I recently tried to import some old Lightroom 3 catalogs into my current archive and found that I kept getting the same error message ‘Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error’ After attempting to try and fix the problem, I found this effective solution on Joe Reifers blog. Read more here Lightroom could not import this catalog because of an unknown error

Essentially before importing a catalog, any offline or missing images must either be removed or brought back online in the catalog you wish to import. Offline or missing images can be found easily by using – Libray > Find Missing Images. Once the missing images are removed or brought back online. The old catalog can be imported into a new or alternative catalog.

It is now possible for clients to view images after a photo shoot online without downloading any files. Full resolution files can be selected and shared with the lightbox facility. In addition to commercial commissioned work, the online gallery serves as an archive for stock images available for purchase under licence. As well as the purchase of prints and images with a personal use licence. Take a look at the gallery site!

The site is straightforward to use and provides facilities to share galleries and images via facebook, twitter and email. The lightbox feature is particularly useful to create a selection of favourite images which can be shared between registered users. It can also serve as a means to order or download full resolution image files. Please contact Alex Orrow directly to discuss the great benefits of an online gallery to archive and share your images.

Some exciting new developments are being previewed at Adobe Lightroom Journal for Lightroom3 and Camera Raw6. The addition of lens profiles is an  exciting announcement. The ability to correct chromatic aberration, lens distortion and lens vignetting through preset profiles, non destructively is a very welcome addition.

DxO have compared and ranked different camera sensors according to Low Light, Dynamic Range, Colour Depth ad – If you want to see how Nikon’s range compares to Canon etc. Could be useful before making a new investment, or if your curious to see how your current camera sensor compares to others.

John Cazolis of Nikon Glass has written an interesting post on rebuilding an old 500mm lens. He goes through the process of sourcing parts and finding dealers to undertake the work.

The blog is a great resource for most nikon lenses and other related topics.

After waiting for almost 1 year I finally got a chance to photograph a team at the Medical Emergency Charity MAGPAS. The charity operates a team of volunteer doctors, paramedics and community first responders. MAGPAS is solely funded by donations and receives no money from the NHS or other Government funding. I had been approached by the press and PR officer at MAGPAS to help with updating their image library. As this might be an opportunity to photograph a helicopter hopefully in flight and possibly even the team in action I jumped at the opportunity.

After meeting and visiting the MAGPAS team it was not until a year later that the photo shoot was organised and executed. We agreed that the photo shoot would take place at two locations. the first was to be the airfield at RAF Wyton to capture the team with emergency vehicles, unfortunately in flight shots or images of the team in action for real where not possible. The second was to be in a domestic/community environment. Most likely to be where a community first responder might find themselves. The images to be taken at the airfield would involve two members of the emergency team with both the helicopter and response car. MAGPAS make use of two helicopters either the East Anglian Air Ambulance or Cambridgeshire Police helicopter.  A scout of the airfield was a necessity as I knew from the outset that I wanted to light the team with mains powered flash. Luckily there was a 240v power outlet very close to where the aircraft is landed. The hero shot was to be two members of MAGPAS posed with the police helicopter.

The day chosen was confirmed in the morning after weather checks and we met at 3pm to commence shooting as the sunlight levels dropped and darkened. Due to both the unpredictablity of the police helicopter  and their  training schedule meant I had about 30 mins to set up and shoot the main image. Before doing this there was time spare to capture the team with the response car and both the response car and air ambulance.

Both images were set up quickly using a single bare Nikon SB800 on a stand providing a main source of light from high camera right. Although shooting these would have been fine with available light. The addition of the flash provides more shape to the two team members allows for a faster shutter speed helping to darken the sky and keep the highlight from blowing on the car and aircraft.

Example of a daylight only image.

At this point the temperatures were reaching below freezing and although I could have continued I think the two team members would have disagreed and may have needed to be plied off of the freezing car.

For the next set up with the police helicopter it would have been ideal to have had all the lighting setup and ready to go but due to the dangers of the heavy downwash it was impossible to have any photographic gear near to the landing zone and so I had to wait until I the helicopter was fully stationary before attempting to setup lights and run cables etc.

I chose a dramatic lighting set up and one which is favoured by many music and sport editorial photographers. This consisted of 1 bowens head with beauty dish mounted on boom centrally in front and above the subject. x2 elinchrome heads with barn doors on both one each on the left and right behind the  two team members aimed back towards them. Another small SB800 was placed on camera left and parallel to the aircraft aimed back towards aircraft, in order to bring in some light to dark areas of the fuselage. See diagram below.

