Cedricnocon.com - Blog Feed

Quick Color Sketch Work

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:41:57 PST

An Artist's Greatest Tool

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:15:19 PDT

Creatives of today are often too reliant on the promise and delivery of digital technology. Perhaps it’s easier in digital format than traditional analog media. Or maybe it’s just plain cool to create via Photoshop, Painter, Illustrator, or what ever else emergent digital graphic software are available in the market today. Most will agree that the de facto program is still Adobe Photoshop. Love it or hate, it is still the titan in computer art and design. And most will jump on a chance to complement it with an interactive stylus pen and a pressure sensitive tablet. Wacom, the world’s leading manufacturer of pen tablets and digital interface solutions, offers a range of user input devices that can effectively mimic pen and brush strokes reflective of an artist’s gestures. So it’s no surprising that I, and many other creatives, employ such device when drawing or painting in Photoshop or any other graphics software.

Well, yesterday I found myself at a creative loss. I had not planned on working at a local Starbucks café. I was merely there to relax and surf the internet pathways. (Finally, free Wi-Fi!) Much to my astonishment—I was bored out of my wits online! (How in the hell did that happen?! A real world’s first for me!) I decided to work on an unfinished Photoshop artwork. I was excited. I was anxious. “Let’s get it done and posted online,” I thought to myself. But my creative fervor was immediately reduced to a feeble attempt at completing the piece. I had forgotten my Wacom tablet at home! And I can’t even begin to express how excruciating it is to paint in Photoshop using only the touchpad of my laptop computer! Daubs of the digital brush that required varying degree of opacity, pressure, and strokes felt like a massacre to my hand. I ached and I complained, “This must be what it feels like to paint the Sistine Chapel of Rome using a timber log!” I discovered finger and wrist muscles I never knew existed!

“Aw, hell. I’m going home to get my Wacom,” I thought. I shoved my laptop back in my courier bag and prepared to leave the vicinity of brewed coffee and stressed college students. [A note to my friend, Andrew: It's pronounced as "way-com"... Not "whack-'em"... Big difference! Haha.]

At that same moment, I was approached by a mild-mannered 50-year old man wearing a cerrulean blue shirt and gray khakis. Apparently—or possibly I was just too busy fighting with my laptop’s demonic touchpad—I failed to notice the interesting napkin sketches scattered on the table two feet away from me.

“I saw your art on the computer. Are you a professional artist or a student at Cal Poly [Pomona]?”

“I work as an artist,” I replied.

“Wow, you do good stuff.” He took a sip from his latte (or coffee) and continued, “I wanted to be an artist, too. But I had to do construction work to help out the family.” He gathered his napkin sketches of what seemed like caricatures and cartoons. “See, I love to do animation. My kids… They say, ‘Dad, you should’ve been artist.’” He paused momentarily. Maybe he pondered what life would have been like had he traversed it on a different bearing. Could he have been an artist? A successful one? Perhaps an animator at Disney?

“It’s still not too late,” I reassured. “Your sketches have a lot of promise.”

With a polite grin and a sparkle in his eyes, he said, “You think so? Thanks. Means a lot. It's my passion. But gotta feed the family, you know.” He took another sip from his cup. “I wish I could do art for a living like you.”

“You’re very lucky.”

And with that, I placed my courier bag back on the table… And I pulled out my laptop again. Wacom or no Wacom, there is an artwork to complete... And a passion to enjoy. I learned something important yesterday at that café. I realized that an artist’s greatest tool… is his attitude.

Artwork Completed While At Starbucks

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:14:53 PDT

One of those rare times when I do get to finish an artwork while at Starbucks! Rarer even the fact that I did more than half of this piece using the touchpad of my laptop! (Yea, I didn't think I'd be working on anything at Starbucks. Sooo, I left my Wacom tablet at home! Just one of those daft moments.)

Enjoy the new art!

Glitter Portrait Art

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:12:04 PDT

Photoshop 5.0 using dissolve brush, airbrush, and hard brush.

Links to this artwork:

1. View actual size image

2. Closeup detail of the artwork

Portrait Speedpainting

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:36:20 PDT

Portrait speedpainting using Photoshop 5.0.

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4

Step 5:

Detail Shot:

Click to see the actual size artwork.

Rook Pinup Art Colored

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:02:41 PDT

Publisher: Beta 3 Comics
Pencils & Inks: Cedric Nocon
Digital Colors: Frank M. Cuonzo

Frank did a great job with the color work. Love the whole grit texture and realistic skin tone rendering!

