500px Best Automotive Car photographers

500px this week launched a news page regarding the craft of car photography and named in their view the Worlds top ten car photographers to follow. We are very pleased indeed and somewhat humbled to have been placed at the top of that list.

500Px wrote: “Inspired by the Follow Friday hashtag movement on twitter we started a new feature on our blog. With Follow Friday posts you can discover new, popular and up-and-coming photographers from 500px to follow and add to friends. Today we are focusing on Automotive photographers”

500px – The World Best Car Photographers Check out the pages live here

Why not come and join us on 500px

Filming in the US with Tim Wallace and Kelby Training

This week Tim and the crew started shooting a series of new training video’s in the US for Kelby Training. The crew are out in Washington and Florida for just over two weeks and its an exciting programme schedule with 3 brand new classes being completed to compliment the 4 that AmbientLife and Tim already have available with Kelby Training as well as two new in-depth face to face interviews with Tim talking through his life and what inspires him as well as a separate master class on business and how to redefine your view of your industry and your position within it.

Tim - “It’s been a really manic first week out here in the US and currently we are shooting down in Florida with pretty long days to make sure we try to stay on our production schedule, that said its been absolutely fantastic and it’s always a real pleasure to work with the crews from Kelby with some days on set and location where we do really enjoy ourselves and have a damn good laugh even though we are working flat out, true professionalism and a great team I think. I have been working with Kelby for abut 2 years now and this new series of classes were pretty much born from the successes of the first 4 that we recored. The CEO of Kelby Training, Scott Kelby, asked me a few months back to come up with a series of additional classes that would complement what we already had out there with Kelby. During this visit into the US we are recording 3 classes, Lighting a Car with just one light!, squarely aimed at those who may only have 1 speed light. We also have done a class on shooting Motorbikes, this was a really big shoot with lots of Pro lighting gear not to mention a one off customised Harley Davidson from New York and a whole heap of scaffolding! Lastly we looked at shooting Car Interiors, and this was a personal class with Scott himself, again using Pro lighting equipment and looking at just what you can achieve in camera. We have also been filming some interviews, business and personal which have had a great reception so far from those that were on set and in the control room on the days of filming so I personally am hoping that these really inspire people.
It’s been a great first week and I guess we are well on our way to completing the filming on time so thats good news indeed and even before we are ‘all set’, we have already had talking with Kelby and another series of additional classes has already been planned for 2014.”

While Tim is in the US he is also filming several interviews and appearances from Kelby’s ‘The Grid’ to other spots that will appear over the next few months. Below is a recording of his recent appearance on ‘The Grid’ earlier this week in the US were he talks in general about his work but also discusses the benefits to finding your ‘niche’ within your photography commercially.

Royal Photographic Society Lecture

We are very happy to announce that AmbientLife photographer Tim Wallace has been requested by the Royal Photographic Society to give a professional Lecture in June this year to take place at the RPS headquarters in Bath, England.
Aimed at those who not only love great car photography but also those seeking to learn more about commercial photography. Participants will gain a better understanding of light and other elements along with aspects of business and commercial work in general.
Tim talks through his life in car photography and photography as a business, working within the industry today and how he approaches the market.

2013 RPS Lecture with Tim Wallace reserve tickets here

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

As 2012 grows to a near and Christmas approaches we would like to take the opportunity to wish all our clients and our colleagues a very merry Christmas and a peaceful and fruitful New Year.
2012 has been a very eventful year for Ambientlife and has seen our company complete projects and commercial shoots around the globe as well as Tim continuing his work in delivering seminars in the UK, Europe and the US. We have seen great success from the training video’s that Tim recorded in the US earlier this year as a guest of Scott Kelby and Kelby Training and there are plans to return to the US in early 2013 to record some further classes to add to the catalogue of work available online for people to view. 2012 also saw Tim continue his work with some of our long established clients such as Aston and Jaguar as we strove forward to support these clients with their media requirements such as the exciting new ‘Aston Legend’ book that Tim is currently working on and is expected to be published world wide in 2013, and work for Jaguar to support their needs at international trade shows and motor events.

