white balancing act

Our friends over at PhotoWalkPro have put together a very nice blogpost about White Balance that you can find here . If you use Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom (basically the same processing engine) you can easily adjust your white balance after the fact, whether you shoot in jpg or raw. RAW will always give you a greater margin of error, however.

However, it will save you some time and guesswork if you set it correctly to begin with. A truly white object will be helpful, or an 18% grey card, or the slightly warming grey that is mentioned in the linked post. You can also use devices like the expodisc.

The most important thing to remember is to try to avoid a situation where your subject is under lights of different temperatures. An incandescent light coming from one angle, some flourescent off this other way, maybe some natural daylight sneaking in a window. Try to limit your lighting to just one kind or match the temperatures if you can in order to achieve true colors in post.

Of course, completely whacked out color can be fun, too. That's why they invented cross-processing. But I advise you generally go for accurate color early and allow yourself more options later.

more sweet 16

sweet 16

This past Friday I got a last-minute job to cover a sweet 16 party. Mom and Dad (middle shot) threw a very nice party for the birthday girl and about 75 of her closest friends! Most of the night I was shooting in near total darkness (only a bit of light leaking in from two doors and a blue glow from a projector that was left on -- I think these pix really speak to the power of the ol' 580EX flash and the joy of a white ceiling [and acceptably light walls]).

And special thanks to John Horn for the loan of some extra gear. Didn't end up needing it, but it was a godsend to have available. Check out his site, he's becoming a photographic force to reckon with!

hawk

So I was out and about yesterday trying to find an image that would fulfill an assignment with a very broad scope and (perhaps too much) freedom. Didn't find what I was looking for (yet) but I stumbled upon a couple of hawks in the desert. One would perch, runaway, perch, runaway, and so on and so on. I did not have a long enough lens with me to give him the space he so clearly wanted.

The other one was happy to soar and soar and soar, sometimes close enough for these shots. Wished I had had some different equipment with me, but we make do. Enjoy!

visitin' santa (in SAN TAn valley)

Yesterday, we took pictures of children visiting with Santa over at Harmon Elementary (Dawn's old school). Here's a favorite. Aren't they just precious?

Intro DSLRs under $500

Our friends over at Photography Bay put together a just terrific blogpost highlighting several DSLRs that are currently available for under $500. If you are thinking about making the jump to a DSLR (from point and shoot or film or from nothing at all!) but you don't want all the expense and know that you don't necessarily need every single bell and whistle at this point in your photographic education, these are just great choices. And, although I know far too well that $500 is by no means cheap, it is a substantial discount from the prices of the majority of worthwhile DSLRs.

Check out the post and keep these in mind for yourself or for holiday gift-giving. Also, any of these would be a swell choice for anyone taking my Basics of Digital Photography class in Gilbert next month (Wednesday evenings, January 6, 13, and 20!).

p & s and video guide

MSNBC put together a nice little shopping guide to consumer cameras, specifically point-and-shoot and pocket HD video (with a Polaroid wannabe thrown in to round out the field). Take a peek if you're shopping for yourself or someone special for the holidays. Of this batch, I'm partial to the Canon G11 and the Flip Video MinoHD. Let me know what catches your eye and why.

shutter speed/aperture simulator

In a most basic sense, cameras handle exposure through shutter speed (how long the shutter stays open) and aperture (how wide or narrow the hole that admits light is).

In today's digital environment you can also affect exposure with ISO (the adjustable sensitivity of your camera's sensor) and and variety of light modifying options (from on- or off-camera speedlites, off-camera strobes, hotlights, reflectors, etc., etc.) and of course, some manipulation of your ambient light situation.

It is important to understand the basics of shutter speed and aperture before anything else. They not only affect the brightness or darkness of your image, but also your ability to quell motion blur, and, perhaps most importantly, depth of field, especially of backgrounds.

