Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR. NEW: Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR. You people know who you are: Leica M7 Edition Hermès. Vergrößern. The Leica Man knows what he wants. If you want an M7 Edition Hermès en orange, OC Camera in Orange County, California, (949) 347-1276, just got one in stock. There are only 100 of these in the entire world, so go get it. It is a speciual edition of the LEICA M7 and the LEICA SUMMILUX-M 35mm f/1.4, for people for whom the common versions just won't do.
Selected by allansjackson
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Ken Rockwell
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09 February 2010, Tuesday
8 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm -
08 February 2010, Monday
7 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pmCanon T2i. NEW: Canon T2i. Canon also announced four new PowerShots today: the PowerShot SX210 IS, the PowerShot SD3500 IS, the PowerShot SD1400 IS and the PowerShot SD1300 IS. Here's the news direct from Canon: CANON U.S.A. UNVEILS FOUR NEW ADDITIONS TO AWARD-WINNING POWERSHOT DIGITAL CAMERA LINEUP New PowerShot SX210 IS and ELPH Cameras Offer Improved Features For Increased Image Capture Control LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 8, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced the addition of four new PowerShot Digital cameras, the PowerShot SX210 IS, PowerShot… -
29 January 2010, My Dad's 79th Birthday
28 Jan 2010 | 10:00 pmNEW: Photos from Death Valley and the Eastern Sierra. This is what I was doing earlier this week. -
28 January 2010, Thursday
27 Jan 2010 | 10:00 pmCalifornia's Eastern Sierra I just returned from a trip with my photo club. We had loads of snow in California's Eastern Sierra, and I finally got to do something useful for a change. Richard's Chevy Tahoe never got stuck in foot-deep snow, but at times the snow got compacted and slick, so Peter and I hopped out to break it up a little. Here's me at the South Tufa parking lot at 6:30PM on Tuesday night: Rockwell gets useful. more useful. I handed my Canon S90 to Peter, which automatically set itself to ISO 1,600, f/2 at 1/2 of a second, hand-held. The only light was the moon and the Tahoe's… -
28 January 2010, Thursday
27 Jan 2010 | 10:00 pmCalifornia's Eastern Sierra I just returned from a trip with my photo club. We had loads of snow in California's Eastern Sierra, and I finally got to do something useful for a change. Richard's Chevy Tahoe never got stuck in foot-deep snow, but at times the snow got compacted and slick, so Peter and I hopped out to break it up a little. Here's me at the South Tufa parking lot at 6:30PM on Tuesday night: Rockwell gets useful. more useful. I handed my Canon S90 to Peter, which automatically set itself to ISO 1,600, f/2 at 1/2 of a second, hand-held. The only light was the moon and the Tahoe's…
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Photoshop Insider Blog By Scott Kelby
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Come Join Dave Cross, Corey, and me in Tampa this month for the Photoshop Down & Dirty Tour
8 Feb 2010 | 10:02 pmOK, it was really just supposed to be just Dave and Corey splitting the day, but they were kind enough to invite me to do one of my favorite parts of the day—the session on Typography and Designing with Type, so now it’s the three of us. The seminar is coming up on Monday, February 22nd at the Tampa Convention Center, and if you haven’t had a chance to catch the tour yet, it is just one of those days that really opens your eyes to the power of Photoshop, and all the cool stuff you can do—stuff that really looks hard, but is actually easy once you know the secrets. -
Kelby TV is On The Air! (and NAPP news joins the channel).
8 Feb 2010 | 9:52 pmAbout a month ago we launched KelbyTV.com, a new home for all the video shows we produce each week, so folks would have a central location to find all our shows right online. Last week I mentioned that Dave Cross has launched his own new weekly Podcast called “Ask Dave” and now NAPP News (hosted by Larry Becker) has joined the channel. The full list of weekly shows on KelbyTV.com include: Photoshop User TV D-Town TV Layers TV Lightroom Killer Tips Photoshop Killer Tips Ask Dave NAPP News Of course, you can subscribe to all of these shows using Apple’s iTunes, and watch them right on… -
NAPP is Hiring!
8 Feb 2010 | 9:44 pmWant to come and work with us? NAPP is looking for a kick-butt PHP programmer to come and join the NAPP team down here in sunny Tampa, Florida (where today’s high is a lovely 65°). If you thrive in a really cool work environment, and want to work with some incredibly creative and fun people (our Web team rocks!), who really value what you do, then contact Barbie Taylor, our HR Director for all the details (just leave me a comment here on the blog, and I’ll get you her direct email). Also, if this isn’t you, but you know someone who would fit the bill, will you pass this on… -
Shooting the SuperBowl in Miami Last Night
7 Feb 2010 | 10:51 pmOK, there is a slight distinction in the headline you see above from my normal football game coverage—I didn’t say “shooting from the sidelines.” This time, I actually shot from up in the stands, because I didn’t have sidelines credential. Now, if you’re wondering how I got some “big glass” into the game, here’s the trick. The NFL has a rule that a spectator can’t bring a lens that’s more than 6 inches long (15.25 cm) into the stadium, and they measure the length as you come through the security. So, I measured my beloved Nikon… -
Ken Got His Guitar (and The Springs of Hope Orphanage got $2,500)
7 Feb 2010 | 9:40 pmKen Toney, regular commenter here on the blog, won the raffle we did for the “Photoshop Guys Signature Guitar” and he sent me the shot above of the guitar, in its display case, hanging on the wall of his office (which is pretty sweet, by the way). Click on the photo for a larger view. The raffle raised nearly $2,500 for the Springs of Hope Orphanage, and then we raised another $1,300+ from the off camera flash t-shirts (which are still available, in four stunning styles by the way), right here. Also, we raised an additional $1,000 through this blog’s affiliate program with…
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Digital ProTalk
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"The Perfect Day"
9 Feb 2010 | 5:01 am"The Perfect Day" ©David A. Ziser This image is one of my first digital images made almost 9 years ago. I still love it. My first digital camera was a Fuji S-1 Pro. At the time, it was the camera to beat - about 3 mega-pixels and only $6000 - Wow! What a steal! The next closest priced camera at the time was Kodak's DCS 650 at about $20,000+. The Fuji was known for great color, you just couldn’t enlarge the image much past 11x14 inches. Anyway, saving a $1000/wk in film and processing sure looked like an attractive fiscal option to me. I was hooked on… -
Technique Tuesday: Cool Banners Made Easy - Part 2
9 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amGood Morning Everybody, Yesterday we took a long stroll through the French Quarter - always a great place for photography, enjoyed some Cajun cuisine for lunch, and finished with a refreshment on one of the restaurant balconies at Toulouse and Chartres. I've always wanted to see what the view was like from one of those many balconies I've seen in the Quarter. You know, while walking through New Orleans these last few days, every day has looked like game day and so too today - EVERYBODY is wearing the "black and gold." Way to go "Who Dat" country, you have… -
"New Orleans Welcome"
8 Feb 2010 | 8:01 am"New Orleans Welcome" ©David A. Ziser I captured this image after we departed the plane and walked through New Orleans airport on the way to baggage claim this past Thursday. As you know, I'm a big fan of symmetrical compositions and the ceiling of the New Orleans airport fit the bill for me. The monochromatic tones were offset by the blue sky just peeking in the small ceiling openings at the top structure. The parallel lines of the ceiling made to converge with my wide angle lens contrasted well with the semicircular features of the ceiling too. All combined into a… -
Super Bowl Monday: In The Middle Of The Action
8 Feb 2010 | 8:00 amGood Morning Everybody, I had planned to do a regular Quick Hit Monday post today, but that all changed last evening when the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl! Hey, the most exciting news happening in the country today is the Saints win. Add to that that the entire city of New Orleans is in the middle of it's 2 week Carnival celebration, too. Most of us are very familiar with Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday and all the wild celebrations going on. But what you may not know is that there are more that 50 parades that take place in the Big Easy beginning about 2 weeks before… -
"The Whisper Of Your Smile"
5 Feb 2010 | 5:01 am"The Whisper Of Your Smile" ©David A. Ziser This beautiful young lady was the subject of my post on Monday. Here is another image from that shoot. The image was made by available light only. The couple were seated under a veranda that opened out onto the family's back yard. The light was soft and gentle on the both of them. I simply asked them to just get close to each other and whisper their feelings to each other. It worked. I rotated around them getting a great series of images for their album. Sometimes the easiest way to shoot is the best.
