Anyway, the full story is here:

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2012/02/jason_aldean_photos_country_station_takes.php

It just goes to show that registering your work is crucially important, because without registration, he literally has no options.  The station was notified, the images removed, and he has no recourse anymore without the benefits of copyright registration.  Your work is copyrighted as soon as you take the picture, but it’s not registered until you have it submitted to the Copyright Office!  Register your work today!  (Oh, and if you are as outraged as I was, let the station know…bad PR may ultimately put them in a position where they are better off giving in to do the right thing!)

They (of course), have no email address but do have a mailing address and a phone number:

92.5 THE WOLF
KWOF-FM
720 S. Colorado Blvd.
Suite 1200 N
Denver, CO 80246

Business Office: (303) 832-5665

Call, or take the time to send them a letter registering your voice as an artist that does not appreciate their callous attitude toward image theft!  You can also tweet them your thoughts: @925TheWolf

You see, traditional wisdom in saving for web is to follow three steps:

1.  Re-size your images to no larger than 600px on the longest side – this is to make them more presentable in traditional screen resolutions.  Keeping in mind though that as technology has advanced, screen resolutions have increased to include capacities such as 1600×900, I would suggest that if you want people to see your images large (as they are always best viewed), consider changing that to 1000px.

2.  The second step is to adjust the resolution on your images from their default of 240-300 ppi (straight out of camera) to a more web-friendly setting of 72ppi.  I would actually recommend that this practice continue, as it  still is able to retain the detail needed for monitors while reducing the possible risk of having others take images off your website and print them without your permission.

3.  Last but not least, and the point of the post today is that of color space.  Traditionally, the wisdom has said to convert images to sRGB (standard RGB) because most browsers are not color-aware.  Yet recent articles and tutorials I’ve read through several communities have suggested that you can tell shifts in color between sRGB and Adobe RGB.  The test was to output images to both color spaces, and view natively inside a browser (just drag and drop in your own browser without the need to go to any web page).  I did this, but could not tell a difference.  So, the conventional wisdom I am not sure has been entirely eschewed as of yet.  In the interests of gaining some thoughts and perspectives from a wider audience – I have two images that I’ve exported to both sRGB and Adobe RGB below.  I’m not revealing which is which, and would like people to take a look at these on their own monitors?  Which image looks better in each scenario?  Let me know what browser/OS combination you are using and sound off in the comments or in the included poll.  The results will be interesting to read – and I’ll likely follow up later with some more information on color spaces.

Check out the following results:

Scenario One – Hot Air Balloon Ride

Scenario Two:  Botanical Gardens

Can you see a difference?  Can you tell (without cheating on the filenames)?  What are your own thoughts on the sRGB versus Adobe RGB color spaces?  Do you save out to one or the other for web?  What browsers and experiences do you have with these various formats?  For me, the results are in the display, and since I want my images to be displayed with rich and full colors – coming as close as possible to what I remember with my camera eye – I’m starting to choose Adobe RGB for my output format of choice.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

When I go to a blog – I am going there for information and/or an education.  I am not going there to be “sold”.  I get enough email, snail mail, phone calls, and such promoting various products, outfits, and services that the last thing I want to do is go and seek it out. So, if blogs become promotional arms to other ends, there is nothing inherently wrong with that – but it’s not what I want to read in either my inbox or my free time.  Having given that side note, it’s time to reveal (in no particular order), my choices for The Top Ten Blogs for 2012:

1.  Flying With Fish – This blog came to my attention a few years ago when some travel tips for photographers was highlighted.  Since then, I’ve continued to follow it as I’ve been interested in travel generically.  The notes, news, and other pearls that are shared here really add value, understanding, and insight to an aspect of my business travel that would otherwise be severely lacking without this resource!

2.  Digital Photography School – What started as a blog has morphed into an amazing website and community of talented photographers and writers.  The inspiration comes from Darren Rowse, author of the also popular Problogger.com where I’ve picked up some tips and tricks that have been implemented here as well.  It’s an amazing repository of information and a fantastic community.  If you had to pick one resource on the web to go to with questions and get answers, this would be it.

3.  DIY Photography – Having done a few DIY things in my own day, including a gridded snoot, a 10-stop filter, and most famously a star tracker (which was even featured on their site!), DIY resource sites are like flames for this moth.  If you have a hankering for DIY stuff, and love to learn about anything and everything, then this is the perfect site to segue with your photography interests!  Absolutely love it!

4.  Photopreneur – Anyone who’s ever picked up a camera has wondered – “Can I sell my images?”  It doesn’t matter if you’ve sold images or not, the thought of whether you have what it takes is always something you wonder.  For those who are ever interested in blending a career with photography, this is one site to keep in your favorites.

5.  The Lightroom Queen – Victoria Bampton came to my attention after Adobe released Lightroom 2, and I realized that Lightroom was the future of photography post production.  Victoria saw this much sooner and became an expert pretty much before anyone else did, and has kept herself at the forefront of the developments in the product line.  I keep wondering when I can get her on the podcast, and perhaps this will nudge things along a little more!