Special thanks to John Metych for letting Frank and I create our own version of his "Rook" character.

Visit the link below to see the pencils and inks version of the pinup on my blog:

Rook Pinup Art

Portrait Artwork Part 1

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:40:23 PDT

Alternate Image Link

Tools:
- Pentel 0.3mm Mechanical Pencil
- HB Lead
- Kneaded Eraser
- Pentel Clic Eraser

I'm not a fan of using many tools on an artwork. So I used just one pencil throughout the whole tonal/grad process on this particular piece of work. There was a LOT of layering involved to get the deep tones.

I'll upload the finished version in the next post.

Sketch Page

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:23:07 PDT

A page from my old sketchbook — a head sketch of someone. I drew it while having a dessert and a strawberry-banana smoothie at the local shopping mall.

Lensbabies

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:01:00 PDT

LENSBABY COMPOSER

I was fortunate enough to find a Lensbaby Composer at Calumet Photographic in Santa Ana, California. I spent two days hunting for a Composer at various photography supply stores throughout Southern California. There's not enough supply for the demand! And I was too lazy − or too anxious − to order it directly from Lensbaby, Inc.

WIDE ANGLE MACRO CONVERSION LENS

I was also able to receive a free Lensbaby Wide Angle Macro Conversion Lens via a Special Offer!!! The package arrived within days of sending my free offer request! Thanks, Lensbaby Inc.! And big thanks to Kirsten Hunter!

Lensbaby Composer with Wide Angle Macro Lens - Youtube

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:01:33 PDT

Youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCNR3lz4jLI

I bought my Lensbaby Composer a few days ago. I was able to acquire a 0.6x Wide Angle Macro Conversion lens from Lensbaby at no extra cost through a Special Promotional Offer − A $59.95 value! A representative from Lensbaby contacted me the day after I had emailed my Lensbaby Composer sales receipt to them. I was told that my wide angle macro lens would be shipped immediately. Sure enough, the package arrive via postal mail 4 days after my initial inquiry. Thanks, Lensbaby!!! Love the new lens!

This was the message I received from Lensbaby:

>From: Kirsten Hunter
> Subject: Re: Lensbaby Composer and Wide Angle/Macro Conversion Lens Special Offer
> To: "Cedric Nocon"
> Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2009, 2:47 PM
>
> Hello
> Cedric,
>
> Thank you for your purchase. Your free Lensbaby
> Wide/Macro will be shipped tomorrow.
>
>Thanks again and have fun with your
> Lensbaby.
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Kirsten Hunter
> Director of Customer Happiness
> www.lensbaby.com

I'm not sure how long this offer will last. As of today, August 21, 2009, the special offer is still in effect. For more info, please read on:

Digital Photography Life, Camera Dojo and Learning Digital Photography podcast listeners who purchase a Lensbaby Composer can get a free Lensbaby Wide Angle/Macro Conversion lens ($59.95 value).

How to get your free Wide Angle / Macro Conversion Lens

Valid only for Lensbaby Composer purchases made after February 20, 2009.

1) Call Lensbaby at 877-536-7222 between 9AM and 5PM PST to order your Lensbaby and free Wide Angle Macro Conversion lens at the same time just mention you heard about the deal from CameraDojo.com

2) Or send Lensbaby:

1) a photocopy of your Composer purchase receipt (can be purchased directly from any Lensbaby retailer or through Lensbaby.com )
2) your phone number
3) your e-mail address
4) your shipping address
5) your special podcast listener code Bonus Baby!

Please send these materials via e-mail, mail or fax to:

Lensbaby
Podcast Promo
516 SE Morrison St. Suite M4
Portland, OR 97214
fax: 503-234-6040
lb@lensbaby.com

For full information on this, visit the link below:

http://personallifemedia.com/pages/lensbaby

Canon EOS T1i with Lensbaby Composer - Youtube

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:16:29 PDT

Youtube Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz90POTquUA

Last Photos Taken By My Canon EOS XTi 400D

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:12:29 PDT

Last batch of images taken by my Canon EOS Rebel XTi (400D). The camera was just recently replaced with a newer gear. The XTi has taken a lot of wonderful images − breathtaking photos that make the world seem brilliant and magical to the eye and soul. When I look back on the images, I still can't believe what the camera has beautifully captured. I mean, was I really there taking the shots?

