LEICA ELMAR 50mm f/2.8. Sample image. NEW: LEICA ELMAR 50mm f/2.8 Review.
Selected by allansjackson
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Ken Rockwell
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21 November 2009, Saturday
20 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm -
20 November 2009, Friday
19 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmDxO Optics Pro 6 I just got off an illustrated conference call with DxO in Paris. The new version 6 of Optics Pro is out for WIndows, but the Mac version won't be out until next year. DxO Optics Pro is software that perfectly and automatically (by reading the EXIF) corrects lens distortion, improves lens sharpness as needed, and does the best job I've ever seen of automatically optimizing highlights and shadows. Not only does it do a perfect job of correcting the complex distortion of ultra-wide zooms, it creates perfect straightening of fisheye images, regardless of focused distance, and… -
19 November 2009, Thursday
18 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmIndian Country Tour Southwest Sun. NEW: Indian Country 2009 Gallery. I just posted snapshots I made last week in Arizona and Utah on Dave Wyman's photo tour. I'm done with DSLRs for travel. All the posted snaps come from the Canon S90 or G11. RSS Update For those of you getting too many updates, you are subscribed to the live RSS feed. If you don't want 37 updates as I write this all day, you want to subscribe to the daily RSS feed instead. National Wildlife Federation Photo Contest Winners The NWF has chosen the winners, which you can see here. -
18 November 2009, Wednesday
17 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmVoigtländer Update I don't understand why anyone would cheap-out with Voigtländer lenses on a LEICA M9. Lenses are free compared to the depreciation of an M9, and inferior lenses compromise the M9's quality for which you paid in the first place. The Voigtländer 12mm, 15mm and 21mm lenses work poorly on the M9. I've tried them. Forget them. Their rear nodal points are so close to the sensor that they have red-tinged left sides and blue-tinged right sides. It's nasty. They work great on film, but forget it with the M9, at least if you care about quality. The M9 is programmed with… -
17 November 2009, Tuesday
16 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pmNikon Short Film Contest Nikon's having a contest for the best short film of 140 seconds or less. That's quite a long clip; TV commercials are only 29.5 seconds, for instance. Entry is free, you may send up to five different films, and top prize is $100,000. Here are the rules. When I say "film," I mean that Nikon is accepting digital video files of just about any kind (up to 200MB) and that they may have been created on any kind of camera, film, digital, cell phone, or whatever. That means you can shoot in 35mm 'scope or 65mm on Arri, Panavision, break out the old Mitchell, shoot…
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Photoshop Insider Blog By Scott Kelby
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Special “This Weekend Only” Deal on OnOne Software’s Photoshop Plug-in Suite 5
19 Nov 2009 | 10:38 pmHey gang—the huge success of last week’s MPIX.com deal really paid off, and we’ve been in contact with a number of companies who are willing to give you guys a “This Weekend Only” special discount. This week, the fine folks over at OnOne Software are offering readers of my blog $200 off their new “Plug-In Suite 5″ which includes the most recent versions of their award-winning Photoshop Plug-ins: Genuine Fractals for resizing Mask Pro for removing unwanted backgrounds PhotoTune for color correction FocalPoint for selective focus PhotoTools and… -
Thursday News Stuff
18 Nov 2009 | 10:41 pmHowdy folks. First a quick thanks to photographer Bruce DeBoer for his inspiring Guest Blog post yesterday here on the blog. Very cool stuff! Now, onto the news! Nikon releases FREE “Learn & Explore” iPhone App This one slipped by me, but luckily John “The Snake” Barrett dropped me a line to let me know that Nikon has released a FREE iPhone App called “Learn & Explore,” which not only has tips for using your Nikon camera, but it also has access to back issues of “Nikon World Magazine” (John let me know that the issue I’m in is… -
Breaking News: My New Photoshop Elements 8 Book is in Bookstores!
18 Nov 2009 | 10:32 pmJust a quick heads up; My Photoshop Elements 8 book for Digital Photographers (which I co-authored with Matt Kloskowski), is now in bookstores (just in time for the holidays). Anyway, you can pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Borders, or wherever really great books that come out just in time to make a perfect Holiday gift are sold. -
It’s “Guest Blog Wednesday” featuring Bruce DeBoer!
18 Nov 2009 | 4:51 amLooking at photography is one of my favorite pass-times. It’s awesome how the great photographers can make me actually feel the moment of capture. I enjoy the greatness of their talent. What a trap. As if photography wasn’t full time enough, lately I’ve been charging head down in an ancillary effort to learn what drives people to create. Research, writing, listening and conducting interviews across all disciplines while dissecting my own work. Most photographers I know can recall nearly every click of the shutter, and those book-worthy gems capture more than just a replica of the… -
Catch our “Adobe Creative Suite Unleashed” Tour This Friday in San Diego
17 Nov 2009 | 6:18 pmIf you’re in the San Diego area, Dave Cross and RC Concepcion, are coming to San Diego this Friday with our Adobe CS4 Creative Suite Unleashed Tour, and then onto Boston on December 1st. If you haven’t had a chance to catch this special Adobe-sponsored tour, you don’t want to miss it, as they cover everything from Illustrator to InDesign, from Photoshop to Flash, and how it all works together. This special tour is only $49 (or just $39 for NAPP members), and you can get all the details, or sign up, right here. Hope we’ll see you San Diego on Friday, or in Boston in…
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Digital ProTalk
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"Morning Commute"
20 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am"Morning Commute" ©David A. Ziser I made this image just a few hours ago as we headed down to the beach for our own morning commute. The morning light was just beginning to show itself over Diamond Head offering a soft , simple background for this shot. When I cropped in close topping the palm trees I really liked the very simple composition of the tree trunks against the sky. Their reflections in the water pool in the foreground added a visually balanced aspect to the frame. As I was composing the shot, a morning jogger entered the scene. … -
Friday: Stop The Insanity!!! Or How To Avoid The Holiday Rush
20 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amGood Morning Everybody, We are settling quite comfortably into our Hawaiian surrounds. Nothing much happened yesterday expert for the small tour on downtown Waikiki and a visit to the local Sam's Club - yes, I said Sam's Club. LaDawn and I really know how to live when we go on vacation;~) We got some great leads on some places to visit today so that's our plan - to don our best tourists attire and set out on a day's worth of island exploration. So, since we are hitting the road in the next few minutes let's get on with today's post. I think it's an important read for… -
"The Tourist"
19 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am"The Tourist" ©David A. Ziser This is not a typical image I post on my DPT site, but the image still struck me as a special Hawaiian moment. We were cruising the beach yesterday morning just checking out our surrounds after our grueling flight in the night before. It was great to feel and breath in the fresh sea air and feel the warm sunshine. I, as always had camera in tow. We were heading back to the hotel to prepare for last night's program and I pointed my camera towards Diamond Head. I had a outrigger in the foreground , the palm tree silhouetted… -
Business Day Thursday; Maybe It's Time To Choose Your Customers Instead of Them Choosing You
19 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amGood Morning Everybody, Can you believe it - we wrapped my Digital WakeUp Call tour last night in Honolulu, Hawaii. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended. I did a quick poll and was surprised and honored by the number of people that flew in from the surrounding islands - about 40% of all those attending WOW! Thank you so much for everyone making the effort to be there. Next week I’ll do a quick wrap up of the entire tour just to give you a peek at all our high points we had along he way. You're asking, "What about the low points?" The fact of the… -
"The Wild Blue Yonder"
18 Nov 2009 | 8:01 am"The Wild Blue Yonder" ©David A. Ziser I am such a "sucker" for these 30,000 feet vistas. That was the case here as we made our way from Las Vegas to Las Angeles yesterday in what turned out to be one of the longest travel days of our lives. I love using a long focal length to catch the mist and fog in the distance of the hills. I love too the varying tonalities the hills and mountains take on as they recede into the distance. This is pretty much how the image presented itself to me yesterday. I tweaked the colors and contrasts just a bit in LR3…
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ePHOTOzine All Articles Feed
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Fresh Pixel Design Canvas Prints Rename
20 Nov 2009 | 7:48 amKnown to ePHOTOzine members far and wide Fresh Pixel Design's Judi Kruger has changed the name but that's all! -
How to capture perfect portraits when you're limited on time.