6.  1001 Noisy Cameras – If you want to know the latest developments and releases in the industry, this has become pretty much the go-to resource for pretty much everyone in the industry.  Whether you have a penchant for Canon (me), Nikons, or any other vendor, and irrespective of DSLR, P&S, or these new 3rd gen cameras, 1001 Noisy cameras has the latest and greatest on all the camera news one could ever hope to soak in.  An endless resource for the gear hound in all of us!  (In the interests of full disclosure, they’ve also been generous when I’ve done gear reviews in giving some link love to me, so thanks to them for that! )

7.  Strobist – Now the only resource around for those interested in the details of off-camera lighting, it almost goes without saying that Strobist by David Hobby should be in your bookmark list.  Some days are more interesting than others, but there is always something worth learning (or re-learning if you want a refresh on anything).  Make sure you check out the Lighting 101 series – a beginner’s guide to off-camera lighting.  I can’t believe I had the opportunity to work with this guy a while back and had to decline because of a work conflict – was so bummed about that!

8.  Light Stalking – An impressive repository of writers and articles that covers everything from technique, to gear maintenance, and everything in between.  Some of the articles are a bit shorter than I would like to see, but there’s almost always good content, and it’s in my emailed list of sites that I permit into my mailbox.  Not only do I learn things from here myself, but it’s also a source of inspiration for article ideas and expanded content!

9.  F-Stoppers – What a talented set of photographers, videographers, writers, and project artists!  These guys will totally blow you away with the projects they put out over at F-Stoppers.  I am inspired and impressed with their footage, results, and behind-the-scenes perspectives that they all share every time they press the “Post” button!  If you haven’t stopped over to them yet, do so and add them to your inbox now!

10.  A Photo Editor – Coming from the perspective of a magazine editor, this is the place to go for photographer profiles, industry news, and great insights on the industry as a whole.  With so many resources out there, this has become a pretty authoritative outlet, and information resource so make sure you add it to your own list of sites to visit regularly.  I do and am sure you will come to rely on Rob’s content too!

*****

So, there you have it – 10 blogs and websites to make sure you take some time to visit for 2012.  Now, as I alluded to at the beginning of this post, some noticeable blogs are absent that used to be perennially listed.  Specifically, Scott Kelby’s “Photoshop Insider” and Joe McNally’s blog.  This is not to say that these are not worth visiting.  It’s just that the content there I am finding less interesting and useful.

The former is not what it used to be – a good resource for Photoshop and photography tips.  Instead, it has become a pulpit for delivering promotional content to the Kelby landscape of products and services.  I am not criticizing this at all – after all, the services and products that come from Kelby Training and NAPP have served me well for years, but Scott Kelby’s blog is no longer something I learn from – it’s where I go to get news about NAPP.

As for McNally’s blog – that too has become more of a promotional venue.  I enjoy his writings and images that he shares, but don’t really feel that I am learning much from that outlet.  My visits there are now completely for entertainment.  I do watch the Kelby Training schedule to see if and when he will be hitting Denver so that I might be able to attend a workshop, but the blog is just not a good learning resource.

• Maps Module *yawn* Other software does this already
• Books Module *yawn* Should have been there in a 3.x update imho
• Shadow/Highlights tools to add fake dynamic range for the HDR crowd (surprise surprise) – nice enough, but not enough to entice to buy
• Video file support *shrug* How much would one use LR for video anyway?
• Soft proofing *meh* I don’t print out of LR much anymore as my vendor takes care of prints for me….
• Adjustment brush additions *meh* While the additions are welcome, again, hardly incentive to pony up for this…
• Email photos direct from Lightroom *Huh?*  I know, this is surprising that it took this long to incorporate something this simple into the 4th generation of a product line

Will I buy the update?  Probably yes, because I am already “current”, and the price of not updating is more expensive long term ($99 versus $300)…  Also, in the interest of keeping current tutorials and such here on the blog for the readership is also present, so, that kind of colors my decision-making process.  For what they are releasing though – and the plethora of already existing outlets to do these additional tasks, I am not sure the regular photographer types will be justified in the upgrade pricing of $99-$120 (especially considering the economy right now…)

What about everyone else?  Worth the upgrade or not?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Thanks so much to all the participants for your wonderful images of Cheer!  It really did bring a smile to my face going through all the images and selecting a winner!  As always, the decision was quite difficult, but ultimately, the nod goes to Pan Shovel for the annual holiday giveaway.  As you all may recall, the prizes this year were donated by the good folks of Craft & Vision (David DuChemin), Thinktank Photo, and Photojojo for the books, bags and lenscap holder respectively.  So if you get a moment to check out their respective product lines, you can say thanks to them in your own way too!

The downside after all this excitement is that the January giveaway does not have a sponsor (same as last year), so this means the prize will be the ability to choose the theme for the February contest giveaway.  Think of January as a practicing month to take your own shots of whatever you find appealing.  No themes to restrict your creativity, but the rest of the standard rules apply:

1.  One photo per person

2.  Must be work-safe/family-friendly

3. Posted to the Flickr thread

4.  Largest side must be no more than 800px or less than 600px (this is only so that the winning image can be displayed well…)

5.  Taken within the last 60 days (preferably during the contest window)

6.  Images must be done by Feb 3rd (Friday).

7.  Theme is open (no theme)

8.  And most importantly, have fun!

Congrats again to Pan Shovel, and good luck to everyone in the coming months for the 2012 giveaways – keep the great shots and creativity churning!

Never fear though, I’ve rebounded, and as promised, here’s the skinny on the prints from Image Wizards.  First off, they aren’t kidding when they ship these prints.  I opted for the lower cost corrugated cardboard, but it was still packed in like a tank. After taking it out and selecting an appropriate place for display, I hung it for a while to make sure it worked in my selected location.  Not only does it work – it works beautifully!

