Following the success of the HDR evening, co-organiser of the Nikon Owner South Coast Group, Adrian Cochrane has kindly offered to lead our May meeting on the subject of Close-up and Macro photography.


Adrian says:

"I do not profess to be an expert but hopefully I can offer a few helpful hints and tips. I will be giving a short talk on close-up photography which will be followed by a practical session."

This will be a unique evening which will specifically focus on close-up and macro photography, one which will provide you with the opportunity of finding out about various techniques as well as putting that information to practical use.

There will be several set-ups in the room to use to make it possible for you to try your hand at close-up photography, as well as at least one laptop with a tether, running Nikon Camera Control Pro2, enabling you to see the results immediately. Please bring your camera and a flash unit if you have one.

Venue


The Duke of Wellington
36 Bugle Street
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2AH

Telephone no. +44 (0)23 80339222

The Duke of Wellington is situated in the centre of Southampton, about a 20-minute walk from the railway station and located close to ample parking available at the nearby shopping centre. Visit their website for more details.

Click here for map

PLEASE NOTE:

There is a £2 cover charge per person attending to cover the cost of the hire of the room.

If you are planning on coming along please post a reply on the Nikon Owner Message Board here and let us know if you will be ordering food on the night so we get an idea of numbers to let the landlady know. Additionally, please arrive by 6:00pm to place your order so that dining can be completed before the presentation and practical sessions can begin at 7.00p.m.

As the Introduction to Colour Calibration held last year was very well-received and many of the attendees requested a full seminar on the subject, Grays of Westminster are pleased to announce The Definitive Colour Calibration Seminar by Michael Eleftheriades on Saturday, May 7th, 2011 at Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX.

The seminar will comprehensively demonstrate the procedures and settings for calibrating Nikon cameras, monitors, lenses and printers and how to manage colour-profiled workflows with consistency and reliability. Attendance at the introductory evening is not a prerequisite.

The presentation will be given by Michael Eleftheriades, Nikon Owner London Group Coordinator. He says, "Like most of us, I found the myriad of options daunting and I was never in control of my camera's colour or the printing process, which usually ended in disaster. After many years of experimenting I finally began to 'see the light' and started to be in control of my workflows with predictable and controllable results. My aim in this seminar is to demonstrate my key rules and processes so that attendees can benefit too".

The event will end with a prize draw to win a SpyderCube (White balance tool), LensCal (Lens calibration tool) and Spyder 3 Express (Monitor calibration tool), kindly donated by Datacolor. Darren Sharpe, Product Marketing Manager for Datacolor at Computers Unlimited, will also be on hand to answer any questions and to provide a special discounted pricing offer.

The seminar will take place from 2.00 p.m. until 6.00 p.m. The cost of the session will be £155 with a special price of £95 if you are a current Nikon Owner subscriber, and includes afternoon tea. To book, please email your full name, daytime mobile and landline to Gillian Greenwood at: gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk If you are also a Nikon Owner subscriber, add your user name /subscription number to the email. There are limited places available, so do book as soon as you are able to in order to avoid disappointment, and please be kind enough to reply by email rather than by telephone.

'Colour Calibration - from Start to Finish': Seminar Agenda

The aim of the seminar is to provide attendees with the technical knowledge to calibrate their equipment and to be able to colour-manage their workflow successfully from acquisition to print.

Part 1: General Principles

• Colour Theory
• What are Colour Spaces & ICC Profiles?
• Bit Depth; 8, 16 or 32 bits?
• How Resolution and Pixel Size are interrelated
• How to set up your applications

Part 2: Calibrating your Nikon

• Recommended settings for your camera
• Getting the right exposure
• Determining the White Balance under any lighting conditions
• Colour Calibrating your Camera
• Camera Tips & Tricks

Part 3: Lens Calibration

• Why calibrate
• How to check your lenses
• Setting up your camera to use the calibration

Part 4: Monitor Calibration

• Why Monitor Calibration is important
• The right settings for your display
• Gamma and White Point explained