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ePHOTOzine All Articles Feed
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AKVIS Coloriage 7
9 Feb 2010 | 7:30 amBreath life into old memories with colour. -
2010 Fujifilm Student Awards
9 Feb 2010 | 7:10 amThe deadline for the 2010 Fujifilm Student Awards is Sunday 28th February. -
Hahnemühle at Focus on Imaging 2010
9 Feb 2010 | 5:44 amVisit the Hahnemühle stand at Focus where they will be displaying a varity of new products. -
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR
9 Feb 2010 | 2:13 amThe new 16-35mm f/4G lens from Nikon defines a new class of Nikkor. -
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G ED
9 Feb 2010 | 2:12 amNikon delivers the AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G ED.
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The Online Photographer
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Haiti: Between Death and Life
9 Feb 2010 | 6:09 amPhotographs by Peter TurnleyIntroduction: This is a significant occasion at The Online Photographer. It marks the first time we've published a significant body of original photojournalism. The following 50-picture photo essay is a World exclusive of new work shot a little more than a week ago by my friend the great photojournalist Peter Turnley. To put you in context, the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti killed as many people as were killed by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima that ended World War II, in roughly the same time frame. Coverage of every phase of crises is important, with… -
Blog Notes: Ctein Weekly
9 Feb 2010 | 4:52 amMore eyes: I've added an interesting "Featured Comment" to the "Ralph Gibson on Time" post below that you might want to see. Some interesting comparison photographs.Ctein weekly: I'm pleased to announce that Ctein's columns will now appear regularly once a week. Starting this coming Thursday, his column will appear every Thursday morning.Mike -
Kodak Tri-X Professional (TXP) Discontinued in 120 and 220
8 Feb 2010 | 5:46 amKodak has announced that "due to significantly decreased sales volumes," TXP (ISO 320) in 120 and 220 are to be discontinued in March. This news isn't as significant as it might sound if you don't keep up with film. The "real" Tri-X for small formats is Tri-X 400, coded "TX." Tri-X Professional—TXP—is the rollfilm version of TXT sheet film, ISO 320. TXP and TX are completely different films, with only their name in common. TX 120 will continue to be available. In fact, in response to a question sent by David Goldfarb on APUG, Scott DiSabato, who is… -
Brooks Jensen's Lens Testing
7 Feb 2010 | 11:07 amFollowing on "Focusing Follies" from a few days ago, check out Brooks Jensen's Lens Testing methodology from the LensWork Technology blog. An interesting take on one way to get a handle on what your lenses are doing.Mike Send this post to a friendNote: Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. More... -
A Message from Chris Duffy
6 Feb 2010 | 8:49 amI have just been sent a link to this website re the Duffy Documentary. Our server did indeed crash twice last weekend due to excessive traffic and in fact we had over 4,000 people trying to download the video over two days, which on a shared server was far too much to handle. I couldn't figure out why we had such a spike in viewing figures but all is clear now as this site obviously pointed gazillions of people to the documentary on the Duffy Website. We have now ported the video over to link from the VIMEO Server so hopefully the problem is solved. Thanks to all who have watched the…
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Joe McNally's Blog
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GPP, Again….
8 Feb 2010 | 3:02 amGulf Photo Plus launches in Dubai in a couple of weeks, and I’m stoked to go back to the Middle East. This will be the 4th year for me, and the event just keeps getting better and better. Hats off to Mohamed Somji, Hala Salhi and the whole GPP crew for putting together what has become the premier photo conference and learning center in the Middle East. Got a bunch of reasons to be stoked, principal among them the faculty who heads yearly to that strange and friendly conglomeration of concrete and glass that is Dubai. The talent and teaching that is offered at GPP simply makes me want to… -
Malaysia Update….
2 Feb 2010 | 10:56 pmLouis Pang and his Wedshooter TV gang have fixed up our workshop with wonderfully talented folks to be in front of the lens. Evon has worked with us for a couple days now. Suffice it to say, photographing her is a damn sight different experience than photographing this particular devotee at Thaipusam the other day. The above was shot by Johan Sopiee, a terrific Malaysian shooter based here in KL. It’s been a pretty wild ride since we landed Friday night. Mid-week now. We’ll be cranking right through the weekend. Having fun. Malaysia’s a great place, friendly people, lotsa… -
Malaysia, First Day….
1 Feb 2010 | 2:01 am29 hours, door to door. Check into hotel. Sleep 3 hours. Up at 4am. Go to Thaipusam. Didn’t know about Thaipusam before this trip, and the timing is completely coincidental, but photographically fortuitous. It is one of the wildest explosions of human frenzy, devotion and religious fervor I have ever been to. It is the Hindu celebration of the birthday of Lord Muruga, and thousands gather amidst the heat, sweat and incense to seek his blessings and render homage. Many bear gifts, simple as a pot of milk, up the long walk to the Batu Caves. Others spin themselves into a frenzy, drift… -
Heading North
25 Jan 2010 | 3:32 amOr, as Einar Erlendssen, the originator and caretaker of the Focus on Nature Workshops says, heading up to join the stark raving mad Vikings. I always wanted to go to Iceland. It seems a land of true intensity, color, and personality. It’ll be a small workshop, and thus very hands on. Our merry band of speed lighters will evidently careen around the countryside (the place ain’t that big) looking, lighting, and shooting. At night we will gather over various Nordic intoxicants and commune with the pixel spirits, and discuss the successes and failures of the day. This will be a… -
Jakester as Superhero….
19 Jan 2010 | 5:37 amSo I was with the DLWS gang in the Marin Headlands, looking at the Golden Gate Bridge, which, I can reliably report, does not move. See below. No stranger to photog paranoia and insecurity, which rages in the hearts and minds of shooters everywhere, I continued to prove that salient fact over and over again, as if my right index finger had developed a kind of idiot savant twitch, in that it knew how to do one thing well, that is, push the damn shutter button over and over again. I’ve always been good at simple, repetitive tasks, so I went to town and produced a grid of remarkably…
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LIGHTING ESSENTIALS For Photographers
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Thoughts on Photography, and Other Stuff, While Driving Across the Desert.
8 Feb 2010 | 9:57 pmI love to drive. Cars and motorcycles and trucks… I love to get behind the wheel and just go. This weekend I drove to San Diego for the workshop there. And, BTW… it was a very fun and exciting workshop with a lot of talented photographers, some wonderful models, and fascinating conversations. I love to talk nearly as much as I love to drive. (Those of you who know me, are shaking your heads right now… just not sure which way… heh.) I left pretty late in the day on Friday, having to clear some things before being out-of-pocket for a couple of days. The light was dreary… -
Before You Shoot for Peanuts, Consider the Risks
29 Jan 2010 | 10:18 amUmmm… this is a Rant, so be warned. I stated in the last post that I would tell you why I would prefer beginning photographers shoot for free rather than dirt cheap. And I mean that totally. I am not saying you should shoot for free, I am saying to cut out the low-ball quotes that drive the industry down. Yeah, I would prefer you do it for free than to have you quote $40 for a half day industrial shoot… got it? When you quote ridiculously low pricing, you are giving the impression that it is worth what you quoted. And that impression hurts everyone… even you. I see lots of… -
Pricing Issues: One Big Monster of a Problem
27 Jan 2010 | 10:29 amA day or two ago a firestorm of sorts broke out on the interwebs on pricing. It got heady and angry and although I initially made a post on one of the players in this dramas posts here, I subsequently found that I had stumbled on to something that was just getting going. You can see how it unfolded here. Be sure to read the comments, as that is all part of the context of the argument. Mr. Bourne’s post is linked here. This issue on price, undercutting, ‘ruining’ the business all gets so dicey and tricky in the crazy light of the real world, I thought I would throw out some… -
Go Ahead and Play!
