An Analysis of Lightroom JPEG Export Quality Settings

An Analysis of Lightroom JPEG Export Quality Settings

"One of the first things a photographer learns about image formats is that JPEG image compression is “lossy”, meaning that the smaller file produced by greater compression comes at the cost of lower image quality. How much lower — whether low enough to“matter” — depends on the situation. JPEG compression can be remarkably effective at reducing the size of the image, so despite the lowering costs of storage space and bandwidth, the reduced size is still very appealing: storing essentially the same image in one fifth the file size, for example, means uploading five times faster.
The compression setting is usually controlled in camera with a“basic / standard / high” quality setting, each using progressively less compression. Most image-processing applications, though, use a “0-100 quality”or “0% - 100% quality” sliding scale, and ...

read the whole article with photos so YOU can see the difference here

Going Pro: How to Make the Leap from Aspiring to Professional Photographer

Going Pro: How to Make the Leap from Aspiring to Professional Photographer

Publication Date: October 18, 2011

You’ve got the gear, the training, and the technology. You’re ready to make the leap from aspiring to professional photographer. Now what?

With today’s affordable, high-quality cameras, Internet technology, and training, any weekend warrior can hang a shingle and open a photography business. But what then? While anyone can buy a professional quality camera, few have the skills to turn their dreams into a profitable business.

Going Pro is the essential guide to leaping successfully into any genre of professional photography. Industry powerhouses Scott Bourne and Skip Cohen share invaluable advice on defining your niche, putting together a portfolio, pricing and showing your work, marketing, positioning your brand, and, most important, building an online social media platform from the ground up. Throughout, advice and tips are offered from 25 of the biggest names in the industry, including Chase Jarvis, Vincent Laforet, Matthew Jordan Smith, Jeremy Cowart, Jules Bianchi, Bambi Cantrell, Tony Corbell, Kevin Kubota, Jerry Ghionis, and more.

Hundreds of thousands of photographers are already tuning in to the Going Pro podcast and blog (goingpro2011.com). Going Pro, the book, now joins the movement, giving amateurs everywhere the confidence and tools they need to make the leap into professional photography.

About the Author

SCOTT BOURNE is president and founder of Bourne Media Group, publisher of Photofocus.com, and the #1 most influential photographer on Twitter, according to wefollow.com. His images have received more than 100 awards, and he has led more than 150 workshops and seminars worldwide. Scott is co-founder of The Professional Wedding & Studio Photographers International (PWSPI) and GoingPro2011. He has been featured in numerous publications, including Photo District News (PDN), PPA Magazine, Outdoor Photographer, and PhotoMedia. Scott can be found at photofocus.com.

SKIP COHEN is president of Marketing Essentials International, a consulting firm specializing in photography projects. He is past president of Rangefinder Publishing Inc., where he oversaw Rangefinder and AfterCapture magazines, the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) Association, and the WPPI trade show.

He is founder of Skip’s Summer School and the Akron Photo Series, and co-founder of GhostRighters.com, GoingPro2011.com, and PWSPI. Skip has co-authored five previous books on photography and can be found
at SkipsPhotoNetwork.com.

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The New York Times Magazine Photographs [Hardcover]

For over 30 years, The New York Times Magazine has been synonymous with the myriad possibilities and applications of photography. The New York Times Magazine: Photographs reflects upon and interrogates the very nature of both photography and print magazines at this pivotal moment in their history and evolution. Edited by Kathy Ryan, longtime photo editor of the Magazine, and with a preface by former editorial director Gerald Marzorati, this volume presents some of the finest commissioned photographs worldwide in four sections: reportage, portraiture, style and conceptual photography, including photo illustration. Diverse in content and sensibility, and consistent in virtuosity, the photographs are accompanied by reproduced tear sheets to allow for the examination of sequencing and the interplay between text and image, simultaneously presenting the work while illuminating its distillation to magazine form. This process is explored further through texts offering behind-the-scenes perspective and anecdotes by the many photographers, writers, editors and other collaborators whose voices have been a part of the magazine over the years. Issues of documentary photography are addressed in relation to more conceptual photography; the efficacy of storytelling; and what makes an image evidentiary, objective, subjective, truthful or a tool for advocacy; as well as thoughts on whether these matters are currently moot, or more critical than ever. As such, The New York Times Magazine: Photographs serves as a springboard for a rigorous, necessary and revitalized examination of photography as presented within a modern journalistic context.

Spring Wildlife, Landscape and Wildflower Workshop

Shiv Verma's Spring Wildlife, Landscape and Wildflower
Workshop - Smoky Mountains/Cades Cove'

Announcing the Smoky Mountains/Cades Cove Workshop  - April 22 to 27, 2012.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a world-renowned preserve of wildflower
diversity—over 1,660 kinds of flowering plants are found in the park, more
than in any other North American national park. In fact, the park is sometimes
referred to as the “Wildflower National Park.” Read the whole thing here: 
http://www.shivverma.com/2012/01/19/spring-wildlife-landscape-and-wildflower-workshop-smoky-mountainscades-cove/

ID your insect at BugGuide.Net

If you have an image of something from the United States or Canada that you would like identified, you may add the image to this page. http://bugguide.net/node/view/6/bgimage

Welcome to BugGuide.Net!

All Abuzz About Bugs!
We are an online community of naturalists who enjoy learning about and sharing our observations of insects, spiders, and other related creatures.

We enjoy the opportunity to instill in others the fascination and appreciation that we share for the intricate lives of these oft-maligned creatures.

Our Mission

Using the best resources we have access to, we are creating a knowledgebase to help each other and the online community.

We summarize our findings in guide pages like the one shown at right.

Our Method

We collect photographs of bugs from the United States and Canada for identification and research.

Making New Discoveries

More than just a clearinghouse for information, this site helps expand on the natural histories of our subjects. By capturing the place and time that submitted images were taken, we are creating a virtual collection that helps define where and when things might be found.

We capture never before seen behaviors and we have photos of species that you won't find anywhere else on the web.

35 Fantastic HDR Pictures

35 Fantastic HDR Pictures

• By Vitaly Friedman

Get Rid of Red Eye

Get Rid of Red Eye
By Russell Brown

In just one minute, you'll learn how to remove red eye from any photo using a hidden tool in Adobe Photoshop.

Environmental Portraits with Speedlites: Tutorial Series

Environmental Portraits with Speedlites: Tutorial Series
http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/galleries/galleries/tutorials/environmental_portraits_with_speedlites.shtml

Bruce Dorn, DGA
Learn about the techniques, equipment, and skill levels covered in the Canon Digital Learning Center's tutorial series on environmental portraits with the Speedlite flash system.

