New Bright Apples - whats inside http://www.newbrightapples.com/ Thu, 17 May 2012 23:43:01 GMT FeedCreator 1.8.0-dev (info@mypapit.net) Happy Belated 4th of July http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/happy-belated-4th-of-july.html Jamestown Settlement: The Land of Opportunity

Author: Kathryn Sias In the land of the free, founded upon the settlement of Jamestown, on this 4th of July, 2011 we shout, "We do live in the land of the free!" With the economy in the dumpster, do we really all have the same opportunities? Yes, is the answer. With the struggles, we American's share, we do all have the same opportunities that others do! Think again, about the Jamestown settlement.

I can't help but think about how this great country started. While watching the fireworks this 4th of July, I saw something very special. I saw that, thank God for my mind, I am able to do or be anything I want to be, short of being President. Seriously, I would love to be the President of the United States of America, but it's doubtful that's an opportunity for most of us. However, we do have a lot of other grand opportunity. We can be schooled in anything from Art to Science, and in the age of the internet we can make anything we know pay off. America really is the land of opportunity. Don't settle for less than what you really want. Do whatever it takes, within the legal system of course, that it takes to succeed.

Working hard really will pay off, and nothing comes from nothing! Consider the fact that there are literally thousands of people with structured settlements from accidents, that cannot afford the same opportunities. What does that do to my theory that we're all offered the same opportunities in America? Well, it doesn't blow it out of the water all together! It actually lends itself to the same thinking! If you've suffered due to an accident or unfortunate event, then you likely had a law suit that translated into a structured settlement, or monthly payments on a settlment.

The good news is that you can cash in on a structured settlement and get some relief now. If you're one of those unfortunate persons who owns a structured settlement then you're not unfortunate at all. You can sell your settlement getting cash now for your daily needs, and return to the quality of life you so deserve, that we all deserve! Can you really afford to sell a structured settlement? Sure you can! You'll be freeing up money you can put to use today, vs. having it dribble in over a lifetime.

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/loans-articles/jamestown-settlement-the-land-of-opportunity-4985813.html About the Author Kathryn Sias works as a reporter for the Sovereign Funding Group. Settlement? Don't settle for less than the best quote on a structured settlement. Get what you deserve today!

 

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]]> Sat, 09 Jul 2011 00:07:35 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/happy-belated-4th-of-july.html Choose your location http://www.newbrightapples.com/Front-page/landing.html  
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]]> Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:00:19 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Front-page/landing.html Relax and Shoot http://www.newbrightapples.com/The-NBA-Blog/The-NBA-Blog/relax-and-shoot.html Something I hear a lot is " I just can't seem to get it perfect".  Whether you are shooting photos of your child or your puppy and you are looking for a specific shot, that perfect shot just doesn't seem to happen.  You are a critic of your own work and you want that photo perfect.  You are looking to capture tiny Joshua's beautiful blue eyes, but he keeps blinking and turning his head. Just consider for one minute that you might be putting a little too much pressure on yourself.  You always find those perfect shots when you dont have your camera right?  Your sitting there watching little Joshua play and he does this cute, sweet little thing and your camera is in the next room.  Your "perfect" shot will come when you aren't trying to hard to capture it.  Sit on the floor and play with Joshua and wait for that gorgeous smile and blue eyes to light up when he is genuinely happy.  When you go back to edit your photos, you will be amazed at what you captured.  Don't ever be afraid to take too many photos.  Out of the 150 photos you snapped, you might find 10 that are just AMAZING!!  Out of those 10 amazing photos, you might just find your "perfect" photo.  Don't be afraid to relax and shoot!! Amazing photos are captured when you least expect it!

]]> Fri, 18 Jun 2010 22:57:03 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/The-NBA-Blog/The-NBA-Blog/relax-and-shoot.html My New Article http://www.newbrightapples.com/Common-Questions/Take-a-Tour/My-New-Article.html  This is my new article

]]> Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Common-Questions/Take-a-Tour/My-New-Article.html Digital Photography Tips Tutorials And Challenges http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/digital-photography-tips-tutorials-and-challenges.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/digital-photography-tips-tutorials-and-challenges.html How About A Digital Camera For Mom On Mother’s Day? http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/how-about-a-digital-camera-for-mom-on-mothers-day.html Mother's Day is about a month away so it's not too soon to start thinking about what to give mom as a gift. Of course there's always the traditional gift stuff, jewelry, flowers, etc., but how about something most people don't often think about giving as a gift, a digital camera. These days you can spend as much or as little as you want and be assured of getting a digital camera that will take at least "good pictures." Don't stop with ...
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]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/how-about-a-digital-camera-for-mom-on-mothers-day.html On Assignment: Earth Treks, Pt. 1 http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/on-assignment-earth-treks-pt.-1.html


One of the first questions that pop into my mind when planning how to shoot something on location is that of which lights to bring.

Do I bring speedlights? How many? Bigger flashes? Just one big flash as a key and some accent speedlights?

For a recent shoot for Earth Treks, the answer was simple: Bring everything.

Seemed to make sense, given that the canyons we were going to light were five stories tall.
__________


Dark is Not Your Problem

The first thing you notice when you walk into Earth Treks' Timonium climbing gym is that it is huge. The 5-story height is not even the long dimension -- that canyon just keeps going.

Which is, of course, a delight to the insane mountain goats who climb there, seemingly with no regard for things like "gravity," or "the laws of physics."

The second thing you notice is that it is dark, which is a big relief to a photographer. And if it wasn't dark, I'd be looking to get the shoot scheduled for the evening and get some lights turned off.

Reason is, you are gonna be throwing your light a long way, which is gonna cost you some serious aperture. Shooting at f/11 would not make my flashes happy.