25 Jan 2010 | 2:17 pmToday’s Rant is really a Rave… sorta. it is about the fun and joy of photography… beyond the craft and business of photography. I don’t know what happens to us as photographers when we get to the point where the cameras stay in the vault until someone pays us to shoot. That was never me, it couldn’t be. I love to play… takes the mind away from the work. Folks who aren’t photographers play you know. Snowmobiles, horses, football with the gang, tailgate parties, dog shows… whatever. We all know the list of things we can do for entertainment is… -
Just a Camera and a Subject. Simplicity Can Be Fun.
22 Jan 2010 | 10:36 amRecently there was a discussion on whether natural light shooters would be able to compete with the strobe-heavy photographers and those deep into the Photoshop illustrative techniques. And before we begin it must be stressed that I love all kinds of photography. This is not ‘against’ any style that you may enjoy, it is only a look at some simple, and entirely wonderful ways of shooting. Photography embraces all types of imagery. From the heavily illustrated work of Dave Hill and Tim Tadder, to the Photojournalist with a camera in a war zone, to a wedding shooter with a speedlight…
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Chase Jarvis
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Apple Aperture 3.0 Awesomeness
9 Feb 2010 | 6:00 amI’m usually a flag waver for artistic vision rather than gear or the tools of our craft, but this calls for an exception: just minutes ago Apple announced the much anticipated Aperture 3.0. And it’s the bomb. I’m lucky enough to have been using it for several months now.There’s few things I think photographers will want to know about this new release. First, and most importantly, driving this software feels like you’re driving a German sports car. Aperture 3.0 has the power and grace that we’ve come to expect from Apple. Second, it’s got new features for days...My favorites off… -
Michal Garcia Wins Trip to Our Studio from Hong Kong
3 Feb 2010 | 5:11 amIf you were tuned in here during the 8 weeks before the New Year, then you knew that I was giving away roundtrip airfare and accommodations to come visit us here at the Seattle studio from anywhere in the world. Here's the original post. All you needed to do? Post pictures of you with my latest book The Best Camera Is The One That's With You to my Facebook Fan page and/or my TBCITOTWY Amazon Page.The winner? Michal Garcia. And he's really hurting my pocketbook, because we're bringing him all the way from Hong Kong. But it'll be worth it. Please give a shout out below.Hundreds of entries came… -
Mike Relm Slays It
1 Feb 2010 | 8:41 amNot sure what "it" refers to in the title of this post, but whatever "it" is, Mike Relm's blowing "it" up. I had the good fortune of getting to know Mike last week at Sundance. His live DJ performance mixing both audio and video, was one of my highlights from the festival. Turns out Mike is also a solid director too--one you should know about--as evinced by the video above. I'd had a similar idea before, but Mike executed it far better than what was going on in my beany little brain. Make sure to watch the whole vid to "get" it. Enjoy this viewing pleasure on a happy Monday.After the jump,… -
Live Broadcast of Our Photoshoot Tomorrow (Friday!)
28 Jan 2010 | 1:20 pmYep. You read that headline correctly. We're broadcasting our upcoming photo gig LIVE from our Seattle studio via the ol' internet on Friday, January 29 from 10am to 6pm (PST, which is GMT -8). This is tomorrow for most of you, but today for some! This is a total experiment, but we need your help. Please read on.The nuts and bolts: we're shooting the album cover and promo materials for a great alt country/punk band called Brent Amaker and the Rodeo. Expect 5 men in all black; 3 beautiful, scantily/sex-ily dressed ladies; in a country-punk meets modern studio set. Very free form. Very… -
Creativity and Social Media at Sundance [Video]
27 Jan 2010 | 9:09 amWhoa! Just back from the Sundance Film Festival where I was fortunate enough to sit on a panel as a part of the Twitter 140TC Conference. The panel was called Filmmaking in the Age of Twitter: How Affordable, Innovative Tools are Transforming Hollywood . On the panel was yours truly, along with Joeseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer and Hesher--new film with, gulp, Natalie Portman), Levar Burton (Star Trek, Roots), and Marcin Teodoru (Circle Films). The panel was moderated by Steve Broback.The place was packed - standing room only - with lots of good discussion. Thanks to G-Tech and…
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PixSylated
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LensFlare 35 Interview & Gallery Talk
2 Feb 2010 | 5:35 amLensFlare35.com is a great source of information about photographers and photography – both still and in motion. Think of it as one of those tables in a diner where people keep joining the party and the conversation is always interesting. The just-published LensFlare 35 (Episode -36) features a podcast with yours truly and a slideshow in which I talk about the lighting of some of my favorite images. Click here to check it out. -
Adorama Workshops to Host ‘Speedliter’s Intensive’
1 Feb 2010 | 9:43 amI’m more than proud to announce that I will be teaching in NYC on Sunday, March 14th. Adorama will be hosting my ‘Speedliter’s Intensive’ seminar at their flagship store in Manhattan’s Flatiron District (42 W 18th Street). Click on the photo above to get all the details from Adorama’s site. Details on dates for the ‘Speedliter’s Intensive’ in Orlando and other cities will be announced later this week. -
Twelve Photographers Speak – A Collection Of YouTube Videos
29 Jan 2010 | 11:54 amThe journey to becoming a photographer means that you spend time with other photographers. In today’s digital world, spending time does not necessarily mean “to be in the presence of” — although that is always best. Here are videos of twelve photographers; all of whom I admire for their images, all of whom have influenced how I look at the world. Richard Avedon: Darkness & Light Paul Caponigro John Paul Caponigro Joe McNally Climbs The Empire State Building Annie Leibovitz Shoots Marie Antoinette Drew Gardner Shoots Helen Pankhurst – Descendants Series… -
We Should All Have A Dream
18 Jan 2010 | 2:34 pmMartin Luther’s King’s famous “I have a dream” speech is as moving and meaningful today as it was 46 years ago. If you do nothing else on this MLK Civil Rights Day, watch this video and embrace MLK’s message. You’ll find the complete text of the speech here. -
The APPOS – iPhone App Awards & Photo Contest
14 Jan 2010 | 9:39 am“Excuse me? Is that a camera-phone in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?” There’s no doubt that the iPhone has revolutionized the world of “point-and-shoot” photography. With over 1000 photography apps in the iTunes store, it boggles the mind that anything else gets done in the world these days. So now, the first-ever APPOS: iPhone App Awards & Photo Contest is about to get underway. Sponsored by the great folks at Adorama, the contest has two parts: a popular vote on the best iPhone photo apps and an iPhone photo contest. Click here to head to the…
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dpreview.com
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Just Posted! Olympus E-PL1 Sample Gallery
9 Feb 2010 | 8:08 am -
Apple unveils Aperture 3 raw workflow software
9 Feb 2010 | 7:09 am -
Nikon posts firmware update for D3S pro DSLR
9 Feb 2010 | 3:42 am -
zoomMediaPlus announces SD card reader for iPhone
9 Feb 2010 | 3:12 am -
Nikon 16-35mm f/4 G ED VR stabilized ultra-wide zoom
8 Feb 2010 | 8:00 pm
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Strobist
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On Assignment: Trip Jennings
7 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pmA couple of months ago I got to photograph adventure kayaker Trip Jennings for Canoe & Kayak Magazine. Given we were fresh out of 80-foot waterfalls for him to navigate in Howard County, we instead chose the shore of relatively somnambulistic Centennial Lake at sunset…__________Prologue is PastFWIW, this is the back end of the What, Me Worry? post from a few weeks ago. Since the magazine is out, I can now publish some of the photos here.So we'll skip the pre-production info (since you can read it in exhausting detail on the other post) and just hit the lighting stuff.Soft Boxes Gathering… -