As you can see, the ambient light catches it perfectly, and really draws the eye in.  For this particular print I chose the aluminum brushed satin finish, which is kind of like a matted version so it wouldn’t be too glossy as the print is of the stamens in a flower.  Something like a skyline might call for a more glossy sheen, but that’s really a matter of personal taste.

The aluminum composition really makes it stand out unlike any other print you’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen a few, from other sponsors like Nations Photo Lab, and contributor Backlitbox).  As we photographers are always seeking to find a niche market, the folks at Image Wizards have found a perfect market themselves for a very unique product.  Not only is it a high quality print, but it’s built to last for all ages.  The mounting (I chose the frame to edge, or boxed mount, option) and hanging mechanisms are equally impressive too.  A double row of framing and a sturdy wire hanger mounted securely by screws make sure that once you hang it, there’s nothing to worry about as you know it’s not going anywhere.

The caveat to all this is that for a unique, high end print made on aluminum, the cost of entry is not cheap.  The 16×20″ print you see above runs about $200!  You can get estimates done for any custom size you like on their upload page (and yes, the upload process is pretty slick too – upload directly via your web browser)!  You do get what you pay for though, so if you really want to impress your own clients with some eye-popping prints, Image Wizards definitely has a unique look for you!  Check them out when you get a chance!

And for those of you wondering why you didn’t know about the contest last month – another one is underway now…only a little time left before the window closes on the December giveaway, so if you want to try for a chance to win a bunch of photography books, gear and such, stop by the Flickr thread and share your image there soon!

That wasn’t really what I wanted though, so I decided to table the project as the holidays were rapidly approaching.  Then earlier tonight, while tucking away some Christmas presents in a place I know Tracy will never go, some video cables zip-tied neatly into a shoe tupperware fell out into my office.  I looked curiously at this one called the Diamond Multimedia VC500.

It had been purchased a while back to help convert some old VHS tapes to digital (circa 1998 and 1999), then put away indefinitely…until tonight.  I then went searching for the video cable to one of my EOS cameras…after all, I am a pack rat!  And sure enough, after ten minutes, found it and started kicking the tires.  With my rudimentary video editing skills, I was able to cobble this together:

This should work pretty much anywhere too…whether you are viewing on a computer, laptop, iPad, or phone…the vid has been made as cross-source supported as possible, so let me know if you can’t see it!  It’s, of course, a very cheesy first attempt, but suggests that there may be more of a library to come in explaining SLR settings to help demystify things!

Not much other news here – a few more projects in the final steps of review to put out this week, including the AluminArte from Image Wizards, another eBook, and a couple other nuggets as we inch closer to the holidays!  (Are you ready yet?)  Stay tuned, and if you have suggestions on how to clean up that video noise at the bottom of this test video, I am all ears!

Last but not least, the Holiday Giveaway Bonanza is getting pretty hefty, and ready for your entries – get a photo in for a chance to win an amazing package of prizes!  Submit your photo today!

Readability:  In my last book review, I indicated that there are some photography books out there written by people who really can’t write that well (no offense to Moose Peterson).  Granted, it’s a difficult task to master, because you have to be informative, but you also need to be able to communicate effectively.  A strong grasp of both written and verbal communication skills is important, and the ability to transition speaking skills to the written word is extremely difficult to master.  If you don’t believe me – look at some of the more popular blogs out there.  Nearly always, there is proof-reading, editing, and revisioning done to ensure everything is done correctly.  Meanwhile, other blogs and published content languish on the outskirts simply because of bad grammar, ineffective communication skills or (at worst) bad spelling!  Nicole is one of the few people I would trust to ensure all the T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted.  It flowed so well and seamlessly, that I can honestly say this is the first book I’ve ever reviewed that has not included at least some skimming of content.  I almost don’t want to pay this one forward, but in the interests of keeping some consistency, the book goes back on the giveaway rack!  4.0

Length:  At 270 pages, this is just about the perfect length for being both concise, and yet detailed at the same time.  You get a chance to really sink your teeth into it (pun intended) without being overwhelmed.  It’s also an easy read – that is to say I never found myself going back to try and let something sink in from a comprehension perspective.  I was able to get things the first time – and as I get older, that’s always a good thing!  So, kudos to Nicole(sy) for keeping the length about perfect.  There were enough examples, photos, and explanations to keep me both engaged and not bore me with being overly simplistic.  She did leave me wanting a little more, but I guess that’s the mark of a good book, right?  Nearly spot on here Nicole!  4.5

Writing Style:  As mentioned above, the content was quite well balanced.  There was some discussion of technical details, while also addressing things like post-production as well as  insider tips and tricks (i.e. how to quickly char a chicken, add grill marks, and even making a picnic table!).  Her use of both before and after pictures really were also helpful so that the full effect of prepping food properly could be seen.  That was quite an eye-opening experience to see that kind of attention to detail.  !  She even threw in some content that discussed compositional approaches, including angles, colors, lines and curves, while also giving her personal insights into other nuances like depth of field, use of the Rule of Thirds, and more!  I felt like I was having a conversation with her (albeit one-sided), which made it that much easier to digest!  4.5

Photography:  This is a tough one, because the shots of her end results were very tantilizing, but I found the setup shots more helpful here (the final ones just made me hungry).  The problem with that is the setup shots aren’t that “inspiring”, but rather informative and educational.  Much like a photo of a computer motherboard showing the hand inserting the RAM chips.  It was well-lit, clear and useful, but these would probably not be considered part of any portfolio.  3.5

Educational Value:  With some books, the read is an educational one (David DuChemin), while others are entertaining (i.e. Tom Clancy), and another genre I consider is that of reference material (think the O’Reiley series).  This book is an interesting blend of all three of these genres, because it was both educational and would serve as a great reference piece.  The entertainment factor wasn’t really there like some others have attempted to crowbar into their books (a la Kelby), but I didn’t really miss it.  Cheesy jokes are okay once and a while, but sometimes you just want to get into the meat and potatoes (again, pun intended).