Take for example the first photo of the fishermen in Long Beach. It was just a dreary, overcast afternoon and the world was just way too busy to care about the alluring sunset going on. When in fact, the sun was trying so darn hard to burn its rays through the thick cloud in the sky. There was one momentary juncture in time when the sun finally peered through the dark clouds and radiated what seemed like the light and glory of heaven! I was out there trying to capture the famous Queen Mary ship of Long Beach... and I just had to turn the Rebel XTi's lens toward the sky. I slightly lowered the pitched of the camera just enough to get the fishermen and the shimmering ocean in the photograph. I dialed in what my creative instinct whispered as the choice white balance and color for the scene. I slowly fingered the camera's shutter trigger button. "Sha-thomp!" The mirror flipped up, the curtains opened for an exposure, and the image was forever captured on the camera's digital sensor. Mere seconds of composure, setting, and exposure... digitized an everlasting photo of a moment in time when nature opened a bit of her soul to me.

Photography has given me a chance to fall in love with the world in a creative way.

Holga-Canon EOS Lens Photo Samples

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:03:09 PDT

The retro-looking photographs below were taken using a Holga-Canon EOS Lens mounted on a 10 megapixel Canon EOS Rebel XTi / 400D (Kiss X) digital camera.

To create your own modified Holga-Canon EOS Lens, head over to my previous web site article blog here.

How To Create A Holga-Canon EOS Lens

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:01:16 PDT

How to Create a Holga-Canon EOS Lens
By: Cedric Nocon

[ If you are reading a repost or RSS feed of this article on my Facebook or Myspace page, please click here to read the article directly on my web site blog! ]

The project: Take an existing lens from a Holga film camera and adapt it to fit and function on any Canon EOS digital camera with an EF and EF-S lens mount.

Effort Level: Easy to Medium, depending on your tools and patience.

Duration: 1 - 2 hours of your life, depending on how slow or fast you can unscrew, cut, drill, sand, and glue small, plastic items.

Tools Needed: A Holga camera, a Canon EOS camera body cap, a rear lens cap, an empty translucent (or clear) 35mm plastic film container, any kind of sticky tape, scissor, small screwdriver, Super Glue, sanding tube attached to a Dremel (or Craftsman) rotary tool, 1-inch drill spade blade, drill bit, a high-torque drill, a pair of heavy duty clamps, eye shield or eye protection, and protective gloves thick enough to prevent major cuts or scrapes.

Warning: This project requires the use of high-torque power tools and a sharp drill blade! Always take every precautionary step prior to starting the project - as well as during the work - in order to avoid any accident. Protect yourself and secure your work area! Always wear a protective eye shield or glasses. Always use protective gloves thick enough to prevent major cuts, scrapes, or wounds. Do not allow children or teens to undertake this project without proper adult supervision.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damages incurred on your camera equipment, power tools, or work area as a result of this project. If you decide to try this, do so at your own risk! Like all things in life, use your best judgment before attempting any type of work that involves dismantling, cutting, pasting, taping, and gluing.

Credit: I give credit to various photographers on the web who have successfully achieved the same experiment. I am expanding more on what they have developed to better provide detail on producing a Holga-Canon EOS Lens. I've never tried this project on a Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, or Sony camera. Given the same exact idea, raw materials, and tools, I assume it will also work with other digital SLRs. If you do get it to work on other SLRs, please shoot me an email with photos and I will post them up here on my blog.

Email: Cedric@cedricnocon.com

Introduction to Holga

Before we start on the step-by-step process, I'd like to briefly explain the big deal about Holga medium format cameras and why I'm exerting an effort in adapting a Holga lens to a high-end Canon EOS digital camera. Holga cameras are much like plastic (such an understatement) toy cameras for children. No, really! You can even say they feel like Fisher-Price toys! Tap your finger on a Holga camera body and it sounds like there's nothing inside the camera at all!

Designed and manufactured in China, the Holga brand was first introduced by T.M. Lee (it makes one wonder what made an Asian guy select a European name like "Holga") to the Chinese public around the late 1981 and early 1982 as an inexpensive consumer camera for the general public that utilized what was then the very popular and widely available medium-format, black & white 120 roll film. Holgas were used by the working-class people to capture family portraits and events. But as 35mm film format and auto-focus mechanisms became more prevalent as standard requirements on consumer cameras sold in China and, similarly, throughout the world, Holgas were gradually pushed into a niche venue with a fanatic following comprised of photographers and artists who favor soft, subjective, and desaturated imagery rather than sharp and vivid pictures produced by conventional 35mm film cameras.