Explorer of Light Bruce Dorn has been teaching Speedlite techniques around the country for years through Canon Live Learning and his own workshops. With the Canon Digital Learning Center's exclusive tutorials series on Environmental Portraits with Speedlites, now even more photographers can watch and learn.

This series was designed to appeal to a range of users, from photo enthusiasts to full-time professionals. Featuring a wide range of equipment, techniques, accessories, subject, and locations, there is useful insights and tips for every skill level.

Check out these videos, and others coming soon:
In Party Pix, Bruce Dorn demonstrates super-simple E-TTL II speedlite techniques. Entry-level gear is featured including an EOS 60D, Speedlite 270EX II and Speedlite 320EX. Also, learn how to make your own kid-friendly flash reflector.

In Cool Cats travel with Bruce to Montana as he creates a portrait of an Exotic Animal Keeper and her adorable Cougar kittens. These fast, effective, and non-intrusive E-TTL II techniques are great for any kind of exterior situation that would benefit from simple fill flash.

Coming Soon:
In Ratio Control, Bruce uses three gelled off-camera Speedlites and a homemade gobo to demonstrate E-TTL II ratio control during the production of a High School Senior portrait. Learn how to make your own gobo for unique lighting effects.

In Executive Portrait, Bruce creates a dramatic portrait of a dynamic CEO in an a very unusual situation. Two useful Speedlite light modifiers are featured, as well as the PocketWiazrd radio system.

In Bride & Groom, Bruce uses large umbrellas, softboxes, and other modifiers to create a series of dramatic and graphically-interesting wedding portraits. Also features radio transmitters and the challenge of working with mixed indoor/outdoor lighting. Lastly, Bruce share several easy, run-and-gun Speedlite tricks that every event photographer should have up their sleeve.

In Fishin’ for Style, head out into the great outdoors to create a wind-blown portrait of an avid angler. Flash Exposure Compensation is featured as Bruce works with a single off-camera Speedlite, a radio repeater, and a wind-resistant light modifier.

In The Biker & The Bobber, Bruce use a giant parabolic umbrella and six Speedlites mounted together to demonstrate High Speed Sync’s ability to overpower daylight.

In The Badlander Bar, Bruce uses just two snooted Speedlites to selectively illuminate a simple but dramatic “old west” scene in a bar interior. Learn how to make a DIY snoot, custom designed to fit your Speedlite flash.

In Roller Girls, Bruce demonstrates 2nd Curtain Sync when shooting action and movement with a single off-camera Speedlite. Later in the tutorial, he creates a striking outdoor group portrait using three direct off-camera Speedlites and radio transmitters.

request for photographs

I am an art consultant working on a project in the Hartford area.  I have a request for photographs to include in the  project.    I need photographs from Hartford, Southington, New Britain, Meredin, Windham, Mansfield Center, Newington, and PLainville.  Would you be able to help put me in touch with some photographers.

Thank you.

 

Debbi Schonberger-Pierce

WBE Certified

Art Solutions

129 W. 27th St., 3rd Floor

New York, NY 10001

917-837-1633

deb@art-solutions.net

www.art-solutions.net

Black and White Photography Resources

Are You Making These Mistakes With Your Black and Whites - a primer and guide to what might be going wrong with your attempts at black and white and how you can fix it.

The Magic of Black and White Reviewed - a look at one of the better guides to black and white photography available online.

How to Improve Your Black and White Camera Phone Photography - believe it or not, you can get some incredible shots just with a standard camera phone. Check out the tips and examples in this tutorial.

Lightroom 4 beta now available

by thogarty

The Lightroom team is proud to introduce the fourth major version of the product designed for and by photographers. It was 6 years ago today when we introduced the very first public beta of Lightroom at MacWorld on January 9, 2006. (Yes, it was Mac only, smaller in footprint than most raw files and didn’t have a crop tool!) Since 2006 we’ve been hard at work improving an application that’s intended to be as easy to use as it is powerful. This release builds on the fundamental performance architecture and image quality improvements in Lightroom 3 to provide a truly complete workflow solution. I kept hearing from customers that they love Lightroom but needed to leave the Lightroom to complete X, Y or Z. Lightroom 4 tackles those issues with improvements to image organization, adjustment tools and comprehensive publishing options.

Download the beta http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom4/
Talk about the beta http://forums.adobe.com/community/labs/lightroom4/
Learn about the beta http://www.youtube.com/lightroom

IMPORTANT NOTES, PLEASE READ

Primary Known Issues

• Lightroom 4 beta is not complete but please provide feedback on the available enhancements.
• Lightroom 4 beta will not upgrade Lightroom 1.x, Lightroom 2.x or Lightroom 3.x catalogs. The beta is intended to be used for testing and feedback purposes. Lightroom 1.x, 2.x, 3.x and 4 beta libraries will be able to be migrated to the finished version of Lightroom 4.
• While data loss is not expected, this is an early ‘beta’ quality build and you should always work on duplicates of files that are securely backed up.
• Lightroom 4 beta will not overwrite or interfere with a machine that currently has Lightroom 1, Lightroom 2 or Lightroom 3 installed.
• Develop settings applied in Lightroom 4 beta are not guaranteed to transfer correctly to the final version of Lightroom 4
• The Lightroom 4 beta will expire after Lightroom 4.0 is available
• Additional known issues are listed below.

Minimum system requirements

Macintosh

• Multicore Intel® processor with 64-bit support
• Mac OS X v10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or v10.7 (Lion)
• 2GB of RAM
• 1GB of available hard-disk space
• 1,024×768 display
• DVD-ROM drive
• Internet connection required for Internet-based services

Windows

• Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor
• Microsoft® Windows Vista® with Service Pack 2 or Windows 7 with Service Pack 1
• 2GB of RAM
• 1GB of available hard-disk space
• 1,024×768 display
• DVD-ROM drive
• Internet connection required for Internet-based services

Install Lightroom 4 beta

Download the beta http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom4/
Mac
1. Download Lightroom 4 beta from labs.adobe.com
2. Unzip the download then open the disk image and double-click the Lightroom Beta 4 package in the resulting window then follow the on-screen instructions
Windows Vista, Windows 7
1. If you are running a 64-bit version of Windows 7 or Windows Vista, we recommend downloading the 64-bit version of Lightroom.
2. To find out if your computer is running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, do the following:
a. Open System by clicking the Start button, right-clicking Computer, and then clicking Properties.
b. Under System, you can view the system type.
c. If your version of Windows is not 64-bit, or if you are not sure, download the 32-bit version.
3. Unzip the download then double-click the Lightroom 4 beta installer then follow the on-screen instructions

Serial Numbers

Anyone can download and work with the Lightroom 4 beta for the duration of the beta program. There is no serial number requirement.