I just stumbled across this terrific little shutter speed and aperture simulator to give you a nice introduction to how they can affect each other dramatically. Play with it for a few minutes, trying different combinations and then get that camera in hand and go shooting!

free image editing software apps

Terrific list (and reviews) of free image editing software. If you just don't need the expense or all the bells and whistles of Photoshop, you might want to check some of these out. What have you got to lose? They're FREE!

leopard seal experience

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen has quite an amazing "fish" tale, as it were, here. Enjoy!

boudoir posing tips

Southern Maryland wedding and boudoir photographer Robin Owen has a simply terrific blogpost about boudoir posing tips . Check out the images, the tips, and be sure to give her a call if you need wedding or boudoir photography in the Maryland area!

to those who serve

If you are currently in the United States military or if you have ever served, in peace-time or in a conflict, I thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your dedication to preserving the freedoms that we enjoy. Freedoms that we have enjoyed for so long that they are sometimes taken for granted. Thank you, veterans!

McNally's letter to a young photog

Check out Joe McNally's "letter to a young photographer". That Joe has a way with words, he do.

ryan takes up photography

Ryan (from The Office) has, it seems, taken up photography. He's deep. He's insightful. And he's arty. I know this because his images are in b/w. Oi!

http://www.thousandandonewords.com/

hyperfocal distance

What is hyperfocal distance? It is a technique wherein you focus about a third of the way into your scene in order that everything in the image is relatively, and usually just about equally, sharp.

Check out this terrific and detailed explanation of hyperfocal distance and then get out and get those landscapes!

frankencamera

Some of the swell scientist types over at Stanford are working on an open-source camera that has the potential to add tons of new features to digital photography. Affectionately called the Frankencamera, this could dramatically change the course the photography evolution. For better or worse, the jury is out. Take a look.

Pam suggests getting a professional

IESB - Movie News, Interviews and More!

photography basics classes in Gilbert (by me!)

This winter, I will be teaching a couple of classes for Gilbert Community Education. There will be a "How to Buy a Digital Camera" class in November, for folks shopping for the holidays and again in January for folks looking to spend the cash they received for the holidays.

Then....THEN.....drumroll, please..... there will be a "Basics of Digital Photography" class! A three session class in November covering as much ground as I can cover in three 2-hour sessions and then we repeat it again in January (for all those folks who just got a camera for Christmas!).

Here's the details:

http://www.ci.gilbert.az.us/eservices/parks/default.cfm click on blue “Winter 2009-10 Leisure Pursuits” icon to see full catalog of classes.

http://www.gilbertrecreation.com/Start/Start.asp?SCheck=615463371&SDT=40093.7180651273 This is the jumping off page to register for classes.

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BASICS OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY $89.00

Would you like to shoot fewer “snapshots” and more photographs worth showing off? Learn about composition, exposure, tips and tricks of technique, and an introduction to lighting. Photo critiques as time permits. 18+YEARS

Course # 54385 / Tuesdays Nov. 10, 17 & 24, 2009, 6:30-8:30pm / Redwood Rm. of the Community Center located at 130 N. Oak (2 blocks N. of Eliot and 2 blocks W. of Gilbert Rd.)

or

Course # 54386 / Wednesdays Jan. 6, 13, & 20, 2010, 6:30-8:30pm / McQueen Park Activity Center, Classroom 4 (510 N. Horne St., [s. of Guadalupe & E. of McQueen, just s. of Playa Del Rey Elementary School)

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HOW TO BUY A DIGITAL CAMERA $40.00

Is it time for a new digital camera for yourself or as a gift? Learn about megapixels, file formats, and the mysterious ISO. You’ll obtain a working knowledge of features and pros and cons before you shop. 18+YEARS

Course # 54387 / Monday 11/9/09, 6:30-8pm / McQueen Park Activity Center, Classroom 4

or

Course # 54354 / Tuesday 1/5/10, 6:30-8pm / McQueen Park Activity Center, Classroom 4

Hope you can make it! I feel like Ted Mosby in his Architecture 101 class!

Irving Penn, RIP

Irving Penn, renowned fashion and celebrity photography died today in Manhattan at the age of 92.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091007/ap_on_en_ot/us_obit_irving_penn

magazines of the future????

This has already been featured on a couple other photographers' blogs, but it is far too interesting, conceptually, to not post here, also. My readers, who may not see it elsewhere, might find this very cool. I wonder about the value of video in individual books or magazines when we each have, or will likely have in the future, our own computer, tv, or iphone kind of device, but it still makes for an excellent video.

Check out Alexx Henry's vision of the future of the magazine.

Living Magazine Cover & Spread - Outside Magazine from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.