Behind the Scenes on Sunshine
3 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pmAmerican Cinematographer has a wonderful piece online about both the theory and the execution of the lighting in Sunshine. It's a SciFi movie, about the death of the sun and a mission to jumpstart it with a nuclear bomb.There's a lot of technical stuff, which I of course love. But the most interesting thing to me was psychological. They added impact to the eventual sun close-ups by starving the set of any warm colors whatsoever during the earlier sequences.There was a lot of green screen, obviously. As such, they had to create dynamic light proxies for the sun, so the actors could react to… -
On Assignment: The Glass Menagerie
1 Feb 2010 | 11:45 amSince 1983, when I started stringing assignments for the Leesburg (FL) Commercial, I have always gravitated toward community journalism. I just find it intimate and rewarding to work within a tight geographic area and get to know the people who live all around you.In the 27 years since, I have obviously gotten the chance to shoot in many interesting and exotic places in the years that followed. But I always gravitate back towards shooting locally -- especially where self-directed photographic projects are concerned.Last year, I photographed Michael Stebbins, who is the creative and artistic… -
Snooty, Yet Warm
29 Jan 2010 | 12:00 pmDavid Honl has just started shipping a gold-interior version of his popular 8" speed snoot, dubbed the Honl Zebra 8. When the light passes through the snoot, it bounces around and picks up the warm color -- similar to using a warming gel on your key light. Which makes it great for for lighting human beings, especially those from Great Britain.It's a store-bought homage to an old trick I first picked up from my friend Chris Usher. He used to scrounge manilla folders when shooting biz portraits in an office. Just roll 'em up and make a warm snoot with a rubber band.The effect is similar, albeit… -
Put a Li'l Boom in Your Pocket: The Matthews Scissors-Clip
28 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pmI had a few people ask about how I mounted the SB-800 in the ceiling for the John McIntyre photo last week. I used a Matthews Scissor-Clip, a sweet little light stand / cable clamp made just for suspended ceilings.Hit the jump for more info and pics.__________Here it is with nothing attached -- and upside down from its normal orientation. The grooved, "X-Wing" style base opens and closes to securely grab the panel-holding framework of a suspended ceiling, and drop down with a 5/8" male stud.It'll hold any small light, obviously including an umbrella clamp and speedlight combo. Best yet, it…
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The Luminous Landscape - What's New
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6 February, 2010 - A Question of White Balance
5 Feb 2010 | 3:05 pmMany photographers obsess over proper white balance. But what is more important – accuracy or looking good? My take on this is found in our latest essay – A Question of White Balance. ____________________ We're pleased to announce the first of ten winners in our Winter 2010 Cheer-Up Contest. This week's winner is Mirek Elsner, of Bellevue, WA. Congratulations Mirek. There will be nine more winners in the weeks ahead. You could be one of them. Any purchase of one of our video tutorials or Video Journals is a qualifying entry. Find out more. ____________________ Readers who purchase… -
3 February, 2010 - New Cameras - Prices Drop
3 Feb 2010 | 7:24 amOne good thing about the lousy economy, it's leading to reduced prices on cameras. Two that were just announced in anticipation of the PMA show later this month are the Hasselblad H4D-40 at some U.S. $20,000 and the Olympus E-PL2 at about $600 – both very aggressively priced in their respective catagories. I had preview comments (under NDA) on each of these in preparation, but since both products were leaked well in advance by other sites I've decided to save my breath. In any event, I am hoping to review them when they become available for testing. For the time being you can read… -
2 February, 2010 - Air Rage. Toronto Airport Is Broken
2 Feb 2010 | 2:10 amToronto Pearson International Airport is broken and the fault lies with the GTAA. This may not be of interest to you unless you live in Canada's largest city and fly to the U.S., but if you do you need to read my latest essay titled Toronto / U.S. Travel Outrage. ____________________ UPDATE In the half day since Toronto / U.S. Travel Outrage was first published I have received more e-mail about it than anything else that I have ever written on this site in the past 11 years. Thank you everyone for your thoughts, support and suggestions. Unfortunately because I am traveling in the U.S this… -
1 February, 2010 - Learning From The Best Images
31 Jan 2010 | 3:36 pmHow can we become better photographers? Craft and equipment have their roles, but seeing trumps everything else. Today's new essay is by author and regular contributor George Barr, and is titled Learning From The Best Images – Yours, Mine, and History’s. ____________________ Today's Home Page photograph is the last from a series shot on the island of La Gomera, Spain last month. I have now collected these on this page for those that might be interested, since several of them don't appear anywhere else on this site once they disappear from the Home Page. ____________________ I am… -
29 January, 2010 - Winter 2010 Cheer-Up Contest Announced
28 Jan 2010 | 2:20 pmIt's contest time again. Every once in a while we run a promotional contest to remind people that we publish several unique training videos, including The Luminous Landscape Guide to Camera Raw, From Camera to Print, our Guide to Asset Management, our Adobe Lightroom Tutorial, and nineteen different issues of our unique video magazine, The Luminous Landscape Video Journal. The prices are reasonable, the content is terrific, and your purchases help support the existence of this site. Our new contest offers ten chances to win a full boxed version of Adobe Lightroom 3, compliments of Adobe.
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Nikonians News
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Nikon D3S firmware update 1.01
9 Feb 2010 | 5:40 amNikon has released firmware update 1.01 for the D3S digital SLR. Notable fixes include inadvertent movie playback stalls and memory card "CHA" errors. -
New Wide Nikkor Lenses: 16-35mm f/4 VR and 24mm f/1.4
9 Feb 2010 | 5:11 amTwo highly anticipated FX-format lenses were officially confirmed by Nikon today; bringing VR to a popular zoom range and updating a wide-angle classic. -
Nikonians News Flash #146
7 Feb 2010 | 12:08 pmThis week Ray passes along the latest photographic news relating to Nikon: -Nikon Introduces 7 new Coolpix cameras -What will be new at PMA -Topaz Labs releases Detail 2 -Unified Color announces HDR Photo Studio for MAC -Nikonians 10th Anniversary Photo Contest -Nikonians new Good Locations App available now from iTunes -Berger Brothers Camera announces Nikonians personalized Rewards discount -Kiwi, Wayne Lorimer and I speak about finding Nikonians near you Download Nikonians News Flash #146 (NPC-NF-2010-02-07.mp3; 4:52; 4.46MB; MP3 format) -
Berger Bros. Camera says "Bring it On"
5 Feb 2010 | 8:02 amOur good friends at Berger Bros. Camera have extended an invitation to our members which will let us hit them with our personal wish lists for special deals. Check it Out! Don't forget, you can always chat with the Berger Bros. Team in our Nikonians - Berger Bros. Camera Forum -
10th Anniversary Photo Contest Update
4 Feb 2010 | 8:04 amFollowing the announcement of our Nikonians 10th Anniversary Photo Contest in the News Blogs, we've had a number of questions seeking details and a further explanation of the contest procedures (referred to as "tasks" in the Contest Rules).