Supported File Formats

• JPEG
• TIFF (8 bit, 16 bit)
• PSD (8 bit, 16 bit)
• DNG
• Raw (Please visit http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/cameraraw.html for a full list of raw file support. File support for Lightroom 4 beta, aligns with Lightroom 3.6 and Camera Raw 6.6)

Important File Format Support Exceptions (Formats not supported)

• PSD files saved without a composite image. (Saved without “Maximize Compatibility” setting)
• Files with dimensions greater than 65,000 pixels per side

High Level Summary of What’s New

• Robust Video Support
• Manage images by location with the Map Module
• Simplified Basic Adjustments
• Powerful new Shadow & Highlight controls
• Additional local adjustments including Noise Reduction and White Balance
• Soft Proofing Reinvented
• Elegant Photo Book creation
• Email from directly within Lightroom
• Publish videos directly to Facebook or Flickr
• Enhanced DNG workflows
• Adobe Revel export workflow

Lightroom 4 beta Enhancements

Video Support
Lightroom 3 added the ability to import, manage and tag video files but as the popularity of video capture increases it’s important to provide a single, robust workflow solution that can support all of your imaging needs regardless if they’re still images or video captures. Lightroom 4 adds native playback for a wide variety of formats from mobile phones to high end DSLRs. Photographers can also apply common image adjustments to their video clips in real time. Additional video details:

• Video playback directly within Lightroom
• Video trimming (In and Out points)
• Set Video poster frame. (This is the thumbnail that appears in the grid view)
• Extract a single frame from a video as a JPEG file
• Most popular DSLR, compact camera and smart phone video formats supported including AVCHD (AVCHD is the native format for Sony DSLRs and many new Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens, MIL, cameras)
• Videos can be adjusted with a subset of the same controls we use for images.
• White Balance (JPEG Equivalent)
• Basic Tone
• Exposure
• Contrast
• White Clipping
• Black Clipping
• Saturation
• Vibrance
• Tone Curve
• Color Treatment (HSL)
• Black and White
• Split Toning
• Process Version and Calibration

Map Module

It’s great that digital cameras automatically record a date/time stamp so that when it comes time find that image from New Years 2003, it’s easy to filter your image collection based on the information recorded by the camera. However, the “when” of an image is only half of the equation. What about the “where?” As an increasing number of cameras, smart phones leading the pack with compact cameras following closely behind, the “where” is also being recorded at the time of capture. Even Sony’s high-end a77 and a65 DSLR cameras have an option to automatically record the GPS coordinates of where you captured an image. But for those of us who don’t speak fluid latitude and longitude coordinates, we need a visual map interface to find the images by location. Lightroom 4 adds a dedicated map module that loads Google Maps to present your images in a clear and concise view. If your camera doesn’t automatically record the coordinates of your images you can easily drag and drop images to a location, use GPX tracklog files to link images based on date/time stamps or define saved locations that can be quickly associated with a set of images. (Not surprisingly, this link to Google Maps will only work when you are connected to the World Wide Web.) Additional Map details:

• Tag images with a location using drag and drop or saved location assignment
• Search for locations
• Create Saved Locations
• Managed privacy settings for saved locations
• Load GPX tracklogs and auto tag images based on date/time stamps

Develop Module (Updated 2012 Process Version)

Ever wonder why there was both an Exposure control and a Brightness control in Lightroom’s Develop module? Why the Black setting defaulted to 5 and Brightness/Contrast to 50 and 25 respectively? When the Camera Raw plug-in was introduced in 2003 these concepts weren’t overwhelming for those intrepid photographers willing to switch their camera’s capture format to “RAW.” (It’s not an acronym so I have no idea why folks continue to capitalize that word…) When Lightroom and the Camera Raw plug-in started supporting JPEG and TIFF files, the visual appearance of the settings and preset behavior was never truly optimized for the additional formats. Lightroom 4 rationalizes the controls and addresses a fundamental photographic problem of balancing highlight and shadow detail. Please give the new tone controls a try on your most challenging images as well as the additional controls listed below:

• Simplified controls in the Basic panel
• Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks
• Powerful, content aware, shadow and highlight controls to extract all of the dynamic range in a single capture
• Updated Clarity adjustment for superior results without the artifacts
• Updated Chromatic Aberration correction solution
• New local adjustment parameters
• Noise Reduction
• Temperature and Tint
• Shadows
• Highlights
• Moire
• Per channel curves adjustments
• Soft proofing
• Paper and ink simulation
• Choose between perceptual and relative intent
• Intuitive virtual copy creation for profile-specific adjustments
• Profile and Monitor gamut warnings
• Print module brightness/contrast option to address differences between monitor and paper characteristics

Direct Email from within Lightroom

I realize that this feature has 1998 written all over it but it’s still a very common request to be able to email from directly within Lightroom.

• Configure your desktop mail client or AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail webmail accounts to send email from Lightroom
• Convenient size presets appropriate for email
• Address book to store commonly used email addresses

Elegant Photo Book Creation

Photo books have grown in popularity and quality over the past few years and we’re proud to introduce a module dedicated to this workflow.

