PS. Remember Norwegian is my first language so please bare with me.

Links to tutorials: 

Photoshop CS6 Tutorials: 30+ New Tips And Tricks - designrfix.com

20 Useful Techniques and Tutorials of Photoshop CS6 - Lava360

Quickly Change the Appearance of Photoshop CS6 - Psdtuts+

graphicmania.com Phooshop Tutorials

Tutorials - Planet Photoshop

The Tech Game - Iris Blur Photoshop CS6 Tutorial

Photoshop CS6 Tutorials - YouTube

What's New in Photoshop CS6 Tutorials with Mark S. Johnson

Photoshop.com - Tips and tutorials + much more

Photoshop CS6 Tutorial - lynda.com

Photoshop CS6 Tutorials: Create Oil Painting Photo Effects - AnimHuT

digitalarts.co.uk article and many links to tutorial and articles

Photoshop CS6: What's New? / KelbyTraining.com

NAPP Adobe Photoshop CS6 Launch Center 

Photoshop CS6 Quick Start for Photographers-Course w/ Tim Gray video2brain.com

Adobe CS6 software training videos from Angoe Taylor and video2brainAngie Taylor

Learn Adobe Audition CS6 (download), Larry Jordan & Associates

Photoshop CS6 Essential Training/Video Tutorial from lynda.com

Image Resource Pack for Photoshop CS6 iBook - MarkGaler.com

Software Cinema- Training: Colin Smith CS6 for Digital Photographers

First Look: Photoshop CS6 Beat is dark, swif, and content aware - Macworld

Photoshop CS6 Tutroials: Create Oil Painting Photo Effects - AnimHuT

New Adobe Photoshop CS6 | adobe.com

Adobe Photo Labs

Adobe PSCS6 FAQ

Adobe Creative Cloud

To find and buy books on CS6

Photoshop CS6 books on Amazon.com

To join Photoshop Association:

National Association of Photoshop Professionals

Join NAPP  today and get a free bonus DVD

NPPA was founded by Scott Kelby and have more then 75 000 members worldwide.

To Buy Adobe CS6 Products:

Link to buy Adobe Photoshop CS6 Products

Link to upgrades from previous versions, only available from Adobe's web site until Dec 31, 2012

A few weeks ago I was teaching for PTO Phtotraing Overseas in Tunisia. They made short video clips for the introduction of the speakers. With me they picked  007, hope you will enjoy the clip it is only 1 min 24sec and fast paced. 

I strongly recoomend you click on full screen in the bottom rigth of the movie screen. I had nothing to do with choice of theme or text in this video, but thanks PTO for the kind words :-)

 I sure had a good and cold time in St.Petersbourg, Russia, what a great city, arts, ballet ....

 Thanks for spending some of your valuable time here on my blog.

Canon EOS 1Ds-Mark III with 24-70mm f.2.8L @ 48mm and f.14. 400 ISO.

This was one of the most challenging and fun shoots that I have ever been asked to do as a photographer. Photograph 5 very historic olympic gold medalists in one shot. Between all of them they have won 14 olympic gold medals. Here are their names from the left: Bart Connor, Nadia Comaneci, Dan Jansen, Mike Eruzione and Bonnie Blair. I have posted some good links to learn more about them at the end of this blog post. Since this is a photographic blog, I will mainly focus on how I did the shoot.

Did a job like this make me nervous? (Alll 5 flew into Utah just for this shoot!) Yes, but every shoot does. They were so professional, no phones going off, or phonecalls made, full focus on the shoot. 

The shoot took place on the Monday after Thanksgiving. I rented 5 Profoto D1 500 Air lamps to have in addition to all my Elinchroms. We test shot on the Saturday before. I rented extra lamps so I could have 2 lighting set ups ready to go and be max effective. As I usually do when I mix brands of lamps, like in this shot, I use one brand for the lights in front of the subjects and another behind them.

My fill light is an Elinchrom 1000ws bounced of my wall/cealing that is painted in neutral grey. Studios are mostly white but many commercial photographers like black walls. I got the idea of neutral grey from Elinchrom's own studio. The main light is an Elinchrom 600ws in an Elinchrom Octa. The placement of this light is extremly esential in this case, where I need to get an even light across a large area. The key is to use the edge of the light, the lamp is almost pointing away from them; this way I only get about 1/2 an f stop difference from side to side. The first person just gets lit by the very edge, while the person the furthest away gets lit by more of the middle of the lamp. I hope I've explained this well enough. It is an awesome way to light large areas. There is about 1 f stop difference between the fill and the main light. The image underneath shows the back lighting. All three overview shots are thanks to my friend Pete Stott who also assisted on this shoot.

