How was your 2012? What can we do for you in 2013?

Well here I am, a year later, and happy report I am still in business and didn’t cave in to the security of working for someone else. I’ve learned some great lessons along the way as well as made my share of mistakes. In fact that is one of the greatest lessons I have learned from 2012. It’s okay to make mistakes for they are great opportunities to find out what doesn’t work. Avoiding them only means you are missing out on a chance to learn something you didn’t yet know.

So in 2013 I will make more mistakes. Not because of carelessness or lack of respect for others, but simply because I will not be afraid to try things I have not done before. So here’s to 2013 and the promise of making mistakes for the betterment of our future. May this be the year we stop worrying about what we did wrong and instead reward ourselves for what we did right. See you on the other side.

Consider it a sign of things to come… FREE kids sled dog rides at Agassiz Park in Calumet, MI which is home of the CopperDog 150 Sled Dog Races. It’s a sure sign that the CopperDog 150 Sled Dog Race is in the near future when there’s snow on the ground and excited dogs pulling sleds. And of course none of this would be possible without the volunteers. Looking for a memorable experience that supports a great event in a great community? Visit http://CopperDog150.com to learn more and how you can get involved.
Video by http://DefinedVisuals.com

Men’s basketball highlights, Finlandia University vs Northland College, December 7th, 2012 at Finlandia University, Hancock, MI.
For more information about Finlandia athletics visit http://FULions.com.
For more information about Finlandia University visit http://Finlandia.edu.
Video by http://DefinedVisuals.com

Highlights of Men's Ice Hockey on November 17, 2012 between Finlandia University and Northland College.
For more information about Finlandia athletics visit http://FULions.com.
For more information about Finlandia University visit http://Finlandia.edu.
Video by http://DefinedVisuals.com.

Pediatrics TV ad produced for Portage Health.

http://www.portagehealth.org/

Highlights from the Finlandia University International School of Art & Design (ISAD) runway fashion show held on Saturday, November 10, 2012, at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock.
For more information visit http://www.finlandia.edu/11-5-12-fashion-show-is-saturday-november-10.html.

For its second annual SeeDesign seminar, the Finlandia University Jutila Center for Global Design and Business presented a multi-media, interactive installation and presentation titled “Conversations about Design” on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, at 7:30 p.m., in the Jutila Center lobby.

More information about this event is available on Finlandia University’s website via the following link: http://www.finlandia.edu/index.php?id=5476

For more information about Finlandia University visit their website at http://Finlandia.edu.

Here is one of the resulting images.

To create this look you will need a roll of white seamless paper and some remote speedlites. Roll out the paper and position it underneath and behind the product. Then position the speedlites so they shine on the paper. Then set your cameras exposure so the product is exposed as desired. Once the product exposure looks good turn on the speedlites. Then take some test images while you Increase the power of the speedlites. When the background of the resultant images turns completely pure white you are ready to go.

The image below shows the setup. I had a couple assistants hold the paper to make sure it would be completely behind the scale. The 2 speedlites are located just out of view to the left and right of the scale pointing to the paper behind the scale. We aren’t trying to light the scale, just the paper. Note the wrinkles and variations in darkness on the paper. This will disappear when I turn up the power on the speedlites.

Why does this work? Simple. When you add more light to a darker area, which in this case is the wrinkles and shadows, it eventually turns white. The areas that are already white remain white because the camera can’t record anything brighter than that. When you get this right the entire background becomes pure white.

Below is the resultant image. The front of the scale is lit by the ambient outdoor light. The paper is lit by the 2 speedlites. The result is a nice clean looking image that shows great detail.

Another advantage to this approach is that light that is directed onto the paper is also reflected forwards so any shadows that fall onto the paper from the main light source would be eliminated by the reflected light of the speedlites.

And you can do this with video you also. Below is a test video I created a while back using hot lights and a white fabric backdrop. It’s a little more tricky to do with video because hot lights are not as bright as a flash, but the principle is the same. Just remember that its the ratio between your front and back lights that will determine how white your backdrop will get (i.e. front light will need much less power than the backlight).

Apple Product Test Video from Defined Visuals on Vimeo.

Obstetrics TV ad produced for Portage Health.

http://www.portagehealth.org/