• Flexible auto-layout tool with preset-based customization
• Over 180 professionally designed page layouts
• Intuitive drag and drop behaviors for reordering pages or swapping image locations
• Helpful layout guides and page bleed information
• Incredible flexibility through cell padding for text and photo cells
• Dynamically located photo captions based on existing metadata or manual entry
• Powerful type tools based on industry leading type technology found in Photoshop and Illustrator
• Customizable background color
• Elegant background graphics to enhance the style of travel or wedding books
• Tight integration with Blurb book printing service
• Set size, cover, paper quality directly within Lightroom
• Price estimate dynamically provided during book creation
• PDF Export options include size, resolution, color profile and output sharpening

Enhanced DNG options

These enhancements will be represented in the next DNG Specification update.(Version 1.4)

• Embed Fast Load Data options dramatically improves image loading performance in the Develop module
• Lossy compression option provides significant file savings with minimal quality impact. (Ideal for archiving outtakes or reducing the size of time lapse projects without losing the flexibility of raw)
• Resolution reduction via export provides the ability to share lower resolution versions of the original raw file without losing the capabilities offered by raw.
• Metadata and filter options available for DNG file types

Lightroom 4 Additional Features and JDIs

• Publish Collections can now include rendered video publishing
• Export to Adobe Revel functionality
• Enhanced output model for saving/storing settings applied in Web, Slideshow, Print and Book. Efforts are now clearly visible in Collections panel.
• New Zoom ratios (1:8 and 1:16)
• Mac version now includes a language selection option via preferences
• Move multiple folders from volume to volume (Previously only single folder workflow was enabled)
• White balance sample area is now zoom-level dependent
• Noise reduction adjustment is always displayed regardless of zoom level
• Collapse the tether toolbar down to the shutter button by Option or Alt clicking the close button
• Module picker can be customized via right-click option
• Filter and search images by a saved or unsaved metadata property
• Hierarchical Develop Preset display in Quick Develop
• Layout overlay for tethered shooting workflow when attempting to match a specific layout template
• Photos in publish collections that have been modified can be set to not re-publish
• Additional Metadata controls on export
• Disk burning now available on Windows 64-bit systems
• Flag status is now ‘global’ (One setting per image regardless of location in folder or collection)
• Stacking is now possible in collections
• Flash galleries are now color managed
• Per module walkthrough tips

Additional Notes:

• An important correction was made to the Lightroom credits. There’s a great tradition in the Photoshop family of listing babies born to team members during each cycle. We’ve previously omitted references to the fertility of the Lightroom team but have corrected that omission with Lightroom 4.
• “Adobe plans to change the name of Adobe Carousel to Adobe Revel. We originally chose the name Adobe Carousel because it was descriptive of core functionality in the product, in that photographs were viewed in a circular manner, like a carousel. However, we now plan to offer additional photography solutions on this platform, including but not limited to the ‘carousel’ feature. Our rapidly expanding charter for this new platform requires a name that is less narrowly descriptive of the current product features.”­ – Chris Quek, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Adobe Revel

Additional Known Issues

General

• Multiple exports of the same photo to Adobe Revel will create duplicate
• assets within Revel
• Import from iPhone can sometimes take a longer than expected
• Wrong photo is displayed after round tripping between library and print.
• If Tethered Capture Settings dialog is left open for very long periods of time, Lightroom
• will hang when attempting to dismiss the dialog
• Tethered capture can fail after computer wakes from sleep.

Books Module

• Blurb books created through Lightroom are limited to 160 pages
• Blurb only supports a subset of the languages that Adobe supports
• Undoing one-click photo captions works sporadically and can cause
• Lightroom to lag
• Photos may be removed from layout pages when using the color and rating
• filter in the Book Module on Windows only.
• Updating metadata in Library does not automatically propagate the change
• in metadata-based text in Book.
• Adding captions to multiple photos at once causes Lightroom to lag.
• Text on spine in Hard Cover books is not centered

Video

• Black line can appear on right and bottom of videos when viewed in Loupe on Windows
• Video frames are occasionally played out of order on certain AVCHD video files
• There could be a memory leak when exporting over 500 videos at once

Map Module

• Lightroom can crash if you try to assign too many 15,000+ photos to a Saved Location at the same time in Map (Mac only)
• Having over 1,000 tagged photos in the Map Module causes a performance lag.
• Reverse geocoding is not available in the public beta

Develop Module

• The Auto Tone algorithm is still a work in progress. In some instances, Auto Tone in PV2010 will produce better results than Auto Tone in PV2012

Pro Nature Photographer site

We, at Pro Nature Photographer, are dedicated to the profession of nature, travel, and adventure photography. Our goal is to provide our readers with top quality information about the art, business, and lifestyle of professional outdoor photography. To be the center for information sharing and to promote ethical and professional business practices while fostering a creative learning environment for all photographers and the public alike.

My name is Charlie Borland and I have been a professional photographer for 30 years. I attended Brooks Institute in the 1970s and have had a successful commercial photography business during that time shooting for all kinds of clients.

My outdoor, nature, and adventure imagery has been used all over the world including several hundred calendar credits, cards, advertisements, and publications like National Geographic Adventure and Traveler, Outside, Backpacker, AAA, Women’s Sport and Fitness, Sports Illustrated for Women, Time, Newsweek, TV Guide, Outdoor Photographer, USA Today, Men’s Fitness, Snow Country, Mountainfreak, NW Airlines, Canoe and Kayaking, Nature’s Best, North Face, Mens Health, Southern Bell, and on assignment for Nike, Camelbak, Early Winters, Black Diamond, Sunset, NW Airlines, and more.

I have been represented by 12 different agencies during my career including Getty, Corbis, Imagestate, Weststock, Adventure Photo & Film, and FPG. I have also founded two stock photo agencies, selling the first to Fpg/Getty and then in 2002 I co-founded Fogstock.com.

I decided to start Pro Nature Photographer because I felt our industry lacked a centralized online location to discuss the business we are in. My goal is to provide information, ideas, and inspiration to all outdoor photographers and foster a community of information sharing so we may all prosper, both financially and spiritually.

Visual Stories: Behind the Lens with Vincent Laforet

Visual Stories: Behind the Lens with Vincent Laforet
There is an art to capturing a photo that tells a story. You need to know what belongs in the frame and what to leave out, what to emphasize in the photo that adds to the story, and how to use light, shape, and color all to express meaning while lending aesthetic value to the image itself. Vincent Laforet–Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and voted one of the "100 Most Influential People in Photography" by American Photo–gives a rare look into the art of photography through his lens as a master editorial and commercial photographer.

This beautiful book contains full-color spreads, with scene details and technical information to help tell the visual stories of larger-than-life life events such as Hurricane Katrina, the Olympic Games, and the war zone of Pakistan. With over 100 photos included, you will gain important insights into how you can achieve similar looks—blending what the camera does with the stories you want to tell.

• Learn how the principles of photojournalism can be applied to telling stories with a single image.
• Use light, shape, and color to create rich photos that tell the story as well as add sensitivity to beauty and emotion.
• Learn how the relationship between foreground and background can be used to creatively produce images with strong impact, and choose lenses based on this discovery.
• Understand the value of an image and convey a more in-depth story of the subject in any genre of photography, including landscapes, close-ups, portraits, action shots, aerials, and more.
• Receive an up-close and personal view of the author and his work by watching over 60 videos on the accompanying DVD.