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Silber Studios
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Sports Illustrated Cover Photo of Olympic Skier Lindsey Vonn Causes Uproar
8 Feb 2010 | 12:49 pmIs Sports Illustrated’s latest cover sexist? Sports Illustrated has long been known as one of the premiere magazines for sports photography, but its latest cover has landed the weekly in hot water. The cover photo for the February 8th issue, showing Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn in her racing suit, bent over with ski poles in her hand, has drawn outrage for what many people believe is a sexist portrayal of women. Critics are claiming the stylized photo (seen above) actually objectifies Vonn sexually rather than focusing on her athletic talents. They claim she has been put into a sexually… -
“Taking Aim:” New Photography Book from Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Graham Nash
5 Feb 2010 | 3:50 pmElvis Costello on tour in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1977. Photo by Anton Corbijn. The only way to know what images are the most indicative of life in the world of rock ‘n’ roll is to be a part of that world yourself. In his new book, “Taking Aim,” photographer and singer-songwriter Graham Nash (of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) has hand-picked the best photographs to take us into that world. Collecting images from such luminaries in the photography world as Daniel Kramer, Charles Peterson, Annie Leibovitz and others, the book manages to give fans a glimpse behind… -
Unique Photography Techniques from Rock Band Photographer Michael Zagaris
2 Feb 2010 | 8:33 amPhotograph © Michael Zagaris 2010. All Rights Reserved In the latest episode of “Advancing Your Photography,” Marc Silber sits down for an interview with acclaimed rock ‘n’ roll photographer Michael Zagaris. As one of the most notable names in both the music and photography worlds, Michael has been the band photographer for acts like The Who, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, and is currently the team photographer for both the San Francisco Forty-Niners and the Oakland A’s. In a career that most artists can only dream of, Michael has picked up countless… -
Sundance Film ‘Smash His Camera’ Profiles Paparazzi King Ron Galella
30 Jan 2010 | 7:56 amRobert Redford. Photo by Ron Galella Ron Galella is a controversial man. As one of the most famous celebrity photographers of the last half-century, he’s been called everything from a parasite and a vulture, to the “Godfather of the U.S. paparazzi culture.” And in the new documentary Smash His Camera, we’re given a whirlwind tour through the career of Hollywood’s most-hated man. In his review of the film, Roger Ebert quotes Andy Warhol: “A great photograph,” the artist said, “shows the famous doing something unfamous. Ron Galella is my favorite… -
Folk Photography: Postcards from American History
26 Jan 2010 | 9:33 amThe postcard is losing its luster. As a medium of communication, and as a picture-letter showcasing one’s home or travels abroad, it has fallen victim to the advancements in technology that allow us to send photos instantly. But at the turn of the 20th century, postcards were one of the most popular (and cheapest) ways to document and share the life of your community. In the new book “Folk Photography: The American Real-Photo Postcard, 1905–1930,” photography historian Luc Sante has collected some of the most haunting, moving images from this period. These 122 postcards,…
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Digital Photography School
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9 Architectural Photography Tips
9 Feb 2010 | 12:26 pmClassical or contemporary; architectural photography can be as challenging as it is rewarding. Here are some pointers to help you get started… Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center - by Stuck in Customs 1. Be sensitive to the direction of light as this can increase contrast, shadows, textures and reflections. High levels of contrast can fool cameras into exposing the scene incorrectly, but shooters can easily overcome this by applying exposure compensation. Another trick is to bracket shots at different exposure values (exposing one for the highlights, one for the midtones and one for the… -
Sigma DP1s Digital Camera Review
9 Feb 2010 | 6:33 amA guest Review of the Sigma DP1s by Patrick Dean from NeutralDay.com. The idea is simple really. Put a large sensor inside a small compact body and you’ve got a camera that enthusiasts can carry around easily and still secure the same level of quality from their captures as they would from their larger DSLR camera. Recently a number of cameras have been released that fit this bill, but just a short time ago, Sigma was flying solo in this market sector with DP1. Using the unique Foveon X3 sensor, the DP1 offered users a 28mm equivalent lens, excellent image quality, all in a fairly… -
The Future of HDR and its Use within the Camera
8 Feb 2010 | 12:22 pmA Guest post by Dave Ware from Whalebone Photography. This note is aimed to be a quick discussion on High Dynamic Range and possible future enhancements to improve it. What is High Dynamic Range? High Dynamic Range is a digital processing effect used within photography to combine a number of images of differing exposures to create a consistently exposed picture throughout the entire frame. This increases the luminance (amount of light) visible within an image. Why is it required? The camera’s limitation of amount of colour and luminance it can record is governed by the sensor’s… -
Canon EOS 550D Announced
8 Feb 2010 | 6:34 amThe Canon EOS 500D has been replaced with the Canon EOS 550D today, and by the looks of it, replaced with style. ***Update here*** “Both the 500D and 450D will continue said Canon Europe’s Photo Products planning manager Mike Owen.” So we won’t see this camera replace the 500 series, just add to that range. –Sime Canon EOS 550D 18MP 1080p HD Movies ISO 6400 United Kingdom / Republic of Ireland, 8th February 2010 – Canon today announces a groundbreaking new addition to its expanding, world-famous EOS range of Digital SLR cameras – the EOS 550D. The EOS 550D… -
Diptychs & Triptychs – 5 Prime Examples
8 Feb 2010 | 6:17 amMain Entry: dip·tych Pronunciation: \?dip-(?)tik\ Etymology: Late Latin diptycha, plural, from Greek, from neuter plural of diptychos folded in two, from di- + ptych? fold Date: 1622 1 : a 2-leaved hinged tablet folding together to protect writing on its waxed surfaces 2 : a picture or series of pictures (as an altarpiece) painted or carved on two hinged tablets 3 : a work made up of two matching parts Diptychs and triptychs are a brilliant tool for photographic storytelling. They present two or three images which can be from the same session or they can be polar opposites to show…
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Blog on Photoblogs
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BOPB 2010
18 Jan 2010 | 5:50 pmI guess by now it’s become pretty evident that Blog on Photoblogs fell off the track a wee bit at the end of 2009. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time thinking about where I would like the blog to go in 2010 and would love to hear your thoughts. If you have any suggestions please feel free to leave them in the comments or use the contact page to send them my way! Thanks for the support in 2009 and here’s to a great 2010! -
Giving it away – following my own advice
14 Sep 2009 | 10:44 amSo a few posts back now, I mentioned reading about Trent Reznor’s suggestion about giving away your work in order to build a fan-base with the hopes of parlaying (don’t you just love that word?) the folks who take the time to register and download your stuff into raving fans who in the future would be willing to pay for other work. After a bit of head-banging, cursing (only a little), and several late nights at the keyboard, I managed to modify my pixelpost photoblog to do just that. I’ve started the process with a single image in a few sizes, so the implementation of the idea is… -
Hacked Wordpress site
5 Sep 2009 | 8:43 pmSo the other day, I get an email from a friend of mine asking me to have a look at her blog because some of the links, which were working a few days ago are now dropping everyone on a 400 bad request page. Before I even have a chance to open up the site, I get another e-mail saying that she thinks that spammers have hacked her WP site! To make a long story short, in the end her WP install had been compromised and there was actually a hidden admin user in the system! Have a look at the attachment it shows 4 administrator users, but there are only three users total – something… -
Tagging your images in Google Image Search
18 Aug 2009 | 2:08 pmJust yesterday I came across a post on the Google Webmaster Central Blog which I though quite a few of you would find interesting. Google has recently introduced a simple way to filter image search results based on the license associated with the image. I think that they could have gone much further like how about not hiding the option on the advanced search page, and maybe make it default to “labelled for reuse” – but you have to start somewhere right? I know that it’s not perfect, and that it still won’t stop anyone from just using your images willy-nilly,… -
Giving it away
21 Jul 2009 | 11:51 amSo I stumbled across this article today by Trent Reznor (yes, that Trent Reznor) and it struck me that the same rules could apply to photography on the Internet. Let’s face it, for most of us this is just an expensive hobby – and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But if you want more out of it, you’re going to have to build your fan base. So why not give away copies of your high-res images in exchange for an email address? People are getting what they want, and you’re building an extremely valuable database of people who are interested in your work. If…
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Beyond Megapixels
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Poll – What Will You Photograph Next?