Today, Holga has reemerged as an alternative camera brand with a large consumer base that continues to support the Holga derivation as well as the surrealistic photographic effects naturally created by the flaws of modern day Holga cameras. For over two decades, the Holgas have barely shown a major improvement in design and functionality. Save for a tripod socket mount or an added flash unit, the design of the camera body has essentially remained prestigiously simple and easy for anyone - including a child - to use. It is still 90% plastic as its early inception - and it is still imperfect, inexpensive, artistic, and so darn eccentric. You either love a Holga camera for its unpredictable retro effects... Or truly feel offended by its unsophisticated results.

Operating a Holga Camera

Working the camera is straightforward. In fact, even 7-year old little Johnny down the neighborhood street can successfully grasp the idea of this plastic optical contraption while simultaneously scrolling through the MP3 music menu list on his nifty iPod Chromatic. Here is how the camera is operated: Load the film in the back, crank the large film advance knob, point the camera at a subject, and push the shutter button down. Forget looking through the viewfinder. It is fuzzy and inaccurate. You can try to manage a somewhat sharp focus of your intended subject by literally unscrewing the lens from the camera body! (Talk about manual telephoto in the crudest form!) Tighten the lens by rotating it counter clockwise and you get a shallow depth of field. Reverse the process to loosen the lens and you achieve an infinity focus. But don't try too hard to obtain that pinpoint microstock photography precision. Visual effects on a Holga are best achieved with blurred and distorted focus. Remember, this is an "artistic" and "subjective" barebones camera... Not your badass Hasselblad HD3-II 50 megapixel medium format digital camera that you would normally use to photograph actress Megan Fox! (By the way, she is damn hot!)

Megan... er... I mean, Holga cameras... are notorious for incurring severe light leaks throughout numerous gaps and holes in the camera body design. Meticulously covering fissures and any where else light could enter the body with black electrical or construction tape is sufficient enough to prevent unwanted overexposure or flare on the film. But to Holga enthusiasts, doing so will deprive the camera of its true originality and artistic significance. Unique and random photographic effects reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s pictures are well-replicated by allowing light to leak and, illogically, damage the film. After all, you do not buy a Holga for clarity and precision. The faults make the camera quite useful as a creative tool! As Bob Ross, author of The Joy of Painting, always said, "We don't make mistakes,[sic] we just have happy little accidents."

Project Step-By-Step

The process is divided into three (3) major sections each containing multiple steps to follow:

Section I: Dismantling the Holga Camera

Section II: Hacking the Lens Unit, Canon Mount, and Vignette Cap

Section III: Crafting the Lens Extension

Section I. Dismantling the Holga Camera

For this project, I used a Holga 120S camera. I imagine the process will be more or less the same for other Holga camera versions.

The first several steps are basic dismantling work. Do not exert too much testosterone and brute force. The camera breaks down easily using a small screwdriver. There are three (3) things to remember when taking apart the camera:

1. The shutter mechanism is located in the plastic shutter module and it is held together by two small screws.

2. The shutter module is connected to the camera body via two small screws.

3. The lens unit is connected to the shutter module by one long screw.

Step 1: Separate the Shutter Module, Shutter Mechanism, and Lens Unit from the camera body.
Pull open the rear film load cover.

Unscrew two (2) small screws inside the camera located above and below the rear exposure window. Doing so will separate the shutter module, shutter mechanism, and lens unit from the camera body.

On the Holga 120S, there is a yellow electric wire connecting the shutter module and shutter mechanism to the flash hotshoe. There is no need to cut this wire. (Don't worry, this contraption is not a ticking time bomb and you are not James Bond!)

Step 2: Remove the Shutter Mechanism from the plastic Shutter Module.
Remove two (2) small screws that hold the actual shutter mechanism to the plastic shutter module.

Step 3: Remove the Shutter Module from Lens Unit.
The shutter mechanism covers a small screw located underneath it. (You may need a long-nosed screwdriver to reach the screw buried deep within a small hole on the interior of the plastic shutter module.) Now, just twist the lens unit off the shutter module. It's that easy! (Okay, this is the part where I accidentally dropped the lens. Luckily, the darn thing is made of plastic and I have carpet flooring!)