A score of 4.2 on a scale of 5.0 is substantially impressive…making this almost a “must read” on my barometer.  If you’re at all interested in becoming a food photographer, that of course raises the bar another notch or two again, so consider that in your decision-making process.  Special thanks to Nicole for contributing the book, and if you’d like to own your own copy of this book, check out the December Giveaway Bonanza where you can get that plus a bunch of other cool photo books and gear.  More stuff is coming on that in short order here too, so be sure to share your images in Flickr!  If you can’t wait for this book to be given away, then I would also recommend picking up a copy from your own favorite retailer, whether it be B&N, Amazon, or from the publisher direct (Peachpit)!  It’s really one of the better books out there.  Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow for a few more book reviews…

Until then, happy shooting (and reading)…

The 2011  Frugal Gift Guide for Photographers

1.  Lens Cap Keeper – courtesy of the folks over at Photojojo, this handy lenscap keeper gets added to your camera strap and makes for a clever way to handle two lens caps (one size on each side…with varying sizes available).  It’s only $18, so definitely cheap enough to consider adding to your camera bag.  Fair warning – if you use the Rapid Strap from Black Rapid, it’s not going to fit.

2.  Camera Bag Flashlight – while most wouldn’t think twice to get a basic flashlight from the local Target, Wal-Mart or whatever your shopping preferences call for, consider getting one with a red light instead of the harsh white LED ones.  The red filter introduces less light pollution for your shots and those of others who may be around you.  I recommend the one linked here for night and astro-photography.

3.  A Spare Battery – Always a good thing to have is some spare batteries.  As we head into the colder temperatures of the year, you’ll be surprised at how quickly that juice will just drain away.  The crop sensor battery for the Canon SLR line is linked here (20D – 50D), but B&H carries most batteries for $50 or less. (The LP-E6 for newer models is a smidge over $50…)

4.  Gaffer Tape – Take your pick of size, width, color, to any degree you want – most are well under $50 and can be used for emergency repairs, marking a trail, and a myriad of other uses – it just makes sense to have a roll in your bag.  I would definitely recommend a colored one though as it’s easier t find in your bag or if used in trail marking.

5.  Gray Card Set – If you really want to get your colors spot on, a Gray card is an awesome budget-friendly option to ensure you know where your absolute white, black and 50% gray points are in any image.  These three cards are great for on-location work as they can snap off your neck strap easily to throw into a scene for a quick shot setup.  At only $10, a great accessory for any camera bag.

6.  Expo Imaging Lighting Gels – A great way to color the light of a scene to your particular tastes, and they are re-usable for all your lighting needs, these have got to be the most cool things I’ve seen with lights in ages.  At only $30, you can’t go wrong!

Those are my best picks of the year for 2011!  Have you got your own just perfectly cool photo accessory?  What really struck a chord for your camera gear bag under $50?  Sound off in the comments as more gift giving ideas are always a good thing!

One of the latest lenses that they folks at Sigma have been gracious enough to let me borrow for an extended period of time is their 30mm f1.4 lens.  You read that right – f1.4!  Much like the “nifty fifty” because after the crop sensor is factored in, it’s really close the an equivalent of a 50mm on a full frame sensor (30*1.6 = 48)!

I’ll take the usual tack and look at Focal Length, F-Stop Range, Noise, Size/Weight, Build, and Cost, and Image Quality separately. So, let’s get started!

Focal Length

At 30mm fixed, this is another lens where zooming is not an option so you have to zoom with your feet!  This means walking around to get either closer to or far enough away from your subject to get the composition you need.  This could be construed as a disadvantage for those that prefer to dial their lens rather than shuffle their feet, but since I need all the exercise I can get, I am going to call this a positive!  Another positive is due to its relative focal length (48mm) after crop sensor size is factored in.    The rationale here is that it’s a pretty close approximation to what the human eye sees naturally.  So, it’s very much a WYSIWYG approach to composition (what you see is what you get)!

One of the advantages of this is that because it’s a fixed focal length, optical quality is pretty tack sharp all the way through, and even through various f-stop levels.  Overall, the focal length is definitely a positive – even for those used to zooming or adjustable focal length lenses.  It’s quite a treat to get into shooting with a lens like this!

F-Stop Range

The bane of a photographer’s existence is having a scene present itself to you where the light is fading, and you have no tripod or way to stabilize your gear.  The counter to this has been to invest in what’s becoming commonly known as “fast glass”.  The idea is that you can capture a scene at a wider f-stop ratio to let in more light in a shorter amount of time.  The downside to shooting wide open like this is that your depth of field will suffer unless you are focused to infinity. This does limit creative possibilities if you are hand-holding, but the advantage is that you can shoot in lower light.

At f1.4, this lens is designed to let in an amazing amount of light when shot wide open.  I was able to take some decently sharp pictures in near darkness with nothing but sidewalk lights and an indoor light around my house.  Another shot I was able to get included an underpass that was in near darkness and I could make out details in the underpass (see sample shots further on…)  This feature alone (in my opinion) makes a lens worth considering if the budget is there.