Amazing Black and White Collections

Amazing Black and White Collections

20 Eerie Black and White Seascapes - a lot of these utilise timed exposure to create some incredibly eerie effects.

25 Spooky and Creepy Black and White Photos - a selection of various photos with some amazing atmosphere.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=LxXlR&m=1qLKcFY892lEL9&b=2iz8LltdTh09wgqZpG4Zfw12 Dramatic Low Key Black and White Portraits - there is a special talent to creating low key photos and these portraits really show what can be done.

Photographing Snowy Owls: Getting The Shot

Photographing Snowy Owls: Getting The Shot




Read the article and see more images here:
http://www.pronaturephotographer.com/2010/12/photographing-snowy-owls-getting-the-shot/
David Hemmings is the owner of Nature’s Photo Adventures. His company offers bird and nature photography workshops all over the world. David leads many of the workshops himself including the Snowy Owl workshops in Januaru/February of 2011. Visit the NPA website for more details on how to participa te. www.naturesphotoadventures.com Or contact David directly at david@naturesphotoadventures.com

NANPA 2012 Rye, NH Road Show Seminar April 14th Jerry Monkman host!

NANPA 2012 Rye, NH Road Show Seminar April 14th Jerry Monkman host!

NANPA is pleased to announce the 2012 Rye, NH Road Show Seminar to be held in Rye, NH on April 14, 2012 at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH. Road Shows are indoor seminars hosted by well-known leaders - your host for this event will be Jerry Monkman, a nature and adventure photographer. Cost will be only $99.00 for NANPA members...
Online Registration is now open!

Just the Facts...

Date: April 14, 2012
Time: 9 am to 4 pm
Cost: $99 for NANPA Members / $129 for non-members
$110 for camera club members in groups of 4 or more...
Camera clubs please contact the NANPA office for
details on this offer.
Location: Seacoast Science Center, Rye, NH [venue details]
Last Date to Register: April 9, 2012

Adobe Lightroom in a Day

In this seminar, you will learn how to maximize your time in Lightroom by efficiently managing your photo archive, developing a consistent RAW processing workflow, and taking advantage of Lightroom's powerful printing engine.

In the morning session, Jerry will show how he uses Lightroom's Library module to easily track images and automate the process of entering keywords and other metadata. He will also simplify the process of editing RAW files using the Develop module.

In the afternoon session, Jerry will get more in-depth with the Develop module and explore the use of Lightroom plug-ins, including Nik HDR EFEX Pro and Helicon Focus. Wrapping up the seminar will be a discussion of how to use Lightroom's Print module to automate the print process, and how to use print profiles and Lightroom's sharpening algorithms to produce fine art prints.

Location Details...

Located in New Hampshire's scenic Odiorne Point State Park, the Seacoast Science Center sits just yards from the Atlantic Ocean and the rocky New Hampshire shoreline. Several miles of walking trails skirt the shoreline and meander through oak-hickory forests. Inside is a state of the art education center with an aquarium and touch tank replete with marine life from the Gulf of Maine and nearby salt marshes. You can bring a lunch or pick one up in nearby Portsmouth, about a 10 minute drive from the science center.
[Seacoast Science Center website]

Address: Seacoast Science Center, 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, NH [map link].

About Your Host...

Jerry Monkman is a nature and adventure photographer based in Portsmouth, NH. Specializing in adventure and conservation stories in New England, his work has appeared in publications around the world, including Outdoor Photographer, Audubon, National Wildlife, Backpacker, Men's Journal, and the New York Times. He has been leading destination workshops and teaching Photoshop and Lightroom seminars since 2003. Jerry is also the author of nine books, most recently, The AMC Guide to Outdoor Digital Photography. You can see more of Jerry's work at his [website].

Adobe responds to concerns about upgrading!!

Upgrade offer for CS3 and CS4 customers       

We’re very excited about the upcoming release of Adobe® Creative Suite® 6 software and Adobe Creative Cloud™. CS6 will be a major new release of our creative desktop tools, with huge improvements for every type of creative professional. Adobe Creative Cloud will be our most comprehensive creative solution ever, giving members access to all of the CS6 desktop software plus additional services, new tools, Adobe Touch Apps, and rich community features. In addition, Creative Cloud members will receive continuous upgrades and updates to all products and services as part of their membership.

With these great new releases coming in the first half of 2012, we want to make sure our customers have plenty of time to determine which offering is best for them. Therefore, we’re pleased to announce that we will offer special introductory upgrade pricing on Creative Suite 6 to customers who own CS3 or CS4. This offer will be available from the time CS6 is released until December 31, 2012. More details on this offer, as well as any introductory offers for existing customers to move to Creative Cloud membership, will be announced when CS6 and Creative Cloud are released later this year.

Read the details about our Creative Suite upgrade policy ›
Learn more about Adobe Creative Cloud ›

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Ron Rosenstock's new exhibit at the Worcester Art Museum

 Ron Rosenstock's new exhibit at the Worcester Art Museum. Many members may be interested since he just spoke to the club last evening.

The link: http://www.wgbh.org/includes/playerPop.cfm?section=1&featureid=%2034993

12 Stunning Silhouette Shots

12 Stunning Silhouette Shots

by Darren Rowse

One of our most popular posts on this site is How to Photograph Silhouettes.

"Today I thought I’d add to the theory of the topic by posting some examples of silhouettes to give a little inspiration to take some of your own"

Read more: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/12-super-silhouette-shots#ixzz1hqBGggoI

HUNTS webinar -- Creativity During the Winter Lull..

Webinar - The Topic: Creativity During the Winter Lull..

Event Date: February 09, 2012

Event Time: 8:00 PM - 09:00 PM

Winter Blues: Indoor Creativity

Beat the weather and create colorful, dramatic images at home with available light and portable flash

  Webinars are conducted over the internet and requires pre-registration. Please call 781-662-8822 to sign-up

http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/content/calendar/eventinfo.cfm?eid=275

Eastern Sierra Photography Workshop

Eastern Sierra Photography Workshop (October 11-14): In association with Jack Graham, we'll visit some of the most spectacular and photogenic locations situated at the feet of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains. In October, the aspens glow in warm golden hues, rabbitbrush is blooming in large clumps of yellow flowers, weather is comfortable, and early snow often graces the high peaks. This is Jack's 17th year leading this workshop and he is as familiar with the area, its beauty and its moods, as well as anyone. With two instructors on hand, we are able to offer as much personal attention and assistance as you'll need to make the most of this incredible location.