8 Feb 2010 | 7:07 amAs photographers, we are always trying to expand our horizons and break free from our comfort zones. We at Beyond Megapixels would like to know, what photography subject will you challenge yourself with next? Vote in our poll, and leave more details in the comments! Click Here for PollOnline SurveyEnterprise Feedback Management | Website Polls | Email Marketing | Crowdsourcing SoftwareView MicroPoll (If the embedded poll does not work for your web browser, you can still participate by clicking on this link.) Photo credit: Tiffany Joyce. Related posts:Poll – Your Next Lens Summer in… -
Photographer Focus: Devilicious-g
6 Feb 2010 | 8:21 amThis post was submitted by Ghada Abdulkhaleq and you can check out more of her photography here or on her facebook fan page here. We Dream Too I have been always in love with animals, specially cats and kittens, I do have a sweet connection with them, and most people say I do look like cats somehow, so I do believe I was meant to be close to them! This picture was taken for a cat we had in the family, it was very spontaneous and that’s why I love it. I consider it one of the best shots I have ever taken. Missing Only You I’m a big fan of puzzles, and I had an idea while playing… -
Gaining, and Keeping, Your Confidence
5 Feb 2010 | 6:00 amI’m betting I’m not the only photographer out there who thought they were pretty good, until they saw a photograph taken by someone else that just blew them away, and they thought, “I’ll never be as good as that.” Am I right? Show of hands. It happens to me all the time. And it can really shake your confidence in your growing skills as a photographer. Here are some thoughts on gaining, and keeping, your confidence. 1. Keep it all in perspective. How long have you been taking pictures? What kind of gear do you own? How much training have you had? Because rest… -
Tips for Focusing in the Dark
4 Feb 2010 | 8:18 amTaking a long exposure picture in dark conditions can be a challenge, because the camera’s auto-focus capabilities find it difficult to “see” a point of focus. Manual focus can be hard, too, because you can’t see what you’re trying to focus on through the viewfinder! In keeping with this month’s “long exposure” challenge, here are a few tips for focusing in the dark. Nikon D300 + Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 @ 10mm - 30sec, f/4.5, ISO 1000. 1. Use a flashlight to temporarily light up your subject (glow sticks work well, too). You will be able to see your… -
Lens Nomenclature Decoded
3 Feb 2010 | 6:00 amHave you ever looked at the text printed on the barrel or around the front element of your lens and wondered what all those numbers and letters and symbols meant? Some may be clear and obvious, some more obscure. Here’s a “decoder ring” of sorts, to help you sort it all out. Let’s take a Canon lens as the first example: Canon Lens EF 28-80mm 1:3.5-5.6. Ø58mm - “EF” stands for “electrofocus”. This means the lens has an internal motor for auto-focusing cameras. - “28-80mm” refers to the focal length that the camera is capable of. In…
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Rick Sammon
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Version 1.1 of My Digital Photography App is Now Available
8 Feb 2010 | 5:52 pmThe first update for my first app - Rick Sammon's 24/7 Photo Buffet - is now available on iTunes. The update is free.If you are new to the app, read about it here.The always-expanding app (like a never ending story) include lessons on close-up photography and shooting in the snow.Here is a preview.Close-Up TipsPractice.Before we set out to take some serious close-up pictures, we need to practice using different f-stops, shutter speeds and lighting at home. That's what I did before embarking on a trip to Florida to photograph butterflies.I experimented with different camera, lens and flash… -
Crop My Pictures and You Are a Dead Man
6 Feb 2010 | 1:31 pm“Crop my picture and you’re a dead man.” That’s what David Page, one of the contributors to my books, Digital Photography Secrets, said to me in an email when he submitted one of his pictures for publication. After his demand was a happy face! Basically, David, a heck of a nice guy and former fine art photographer and teacher at Duke University, was asking, in a nice way, that his image not be cropped. David’s comment was the inspiration for a column that I wrote for Layers magazine.I agree 100 percent with David's philosophy. To me, and to most of my photographer friends, cropping… -
Every Mile is Two in Winter
5 Feb 2010 | 5:13 amEvery mile is two in winter.George Herbert -
No Flower Blooms For 1,000 Days
4 Feb 2010 | 10:32 amNo flower blooms for 1,000 days. - Chinese proverbTech info on this image:Canon EOS 1Ds100mm macro lensf/13 @ 1/60th sec.Canon MR 14-EX ringlightISO 100If you are serious about close-up photography, invest in a macro lens and ringlight . . . as well as a sturdy tripod.Quick close-up tip: Watch your focus and background very carefully. Even at small apertures, depth-of-field is very limited.All my gear is listed on this page of my site.The 1st update of my app will be available next week. I've added an entire lesson on close-up photography. Also added: Shooting in the snow.Explore the… -
Lost in Space
1 Feb 2010 | 6:32 amWriting captions for our photographs is good way for us to realize what we were trying to say with an image (and how we were feeling) when we took the shot. Try it . . . you'll find it an interesting exercise.My caption for this image: Lost is Space.The man has lots of stuff in his space, but seems to be lost . . . lost in time, too.If you have a caption for this image, post it here. All in fun.Explore the Light,RickP.S. This is an HDR image created from three images, processed in Photomatix and then enhanced in Topaz Adjust and Photoshop. I took the shots with my Canon 15mm lens on my Canon…
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Gavtrain Video Tutorial Archive
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360 panoramas in Photoshop?
5 Feb 2010 | 10:32 amIn the last post I talked about how amazingly quick and simple it is to make a panoramic inside of Photoshop. Photomerge has become increasing clever at seamlessly joining overlapping images together, but it does have it's limitations.First off, if you're using Photoshop CS3 you're limited to a panoramic that covers a field of view that's roughly 180 degrees. That's pretty wide, but Photoshop CS4 can manage an eye spinning 360 degrees.There's other differences too. For example Photoshop CS4 can join a multi row panorama and even a vertical pano. Photoshop CS3 can't do either of those,… -
Preaching to the converted
2 Feb 2010 | 1:37 amWow, doesn’t time rocket past when you’re busy and last week was one of those times. I get to many enjoyable things as a photographer and sometimes I have to remind myself that I’m actually at work. One of the things I enjoy is giving talks to camera clubs and photographic societies all over the UK.My diary for camera club talks is booking well into 2011, which is great. Usually I try to keep the talks down to a few each month, but last week I presented three lectures in seven days.Until now, all my talks have been based around Photoshop tutorials. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy… -
Freezing motion in the studio
24 Jan 2010 | 2:02 pmOn the whole studio lights are the best choice when it comes to studio work, but there is one occasion when a speedlite is a much better choice then a studio head. If you want to freeze a moving subject you need a speedlite and a little strobist know how.First thing that springs to mind when I talk about freezing action is shutter speed. To be honest you’d normally be absolutely spot on, but there’s one very important thing you really need to know about shutter speed and flash.Every heard the term “sync speed”? It’s the fastest shutter speed your camera can handle where the shutter… -
Me, me, me.