20 Nov 2009 | 7:40 amHow do you take a good portrait in just five minutes? Sam Furlong tells us how. -
Winter sports photography
20 Nov 2009 | 7:26 amNathan Gallagher gives ePHOTOzine some tips for capturing snowboarders. -
November's Hottest Photography Products And Photographic Courses
20 Nov 2009 | 6:42 amWelcome to the ePHOTOzine guide to the HOTTEST products for November Every month we bring you the hottest courses, products and discounts from some of the top Photographic trainers and retailers advertising on ePHOTOzine. Simply follow the links to read more details and purchase their hot suggestions for this month. Also be sure to mention that you saw it here on ePHOTOzine! -
Canon EOS 50D, Nikon D90 & Sony Alpha A500
20 Nov 2009 | 5:29 amWe test three DSLRs that give the performance of professional cameras without the eye watering price tag.
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The Online Photographer
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Home is Where You Are At the Moment
21 Nov 2009 | 9:32 am"I consider myself a reasonable craftsperson."—E.E. There's a nice article about the World's Greatest Living Photographer at the Financial Times. Just thought I'd pass it along. Regarding his hatred of digital manipulation mentioned near the end of the FT.com article, remember Stephen Gillette's great comment about Elliott's anti-digital T-shirt? Still makes me chuckle. I'm supposed to be taking today off, so I'll hush up now. Mike(Thanks to Chris Bertram) Send this post to a friend -
An Interview with Simon Roberts
20 Nov 2009 | 6:44 amSimon Roberts, South Downs Way, West Sussex, 8th October 2007, from We English By Ailsa McWhinnie Simon Roberts is a British photographer who for a number of years worked on assignments for magazines and weekend supplements. His eventual disillusionment with being asked to produce what he describes as "the definitive story" on a topic, and then being given three days in which to do it, led to him embarking on a year-long trip across Russia. The resulting images were published to great acclaim by Chris Boot, under the title Motherland. The success of Motherland put him in the… -
For Sale: Color Paper
19 Nov 2009 | 1:53 pmCtein's got an offer for someone still doing darkroom color printing. He's selling his supply of Ektacolor Endura paper. Twenty-eight 100-sheet boxes of N surface, 8x10 paper, all frozen at 0°F since he purchased it. There are 12 boxes of Portra (in two emulsion batches), 11 boxes of Supra (in two emulsion batches), and five boxes of Ultra (one emulsion batch). All boxes are factory sealed, save for one box from each batch: Ctein pulled three or four sheets from each batch to test, confirming the paper's good. Ctein is asking $500 for the lot (that's less than half of… -
Polaroid Warholia
19 Nov 2009 | 5:41 amThere's a small show of Andy Warhol Polaroids of 1970s and '80s sports stars at Danziger Projects, partly viewable online. You can also read Kathy Ryan's admiring comments at the World's Greatest Photography Magazine. (Note that this appears in a fashion section, not an arts one.) I'm not sure I agree with her about the intrinsic merit of the photographs; seems more like celebrity culture cutting both ways, with the photos themselves left over as talismans, artifacts. Is it really so deathlessly fresh to picture Jack Nicklaus nuzzling a golf club, Ali with his shirt… -
Around the Web on a Wednesday
18 Nov 2009 | 2:02 pm• 7D at SNL: Director Philip Bloom reports on his blog that he heard from Saturday Night Live Director of Photography Alex Buono that SNL is now using Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 7D cameras to shoot the intros and "loads of bits and pieces" for the show. • Friends don't let friends pixel peep: An amusing video found by Ned Bunnell on his blog. • Woodward on Greenough: There's a good review by Richard B. Woodward, among the most reliable of photo critics, of Sarah Greenough's meta-book Looking In: Robert Frank's The Americans, at The Wall Street Journal. (The…
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Joe McNally's Blog
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Heading East
16 Nov 2009 | 2:03 amYep, heading for Malaysia, courtesy of the efforts of Louis Pang, one of the premier wedding shooters in that country, and for that matter, all of Asia. Louis and I got to know each other when he took my lighting class at Santa Fe this past year, and the irrepressible Louis had ideas. When he gets ideas, actions follow. He went home, put together a plan, launched a website, and off we go. Or are going. First week in February, Drew and I will be in Kuala Lumpur, working with photogs from all over Malaysia and points east. Here’s the link. We’ll do a series of one day intensives,… -
Letter to a Young Photographer….
9 Nov 2009 | 5:43 amLectured last week at the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. In the photojournalism department, the students all had that traditional mix of energy, enthusiasm, angst, and doubt so typical of that time in your life when you have just picked up a camera and are looking at it, wondering where it will lead you. The usual mix of questions are ever present: Who do I work for? Can I make a living? Will I ever be any good at this? Will my pictures have impact? Nowadays, that traditional line of questioning is accompanied by another significant set of queries. What is the future of… -
New York Frame of Mind…..
6 Nov 2009 | 6:57 amYankees won. Cool. I’ve been a Yankee fan before I even knew anything about NY. We lived in Cleveland when I was a kid, and my dad would only bring me to the ballpark when those damn Yankees were playing. He brought me down to the third base seats and Casey Stengel was standing in the coaches box. My dad yelled, “Hey Case!” Stengel was standing there, thumbs hooked in his belt, and gave me a wink and a quick wave. Been a Yankee fan ever since, though, like Yogi, I did have a hard time liking anybody in pinstripes back when The Boss was in full cry. Corny, right? But hey, it… -
This Just In…..