Spring in the Great Smoky Mountains with Adam Jones

Spring in the Great Smoky Mountains May 2 - 6, 2012 Group Size: Limited to 12 Workshop Cost: $900 per person Those of you familiar with my work know I consider the Great Smoky Mountains N.P to be "the" premier National Park in the eastern United States. Twenty plus years of exploring the park has culminated in two coffee table books featuring the Smokies, and more importantly the experience to guide you to the right locations during the best light. Everyone attending this workshop will receive a complimentary autographed copy of my book, "Great Smoky Mountains: Simply Beautiful." We'll headquarter our workshop at the Hilton Garden Inn, Gatlinburg, just a few hundred feet from the park entrance. The Hilton Garden Inn is virtually brand new with meeting facilities and restaurants within walking distance. We have a meeting room reserved for critiques, reviewing new images, and lessons when the light is not suitable for great images. The Smoky Mountains is truly a photographer's paradise offering wide-ranging photo opportunities. This workshop is scheduled to offer the best all around opportunities the spring season has to offer. From classic mountain vistas, flowing streams, waterfalls, wildflowers, historic barns and cabins, fences, pastoral scenes, horses, turkey, deer, and perhaps even a bear, the Smoky Mountains offer something for everyone. Tour Fee: $900.00 is for the workshop only. Food, lodging, and transportation are not included. This workshop features two instructors that know the park well: Adam Jones and Donna Eaton. Donna is a personal friend of mine and a fantastic nature photographer and Nikon user who loves to share her knowledge with others, I'm sure you'll enjoy the time shared with Donna: www.donnaeatonphoto.com Last year we sold out two back to back Smoky Mtn. workshops in record time. Due to a full calendar, only one workshop will be offered in 2012. If you are interested, contact me as soon as possible. Please e-mail for more information: adam@adamjonesphoto.com

Reserve Your Place Now!

Click here to download an enrollment form Checks should be made payable to: Adam Jones 6814 Clore Lake Road Crestwood, KY 40014 Please include all your normal contact information including your email address along with your check, and you will receive a written confirmation of payment. Many thanks, and I look forward to working with you in The Smokies. Adam Jones Adam Jones Photography www.adamjonesphoto.com adam@adamjonesphoto.com

CAP sponsored Judging Symposium Saturday, January 14th

CAP is sponsoring a Judging Symposium on Saturday, January 14, 2012, at the Milford Center for the Arts from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

The judging of the Connecticut InvitationalCompetition will also take place following the symposium at 2:30 p.m.

THE JUDGING SYMPOSIUM

Camera clubs depend on good judges to critique the work of their members. However, clubs are finding it harder to get good, qualified people who are willing to go out and serve as judges. Our hope is that bringing a number of interested people together to discuss the issue of camera club judging will be beneficial to all. Even less experienced photographers who are not ready to become judges will benefit from this symposium.

Paul Peterson will begin the morning with his program "Judging Photography In The Digital Age." After the program, we will break up into smaller groups and engage in free-flowing discussions in which the participants are invited to share their ideas for improving the quality and number of camera club judges in our area.

Some of the questions we hope to answer include:

* What should judges look for in judging a photograph?
* How do clubs recruit good judges?
* What makes a person qualified to be a judge?
* Is it more difficult to judge digital photography?
* What are the pet peeves that clubs have about judges and judging?
* Are there concerns that judges have about camera clubs?
* Can area clubs get an up-to-date list of camera club judges?

Any member of CAP may attend. You do not have to be a judge. There is no charge for the symposium. We hope to see you there to share ideas and learn what others are thinking.

Light refreshments will be served.

DIRECTIONS TO THE MILFORD CENTER FOR THE ARTS

* From New York take I95 to Exit 37, High Street. Take a right off the ramp onto High Street and cross over Route 1. Go straight to first stop sign; take left onto West Main Street. Take second right onto West River Street (Parsons Complex and church are landmarks). Go straight until reaching railroad underpass. Take immediate right after underpass and proceed to Center for the Arts (former eastbound railroad station).

* From New Haven: I-95 to exit 39A, Milford Exit. Ramp feeds onto Route 1. Proceed to left lane. Traffic island with Downtown Milford sign will be on your right. Continue straight onto Cherry Street (Shop Rite and Bob's are on your left). Continue straight until fourth traffic light. Bear left at light onto River Street. Go straight until reaching railroad underpass. Take immediate right after underpass and proceed to Center for the Arts (former eastbound railroad station).

Best regards,

Bill

William B. Barnett, AFIAP, MNEC, MPSA
66 Jasmine Circle Milford, CT
06461-1788 USA

CT Association of Photographers Web Master
Phone: (203) 877-1639
E-mail: CAPinCT@optonline.net

Shiv verma's review of Lightroom 4 Public Beta

January 10, 2012by sverma

I

"I spent all day looking at and using the Lightroom 4 Beta. I like a number of the new features that it has and am also disappointed that some of the modules have not had the enhancements I was hoping for. I have the review available as a PDF document that you can get by clicking on the following:

Lightroom 4 Public Beta Review."

Adobe released a public beta of Lightroom 4

Adobe today released a public beta of Lightroom 4. It is available immediately for free download from Adobe Labs. The beta version has a books creation module (to compete with what Aperture has had for a while), increased support for video files (high time), soft proofing capability (now you can see what it is going to look like when printed) and a Google Maps-powered geo-tagging module (this one will be fun). You can download the beta from the Adobe Labs site by clicking here.