If my ambient is in the "30th at f/2.8" neighborhood, I know I can work with that. In short, when you walk into a room with an ambient level that makes available light photogs curse silently under their breath, it should make you happy.

An SB can reach out pretty far if your aperture is wide open, and the AlienBees we were using could swing it without even sucking much juice out of our Vagabond II portable power packs.

So, the first step is to control the ambient. You want an ambient exposure that will do a few things for you. First, it needs to be below the "correct" exposure so when you add flash you will not combine the two for an overexposure. You have to have something dark enough to light against.

Second, it should be bright enough so that unlit areas will still be somewhat legible -- if only because there is no way I can light every cubic inch of this space. Those two limits bookend my ambient exposure choice. And where I place the ambient within that range will in large part determine the contrast level of the photo.

It's exactly like doing a flash-and-available-light portrait, but on a bigger scale.

And once you choose how bright you are going to make the ambient you should make your shutter/aperture combo something that will give you sufficient depth of field and/or avoid camera shake -- whichever is more important. That would be the difference between a 30th at f/5.6 and a 125th at f/2.8. They are the same exposure, but with different priorities.

In the end, we opted for both, shooting this at 1/80th at f/5. I knew the climbers would be moving (if pretty slowly) and I wanted a little extra aperture from wide open to keep things sharp corner to corner. Remember, that is an underexposed ambient exposure, so you have to compensate in some way to boost both aperture and shutter.

So we just raised the ISO to 1000, which doesn't even make a D3 blink -- files look great. But it is important to know that the ambient component of the exposure does not care how big your flashes are. You have to deal with your ambient with a combination of shutter, aperture and ISO.

We were working pretty run-and-gun (off of a shot list) all day on these shoots. But that thought process allowed us to light both large and small areas quickly.


Add Light to Shape and Define

Next step is to add light and bring some of the surfaces up to our shooting aperture. We were lucky in that we had a ~3rd-story balcony, off to camera right, which ran the length of the canyon. So the first light (an AB800) went there, about halfway back, and lit the main climbing wall in the center of the frame. No meters -- just dial it in until it was as bright as we wanted.

We then placed another AlienBee on the balcony in the back, to bring up some of the other climbers. Same process, and it added some depth into the photo. We passed on lighting the far climbers, to let it go a little dark in the back of the frame.

Next, we added another light (an AB800) at far camera left to light the wall and climber as it goes around the corner where the first light would not reach. All of the lights were standard reflectors, as an umbrella is not going to get you any real softness at that distance and would only suck up light.

Last was a domed SB-800 speedlight, stuck up into the bouldering cave at center bottom to highlight it. We had used PocketWizards on the various other lights, but just slaved the cave light and stuck it on the floor.


One For Shape, One For Detail

In other situations, such as their climbing gym in nearby Rockville, you can light the whole area with just one light.

In this case the one light is a Profoto Acute head set at 150 watt-seconds. (I was test driving them at this point -- more on that later.) Doesn't sound like much, but remember that it is a zoomed, undiffused head and the angle at which the light is skimming off of those walls is very efficient.

It is way back in the gym, hidden behind Josh's head. The flash is pointed right at us and feathered up a little, which is what creates all of the three-dimensional shadows on the various facets and planes in the gym.

That leaves Josh in full shadow, of course. That is easily fixed with what I call a "special," a term borrowed from my friends in the theater for a light that is tasked to do just one thing. More accurately, I tend to think of a special as a mobile, one-task light on a voice-activated light stand -- in this case, Erik.

Erik just floats an SB-800 in an umbrella above Josh's face and keeps it at a relatively constant distance as he moves with Josh. Erik is just holding the rig on a small lightstand, which doubles nicely as a boom in this instance. A VAB kills a boom in this instant because a person will start to get intuitive about where and how you want the light to hit the subject's face, and move around to compensate.

This shot is built almost entirely on flash, so the ambient is not really an issue. We just worked above it, so it wouldn't be a factor.


I left the background light in this frame, just because I thought it looked cool. We shot it both ways, but when it is visible in the frame you can see the location of the light and how it interacts with the different planes.

In this case, the "special" is again being held by Erik and pointed at the front dangling climber from the direction of hard camera right. No umbrella this time, as Erik was keeping the flash pointed at the climbers as they moved through the internal space of the gym.

Again, we're not lighting the whole space, but rather lighting the planes selectively.
__________


To be continued in Pt. 2, wherein try to light a hole -- with a climber in it, and no place to hide the lights in the frame...
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:40 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/on-assignment-earth-treks-pt.-1.html Lighting at SXSW WIth Robert Seale http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/lighting-at-sxsw-with-robert-seale.html Way cool: Not only did PhotoShelter sponsor a Robert Seale lighting workshop at South by Southwest this year, but they also have uploaded a one-hour-plus presentation to the web, free to all.

A Picture's Worth, the blog over at PhotoShelter, is really killing it lately. They are pushing the boundaries on photographer education -- which of course comes right back to them in the form of smarter customers.

I love seeing both photogs and businesses doing stuff like this. And you are not gonna get much better than a solid hour of video, QA and resulting pics with a photographer of Seale's caliber.

For more info (including specific gear used, etc.) check out the post on A Picture's Worth. And you can see more of Robert's work here.

-30-
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:40 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/lighting-at-sxsw-with-robert-seale.html 19th Century “Photoshop” http://www.newbrightapples.com/Single-Serving-Photo/Single-Serving-Photo/19th-century-photoshop.html read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:39 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Single-Serving-Photo/Single-Serving-Photo/19th-century-photoshop.html Accepting Imperfection http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/accepting-imperfection.html
This photograph is a good example of what I am referring to. After seeing the image, I wanted to print it as a tinted monochrome with an 'antique' look. However, since the shot was at dusk (and perhaps slightly underexposed as I had planned to portray it as a low light photo) and because I wanted the sky to show a good deal of contrast, when I finished processing it a moderate amount of digital noise could be seen. In the past, this would have led me to abandon the image and it never would have seen 'the light of day'.




