Cross-processing with Curves tutorial

Quick tutorial showing you how curves works with the hand selection tool and saving the process as a preset so you can apply it to any image.

http://www.vimeo.com/user2338241/videos

Cross processing with Curves from David Johnson on Vimeo.

Click on the Vimeo widget if this is too small to view.

The portrait was shot with a Nikon D700, Nikon R1-C1 flash system and a Nikkor 105 VR f2.8
Once you've saved this cross process technique as a preset you can apply it to any of your images in a flash, why not record more than one preset??? Remember the preset still has the flexibilty of a normal curves adjustment layer, use it in conjunction with the hand selection tool

http://maxblack.redbubble.com/

Using a ND 110 B+W neutral density filter

Ive had a ND8 filter for a long time but I've always hankered after a ND110 and it's daylight long exposure possibilities. So I thought I'd pass on some tips, well as a newbie to this sort of shooting it might not be the most comprehensive list but worth thinking about.


If you hav a set of lenses chances are they will all have different filter sizes, well bite the bullet and get your ND110 for the largest filter size and get some step rings for the smaller ones
On my D700 I've got a switch that covers the eyepiece when taking long exposures, suprising how much light bleed can come through the eyepiece,so if you have a snap on eyepiece cover..use it,or block it with some tape.
Most of your exposures are going to be on Bulb setting so if you have a watch with a timer setting now's the time to learn how to use it, I've got my old Darkroom timer with big Graphics and big buttons, big buttons very useful if you go out shooting this time of year and don't want the wind chill to damage your gloved digits
Have a spare battery...long exposure and if you are running noise reduction on your files will munch your batteries
The sturdiest of sturdy tripods....I was shooting on the beach and 3 plant pot saucers would have been more than handy to sit the tripods feet in.
Take the neck strap off...why...well if its a bit breezy then the last thing you need is a flapping neckstrap adding a bit of a wobble to things
Patience...in most cases you won't be able to see anything through your viewfinder when the ND110 is screwed on, can make taking one shot painfully slow especially if your exposure is 3 to 4 minutes
If you have a bit of sensor dust then try to avoid stopping your aperture right down, first shots i did were with a Nikkor 105VR at f45...I now know how much muck lives on my sensor.....
If your exposures are short use Mirror lock-up, if your camera has it in conjunction with a cable release.
Switch your lens to Manual focus, I wondered why the cable release wouldn't fire and found the camera was trying its hardest to auto-focus with the ND110 proving a major obstacle
Now rather than waffling on about exposure times here's some more than useful information and stunning long exposure monochromes from Joel Tintjlaer

bwvision.com



Here's a list of ND filters to have a look at
http://www.bwvision.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/chart4.JPG

I've published more of my first try at daylight long exposures at maxblack.redbubble.com or go to the redbubble widget below

Welcome to 121 Photoshop, I'm David but if you're an internet follower of mine you might know me better as Manky Maxblack. I hope you've managed to have a look at some of my online tutorials at Vimeo from the link above. They'll soon be HD and I will post information once they are up and running.

Here's a shot from one of my web contacts Andy Benedetti who used my set of Motion Blur tutorials to create this stunning image that was Number 1 in Explore on Flickr



http://www.flickr.com/photos/abenedetti/4268774652/in/photostream

So, you're probably asking, how does this work? This is Photoshop for Photographers,if you want to learn about Web design and Painting this won't be for you.

I'll be posting tutorials on here and links to Vimeo and Screencast and giving you a breakdown of how to use each tutorial. If you use Photoshop already you've probably discovered that there is usually more than one way of acheiving similar results, if you look at my Black and White tutorials I've posted 11 methods....there are probably more, it goes to show you the flexibity and power in Adobe Photoshop.