To get through this cold, icy Winter...
Have a nice pretty flower!
Instagram!
Friday, January 31, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Canon and Sony Camera, and Photo Accssy Deals
Here are a couple of limited time offers from Adorama:
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Olympus OM-D E-M10
Remember the OM-10? In 35mm film days, Olympus had their pro quality OM-1, OM-2, OM-3, and OM-4.
Then they had some serious users cameras like the OM-2sp
And finally, for entry level pricing, the OM-G and OM-10
With the right lenses and technique, all were capable of taking award winning photos.
Well, digital has been the format of choice lately. Full Frame, APS-C, 4/3rds, and Micro 4/3rds.
Olympus is firmly entrenched as a leader in the Micro 4/3rds format.
And now, they have remembered the needs of the budget conscious consumer with a new OM-10 style camera.
Current pre-order price is $799 at Adorama (with 14-42 kit lens) and free shipping.
Info on the camera from Adorama:
The Olympus E-M10 Camera with M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 IIR Lens
(Silver) boasts a powerful TruePic VII image processor, a large,
interactive electronic viewfinder, built-in flash and Wi-Fi, a
warp-speed AF system that allows sequential shooting at 8fps (yes,
eight) and much more.
The E-M10 ups the ante by pairing a 16MP Live MOS sensor with the most powerful TruePic VII image processor for extraordinary resolution and accurate color rendition. Add 3-axis in-body image stabilization that compensates for horizontal and vertical angular shifts (yaw/pitch) as well as camera shake along the optical axis (roll) and you have a camera that captures incredibly sharp images and video, yet is compact enough to bring just about anywhere. A number of versatile external flashes (with wireless remote control capabilities) also play well with the E-M10 for situations that require additional lighting.
The E-M10's slim, elegant body is made of metal, tricked with meticulously engineered metal parts. (The 2x2 dial controls are particularly sweet). The E-M10 just feels right, substantial yet perfectly balanced. It's only fitting that a beautiful camera like this takes such beautiful photos.
Shooting at eye level is comfortably familiar. And when you get a live view of exposure, white balance and other useful information and the ability to control highlights, shadows, colors and more - as you do with the E-M10's electronic viewfinder - you're in position to take some of the best photos of your life. You can also apply various framing grids and a leveling guide for composing better photos and even monitor video recording.
The E-M10 is a marvel of thoughtful design and useful functionality. Built-in Wi-Fi for easy image sharing and wireless control, built-in flash for filling in the shadows and numerous creative tools, tiltable LCD monitor with touch screen.
You might want to wear your running shoes when using the E-M10. High-speed sequential shooting - at a best-in-class 8fps - and super high-speed FAST AF technology ensure that you won't miss the shot no matter how quickly your subject is moving. In fact, the autofocus tracking function is better than ever thanks to enhancements to the group target Continuous AF function. The E-M10 also provides an 81-point AF grid that covers the entire image frame, giving you more focus options than basic DSLRs.
Focus peaking in manual focus mode. Color Creator. HDR and HDR bracketing. Twelve Art Filters and nine Art Effects. Photo Story (including a new Zoom In/Out theme). Photo and Movie Capture (high-quality stills while shooting a movie - at an insane 5fps in P/A/S/M mode). Live Composite Mode for capturing starscapes intuitively. The E-M10 offers you an incredible array of easy-to-use creative tools that can transform your photos from excellent to spectacular.
The M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 IIR Lens utilizes Olympus' MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) focusing technology for fast and silent autofocus performance. Continuous focusing is extremely smooth during HD video capture, eliminating jarring focus transitions completely. A retractable two-stage barrel design ensures the smallest travel size in your bag.
The E-M10 ups the ante by pairing a 16MP Live MOS sensor with the most powerful TruePic VII image processor for extraordinary resolution and accurate color rendition. Add 3-axis in-body image stabilization that compensates for horizontal and vertical angular shifts (yaw/pitch) as well as camera shake along the optical axis (roll) and you have a camera that captures incredibly sharp images and video, yet is compact enough to bring just about anywhere. A number of versatile external flashes (with wireless remote control capabilities) also play well with the E-M10 for situations that require additional lighting.
The E-M10's slim, elegant body is made of metal, tricked with meticulously engineered metal parts. (The 2x2 dial controls are particularly sweet). The E-M10 just feels right, substantial yet perfectly balanced. It's only fitting that a beautiful camera like this takes such beautiful photos.
Shooting at eye level is comfortably familiar. And when you get a live view of exposure, white balance and other useful information and the ability to control highlights, shadows, colors and more - as you do with the E-M10's electronic viewfinder - you're in position to take some of the best photos of your life. You can also apply various framing grids and a leveling guide for composing better photos and even monitor video recording.
The E-M10 is a marvel of thoughtful design and useful functionality. Built-in Wi-Fi for easy image sharing and wireless control, built-in flash for filling in the shadows and numerous creative tools, tiltable LCD monitor with touch screen.
You might want to wear your running shoes when using the E-M10. High-speed sequential shooting - at a best-in-class 8fps - and super high-speed FAST AF technology ensure that you won't miss the shot no matter how quickly your subject is moving. In fact, the autofocus tracking function is better than ever thanks to enhancements to the group target Continuous AF function. The E-M10 also provides an 81-point AF grid that covers the entire image frame, giving you more focus options than basic DSLRs.