Sunset Sail
Copyright Howard Grill



But this photo seemed to have some interesting emotional content, at least to me. So I decided it would be a shame to abandon it simply because of some noise. I was willing to accept the noise because I liked the image, but also started to think about how I might work with the noise a bit, as opposed to fighting it. Part of the need to work with the noise was the fact that my noise reduction software didn't seem to be doing a particularly good job at noise remediation.

With this in mind, I actually added some digital noise to give the noise a more generalized presence and make it appear a bit more like film grain. Overall, even in a large print, I don't find it particularly concerning or distracting.

Interestingly, as I was driving to work today, I was listening to a Lensflare 35 podcast. One of the panelists made a statement that I found very apropos to this image and gave me further reassurance that I had made the right choice in continuing to work on it. He stated that he had learned photography from his father and that he had once asked his father if it was a problem to have film grain in the image......and his father replied that if people really noticed the grain then it was probably a boring image anyway.

read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:38 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/accepting-imperfection.html The 5 Seconds Flash Bouncer/Gel Holder http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/the-5-seconds-flash-bouncer/gel-holder.html

Roaring Stars at Flamber Head (by Brian P Carey)Brian Carey (site, Flickr) just sent me a very cute mod/hack to create a flash bouncer (much like the omni bounce) only it can be made in 5 seconds and it folds crumbles flat.

It allows your strobe to fire light in all direction much like a bare bulb studio flash. And aside from providing a bare bulb mode on your strobe, it also doubles as a gel holder.

Read Brian's Flash Bouncer/Stopper/Gel holder tutorial after the jump

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read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:38 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/the-5-seconds-flash-bouncer/gel-holder.html Easily Carry Your Bokeh Discs http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/easily-carry-your-bokeh-discs.html

[091/365] - Make 7, Up Yours (by Marco_Parc)Finally, the Bokeh Masters Kit gets mod. I could not be more proud.

It is a simple mode, a modal'e. Yet DIYP's kit is now a proud member of the modifiable products family. Kudos to Guy Tismansky for submitting it. If you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about and see this kit introduction post.

The mod is simple and really takes only 30 seconds to complete, once done it will allow you to easily carry your bokeh discs by attaching the discs wallet to the camera strap. If you already have a kit, simply follow the instructions below. [The image above was taken by Marco_Parc using the bokeh masters kit]

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read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:38 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/easily-carry-your-bokeh-discs.html Shooting the Burning Light Bulb Filament - The Movie http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/shooting-the-burning-light-bulb-filament-the-movie.html

Burning Light Bulb Filament Back when I started DIYP, one of the first successful posts was a project called A Burning Light Bulb. The post explains how to break a light bulb and photograph it's burning filament. This is really a fun photography project for a weekend (as long as you are careful with the glass and electricity).

For the new video with lots of great tips from Jon Beard, scroll down after the jump. For some blogging ponders read on.

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read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:38 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/shooting-the-burning-light-bulb-filament-the-movie.html Great Things To Come - Day One Q&A http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/great-things-to-come-day-one-qa.html?a=

Three days ago I made a post about me taking blogging and photography as my main job (and by main I mean only). The response has been overwhelming and inspiring. I would like to thanks everyone for the support mails, comments, donations and offers to guest post.

One cool thing that emerged from the feedback is that it helped me to learn what DIYP readers want to see in DIYP and this will help me better tune the site. There were also a lot of questions that I thought would be best answered in a single post.

So I am going to do a short Q&A below, I am still soliciting for feedback on what you want so some of the Q&A will have follow up question. I would be thankful if you could take a minute to answer. It would help me and the DIYP set more focused goals for the road ahead.

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read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:38 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/great-things-to-come-day-one-qa.html?a= Help Democratize Creativity By Learning From The Best (For Free) http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/help-democratize-creativity-by-learning-from-the-best-for-free.html

creative liveWouldn't it rock if you could attend a photography class with Chase Jarvis or  Vincent LaForet or David DuChemin or Zack Arias or Scott Bourne or  Art Wolfe.

Wouldn't it even rock-er if you could do this from home. And for free.

Chase has just launched a new site doing just that. With the high goal of "help democratize creativity", chase is building a list of courses and podcasts online classes with all of the hotshots above. Hit the Jump for more info, and an introduction clip.