4 Nov 2009 | 6:44 amHot Shoe Diaries was the number one reader’s pick for the arts and photography category on Amazon for 2009. Pretty cool. I’ve gotten some wonderful feedback from folks who really enjoyed the book and I thank everyone for the kind words that have been sent my way. Very appreciative of the support, and thanks for letting Amazon know about it! It’s been an interesting week. There was the good news about the book, and then Lynn, my studio manager for 18 years, was going back and forth with a major multi-national who had a check for us, but had the wrong address listed. It… -
Mongo Make Pano……
29 Oct 2009 | 4:57 amIn New York City leading a National Geographic Expeditions Workshop. Doing alright so far. Haven’t lost anybody yet. Nice group of folks. Hope they’re not disappointed that I’m not, you know, Nick Nichols, or somebody like that who’s got a lot of great Indiana Jones type photo stories. “I stood there in front of the enraged water buffalo, with the only thing between me and his massive horns was my Nikon DS4000XL Red Sonja series camera with the 12 to 3000mm over under combo zoom with the bore sighted grenade launcher. I had one round left…” I make up…
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DIYPhotography.net -DIY Photography and Studio Lighting
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Strawberry Splash - Thoughts About High Speed Photography
20 Nov 2009 | 2:40 pmGotta love strawberries. And gotta love strawberries in cream even more. Maybe this is why my taste buds had me coming to this picture again and again. Then again, it might be the technical details of the shot that drew my attention. Getting a nice splash is hard enough but getting strawberry on spoon splash is nearly impossible. Read on for some musings, thoughts and tips. read more -
Light Painting - Creating The Orb
18 Nov 2009 | 1:54 amThe following article is a guest post by Dana Maltby a.k.a. Twin Cities Brightest a.k.a { tcb } an addict to Light Painting. In the last Light painting installation we saw the huge variety of tools and toys I use for creating Light Painting Art. One of the things that came strong in the comments was the need to bind those tools to the actual process of taking the image. Well, now I am going to do just this. So let's talk about the hottest and most natural object to paint with light, the orb. Also known as a sphere. The good news is that orbs can be made with light quite easily. read more -
Photography: Real Fire Rocks / Photoshop Fire Sucks
16 Nov 2009 | 11:21 amHow did I manage not to burn the house down?? Well, first, my wife was not at home, LOL... and second, with the remote trigger in one hand, and an extinguisher in the other... just in case!! ;O)) This is what Filipe Batista had to say when I wondered how he took that shot. The extinguisher bit is enough to hint that no Photoshop was used to create the fire and as they say it the magic industry. Don't worry, that fire is harmless. Unless you touch it. Filipe was kind enough to share the secretes behind this fire spectacle with DIYP readers: read more -
Some Great Stuff From Around The Web
12 Nov 2009 | 2:43 pmThere are some great things going on around the web lately, and I really wanted to share them around. Either because they are really cool, or because (please ignore violin in background) I think they make this place a bit better, or just because they are lots of fun. read more -
Light Painting - Tools Of The Trade
10 Nov 2009 | 11:24 amThe following article is a guest post by Dana Maltby a.k.a. Twin Cities Brightest a.k.a { tcb } an addict to Light Painting. Now that you know the basics of light painting let's move on to creating the effects you want. If you have a certain idea about a lighting effect you want, chances are you can make it happen. Some ideas are cheap and inexpensive while others can be costly and time consuming. Every project is a great learning experience, and the results seen in the photos later on will keep you on your toes and inspired constantly. In the following post I will present the tools of the…
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LIGHTING ESSENTIALS For Photographers
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A Passion for the Image
20 Nov 2009 | 6:47 am37,000 feet over the Great Plains of these wonderful United States and I find myself drifting off a bit, as the days have been long and nights short lately. The workshops are the most fun I have had in a long time, and they keep me pretty busy. As well, time must be given to this site and the other sites I manage. And I am photographing a project, working on a book, and running my design business. I don’t tell you these things to complain (or brag), but as a preface to the words I am going to write below. Loving what you do means that even being dead tired from the multiple endeavors that… -
33 Wild and Wonderful Images from our LE Flickr Pool
18 Nov 2009 | 1:24 pmImage by Don Fadel. Hey… it’s been a while. Sorry ’bout that. I have been traveling so dang much that it has been a little hard to get to the site… but I have really got a lot of stuff ready to go. The last few weeks included Boise, Toronto and this weekend it is Pittsburgh. If you are ready to get your lighting up a notch or two, we will have our schedule for next year ready for signup on December 1. I am taking most of December off to work on the book and DVD. We should have some great stuff for next year. I am revamping the workshop to include more… -
Using a Lightmeter and “Placing” the Photographic Exposure
2 Nov 2009 | 4:21 pmMeters. Some people hate ‘em. Some people love ‘em. But a lot of people don’t know what they do or why they should have one. Well the gloves come off on this one. At Lighting Essentials, we LOVE light meters… they give us control that no chimpin’ can… and we can use the knowledge they give us to tame even the most difficult lighting challenge. We will have a lot to say about meters in this post, so grab a cold one (or for my Toronto, Detroit, Boise and Pittsburgh friends… a warm one) and get ready. We are gonna talk about meters and how to use them… -
“Breaking Out” as a Professional Photographer: Daron Shade
26 Oct 2009 | 10:43 amDaron Shade presents a really well written article about ‘Breaking Out’ and Breaking In to the world of commercial photography. Another of our “Going Pro” series. I hope you enjoy them. Today finds me in Boise, Idaho. The day after a fantastic workshop weekend here. Small groups mean a lot of interaction and that is what I like. I keep the workshops small specifically for that reason. I get to know each of the attendees and get to know their level and goals for lighting. Next weekend is Halloween. Great time for getting great portraits of caped crusaders and… -
44 Terrific Images from the Lighting Essentials Flickr Pool
20 Oct 2009 | 6:17 pmCOVER PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHEW DUNN We have another inspirational post from the Lighting Essentials Flickr Pool. 44 terrific images that hopefully will inspire you. I love looking through that pool whenever I have a few minutes. Take your time, and as always, the images link to the photographers Flickr page so take a look at the other wonderful imagery you can find there. Our cover shot was done a few days ago at the amazing Boston workshop. It rained steady the second day and we had to punt a bit, but we got some amazing imagery. Fantastic models and talent and some really talented…
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Chase Jarvis
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Shooting Lights
20 Nov 2009 | 8:35 amNot Shooting Lights as in photographing with strobes, but as in a new SFEAD track from The Blakes.If you hang around these parts online, you know all there is to know about my Songs For Eating and Drinking project with my buddy Hebb. No frills, world class music, good vibes. Stills, video, audio. Here's another exclusive performance from one of those evenings this summer. Take a break from pressing your face against your camera and enjoy.If you like this vibe, you'll find 4 new tracks over at the SFEAD site, as well as an archive of one-of-a-kind performances by musicians from Pearl Jam, the… -
Chase Jarvis SHORTS: Ground Control
18 Nov 2009 | 10:20 amCreating a strong emotional connection with the viewer is without a doubt the most important criterion in a successful image. Nothing will ever supplant that. Beyond that, however, there's a whole bunch of second tier, more "mechanical" techniques that we creatives can cook up to elevate our images and create visual interest. One such technique is compositional in nature: creating cool angles and unique perspectives. It's what makes P.O.V. shots cool, it's the mojo in those classic 360 degree shots from The Matrix and the super-cool car commercials, and it's what make those slick overhead… -
Purists Beware
16 Nov 2009 | 8:40 amI just recently overheard a self-described "purist" photographer ranting on about how we're all cheaters and that the photographic masters before us lacked our current luxury--even desire--to "customize" (read: manipulate/photoshop) images. It was "...all about the the composition, a beautiful subject, and a properly exposed picture". I call horse-pucky. Above: Avedon's instructions to his printer.--[Via Monoscope.]Get my every move: Follow Chase Jarvis on TwitterGet exclusive content: Become a Fan on Facebook -
$100,000 in 140 Seconds
10 Nov 2009 | 8:10 amI can't help but think that somebody forgot to dot an i or cross a t somewhere, because yours truly has just been asked to give away $100,000 of somebody else's money. Yep you read that correctly. 100. LARGE. That somebody is Nikon, and I'm not alone in this endeavor. I've got some accomplices: Rainn Wilson (from 'The Office') and Justine Ezarik (iJustine). The three of us have been charged with choosing one winner in the Nikon Festival: a short form video contest that was the impetus for my creating the short film above - check it out! Love your feedback... But I'm not entered in the contest… -
My "Trade Secrets"
9 Nov 2009 | 10:53 amI love it when people--especially members of this community--take ideas and run with them. This one is no exception... A couple months ago, I was approached by blog reader and founder of a company called Trade Secret Cards, Zeke Kamm. He had a business proposition: He'd come to Seattle, pick my brain about various different pictures in my portfolio and then he'd put together a pack of 22 glossy, high-end cards that illustrate "how to" re-create each picture. Soup to nuts. Diagrams, equipment used, what I was thinking, etc. He sells 'em and gives us cut. We agreed to his proposal and for about…
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PixSylated
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Speedliter’s Intensive™ Canon Flash Workshop – Phoenix, January 16
19 Nov 2009 | 8:53 amMy Speedliter’s Intensive™ Workshop will be hitting the road this winter and spring. The first stop will be my old hometown, Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, January 16, 2010. Amateur or pro, if you’re looking for the most comprehensive program on putting Canon Speedlites to work, the Speedliter’s Intensive™ Workshop is for you. This one-day workshop focuses exclusively on Canon Speedlites. You’ll get the how-to and why-to specific to your Canon gear. It’s called ‘Intensive’ for a reason—a ton of information will be headed your way all day. In… -
Steppin’ In As The Guest Host on Photofocus Podcast #21
17 Nov 2009 | 8:42 amEver wonder what a guy with crazy red hair sounds like? Here’s your chance to find out. Scott Bourne invited me to be the guest host with him for the Photofocus Podcast #21. We spent an hour answering questions submitted by the members of the Photofocus online community. It was a hoot! Click here to listen right now. You can read the notes for the session here. Scott and his team at Photfocus publish new content at least daily and often several times a day. The Photofocus Podcasts are published on the 5th, 15th and 25th each month. You can download the entire series and subscribe for… -
Meet LIDLIPS – The Book!