13 Jan 2010 | 11:27 amDon't be fooled by the title, this it's one of those "I'm better then you" blog posts. Instead it's an answer to a question from a message I received from a blog reader (yes, I do read EVERY email and message you send).The question went something like this... I want to take a self portrait like one I've seen somewhere on the internet. Ok so far, surfing the web is a great way to get ideas and inspiration. The image I was directed to was an excellent image which featured a guy on a skateboard, but unusually it looked like the guy has skating with half a dozen identical twins.As I can't skate,… -
Busy week on the net
6 Jan 2010 | 2:58 pmThe new years barely a week old but already things are getting busy. As well as creating a couple of new videos for my blog, I've been working on content for a few other websites.Lighting tutorialOver on the smick website I've just completed a video tutorial on studio lighting effects which you can view here. Although the tutorial ,covers video lighting the set up is essentially the same one I use in the studio for portrait photography.Translated tutorialsAt the end of last year I was contacted by Dennis Vermaut who has spent hours and hours translating many of my tutorials in to dutch. I'm…
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Rob Galbraith DPI
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Weather always a photo opp
9 Feb 2010 | 6:15 amThe Christian Science Monitor features Snowmageddon, a collection of weather images from the recent snow storms on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. -
Apple announces Aperture 3
9 Feb 2010 | 6:15 amApple today has unveiled Aperture 3, a new release of its pro photo management and raw conversion application for Mac. A new non-destructive brushes feature with automatic edge detection leads the list of changes. Other changes include the addition of adjustment presets, a full-screen browser mode, slideshows that can incorporate still photos, video and audio plus much more. -
PhotoBlog features man-made, ice-climbing challenge
9 Feb 2010 | 6:00 amPhotoBlog from MSNBC features an interesting collection of images including a man-made ice waterfall in Iowa. -
Nikon posts firmware update for D3S
9 Feb 2010 | 5:00 amNikon has posted firmware update v1.01 for the D3S that fixes an instance of the camera's change card ("CHA") message appearing with certain CompactFlash cards and tweaks the behaviour of the video mode. -
Nikon announces 16-35mm f/4 VR, 24mm f/1.4
8 Feb 2010 | 8:15 pmNikon has unveiled two new wide angle lenses: the AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED and AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR.
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A Picture's Worth | PhotoShelter
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What's it Like to Shoot The Super Bowl?
5 Feb 2010 | 1:45 pmSuper Bowl Veteran Photographer Rob Tringali shares his view from the sideline by Grover Sanschagrin As the Indianapolis Colts get ready to take on the New Orleans Saints this Sunday in Super Bowl XLIV, Photographer Rob Tringali is preparing to attend what will be his 20th Super Bowl, an event that, after all these years, still gets him excited. His images appear regularly in ESPN The Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TV Guide, Newsweek, Esquire, and the New York Times Magazine.I find that when I'm watching the Super Bowl, I'm more interested in spotting the photographers I know on the sidelines,… -
10 Tips for Using Coupons to Market Your Photography
1 Feb 2010 | 9:01 pmWe spend a whole lot of time talking about inbound marketing strategies like SEO and Social Media, and how they can benefit your photography business. But sometimes, it makes sense to whip out an old trusted favorite that we all know works. In this case, I'm talking about coupons. Who doesn't love a bargain? Coupons work because they create a new, urgent reason for you to buy something. Many PhotoShelter members tell us that coupons are an important part of how they generate sales of their photography and market prints and products to new buyers. Today, we… -
Why People Aren't Linking To Your Photo Website
1 Feb 2010 | 10:31 amTen SEO Tips To Get Websites To Link To Youby Grover SanschagrinIf you're one of those photographers who wonders why more people aren't linking to your website, then you're probably making it too difficult for them to do so.The single most important factor in search engine optimization (SEO) is the number of backlinks to your website. Links are like money, you can't ever have too much. I'm talking about real links, not ones you pay for, or that you create yourself. Getting people to link to your website isn't easy, and getting important sites to link to you can be quite difficult, but well… -
Secret Social Media Marketing Recipe from Photographer John Lander
27 Jan 2010 | 3:33 amFive Ways to Use Social Media Sites to Boost Your SEOby Grover Sanschagrin Imagine every one of your PhotoShelter galleries that you care most about is showing up on the first page of Google Search results for their chosen keywords. Impossible, you say? Not so, according to John Lander, who is accomplishing this by using social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinedIn and StumbleUpon as the main ingredient in his SEO-boosting recipe. Lander is a freelance writer and photographer based in Japan, specializing in editorial and stock images of Asia. Try these Google Searches and you'll… -
Social Media for Photographers. Have you joined the conversation?
22 Jan 2010 | 9:00 amHow much junk mail did you receive at home in the past week? Doesn't it feel like an anachronism to kill trees to send information out that's out-of-date by the time it reaches you? And while the trees are dying, other companies are encouraging you to follow them on Twitter or join their Facebook fan page. They are fostering social interaction with their brands, while building communities.When you need something nowadays, do you find yourself flipping through a magazine waiting for an ad to inspire you? Or do you Google for instant suggestions and comparisons? Maybe you jump on…
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Virtual Photography Studio
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3 Ways To Price and Package Your Wedding Photography To Stay In Business
8 Feb 2010 | 1:05 pmI’ve been reading a ton of rants this past week on the state of wedding photography, and whether a photographer can truly have a full time business photographing weddings. Those of us that have “been there, done that” know its more than possible – I routinely pulled in $250,000 and more each year photographing around 25 weddings. Yet those consistently charging “nothing” for their services are turning the industry into something that makes it difficult to earn a full time living with. So in this post, I thought I would share 3 tips to help you price and package your wedding… -
Get Inspired – Photograph The Rain
5 Feb 2010 | 6:44 amSpring is in the air. Okay here in Denver, we’re supposed to get snow this weekend. But rain is definitely in the forecast in the future, and can give you an incredible backdrop for photography. Rain is an amazing resource. Rain can alter the mood of a landscape. And it can inspire you to look a little deeper for romantic images. People will hide under umbrellas or dance under a falling shower. The view out a window can be reshaped by droplets creating intricate patterns. After a rain shower, venture out and check out the vegetation and flowers. Capture the drops as they lay and how… -
How Much For A Photography Franchise?