read more


read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:38 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/DIY-Photographer/DIY-Photography/help-democratize-creativity-by-learning-from-the-best-for-free.html Russell Brown's Top 5 Photoshop CS5 Features - Photoshop CS5 Video http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/russell-brown-s-top-5-photoshop-cs5-features-photoshop-cs5-video.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/russell-brown-s-top-5-photoshop-cs5-features-photoshop-cs5-video.html Free Photoshop CS5 Videos - Photoshop CS5 New Features Videos http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/free-photoshop-cs5-videos-photoshop-cs5-new-features-videos.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/free-photoshop-cs5-videos-photoshop-cs5-new-features-videos.html Adobe CS5 Upgrade Options - Upgrade From Any Suite To Any Suite http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-cs5-upgrade-options-upgrade-from-any-suite-to-any-suite.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-cs5-upgrade-options-upgrade-from-any-suite-to-any-suite.html Adobe Launches Photoshop CS5 And Photoshop CS5 Extended - Official Adobe Press Release http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-launches-photoshop-cs5-and-photoshop-cs5-extended-official-adobe-press-release.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-launches-photoshop-cs5-and-photoshop-cs5-extended-official-adobe-press-release.html Photoshop CS5 Tutorial - Merge To HDR Pro - Photoshop CS5 Tutorial From Photoshop Pro Mark Galer http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/photoshop-cs5-tutorial-merge-to-hdr-pro-photoshop-cs5-tutorial-from-photoshop-pro-mark-galer.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/photoshop-cs5-tutorial-merge-to-hdr-pro-photoshop-cs5-tutorial-from-photoshop-pro-mark-galer.html Adobe Photoshop CS5 And Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended New Features List http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-photoshop-cs5-and-adobe-photoshop-cs5-extended-new-features-list.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-photoshop-cs5-and-adobe-photoshop-cs5-extended-new-features-list.html Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 New Features List http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-dreamweaver-cs5-new-features-list.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-dreamweaver-cs5-new-features-list.html Adobe Flash Pro CS5 New Features List http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-flash-pro-cs5-new-features-list.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/adobe-flash-pro-cs5-new-features-list.html System Requirements For Adobe CS5 - Photoshop CS5 - Photoshop Extended CS5 - Plus System ... http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/system-requirements-for-adobe-cs5-photoshop-cs5-photoshop-extended-cs5-plus-system-requirement-updates.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/system-requirements-for-adobe-cs5-photoshop-cs5-photoshop-extended-cs5-plus-system-requirement-updates.html Interview With Bert Monroy - Photoshop Artist Bert Monroy Talks About His Career http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/interview-with-bert-monroy-photoshop-artist-bert-monroy-talks-about-his-career.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/interview-with-bert-monroy-photoshop-artist-bert-monroy-talks-about-his-career.html Photoshop Video Tutorial - The Layers Palette, Tips And Tricks http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/photoshop-video-tutorial-the-layers-palette-tips-and-tricks.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/photoshop-video-tutorial-the-layers-palette-tips-and-tricks.html Free Fabrics Textures From Bittbox http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/free-fabrics-textures-from-bittbox.html
read full article ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:12:37 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/free-fabrics-textures-from-bittbox.html ONE Tip to Make Better Photographs http://www.newbrightapples.com/Single-Serving-Photo/Single-Serving-Photo/one-tip-to-make-better-photographs.html read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:47 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Single-Serving-Photo/Single-Serving-Photo/one-tip-to-make-better-photographs.html Olympus Stylus 8010 Digital Camera Can Take A Beating http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/olympus-stylus-8010-digital-camera-can-take-a-beating.html
read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:45 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/olympus-stylus-8010-digital-camera-can-take-a-beating.html Recover Lost Hard Drive Data With Free iCare Data Recovery 3.6 Software http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/recover-lost-hard-drive-data-with-free-icare-data-recovery-3.6-software.html read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:45 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/recover-lost-hard-drive-data-with-free-icare-data-recovery-3.6-software.html Use Canon WPDC40 Waterproof Camera Case in above ground pool http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/use-canon-wpdc40-waterproof-camera-case-in-above-ground-pool.html read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:45 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/use-canon-wpdc40-waterproof-camera-case-in-above-ground-pool.html Use HP Coupons to buy Hewlett Packard SB360 digital camera http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/use-hp-coupons-to-buy-hewlett-packard-sb360-digital-camera.html read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:45 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Digital-Shot-Articles/use-hp-coupons-to-buy-hewlett-packard-sb360-digital-camera.html What Comprises The Craft Of Photography? http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/what-comprises-the-craft-of-photography.html Lensflare 35 podcast. On Lensflare, Dave Warner interviews renowned photographers within the various photographic 'sub-specialties'. In Episode 42, he interviews nature photographer Tony Sweet, whose work I have greatly admired for a long time.

During that interview, Tony made a statement which serves as an interesting follow up to my last post, which quoted photographer Esther Parada's statement about image manipulation and also mentioned my essay "Photography and Truth". Tony said "We're at a point in photography where getting the image is only 50% of the game and the other half is making it look the way you want it to look (with software)." He went on to say that "The craft now is largely computer skills."

Those statements gave me a lot to think about. At first blush, I felt that the statements were true, but also found myself wishing that they weren't. Then I found myself thinking that 50% was too much to attribute to computer skills, as software can't make a terrible photograph into a good one.

However, the idea of making an image 'look the way we want it to' is really nothing new. Yes, we make the image look the way we want using software, but back in the wet darkroom days one made (and some still do make) the image look the way 'they wanted it to' through the 'magic' of darkroom techniques. Photographers are well aware that the scenes portrayed in Ansel Adam's prints do not exist. Well, the places do, but they didn't look the way he portrayed them, as the photographs were heavily 'manipulated' in the darkroom. Of course, that didn't make them any less beautiful.

It still takes a lot of 'heart and soul' to make an image that is worthy of bringing into the digital darkroom in order to make it look 'the way you want'. So I don't believe it is fair to say that the craft is "largely computer skills"....that may be so for a graphic designer, but not for a photographer. A very important part, yes, but largely seems just a bit too much.

So perhaps not much has really changed at all. Perhaps it has just gotten easier to 'manipulate' images but, I believe, it is still incredibly difficult to get really good, intriguing, different, and meaningful images that 'speak' to an audience!

read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:43 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/what-comprises-the-craft-of-photography.html Quick Quote: Esther Parada http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/quick-quote-esther-parada.html "We had this belief about photography, but that's about to disappear because of the computer. I actually welcome this development; I'd like to think that more overt recognition and discussion of the manipulation which has always been inherent in photographic representation is healthy."

Esther Parada -Writing in 1993 about her work with digital photographs.