We used two Profoto D1 500 Air's with strip light soft boxes from behind. They needed to be pretty far out on the sides since I used wide angle in many of the shots. Also, I had to be careful to not get light spill from them on the background. In this shot you can see pretty well how the main light almost point away from them.

Canon EOS 1Ds-Mark III with 24-70mm f.2.8L @ 25mm and f.11. 400 ISO.

This is my favorite shot of them all. I also photographed them individually along with Bart and Nadia (married) together (Nadia was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10!). I will post 2 more blog posts one from Bart and Nadia's shoot and one with the 3 skaters.

As you can see in this overview, I'm laying on the floor shooting with the 24-70mm @ 25mm. It is very important to keep the subjects lined up on the same plane. I also have them lean towards me a bit to avoid too much distortion ( see how Bonnie Blair to the right in coming forward in this overview :-)  Shooting low and involving the floor gives a cool effect, but it sure takes a studio with a large background which I'm glad I have.

If you are interested in studio photography, then I recommend you follow my studio FB page: InStudio Photographics 

Here are some links if you want to read some of their amazing stories:

Bonnie Blair:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Blair 

Nadia Comaneci:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_Comaneci

Bart Connor:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_Conner

Dan Jansen:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Jansen

Mike Eruzione: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Eruzione

Movies:

Bonnie Blair: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2089667/

Nadia Comaneci:  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0173536/

Bart Connor: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0175123/

Dan Jansen: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1139045/

Mike Eruzione: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0259942/

So many photographic magazine articles, blog posts, web images, FB posts and even weddings I see these days contain NO close up pictures where we can see lit eyes as well as details in the dress detail. So many have one or the other; in other words, good details in the dress but dark eyes or vice versa. I'm not getting into the reasons why in this article, I think you all know why a client would like to have both. ;-)  It's not that hard and I have made many blog posts on how to do it with varying techniques, but I wanted to bring it to "light" again because I feel it's so important.

I think a client deserves to see their eyes AND details in the dress. Eyes are the mirror of the soul, some say. The longer I have photographed the more I have realized that most of the expression comes through the eyes. PLEASE be professional and make sure clients also get to see the sparkle in the eyes, not just cool kissing photos off in the distance. I have choosen to pick 7 closer pictures from the same bridal where you see the eyes and still have details in the dress. No raccoon eyes. ;-) I also added some thoughts/info under each one.

Happy shooting and a very Merry Christmas! Sorry if I sound irritaded but I just feel bad for the clients, often spending thousands on a dress, make up, etc. just to not get the important details recorded well. 

Back light always works well with brides wearing a veil, especially if they have dark hair, often on blonde brides we need to put a diffusior between the sun and bride.

Try to use the flowers as a tool, create a waist line if needed, do not hide all the beautiful details on the top of a dress.

I like the flowers to be part of a portrait sometimes. They can, of course, often compete with the bride for attention but in this case I put them against a warm background to not be so powerful like they are against the dress. Also placed them to the back and side to still give a feel of the dress design.

Just loved the warm reflections in the office building. It helps to have the veil frame her face, so her skintone doesn't go into the background too much. This and the above pictures are also a good example of how I might go from 3/4 to close up on the same set up, just moving the flowers.

Just boring asphalt is one of my favorites backgrounds for bridal portraits.

I like the white building as a back ground; in this case to neautralize the dress and get more attention to the face. We also used one tungsten spot to backlight and one on her face. This gives a warmer light and different color temperature which also helps set her face apart from the rest of the picture. Happy Holidays!

Karl Lagerfeld (born September 10, 1933 in Hamburg) is a fashion designer, artist and photographer based in Paris. Here we have another super talent performing at his best at the age of 78!!!! All his pictures that I am blogging today are from 2011/2012 campaigns. You can be a great photographer as long as you live, I hope. Think about Irving Penn, George Hurell, Richard Avedon, etc.