Noise

As is the case with most modern lenses, the noise that comes from running the auto focus is becoming much more tolerable.  Older lenses have had noisier motors (like my Sigma 70mm Macro – very loud when focusing).  Because this is a newer lens, and also due to its prime lens design, the lens is very quiet when it does focus in (the focusing ring never has far to go…)  Another pro for the 30mm!

Size/Weight

The Sigma 30mm has the size of a kit lens. It’s very compact which makes for easy inclusion in a camera bag.  When you have multiple lenses and need to decide whether a lens goes with you or stays home, this is one to take with you simply because it takes up such a small amount of space.  As for the weight of the camera, it’s surprisingly well-balanced on the Canon 40D, providing for a nice fit and comfortable shooting environment.

Build

The signature brushed dark metal of the Sigma line is present here and I’ve always been a fan of how these lenses are built and how they feel in your hands.  Exuding professionalism, and a solid graphite brushed metal coating make this a definite pro.

Cost

At B&H, the build cost is the same for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and all other mounts at $489.  You may be able to save a couple bucks here and there by shopping for sales and discounted or used equipment sites, but based off the retail price, the ballpark is around $500 for this lens.  While $500 is a substantial dent to most wallets, I would have to say that this is worth the money.  I’ve had this lens on loan from Sigma for the last 2 months, and it’s not left my camera through several photo walks, two assignments, and of course all of the testing.

Image Quality

Now for the fun part: the image testing!  Now in the interests of full disclosure, I cannot share some of the images here on the blog because of client releases and such (although I will say that I was comfortable with photo delivery to clients using this lens, so that should be an indication of image quality).  Here’s some shots from when I was shooting in other various conditions:

So, there you have it – various examples of the lens shooting under normal, close up, and low light conditions.  In most I’ve just done simple post production work for sharpening, so there are straight out of camera (sooc).  In the low light shots, I did include some noise reduction to handle the grain, and you can see it cleaned up fairly nicely.  Overall, a great lens – thanks to the folks at Sigma for the extended use for testing.  I’ll be sad to see it go!

Dream Lake by Tom Crossman

Thanks to everybody for some really fantastic images – it was extremely tough this time as there were a lot of just amazing shots!  Thanks also to the sponsor for the contest in November, the good folks over at Image Wizards!  The lucky winner will be able to get a print of their choice assembled by the folks at Image Wizards – up to a 16×20″ print!  (Tom, if you could kick me an email with your contact info, I’ll get things coordinated with Image Wizards!  Congrats again!

With November closed and in the books,  the new contest is now underway, and we have a new contest thread  open for entries too for December – the last one of 2011!  The prize list is a literal cornucopia of goodies!  Check it out:

 And of course, a holiday bonanza giveaway wouldn’t be the same without the particulars for entry, so here goes:

*Important*  I will cover up to $20 in shipping costs.  If the winner is international, there may be a small additional cost of shipping required to get the books to you.  If the winner is unable or unwilling to cover the additional costs of shipping, an alternate may be selected at the discretion of the judging panel (me).

So, get out your cameras and get on shootin – as we have just a smidge under a month to get the last winner in for 2011!  Thanks for stopping in and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!

The bare flash

The results are not atypical of what one would expect.  We can see quite a bit more diffusion over a flash fired with no shoot through at all.  The light is cast much wider across the umbrella, and a certain amount of diffusion can be noted.  However, we can also see a hot spot of light in the top half of our umbrella.  Bad?  Not necessarily, considering either shooting with no umbrella, or worse – using the flash on camera!   But can we make it even better?  Let’s try!

Flash+Reflector

An interesting result!  We see the light now is carried through more of the umbrella bu looking at the center point as our frame of reference.  See the light expanding a little further down past that center point?  Cool!  But also, look what happened at the top – the reflector took light from the top and bounced it down to the bottom as we clearly have a shadow line going across there.  Hmmm, not sure I like that, so let’s try another improvement!

Flash+Diffuser

Now we’re talking!  Look at that light!  It’s clean and even throughout the umbrella!  No lines from a reflector, and nowhere near as much spill over the edges of the umbrella itself.  This is some nicely diffused light!  But wait – can we take it even further?  Let’s try one last thing, just to see what happens!

Flash+Diffuser+Reflector

Uh oh, we over-thought it!  The light is still pretty evenly diffused and spread across the umbrella, except for that one rectangle area across the top where apparently the reflector blocked the light from getting to – thus creating a shadow.  For me, it looks like #3 was the best choice of flash controls.  Here – take a look at all four side-by-side-by-side:

Flash Comparisons

I’ve circled the areas that caught my eye in terms of the quality of light – what I like and what I dislike about each – with labels under each setup.  As noted above – my preference is for #3.  The lesson learned here?

Use the built in diffuser when using a shoot through umbrella for a nice even light source!

As in all things though, it’s not a “my way or the highway” mentality – all thoughts and opinions are welcome!  So, which one(s) did you like best? #1? #2? #3? #4?  Sound off with your own thoughts in the comments or via email – feedback and discussion is always encouraged!

*****

Contest Reminder:  Only a few days left to enter the Image Wizards contest.  No fuss, no muss, just enter your image in the Flickr thread for a chance to win a 16×20″ print from them (as judged by yours truly!).