When I read this quote it really grabbed me because Parada's implications ('which has always been inherent') about the subject of manipulation are one's that I feel strongly about. As a matter of fact, I had, in this blog, written a series of posts about manipulation in fine art imaging. The series of posts, formulated into an essay, can be read on my website, here, or on the Digital Outback Photo website, where it was also published....here.

read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:43 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/quick-quote-esther-parada.html Photoshop Optimized Computer: Epilogue http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/photoshop-optimized-computer-epilogue.html here, here, and here. Just this last weekend I received a comment from photographer Mike Mundy (see his blog and website....great stuff) who said....

"It is probably time for a follow-up report on the computer . . . what worked, what didn't. And why didn't you get an Apple product, as everyone else seems to be doing? I have a feeling that Photoshop CS5 is going to be too much for my aging low-end PC to handle . . ."

So here is the follow up on what worked and what didn't.

1) Puget Systems Computers - This is the company that I decided to purchase a custom computer from, as I had discussed in Part 1. I couldn't be happier with that decision. When they say technical support responses within 24 hours, they mean it! I had several occasions to contact them and each and every time I got a thoughtful response in less than 24 hours from folks that obviously knew their stuff .

The computer came exceedingly well packaged with supplemental information provided by Puget Systems, including benchmark testing results, as well as all the spare parts and instructions from each of the individual components that were used for the build. In addition, they included the original Windows 7 OS disc as well as a system image/restore disc for the system as it was configured at the time of shipping.

There was absolutely no unasked for bloatware as you get with Dell. They made good on their offer to include certain free downloads and have them pre-installed. The only one that I had chosen was Microsoft Security Essentials, given the reviews stating that it was an excellent piece of software (from Microsoft????)....elegant in its simplicity and not a drag on the system (from Microsoft????). Not only was it installed, but the computer came with all current Windows updates as well as security essentials updates already applied, so the system was totally up to date and ready to go. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Puget Systems!

2) Windows 7 OS - I like it. I like the way things are organized in libraries, I like the Windows system imaging, and I like the Windows search. Coming from Windows XP it took a little getting used to, but I now prefer it. The only part of the OS that I don't like is the portion that controls tablet functions. More on that in a second. I have had no problems finding drivers for my hardware and they all seem to function normally, save one.

That one, unfortunately, is my Wacom Intuos 2 graphics tablet. There is a Windows 7 driver for it...so, given the age of the Intuos 2, kudos to Wacom for that. The tablet initially started functioning normally, but soon started malfunctioning even with a system image restore to a point in time when it had worked. What do I mean by malfunctioning? When you boot up and try to use the pen, the cursor moves about a mm and then freezes. If you go to the tablet software by right clicking on the Wacom icon in the control panel, remove user presets, and then load the presets again it functions normally until you reboot. It has to be done again with each fresh boot. The whole maneuver literally takes about 20 seconds to do and you just have to do it once when you boot, but, nonetheless, I wish it worked correctly.

That said, I'm not quite sure where the fault lies. It could be the OS but could also be the motherboard USB controllers or the driver itself. Searching the internet, I'm not the only one with this problem. The workaround I describe is the result of Googling the problem. I did contact Wacom and they claim it has to do with a motherboard USB problem, but I am not convinced.

As I mentioned, the tablet functions of Windows 7 are also a bit odd. When you use a pen you get a distracting ripple effect as well as a small Windows Tablet interface. You can turn these off (and I did), but you have to do a bit of research to find out how....it isn't intuitively apparent.

Overall, I think that if one is going to venture into a new OS as an 'early adapter' there are always going to be some issues. I think I encountered a number of these issues (including the fact that I can't get Firewire or e-SATA drivers/drives to function correctly and, again, I'm not sure if this is related to the OS or motherboard) but overall I am quite pleased with Windows 7. I have the 64 bit version to prepare for the future!

3) Internal Components - All seems in order. Did I need the RAID 0 system for the scratch disk and files being worked on that I described here? I am not at all convinced that I did. The system seems so fast that even large files approaching 500 to 750 MB load into and save from Photoshop very quickly.......much, much faster than in my old system. In that system I could open the file and walk away for a minute or two. Not so anymore. I honestly don't see a huge difference between opening or saving the files from the standard Western Digital 1 TB Caviar Black hard disk compared to the RAID 0 system. I haven't timed it and there may well be a difference, it just doesn't seem all that significant in 'real life usage'.

A volume of the Raid 0 array is also being used as the primary scratch disk, as described here. I have not compared the speed of the RAID 0 array used as the primary scratch disk to the regular hard drive used as such, but perhaps it is of some benefit. These benefits might be further magnified if the RAID array consisted of more than 2 disks, but that would start to get even more expensive. Overall, however, if I were designing the system again, I might well pass on the RAID 0 array, which would have saved some cash and kept more internal SATA drive bays open.

I outfitted the computer with 12GB of RAM....it is quite fast. Had I not included as much RAM perhaps the effect of the RAID 0 array might be more apparent.

As you can see, I have not tested these issues in a quantitative fashion but am just commenting on my 'real world' usage experience. If anyone has more quantitative experience and wants to chime in on these issues I would be most appreciative!

4) Monitor - I sprung for a 'lower end' wide gamut Eizo monitor . Not at all cheap, but after using it am really amazed at the increased sharpness, saturation, and soft proofing ability that it offers once calibrated. The difference is dramatic and I wasn't using a bad monitor before (it was a LaCie CRT). I think it was a worthwhile investment. An alternative monitor which has gotten excellent reviews, can be obtained for significantly less, and which I considered is the NEC with integrated calibration.