3 Feb 2010 | 11:39 amI finished reading the January edition of Entrepreneur magazine this past weekend, and frankly I was shocked. They dedicated a large portion of the magazine to franchises, and showcased the top 500 franchises that are available for startup. Did you know 8 of their top 500 franchises are in the photography industry? Does that tell you photography is still very profitable? And now for the most shocking thing to me – people are willing to invest anywhere from $15,000 to more than $300,000 to get involved in one of these photography businesses. And on top of the franchise fee they listed many… -
7 Local Classifieds You Can Advertise Your Photography Studio In
2 Feb 2010 | 8:52 amChances are you’ve probably tried Craigslist to advertise your photography business. But even though Craigslist is one of the biggest, most used, and widely known, doesn’t mean there aren’t many other ways to find business in your local area. Here are 6 other free classified website listings you can try to bring in the business. Kijiji Kijiji is a free classified site that allows local ads based upon what State or City you live in. Kijiji offers both U.S. and Canada classifieds, and will allow you to put up more than one ad at a time in different sections. Kijiji is a division of eBay,… -
Plan Your Vacation Shooting Trips Now
1 Feb 2010 | 9:16 amEven photographers need a vacation. But when you find yourself planning a vacation, don’t you always get excited to bring along your camera and shoot for fun? There’s something fun and inspiring about being able to shoot anything you want, whenever you want, knowing it has no implications on your business. But as a photographer, it’s also no fun showing up with thousands of others, and getting boring pictures with a ton of other tourists in them. If you’re going to shoot for “fun”, how can you do it the best way possible? Even though we head out and shoot for fun on all of our…
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PhotoWalkPro
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Tips for Better Zoo Photography
8 Feb 2010 | 10:55 pmThe last thing I did before leaving San Diego was spend some time at the zoo. Yes, it’s true, I actually paid the $37 to get in but it was such a beautiful day and I had so much time to kill that I figured it would be money well spent, and it was. I saw all of the great exhibits that the park is famous for and enjoyed the beautiful sites and sounds of nature. There is one thing that you’ll see more of at the zoo than animals is cameras. And it also seems that every time I visit a zoo, I see more and more DSLR’s. With that in mind, I thought I would share some tips… -
Parting Shots from Balboa Park
7 Feb 2010 | 9:05 pmHopefully as you read this I am either on my way or already back home. The snowy mess in the DC area has wreaked a lot of havoc with travelers and I am no exception. The one benefit to my delayed departure is that I was able to spend a little additional time in the San Diego area. I took advantage of the time to visit Balboa Park, just East of the city. Although the temperatures here in February are mild in comparison with the rest of the country, I am sure that this park is a site to behold in the Spring, when all of the flowers and plants are in bloom. That being said, it was… -
A Few Shots from North Island NAS
5 Feb 2010 | 9:01 amWhile visiting Coronado I got a chance to watch some of the Naval Aviators in action at the North Island NAS. The air base takes up a large portion of the north end of Coronado and it’s not uncommon to see jets, helicopters, Hawkeyes, and all manor of aircraft taking off and landing throughout the day. This was especially cool for me to see since my Father-in-Law is a retired Naval Aviator who spent part of his career at this base. Here’s a few images that I captured while watching from the edge of the runway. Click on them for a larger view. That’s it for me this… -
Unified Color Releases HDR PhotoStudio for the Mac
3 Feb 2010 | 10:07 pmI have been waiting for this one for awhile now. The folks at Unified Color have finally released the Mac version of their HDR software for the Mac OS. HDR PhotoStudio has been available for Windows users for quite some time and there has been promise of a Mac release and now I can’t wait to get my hands on it and give it a try. I know a couple of people that have been using it and getting some fantastic results but since I work primarily on my Mac I didn’t want to commit until they released a version that would fit in with the rest of my image editing workflow. it just… -
A Little Shooting in Coronado
2 Feb 2010 | 10:48 pmEarly this morning my sinuses decided to punish me for visiting a warmer, sunnier spot than they are used to. In retaliation, I hiked down to the nearest Rite Aid to help launch a little over-the-counter-offensive (Don’t you just hate the fact that you have to buy Sudafed from the pharmacist?). Anyway, the pharmacy wasn’t open until 9:00 so I did what any good photographer would do, I shot a couple of HDR images of the old abandoned theater next door. The Village Theater on Orange Blvd. is sort of a landmark here in Coronado, even though it looks as though it hasn’t…
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Moose Peterson's Website
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Simple Click – Moose Does Stumps
9 Feb 2010 | 11:00 amIt’s an inside joke, Moose & stumps. These dead trees are part of a forest submerged in Quake Lake, MT. Quake Lake is a ~real~ cool place that we enjoy hanging out at. It was created by a huge earthquake not to long ago that shut off on end of the canyon, damming it up. In the winter as you can see, it freezes and that’s when the photos come to life! The “trick” to making the image required selecting only those elements that worked while make sure everything else was excluded. I shot with the 70-200VR2 because we were stuck on a road, couldn’t actually get… -
D3s Firmware 1.01 released
9 Feb 2010 | 8:34 amHere are the particulars Movie recording specifications have been modified as follows and an issue that, in some rare cases, caused movie playback to appear to have stopped has been resolved. When exposure preview is enabled in live view tripod mode, information + histogram display is possible, but the histogram is no longer displayed while movies are recorded. When the live view button is pressed with the Audio Video Cable EG-D2 connected, the image is displayed in both the television and camera monitor, but the camera monitor now turns off during movie recording. The camera monitor turns on… -
The 24f1.4 AFS and YOUR photography
9 Feb 2010 | 5:30 amYou might be looking at the price of $2200 for the 24f1.4AFS and be saying to yourself, “Damn, speed’s expensive!” The answer is, yes, it is very expensive but before you discount the 24f1.4 because of price, consider what that f1.4 can do for you at 24mm and nice and close to your subject. Minimum DOF, isolating your subject, taking in the rest of the world but just hinting at it, these are just some of the attributes the 24f1.4 might bring to your photography. I have two videos on the two f1.4 lenses I currently have in my arsenal, you might want to give them a view, they… -
Nikon announces 24f1.4AFS and 16-35f4VR
8 Feb 2010 | 8:17 pmYeap, two new lenses hit the lineup, hot dogs! No, I don’t have them. Will I be getting them? The 24f1.4AFS has been in my sights for a long time, time will tell. Here’s the trivia. AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED Primary Features A fast, wide-angle 24mm fixed focal-length lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4 This lens is perfect for capturing scenes such as architecture, landscapes and narrow indoor spaces with incredible perspective at the wide-angle focal length of 24mm. As an wide-angle lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4, it offers superior optical performance demonstrated not… -
One Image HDR
8 Feb 2010 | 1:00 pmStill playing catch up, processing images from this last road trip. I was looking at some of the TrueHDR images I did and wondered what would happen if I did just a One Image HDR from the middle exposure. At the same time, tried a couple of single clicks just to see the outcome as another possible tool in the photographic arsenal. I really like the Oak Bay Bridge, not liken the Muir Woods images, the boat going to sea has me jazzed. As you view the gallery, you’ll see the After image on the left, the Before on the right. It’s on my to do list creating a simple how to video on…
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Pioneer Woman Photography - Ree Drummond
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YOUR Shallow Depth-of-Field Photos: Group 1
9 Feb 2010 | 5:17 amOh, dear. Why do I do this to myself? Your shallow-depth-of-field photos are amazing, wonderful…and amazing. Here’s the first group of your submissions. It’s going to be a great week! Group 1 By Simply Colleen. Oh, this is just outstanding. By Callmeshmi. Perfect! By Amanda Mae Bird. Love the colors! By Jackie Hampton. Uh. Help. This is precious. By Rebecca Forrest. Oh, the colors! They’re gorgeous. By Whatscooking. How magical! By… -
New Photography Assignment: Shallow Depth of Field
8 Feb 2010 | 7:46 amIt’s time to open up those apertures and whip out your photos that best demonstrate the beauty of a shallow depth of field! We’ve been studying exposure—aperture, shutter speed, etc.—for the past several days (read previous posts to brush up if you need to), so let’s all share our shallow depth-of-field photos! It’ll keep us honest. To enter, just submit your favorite shallow depth-of-field photos to the Pioneer Woman Photography Assignments group on Flickr. I will review each and every submission and, beginning Tuesday morning, will post daily groups of… -
What the Heck is an Aperture, Part Cuatro …Redux
7 Feb 2010 | 5:37 amNOTE: The republishing of this “What the Heck?” series is leading up to a new PW Photography Assignment, which begins Monday morning. (NOTE: Please read Part One, Part Two, and Part Three before proceeding or you’ll be so confused you won’t know a slap or a pinch from a hairpull.) Now that I have placed your brains (mine, too) into a Waring blender and flipped the switch to “High”, let me continue pureeing the mixture until smooth. Sound good? I want to talk about moving away from shooting in full Auto mode, and instead venturing into shooting in… -
What the Heck is an Aperture – Part III …Redux
6 Feb 2010 | 9:06 amIf you haven’t yet read them, please check out Part One and Part Two of this republished “What the Heck?” series first or you might be a little confused. I hope your head isn’t spinning on this fine Saturday morning…because you’re going to need all of your brain for the next few minutes! We’ve now examined the Aperture—the circular mechanism inside your camera that can remain very open OR close very tightly when you snap a photo, depending on the setting you choose. We’ve learned that the WIDER, or more open, the aperture remains, the… -
What the Heck is Shutter Speed? …Redux
5 Feb 2010 | 7:09 amNOTE: This is the second in my republished series that attempts to explain the whole issue of exposure to those of us who find the whole thing mindblowing. Be aware that some of my reasoning/analogies are not flawless, but what I tried to do was strip away a lot of the confusion many folks have over Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, and how they all work together in harmony. Feel free to weigh in with helpful information! Note: If you missed it yesterday, please catch up on the first part of this series, What the Heck is an Aperture?. It’ll help today’s post make more sense. Huh?