Focus peaking in manual focus mode. Color Creator. HDR and HDR bracketing. Twelve Art Filters and nine Art Effects. Photo Story (including a new Zoom In/Out theme). Photo and Movie Capture (high-quality stills while shooting a movie - at an insane 5fps in P/A/S/M mode). Live Composite Mode for capturing starscapes intuitively. The E-M10 offers you an incredible array of easy-to-use creative tools that can transform your photos from excellent to spectacular.
The M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 IIR Lens utilizes Olympus' MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) focusing technology for fast and silent autofocus performance. Continuous focusing is extremely smooth during HD video capture, eliminating jarring focus transitions completely. A retractable two-stage barrel design ensures the smallest travel size in your bag.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
AdoramaPix Enlargements Sale
You must be a member for this sale. Signing up is easy and free. Just sign up under your FaceBook account.
Even their regular prices are good. The quality of their prints and products is very high.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Vivitar DF-286 Bounce Zoom Swivel Speedlite Flash for Nikon
My Adorama Review: Rating: 4 (out of 5) stars
Headline: Good Flash
Pros : Versatile, Consistent Output, Powerful Output, Easy To Use, Fast Recycling,
Lightweight
Best Uses : General Use, Fill Flash
Describe Yourself : Pro Photographer
Fits seamlessly in with Nikon's automation. All modes controlled by the camera work as they
should. AAs last a good while on auto. A little bummed by the lack of instructions in the
tiny manual, but lots of info online. A good purchase for those who can't afford an on
camera flash that costs as much as the camera.
With the wide angle lens down and the flash diffuser on,
this even covers most of my fisheye lens, provided it's
used in TTL auto and Active D
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The Vivitar DF-286 flash is a fully automatic, system-dedicated shoe
mount flash. It features full TTL support for digital SLR cameras. The
bounce, zoom and swivel head will give you more creative opportunities
with your shots. The four position zoom can be set to bounce at 0 degree
, 45 degrees , 60 degrees , 75 degrees and 90 degrees and has a
horizontal swivel of 270 degrees to allow for softer lighting.
The
flash includes a built-in slave function, which allows it to be
positioned off-camera and triggered by any second flash. A red focus
beam will help you achieve focus in low light conditions and power
saving circuitry incorporates an auto-off element, giving you more
battery life. The included flash reflecting plate creates beautiful
lighting, which greatly improves your images. The wide angle diffuser
can be attached to the flash head to soften and increase the coverage of
light from the flash. Red-eye reduction will prevent your flash from
reflecting off your subject's eyes.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Food Photos Made Easy
Sometimes, we would like to blog or Facebook a dish we're proud of having made. How do we do that with a Point & Shoot camera? Or maybe we use a smart phone, many have some very good cameras built into them.
This is what the result usually is:
Well, it shows the food. But, the camera was too close for the focus limit, the light was not enough for a good handheld shot, and the color is just a little blah. Too much to fix in PhotoShop, so let's try again.
Second try:
Backed up some, can crop in later. Problems: focus is fine, but still some camera shake. And now I can see my own reflection.
Hmmm... getting better. But, I want that steam from the hot food to show! To do that, we need light. Strong front light and a dark background.
My table is already a pretty good dark background. For this shot with my P&S compact camera, the front light will be the built in auto flash. I could have got out my pro camera and the studio strobes, but that would be overkill for what is supposed to be a simple pic for online use. Many of the better smart phone cameras have a flash app. If not, get a floor or table lamp and put it right next to you on one side.
Third try:
Nice! Better color, in focus, no camera shake, and I can see the steam. (Yes, that's real, not a PhotoShop retouch.)
Let's reposition for a little better framing, do everything like I did for pic 3 ...
Final photo:
There we go! A good food photo (with no PhotoShop work needed) to highlight the recipe we will post to show (Okay: brag) to our friends.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
New Nikons incl D3300
Including the all new DSLR D3300 and a new lens!
Also: Pro Optic 85mm f/1.4 Telephoto Manual Focus Lens for Nikon Mount SLR Cameras with Focus Confirm Chip - $249.00
Monday, January 6, 2014
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Thursday, January 2, 2014
How to Make Money in Photography
Basic Rule: Know Your Craft!
Just like any skill that people might pay for, whether it be in construction/repair, business services, or arts and crafts, knowing your trade/craft inside and out is vital.
In these days of smart phone cameras and consumer priced camera systems, just about anyone can get a photo that is "good enough." The trick is showing a potential client that you can deliver a product that goes far beyond merely being good enough, but is actually outstanding. You don't have to be Ansel Adams or Richard Avedon, but you do need to be both technically proficient and interestingly creative.
First up, really understand photography. That involves more than knowing how to expose properly. It includes understanding what is actually happening in your chosen medium. Film and digital are surprisingly similar in many ways, and quite different in significant aspects. You can take a course online, at a local college, or with a local professional. You can even self teach yourself. How much you end up truly learning is directly proportional to how much effort you put into it.
Second, get to know your equipment. What does this dial do, how do I change this setting, how do I get the end result I'm envisioning? There is nothing wrong with automatic settings, by the way, as long as you know what your stuff is doing automatically. Using manual is not proof of professionality. Manual settings are simply another tool at your disposal.
Third, expand your creativity. This is virtually impossible to teach, but is well within anyone's grasp to actually accomplish. Play around, try new things, look at what other photographers are doing.
Fourth, establish a product. Are you selling fine art prints of nature and landscapes? Are you offering portraits of children? Are you documenting once in a lifetime events like weddings? You can branch out into several fields at once if you want, but it's easier to market yourself (at least at first) if you have a specific client base you're targeting.
Fifth, get out there and do it! You can do it!
In future posts, we'll discuss some specific ideas related to making photography pay you.
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