Tim - “Its been an amazing year that all started off really in the US with the launch of the video work we recored for Kelby, never one to be completely comfortable in front of a camera and more at home behind it I think, but this work has received great reviews across the globe and I am very touched and pleased that so many people have written to me since their release in February to say that these classes have really helped them understand light and look at photography in a different and new way, very well worth while and satisfying.
Its been a busy year with our automotive car work as always and we have had the addition of some pretty big projects that have stretched us at times but its all been a great learning curve in life and one that has lead us to meet some amazing people and visit some remarkable locations and places around the globe. Probably one of my biggest challenges this year has been to start work on the ‘Aston Legends’ book. I remember the first production meeting for this at Aston and at the time it was described to me as like ‘eating an elephant’ one mouth full at a time…lol
There is a huge amount of work to do as you simply don’t realise just what goes into filling a 400 page book until you actually sit down and start to plan it out but I am glad to say that we estimate that we are over 50% of the way through now and its very exciting indeed and I look forward greatly to see the completed book available and on the book store shelves, personally this is a life time goal for me and one thats been very satisfying indeed.
The year ended commercially for us in California shooting various work throughout the area and visiting some truly amazing locations such as Death Valley, LA, and Yosemite National Park. Throughout all our work it would not be possible to achieve the work that I do without the support of those that we work with and most of all my life and business partner Jess who simply is the most supportive and amazing person in her own right with her brilliant behind the scenes work on logistics and locations as well as bring the glue behind the scenes that helps keep everything together and me on the straight and narrow.
The year end is almost here and myself and Jess have taken some time out to be at our home in Switzerland to enjoy this festive period with friends and family not to mention catch up some skiing in the Alps where I hope to survive another year…!
I would like to personally wish all the people that we have met this year a very merry Christmas and a very peaceful and happy New Year as we look forward to many more adventures and challenges ahead of us.”

Profoto Sweden Interview

Profoto is a major driving force in the manufacturer of professional lighting systems aimed at the professional photographer and today they released an interview that they recently held with Ambient Life photographer Tim Wallace.

Tim talked openly about his approach to his work and lighting and also the interview contains a breakdown of the lighting that Tim recently demonstrated whilst on a shoot in the US with a Mustang muscle car, recorded for Kelby training as part of a series of four training videos that have now been launched globally and continue to receive strong positive feedback for their open approach and step by step technique.

Profoto full interview online here

Profoto was founded in 1968, in Stockholm, by photographer and engineer Eckhard Heine and photo equipment retailer Conny Dufgran, both Swedish. Their relationship started out with mr Dufgran selling mr Heine a new flash unit – that didn’t work. Annoyed with the failing unit, mr Heine went home and invented a new type of flash, with the focus on durability. Simply by walking around in Stockholm for two weeks, he immediately sold 25 units. Profoto was born – with a bang – and a few months later Eckhard Heine and Conny Dufgran launched the new Pro-1 generator internationally at the Photokina trade show in Cologne.

Behind the scenes photography – Jessica Gremaud

If you would like to watch how we worked with these cars and made the best use of our lighting then please join us online at Kelby Training where you can review and enjoy all 4 video classes, each of which is around 45 minutes to 1 hour in duration.

Kelby Training – Inspired Light with Tim Wallace Checkout our four exciting classes online here

onOne feature ambientlife

onOne Software is a company that develops innovative software solutions that make digital photography easier, faster and better. Photographers use onOne Software solutions to speed up their photo editing workflow and give their photos the professional look and we are very pleased to have been invited to have the work of Tim Wallace showcased on their global site to help inspire others.

OnOne Inpired Pro Work Tim Wallace Gallery

Video Number 4 with Tim Wallace launches in the US with Kelby

Kelby in the US this week launched the 4th and final video in the series of films that car photographer Tim Wallace created in the US with them recently. This forth video looks in depth at the post production side of car photography and takes an image from class number 3 where Tim worked in nothing more than available light and looks at how we can adjust and improve that image to really bring it to life and add some drama and impact. Tim also looks at some further techniques and talks through how he not only approaches his post production work but also points out a few things along the way that photographers should be thinking about regarding their work all the way back to the point that they are taking the image with the final edit in mind.
All the classes have been receiving excellent feedback as photographers and keen amateurs around the World follow the series on Kelby Training.

Kelby Training – Post Process For Automotive Photography with Tim Wallace Checkout our four exciting classes online here

What Scott Kelby himself had to say…

“Congratulations once again on your classes Tim, people are absolutely loving them, and so am I, big time!
I really love your teaching style, and you come across great on camera. You sir, rock!

-Scott
Your humble student

The Wallace Classes Available on Kelby

The four classes that are online with Kelby Training from AmbientLife are;

1. How to light a car using multiple lights
2. Lighting a car and shooting detail with just one light
3. Shooting cars with only available light
4. Photoshop techniques for Car Photographers.