"Karl Lagerfeld started designing in the 1950s but it is only much later that he tried his hand at photography. Legend has it that, dissatisfied with submissions from agencies, Lagerfeld was challenged to shoot the 1987 press release by Eric Pfrunder, Chanel’s image director. The designer of Chanel’s fashion collections has since then doubled as the man behind the lens for Chanel ads and corporate images. Lagerfeld admits that photography plays a major role in his life; .....“I cannot see life without the vision of a photographer anymore. I see the world and fashion through lens.”  Ritournelle

Couture Candice – Karl Lagerfeld captures Candice Swanepoel in stunning fall 2011 haute couture garments for the October issue of Harper’s Bazaar US. Styled by Andrew Richardson, Candice is diva glam in the designs of Chanel, Givenchy and Atelier Versace haute couture. Hair by Sam McKnight and makeup by Val Garland complete the sumptuous black and white image.

Statuesque Resort – The Fendi resort 2012 campaign taps Natasha Poly for ultra-bright images starring the Russian beauty with classic statues and mid-length skirts. Photographed by Karl Lagerfeld, Natasha sports a messy up-do and chunky heels with a casual elegance.

Princess Vanessa – Actress Vanessa Paradis teams up with Karl Lagerfeld for the July 2011 issue of Tatler Russia. The French beauty wanders around Versailles Palace in the delicate and elegant designs of Chanel, bringing an echo of Marie Antoinette style back to the court.

Fendi Fall 2011 Campaign ~ Muse Like – Another season, another Fendi campaign starring Anja Rubik lensed by Karl Lagerfeld. For autumn, Anja goes brunette as she plays a muse for male model Brad Kroenig. The collections mishmash of furs, tweed and knits go on display in a studio setting where Anja is as elegant as ever in languid poses.

Hope you have enjoyed looking at some of Karl Lagerfeld's recent work. Here are some links to some more info and images:

Years ago a photographer friend of mine told me a true sales example of how he perceived the value of a picture. He was at a client's home doing a sale's appontment and they reacted to his price of $85 for an 8x10. This was around 1990 and we were still shooting film. Looking over at the client's book shelf he saw an old, beautiful 8 x 10" black and white photograph of a couple. He went over to the bookshelf to have a closer look at it and said: I love this picture, it is so beautiful. I would love to buy it from you, what about $200? The wife answered: It's my grandparents and the only copy we have, so there is no way I will sell it; it means a lot to me. My friend said what about $300? She answered it is worth more than money to me. Then he said: And you think it is to expensive to pay $85 for the one of your own family?

I hope this post can put some thoughts in your mind on the value of what we do and what we should charge; we are creating so many priceless treasures for people. Let's treat our work as what it truly is, wrap it in silk paper, hold it up carefully by the edges when we show it to our clients and be respectful of the truth worth of beautiful images.

The picture above is of my parents, taken on their wedding day February 23rd, 1952 in Asker outside Oslo, Norway. It was during the 1952 Oslo Winter Olymipcs. The picture was taken by Harald Ohnstad, who was the very first photographer I worked for (in 1972). Oh, how I wish I had a signed original print of this image.

Title: "Cowgirl in the tub"  Camera Canon EOS 5D Mk II, Canon 20mm f/2.8. Light Bowens Esprit 1000ws with travel pack bounced into a Photoflex white umbrella.

Famous Norway national handbal team player Jan-Richard Lislerud Hansen photographed for his team Drammen HK's website etc. 2 Canon Speedlights 550 EX off camera triggered with Pocket wizzard TT5. No flash modifiers. Camera Canon EOS 5D Mk II. Lens Canon 17-40mm f/4.0.

Wedding picture of the year in Norway 2011. The groom is famous sculptor Nico Widerberg and his wife Camilla. The picture is taken on the way out after the ceremony with a Canon EOS 5D Mk II with a Canon 17-40mm f/2 L with a Canon speedlight 550 EX handheld on cable.

Self assignment. The image of the fish itself is bought on iStock.The waterbottle is photographed with two strobes bouncing off the wall behind the bottle. Michal blew bubbles with a straw into the water. He picked out the nicest looking bubbles and used them in this multiply layer image. Camera Sony Alpha DSLR A-900. Lens  Sony 70-200mm 2.8. 