Results from a about a 15 – 20min window of opportunity from setup to execution.

MAGPAS - Emergency Medical Charity and Police Helicopter crew

I used a boom throughout at an approximate hight of 9-10ft. This meant that it was very close to the aircraft rota blades, and after being reminded by the officer in charge at my side, that each blade costs about £13,000 I could feel the tension mount next me as I inched the boom closer and closer to the aircraft. Soon after this image was taken the police helicopter crew were called to an incident, powering up whilst I quickly dismantled my equipment and packed away all loose items. I grabbed a few last shots of the medical team in the half light with their first response car, using an stand mounted bare SB800 on camera left to provide some separation side light.

Test how well you see colour with x-rite’s interesting Colour IQ Test best results get zero.

I managed to score 17.

My first shoot for the Cambridgeshire Mencap project took place at St.Johns College, Cambridge University. Cambridgeshire Mencap provide a catering & hospitality training course in the college’s kitchens. Students meet for classroom activities and then more hands on work in the college kitchen and canteen. Both environments leave little room room for manoeuvre. Where possible I would choose a background which had either colour or interest, this sometimes meant rearranging and placing objects which were either relevant or added to the perspective and composition, not only in the background but also in the foreground as well. Lighting in working environments is also challenging. The kitchen environment could have been very difficult, with overhead fluorescent lights and stainless steel backgrounds. The kitchen was a busy place and so not somewhere lights could be placed easily, I used both on camera flash bounced and one small light on a stand  placed at a right angle to subjects and slightly behind. The catering course tutor suggested a scenario with a student stirring a large vat of meat stock, this worked well as the student could interact with kitchen staff and both the colour and steam from the boiling vat made a dramatic composition. The students and kitchen staff were very co-operative to my instructions and made the shoot a very enjoyable experience.

Cantellday the designers for the new website and printed material were also present at the shoot to lend a hand and art direct. This was useful and helped with getting the right approach which would hopefully continue throughout the project.

The entire shoot encompassed many different environments and lighting considerations as well as developing trust and hopefully a rapport with the subjects which made for some spontaneity. Allowing a photographer in to your home is not always comfortable, keeping lighting to a minimum and using lights which are mobile  while not requiring an extra pair of hands to set up, was essential. I used throughout Nikon SB800′s with the Nikon SU800 Commander unit and also pocket wizards. At present the SU800 cammander unit is not reliable enough in situations where the environment and subject  changes very quickly and there is a very little control over the direction the shoot will take. Using small flashes triggered remotely with pocket wizards enabled me to position lights anywhere I could place a super clamp or light stand. Typically out of the way of young children but supplementing the existing light. In some cases I relied only on the available light due to requests by Cambridgeshire Mencap service users.

The final printed material produced can be seen below.

Photography Cambridgeshire Mencap Brochures

Photography Cambridgeshire Mencap Brochures

Scouting Locations for a photo shoot at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens for new leaflets and image library updates. The garden is a fascinating place with exploding cucumber buds and carniverous plants! It also has endless possibilities for photographs and so I used the iphone camera to quickly take photo sketches of interesting locations so that I would have a reference on the day of the shoot as a reminder. Rather than having models and client hanging around waiting for me to find the best location and angles.

Example iphone images from the recce below. I will post comparisons to these images on completion of the job in a few weeks time!

Location scout Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Location scout Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Image below of one the huge coal burning furnaces at the Museum was lit using x3 Nikon SB800′s. 2 were placed close to the right and left of the furnace, behind walls. Angled up and zoomed slightly for a narrow throw of light. The 3rd light was placed out of frame through a doorway camera left, this light was again zoomed for a slightly narrow beam of light and aimed down towards the cobbled floor, children and  wall opposite. The exposure was around 1/30s  to expose for the daylight entering through windows high above. Part 1

Coal Burning furnace at Museum of Technology

The museum is a real gem for a photographer as there lots of character details and shapes.

This simple shot used a single SB800 flash placed low and behind the spanners and a long exposure to capture some ambient daylight on the front of the spanners.

Museum of Technology Spanners

More off camera flash used in this example.

Hathorn Davey Pumping Engine Detail