Behind the scenes during the US filming

All of the filming took place in Ybor near Tampa Florida at a location known as ‘The Trolley Barn’, a location made famous in its use during the filming of ‘The Punisher’ a few years ago. October in Florida is still pretty hot and during our first week the weather was indeed very humid with the whole team really feeling that heat inside the barn. Our choice of cars over the term of the shooting was a Ford Mustang V6, a Dodge Challenger, and a Cadillac CTS.

If you would like to watch how we worked with these cars and made the best use of our lighting then please join us online at Kelby Training where you can review and enjoy all 4 video classes, each of which is around 45 minutes to 1 hour in duration.

Kelby Training – Inspired Light with Tim Wallace Checkout our four exciting classes online here

Pro Interview Feature with Tim Wallace in Malaysia

DLSR Magazine Malaysia publish a 10 page feature on the work of automotive car and commercial photographer Tim Wallace this week. The magazine interviewed Tim for their ‘Pro’ feature and talked with him about his background, his drive, how he approaches his work today as recognised force in the commercial photography industry and just what the story is behind some of his strong views within the industry.

Read the full interview here online

Limited H4D Ferrari Edition

Two worldwide renowned companies born from the passion of two men now collaborate in the creation of the H4D Ferrari, a limited edition of Hasselblad’s latest flagship camera. This brand new model is dedicated to the new generation of photographers looking for the ultimate image quality, and will be produced in 499 units. A winning combination, the Hasselblad H4D Ferrari Limited Edition camera will have appeal to Ferrari and Hasselblad fans who appreciate the innovation, quality and design that symbolize both brands.

The H4D Ferrari Limited Edition is finished in Ferrari’s unique color “rosso fuoco”, and bears the legendary Racing Shield. The camera, which comes with an 80mm lens, is presented in an exclusively designed and engineered box with a glass top equally labeled with the distinctive Ferrari Racing Shield. Dual layers, one for the camera, with the lens and accessories housed in a separate lower level, are lined with a soft and rich material. This striking case is housed in a special handmade case and therefore is ideal for both storage and display.

Dr. Larry Hansen, chairman and CEO of Hasselblad: “I am proud of the company’s achievements since the introduction of the newest generation of Hasselblad cameras, the H4 series, and feel very honored to be able to celebrate our success together with such a precious brand.”

For more than 6 decades Ferrari as well as Hasselblad are renowned for technological innovative solutions, passion for excellence and an extraordinary sense of style. Based upon that mutual and absorbing passion, Ferrari and Hasselblad partner in the launch of this new generation of H4 cameras.

Catch a first glance of the striking red camera model at the Hasselblad photokina booth from September 22, 12:00am where it will be displayed for all intrigued visitors. The showcase will be located at the specially designed car stage, where renowned car photographers Guenther Raupp and Roberto Bigano will perform 30-minutes Master Classes demonstrating their set-up and shooting techniques.

For Ferrari enthusiasts striving to produce images at top speed, the brand new Phocus Quick software by Hasselblad that simply sidesteps any kind of complex postproduction will turn out to be the perfect tool to “strike home”.

CS5 the new dawning…

20 years after the first Photoshop was unveiled, CS5 is launched with many new and improved features

Adobe have unveiled the latest edition of their popular image editing software. Photoshop CS5 includes new features such as Content Aware Scaling and has made improvements on older features. Also unveiling Creative Suite 5, Photoshop will be available as both a standalone programme or as part of the suite.

Press release:

London, UK — April 12, 2010 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe® Photoshop® CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended software, must-have releases of the professional industry standard for digital imaging. With millions of users celebrating the product’s 20th anniversary this year, Photoshop CS5 builds upon a rich history of innovation and leadership with groundbreaking features and performance gains that boost creativity and workflow efficiency. Packing in more technological advancements from Adobe Labs than any other release and incorporating enhancements to everyday tasks requested by the Photoshop community, the software has greater intelligence and awareness of the content within images, allowing for complex and magical manipulation in just a few clicks. Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended delivers everything in Photoshop CS5, as well as advanced tools for 3-D which address the unique needs of the video, Web, medical, manufacturing and engineering industries.

Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended will be available as stand-alone applications or key components of the Adobe Creative Suite® 5 family (see separate releases).

“The past two decades have demonstrated an amazing interplay between customers who want to push the limits of their personal creativity and a passionate team of Adobe engineers who make those visions a reality,” said Kevin Connor, vice president of product management for professional digital imaging at Adobe. “We experienced this firsthand when we posted a ‘sneak peek’ video of the team’s work on the Content Aware Fill feature a few weeks ago. It quickly became the number one viral video online, with close to 2 million views and its ‘magic’ was one of the top trending Twitter topics of discussion. This version of Photoshop has some of the most innovative and extraordinary technologies to ever come from our labs and clearly customers are already clamouring for it.”