This pictures is for the clothing company Sorbet off camera flash Bowens 1000ws with travel pack and a Photoflex softbox multidome Q39. The shoot started at 3:30am in the morning, this image is shot around 7 am in cloudy weather. Camera Hasselblad H3DII 31MP. Lens Hassselblad 50-11mm f/3.5-4.5 HC

I strongly reccomend you follow and like him on his Facebook page PHOTOSTUDIO-Tomaszewicz, link to web and blog from there. Michal also teach workshops on off camera flash photography worldwide.

I personally want to invite you to PTO's 25th Anniversary in Tunisia Jan/Feb 2012. Yes 2012 is a bit down the road but this excellent training program already have 80 people signed up. That should tell you something about the quality of their events. I'm one of several speakers and feel honored to be part of such a professional event. One week in such a beautiful place by the beach in the middle of the winter for me will be fantastic. I will teach several times during the week, but also get to learn from so many other excellent Photographers of such a high level. Check out the program and place on their website: http://www.pto-uk.com/pto2012.html and here is a link to a very informative Newsletter about the event.

Hope to see you there? One of the many things I will teach and demonstrate is my love for LED lights.

Link to the 1 gigapixel panoramic image: http://www.hdpano.no/gpweb/gigapixel_h_48/ZOpen_48.html

After you click on the link, click on the picture to move as far as you want to into it. Wait a few seconds while it loads. Then use arrows to navigate.

What is a 1 Gigapixel Image see Wiki 

In Norway we have a Photographer I just call "The King of Furniture Photography". His name is Karl Otto Kristiansen and he shoots for many furniture companies. He is so well rounded and good at many other kinds of photography both over and under the water. Check out his web page.

Over the years he has spent thousands of hours photographing and working on files and slides from this view of the beautiful city of Ålesund, Norway. I've had the pleasure on going with him to his favorite spot where these many exposures that makes up this 1 gigapixel image is taken. It's a lot of preparations, he will call companies to ask them to keep lights on their building the nights he shoots. He once showed me where he put out generators with tungsten lamps to light up dark buildings and on and on. I guess we can say he is pretty much obsessed with getting the "impossible" picture of his city and he has succeded. He had wonderful pictures of this motive many years ago, but have kept going to get it just better and better.

The link under the picture takes you to the 1 gigapixel image and you can click and scroll way into it, look and see if people are home, who is out walking etc. Simply amazing and thanks to Karl Otto for sharing his amazing work.

You can find many more beautiful images and panoramic pictures by going to his website http://www.foto-kristiansen.no/

Here is a link in Norwegian from a newspaper article about it: http://www.smp.no/nyheter/article352330.ece

I know it's exceptions to every thing, that some people have worked with Leica and 135 SLR's their whole life, but the main new thing is that curious little fascinating screen we now got on the back of our cameras.

What is the great news is creativity is up with todays technology, bust sadly expression is down, let's talk about it.

This is my friend and great photographer Devin, sporty to model this illustration pictures for me.

The way most portrait and wedding photographers worked for decades was with medium format cameras. I loved how they had the view finder where you could just look straight down and be right back at communicating with your client like with this Hasselblad. Photographers also took most of their pictures on a tripod, I often call tripod creativity destroyers, but it's absolutely some great things about them. For portrait sessions in the studio and often on location I like to use a tripod to be more free to communicate with my clients, also love a release cord, wireless or not.

Try to imagine yourself being photographed by Devin here for a minute. He is now SHOOTING you with a Canon haha. He is in full hiding from you and any eye to eye communication.

Turning the camera gives you a great view of him and the camera, love his expression BTW :-)

But here comes one of the BIG NO NO's which is one of the main points of this blog post. He goes straight to looking at the screen on the back of the camera after taking the pictures. Does he think you look funny? Well this is what almost every photographer I been observing in the digital age is doing, I been studying a lot of them working.

Start by telling your clients to not worry how they look as you are doing some test shots, making sure the light is great etc etc, get them relaxed and when your exposure color etc is right, get done with the screen for a while. Then give your main attention to the client, communicate with them, help create moments, get strong good contact.

See how much better it is when Devin is looking at you taking interest and focus on you rather then the screen on the back. What is more important then making people look good with GREAT expressions which is of course not necessary a smile which to many people measure the success of a photograph by.

PS. Let me ask you a favor, I love comments on my blog post, but I am a bit sick of people correcting my english when it got nothing with making it more understandable. English is my 2nd language and I'm sure if you don't happen to be Norwegian you rather read my bad english. I hate to write about any thing negative, but...