Be sure to stop back in tomorrow for the fourth installment of how to get the most out of a single light setup!

In yesterday’s post, I showed how light can spill over an improperly mounted umbrella. I got a few emails noting that light does seem to still spill over the top of even a properly mounted one.  While that’s right, there’s a couple things to keep in mind.  First off, the flash is mounted to a trigger, not to the light stand directly.  This does raise the flash a tad (about an inch), and while that may not sound like much, it can increase the spill.  Now there are some triggers that are extremely low profile or that can rotate to lower the height of the flash by angling it forward, but there are downsides here too.  If you think about the idea of moving the head of the flash closer to the umbrella, you are essentially decreasing the amount of fill that your shoot thru will get.  The light will be more concentrated, (a.k.a. hotter) the closer it gets to the umbrella.  Conversely, the further away from the umbrella, the more diffused it will be.  Take a look:

Now, again, the terms “wrong” and “right” are subjective, because you may want a hotter light from your shoot thru.  The only thing I would say to that though, is that if you want a hotter light – why use the umbrella in the first place?  A shoot thru is designed to reduce the “hot” factor of the light and make it more even and diffused.  You can best accomplish this by positioning the light as far back on the umbrella as possible.  How far?  I usually leave about a quarter of an inch to an inch just so I can grab the umbrella if needed from the back side.  You can position yours where ever you like – just remember the “hot factor”!

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for Part 3!  I bet this is one a lot of you will likely say “Now, that is cool!”  In the meantime, keep sharing your own ideas, tips and tricks for getting the most out of your lighting gear!

*****

P.S.  A couple admin notes – the monthly giveaway is almost done (with a 16×20″ print from the folks at ImageWizards at stake), so get your shots in on the Flickr thread before Friday!  Next week is review week on the blog too, with books, gadgets, lenses, even a camera, and of course, the annual Holiday Gift Guide!

Tip #1.  Positioning the Umbrella

You’ll notice on a standard light stand that the umbrella will have to be inserted at an angle…you can either angle it upward or downward.  I see so many folks that are totally confused by this and I’ve got a great mnemonic to help you remember the right way:  I call it “Up For Luck!”  Take a look at the following side-by-side shots:

See how there is so much more light missing the umbrella from my strobe in the first shot? It’s falling out of the top and not really being controlled all that much.   Compare that to the second shot, where the umbrella is nicely filled out with light…a great softening effect for sure!  This is just one of five tips I am going to share with you this week on lighting your shoots from an off-camera flash with nothing more than a single light stand and shoot through umbrella!  Ready for more?  Got your own ideas and tips/tricks to share?  Sound off in the comments, or tune back in tomorrow for another tip to help soften and diffuse things even more!

Seriously, this is the best reading you’ll find on the creative process, and if you take any of these to heart, your photography will improve!  I’ve loved every book from the Craft and Vision series, and benefited immensely.  Now you can too!  Just visit them today (it’s only good for today) and save big!

My own collection is on sale too, so you can also save over $20 for the 3 eBook set right here just by using discount code GOBBLE.  Stop over to the eBook page to see all three titles and pick whichever two work best for your goals!

It’s the latest from the Craft and Vision series, and after reading through this latest release, I was thoroughly impressed.  Andrew takes us way past the Rule of Thirds – so far that ROT is hardly in his rear view!  He addresses not necessarily new, but definitely innovative ways to think about composition including using aspect ratio and balance to make for better compositions.  Aptly titled, Beyond Thids, this is definitely one worth getting.  At the regular price of $5 in the C&V store, it’s a no-brainer, but at their discounted price, it’s a steal (yet again)!  So, stop over to their online bookstore today and get yourself a copy!  In fact, Andrew’s other eBooks in there “Andes: The Print and the Process”, and “The Evocative Image” are also figurative page turners! (I’d call them an Ipad flicker…since you can’t help but keep flicking your fingers to read “just one more page”.)

You can get the latest release at 20% off for a limited time only, using the promo code BT4 (or if you want to get 5 or more books, use BT20).  Just stop in at their website for quick browse, and you’ll see why David DuChemin and company are called Craft and Vision!

I should be getting a print soon, and you know a review will be forthcoming once in hand, but for now, it’s exciting and news enough to announce the giveaway!  Thanks to the folks over at Image Wizards for sponsoring the November contest!  Here’s the particulars:

1.  One image per person, with the longest side between 600-800px.

2.  Share your photo in the Flickr thread here.

3.  The theme is Shiny!

4.  All images must be work-safe/family-friendly.

5.  Taken within the last 90 days (preferably during the contest window).

6.  Image submissions must be done by December 2nd.

7.  Have fun!

Notice that the deadline actually extends past the end of November.  This is partly due to the fact that we are starting a tad late, but also because November ends in the middle of the week, so it just makes sense to finish things up on that Friday.  The winner will be announced the following Monday, and the December giveaway will also be announced then.  Good luck to everyone!

Special thanks and shout outs go to the folks at Image Wizards!  (I can’t wait to get the print to review!)  If you have some time, do check out their products and services over on their website – the results seem to certainly speak for themselves!

9:02am is now permanently stuck in my memory.  After a recent trip through Oklahoma City, I had an opportunity for some sight-seeing after the work day was done, so my colleague and I stopped at the first place that came to mind – the site of the Oklahoma City bombing some 16 years ago.