28 Oct 2009 | 11:22 amLessons I Didn’t Learn In Photo School is on the way to the printer! The 228-page book features all 100 LIDLIPS that have been published on PixSylated to date. It is a perfect-bound (aka: paperback) that measures 5.25″ x 8″. The inside is black text and a few graphics on crisp, white paper. The layout is one LIPDLIPS per two-page spread–meaning that there’s plenty of room to scribble your own thoughts nearby. I’ve learned that a large number of photo instructors are already using LIDLIPS in their classrooms. So, I’ve also appended one or two reader… -
Lessons I Didn’t Learn In Photo School 96–100
23 Oct 2009 | 10:00 amThis Week’s LIDLIPS 96. Don’t confuse distraction with creativity. 97. There are many ways to cross the chasms. 98. Mistakes happen. Get used to starting over. 99. Listen to the resonance inside. 100. Be prepared for your dreams to come true (at least a few of them). Lessons I Didn’t Learn In Photo School 96–100! 96. Don’t confuse distraction with creativity. Creatives often think that they are working their craft when actually they are just really distracted. Saying to yourself “Because I’m a creative, it’s OK for me to [surf the web, hang out on Twitter, watch a… -
Help Select The Book Cover – Lessons I Didn’t Learn In Photo School
21 Oct 2009 | 8:30 amClick here to see the final cover and the details on how to order your copy of LIDLIPS. Thanks to all who shared their opinions. Comments are now closed. Red Cover #1 Thanks to the encouragement of so many PixSylarians, I’m very pleased to announce that my collection of the first hundred ‘Lessons I Didn’t Learn In Photo School‘ will be published as a book just in time for the holidays. It will be a 220-page paperback with one LIDLIPS per spread. Each page opposite will present a question or two about how you relate to that LIDLIPS and have a journal-style space for you…
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dpreview.com
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PocketWizard posts beta firmware for flash triggers
20 Nov 2009 | 10:15 am -
Sigma USA announces scholarship contest
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Hasselblad creates 50MP multi-shot full-color camera
19 Nov 2009 | 6:33 am -
Adobe RAW 'release candidates'
19 Nov 2009 | 1:45 am -
Casio unveils EX-G1 rugged compact camera
18 Nov 2009 | 3:02 am
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Nikon Rumors
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Nikon deals
20 Nov 2009 | 8:24 pmThe first deal is from the UK – free SB-900 flash when you buy a D300s. Wow! More info available here (fyi SB-900 is currently selling for £319.00 at Jessops, the D300s goes for £1249.00): I also compiled a list of few other Nikon deals: Win one of three Nikon D3000 cameras at PhotoJojo CHF 100 (=$100) cash back on Nikon D5000 in Switzerland Nikon D90 “body only” sells for $794.95 @ Amazon US Refurbished Nikon deals @ Adorama: D40 for $374.95 | D300 for $1,399.95 | D700 for $2,169.95 | D2Hs for $1199.95 | D3 for $3,999.95 | 70-300mm for $489.95 | 105mm f/2.8 for… -
Nikon’s pro DSLRs outsell Canon’s big time
19 Nov 2009 | 11:07 amThis chart was shown at the official NikonD3s launch event in Beijing – you can see the Nikon logo at the top right corner: click on image for larger view Not sure if this data is only for China or worldwide. I am surprised by the large % of D3x sales (dark blue bars). I think in few months the D3s will make this graph look even worse (for Canon that is). Source: jeff-c on dpreview Posted by NikonRumors.com The new SanDisk cards available for pre-order: Extreme CF Pro 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB like | post more? dislike | do not post again? Related posts:December 1st announcement in China? -
Nikon’s schedule to release Mac OS X 10.6 support for its software products
18 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pmNikon plans to release Mac OS 10.6.x compatible versions of Camera Control Pro 2, Capture NX 2, Nikon Transfer, and View NX in these time frames: Capture NX 2: end of December 2009 Camera Control Pro 2: end of November 2009 Nikon Transfer: end of January 2010 View NX: end of January 2010 Via RobGalbraith Posted by NikonRumors.com The new Nikon D3s and 85mm DX Micro lens available for pre-order like | post more? dislike | do not post again? Related posts:Read this before you upgrade to Windows 7Phase One to release Capture One 4.6Nikon software updates: View NX 1.3.0, Nikon Transfer 1.4.0 -
Nikon D3s has a brand new sensor, not a tweaked one
18 Nov 2009 | 3:57 amNikon D3s sensor (credit: Nikon USA) Few days ago I posted a link about Moose Peterson’s experience with the Nikon D3s and the new 70-200 f/2.8 VRII lens. I either missed that paragraph, or the text was added later on (thanks Theodore for pointing it out to me): With the results I was seeing above, I called Mike, my bud at Nikon and asked point blank, “Is the sensor in the D3s brand new or just tweaked?” He said, “Brand new!” I asked if that was public knowledge and he said yes to which I replied, “Great job on the soft release!” Posted by NikonRumors.com like | post more? -
New Nikon prices in Canada
16 Nov 2009 | 12:23 pmAs reported previously Nikon Canada did reduce their prices today. I still have not received the full price list but a NR reader copied the prices last night from Nikon’s website and then compared them with the new prices from this morning – thanks Ludwig. Here is the list (lenses only, this list is not official, it may not be complete or final): Lens model / Before / After / Savings Zoom 17-35 / 1,949.95 / 1,879.95 / 70 18-35 / 669.95 / 669.95 / 0 24-85 / 749.95 / 749.95 / 0 28-70 / 1,699.95 / 1,699.95 / 0 14-24 / 2,199.95 / 2,099.95 / 100 24-70 / 2,099.95 / 1,999.95 / 100…
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Strobist
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New Chinese TTL Remotes Surfacing for Nikon and Canon
20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmInfo is sketchy at this point. But the Strobist Flickr group is pretty much at DEFCON 1, of course. On a discussion thread, Flickr user "Cotswald," who is apparently involved with the company, says:• We WILL be selling these in Europe. I won't discuss exact prices, but will say that prices will be lower than those quoted above. (DH note: Less than $200/ set + shipping.) • The PC socket is screwlock. • They do support i-TTL, TTL and Manual. • As said above, the Canon version will ship in the New Year, or just before XMAS. • I am just checking trigger voltage safe… -
Living the High Life in San Miguel
18 Nov 2009 | 10:41 pmLast week I was in San Miguel de Allende, which sits at over 6,000 feet of elevation in the central Mexican highlands. (Town motto: Meh, oxygen is overrated…)There for a Santa Fe Workshops lighting gig with Rosi, Beth, Françoise, Sara and two Peters, we threw ourselves into a week-long intensive on small flashes, eating well and (me) mostly being out of breath. They worked their butts off, and went from lighting each other very tentatively in the beginning to working completely on their own by the end of the week. Start the week strong, and finish it soaking up rays in the courtyard while… -
