Category: VSCO Film

Fujifilm X100S Photography Photography - Fujifilm X100S Photoshop CC San Francisco/California Stages Street Photography Topaz VSCO Film

All the World’s a Stage – and Sometimes You’re On It!

Post author By Scott Loftesness
Post date December 26, 2013
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Earlier this summer, I picked up a Fujifilm X100S – a street photographer’s delight. The rangefinder design, its gorgeous styling and superb image performance make it a camera you just want to take with you everywhere.

When Doug Kaye and I go out for a photo walk in San Francisco, we’re always on the lookout for “stages” – great backgrounds that are just waiting to be filled with interesting people.

This is a shot in the park adjacent to the Transamerica Building (“the Pyramid”) in San Francisco. We had rich summer morning light flooding in along with some wonderful shadows – which help add depth to an otherwise two dimensional image. We also had four actors already on stage – nicely spread out! And then this woman walked across the foreground – wow, I couldn’t have scripted it any better – as she made her point to her friend on the other end of that pink cellphone call!

For this version of the image, I used a touch of Topaz Simplify in Photoshop CC to reduce some of the high frequency elements (trees) in the image. VSCO Film Velvia 50 was used to boost the colors a bit. A final pass of high pass sharpening was used to bring back the facial expressions of all of the actors!

Good fun!

iPhone 5 Lightroom Photography Photoshop CC VSCO Film

Down the Line at China Camp

Post author By Scott Loftesness
Post date December 20, 2013
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I’d heard of China Camp – but never been there. It’s a great spot – on the bay side of San Rafael in Marin County – with some wonderful places to shoot.

This is an image I shot with my iPhone 5. Post=processed using Lightroom 5 with VSCO Film 04 and then Oil Paint filter in Photoshop CC. I love how the painterly effects play with the water and sky in this image.

Marin Headlands Photography Photography - Canon 5D Mark II VSCO Film

A Look Back at the Marin Headlands

Post author By Scott Loftesness
Post date December 18, 2013
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottloftesness/11445105283/player/

I went back tonight looking for holiday images from years before. Instead, I stumbled across this image – taken on December 17, 2011 – 3 years ago yesterday – at the Marin Highlands.

On that lovely Sunday, Doug Kaye and I met at Rodeo Beach, explored that amazing area and then headed up the hill to the headlands. While we were fooling around, I caught him taking this shot of me.

What might be different today is that we’d both be using different cameras. In this shot, he’s shooting with one of his big Nikon DSLR’s. And I’m shooting with my Canon 5D Mark II with the big 70-200mm f/2.8L lens on it.

Fast forward three years – I’d be shooting with my Fujifilm X-E2 and, most likely, Doug would be shooting with his new Sony Alpha A7. We wouldn’t be able to detect much difference in our images – in fact, they might be even better.

So much for my search for holiday photos tonight. I’ll try again tomorrow!

Fujifilm X-E2 Lightroom New York City Photography Photography - Fujifilm X-E2 VSCO Film

55

55 – I think it’s 55 East 65th Street in New York City! Just across from the amazing Daniel.

Shot with my Fujifilm X-E2, post-processed in Lightroom 5 with VSCO Film and Photoshop CC.

Fujifilm X-E2 Lightroom New York City Photography Photography - Fujifilm X-E2 VSCO Film

That Brownstone on E 65th Street

Post author By Scott Loftesness
Post date December 16, 2013
1 Comment on That Brownstone on E 65th Street

As we were walking to dinner, I came across this shot – that amazing window with the light behind, the fall color in the trees and a walker.

Shot with my Fujifilm X-E2. Post-processed in Lightroom 5 and VSCO Film 04.

Fujifilm X-E2 Lightroom Photography Photography - Fujifilm X-E2 VSCO Film

Such a Drag

Sometimes you see amazing things when you’re walking with a camera in your hand.

On this Friday morning, I was walking over to the Pierre Hotel to participate in a panel discussion at a bankers’ conference. As I walked up Fifth Avenue, I came across this shot. Sneaking a drag in such a beautiful spot. I suspect they’re oblivious to the big issues of banking we were about to discuss. In the moment.

Shot with my Fujifilm X-E2 with the 14mm Fujinon lens. Post-processed in Lightroom 5 with VSCO Film 04.

Fujifilm X-E2 Lightroom New York City Photography Photography - Fujifilm X-E2 Photoshop CC Topaz VSCO Film

Hailing a Taxi on New York City’s Madison Avenue – Fujifilm X-E2

Post author By Scott Loftesness
Post date December 16, 2013
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Taxi Hailer on Madison Avenue - New York - 2013

Here’s another shot from our pre-Thanksgiving visit to New York City. We were walking up Madison Avenue to dinner. Something friends have always told me – be sure to turn around and look back – came into my head. I did – and here’s what I saw. Love the scope of this image – from the guy on the left with the garbage can to the taxi hailer and then on to the FedEx truck on the right.

Shot handheld with the amazing Fujifilm X-E2 and post-processed in Lightroom 5 with VSCO Film 04. Adjusted a bit further in Photoshop CC using Topaz Simplify 4 to reduce detail on the buildings in the distance to keep the eye down at street level. Click on the image to see a larger size version.

Ah, New York City in the fall…

Fujifilm X-E2 New York City Photography Photography - Fujifilm X-E2 Photoshop CC VSCO Film

Ah, that Upper East Side – Fujifilm X-E2

Post author By Scott Loftesness
Post date December 15, 2013
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Just before Thanksgiving, we were in New York for a special weekend – and the holidays are a great time to be in New York.

I had my new Fujifilm X-E2 along and captured this image as we were walking up Madison Avenue to dinner. It’s a classic shot on this street – with the wonderful blend of architecture in the buildings juxtaposed with the storefronts, the fall colors in the trees and the lights.

But, I got lucky (well prepared?) with this shot – there’s a biker coming on the left side, the couple in front of the ETRO store are clearly “checking in” – and they probably belong to that big black SUV over on the right side sort of parked up near the fire hydrant. This is one of those images with a lot going on – it’s fun to explore. Click on the image to see a larger version for exploring further! Might make a great jig saw puzzle too!

Shot with my Fujifilm X-E2, post-processed in Lightroom 5 using VSCO Film and finished up (with a touch of sharpening) in Photoshop CC.

Photography Photography - Canon 5D Mark II San Francisco/California Stages VSCO Film

Smokey Joe in San Francisco’s Chinatown

Post author By Scott Loftesness
Post date December 11, 2013
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This is an image from last year – shot with my Canon 5D Mark II on a photo walk in San Francisco’s Chinatown with Doug Kaye.

I love the gestures of the people in this image – and that guy with the cigarette who I’ve coined as Smokey Joe!

This is a classic example of finding a “stage” – setting up across the street with the camera – and waiting for something interesting to enter the frame!

Post processed in Lightroom 5 with VSCO Film.