle covering the image area of existing 645-format film SLR cameras. This unifocal standard lens also comes with a dependable, dust-proof, weather-resistant construction for active outdoor photography. Major Features 1. State-of-the-art optics to accommodate the requirements for super-highresolution photography using medium-format digital SLR cameras Incorporating high-performance, hybrid aspherical optical element in its optics, this new standard lens offers exceptional image-resolving power with outstanding brightness levels even at the edges, while compensating various aberrations to a minimum. All lens characteristics are optimized for digital photography: for instance, flare and ghost images are minimized by applying exclusive lens coatings to optical elements and employing anti-reflection materials for the interior of the lens barrel. As the result, this lens can bring out the full potential of the PENTAX 645D medium-format digital SLR camera. 2. Versatile standard lens When mounted on the PENTAX 645D camera body, this standard lens offers a focal length of 43.5mm (in the 35mm format), which produces an angle of view close to that of the human eye. As the result, it can be used for many different kinds of subjects and applications, including landscapes and portraits. 3. Dependable dustproof, weather-resistant construction Using seven special seals, the lens dustproof, weather-resistant construction effectively prevents the intrusion of dust and water to the lens interior. By coupling this lens with the PENTAX 645D camera body, the user is assured of a durable, reliable digital SLR camera system that performs superbly in outdoor settings, even in rain or mist or at locations prone to water splashes or spray.
PENTAX INFORMATION Page. 1
PENTAX plans to use the AW (All Weather) designation in the product name of all dustproof, weather-resistant medium-format interchangeable lenses to be marketed in the future. 4. Aero Bright coating to dramatically improve image description in backlight The lens is treated with PENTAX-original Aero Bright coating, which delivers brilliant, high-quality images by preventing annoying flare and ghost images more effectively than ever before. Born as the fruit of PENTAXs advanced nanotechnology, this exclusive coating effectively reduces lens reflectance and greatly increases light transmittance by forming a silica aerogel layer with uniform pores on the surface of optical element. 5. Rounded diaphragm to produce a beautiful bokeh This is the first PENTAX medium-format interchangeable lens to features a completely rounded diaphragm. It creates a natural, beautiful bokeh (out-of-focus rendition), while minimizing the streaking effect of point light sources. 6. Smooth, quiet SDM autofocus mechanism The SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor) autofocus mechanism operates smoothly and quietly using the supersonic motor installed inside the lens barrel.*
* Only manual-focus operation is available when this lens is mounted on the PENTAX 645N or PENTAX 645N II camera body.
7. SP coating to block dust and dirt The front surface of the lens is treated with PENTAX-original SP (Special Protect) coating, which applies an exclusive fluorine compound to the lens surface through a vapor deposition process. This SP coating not only effectively repels dust, water and grease, but also makes it easy to wipe off fingerprints and cosmetics. 8. Other features 1) Image circle covering the image area of 645-format film SLR cameras 2) Functional, simplified design, with no aperture ring 3) Quick-Shift Focus system for instant switching to manual-focus operation, after the subject is captured in focus by the AF system 4) PL filter window for easy installation of a polarizing filter without removing the lens hood 5) PH-SA67 Square Plastic Hood (optional)** for more effective prevention of flare and ghost images when mounted on the PENTAX 645D camera body

** This hood cannot be used with a 645-format film SLR camera body, as it causes vignetting.
PENTAX and smc PENTAX are trademarks of HOYA CORPORATION. SDM is a trademark of HOYA CORPORATION. Design and Specifications is subject to change without notice.
PENTAX INFORMATION Page. 2
smc PENTAX-D FA645 55mmF2.8AL[IF] SDM AW
Mount Lens Construction Angle of View Number of Diaphragm Blades Minimum Aperture Minimum Focusing Distance Filter Diameter Maximum Magnification Maximum Diameter & Minimum Length Weight PENTAX 645KAF2 mount 9 elements in 7 groups 53 (wiith PENTAX 645D body) (attached with Film Medium-format: 65) 9 F22 0.51.65 ft. 67mm 0.17x 81.3mm x 68.2mm (3.2 inch x 2.7 inch) approx. 416g (14.7 oz.)