Part 5: Printer Calibration

• When do you need to calibrate your printer?
• Printing papers explained
• How to calibrate your printer
• Print Settings & Rendering Intent
• RGB and CMYK Profiles explained
• Printing workflows using Adobe Photoshop (or Elements) including Camera RAW
• Advanced printing using a RIP (raster image processor)

Part 6: Putting it all together

• Demonstration of colour-profiled workflow from acquisition, manipulation, to printing

About Michael Eleftheriades

A Nikon Owner subscriber since 2002, Michael is an architect and photographer who fuses his particular passion for architecture, virtual reality, computer graphics and photography in the creation of large-scale panoramic imagery.

Michael had been photographing virtual reality scenes using Nikon film cameras since 1986, and subsequently moved into digital usage and implementation with the launch of Nikon's Coolpix range in 1998.

He has exhibited his photographs at three exhibitions in London and lectured on panoramic creation to wide acclaim in the UK, Europe and the United States. When not photographing, Michael directs the efforts of Media Synthesis, a media development and consultancy company established in 1993, and is responsible for virtual reality tours and interactive exhibits at many of the UK's leading museums, including the Maritime and Natural History Museums.

Michael also created the virtual tour for Grays of Westminster and has been the Nikon Owner London Group coordinator for the last two years.

Travel Information


Travelling to Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX: the nearest underground station is Warren Street, but please do make sure that it is open – it is occasionally closed on a Saturday – if so, Goodge Street station is a good option.

Nikon Owner Subscription

If you are not already a Nikon Owner subscriber, you are welcome to join Nikon Owner at the same time to receive the benefit of booking the seminar at the lower price.



Standard Annual Subscription - special price: £59

• 1-year Subscription to Nikon Owner
• 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
• Nikon Owner magazine, a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers benchmark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images
• Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
• 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
• 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
• Special trips and events
• Discounts on events and training sessions
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

Silver Subscription - launch price: £129 (normal price: £179)

• 2-year Subscription to Nikon Owner
• 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
• A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
• Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
• Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
• 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
• 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
• Special trips and events
• Discounts on events and training sessions
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

Gold subscription - launch price £349 (normal price £450)

• 5-year subscription to Nikon Owner
• 5-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
• 2-year warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
• Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list)
• A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
• Special offers to Gold subscribers throughout the period of subscription
• A signed copy of Grays of Westminster - In the Company of Legends, or if you have one already, a Nikon Magic Lantern Guide of your choice
• A Grays of Westminster umbrella (in store only)
• Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
• Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website which includes forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery
• Gold subscription card
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
• 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
• Special trips and events
• Substantial discounts on training sessions organised by Grays of Westminster, including Mike Maloney’s Workshops , Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Training Sessions, Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars and Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses.
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

The D5100 offers a new creative perspective thanks to its improved Vari-angle screen, special effects mode and full (1080p) HD Movie. Additionally, Nikon UK is proud to introduce a new stereo microphone, the ME-1. Specifically designed for D-SLRs, the new microphone allows you to record movie clips in high-quality stereo sound without picking up AF-noise.


I AM THE NIKON D5100. I am new perspectives. With a large, high resolution vari-angle monitor, full HD movie shooting, 16.2 MP CMOS sensor, EXPEED 2 image processor, up to 6400 ISO for detailed pictures in low light conditions, and new special effects mode. I am full of creativity. iamnikon.co.uk



Unique viewing angles
The D5100 features an improved Vari-angle LCD screen. The screen now opens horizontally for greater maneuverability, even when using a tripod. This freedom of movement adds unparalleled creativity when using Live View, allowing shooting from virtually any angle. You can also view pictures and movies in more detail on the high resolution (approximately 921k-dot), 7.5 cm (3-in.) wide-viewing angle monitor.


Superior image quality
The DX-format 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, delivers rich colours and fine detail for both pictures and movies, whilst the powerful image-processing engine, EXPEED 2, maximizes the performance of the sensor for exceptional quality. Adding to this the D5100 has an expanded ISO range from 100 to 6400 (can be raised to 25600 at Hi 2) to further help capture brilliant images in challenging light conditions.