Your dismantled Holga camera should look like the image below:

Section II: Hacking the Lens Unit, Canon Mount, and Vignette Cap

Warning: Before attempting the steps below, make sure you wear a protective eye shield or glasses and a pair of thick gloves. Properly clamp the items down on your work area before cutting or drilling. Using a high-torque power tool on a hard plastic surface can cause the power tool to viciously slip off your hands. Brace yourself and your equipment!

Step 1: Sand or shave off the bottom bevel edge of the Lens Unit.
To keep dust, plastic shavings, and other crap from getting inside the lens, I highly recommend covering the pinhole on the lens unit with some kind of tape. (It's real bitch to clean the inside of the Holga lens unit!)

Using a sanding tube attached to a Dremel (or Craftsman) rotary tool, shave off the bevel edge on the bottom of the lens unit. In doing so, you will be sculpting a flat bottom that will sit flushed with the Canon mount.

Step 2: Drill a hole on Canon Mount.
The Canon mount I'm talking about is a Canon EOS camera body cap. You don't need an authentic Canon body cap for this project. Inexpensive covers are available on Ebay.com. (Now, contrary to what I just said here, I did use an authentic Canon cap! I just have waaay too many covers lying around the studio office. And no, I'm not selling you one. Get your own, buddy!) Clamp down the body cap on a solid work surface/area. Using a 1-inch drill spade attached to a handheld, high-torque drill, carefully... VERY CAREFULLY... drill a 1-inch hole through the body cap.

Okay, so the way I did it isn't perfectly round. Laugh it up, buddy. Let's see you do any better!

Now test fit the lens tube on the body cap by inserting it through the 1-inch hole. Make sure the lens unit is flushed with the body cap.

Step 3: Increase the size of hole on Canon Mount.
With the same sander rotary tool, carefully increase the diameter of the opening by an extra millimeter. Later you will be gluing a lens extension made from a 35mm plastic film container around the Holga lens tube. Thus, you will need the opening on the body cap to be wide enough to accommodate the added material. The trick is to have the opening big enough to fit the lens unit with the plastic extension, but it should not be too large whereby dust could easily enter through the oversized hole. Got that?! Okay, moving on...

Step 4: Crafting the Vignette Cap.
You will need a rear/bottom lens cap. (Not the snap-on front lens cap!) This will be your new vignette cap that will have to be handheld over the Holga lens unit. Using a drill bit, carefully pierce a small hole at the center of the rear lens cap. The size of the hole depends on how small or large you want your vignette to be.

Section III: Crafting the Lens Extension

Step 1: Cut the plastic 35mm film container.
Now grab an empty 35mm plastic film container and make a clean cut with scissor from top to bottom of the plastic cylinder. Measure ¾ of an inch section of container/cylinder and cut out that section. That piece will be your lens extension. (See images below for reference.)

[Note: The purpose of the lens extension extracted from the 35mm plastic film container is to provide a make-shift push/pull telephoto zoom for your Holga lens. However, I highly suggest keeping the lens extension at ¾ of inch or even less. Any longer and your camera mirror could strike the lens extension and cause damage to the mirror unit.]

Step 2: Glue the Lens Extension to the Holga lens unit.
Take your spiffy lens extension and glue around the inside lens tube of the Holga lens unit. For this job, you will need Jedi powers and the service of Super Glue to hold the damn thing in place. Alternatively, using a rubber band will work, too! (I can't tell you how many times I almost glued my fingers together on this part of the project! Then again, I was never good at arts & crafts.)

Step 3: (Optional) Sear the edge of the Lens Extension.
This portion is completely up to you. I decided to melt the edge of the lens extension with a handheld cooking/barbecue lighter.

This produced a clean, rounded edge... Not to mention firmly integrating the lens extension together. Neat, huh? Plus+ rep points for me!

Okay, so I lied. The real reason was Super Glue was not doing its job. It's probably because I kept fiddling with the thing and, as a result, the glue had dried before it could hold the plastic together. So, I asked myself, "What would MacGuyver, the A-Team, or Martha Stewart do in this dire situation???" A-ha! A thought, a whim came to mind! The solution was to employ a pyromaniac technique: Start a fire and melt the plastic so it bonds firmly in place!

Hey, we all took chemistry class (and failed) back in high school, right? Thermal heat causes mass to contract. Oh yeaaahh, baby... we're going scientific on this project!