Choosing Big Lights: Elinchrom
15 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmUPDATE: As I suspected would happen, there is some really good info already developing in the comments from Elinchrom owners. If you are reading email or RSS versions, be sure to check it out. And FWIW, I expect this ongoing comment discussion will be the best part of the post.__________One of my main considerations when shopping for more watt-seconds was to be able to work independent of AC power. In this respect, Elinchrom gets strong consideration in the form of their two battery powered platforms, the Ranger RX and the new Ranger Quadra. A look at a very powerful battery flash, and it's… -
Beers With: Vermeer
11 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmWith apologies to every art student and teacher, ever, today marks the second in an occasional series of chats with Old Masters.These guys were the original connoisseurs of light, and that is the framework under which we interview them -- as photographers. Turns out, they've been ripped off by photographers so many times at this point that they are actually cool with it. Which, by the way, is why the Old Masters merit your study. At least to the point of trying to stay awake during that early morning humanities class.They are, of course, very difficult to pin down for a chat -- what with… -
Hey, Your Flash is Hawt …
10 Nov 2009 | 9:00 pmNo, not as in the vapid, Paris Hilton sense. But rather the laws-of-thermodynamics sense.Made-for-photography gels are meant to be used near theatrical light sources. So they can handle the heat. But even still, the front lens of your flash can get very hot with repeated cycling -- especially at higher power settings.Don't believe me? Try this little trick: Hold a piece of printer paper right next to the front of your flash and set off just one, full-power pop. Now smell the paper. That would be a burning smell. From just one pop.Be CoolWhen you gel, leave a little space between the flash and…
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The Luminous Landscape - What's New
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19 November, 2009 - ALPA Field Report
18 Nov 2009 | 3:51 pmUPDATE – 10:30am EST It was announced today that Christian Poulsen has decided to resign from his position as CEO of Hasselblad. Chairman of the Board, Dr. Larry Hansen will now also serve as Chief Executive Officer. This follows the recent replacement of Hasselblad USA's President Jack Showalter by Tom Olesen. I have no editorial stance on these announcements at the moment, but one has to wonder as to the nature of the changes taking place within Hasselblad and their underlaying motivations. ____________________ When it comes to technical cameras for use with digital backs few would… -
16 Nov, 2009 - Leaf Aptus II 10, The First Week
15 Nov 2009 | 2:24 pmBuying a medium format back is a serious financial committment for a pro, and the thought process involved and a photographer's initial experience with it makes for an informative and interesting read. Today's new article by Robb Williamson is on the Leaf Aptus II 10. It details his purchase decision process and his first week's shooting experience. ____________________ I don't often hand out endorsements, however, when I see something unique, entertaining, educational and very reasonably priced I must say something. Your interviews with Jay Maisel and Jeff Schewe really helped me understand… -
15 November, 2009 - Leica X1 Update
14 Nov 2009 | 3:07 pmI'm now back from my workshop / shoot in Death Valley. We had a great time. What a terrific group of participants, and Phase One did a fantastic job with the preparations and logistics. All of the members of this workshop were given the new Phase One 645DF camera to use, along with a P65+ or P40+ back. These were the first twenty five production 645DF cameras off the assembly line, and with the exception of a few little bugs, worked flawlessly. I am now preparing my Phase One 645DF camera review and expect it to publish here within the next 10 days. The new Home Page photograph was taken with… -
12 November, 2009 - Leica X1 Field Report
11 Nov 2009 | 6:54 pmI have now been shooting with the upcoming Leica X1 for the past few weeks, including this week on a workshop / shoot in Death Valley. How is the image quality, and handling? Find out in my X1 Field Report, which is now online. You can also read Sean Reid's observations at Reid Reviews (a subscription site). ____________________ Give a Gift of The Luminous Landscape No Taxes – No Duties – No Delays Available World-Wide ... -
8 November, 2009 - On The Road With Phase One in Death Valley
7 Nov 2009 | 4:57 pmToday begins a five-day workshop in Death Valley, CA, run by Phase One at the famous Furnace Creek Inn. I am among the group of teachers that includes Bill Atkinson, Claus Molgaard, Jeff Schewe, and Mark Dubovoy. Kevin Raber, Phase One's US Vice President, is blogging the workshop this week and you can follow his blog, which will be updated daily, here. The new Home Page photograph, taken with the Leica X1 (hey – I'm ecumenical), was taken on Saturday evening on the way to the park. ____________________ ...
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Nikonians News
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Shoot yourself -- win a Nikon and $100K
18 Nov 2009 | 9:50 amWell, you don't really have to shoot yourself literally. All you need to do is submit a video of 140 seconds or less with the theme "Your Day" and you can win. -
7-Week New Members Photo Contest has started
18 Nov 2009 | 6:33 amOur recently completed photo contest which awarded prizes to new members was so popular that we're launching an extended seven-week Phase V which will last for the rest of this year. -
Carl Zeiss Announces Semi-Pro Lens Line for Nikon
16 Nov 2009 | 12:06 pmCarl Zeiss has announced a line of lenses for "the semi-professional" market. Labelled ZF.2, this family of manual-focus lenses will mount and meter with Nikon F-Mount 35mm camera bodies. -
Forum updates in the coming days
16 Nov 2009 | 5:59 amWe are updating the forums and the reviews sections on Nikonians in the coming days. More details will be posted as the updates are rolled out. -
Berger Brothers Nikonians Deal
16 Nov 2009 | 4:58 amBerger Brothers is offering a great deal for Nikonians Members on the hot selling Nikon D3s and the latest Nikkor lenses like the 85mm f3.5 VR and the revised models of the 70-200mm f2.8 VR II and 18-200mm VR DX II. With every purchase of any of these items, you get the Joby GorillaPod Tripod free - a USD50 value. All these items ship free, so get started on your holiday shopping today!