ME-1 Stereo Microphone
The new Nikon ME-1 Stereo Microphone (sold separately) is designed specifically for DSLR videography. Featuring a gold plated 3.5mm input jack ergonomically positioned for eye-level use, and robust build quality, it is suitable for professionals and enthusiasts alike.


The microphone's vibration reduction design almost eliminates the pick-up of auto-focus noise and the switchable Low-Cut Filter reduces low frequency wind noise not blocked by the included wind screen.


Both the Nikon ME-1 Stereo Microphone and the Nikon D5100 will be available at the end of April 2011. The D5100 is available to order as a body only option or as a kit with the 18-55mm VR lens.

Heather Angel, the internationally renowned wildlife photographer, has been the recipient of a large number of awards and prizes from all over the world for her widely acclaimed lectures, writing and workshops. In addition she is a regular contributor to the worldwide photographic press and the distinguished author of 60 books. Heather Angel is an enthusiastic tutor of wildlife and nature photography, and these world-famous workshops on Saturday 23rd July, 2011 at Saint Hill Manor have become part of the photographic calendar. They are perfect for both the newcomer and experienced photographer alike. The schedule for the day includes lectures, demonstrations and the chance to handle and use a large range of new Nikon camera equipment and the range of Think Tank camera bags. Her workshops regularly attract visitors from all over the U.K., Europe and throughout the world.

Please note that Nikon cameras and lenses will be available for you to try out during the day, but do bring your own gear - macro lens, long lens, flash and tripod - to get the best from the practical sessions

09.15 Registration with coffee and tea served on the terrace of the Manor.

10.00 - 11.15 Heather Angel Creative Digital Outdoor Photography

Using images from the natural world Heather will show how Nikon digital cameras have enabled her to get some shots, which would have been impossible with film. She will show comparative shots taken with available light and after modifying it to enhance the subject, which will be relevant to the afternoon session. Heather will also show how enhanced depth of field is possible with 3-D macro shots by using focus stacking. Multiple exposure digital images created in-camera are possible to achieve on only some Nikon cameras; however, it is also possible to produce multi-exposure images from any camera by shooting individual shots and combining them using a software program.

Copies of Heather's books will be available this weekend.

11.15 Break for mid-morning refreshment: tea, coffee, mineral water on the Terrace.

11.45 - 12.45 Nikon Total Imaging System - John Clements

Regardless of your choice of Nikon camera, you need to know how to achieve the best from it using Nikon optics, plus Nikon Speedlights and software; so the NTIS will be fully explained. In a live shoot environment, using Speedlight illumination inside, John Clements will demonstrate how to create images to using the Creative Lighting System and in camera options to cover various genres of natural history photography, explaining every step of the way from taking the initial image to the end result. As our example images are shot, they will appear on screen. John will then talk through as he fine-tunes and improves upon them in camera. Each vital camera feature - from focusing and exposure with many other considerations - will be detailed and exact settings explained during the shoot.

Maximising the Jpeg?

Jpegs - working within a limited time frame, Jpegs allow a speedy way to go straight to print when all aspects come together.

Maximising your image quality?

NEF Raw files - using Nikon Capture NX2 and John's broad experience of post-capture techniques to generate imagery to professional imaging standards.

During the event John will use the Nikon WT-4 Wi-Fi system, the Creative Lighting System and components of the Nikon software system.

John Clements is a professional photographer specialising in digital photography, as well as consultant and trainer for a number of photographic companies, such as Nikon UK. He has written extensively for leading photography magazines and currently writes on a monthly basis for the BJP (British Journal of Photography), Practical Photography and PC Pro.

13.00 Lunch

14.00 onwards there will be a choice of four sessions. You may attend them all or be selective. Please note that Giles' Photoshop session will be aimed at different levels as the afternoon progresses. The sessions are outlined here with details of each below.

