Forgotten Roman Goddess #2

This is a slightly softer, Fresson version of an earlier post, using a film effects preset I developed for Nik Color Efex Pro based on Fujichrome 1600 film.  I'm considering new interpretations of my antiquity shots using this process.  As an experiment, I tried to use Lightroom 3 Beta to generate the grain and film characteristic curve to imitate the Fresson look, but the control just isn't there yet.

Technical: Nikon D700, Nikkor 50mm f1.4G, ISO 800, tungsten WB, f/2.0 @ 1/250s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.6, Nik Dfine and Nik Silver Efex Pro.

Artemis Running, Detail #8

Returning to my favorite statue, here is a slightly different detail of Artemis Running, processed as a faux-Fresson.  This is from a series I shot with a 180mm, flattening the perspective quite a bit.

Technical: Nikon D700, Nikkor 180mm f2.8 "Leni Lens", ISO 1600, tungsten WB, f/4.0 @ 1/400s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2, Nik Dfine and Nik Color Efex Pro.

Roman Face Study #2, St. Louis Art Museum

I keep returning to shoot to this ancient Roman bust at the St. Louis Art Museum because it just feels so iconic.  This time, I'm giving our old pal the faux-Fresson treatment and I'm very happy with the result.

Technical: Nikon D700, Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-f4 in macro mode, ISO 400, f/4.0 @ 1/60s, handheld, manual focus.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.6 first, then in Nik Color Efex Pro to create the Fresson sytle.

Roman Athlete Detail #1, SLAM

Another face from antiquity, name forgotten, but likeness surviving 125 generations so far, this is a detail from a Roman athlete statue at the St. Louis Art Museum.  I'm running out of local antiquities!


Technical: Nikon D700, Nikkor 50mm f1.4G, ISO 1600, f/4.0 @ 1/100s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.6 to adjust white balance, crop 1x1 and apply my variation of Mike Lao's "300" develop preset.

Running Artemis Study #7

The St. Louis Art Museum keeps moving this statue, providing me with opportunity to shoot from different angles under different lighting conditions.  At the time of this capture, Artemis was parked in a very dark corner and I was shooting on a Friday night.
Technology: Nikon D700, AF Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-f4, ISO 3200, 56mm @ f/8.0 @ 1/50s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5 to adjust light balance and exposure, then edited in Nik Silver Eftex Pro for monochrome conversion.

Forgotten Roman Goddess #1

Sitting in a quiet corner of a museum, a clearly once proud goddess's timeless marble beauty has seen some rough centuries as her divinity faded and was eventually forgotten.  I played some impressionist camera tricks here, like tilting the camera to suggest a bowed head and adjusting contrast to emphasize texture and make the watchful eye go dark.
Technical: Nikon D700, AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4, ISO 800, f/2.0 @ 1/40s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5 to adjust color, contrast, crop and apply a preset that I think makes old marble glow when printed on Epson Exhibition Rag paper.

Solarized Roman Torso #2

After trying several variations of producing the Sabattier Effect by digital means, I think I've settled on one approach that I like and produces consistent results.  The subject here is a male torso from Rome.  It feels like an updated Man Ray or Lazlo Moholy-Nage.
Technical: Nikon D700, AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G, ISO 800, f/2.8 @ 1/90s.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5 to correct exposure, color and camera preset, then edited in Nik Silver Efex Pro to apply a custom style I created that I call "Antique Solarization III".  Now that I've taken the trouble to create a custom style that I want to use in the future, I guess I'll have to buy the product.

Solarized Egyptian, Apology to Man Ray

An 10th Dynasty Egyptian figure subjected to the "Antique Solarization" custom style in Nik Silver Efex Pro.  The effect is very much like a print from solarized film, a technique used by Man Ray.
Technical: Nikon D700, AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G, ISO 800, f/2.0 @ 1/50s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5, then edited in Nik Silver Efex Pro to apply the custom style, blue filter and coffee stain effects.

Roman Torso Study #9

Roman marble torso from ~ 50 BC, at the Art Museum.  
Technical: Nikon D700, AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1.4G, ISO 400, f/2.0 @ 1/60s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5 to adjust color and contrast.

Classic Roman Profile

This is a detail of a marble bust from about 100 AD on display at the St. Louis Art Museum.  I'm still experimenting with Nik Silver Efex Pro.  I've become a big fan of the "Dark Sepia" setting combined with the Ilford HP5 Plus film setting.
Technical:  Nikon D100, AF Nikkor 50mm f1.8D, ISO 800, f/2.0 @ 1/90s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5, grayscale conversion in Nik Silver Efex Pro.

Roman Face Study #4

From about 50 AD this amazingly life-like bust looks like a character actor from the 1950s, but I can't place the name.
Technical: Nikon D700, Nikkor 50mm f1.8G, ISO 800, f/2.8 @ 1/45s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5 to crop and apply a develop preset I've created to give stone a uniform tone and emphasize texture.

Roman Female Bust #1, SLAM

A remarkable specimen from the antiquity collection at the St. Louis Art Museum, this small bust is dated from 200 BC.  I subjected the original image to much torture.
Technical: Nikon D100, AF Nikkor 50mm f1.8D, ISO 800, f1.8 @ 1/200s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5 to crop and adjust color temperature, with further editing in Nik Silver Efex Pro to apply the dark sepia preset and apply the Ilford HP5 Plus film profile.  I'm using the 15 day free trial and must say that I'm very impressed with the results.

Egyptian Bust #1

Study of an Egyptian bust dating from about 1300 BC.  I've almost have enough of these to mount an exhibit.
Technical: Nikon D700, Nikkor 50mm f1.8G, ISO 800, f/2.8 @ 1/45s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5 to crop and apply a develop preset I've created to give stone a uniform tone and emphasize texture.

Roman Male Head Detail #1, SLAM

Rummaging through some older shots from the St. Louis Art Museum, I came across a number of pictures I took in the antiquities section.  I remember shooting this Roman bust from a number of angles, trying to deal with the missing nose.  For my aesthetic, confronting the problem head on usually works best.

Technical: Nikon D100, Nikkor 50mm f1.8, ISO 800, f/2.0 @ 1/160s, handheld.  RAW file processed in Lightroom 2.5 to correct color, do a bit of dodging and burning, and apply my version of Mike Lao's 300 preset.

Bust of Hygia, 300 B.C.

I've been meaning to shoot this bust for years and the opportunity finally presented itself.  Nikon D700, ISO 200, 105mm f2.8 Micro Nikkor, f/3.3 @ 1/350 second.  Processed using Lightroom 2 to adjust color and crop.

Marble Torso Study #2 - Phantom of Liberty

I find this work one of the most intriguing pieces in the St. Louis Art Museum.  It just dawned on me that I've been admiring this statue for more than 50 years, making it perhaps my oldest friend!  Nikon D100, ISO 800, 50mm, f/1.8 @ 1/80s.  Cropped and color corrected in Lightroom 2.

Buddha Bust #5 - St. Louis Art Museum

Bust of Buddha from the St. Louis Art Museum. Nikon D100, ISO 800, 50mm, f/2.0 @ 1/40s. This is my fifth version of the statue.