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Silber Studios
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National Geographic Photographer Meets the Inside of a Deadly Leopard Seal
20 Nov 2009 | 8:28 amUp close and personal with a playful Leopard Seal in Antarctica. Photo by Paul Nicklen. Paul Nicklen is used to getting the tough shots. Born and raised in one of the only non-Inuit families in a small Arctic village in Northern Canada, he cut his teeth amid frozen tundras and slippery ice floes, and now he’s one of the most daring members of National Geographic’s team of photographers. In his latest book, Polar Obsession, Nicklen details his journeys among the wildlife of the poles, which includes stunning shots of walruses, whales, polar bears, narwhals and leopard seals. In a… -
Supermodel Helena Christensen Photographs Climate Change in Peru
19 Nov 2009 | 8:23 amChristensen hopes to show the effects of climate change through photos like the one above. As a veteran supermodel, Helena Christensen knows she doesn’t have to do much more than just sit back and look pretty. Still, she wants to make a difference. The celebrity model traveled to Peru recently, armed with a camera and a team of volunteers from Oxfam, to document the particularly devastating effects of climate change upon the country’s people. When Oxfam International, an organization dedicated to finding lasting solutions to poverty and injustice, announced its project,… -
Sports and Portrait Photography with Jamie Cohen
17 Nov 2009 | 11:08 amAlex Rodriguez in the dugout. Photo courtesy of Jamie Cohen. Watch the video In the latest episode of Marc Silber’s Photography Show, I travel to the Big Apple to interview famed sports photographer Jamie Cohen. Her work in the world of athletics includes calendars for NYC sports teams like the New York Rangers, the New York Knicks and a number of drivers for NASCAR. Most notably she has worked for Fox Sports over the last seven years, photographing some of the world’s biggest stars like Alex Rodriguez (above). During the interview, Jamie offers some essential tips for those of us… -
Incredible Milky Way Photograph Combines Images from Three Telescopes
13 Nov 2009 | 8:50 amX-ray and infrared light peer through celestial dust to reveal the core of our galaxy. A new image pulled from three high-powered telescopes offers a never-before-seen view of the insides of our Milky Way Galaxy. The Hubble and Spitzer telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory have joined forces to bring us an incredible image that reaches way beyond the capabilities of the human eye. The image was unveiled by NASA yesterday to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy, marking 400 years after Galileo first looked towards the stars with his telescope. All three observatories had a hand… -
Nikon’s Digital Film Festival Boasts Ashton Kutcher, Rainn Wilson and Chase Jarvis
12 Nov 2009 | 8:02 amA snapshot of Ashton Kutcher’s entry in the Nikon Film Festival Twitter users may be able to microblog their thoughts at less than 140 characters, but can they put all that on film? In a new short film contest from camera-maker Nikon, budding filmmakers are challenged to submit their own videos of 140 seconds or less, with the winner receiving $100,000. With the theme of “A Day through Your Lens,” the Nikon Film Festival was christened by actor Ashton Kutcher, Twitter’s reigning king and Nikon advertising star, who posted his own video, a two minute short film…
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Digital Photography School
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This Week in the Digital Photography School Forums (15-21 Nov ‘09)
21 Nov 2009 | 8:04 amIn case you hadn’t heard, one of our forum admins is a new dad! Congrats Sime, Mum and Baby. Weekly Assignment Things got noisy for this week’s assignment which was Sound / Noise. We had a real variety of shots, but what made us pick the ones we did was most often because of the way that it really showed off sounds and the impact of those sounds. Our winner this week was rt80639’s “Colour of Sound” this was an excellent example of how the sound from speakers can be used creatively. While you might not be able to “hear” the sound in this one, it… -
PORTRAITS: Weekend Photography Challenge
20 Nov 2009 | 5:37 pmImage by JOHN CORVERA This weekend your photographic challenge is to take and share a portrait. Early next week we’ll be launching our first ever e-book here at DPS – ‘The Essential Guide to Portrait Photography’ and in anticipation of the launch and to get a little practice in – I thought it’d be fun to set the challenge to take a portrait over the weekend. If you’ve not participated in our weekend challenges before – they’re pretty simple. You can see the last three weekends results in our Kitchens, Pets and Environment challenges. The… -
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 – Review
20 Nov 2009 | 12:07 pmI sometimes hear from people who’ve newly acquired a digital SLR, saying they find it a hassle to continually change lenses when shooting a wide variety of subjects. Frankly, it goes with ‘SLR-territory’ (digital and film) and is the price you pay to enjoy the improved image of an interchangeable lens, reflex camera. In reality, unless you’re very demanding and continually shoot magazine quality pictures, most times you’re better off with a fixed lens digicam with an extended zoom range … like this one. Panasonic has not indulged in a longish zoom camera before, unlike Canon,… -
High Key Studio – What I Use and Why
20 Nov 2009 | 6:01 amIf you follow my posts, you’ll know that I have a studio. At the moment, I mostly do high-key sessions with children. High-key is something that many photographers try to imitate and sometimes fail miserably simply because of a lack of understanding about light (and I only know this because I am one of those people!) Out of necessity, my photographic evolution has been a fast one and I laugh to think that only a few short months ago, I was in torrents of frustration and tears because I just couldn’t manage to take photos like the ones I was seeing from amazing studios such as… -
10 Rules for Editing Digital Images
19 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pmDuring the week one of our readers – wedding photographer Martin Whitton – shot me a list of his ‘10 rules for editing digital images’. I thought I’d share them today as a discussion starter for readers. Martin comments that ‘these ideas may seem a little elementary, but sticking to the basics keeps our editing focused, maintains consistency from image to image and keeps our clients happy’. Tone of space (a room, for example) should be balanced and neutral, with no overall bias; Blacks (like tuxes) should be black; Whites (like wedding gowns) should…
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Beyond Megapixels
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Temporary Post Used For Theme Detection (967f5b62-fdae-4540-9975-9f12b3424dee – 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7)
20 Nov 2009 | 1:54 pmThis is a temporary post that was not deleted. Please delete this manually. (b3f87dee-7fbe-4844-a136-d32514d920b8 – 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7) Related posts:Post Processing: How much is too much?100 STEPS TO IYP – Post ProcessingPost Card Winners -
Portfolio Tips
20 Nov 2009 | 8:19 amThe possession of a portfolio is an integral part of selling your photographs – whether you are selling your own prints, or selling your skills as a photographer. Creating a collection of the work that you are the most proud of establishes your skills in a visual way that will draw potential clients and customers. Start by determining which of your shots you consider to be the best. If you are specializing in a specific kind of photography (portraits, weddings, landscapes, flowers, etc.), choose a selection of photos of that type, but choose a variety of compositions – black and… -
Inspiring Emotion – Technical or Talent?
