De'Unique Empire Studios

A growing Empire of the Arts

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Sharpness and Light

Shooting wide open isn't the sharpest aperture.  Yes, it may be sharp where you want it, but if you want something so sharp it'll cut you then if your lenses' max aperture is 2.8 then it should be normally F/4 and if you have a 1.2 to a 1.8 then F/2 for 1.2 and 1.4 and I think F/2.8 for the 1.8.  And for people with variable f/3.5-6.3 I find my lens to be sharpest at F/9 on down.  

Now remember that's for the sharpest picture not the brightest.  For the brightest you gotta know the exposure forumla.   Which is ISO + shutter speed + aperture = exposure 

Although you should think of it more as a triangle since if you increase the ISO and nothing else when you already had a correctly exposed photo, what you will get is a brighter photo.  So be aware of the changes you make to your settings so you get what you were looking for.   

Now to bring in the beginning statements I made together.  Yes we all love that milky and creamy background that 1.2 and 1.4 gives us, but you gotta know whens not the time for that. Which would be  moving subjects, you can try but more than likely there will be reshoots and compromises if you're not too careful. So, to avoid this just set the aperture lower so it'll be more sharper and just change your settings accordingly to have the exposure you want.

 I think I'm trying to make up for some lost time with this post I kinda feel like this is all over the place.

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It's Been Some Time

Honestly since the last post I have been constantly at work (at Dollar General) and while yes I had off days whether it was just one or if it was two or more I still used excuses to be lazy.  Not only that but, just kept telling to myself and my girlfriend reasons why I couldn't do my photography professionally

(even though I actually can now and at the time)

just because I don't have the cool expensive lenses even though I have more than enough knowledge to just do it now and then some. Honestly, my only reason for that thinking is flexibility (laziness) and creativity and for the computer equipment that was and is an actually need but like the nice lenses, I just use it to keep me hindered.  Now I'm changing that, small things and I things that I can manage without a computer then everything esle. 

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Secretary Blog: Plans for the Podcasts

It is no secret that De'Unique has big plans for the future. We are working hard to push towards making a podcast for all of our viewers and friends on Periscope and our website.

The podcast will cover vast arrangements of the arts such as, poetry, visual media, film and even paintings.

But we will make sure to appeal to every eclectic taste we will even discuss world news and intriguing innovations in electronics and science. 

If you want a sample of what a conversation with De'Unique sounds like here are some fun and hilarious conversations we have at work.

Movies:

Our Topic Choice (My FAVORITE) Suicide Squad-

https://www.periscope.tv/w/1BRJjkZkXjRxw

Technology:

Unboxing/Programming Amazon Fire Kids Edition

https://www.periscope.tv/w/1lPJqAXnOZZJb

Sometimes the convos end up going completely opposite of the title but for the main part we love to talk to you .

Catch you guys on the internet side.

~Secretary 

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Reasons of the Lenses

I like both ZEISS and Sigma.

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​Because Zeiss is of great quality, well respected, and fully manual.  Whereas Sigma is the same but it has auto focus on its side. I love to photograph people and animals, normally you can place me with other portrait photographers and when I photograph people in controlled settings then I would prefer the ZEISS lenses over Sigma since I now have time to make and get the shot. On the other hand I like to take candid portraits which would something like the Sigma Art lenses since they have auto focus and try their very best to compete with ZEISS. Another reason of why I'll take Zeiss is since I want to make videos and movies, their lenses have a larger focus throw at a portion of what I normal cine lens would cost, except for the 85mm f/1.4 Otus that I want at over $3,000.  The only other lenses that I want will be a Nikon 24-70 and 70-200 for focal reasons, unless one of the two companies create a fast lens along those focal lengths ​

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Time Needed

It has been done time since I was last doing business stuff and business-related stuff.  Thats because I get easily lot into whatever I do, and so I'd rather get lost in my art and passion than something I constantly stress over.  And now I have returned.  I have been renting lenses and shooting with them to get a test of what I want to officially buy later down the line. Lenses such as the ZEISS milvus 85mm f/1.4 or the Sigma 85mm f/1.4. Both of these lenses and definitely on my list of things to buy, I'll explain on the next post where I'll be getting into my choices for specific focal lengths and what I tend to shoot.  

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Google wants to cover your home with a “WiFi-Blanket”

Google has now unveiled its wifi network system and made it avaliable for pre-order

“Most of us have Wi-Fi at home, but don’t think much about how it gets from the service provider to our devices.” –Google

Google is making sure you know they are a force to be reckoned with. Their new product the Wifi-Blanket is not an internet router but more so a wifi "Mesh" for your network. You have problems with your wi-fi connection in certain areas of your home or office, this will be the product for you.

When going in-depth about how we get WiFi, Google then points out key things that make viewers understand our their wifi “acts” funny even though we just increased the data speeds like two days ago. Or why we pay forty dollars extra for what seems to be the same internet quality.

Now things get interesting when they say that it can be ressolved by replacing these traditional Wi-Fi routers with “Points” to create a blanket of Wi-Fi that can cover an entire house if you have enough. All that fancy talk means that you can say goodbye to weak signals and say hello to total 100% coverage with this blanket of wifi. With these points you can now have the fastest speeds possible since this device has “Network Assist” — Google intelligence that manages complex settings behind the scenes and makes sure you have the fastest connection possible.

Network Assist works in the background as a switch for the wifi band, the wifi point you are on depending on location, and the channel you are on, if congested (causing those slow speeds we all truly hate). In other words if everyone is online and hogging up all the connection, Network Assist will allow the speed to stay in high quality. When changing rooms you will be automatically be switched from one point to another in the background.

