Speed or comfort – MacBook Pro or PowerBook?

The debate on hardware never ends and I get the impression that some people are more interested in their equpment than actually going out photographing. I already see a lot of people using the new MacBooks and MacBook Pro’s, even when it can’t run Adobe aplications natively.

I was about to buy a new portable, and I started thinking: How important is it to get the latest machine? Theoretical speed is important, but most of the time we use just a little of the processor-power that is available. In Photoshop, I can see the difference when using a filter, but most photographers don’t use filters much. We don’t do rendering in Photoshop and it’s not very demanding on the graphics either.

So what do we need? In my opinion you need a lot of RAM, a good screen and a decent machine. A lot of people run their machines with little RAM and many programs running at the same time. That’s a killer for Photoshop. Personally I only run Photoshop when I use Photoshop. I newer install freeware, games, widgets or anything that can mess up my computer, and it never gives me any problems.

So, to my point: I have a G5 tower at work and a Mac Mini at home, and I hardly notice the difference. So I got the last generation PowerBook 15″ used, still under warranty and with two gigabyte of RAM for the same price as an MacBook. It’s fast, has a great screen, runs Photoshop natively and I can use all my old PowerBook accessories. For quite some time it will still be faster than Intel Macs when working in Photoshop.

I think I’m smart, but a lot of people probably think I’m stupid. Good luck wtih your new MacBook Pros!

Portfolio: Fractals

Fractals are natures own artwork. My fractals are art you can frame and hang on the wall in your home.
All my fractals are printet on fine-art heavy-weight cotton paper, signed and numbered in editions of 26.

Portfolio: Fractals

New exibition in Finnmark

The 8. of july I will open an exibition in Hamningberg church with 12 color photos from Finnmark. The pictures are a documentation of the settlement in Vardø and Hamningberg where hundreds of people have moved from their community to seek a easier life elsewhere.
What will happen to Finnmark in the future? Is oil the rescue? Do the people of Finnmark need to get the rights to fish their own fish? Who should decide? I don’t have the answers, but I know that something vent wrong somewhere and now a lot of history is about to be lost for ever.

The exibition will close medio august.

Technique: Advanced printing with Epson R2400

So finally I had to try it again, the inkjet printer. Some time ago I had a go at a couple of other Epson printers, but they both disapointed me. Getting good black and white was almost impossible, so I gave it up.

Now I got the R2400 from Epson and a pack of Hahnemuhle Photorag 308 fine art-paper. I’ve seen some great prints on the Hahnemuhle photorag and it’s really promising regarding black anf white, fine art printing.

But it really isn’t as easy as they say to get decent results. The shadow and highlight detail is a bit difficult to get right, and the setup that Hahnemuhle explained on their web-site did not work at all. So here is a good starting point:
Set up the right papersize under Page Setup…, then Print with preview. Use the Matt Paper Heavyweight both in the print-preview and the print-driver. Use no color management in the print-driver.

The prints look pretty good, but I had to make a chart in Photoshop that I use to see how the prints look in the highlights and the shadows. By examing the test-print, it’s possible to see if the highlights are clipped, or if the shadows loose detail.
Print it once with the setup described. Then ad an adjusment-layer with levels to tweak the chart before you print it again. When you can see all the different shades of black and white in the print, then you have a perfect setup. Remember the figures for the levels-adjustmentlayer and use those every time you print. You can also make this an action to make it even easier.

You can download the chart here.
All numbers are percentage of black.

This should give you great prints and perfect control over the black and withe printing process as well. In my opinion you can get as good results as the old cemical process would give you.

Photoshop column in the magazine Fotografi

Starting in Fotografi number 2/ 2006, I will write a column about Photoshop. This is Norway’s leading publication on photography, and the focus will be on useful tips on setup and practical use of Photoshop for photographers and devoted amateurs. So if you want an introduction on Photoshop for photographers, you can read my column in every issue of Fotografi from now. It will only be published in Norwegian.

Pantone vs. the enthusiasts

An interesting product has been released from the serious color management company Pantone. Mostly known for its products aimed at professionals, the company is now offering a product for calibrating your monitor at a price that suits the amateur. The Pantone Huey is worth having a look at if you need to calibrate your monitor. In Norway you get this product for around NOK 990, and this is a very good price for this kind of equipment. This is probably the cheapest way to setup your workflow for consistent colors in Photoshop.

Have a look at the Huey here.

Technique: Color management

Many people who start out with Photoshop forget about color management. This prevents you from getting accurate colors on screen and print. If you want the easy way to a decent color management setup in Photoshop, just download the file below. After you have downloaded the file, go to Color Settings and load the setup.
This is a great start for most users who don’t know much about color management in Photoshop, and it also works with Illustrator and InDesign.

You’ll find the file here. Remember to right-klikk to download the file to your desktop.

Portfolio: The old mill

I contributed to an exibition with a few old-style photographs from an old mill. Have a look!

Portfolio: The old mill

Technique: Digital pinhole camera

Did you spend all your money on an expensive digital reflex camera? I did.
And to make a lens to go with it I punched a hole in the protective cap that came with the camera and added some tin-foil to cover the hole. The tiniest needle I could find in the house made a hole in the tin-foil, and voila! A cheap lens on an expensive camera.
The results can be interesting if used right.

Here is an example:

Portfolio: Those who left

I just finished a series of 26 color photos from rural Norway. I traveled around the county photographing abandoned houses. Places that all told a story about past times and people who have left us. I focused on objects that was left behind, and that tell a story about the people who spent their lives in these places.

Read more about it under: Portfolio: Those who left.