Step 5: Final check.
You have gone this far, buddy. We're almost done. Hang in there. No one likes a quitter! For this final stage, make sure you have the soundtrack to the movie Conan the Barbarian... or the opening theme song to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe... playing in the background! Grab your custom-made Holga lens unit with the lens extension... Firmly grip that modified Canon mount with your other hand... and slowly insert the Holga lens unit through the opening on the Canon mount. Make sure the hole on your Canon mount is wide enough. Cut and adjust if necessary.

As both pieces of power transform and merge into your official Holga-Canon EOS Lens, take a deep breath and really feel the primordial force of the great universe flow from your legendary body... surge through your heroic arms... and onto your epic new toy. Do you feel energized... revitalized... immortalized? Congratulations, you have mastered the art of ghetto lens making! You are now ready to be a photography PVP god! You deserve a cold, dry beer for your efforts. Hooah!

Holga-Canon EOS Lens mounted on a Canon EOS Rebel T1i / 500D (also called EOS Kiss X3 in Japan).

Using the Holga-Canon EOS Lens

Using the Holga-Canon EOS Lens is much like operating a Lensbaby — except with one hand. But for those who do not have a darn clue as to what I'm talking about, here's how to do it in two (2) simple steps:

Step 1: Place the vignette cover over the Holga-Canon EOS Lens with your left hand. Use your left index finger to keep the vignette cover from falling off.

Step 2: With your left thumb and your left middle finger (yes, the one you use to flip off other drivers when road raging), slide the Holga-Canon EOS Lens in and out of the camera body to achieve a desired focus/blur effect. Overexposure warning: Do not pull the lens completely off the camera body! You'll get nothing but snow in your images. Make sure you do NOT cover the vignette hole with your left index finger like I did in the photos! (Oops!)

Coolness Factor: Keeping the same hand and fingers positioning, slide the lens halfway out of the camera body and rock it left-to-right as you take a photo. By shifting the lens left-to-right, you are allowing light to gently leak through the lens extension. This will create random, funky image flare and mild overexposure effects reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s era of film photography. (Oh, and it also makes your photo seem ancient!)

Cedric's Exposure Tip: Since the translucent lens extension replicates a Holga light leak in your camera body, I have found that compensating for the light leak by setting your digital camera to slightly underexpose the shots will result in a more natural and balanced photograph. Also, the Holga-Canon EOS Lens provides better aberration effects when the sunlight or light source is directly to the left or right of the lens.

I'm open to hearing more about the Holga-Canon EOS Lens. If you have found more ways to enhance the process or have adapted a Holga lens to a different brand of digital SLR (Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax, etc) using this type of process, please shoot me an email and I will post it up here on my blog. Photos taken by your Holga-Canon EOS Lens are welcome, too!

Email: Cedric@cedricnocon.com

Don't let it all end here. Once you have your Holga-Canon EOS Lens up and working, try getting creative with it by incorporating filters, screens, or any object that will boost the eccentricity of the lens!

Okay, I'm getting way too tired typing all this crap. I will upload sample photos I have recently taken using the Holga-Canon EOS Lens mounted on Canon Rebel XTi / EOS 400D (also called Kiss X in Japan) digital camera. I'll post the link on my blog soon and re-link it on this article as well!

Goodbye Canon EOS D60

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:10:09 PDT

I recently sold my Canon EOS D60 to a local camera shop. It was my first digital SLR and the very camera that has made me fall in love with the Canon EOS digital line. Prior to this, I used an old Minolta SRT-101 film SLR that was given to me by my father. (The camera was manufactured and sold in the same year I was born!) The Minolta taught me aperture and shutter techniques — albeit in a very frustrating and highly expensive way. (Each roll of film wasted due to blurred photos or incorrect settings stacked up to a lot of money!) I have to admit, I lost interest in photography many years ago due to the slow learning curve in using film. Primarily, I didn't have access to a darkroom and the wait time incurred by commercial film processing at a local camera shop made the education seem stubbornly sloooow. Receiving the processed photos then discovering my mistakes, was purely frustrating to bear. (Ofcourse, I didn't have much patience back then. Haha.)

