Jump to content
Fly Tying

FlyTyingPhotographer

core_group_3
  • Content Count

    101
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by FlyTyingPhotographer

  1. Thanks for the comments Al. You might want to give large format a try. Close up focusing is easy with the extension bellows on the large format cameras. There's no need for any type of macro attachments. I had no trouble filling the frame at all with the 4 x 5. Focusing through the ground glass was a little tricky. What I did was focus on the fine print on a small tea box. Then I switched the tea box with one of the flies. They were in the same approximate spot so focusing should have been good. I've never seen digital large format or shots done using digital backs on large format. But, the large format shooters on flickr have told me there's no comparison to 35mm when you're looking at a large format transparency on a light box. I'm anxious to see how they turn out.
  2. Nice blog. Can you give me that URL of your blog? -------------------------------------------------------------- testking 650-575 | testking HP2-T11 This URL should take you to my blog topics. Like I said, Mostly Music and Photography related subjects. That's what most of the people on my friends list are into. Although, I can blog about just about anything on MySpace. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseact...endId=156409921
  3. This is my first attempt at using multiple lighting for shooting flies. I tied up a bunch of Bucktails, Cone Head Leeches and Pike/Musky flies last winter. I wanted to try something I've never done before with flies and that's to use a colored background lit up with a background light and colored gels. These photos were done using a Nikon F100, Nikkor 60mm F2.8 Macro AF-D lens, Tiffen 81A Warming filter, Fuji Provia 100F, a Studio Systems SP920MDLVP Monolight with a snoot attachment to isolate the subject from the background, a background light with a blue color gel and a blue green background. Light readings were taken with a handheld meter and I had a reading of F16 on the subject and F11 on the background. The camera exposure was F16 @ 1/125 sec. in manual mode. I deliberately under exposed the background by one stop to saturate the background color. These are all 35mm photos. I did a few shots with a Crown Graphic 4 x 5 press camera using Fuji Provia 100F. But, I didn't get those shots developed yet. There's a pic of the Crown at the bottom for those that would like to see it. Anyway, Here's the results. , Tight Lines ! Rob Valine www.MySpace.com/RobValine www.RobValineimages.com
  4. I have a blog on MySpace with various topics. Mostly music and photography http://www.myspace.com/robvaline I write for Creative Image Maker magazine. It's an on line magazine for Film Photographers http://creativeimagemaker.co.uk/index.php and I started writing for the Allentown Examiner last week. I'm the Allentown Rock Music examiner. Here's a link to my first article. http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-20081-A...s--Friars-Point I was one of the official photographers for Musikfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania this year. It's a 10 day music festival with 14 stages. I shot 36 rolls of film. I'm still scanning and sorting it out. I'll have lots to write about when it's all sorted out. I don't have a blog about fishing yet. But, lots of photos on my web site. Http://www.RobValineimages.com I've been doing a lot of catfishing this year. I haven't hooked up with any Flathead Cats yet. But, lots of nice Channel Cats. Last week someone caught a 40 inch, 27 pound Flathead cat from the Schuylkill river in Pottstown. I was across the river fishing at 2:30 AM and heard lots of whooping and hollering that somebody had a big one. The next day there was a picture of it in the local newspaper. Keep Shooting and stay Creative ! Rob Valine
  5. I normally use a camera with a Bulb setting. But, I used a camera this year that didn't have one and I used 1 second, 2 second and 4 second exposures with good success. Aperture was F11 and film was ISO 100. I always use a tripod. But, I've never used a cable release. I'm just very careful not to shake the camera. It helps to have steady hands. If you already have a cable release, by all means use one. I have an article in Creative Image Maker magazine about how to shoot fireworks. Check it out .... http://creativeimagemaker.co.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=118 These are some fireworks photos on my web site http://robvalineimages.com/-/robvalineimag...ry.asp?cat=9790 The Haze filter won't make a bit of difference at night. It's for filtering UV light during the day. I left a Tiffen Haze 1 filter on while doing the shot below just for protection of my lens. Keep Shooting and Stay Creative ! Rob Valine www.MySpace.com/RobValine www.RobValineimages.com
  6. It looks like it could be some type of adult stonefly. But, It's hard to say for sure. Where is it from and how big is it ?
  7. Nice Work Peter ! The artists statement is priceless. Both incredibly funny and profound at the same time. I believe creative artists have to have enough sense of being to turn away from all the crap that people try to put in their heads. There's a million people out there that are perfectly willing to try to convince you that you should do things their way or someone else's way. Photography can be a journey of self discovery. Young photographers will shoot everything and anything. If they keep at it long enough they usually eventually find out that what they shoot best are the things they are most knowledgible about or what they enjoy most. In other words people have to be honest with themselves about who they really are or maybe they have to figure that out as they grow. Thanks for sharing these with us and congratulations ! Truly inspiring work !