14.00 - 16.15 Practical Macro session with Heather Angel inside and in the garden
14.00 - 16.15 Outside Practical session with John Clements
14.00 - 16.30 Photoshop Techniques with Giles Angel
Outside Practical session with the Birds of Prey and Flying Falcons and Julian Ford - time to be announced

14.00 - 16.15 Practical Macro session with Heather Angel inside and in the garden

An opportunity to get to grips with macro photography in the field. Heather will demonstrate how to use natural light and especially how to modify it to get the best possible light by reducing the dynamic range. This is done by modifying natural light with a reflector, a diffuser (or both) or by using a portable soft box. If you have a macro lens, do bring your own. This is a great opportunity for you to gain instant feedback on composition and lighting from Heather. If the weather is wet, we will works indoors with a still life session using window light, flash, a light box, a light tent and fibre optics.

PLEASE BRING A MACRO LENS, TRIPOD AND FLASH



A few Micro Nikkor lenses will be available to borrow from the Nikon stand. Indeed, these workshops are an excellent opportunity to handle and try out Nikon equipment before making a purchase.


14.00 - 16.15 Outside Practical session with John Clements

Following on from his morning presentation, John with continue to explain how to get the best out of the Nikon Total Imaging System; this time — weather permitting — using available light outdoors.

Outside Practical session with Flying Falcons and Julian Ford - time to be announced

By popular request, the birds of prey are back - ideal subjects to achieve stunning action images - both as stills and HD video with the latest DSLR Nikon cameras!

14.00 - 16.30 Photoshop Techniques with Giles Angel

Giles is a professional photographer and digital retoucher. The start of this session will be pitched at the beginner and will move onto more advanced and specific techniques as the afternoon progresses.

• Introduction to a colour managed workflow
• Editing your images using Adobe Bridge
• Workflow in Bridge (editing, renaming, applying raw corrections)
• RAW v JPEG
• RAW conversion tips & techniques
• Simple colour correction / variations
• Introduction to adjustment layers
• Levels - adjusting colour balance
• Preparing images for print and the web
• Precise colour correction with adjustment layers
• Replace colour
• Black and white from colour
• Masking
• Solarisation / colour effects
• Content aware scaling
• Panoramic stitching and panoramic head gear. Photo Merge (to create panoramics) in CS3/ CS4
• Dodging and burning selective areas (CS4 comparison)
• Shadow and highlights tool
• Combining different raw conversion exposures using masks
• Editing masks using paint brushes and gradients to make selective exposure and tonal adjustments
• Working with mask and adjustment levels with reference to levels and curves
• Selectively correcting areas using masks
• Pseudo HDR. Working with multiple adjusted raw files (Single) image and using masks to selectively
• Introduction to HDR

16.15 Afternoon Tea and Coffee or cool drinks served on the Terrace.

16.45 Practical Session with Heather Angel

Heather will demonstrate various gadgets for aiding outdoor photography and demonstrate how she works in the rain.

17.00 Workshop closes

18.30 Dinner at the Manor. A special thank you dinner to all those attending our workshop has been organised by Grays of Westminster and the staff of Saint Hill Manor. This must be arranged in advance.

Booking details:

The ticket price includes refreshments, lunch and the evening meal, and costs £245.00 (£185.00 for Nikon Owner magazine subscribers) per person for the day. The workshops start at 9.15 a.m. and run until 5.00 p.m., followed by dinner. Book online here! or call Gillian Greenwood, Events and Training Coordinator between 2.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. on 020 7828 4925 or 020 7828 8971 Monday to Friday if you are not a current Nikon Owner subscriber to find out how you can receive the £60 discount.

Take out a subscription to Nikon Owner and find out how you can benefit from a number of special offers during March

Grays of Westminster presents
The Definitive Panoramic Workshop by Michael Eleftheriades

Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX Saturday, February 26th, 2011

For a number of years, Grays of Westminster has presented and hosted a number of comprehensive photographic seminars and workshops.