It was a powerful memorial, and while I had always abstractly knew of the tragedy surrounding the events of OKC on that fateful day, seeing the memorial was quite a somber experience.  The site now consists of two walls, one oat each end of an infinity pool, and the marker on each wall with the time-stamp of 9:01 and 9:03, signifying the moment before and after the explosion.  The infinity pool represents the moment frozen in time.

In each wall, along with the time-stamp, is an opening leading to the skies beyond with light pouring through.  With evident symbolism, it was a quiet place where people come to pay their respects to the victims and to remember family and loved ones.  One gentleman I spoke with said that he comes to the site every day to remind him.
The other notable feature of the site is a series of high-backed chairs to the south side of the infinity pool.  With nearly 200 chairs in the chained-off area, there is one chair for each victim.  Taller chairs represented adults, and smaller chairs for children.  There were a lot of shorter chairs.  The whole scene was quite a bit to take in, and I had not expected such a rush of emotion after a day of training.  We left quietly, remembering the day anew.  Yet the residents and surviving friends and families likely remember every single day.  My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to those people.

Here are a few of the photos I was able to muster from the experience:

That’s no longer the case. I am now in a role that takes my technical experience and history and leverages that against my educational and teaching background (I used  teach college level classes).  So, a new role has me teaching technology and multimedia to others!  That is both good news and bad news for the blog.

The good news is that education, training, and teaching are much more front-focused in my mind.  This means that the quality and angle of most blog posts will likely be more educational in their “angle”.  This is a good thing because the website has always been intended to be a way to sort of give back to the photography community.  So now content will likely be even more useful than ever!  Here it bears mentioning that even though I shoot Canon, content is always generated so it is as vendor neutral as possible so Nikonians, Pentaxians, and Olympains etc., rest assured, nothing will change in that regard!

As you likely have guessed from the lead image for the day, the bad news is that I will be traveling a lot… How much will be a function of the school year and their schedules, but in between getting trained myself (train the trainer) and actually getting out there, postings may not be as regular as things have been in the past.

I will tr to keep ahead of the post dates as much as I can, but cannot guarantee that the well of posts “in the can” will stay as full as it has.  So, with that in mind, I’d like to make today my first post in this new “era” as I hit the road to train others in the use of technology.  Just as the seat back in front of me advises:

Buckle up, and keep your seat belts fastened as we’re taking off!

“Hi Jason, we received your order for printing, thanks so much for your continued patronage.  Before sending to print though, we wanted to check and make sure the image is as you wanted it because of some items near the corners that caught our eye.  Do you want these items in the frame?  let us know and we’ll proceed accordingly.  Thanks so much!

What an awesome email, and in fact, I did not want the edge distractions.  So, in getting a reminder myself, decided it would make a good blog post for the day.  Here’s the final image I sent out to the vendor for printing:

It’s a nice image, and I am testing a few shots in some frames to see how a series might look together, so this is one I wanted to add.  However, if they had proceeded before I made edits, this is what would have gone through:

See the distracting elements?  I missed them the first time!  The lesson here is that it helps to have a checklist before printing too, and to include “clean the edges” in your checklist.  I think I am going to put one together here soon.  With that in mind, what sorts of experiences have others had in pre-printing stages?  Do you use a checklist to make sure you’ve done everything you need to do?  What would you include?  What would you leave to the lab?  I know a lot of folks let the lab do final edits on things like color correcting, white balance, and even cropping, while others like to maintain end to end control over their imagery.

Sound off in the comments – would love to hear everyone’s thoughts!

The folks over at Stack Exchange have become the latest sponsor for the monthly contest series, and I gotta say, they are quite a clever operation.  The site is based on the same idea that the blog is based on – which is sharing knowledge and experience with the greater community at large.  No forums to join, no registrations to mess with, just good information in a Wiki-style interface.  The layout is pretty slick where you can post (and answer) photo-related questions.

There’s lots of topics covered and it’s definitely a useful resource to answer everything from generic to specific questions like “Depth of Field and Focal Length” to “How to take sharp night photos“.  Definitely one to add to your photo bookmarks folder.

Anyway, they were super generous, tossing a Lensbaby Composer into the ring for some lucky photographer!  So, special thanks and shout outs to Stack Exchange in advance for their sponsorship.  With the theme of their site, and the gear tied to the giveaway, I figured this was worthy of something special, so, here’s the gist:

Lots of ways to interpret this…it could be a stack of pancakes, a stack of coins, a stack of Pringles, a haystack, or any other way you can imagine!  Remember, the prize is a Lensbaby Composer, worth $300 retail, so if there ever was a time to ramp things up a notch, this would be it!  I’ll put something together on the Lensbaby Composer later this week so you know how cool this lens actually is!

That’s it for today – more cool stuff coming up later this week including the September winner (lucky photog will win a year of NAPP membership!), and other fun stuff.  The trick is to keep on shooting!

If you take one photo a day, it will take you 10,000 days to become fluent with photography, or 27 years!  One good photo a day means it will take you twenty seven years to become fluent in the field of photography.  Look at how that extrapolates out:

I don’t know about you, but the last time I took sixteen good photos in one day was…well, um, never really!  I could go into a long soliloquy about learning the craft encompassing more than just taking good photos.  And it’s true.  You learn when you take bade photos, because you’ve eliminated a process that doesn’t work.  You also learn from reading articles, books, attending seminars and workshops.  Learning a craft is much more than just one photo, but the math still holds true.  So, even if you spend four hours a day learning about photography, it will be a long time before you are fluent (at least 6 years anyway, right?).