5) Photoshop / Lightroom - I have the 64 bit versions of these running as well as the 32 bit version of Photoshop installed and have not run into any problems even though CS4 is not officially supported on the Windows 7 platform. I do wish that Nik Software would make all their plug-ins available in 64 bit versions. Viveza 2 is available in a 64 bit version, but Color Efex and Silver Efex are not, and it is a bit of a pain to use two versions of Photoshop. My PixelGenius, OnOne, Topaz, and Neat Image plug ins are all available in 64 bit versions and I have not had any difficulty with any of them.

6) Why didn't I purchase an Apple? I strongly considered it. I ended up with a PC because the price for a machine with similar 'power' seemed significantly lower to me and I already had multiple programs that were Windows 7 compatible that I did not want to repurchase in Mac versions. Also, despite the fact that Apples 'just work', I have read on various forums about problems that people are also having with the Snow Leopard OS.

So, that is the update on the new system.

read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:43 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/Motovation-Blog/photoshop-optimized-computer-epilogue.html But We Don't Look a Day Over Three http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/but-we-don-t-look-a-day-over-three.html Four years ago today, the very first messages went out on a couple of photography message boards to spread the word about a new lighting blog called Strobist.

It's been a crazy ride, and I sometimes shake my head at all that has happened since. Keep reading for a sneak peek at a couple of things in store for the upcoming year.
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First of All, Thanks.

To say this has been a life-changing experience would be to put it mildly. I have met readers from all around the world, and watched so many people -- myself included -- grow their passion for photography.

I can imagine nothing more exciting than swirling around at the center of this vortex for the last few years.

And the path is even more stark when compared to what would have happened had I just plodded along at The Sun, where I was happily (and, I thought, securely) employed four years ago today.

All of that would have come to an abrupt end on April 29th of last year when about half of the photo staff were laid off on almost no notice. Not that The Sun had much choice -- the state of newspapers right now is pretty obvious. But to see it happen to such a talented and motivated group of friends was like watching a bomb go off in a crowded room.

And I would have been in that room. That would have been the end of most of the income that was supporting our family. Susan had made the admirable choice to stay home with the kids, and we were willing to make some sacrifices for that. But losing 90% of our income certainly was not in our plan.

So it is with profound gratitude that I say thanks to all of you for reading, for being such a cool community and for creating such a positive vicious circle when it comes to learning about light. You are the reason my family is safe and happy, and I will always be grateful for that.


What to Expect This Year

First of all, do not expect anything like a Lighting 103 anytime soon. It would be repetitive, and you guys are way past spoon-fed lighting exercises at this point. L101 and L102 will always be there, and covers most of what you can do with a speedlight.

However, I will be going back through Lighting 101 and updating the posts with more current information and maybe some better example photos, diagrams, etc. It's amazing how much has changed in the small-flash lighting world since 2006. You guys have sorta created your own weather patterns.

Significant changes to L101 will be noted on the front page as they are posted. I hope to make Lighting 101 more comprehensive, detailed and up-to-date.

And speaking of spoon feeding, one thing that I have found with many of the site's readers is that it is possible (even easy) to geek out on lighting tips and tricks. They are just techniques -- not and end-all. The point is to learn the basics and then apply them to your own vision.

It's not the parlor tricks that are important -- it's what you can accomplish through your photography with newfound techniques and abilities. It's like, okay, you know how to light -- what now?

To that end, the biggest new direction you will see this year speaks directly to the "what now" part. For the last few months I have been working on a project that will serve as a template for those of you who want to create something of value in their community with their cameras.

It's fairly simple, free and can be adapted to include multiple potential revenue streams for those of you who may wish to monetize it. But more important, it will provide an easy vehicle through which to explore your own vision -- within your own community. As a 20+ year community photojournalist and a full-time blogger, I am kind of excited about it. You'll be hearing more about it soon.

Also, I want to continue the site's work with Kiva and other grant-related projects. I have already spoken to some of you about developing a framework for us to actually fund some photography-related projects. That's in the on-deck circle, too.

All of this, of course, will be done in the context of an ongoing exploration of light and lighting. I'll be writing up many of my own shoots in the On Assignment section, but also hoping to introduce you to other photographers around the world doing cool stuff with their flashes.

And while we're at it, if you come across a photographer doing amazing stuff with light, please drop me an URL in the comments. I very much appreciate your tips -- they bring so much to the site and to the other readers.

Thanks for a great year, and buckle up for the next.
read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/but-we-don-t-look-a-day-over-three.html Gregory Heisler Whiteboards Bruce Springsteen http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/gregory-heisler-whiteboards-bruce-springsteen.html
Welp, your Monday just got a little better.

Seriously, what would you rather do, catch up on your weekend emails or watch Gregory Heisler walk you through his iconic Time cover of Bruce Springsteen? Exactly. Your work can wait.

Heisler is one of my all-time favorite lighting photographers. I would watch him make toast.

But wait, there's more: A three-part video series of him talking about his broader approach to portraiture, inside.
__________


(Note: If you are reading this post via RSS or email and cannot see the videos, just click on the post title above.)








I hope this kind of photographer interview is a new trend from Profoto, 'cause this is the kind of thing the web needs more of.

Heck, I'm even gonna include the gear porn video where he talks about his favorite two Profoto light modifiers, too:



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Related:

:: GregoryHeisler.com ::
:: Profoto.com ::
read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/gregory-heisler-whiteboards-bruce-springsteen.html Bert Goes All Hollywood on Us http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/bert-goes-all-hollywood-on-us.html Regular readers of this site are long familiar with Belgian photographer Bert Stephani. His easy-going manner and slightly warped sense of humor always make for fun learning in his behind-the-scenes shoot videos.

For the last several months, Bert (along with partner Peter Van Impe) have been working pretty much nonstop to produce a new lighting tutorial, "Motivational Light."