Rangefinders

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Techniques and Images from the Pages of Rangefinder Magazine

EDITED BY

Bill Hurter

Amherst Media

P U B L I S H E R O F P H OTO G R A P H Y B O O K S

CONTENTS

Introduction.4 1. Commercial Photography.5 2. Compositing.21 3. Digital Techniques.28 4. Lighting Techniques.38 5. Painter Effects.46 6. Photoshop Effects.51 7. Portrait Lighting.65 8. Portrait Posing.73 9. High-School Senior Portrait Photography.79 10. Shooting Techniques.87 11. Wedding Photography.105 Contributors.122 Index.126

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
hotography and cooking may not have much to do with each other except that a great shot, like a great entre, has a set recipe of ingredients and procedures. Hence the idea for a photographic cookbook, with various recipes and procedures that define how a great photograph was made. The concept is not new. In fact, Jen Bidner, one of the significant contributors to this book, coined the phrase in a book she authored called The Lighting Cookbook: Foolproof Recipes for Perfect Glamour, Portrait, Still Life, and Corporate Photographs (Amphoto, 2003). As a contributor to Rangefinder, one of the leading trade magazines for professional photographers, Jen helped the magazine introduce the concept to its readers in 2004. The feature, known as the Rf Cookbook, has becomeand continues to beone of the most popular features in the magazine. The contents of this book are derived from those articles in Rangefinder.
The photographers who appear in this book are well known for various specialties: portraiture, wedding, commercial, and fine-art photographyand just about every discipline in between. The writers who penned the articles are also frequent contributors to Rangefinder and well established journalists. This book was edited by myself, Emily Burnett (features editor of Rangefinder), and Oliver Gettell (editorial assistant of Rangefinder). The production was done by Michelle Perkins, senior editor and production manager at Amherst Media, and Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt, assistant editor. We wish to thank all of the writers, photographers, editors, designers, and production staff that made this project a reality. Bill Hurter Editor, Rangefinder Magazine
RANGEFINDERS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
1. COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Above all, commercial photographers are consummate problem solvers.
ommercial photographers are primarily assignment photographers: Photograph an ad for our new frozen chicken entre, and give it a continental personality. Or the assignment might be to photograph an aerial view of an atoll in the South Pacific for a travel magazine. Commercial photographers wear many different hats. One day, a commercial shooter might be a portrait artist, photographing a CEO for an annual report. The next day, the same photographer might be photographing a perfect souffl for a restaurant ad. Commercial photographers are well schooled in a wide range of photographic disciplines. They must be lighting experts, technical wizards (because they are always pushing the limits of the various media they employ) and, above all, consummate problem solvers. Logistics, propping, posing, lighting, time management, cost, complexity, and many more variables enter into the commercial photographers daily routine. In this chapter we present some interesting and unusual assignments. David Wendt, an automotive photographer who self-publishes his own calendars, photographs a rare 1934 MG-NA race car in a way that looks like the classic sports car is breaking a land-speed record. Another interesting assignment was to photograph a Judith Lieber handbag in an extraordinary way. Fernando Escovar, a Los Angeles commercial shooter, was certainly up to the challenge. A typical commercial assignment is outlined by Christian Lalonde. It called for six hotel and resort lobbies to be photographed in one day, with models and a set themethe final digital image being due at the end of each shoot. Regardless of the complexity of the assignment, commercial photography provides an educational forum in creative problem solving and diversified photographic techniques.

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

David Wendt: The King of Jury-Rigging Makes a 1934 MG-NA Fly
he self-described subjects of one of David Wendts car calendars are fast, expensive carsand the 1934 MGNA racecar shown here certainly fits that bill. The bulk of Wendts Cincinnati-based photography business is driven by his self-published calendars, which sell extremely well each year. Wendt has learned, however, that it is not enough to do a showroom-style product shot of the car. To create calendars that sell tens of thousands of copies, he specializes in creating interesting and exciting photoINGREDIENTS graphs of vehicles. Camera: Pentax 645N Part of his flair comes from Lens: 4585mm Pentax zoom Film: Kodak Ektachrome the spontaneity of his shooting 100VS 220 style. I like to wing things on Car Rigging: Clothesline from my shoots, explains Wendt. He his bumper to the racecar Camera Rigging: Makeshift prefers to show up and concepdevice made from suction tualize the shot on the spot, cups, light poles, clamps, and gaffers tape rather than do a whole lot of preAccessories: Air plunger for planning. And he is the king of triggering the camera jury-rigging. To shoot this racecar, he started by scouting a location and finding the right model driver. Next he tied the vintage 1934 racecar to the bumper of his own Audi with a clothesRANGEFINDERS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
line. He began building a unique camera rig that was secured onto his own car with a suction cup, clamps, light poles, and gaffers tape. A long air plunger shutter release reached to his position so he could remotely fire the camera. His assistant drove the Audi, either towing the racecar or letting it roll backwards down a slope. Amazingly, the total shoot took less than an hour, from his first arrival on the location, through building the rig, shooting the image (two rolls of 220 film), and tearing down the camera setup. The final image was actually a digital combination of two exposures made on medium-format film. He had 4000dpi drum scans made of the best time exposure (two to three seconds to get a nice blurred background) and the best frozen exposure. He layered the frozen image over the blurred image and matched them as closely as possible. Next he erased most of the frozen image, keeping only the important details (such as the grill and headlights) so that they appeared sharper than was possible in the time exposure. David Wendts art prints, posters, and calendars are available through his website at www.wendtworldwide.com. The MG-NA racecar photograph shown in this article appeared in his 2004 Fast Expensive Cars calendar. Jen Bidner