The caveat now is that learning a trade or craft is more than just study and reading – it’s also doing.  So, in all of this, let’s say it breaks down to about 25-25-50 in percentages.  I say this primarily because you learn so much more from doing than studying and reading.  In the field of photography, this means taking pictures.  You have to take pictures (both good and bad) to become a good photographer.  Now comes the stickler – the question that I was asked and is the title of this post:  which photos count?

When learning, and studying your craft, does the crappy iPhone photo count?  The stupid cheesy grin shot you did with your “bff” at the beach?  My answer (surprise surprise) starts with “It depends…”  That’s the first part…the second part is:

What did you learn from that photo?

If the answer is – “I learned that on camera flash works with a portrait and the sun setting behind you”, then yes, it counts!  If the photo is “Well, I learned that on camera flash in a studio shot of a digital telephone doesn’t work too well because of excessive specular highlights”, then hell yeah, it counts!  The converse also holds though too.  If you take a snapshot during your vacation with yourself and your s.o (significant other) at Plymouth Rock, and it never sees the light of day past your refrigerator, then no, it does not count!  If you learn or gain nothing from a photo you took, it doesn’t count.  Here’s some shots from my history that I’ve learned from – can you tell which ones I shot at the beginning of my foray into the most recent?  (Don’t cheat and look at the meta data…which ones are first, middle, and last chronologically?)

This exercise also illustrates that you should never be afraid to also look at the shots you were taking one year ago, or two, or three or five, then compare them to your most recent work.  Do you see an improvement?  Has the gap narrowed between what you “saw” and what the image produced?  If the answer is yes, then who cares whether the photos in between count or not.  As long as you are striving to become better and to speak more fluently.  While trees do matter, it’s helpful to remember they are part of a forest.  Keep expanding the forest with the photos that count – the ones you learn from!

*****

Also, don’t forget the Louisville edition of the Worldwide Photowalk happens tomorrow – there’s still room for a couple more people, so if you wanna join us for walking, talking, shooting, and a beverage afterward – it’s free to join!  Register here by midnight tonight!

Self-study may even get you to a point where you can cut through the water relatively easily, but imagine how much easier it would be if when you first started learning to swim, you had a coach.  Someone there to stand at the pool, shouting out encouragement and instructions:  “Reach out with your hands!  Kick your legs!  Good job!  Keep going!”

Coaching always makes learning anything easier, whether it’s swimming, science or photography!  One of the things I’ve noticed as progressing on my own learning curve is that much of what I gathered would have likely been learned moer quickly if someone had been there to say “Hey, the Rule of Thirds works nicely with landscapes…put the sun in one of those cross-sections!”  or other axioms common to learning the nuts and bolts.

This raised a question in my mind, and is actually one of the fundamental reasons why I started this blog – to share experiences as I learned them to help others hopefully reach those levels of understanding sooner.  When someone asked me once how long I had been mentoring other photographers is when it dawned on me that I actually had become something of what I had needed!  Talk about a sense of fulfillment!

These thoughts and experiences were recently shared with my good friend Kerry Garrison of Camera Dojo, and as we talked about the whole concept of mentoring, decided this would be a great podcast topic!  So, enjoy the latest episode of the LDP Podcast (#63):  Choosing a Mentor:

Show notes:  What to Look for in a Mentor

We go into all of this in much greater detail in the show, as to why each trait is important, and we even throw in a few bonus considerations for you too, so be sure to catch the show!  Thanks again to Kerry for participating – it was a great discussion and sure to be one that will draw a lot of attention!  Be sure to stop over to Kerry’s blog to find out the latest activities there too at Camera Dojo.

Food for thought:  As you listen to the show, consider the following talking points…have you ever had a mentor?  Been a mentor?  Wanted a mentor?  Had one that worked or did not?  Think about what did and didn’t work, and why.  What would you want to see in a potential mentor?  As is always the case, we share our own ideas, but would love to hear from others on what their own experiences are, so please let us know in the comments and/or via email, social media, etc.

Happy shooting!

*****

A couple short reminders for this week:

1.  We are in the last week of the Monthly Contest Series for September.  This month you can win a year of membership to NAPP (existing members can extend for an additional 12 months!)!  It’s free, just share your best image in the Flickr thread here.

2.  The Worldwide Photo Walk is coming up this weekend, so if you’ve not registered in your nearest city yet, be sure to check out where the closest place is.  It’s a lot of fun, and is totally free too, so get out and shoot with fellow photogs, socialize, and network!  Oh yeah, and a ton of books are being given away – something from the Kelby arsenal of education will go to one lucky photographer in each city!  (If you live in the Denver Colorado area, there’s still room in the Louisville walk too where you can walk around with yours truly!)

Without further ado, I’m pleased to announce that Drobo has selected Dave King to receive a Drobo for his participation in the giveaway.  Dave, I’ve reached out to you to solidify the details and particulars, so when you get your email, please take a moment to respond with the needed information for shipping.

Many thanks to the folks at Data Robotics for their support and sponsorship!  Thanks to everyone for their participation, and even if you didn’t win, remember, backing up your data/work is always a good thing – the Drobo is an easy solution to that task, so consider their products for your backup needs.

On the subject of contests, the monthly photo contest to win a year of NAPP membership is still underway, so there’s time to get an image into the contest thread over on Flickr as well.  Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about Photoshop and photography from one of the premiere learning resources available today!

Keep on shooting, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow…more tk.