Hit the jump for a trailer, links and impressions after 3.5 hours of non-stop Bert.
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When I say working nonstop, I am not kidding. Case in point, the in-the-library moment that is shown briefly at the 18-second mark in the trailer above. Anyone who knows Bert will tell you that he is not one to take himself seriously, and this video series is certainly no exception.

That is not to say that he does not deliver a large amount of info. The tutorials are very relaxed and conversational, with a lot of working-through-the-concepts for each shoot before you go out with him.

And he pretty much views the math anxiety stuff the same way I do: You need to acknowledge it, but you certainly don't wanna get bogged down by it.

To that end, he hits you with the serious concepts -- including inverse square rule -- first. But only after donning a professor's outfit, beard, wig and fake accent. That'd be Bert for ya.

It is important to note that this is not just a flash thing, but a lighting course in general. He embraces ambient light first, and how to use it to best advantage. He's essentially teaching you how to mold ambient light to do what you want it to do. Then he moves on to being able to both recreate and improve the ambient light you like, but this time using flash.

He works almost equally between speedlights and big flashes, and moves between them seamlessly -- as anyone who considers speedlights nothing more than small versions of manual big lights would.

Several things distinguish this series from the other lighting videos to date. First, he ended up shooting more than he could fit on the DVDs (and the 5GB download file limit.) So he will be putting the extra material on his site for free in the near future.

Second, in addition to 2.5 hours of lighting, he includes an hour of post-production techniques at the end -- in Lightroom. Those of you who use that program instead of Aperture or Photoshop will be happy to see someone speaking your post-production language. And for the DSLR video folks, you'll be interested to know that it was shot in HD on a Canon 5D MkII.


Is it Worth the Money

The smartass answer is, "it depends."

Motivation Light sells for $170 as a download. And for an extra $70, you get a shipped set of DVDs as a hard copy. If you just want to kill an afternoon or evening watching a movie, go see Hot Tub Time Machine instead. I mean, Bert's not that entertaining.

But if you are intimidated by lighting and want someone to help you to work through the concepts, techniques and learn to create the light you want, your dollars (or Euros) are far better spent on education than they being thrown at more gear. If you consider something like this to be a self-paced course -- and actually get out and practice what you are learning -- the value of assimilating someone else's knowledge and experience is very good bang for the buck.

In comparison, think about the cost of a typical college class, and what you walk away with in the end. The expense is significant, but its value depends largely on the work you are willing to put into it.

It's the same with an in-person seminar. And from the perspective of someone who occasionally gives seminars in various places around the world, I can vouch for the fact that there is simply no way it is feasible to get to more than just a handful of places. Teaching (and learning) via video is a very good compromise on both ends. And with video, you can view it and practice repeatedly until you get it. There's certainly something to be said for that.

More information (and how to order) at Motivational Light.
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See also: Josh Brewster's review
read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/bert-goes-all-hollywood-on-us.html It's April 1st … http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/it-s-april-1st-….html UPDATE: Okay, I think they got the idea.

They pretty quickly retreated to voicemail, and then were beseiged by messages of yet more barking -- and even some panting.

Long story short -- they have promised to never, ever spam this site again. I'll believe it when I see it, of course. And yes, I have other things in mind if they start up again. Fun things.

Many thanks, folks. Apparently, your bark is worse than their bite. I am gonna pull the number now, but leave up the post.
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[ORIGINAL POST]

If you have a moment -- and a phone -- please continue reading for a way you can help me pull off a little April Fool's fun.

Okay, maybe it's equal parts fun and revenge. But still …

One of the unfortunate things about running a highly trafficked blog is dealing with comment spammers. You do not see them, as I spend time all day moderating their many, many comments out, and your comments in.

They are the reason you have to have an account to comment on this blog. They are also the reason you have to decipher those drunken-letters CAPTCHAs everywhere.

They are pretty scummy, in that they do not care how much time they waste for other people in the hopes of getting just one one-thousandth of one percent of you to actually click through. It's a numbers game, at our expense.


The Mark

I have had a devil of a time with one particular comment spamming company. They are one of those sleazy plagiarized term paper shops. I even contacted them, via phone, email and live tech support to try to get them to stop comment spamming me, to no avail.

Still, they constantly flood my comments with dull, unimaginative spam. This morning, for instance, I spent my morning reading and moderating out such relevant, pithy comments as:


"Many institutions limit access to their online information. Making this information available will be an asset to all.

[Link to spammy site] Term Paper Writing"


It is annoying, and a waste of my time in that I do not want the stuff to get through and degrade the comment section into garbage.

Seeing as today is, well, a special day, I wondered if some of you might help me have a little fun and waste a little time on their end for a change.

The instructions are simple: I would like anyone who would be interested in joining my efforts to call their direct support number and bark like a dog.

Say nothing. Just bark. Bark expressively -- carry on any conversation they may initiate by barking in various tones. But just … bark.

Or whimper, if you like. Have fun with it.

The number is in Delaware, in the U.S., but I am pretty sure it rings through to India. (My mistake. It was Russia.) If you want to join in, please preserve the secret. My plan is to call them tomorrow (I will remove this post after an appropriate amount of time) and ask them again to please stop spamming me.

Or else I will have to release the hounds again.

Feel free to report back in the comments with any reactions, be it funny or profane screaming. Suffice to say that I have kinda had it up to here with spammers, and I am ready to dish some back.

Thanks so much for any help.

The number is [since redacted, out of a small remaining sense of decency]. I just called to check it. It's them.

Thanks for your help on this special day.


-David.

read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/it-s-april-1st-….html Paul Buff to Raise, Lower Prices http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/paul-buff-to-raise-lower-prices.html
With the new cancer-curing Einstein monoblocs now confirmed to be shipping next week, Paul Buff has addressed a growing question: Why in the world would anyone want to buy regular old White Lightnings now?