New APP Visualize ‣ Plan ‣ Share

Visualize ‣ Plan ‣ Share

Improve your compositions, visualize your subjects and scout locations with the most advanced electronic artists' viewfinder for iPhone and iPod touch! http://www.direstudio.com/campaigns/viewfinder-pro Whether you're a cinematographer, photographer, or even a painter, chances are good that you use some type of viewfinder to help visualize your subject. Maybe you like a professional grade director's viewfinder, or perhaps you're a little more old school and prefer an old fashioned cardboard cutout. With Viewfinder, you can have the best of both worlds in a single powerful, highly customizable, easy to use iPhone app. ★ Tested & Recommended - The Luminous Landscape ★ Join our community on www.facebook.com/vfinder Use Viewfinder to quickly and easily compose your shot, choose your focal length, and a lot more before you ever reach for your equipment bag. It is the perfect companion for location scouting and for concept shoots. It makes so much easier to determine what equipment to bring to the actual shoot. This app supports nearly every digital or film based camera on the market, including all major brands of 4/3, 35mm, medium and large format still cameras and backs, as well as lenses from most manufacturers; so you can be sure that you'll find your equipment there. Generic formats like 35mm and 4x5 allows to use your cameras even it's not listed by manufacturer. Viewfinder is designed to be a highly customizable professional tool, so you can define your own sensor or film formats and lens focal lengths. Even the function buttons are customizable to reflect your needs and working style. You can save up to four different camera setups and switching between them is as easy as tapping a button. The gesture based controls couldn't be easier to use. Tap inside a frame to dim the surroundings, and you have a simulated cardboard cutout. Just swipe across the screen to return to normal view. Double tap the screen to activate auto-focus and auto-exposure, a unique feature of Viewfinder that makes it much easier to cope with difficult lighting conditions. Pinch to zoom in up to 5x to see how longer focal lengths will look or zoom out to 0.7x to see what focal lengths are just outside of the iPhone camera's capabilities. If you shoot wide angles, you've probably been disappointed when you looked for wide angle features. The iPhone's camera has a focal length that's about the same as a 35mm lens (iPhone 4 goes down to about 28mm) on a full frame 35mm camera, and that severely limits most viewfinder apps. In fact, they just can't handle wide angles so popular with landscape photography at all. But that's not a problem for Viewfinder. This is the only app in the App Store that supports wide angle adapters (we like and recommend the OWLE). Just tap the WIDE key, select the adapter that you're using, and go where no viewfinder app has gone before. Here are some of the features that make Viewfinder the best app of its kind: ★ Support for generic camera formats in case your camera is not on the list. ★ Three user-defined custom lens focal lengths per camera in case your lens is not listed. ★ Support for up to five custom film/sensor formats for medium and large format cameras. You can work with the exact image size your camera produces! ★ In addition to the native camera aspect ratio you can compose with 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 1:1 and HD (16:9) if your camera supports HD video. ★ Support for iPhone wide angle adapters, such as the OWLE. ★ You can save the current view as a photo. GPS coordinates and non-native aspect ratios are recorded on saved images. ★ Digital zoom in the range of 0.7x - 5x. ★ When you zoom smaller than 100% a virtual frame appears so you can see what's just outside of the largest frame the iPhone camera could record. ★ Simulate cardboard cutout finder by dimming the space outside of the selected lens frame lines. ★ Auto-focus and auto-exposure on the iPhone 3GS and 4. http://itunes.apple.com/app/viewfinder-pro/id362496185?mt=8

Rainforest Macro Photography

Rainforest Macro Photography

Greg Basco 

Macro photography, defined loosely, is the photography of small things. In temperate zones, where habitats tend to be more open and blessed with nice morning and afternoon light, macro photographers often use tripods, small apertures, and natural light. This approach can produce wonderful images.

In tropical rainforests and cloud forests, however, light is at a premium, particularly in the deep forest where the interesting plants and creatures live. Costa Rica, where I live and work, originally was 99.5% forest. That number is a lot smaller these days but the areas outside of forest are cities, towns, agricultural fields, and cow pastures. To photograph the abundant macro subjects here, you have to get into the forest!


The lack of light means that the traditional temperate zone approach, even with the improved high ISO performance of modern DSLR camera bodies, can be applied only sparingly in the rainforest. The rainforest macro photographer needs to experiment with other techniques. The advantage is that this experimentation can open the door to creatively fresh images.

Any photographic portfolio is made more interesting by showcasing a diversity of image styles. In this little article, I offer fifteen ideas to help you deal with the challenges of rainforest macro photography while at the same time producing original, artistic images of the stunning biodiversity found in tropical rainforests.

read the rest of the article and view the awesome images here.

51st Annual Niagara Falls Regional Camera Clubs Convention

51st Annual Niagara Falls Regional Camera Clubs Convention

For a year, I have been working extremely hard to bring you a wonderful NFRCC 51st Annual Convention. It is now time to register your attendance. Attached to this email is a registration flyer that can be mailed to the Registrar. 
Also, if you go to the NFRCC.ORG web page, you will see a list of speakers. Please note, on the right side of the HOME page is a CONVENTION section which has a description of all the programs being offered, the biography of all the speakers, all the information about entering the Salons, information on Hotel registration and as a bonus, THE ABILITY TO REGISTER FOR THE CONVENTION ON LINE VIA A CREDIT CARD. 
In addition, we have many vendors coming. Hunt's Photo and Video is bringing many representatives for you to interact with. Hunt's is also providing speakers to do demonstrations over the lunch break. Some of the many additional vendors are Tamron, Image City Photography Gallery of Rochester NY, The Amazing Image, and many more. 
Additional highlights are a photo shoot to Niagara Falls and a lens lending program by Tamron. 
Please support the NFRCC with your attendance to this fantastic convention. 
Thank you so much, Patty Raydo, Chairman

51st Annual Niagara Falls Regional Camera Clubs Convention

Friday March 16, 2012 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm Saturday March 17, 2012 7:00 am to 10:00 pm Sunday March 18, 2012 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Niagara Falls Conference Center 101 Old Falls St Niagara Falls, NY 14303 Price of Convention: "SO MUCH EDUCATION FOR SUCH A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY!" $130.00 Full weekend discounted price-Includes all speakers and activities, from 3:00 pm Friday through Sunday, 1:00 pm. Includes Saturday's lunch and Banquet. $25.00 All Friday Breakout Sessions plus the Keynote Speaker, Ellen Anon, Friday Evening. $95.00 All Saturday Breakout Sessions, the Banquet and the Keynote Brenda Tharp. Includes lunch. $50.00 Only Sunday's Keynote, John Paul Caponigro 9:00 am to 1:00 pm $39.00 A Banquet ticket and Keynote Brenda Tharp only

12 Must-See Skywatching Events in 2012

12 Must-See Skywatching Events in 2012

by Joe Rao, SPACE.com Skywatch

http://www.space.com/14085-12-amazing-skywatching-events-2012.html

2012 Meteor Shower Skywatching Calendar

by Geoff Gaherty

http://www.space.com/14068-2012-meteor-shower-skywatching-schedule.html

Editor's Note: If you snap an amazing photo of the Quadrantid meteor shower or any star event in 2012 and would like to share it with SPACE.com, contact managing editor Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com.