Redefining the Image-Editing Experience

Now a native 64-bit application on both Mac and Windows®, Photoshop CS5 delivers superior tools and creative control so users can perform advanced image manipulations and compositing with ease. Revolutionary image intelligence behind Content-Aware Fill magically removes any image detail or object, examines the surroundings and seamlessly fills in the space left behind. Lighting, tone and noise of the surrounding area match perfectly, looking as if the removed content never existed. New Refine Edge makes nearly-impossible image selections possible. This innovative technology precisely detects and masks the trickiest types of edges, such as hair and foliage, while eliminating background colour contamination.

For photographers, Photoshop CS5 now offers next-generation high dynamic range (HDR) capabilities. When combining multiple exposures into a single HDR image, Photoshop CS5 preserves the full tonal range of a scene with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The new HDR Pro offers exceptional ghost artefact removal and greater tone mapping and adjustment control. With HDR toning, users can emulate the striking look of an HDR image with any single-exposure image.

Photoshop CS5 provides revolutionary tools that maximise users’ creative impact. Breakthrough painting capabilities include a Mixer Brush that blends an infinite combination of colours onto a single paintbrush tip, and Bristle Tips that offer lifelike brush strokes. Puppet Warp gives users the power to precisely reposition or warp any image element, such as straightening a bent arm in a photo or manipulating the landscape to generate a new perspective.

“Since its inception, Adobe Photoshop has been a key tool for pre-and post-production work in the motion picture industry,” said Jon Landau, Academy Award winning producer of Avatar and Titanic. “With Photoshop CS5 Extended, Adobe gives filmmakers new painting, HDR and 3-D tools that will help them push the limits of creativity. Faster performance with cross-platform 64-bit support and tight integration with other Adobe Creative Suite 5 software makes Photoshop CS5 an even more powerful tool in a filmmaker’s arsenal. Photoshop empowers filmmakers and creative professionals in virtually every other industry to turn their imagined ideas into onscreen reality.”

Community Involvement Drives Enhancements

In addition, more than 30 features and enhancements requested directly by the Photoshop community have been added to this release, including automatic image straightening, rule-of-thirds crop tool, colour picker and the ability to save 16-bit images as JPEGs. The goal of this engineering effort was to address seemingly minor enhancements that directly impact everyday workflow, but aren’t always at the top of the development list for a new release. A new customisable Adobe Mini Bridge panel is also available directly in the software for faster file browsing and management.

Taking 3D and Motion to the Next Level

Photoshop CS5 Extended includes everything in Photoshop CS5 plus tools for editing 3D and motion-based content. With new Adobe Repoussé technology, users can easily create 3D logos and artwork from any text layer, shape or mask, as well as twist, rotate and extrude designs for different looks. To mirror the realism and appearance of 3D objects, a new materials library offers a breadth of rich options, including chrome, glass and cork. Users can also enhance the appearance of 3D objects by quickly creating shadows with the new shadow catcher. For motion content, tools including paint, text and clone can be used directly over multiple frames of a video sequence with ease using single-key shortcuts.

Adobe Photoshop Family

Building upon the 20-year history of Photoshop innovation and leadership, Adobe offers a line of Photoshop solutions for every level of user. Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop CS5 Extended software are at the heart of the Photoshop family, providing unrivalled power and editing freedom. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom® addresses the workflow needs of serious, amateur and professional photographers, helping them find, manage, enhance and showcase images in powerful ways. Adobe Photoshop Elements software provides accessible tools and sharing options for photo enthusiasts. Snap-shooters can quickly and easily share and edit photos with simple gestures using the free Photoshop.com Mobile application on their iPhone or Android™ devices. Photoshop.com completes the Photoshop line providing an online photo sharing, editing and hosting resource for all.

Photoshop CS5 Pricing and Availability

Adobe Photoshop CS5 and CS5 Extended are scheduled to ship within 30 days with availability through Adobe Authorised Resellers, the Adobe Store and Adobe Direct Sales. Estimated street price for Adobe Photoshop CS5 is £548 (ex-VAT) and £794 (ex-VAT) for Photoshop CS5 Extended. Upgrade pricing and volume licensing are available. For more detailed information about features, OS support, upgrade policies and pricing, please visit www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshop/family/

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

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