When Art Becomes Art-ier

We received an email today from a wonderful Australian artist, let's call her Ann, wishing to use the image from our popular Moeraki Boulders Sunrise canvas print as the inspiration for a painting.

Firstly, I applaud the artistic respect proffered by Ann in seeking our permission to work from our image - I find it really gratifying when another artist re-interprets your work especially in another medium.  Obviously, our permission was forthcoming.

This is not the first time that this image has been the framework for another artist - the image in this post shows a 1.2 metre wide mosaic by created by Invercargill artist Lyndon Coppin.  

Of course,  as a man Lyndon decided to employ the time tested maxim "it is better to ask forgiveness rather than permisssion" by approaching us retro-actively - I am not sure what he would have done if I'd said no - Hammer Time? ;-)

Moeraki Boulders New Zealand - From Fine Art Print to Fine Art Mosaic

So, we'd love to hear from you if you wish to use any of the images from sisson.co.nz as the basis for non-commercial artwork.

Cheers - Todd

Photo Details: 

The photograph was made about 5 years ago using a Nikon D2x (these days I'd use a Nikon D800 (currently in stock at Amazon!)) Nikon 12-24mm f/4G DX , Singh ray 3 stop ND grad .  I use Lexar CF & SD cards.  The image was edited in Adobe Photoshop - using three blended exposures from the same RAW file.

New Zealand Photo Of The Day | Lake Hawea, South Island New Zealand

This photo was made by my lovely and talented wife Sarah a few year's back while she was taking a well deserved photo-break from our insane toddlers (who have since grown into insane school kids).

Lake Hawea is located about 20 km from it's more famous and fancier neighbour, Lake Wanaka. I have geo tagged the post - so check it out if you are interested.

Please feel free to visit our website to view more photos of beautiful New Zealand.

Cheers - Todd

As always please ask any questions in the comments stream.

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Last of the light - Lake Hawea, Southern Lakes, South Island New Zealand | Photography by Sarah Sisson

Sunset, Kaikoura New Zealand | Free iPad Wallpaper

Red sunset clouds over the Kaikoura Coast and Seaward Kaikouras,  South Island New Zealand. By New Zealand Photographer Todd Sisson.

Thanks to the globally connected economy, I am now able to defer this week's Wednesday Wallpaper to Thursday on the basis that it is still Wednesday somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere :-)

If you are wanting to download this image as a desktop or iPad wallpaper,  you will need to grab the large version from this link:  [free iPad wallpaper] Password = freewallpaper

This photo of sunset over the Kaikoura coastline was made a couple of year's back on a very photogenic trip to Kaikoura, on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island.

For many more photos of beautiful New Zealand landscapes head on over to our website.

Cheers - Todd

Tech Wreckage: f/16, 2.5" ISO 100.  I made this on a Canon 5d mkii (I'd buy the 5d mkiii these days) and a 17-40mm f/4 zoom with a Marumi DHG Super Circular Polarizer and Singh ray 3 stop grad filter.

The 17-40mm is a fantastic (and I believe under-rated) lens. It is light to carry and has a terrific focal range for landscape.  Yes it has more distortion than a Nine Inch Nails concert but who notices it for this kind of image (it's had no corrections applied).  Did I mention that it is a bargain too - it's on sale right now at B&H, Adorama and of course Amazon.....

Nikon D800e Landscape Photography Reviews | Dynamic Range Tests

I have been playing around with some informal field tests of the Nikon D800e's much-vaunted dynamic range - I have been so surprised by it's performance that I found myself writing an article on my website that included the strapline Are ND Filters Dead?  - something I never figured that I would be writing at this point in time.

In that article I surprised myself as to how well I could brighten the shadows in an underexposed foreground from a Nikon D800e file.  I went to sleep that night quite pleased at myself for the scientific rigour that I had engendered upon that test (sad, I know) until I was wrenched from my near slumber by a thought: What about the 'over-exposed' images? Can they be brought into line with a bit of Lightroom magic?

 The answer is of course yes - look at this finished image: 

A Nikon D800e Landscape Photo | Edited image after Lightroom exposure and highlight recovery. The histogram shows a perfectly contained tonal range (see below).

Histogram and adjustments to the image -  a Lightroom grad adjustment was applied to the sky - exposure adjustment - I'm just to lazy to do a screenshot of it :-)

And here is the original image: This was shot at the camera's suggested exposure - turns out the D800's exposure knows it's limits.....

 Nikon D800e Landscape Dynamic Range Field Test | The original un-edited image - on any other camera I would have figured this image was toast - especially near the horizon

So, yet more compelling evidence that the world of landscape photography has taken yet another really big leap forward.  I can't remember witnessing such a quantum leap forward in meaningful and useable  image quality between camera bodies.  


As you can see in my previous post, the Dynamic Range capabilities of the Nikon D800/e are in a totally different league to my previous camera body, the ground breaking Canon 5d mkii. 


So are Graduated Neutral Density filters still needed? That depends, if you are shooting any other DSLR I think the answer is yes (unless you are into HDR or serious exposure blending).  If you are toting a D800/e the answer is no - not really.  That makes me a little sad, as I genuinely like my Grad filters and Singh Ray are a great company - but like my postcards, which are being purchased less and less, times change and products become obsolete as technology marches on..... 


My advice - if you want to be making the best landscape images possible for an 'affordable' price - buy the Nikon D800 (Amazon) 


 Cheers - Todd