Neon oranges | Balticus Moonfish. Product session backstage and a little post-processing preview.

I wanted to pull out a juicy orange and these neon tones came to mind. There is no shortage of interesting ones. So what do you see here? If you are curious, I invite you to read a few sentences.

I like to have a preview during the session and check the possibilities of the scene and lighting live. I connect my Mac to the tether with the Loupedeck Plus.

I did this session before I bought the Manfrotto Studio 806, and on the set you can see the Manfrotto 475B. A good tripod, but on such sessions it was up and down and it took too much time to change the setting. And my back felt it. The column 806 with a counterweight, brake on wheels, etc. is a game changer. The integrated shelf is also useful for gadgets, a cup of tea or a smartphone. As you can see, apart from tethering, I also use a preview monitor. I'm a bit of an old fart because the years fly by, new technologies, and I still like to work on the 5Ds for such subject sessions. These matrices are brilliant, and the Ds has 50MP. What more could you want? I could write about it, but I won't escape from the topic now.

Where R is needed, there it is needed, but in some matters simplicity wins. Additionally, ergonomics have become my habit over the years of work. A drop wears away a stone. It is because of the older design of the 5Ds that I needed a preview monitor when the camera is higher and I have to turn the screen towards me. Then I attach the Feelworld F6 PLUS. It works great.

The Manfrotto MHXPRO-3WG head that I used here is something that will definitely stay with me. Very comfortable to use and thanks to the scales on the knobs very precise. I know how many degrees I am changing the angle and I can return to the previous position if necessary. In addition, it has clutches on the adjustment. Simply sensational.

In the next photo from the back, a column 806. Of course, C-Stands always work as support, but they are heavy, so sometimes it is faster and easier to use something smaller, like here. This is a photo from another day in my studio, and after picking the oranges, I also took packshots as a product for my client's store website and for the needs of the stores where he distributes. Of course, I received more models and variants of these watches, but for example I wanted to show the orange version.

After collecting the material, it's time to put everything together. Focus stacking is of course the basis, then preliminary retouching, adjusting elements and cosmetics, which in such cases is easiest for me to do on a monitor tablet.

HUION 24'PRO is perfect for such tasks. It displays in 4K, so all the details are clear when working with jewelry and similar subjects. There is no parallax error for clarity. These are no longer those times.

You can see a bit of post-processing in this video, which I recorded with my smartphone while working.

In addition to working on a monitor tablet, I have been using Loupedeck consoles for years. The Plus and CT models. I can't imagine going back to the times when we only had a mouse and keyboard. I have noticed that users often get discouraged by working on consoles and are unable to implement them into their workflow. I know from experience, which also applies to other equipment, that it takes time to get used to them. Once a few months have passed and muscle memory starts working, work begins to look completely different. Productivity is important, and thanks to them, you regain time. The comfort of work is incomparably greater, which means that the focus is directed towards creativity, and not constant scanning of the screen with your eyes in search of every single slider or function. You can connect anything. For example, I operate not only with image parameters but also with Lightroom settings, system, catalogs, etc. Additionally, I can program macros that work similarly to actions in Photoshop. Color grading on sliders? Nonsense.

Let's hope that Loupedeck as a product will return to full strength and that Logitech won't kill this great concept after taking over the company. For now, there are dark clouds and the last console updates have been one drama after another.

To end the thread, I will present the results of the neon orange session. To build the stage, I used pieces of the appropriate type of plexiglass ordered to size and... to be honest, I don't remember because I'm writing this post a long time after the session.

I know that for photographers like me it's interesting to watch the workshop of other creators. You're welcome.

Maybe I'll manage to document more of the background and describe it on my website not only for others but also for myself, where after time, years, I can go back to it and see what I screwed up. I forgot one. If anyone is interested in the lens, the Canon 100mm f2/8 L. Legend. Sharp enough to cut.

I invite you to my Instagram. If I see new followers there, maybe I will be motivated to show new things, which I am usually not very enthusiastic about. Screens attacking from everywhere can be tiring. Do you want to ask me something related to the topic? Ask boldly. Leave a comment under the post. I will answer as soon as I can.