19 Nov 2009 | 8:27 amEvery bit of the knowledge that I have about photography and post-processing is self-taught. I learned by reading, by watching, by doing, by trying, by failing, and by trying again. I’ve often wondered about how much my photography might be improved if I pursued a formal education in the subject. Would my photography actually be better, or would I just learn what I need to know faster than I would if I continued on the self-taught route? How much is innate talent, and how much is knowledge and education? Surely it’s a combination of both. How do you explain art? How do you define… -
On-Line Photography Collaborations
18 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amParticipate in one (or all!) of the following on-line photography collaborations, open to all! - Shutter Sisters hosts a Flickr pool where participants submit their favorite shots. One photo per day is selected to be featured on the daily click. They also sponsor The One Word Project, where participants submit their interpretation of the “word of the month”. Check out picture hope and one sweet shot as well – Shutter Sisters is all about sharing your great photographic creations! - Digital Photography Assignments are provided by the Digital Photography School. Post your… -
Share Your Photos
16 Nov 2009 | 8:01 amThis is one of my own photographs that I am the most proud of, at the moment: This is a picture of the Lower Falls at Yellowstone National Park, where my husband and I vacationed last summer. I feel that the photo is composed well, gives a nice perspective with the teeny, tiny people standing on the lookout point to the right, and it’s tack-sharp all the way through the size spectrum. So, I’m pretty proud of it! I would love for our readers here at Beyond Megapixels to share one photograph that you are currently the most proud of, and why you’re proud of it. Please submit…
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Your Photo Tips
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Photography Links Weekly: 11/20/2009
20 Nov 2009 | 2:07 pmA weekly roundup of photography news and general photo talk around the Internet. Discovered Photography: Ark Ark by Tom Anthony can be found at DiscoveredArtists at a great price of $70 as an 18″x12″ Fine Art Giclee Print. Head on over to feature shoot for an awesomely fantastic Theme Friday: Abandoned Swimming Pools! Great collection of images sure to inspire. Horse lovers will take a shine to this great image “Making Hay” over at LifeSignatures. Great example of backlighting. I have to admit that I wasn’t very fond of this whole HDR thing because most of the… -
Wordless Wednesday: dusk reflections
18 Nov 2009 | 12:12 pmdusk reflections by jst images -
What is Shutter Speed?
17 Nov 2009 | 10:45 amOften times it’s good to have a quick definition of a term or component of photography to use as reference. This way you don’t have to be embarrassed not to know. Today we discuss…quickly… Shutter Speed One of the main components of exposure, shutter speed, is the rate at which the shutter, opens and closes to expose a scene. This process is the same whether your working with a film camera or a digital camera. Shutter speed works to control two aspects of your exposure: The amount of light (your light meter will measure this) The speed at which the scene is shot (your… -
Creative Photography: From Science to Art
16 Nov 2009 | 1:31 pmPhotography has become one of the most popular hobbies in the world. This isn’t news. It’s been gaining ground ever since daguerreotypes became easily accessible in 1839. In 1901 Kodak came out with the Brownie and a surge of new photographers was born. There have been many advancements from then to today. With each advancement a new generation of photographers would come to love the format and the medium for it’s ease of use, and it’s application as a creative outlet. FLASH MODEL Photography has permeated every part of life, from daily bombardments of… -
Edward Burtynsky at TED
13 Nov 2009 | 4:51 amOne of the latest videos released at TED.com is from acclaimed photographer Edward Burtynsky. It’s worth taking a look at the video, especially if you are not familiar with TED. In stunning large-format photographs, Edward Burtynsky follows the path of oil through modern society, from wellhead to pipeline to car engine — and then beyond to the projected peak-oil endgame. See the video at TED.com To say that the Canadian photographer has been an advocate for Mother Earth and a leading voice in the visual arts world as pertaining to the Green Movement and other environmental issues…
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fearless bridals
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amongst the leaves
5 Nov 2009 | 8:28 pmI photographed Jenny’s wedding in Pennsylvania in September. When she got back from her honeymoon, we did a lovely little bridal session at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline at the peak of the fall foliage. I chose this image in particular because you can see my feet. -
Livia
28 Oct 2009 | 3:56 pmA sexy and artistic image from Livia’s bridal session at MIT this week. This image in her wedding qípáo. In the MIT neuroscience building. YES! -
lovely and remarkable: Bonnie
21 Oct 2009 | 5:12 pmBonnie and Robert were married in Quincy on Thursday, October 1, 2009. -
the red cape, and bridal hair pieces
16 Oct 2009 | 8:09 amI am so excited – the red cape I commissioned from Kristen who is a crafty bride whose wedding I photographed on October 11 – is going to be getting some attention from Erie PA’s Terri, who is getting married over Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to seeing the cape used in a real wedding context! I’m also quite excited that I’ll be featuring some couture flower hair pieces by Boston’s own Tessa McKinley, who shows and sells her work at Cambridge’s Design Hive Market (next one is November 1). -
bloopers!
10 Sep 2009 | 10:12 amSome funny shots of the assistants from our bridal shoot with Carol last year.
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cruelphotography
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Stine #2
11 Nov 2009 | 2:30 pmI’ve been working 12+ hours a day this week, so a little slow on the blogging thing But here’s another image from my shoot with Stine, from last week =) Shot on a canon 1ds mk iii / 24-70L. B/W or Colour? -
Stine Fashion Images
6 Nov 2009 | 3:48 pmA image from my shoot earlier today. I was retouching this, and juuust when I was about to finish with some light D&B, my photoshop froze. Ofcourse. I so totally hate having to do the same thing over and over again, so almost didnt edit this one again But I ended up liking it to much =) She really doesnt look 163cm here =) More like 170ish… Anyway, heres the image Like the good blogger Im trying to be; a few mandatory Q’s at the end, ofcourse. Which version do you like best? And why the fuck hasnt Photoshop gotten a auto save function yet? -
Charite Fashion Images
6 Nov 2009 | 11:25 amSomething a little bit more fashionesque of Charite, wearing a dress from Agape Feel like Ive been posting images of the same people this entire week. It’s probably because I have. Almost probably maybe the second last post with images of charite now.. got a few more I want to edit from this shoot =) -
Christina H
6 Nov 2009 | 6:55 amPresented, perhaps, more like a series this time. Almost pretty much the same post prod on all, just a few minor differences on most, and one in total opposite, just to break =) -
More Charite
5 Nov 2009 | 3:02 amA few more from my shoot with Charite =) Well actually, its more than a few.. and i’ve actually only processed them in lightroom, B/W conversion with channels, some contrast, and exposure fix =) Just some simple portraits this time =) Got a few really cool more fashionesque ones ready to But Ill save em for later today =)
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Photographing London
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Canon Pro Photo Solutions 2009
28 Oct 2009 | 11:26 amYou can read this post on our new Photo Blog: The Round Blog! After last year’s road test of the Canon 5D Mark II, the guys at 1000 heads and Canon offered me another great possibility: be their guest at the Canon Pro Photo Solutions on Tuesday 27th October in London. The Pro Photo Solutions is the largest event for professionals photographers and has been a great showcase of technology, solutions and seminars. I was proud to wear a badge that identified me as “Blogger” and not as Visitor or Exhibitor. Someone also asked me how it feels to be a blogger, but I think that he… -
What is “The Round Peg”?
22 Oct 2009 | 6:01 amHello Everyone, For those who have been following us for a long time, changes to FCHouse are no news, but this time news are bigger than usual. It is not just the format of this blog, its ever changing layouts, but its contents. Fabiana and I have just opened The Round Peg, our online portfolio, and with it its blog. We are moving all our photography-related posts over there, leaving FCHouse without a clear vision, as it has always been. Thanks for the many visits, the comments and the trolling around (yes, who cares about them). I am sure in a couple of weeks/months we will understand where… -
Angel or Devil?