  8. These are a few group shots of Bass, Pike & Musky Flies I tied over the winter. I have a few more rolls of film to scan of single fly photos that I did with studio lighting with color gels on a background. These are just a few shots I did quick with an on camera flash. All photos were done with a Yashica FX-3 Super 2000, Yashica CS-15 flash, Yashica 50mm F1.9 lens and Kodak Elite Chrome 100 film that was 7 years past the expiration date of 7/2002. Why expired film ? 50 cents or a buck a roll on ebay. It works for me ! All photos scanned with a Nikon Coolscan V ED scanner and edited in photoshop elements 2.0 Cone Head Bass Leeches Cone Head Pike & Musky Flies Cone Head Leeches Topwater Pike & Musky Flies Pike & Musky Flies Bucktails #2, 4 & 6 Deceivers for Pike & Muskies #2/0 Head Cement Drying Streamer patterns I made up I got out a couple times here in southeastern Pennsylvania tossing lures around for muskies this year. Fishing has been slow to non existent. Water is high and muddy from all the rain. I picked up some Smallmouth bass that hit spinnerbaits. That's about it. I was surprised to get that. The water looked like Coffee. Tight Lines, Rob Valine www.RobValineimages.com
  9. Nice Fish and great shot ! I do a lot of Musky fishing in Pennsylvania. I've heard the Tiger Muskies don't reproduce in the wild. They can only be created in a hatchery. I have to wonder what the benefit is of stocking a strain like that. Maybe that's what the fish and game commision wants. A population they can control. I remember reading on the fish and game commision web sites in Pennsylvania where there were both pure strain muskies and tigers stocked in the same body of water. One has to wonder what the benefit is of that. Maybe the fish and game commision just took what was available from the hatcheries at the time.
  10. This is a recipe that I created. I'm a type 2 diabetic and have to watch my cholesterol. This is a very healthy and tasty recipe. I got the idea to use Tangerines with Trout from the Chinese who use Orange peels to flavor Orange Beef. This recipe uses the tangerine as well as the peels. I also added Almonds and chopped Garlic which are sauteed in Olive oil and Margarine. These are all very healthy ingredients. Bon Appetit ! Strobist info: Tripod mounted Contax Aria, Zeiss 28-85mm f3.3-4 lens, Tiffen 81A Warming filter, Fuji Provia 100F, tripod mounted Contax TLA360 flash on photographers right with mini softbox attachment, Studio Systems SP920MDLVP monolight with small softbox on photographers left, lighting set up in a square configuration, f16 @1/125 sec. metered with a Sekonic L-508 zoom master meter. Seasoned Steelhead fillet (Ready to Broil) The ingredients for Tangerine Trout sauteed in a frying pan. They include Tangerine sections with seeds removed, Tangerine peels, Almonds, Chopped Garlic, Olive Oil and Margarine. Sometimes I cook these ingredients right in the pan with a trout fillet. But, in this case I had a rather large Steelhead fillet which I chose to broil because it was too big for the pan. The ingredients were then piled on top of the Steelhead fillet. Ingredients for making Tangerine Trout. If it's a small fish fillet, the ingredients can be added to the frying pan. If it's a large fillet or whole fish, the ingredients can be sauteed seperately and piled on top of the fish after the fish has been broiled. Enjoy ! Rob Valine www.RobValineimages.com
  11. Thanks for the offer Ben, I don't know when I'll have time to play around with layers again. I have a lot on my plate right at the moment. Between my full time job wanting me to work overtime and writing for Creative Image Maker, I have my hands full. I got the slides back this week that I shot with the new Nikon 60mm Macro. They turned out great ! Fuji Provia 100F and the 60mm Macro work well together. I was playing around with a studio lighting set up with color gels on the background. It worked out pretty well. I still have a few more ideas about the lighting. I'm going to shoot more flies with the same color gels and add a spot with a snoot rather than using the snoot on the fly. It'll be 2 lights on the background and a monolight with a softbox on the flies. I'll try to post some of the fly photos later tonight if I have time. I have 9 rolls of film in front of me that need to be scanned ! Man, I'm backlogged. I'm heading out to pick up a fishing license. The weather in Pa. is finally starting to get nice and I'm hoping to get out and do some fishing tomorrow.
  12. My latest article in "Creative Image Maker" magazine has been posted. It is "How To Shoot Fireworks". Remember, Although this is a film magazine, The same basic principles can also be applied to digital photography. Here's the link...... http://creativeimagemaker.co.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=118 Stay Creative and Keep Shootin' Rob Valine www.RobValineimages.com
  13. Thanks for the comments on my pattern and for the tip about Youtube. I'm sure I could pick up a few pointers. I've seen a lot of really cool photography videos on Youtube. But, I never would have thought of going there for photoshop. I'll have to check that out.