They wouldn't, is the obvious answer. So Buff is dropping prices on White Lightning flashes -- and raising prices on the Einstein.

The price increases aren't in place yet, but they are coming. So if you'd rather pay $439.95 than $499.95 for an Einstein, you'd better get crackin'.

And if you are gonna sell your White Lightnings to fund Einstein purchases, I'd get on that, too -- before eBay finds out about the price drop. (No word on exactly how much the WL prices will be dropping.)

New Einstein pricing will not affect current Einstein pre-orders, which are estimated to be at approximately 4 gazillion. And Paul said he'd also give a 30-day notice before implementing the new, market-balancing prices.

:: Einstein Product Page ::
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Source: Fred Miranda forums, via Lighting Rumors

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read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/paul-buff-to-raise-lower-prices.html Dan in Real Life http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/dan-in-real-life.html
Sometimes it brings access to cool and interesting people. Sometimes a call from an editor can send you straight into f/64 mode, as far as the pucker factor is concerned. Sometimes it is both.

That's exactly what happened to Austin American-Statesman photographer Jay Janner last year while out on an assignment. He got a call that another shoot had been added to his day -- to go photograph a local photographer named Dan Winters.

Yeah, that Dan Winters...
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So, how would you react to being served up with a no-notice assignment to photograph one of the most successful portraitists working today?



Janner appears to have done just fine. And he says the fact that there was no notice probably helped him to not freak out. But I for one woulda been sweating bullets while walking up Winters' driveway.

Janner says he photographed Winters in his studio complex, which includes three small buildings. He was working on a prop in his shop, and gave Janner full run of the place.

At first, Janner was concerned that the photo booth, which subsequently was used on the back cover of Winters' book, was too obvious a choice. But then Winters said he had never been shot with the booth as a backdrop.

Bingo. Now for the light.

How do you even begin to set up light for Dan Winters?

That would be like cooking dinner for Julia Child. Or emasculating someone in front of Simon Cowell.

Janner went into classic mode -- lighting Dan Winters, Dan Winters style. He built the on-axis fill first, with a medium softbox behind the camera, and then used a snooted key at camera right for shape. A third flash (supplied by Winters) lit the booth from the inside.

Winters was gracious and easy-going the whole time, according to Janner -- and even offered two tidbits of help. One, he suggested Janner tweak the composition to better use the red curtain as a framing device.

Second, Winters had an assistant use his hand to cut (gobo) the key light from wrapping all of the way around Winters' camera-right shoulder. That little touch makes a big difference in the final shot, and was a nice nugget for Janner to walk away with.

Particulars on the light, because someone will ask: Dyna-Light (1000ws) packs on the O-A fill and key lights, and Winters' Elinchrom Ranger, slaved, inside the booth.

You can see more of Janner's work on his blog. And if you want more Dan Winters, there is a video interview here.
read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/dan-in-real-life.html Got a New Compact or Hybrid-Size Camera? Check That Sync Speed. http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/got-a-new-compact-or-hybrid-size-camera-check-that-sync-speed.html Adolfo tweeted to me that he found that his Panasonic LX3 syncs at up to 1/2000th of a second, and it reminded me to remind you that you should always check for this sort of thing. Frequently, the capability is undocumented.

This is a similar deal to the way high sync works on the Canon compact cameras, and the same rules apply for sync speed vs. actual flash pulse duration.

I got to play around with this camera's newer big brother, a 4/3 Lumix GF1, in Dubai, and was very impressed with both the handling and the image quality. I wasn't able to check, but would be curious to know if the 4/3 bodies hi-sync, too. Nope. Shame, too.

If you have found that your new compact (or micro 4/3, etc.) camera can sync up high with external flashes, please hit us in the comments. Always good to know which models do that kind of thing.

UPDATE: Edit fixes incorrect label of LX3 as a micro 4/3. Thanks!

UPDATE2: So far, nothing but bad news in the comments on the 4/3 bodies...

-30-
read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/got-a-new-compact-or-hybrid-size-camera-check-that-sync-speed.html A Great Face for Radio http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/a-great-face-for-radio.html Mohamed Somji and the folks at Gulf Photo Plus have made good on their threat and posted their video of the live shootout between Zack Arias, JoeyL and yours truly.

Two things learned.

First: "Never get involved in a land war in Asia." (But only slightly less well- known is this: "Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line!")

And second, "Never wear a black shirt into a dark auditorium when you are being interviewed with just one hard light."

The video, and links, inside.
__________




This is the official video, but if you would like to watch it unfold real-time (more sweating!) there is a set of bootlegs (of my session and Zack's as far as I can tell) which were shot from the stands.

Not sure if he filmed Joey's session. But then, they did not have to compress Joey's shoot for the final video, anyway. Heh.

Thanks again to my coconspirators, Zack and Joey, and many thanks to the folks at Gulf Photo Plus for such a fun, exhausting, week.

And next time, I wanna be the one heckling Joe.
read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:42 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/Strobist-Articles-Lessons/a-great-face-for-radio.html Machine Wash Deluxe Released - Photoshop Filter http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/machine-wash-deluxe-released-photoshop-filter.html
read full article ]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:24:41 GMT http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/machine-wash-deluxe-released-photoshop-filter.html Photoshop CS5 Sneak Peek — Painting With "From Scratch" Tool And ... http://www.newbrightapples.com/External-Articles/The-PhotoShop-blog/photoshop-cs5-sneak-peek-—-painting-with-quotfrom-scratchquot-tool-and-photo-interpretation-tool.html?quot;-tool-and-photo-interpretation-tool="from-scratch=
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