There is also an app that can be downloaded to help make this a very, very useful device. The app can limit its speeds for a particular user, makes guest logins much simpler, prioritize a certain user for the fastest speeds period. As well as powering off the point(s), slowing down, and quickening up the speed. When you connect your home to Google Wi-Fi they you can control other home amenities such as lights or security. 

Now, sure "What does have to do with artists?", you may ask. Well for a sketch artist the answer is nothing, but for a digital artist this is a tool for transfering files. The Wifi Blanket is also great if you are a student who needs to stay connected, then you will have the “Perfect Wi-Fi”, as described by Google.

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Who Ever Wanted to Role Call Their Gear

GearEye - The Ultimate Gear Management System

GearEye is a smart gear management system for on-the-go professionals. GearEye enables you to manage your equipment with help in: organization, tracking, and enabling you to always have everything with you. "GearEye is a game-changer for anything from the smallest messenger bag to the largest camera suitcase. "—GearEye

This is basically a management system that makes sure that you have all of your needed gadgets before leaving a location. As they said, you can organize your things into groups for different occasions, performroll calls to make sure that you have everything, lastly, if something is missing it can located through the GearTag you placed on it.

How It Works

GearEye tracks your gear and lets you know if something that should be there isn't there. If something is missing it helps you locate it within it's range ensuring you don't have to keep replacing equipment. 

 GearEye uses tiny, inexpensive, battery-free RFID adhesive GearTags as tracking devices for your gear. The GearTags can be apply on almost every surface, so that you can tag all your equipment. The GearEye app also provides additional functionalities, such as customized lists for any specific work project, so that you’re always prepared for any job. 

*Note this can be used with basically anything not just photo equipment.

 The company has 1,028 backers and has made $168,499  pledged of $60,000 goal with only 39 days to go.

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About That

The Tweet Feed tab of the website doesn't actually show for mobile users. This does seem to be something out of my hands for the moment but the issue will be resolved in time.  

*Podcast is coming soon*  

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Monday Blog Day

Hey Guys Madame Secretary here.

De is busy looking for relevant and interesting news articles for the Empire's newspaper Due's News. I should be looking for articles of my own, but I was wondering if there are topics that tickle your minds or things you would like us to cover. I personally love learning about new gadgets and about new apps that make my phone my best friend.

We are trying to cover the Arts, Technology and Gadgets. Most of what we will write about will go towards books, art pieces, and De loves Apple.  

You can shoot us an email at: [email protected]

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Updates

Taking new routes and ideas to still make a lot of content but to do it in more of organized matter to make it easier.   

I have recently gotten a promotion at work so I'll start to see an increased check around the Friday  after next.  This is important since I'll be able to now pay bills and still have money to rent new lenses to get sharper photos and then I can start updating other cores of the website.  

Bloging has changed tho, main number of two per week and possibly three sometimes.  It will take effect next week since it was discussed on Saturday of last week.  

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It's official

The Empire is now on Apple News and some of its content will be seen only in Apple News, I strongly urge everyone to follow De'Unique Empire Studios News Channel for all of the content.  

Meet Your Camera's New Buddy - De'Unique Empire Studios News

https://apple.news/Almq9TVVORbuvfOVyattLcw

This is my first article post on there and more will be posted and also stay tuned here since there will be news posted here but remember that not a lot of news will be on the website 

 SO REMEMBER THAT IF YOU WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THEN BE A PART OF APPLE NEWS

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Meet Your Camera's New Buddy - De'Unique Empire Studios News

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Know What's Best for Your Lens and Camera Combo

If you don't know what's the best aperture for sharpest photos in certain settings and you only shoot wide open then you may be doing it wrong if the goal is sharp photos.  Even though shooting at F/1.2 or 1.4 is pretty cool to look at when done right it isn't the sharpest tho, it is the fastest.  For most good and well crafted lenses the area is between 2.8 to maybe f/4 (2.8 for the 1.4, maybe).  For my lens personally I need to be at f/14 with miniumum items in the background. That is my settings for the aperture when I'm taking most of my shots of myself and for  candids I stay in between f/9 to f/13 and I do use flash when shooting. I learned this when shooting multiple items at different apertures.

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Sorry for the Absence

Currently I am working on more updated collections for things for sale and I am still working out the kinks for the upcoming D.U.E.S. News 

In the upcoming days I plan on also updating the Portfolio hopefully

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Just the Tips-- Steady Aim

When shooting period you always want to be steady to get clean and sharp shots.  My way to be steady is to think and act like a sniper. When I say that I mean take a deep breath and stop breathing just before you fire the shutter button to hold still. Do this would help for less vertical movement while firing and while doing this it would help by bringing the camera closer to yourself to better stabilization since this would start to make your camera more of an extension of yourself. Technically making you into a tripod or a monopod depending on the situation and your best stance possible. Another thing to keep in mind is the reciprocal rule for less motion blur. The  reciprocal rule states that your shutter speed should at least your focal length. So say you're at 105 mm then your shutter speed should be at least 125th of a second or 1/125. If anyone hasany other rule or suggestion for steady aim then please leave a comment down below please.

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Following Up

When ever you make arrangements for a job or plan shoots with others that are scheduled months or weeks ahead of time then you do everything in your power to follow through with that plan. This can be said and done with long term goals. Doing this isn't just a good trait but you can also delevop trust and be a pretty dependable person because of it. 

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Be Prepared

So I ordered a Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 from Borrow Lenses, but later found out that I forgotten some information for my address and ended up needing to get a full refund. And this was for a gig tonight since I know that the lighting was going to be terrible for my lens since it can't handle low lighting. But I have lights that I'm bringing with me to the banquet so, what I'm saying is that because I know how to use the lights that I have I can use them to my advantage to help my lens see better and increase my aperture to around f/16-22 to make sure that the photo is as sharp as it can be.