With the Canon EOS D60's digital processing, I was able to view my mistakes immediately and correct it accordingly. No more waiting 1 hour (or 24 hours) for film processing! Bad exposure on a particular shot? No problem! Chimp the LCD screen, delete the photo, and retake the shot. I love you digital technology! The D60 was my first digital SLR and even at its humble 6 megapixels image quality, it has taken a lot of amazing photos.

I'm not sure how much shutter actuations I have on it. Probably around 30k - 40k. But the camera was well worth its value and service. I would definitely recommend it to people new to digital SLR. It's still a barebones camera with no fancy bells and whistles like a custom multi-AF points, auto image illumination, easy picture modes, etc often found in newer dSLRs. The D60 challenges the user to rely on old school aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering techniques coupled with good lens combinations. You don't even have Live View and so all shots have to be taken through the viewfinder. (No real-time chimping of the screen. Haha.)

Overall, the Canon EOS D60 is a great camera for beginners and hobbyists. There's not much of it floating around used market venues. A good alternative is Canon EOS 10D or a Canon EOS 20D. Anything above those tend to be very pricey. However, between an oldie Minolta SRT camera or the D60, I will still take a Minolta over the digital camera. Why? Possibly for nostalgic reasons... or it could be that I feel the Minolta still has a lot to teach me about traditional photography techniques and skills. Same principles that apply to digital art and illustration: First learn to draw and paint the traditional way.

Click on the link below to view a previous blog entry with photos taken by the D60:

Long Beach Dusk Photos @ Cedricnocon.com

The Canon EOS D60 manual:
(Note: I forgot to give it to the camera shop! Oops!)

My D60 with the battery grip:
(Excuse the photo, it was taken with my cell phone cam.)

A sample image of the D60's rear panel and controls:

Whats in My Bag - Photography Gear

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:03:12 PDT

My general walk-around camera gear and bag.

Direct Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0Bh_N_8foc

ShutterVoice - Canon EOS Utility Voice Control

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:20:30 PDT

ShutterVoice is a voice control camera software for Canon EOS Utility and Microsoft Windows OS.
Developed and distributed by Scott Forman, this unique speech recognition application gives Canon EOS digital SLR owners the ability to control the camera through various voice commands!

Highlights of this amazing software include:

Shutter release activation without the use of a Remote Shutter Release cable
Live view auto-focus control via voice command
Aperture & shutter settings adjustments
ISO setting adjustment
EV compensation adjustment
Metering, white balance, and temperature control
AF points, Grid, and Historgram view through voice command
Image rotation and zoom functions

ShutterVoice works by adapting to the Canon EOS Utility and utilizing Microsoft Speech SDK 5.1 and Windows API system technology on Microsoft Windows operating system. It is compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista. Live View mode on the camera must be enabled. The software is robust, fully customizable to your voice instructions, and inexpensive at just $30! A download trial can be obtained at http://www.shuttervoice.com.

Click on the image below to see ShutterVoice's customizable settings:

See the software in action in the videos below:

Or click on the links below to watch the video directly on Youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9VYmB9mqCc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpLBy4-WXE4

ShutterVoice by Scott Forman.

My Story - Canon EOS T1i 500D Kiss X3 Video

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:57:50 PDT

A short love story clip showing off the new Canon EOS 500D / Rebel T1i (USA) / Kiss X3 (Japan) Digital SLR camera. Rather than concentrating on the camera product, the film focuses on the romance between a man and woman from the point of their marital engagement to their first child. I love the storytelling approach and visual creativity of it!

And yes, I got the same dSLR camera as in the video! Yay! Going to try it with a new 50mm prime lens.

From Canon's web site:

The EOS 500D incorporates the same advanced technologies commonly found in high-end models, such as the 15.1-Megapixel CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 Digital Image Processor and a host of advanced image optimization functions. In addition, it comes with full HD movie recording capability of the highest resolution at 1,920 x 1,080 together with the new 3-inch 920,000-dot Clear View LCD, assuring the expanded creative imaging exploration.

New 15.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor with DIGIC 4 Image Processor for faster processing of fine detail and natural color reproduction, 14-bit A/D conversion for smooth color tones and gradations.
Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution with HDMI output for HD viewing of stills and video.
Live View Function for stills (Quick, Live and Face Detection AF modes) and video.
3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots/VGA) monitor with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings for improved viewing and smudge protection.
Auto Lighting Optimizer for superior highlight-shadow control.
Wide range ISO setting 100-3200 (ISO expansion: 6400, 12800).
Creative Auto goes a step beyond auto allowing control over frequently-changed settings.
Compatible with over 60 Canon EF/EF-S lenses and most EOS System accessories.