Jake Butler: Playa Hermosa Sunset
he color palette of the Costa Rican winter sky has no limits. Red dawn bleeds into the new day of the Central Americas. Gold and purple ebb and flow together at sunset. Along the western shore of Playa Hermosa, la pura vida is ever-present. The light itself expresses it with vitality. This strip of coastline is beautiful. Surfers come from all over the world to ride the hollow beach-break, known for its board- and bone-breaking power. Iguanas roam about regally and perch in the warm sunINGREDIENTS light. Costa Rican teak trees Camera: Pentax 645N II grow wild along the shores, and Lens: Pentax P-FA 645 55110mm f/5.6 at the jungle canopy covers the 107mm setting mountains to the east. The siltExposure: 4 seconds at f/11 like sand is as black as the metaFilm: Kodak E100VS, pushed / stop morphic bedrock. Tripod: Manfrotto Carbon On this particular scene I Fiber 3443 Tripod Head: Manfrotto 3030 ended up shooting a whole roll of 220 film32 exposures with my Pentax 645N II. The tonality change of the light shifted so incredibly from burnt orange, to red, to the soft purples
of this later shot that I couldnt take my eyes from it. The waves sent white, foamy surges up the steep beach embankment, which would reach an apex and then plummet back down into the ocean. The light beamed off the wet sand from the receding water and added an appealing element to the picture. I stopped down the lens for enough depth of field (f/11), while slowing the shutter speed (four seconds) to allow the moving water to blur. With three stops of graduated neutral density darkening the sky, I kept the normal exposure on the sand in the lower right of the frame. Letting this section go black or overexposing the sky would have taken away from the image considerably. I came away with many good shots, but two in particular stand out. The strange thing is how dissimilar they are. Although facing the same direction and varying by only fifteen minutes and 27mm in focal length, it is hard to tell it is the same scene. With the thunderclouds on the horizon, the light bends, and the colors change dramatically. A different show is promised every few minutes.

Mateo Muoz: Onions Still Life
he process of creating work for advertising or commercial use is exciting and interesting and involves more than just interesting ideas. As a photographer, I try to literally and figuratively see the prodINGREDIENTS ucts or the project from every Camera: Nikon D100 aspect, in 360 degrees. Its imLens: Nikon 105mm macro Lighting: Norman 2400 wattportant for me to consider asseconds pects such as point of market, Computer: Apple PowerBook G4 retail cost, characteristics, and Other: PocketWizard radio quality of the products, because slave this is the only way to create the Software: Adobe Photoshop Printer: Epson Photo Stylus right image for the client. My 2200 goal as a photographer is to help
my client to sell more. The creativity is that element of the photograph that anchors people to the image. This particular photo was created during one of my advertising classes at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. The idea was to create an interesting image of produce. The photo was captured with a Nikon D100 digital camera with a 105mm Nikon lens. On the left side was a medium softbox; on the right side, a white card to modify the density of the shadow. It was very important to do a white balance before the main capture. This helps to obtain neutral tones. In addition, I used Adobe Photoshop to open the RAW file. Photoshop gave me the ability to change the white balance if necessary. However, the only color correction made to the image was increasing the contrast and adding saturation in the green channel. Digital cameras capture a wider range of tones compared with some films. Sometimes, this can make the file look flat. I find that adjustment layers are a great tool of Photoshop, giving me all the control I need to do changes in the future. In the photo of the green onions, the main layer was duplicated. To sharpen the image, the High Pass filter was applied with layer mode set to Hard Light. This allowed me to control and adjust the amount of sharpening without altering the main layer. Adjustment layers are also very useful when I am working with different outputs, because I can create any adjustment depending on the gamut of the output device. The final piece was printed on an Epson Photo Stylus 2200. My goal was to deliver a clear, fresh message that would show the produce with beauty. This image is a good piece within my portfolio and represents my style well. On the other hand, I have to say that I am the kind of photographer who believes the right equipment is necessary to create the perfect image. I need to know and feel comfortable with the equipment. Digital technology is bringing more control and autonomy to my photography, and I love it.