Milford Photo presents: George Lepp Canon Explorer of Light

Milford Photo presents: George Lepp Canon Explorer of Light

Saturday, February 11, 2012, 9:00 AM

Selected By: Jesse Thompson

Southern Connecticut State University

501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT (map)

41.331146 -72.945160

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARKING BELOW

Selected By: Jesse Thompson

Price: $18.76/per person

Refund policy

Hosted by Milford Photo and sponsored by Canon, photographer and writer George Lepp will be presenting a day long class on photographic technique on Saturday, Feb 11th. George is a renowned shooter and writer on photographing nature to optimal effect. You can find out more about him at www.georgelepp.com.

Details and itinerary are below. Gang- don't miss this unique event!

Price: $18.76 per person Each attendee will receive a Milford Photo gift card of equal value.

Where: Southern Connecticut State University Michael J. Adanti Student Center Theater

VISIT WWW.SOUTHERNCT.EDUFOR DIRECTIONS. PARK IN LOT 5 OR 12. DOWNLOAD PARKING MAP BY USING SOUTHERN'S WEBSITE AND SEARCHING FOR PARKING MAP

When: Saturday, February 11th.

Itinerary:

8am registration begins

9am presentation begins and runs to approximately to noon with one break

Noon-1pm lunch break. Participants can have a cash lunch at SCSU's Connecticut Hall, a short walk from the student center or they may bring their own.

1pm-4pm Presentation resumes to 4pm with one break

Introducing the Nikon D4

Introducing the Nikon D4

16.2 effective megapixel, full-frame sensor (16.6MP total) 10fps shooting with AF and AE, 11fps with focus and exposure locked, 24fps 2.5MP grabs 91,000 pixel sensor for metering, white balance, flash exposure, face detection and active d-lighting ISO Range 100-12,800 (extendable from 50 – 204,800) MultiCAM 3500FX Autofocus sensor works in lower light and with smaller apertures Two sub-selector joystick/buttons for shooting orientation 1080p30 HD video at up to 24Mbps with uncompressed video output New EN-EL18 battery (21.6Wh capacity, CIPA-rated at 2600 shots) Twin card slots - one Compact Flash and one XQD

The next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality

Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera that serves as the new flagship model in Nikon's lineup of digital-SLR cameras. The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor and EXPEED 3, the latest image-processing engine specifically optimized for digital-SLR cameras, making it the next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality that offers superior image quality rich in detail along with excellent high-speed performance. The D4 offers superior image quality under a broad range of lighting conditions with its 16.2-million pixels image sensor supporting an incredible range of sensitivities from ISO 50 to ISO 204800. Advanced Scene Recognition System recognizes human faces and offers significant improvements in the AF, AE and i_TTL flash control as well as improved Auto White Balance. The Multi-area Mode Full HD D-Movie movie mode allows full 1080 HD movie shooting at 30 frames per second. More information can be found on Nikon's webpage. Delivery expected to begin early March 2012

A Photographer’s Guide To Making Sharp Photographs – Free E-Book

A Photographer’s Guide To Making Sharp Photographs – Free E-Book by scottbourne

My first two free Ebooks “Vision” and "Nine Motivational Essays on Photography" were well received. Tens of thousands of copies were viewed or downloaded in less than three months. (Both are still available - see the aforementioned links.)

Since those books were popular, I decided to release a third free Ebook. This time the goal is helping you to make sharp photographs.

“A Photographer’s Guide To Making Sharp Photographs” is available for free download from Animoto. Please pass it on freely if you think it has value or might help someone. There is no fee and you’re welcome to distribute it free of charge to anyone you like.

Many of you send me questions about making sharp images. I thought it might be easier to help many people by generating a single free resource that people could easily be pointed to. I hope it helps.

It’s free for everyone and if you enjoy it pass it on.

My friends at Animoto have been kind enough to host the file and provide the free bandwidth necessary for this free Ebook giveaway to happen. Thanks also to my other sponsors - I appreciate their help with this project. I also appreciate the support of my extremely loyal audience. I hope this gift back to you is a sign that I really do appreciate you. Thanks.

Topaz DeNoise is awesome!

Topaz DeNoise is awesome!It is THE best noise reduction software out there!
It removes the noise but keeps the details

I have tried all of the noise reduction software out there and this is the best, other programs removes noise well but they soften the image, this software leaves the details intact and removes the noise!

You can try it as a 30 day free trial.

•     Optimally remove fixed, pattern and random noise.
•     Remove horizontal and vertical banding noise.
•     Recover image detail.
•     Restore previously obscured lines and edges.
•     Remove hazy red and blue color cast.
•     Shadow tone restoration controls.
•     Smooth color unevenness.

Example images from their website

DSLRs are a dying breed – 3rd Gen Cameras are the Future

DSLRs are a dying breed – 3rd Gen Cameras are the Future

http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2012/01/04/dslrs-are-a-dying-breed-3rd-gen-cameras-are-the-future/

"No More DSLR Equipment for me – Trey Ratcliff. I can’t picture myself investing any more money in DSLR bodies and lenses. The new Nikon D4 that is coming out? Not interested. 3rd Gen Cameras are already here, and they will only get better according to all the laws of size and speed we’ve come to know and love."

"What are 3rd Gen Cameras? These are the new line of cameras that don’t use the 20th century technology of a mechanical mirror inside that flips up and down between photos. In a few years, we’ll all look back and smile, having fond memories of using these Da Vinci-esque mechanical devices. Charts of how cameras used to work with their flipping innards will look like some of Leonardo’s unrealized steampunk inventions."

"Look, I hate to say it! I’ve spent loads of money on DSLRs and lenses for my Nikon. I’m not going to be using any of it in five years. This is why the first decision is always a big one. Canon or Nikon. I don’t really get into that argument. But, I do agree that once you commit to one, you’ll be buying a lot of lenses and just swapping out the body. That’s why that first decision is so key — and it is the reason that I won’t buy any more Nikon bodies or lenses — because I won’t be using any of them in the future.
If you’re not familiar with these 3rd Gen Cameras, you may ask, “Why can’t I use my current lenses on these new camera bodies?” The answer is because those lenses are designed for bodies with a mirror that flips up and down. Those bodies need to be _extra-thick_ to make room for that medieval reflective trapdoor. So, your current lenses focus the light too deep for the new supermodel-thin 3rd gen cameras. Yes, there are converters that let you use them, but it defeats the purpose and advantages of having an ultra-small flexible lens system."

Read the entire article here: http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2012/01/04/dslrs-are-a-dying-breed-3rd-gen-cameras-are-the-future/