Full HD Movie Shooting, Fully Expands Creativity Boundaries

Benefited from its outstanding image processing technologies, the EOS 500D offers high quality full HD movie recording function which can record full HD movie at 1,920 x 1,080 resolutions. A dedicated movie recording mode is newly developed and placed at the Mode Dial. Simply turn to that mode for quick and convenient movie recording.

Apart from the capability of recording full HD movie at 1,920 x 1,080 resolutions, the EOS 500D also offers the flexibility to record movies at 1,280 x 720 (HD) or 640 x 480 (SD) resolutions to match with different needs for convenient archive or post-production. Featuring H.264 codec in high compression ratio, the MOV format movies retain high image quality with file sizes much reduced. The maximum duration of each movie file shot by the EOS 500D is thus the longest in its class with up to 12min for Full HD format and 18min for HD format.

The movie recording function in EOS 500D also enables new levels of creative expression through its unfettered access to the complete line of more than 50 EF Lenses, ranging from fish-eye, macro to super-telephoto. Fabulous effects like keeping the main subject in razor-sharp focus while blurring the background beyond recognition or magnificent images of exaggerated perspective by ultra-wide angle lens can be easily achieved.

HDMI Output

To allow easy and instant sharing of your high quality images or movies on large-sized HD screens or TVs, the EOS 500D provides HDMI output terminal for convenient direct connection to HD devices.

From Digital Photography Review:

"Fast processing, fast focusing
Canon’s DIGIC 4 processor drives continuous shooting speeds of up to 3.4 fps in bursts of up to 170 JPEGs**. Using Canon’s wide area AF system – which features 9 individual sensors, including a central cross type point with a high precision sensor for f/2.8 or faster lenses– makes capturing split-second action sequences possible.

DIGIC 4 works in conjunction with the CMOS sensor to deliver exceptional noise reduction and 14-bit image processing for smooth gradation of tones and natural-looking colours. In addition, DIGIC 4 enables the ultra-fast start-up times and near-instant image review after shooting that photographers demand. "

Portraits of a Pianist

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:48:51 PDT

Model: Cara Kim, Pianist
Photography: Cedric Nocon

Photos Taken On July 12

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:12:31 PDT

Sunglasses B&W Photo

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:58:03 PDT

Model: Cara Kim
Photography: Cedric Nocon

Project Lemon Splash Photos

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:43:24 PDT

Just add water...

All clean and done.

The Setup:
Photographed outdoor using a shaded garden area as a backdrop. Main light was the angled 4pm sunlight. A reflector was used to fill-in the shadow areas on one side of the lemons — and to bounce the light back on to the water splash/drops where it would have normally disappeared in the black backdrop.

A 100-300mm lens was used. Focal length was at 300mm.

Sunset Over A Pond

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:26:39 PDT

I couldn't resist passing up this particular scene at Cal Poly Pomona University farm area. The sunset over this murky pond yielded wonderful sparkles on the textured water surface.

[Note to Self: I really should start geotagging my photos from now on.]

Beautiful California Sunset Photos

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:43:12 PDT

Yesterday was one of the most breathtaking sunset I've seen in a while. The colors of the sky was absolutely vibrant! I was reminded of the Japanese anime movie Voices of a Distant Star (ほしのこえ Hoshi no Koe), by my favorite animation director, Makoto Shinkai. Looking at the dramatic sunset, it was as if I was living in one of his artistically-acclaimed movies.

The low ceiling of the clouds confined the yellow-orange sunset to a low portion of the sky. It acted as a wall that separated the warm tones from the cerrulean blues of the higher atmosphere. This was truly a rare sight to behold. Sadly, this beauty lasted for less than 20 minutes. Night quickly embraced the sunset glow.

I'm darn proud of the photos mainly because I didn't have a tripod with me at the time to compensate for the camera shake at slow shutter speeds. Haha. I agonizingly carefully hand-held all the shots! (Clap! clap!) This was one or more of those times when I had a camera with me, but had not intended to take dusk/night photography. (Doh!) I was driving home when I saw the sunset view from atop Pathfinder Road (in Rowland Heights, California). I immediately pulled over and took the photos.

No photoshopping or camera filters were used. No animals were harmed during this phototaking.

Skateboarding Event Photos

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:57:10 PDT