Last week I bought a new point and shoot camera – a Nikon S570 – so I was testing it out at the weekend and shot this portrait of my wife just as we sat on the sofa.  A little bit of Photoshop later and I think it’s quite a respectable portrait.  The camera seems pretty good although I wish it’s resolution was better on video.  If you must you could compare it with an older shot here.  Nikon S570, Aperture and Photoshop.  DSCN0015

While I was on Oceanside pier shooting surfers three groups came down for photos – 2 girls in white dresses, one in a purple dress and this one in a blue/turquoise dress.  Quinceanera is the celebration of the coming of age of a girl when she reaches her 15th birthday and is usually celebrated with as much style as the family can afford.  The dresses were all fabulous and the boys were dressed in either in navy uniforms or in traditional long pin-striped jackets with black and white shoes. This was shot over the shoulder of the professional so the pose is not quite as I would have liked, but it’s the best of the few I was able to shoot.  It was taken with my Sony a350 with the 70-300 mm lens I was using for the surfers; then processed in Aperture, Photoshop and Topaz as usual.  Other shots from California this Christmas appear on my flickr here.  DSC09774

I love this portrait photo because it is so revealing of the relationship between the two people shown.  As with any good portrait, it does not just show a picture, it tells a story about the person or persons shown.  This was shot at my son’s wedding using my standard (at the moment) Sony a350 and 17-50 mm lens and processed in Aperture with a little sharpening and noise reduction in Photoshop, Noise Ninja and Topaz Adjust.  Unlike yesterday’s image it has not been softened but left basically as out of camera.  Yesterday’s wedding photo is here. DSC00563

A rare personal photo this time – one of my son’s wedding which took place just after Christmas in downtown San Diego, California.  It was actually on top of the Hard Rock Hotel – a bit breezy but not too bad.  The weather was a little dull and overcast and the sun was setting so light was definitely an issue.  I used fill flash with this shot, taken over the shoulder of the official photographer, whose shots were much more “arty” than mine.  It’s been processed in Aperture and Photoshop, with noise removal by Noise Ninja and skin smoothing by Topaz Adjust.  It’s supposed to be high tone and romantic soft focus but my wife prefers the original!  More portrait shots can be seen on this blog here.  DSC00621

I was looking at some of last year’s photos and trying out different cropping and processing.  This shot was taken at a skateboard park in California where skaters seem a little friendlier than in the UK!  It was processed in Aperture as usual for levels, then in Photoshop and Topaz to bring out some detail and smooth other parts.  I’ve ended up with lots of detail in the rough concrete, but nicely smoothed skin on the boys.  You can see the whole set on flickr here (but without the processing).  DSC04983

Another photo of a senior lady taken at the same lunch as the previous one.  Taken with my Sony a350 and processed in Aperture, Photoshop and Topaz Adjust.  Have a look at some of my portraits on flickr.  DSC08279

This fine lady is offering red roses and must have been quite a beauty in her younger years.  I took this at a senior’s lunch and spent a little time smoothing the odd line and wrinkle using Photoshop and Topaz Adjust.  You can find more portraits on this blog here.  DSC08301

Here’s another old soldier – but quite different from yesterday’s.  This one is still in uniform and looking very smart.  He is probably the oldest soldier in the British Army – and proud of it.  Taken with a Sony a350 and processed in Aperture and Photoshop; this shot has had very little done to it.  My CCF collection on flickr is here.  By the way – this is my 200th post on this site; I started this blog on Jan 15th 2009.  DSC07450

This gentleman asked me especially to take his photo and saluted for me.  He was wearing a beret from the Glorious Gloucesters with the Egypt badge.  Taken with a Sony a350 and Metz flash gun (off camera) and processed in Aperture, Photoshop and Topaz.  Here is a search for “old” on my flickr stream.  DSC08228

Another portrait from the Senior’s lunch I went to.  Using flash and taken with a Sony a350 and processed in Aperture, Photoshop and Topaz Adjust.  See yesterday’s photo.  DSC08262