  14. Thanks Al, I've been using Elements 2.0 for about 5 years. Even so, there are things I still haven't learned how to do with it. I guess I've figured out most of the things that I really want to do with it. I have some good books on it. But, I don't always understand the lingo. So, What usually happens is after reading the book for an hour or so I get frustrated and just go on and see what I can do with it. That's what happened with me using layers for the first time here. I just started hitting the buttons to see what they would do. It took me 5 hours to put 3 layers together. But, What it really comes down to is how bad you want to learn how to do it. If I want to do something bad enough, I'll keep at it until I get it right or it comes out the way I want it to. This is something I've wanted to do for quite a while. I like the idea of making composites. It's a really cool way to express a concept or idea. Well, I got out the F100 tonight and did a few shots with the new 60mm Macro. I love this lens ! It's my first real 1:1 macro lens. I know I'm going to have lots of fun with this. I shot 2 rolls of Fuji Provia 100F just shooting flies. I set up the background, Colored lighting for the background, snoot on the fly and I went at it. I shot 72 frames last week of group shots of flies and 72 more tonight of individual flies. I'll have to try to get them off to the lab tomorrow. I can't wait to see what the lighting set up looks like on the lightbox. Al, I also wanted to mention that I got my first copies of Hatches this week and I have to say it's one of the best fly fishing publications I've ever seen. Nice job ! If you ever want to run an article on How to tie my Crayfish pattern, let me know. I have all the tying steps photographed already. Best Fishes ! Rob Valine www.RobValineimages.com
  15. Thanks guys, Man, I got a heck of a pile of flies to photograph. I'm going to try to use a background with colored background lighting and multiple lights to shoot these. Much the same as would be used in a photography studio doing portraits. I'm thinking a snoot on the fly in a vise to seperate the lighting from the background and a colored background light lighting the background. I'm trying to take lighting to the next level and do something that I haven't done with flies before. I have enough of 'em to shoot a couple rolls of slide film. So, We'll see what happens. I also picked up some new macro gear that I'm anxious to try out. I got an extension tube set for my Contax cameras and a new 60mm F2.8 Macro for my Nikon F100 that I found on ebay. I'll post the results when I'm finished.
  16. I spent about 5 hours last night figuring out how to use layers in photoshop. Mostly because of trial and error and having to do everything 15 times until I got it right. I still have a lot to learn. Anyway, this is my first composite using layers in Elements 2.0. I've been tying for the past 3 or 4 weeks getting ready for fishing season. I tied a lot of big stuff this year. Streamers, Bucktails, Musky, Pike, Bass Bugs, Striper flies and a few cone head leeches. A few Bunny flies and a few more Bass Bugs and I should be good to go. I'll have to get some pictures taken to upload. I'm a film guy so this could take a few weeks to get around to it. I hope everyone has been busy tying and is ready to go ! This is the tech info on the photos - Background photo: Yashica FX-3 Super 2000, Vivitar 500mm F8 Mirror lens, Tiffen 1A Sky filter, Kodak Tri X 400, exposure F8 @ 1/500 sec. Inset photo: Contax Aria, Tamron 60-300mm F3.8-5.4 lens in 60mm Macro Mode, Tiffen 81A filter, Fuji Provia 100F, Available light exposure F22 @ 1/15 sec. The background photo is a group of fishermen fishing in Manatawny Creek in Pottstown, Pennsylvania which is in Southeastern Pa. Upon seeing the highlights reflecting off the surface of the water, I deliberately underexposed by 2 stops to produce the silhouette of the fishermen at sunset. The inset photo is a photo of a Black and Red Matuka streamer that I tied. Best Fishes ! Rob Valine www.MySpace.com/RobValine www.RobValineimages.com
  17. That's awesome ! Congratulations ! Great photography work.
  18. Nice Work Jay ! I can't imagine trying to hand hold anything that big or heavy. I usually try not to hand hold anything longer than 300mm. I was shooting birds recently with a 135-400mm Sigma and found that using a monopod is a lifesaver when shooting for any length of time.
  19. You know....... I was thinking. Maybe there's something to that anti social personality disorder thing. Because after watching that squirrel fishing video I couldn't help but think that there's something that's just not quite right about lifting a squirrel off the ground and letting him dangle by his nuts.
  20. Well Peterjay, Another option if the Trout fishing is a little slow is this .... I wonder if you need a license for this kind of fishing.
  21. I've been known to throw a few out on the side of the road. It helps that I studied 4 different styles of kung Fu. I started carrying Pepper Sparay and a stun gun after a crack head threatened to kill me and bury me in his garden. A lot of the other drivers just carry guns. Some areas are worse than others as far as being dangerous. Pottstown isn't a real big city and I feel it's safer than driving in a city such as Philadelphia. Even so, I've heard gun shots as many as 3 times in one week while driving around at night in the summer. Once upon a time I was full time and driving 7 days a week. Then I went to part time on Saturdays for extra money when I started another job. I haven't driven since Christmas. January is pretty slow. I don't know if I'll go back or not. I guess it depends if I get laid off from my other job or not. I drove 3 1/2 years myself. Just for the record, I've never electrocuted any squirrels. But, there were a few videos on Youtube that were a little too graphic for the FlyTyingforum. It seems there are at least a few people who could care less about the local game warden. One video showed a squirrel inside a feeder getting shot with what looked like a dart from a crossbow pistol. Hmm, well that was the end of that squirrel problem. Anyway, I thought some of the videos were at least humorous. Good luck with solving the problem.
  22. Here's a guy that used electricity by rigging a battery and some stuff from an electric fence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUygSwox5y8 Here's one that looks interesting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuGw1F8AvYg
×
×
  • Create New...