8 Oct 2009 | 1:09 amVisit our new online website: http://theroundpeg.com More than once I have said that the relation with models is one of the most important things you, as photographer, should look for during a session. You should already know your stuff about lighting, knowing how to change settings on your camera and so on without losing touch with the human side of portraiture or fashion: people. From this perspective you should be perfect. Imagine yourself a swimmer in a water infested by sharks: bleed and you are done. Photography is not so different in the end: if your models will see you mode… -
Jumping in the water
6 Oct 2009 | 12:35 amWhat would you say to a colleague asking you: “Would you like me jumping in that pool of water?” I mean, honestly, is there anyone around ready to say no to such question? If there is, I am not one of those! Instead, when I was asked the same question, yesterday at lunchtime, I just smiles, preparing my camera, with a simple “Of course!” I would have appreciated one or two attempt more, just to be sure with the lighting, just to be confirm that the framing was the one I really wanted, but I had no time and I just got two frames. Enough! Next time I will ask for a “dry run” before… -
My First Cover!
30 Sep 2009 | 3:37 amEverything started few days after this year’s Notting Hill Carnival. Well, to be honest everything started during the carnival, when I took a photo of two girls dancing on the streets of Notting Hill. I was close to Westbourne Park, the police had blocked the road and we were waiting to move on when some music started and one of the group that was participating to the parade started dancing. The colours were fantastic, so I crouched dow to get a good perspective and I took a few shots. The first images were almost candid, then I was spotted and the two girls smiled at me and almost posed…
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Rick Sammon
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Canon 5D Mark II Digital Diaries: Final Post From Out West - Feel the Photograph
20 Nov 2009 | 4:17 amHey GangThank you all for following along this week on my blog. Great photographic opportunities out here. Made this image with my 5D Mark II and 17-40mm lens.When photographing, it's sometimes a good idea to think about what other photographers and artists would do in the same situation. Before I came out here, I was reading about Georgia O'Keeffe.From Wikipedia:She [Gerogia O'Keeffe] received widespread recognition for her technical contributions, as well as for challenging the boundaries of modern American artistic style. She is chiefly known for paintings of flowers, rocks, shells, animal… -
Canon 5D Mark II Digital Diaries: Monument Valley Post #2
19 Nov 2009 | 11:38 amHi AllWe got up early to catch the beautiful light here in Monument Valley. Left shot is natural light. Right shot is a painting-with-light shot: I painted the tree with the headlights from our guide's Jeep. Took several tries to get it right.I shot HDR, but it ruined the dramatic effect. Indeed, there is a time and place for HDR - and this wasn't one of them!By the way, it's freezing here: 30 degrees F this AM. Almost 50 now. Ahhhhhh.Mo' on HDR at my Photoshop World Orlando talk.Explore the Light,RickP.S. Hey, wherever you travel, make a book of your travels . . . as a fun memory for you and… -
Canon 5D Mark II Monument Valley Post #1
18 Nov 2009 | 5:08 pmHi All!Mr. HDR here! :-)Just a quick note from Monument Valley. There is a time and place for HDR. Here are two shots from today. Straight shots. No HDR.My point of this post: There is no substitute for great light and a GREAT subject.I took both of these pictures with my favorite landscape lens: Canon 17-40mm.Explore the light,RickP.S. Yup! More HDR images to come in my next book, HDR Secrets. Might be ready for Photoshop World in Orlando! Be there or be square! -
Canon 5D Mark II Slot Canyons Digital Diaries Post #2: HDR is NOT Photography?
17 Nov 2009 | 6:22 pmHere is an HDR image from today's shoot at Upper Antelope Canyon. It's a combo of six images - at, over and under the "best" exposure.I was photographing straight up. The contrast range was beyond that of any film.I could have opened up the shadows somewhat, but I was thinking about the expression: Light Illuminates, Shadows Define.Then I thought about all the folks who hate (I know that is a strong word) HDR. Well, here is another expression: To each his own.Me, I actually think that HDR photography is photography - because it helps use create an image that looks like the scene we see with… -
Canon 5D Mark II Slot Canyons Digital Diaries Post #1
17 Nov 2009 | 3:11 pmHi AllJust got back from shooting at Lower Antelope Canyon. Here is a favorite shot. HDR. Just a quick processing job. Will tweak when I get back home in a week.Shot at Upper Antelope Canyon this AM. Great fun, too.You gotta get here to shoot. Book a photo tour and come at this time of year. Fewer tourists ruining your shots.Horseshoe Bend is 10 minutes away. Monument Valley is about two hours away. Plan a great five-day trip. Don't forget your tripod.Explore the Light,Rick
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Gavtrain Video Tutorial Archive
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15 minute photo challenge - Taormina, Sicily
13 Nov 2009 | 12:43 pmIt's been a while since I've added a new 15 minute photo challenge video to the blog, so I'm really pleased to correct that today.If you've not seen one of these challenges before, here's how it works.The theory goes something like this. I believe the quality of photographs you take isn't directly related to what camera or lens you own. Sure those are important, but a good photographer can take good photos with any camera you give them, just look at the iPhone gallery by Chase Jarvis to see what I mean.So in that vain, earlier this year I set myself a personal photography challenge. Go… -
Friday Freebie - Video Loop
6 Nov 2009 | 12:33 pmYesterday I posted a video tutorial on what equipment you'll need to produce a professional green screen (chroma key) effect. Both ends of the video featured a short video loop of my own design.The fact that's it's of my own design is an important point. It's not an ego thing, but a copyright thing.Whenever you upload a video to the internet, to Youtube or just share it with friends you should always observe copyright. Unless you made it yourself, music, graphics and of course video loops are going to be someone elses copyright. Basically you shouldn't use them without permission (and… -
Green screen / Chroma Key
5 Nov 2009 | 8:57 amAlthough I'm known for my Photography / Photoshop tutorials, I'm also a very keen video guy. I'm not talking family videos or mini movies, I'm talking about training videos. So when I was asked by www.smick.co.uk to make a promo video using their excellent continuous lighting and pop up green screen background, I jumped right in.Using a green screen is fairly easy, but there are some do's and don't. I had to learn these the hard way, but for smick I've managed to sneak in some top green screen tips amongst the product shots.With the worlds of photography an video set to converge over then… -
Mirror Box Effect in Photoshop - Week 75
23 Oct 2009 | 1:43 pmHere's one of my all time favourite 3D effects. I call it the "mirror box". It's a really quick technique to master because it repeats a single techniue to great effect. There's no need to have the lastest version of Photoshop to try this because the whole thing works using the transform funtions found in all versions of photoshop. Best of all, it works brilliantly with any photo with great results. -
Make your own world map - tutorial
19 Oct 2009 | 12:19 pmOk enough is enough. Because so many of you wanted a copy of the map image I used in last weeks tutorial, I thought I'd upload a copy to the blog. Click the little image to open a bigger one.Of course having a copy of the image is one thing, but if you really want to learn Photoshop you can't beat making your own map from scratch.STEP 1:To make the map you're going to need a non standard photoshop custom shape. A search on Google will throw up a fist full of results but here's a direct link to a free and decent example by lukeroberts over at DeviantART.STEP 2:Click on the texture image and…
