Daily Tips To Improve Your Photography

01/02/09: Editorial assignments

2009-01-02T23:15:00.003-06:00

I'm always collecting pictures for editorial self-assignments. I have a list of editorial projects I'm working on with no particular time frame and I enjoy being able to shoot these assignment. Old Catholic churches are one of my favorite assignments -- especially churches in areas that may no longer be financially self-sufficient (that's a fancy way to say these churches are in blighted areas!). Some day these churches may close -- and former parishioners will enjoy being able to see the images of the churches before they closed.

I also like taking pictures of people talking on phones. Years ago we didn't carry our phones with us wherever we go -- now that most everyone carries a phone with them, we get to see animated discussions in public places. It always makes me chuckle to go to a place like a them park and see people talking on phones. And I won't hesitate to snap a picture of someone making an expression while talking on their phone. Sometimes it's hillarious!

Another favorite subject I've photographed for over 20 years -- building implosions! I've photographed about five or six over the last 20 years. It's just interesting to get to a blow-down site (that's what they sometimes call implosion sites!) and elbow yourself into position to capture the building coming down.

What kinds of editorial things to do you like to "self-assign?"

01/01/09: We're back! :)

2009-01-01T21:10:00.002-06:00

We're back! I resolve to resume and continue blogging daily photo tips and general fun photo related items on a daily basis in 2009. Bookmark me...check back often to keep me honest!

I hope Santa Claus was good to you during the holidays...I did not get the Canon EOS 5D Mark II that I wished for...but I'm not sure if it was because I was naughty (for abandoning my daily photo tips during 2008), or if it was just due to Santa's compressed budget this year. :)

I did get a cool new gadget -- not directly photo related -- but I can always find a way that a new toy is photo related. I got an Olympus digital voice recorder (model VN-4100PC). I intend to use this cool little device to help me keep track of my constant thoughts about photography...and to help me journal some of my photo assignments. Have you thought about how convenient this would be to help you with your shooting? Think of the possibilities...you can record your thoughts while you are shooting...or...if you are like me...you are driving past a cool location that you'd like to shoot later (with or without a model...but with the right light for sure!) and you can't exactly write down what you are thinking / seeing while driving. A digital voice recorder would certainly help you make a note of what and where you saw what you saw!

10/23/08: Win $10,000 or one of 200 memory cards from SanDisk!

2008-10-23T19:25:00.001-06:00

Does your point & shoot camera record video?

Check out this contest from SanDisk!

http://www.youtube.com/sandisk

10/21/08: 5 reasons to try Adobe Lightroom (or 5 reasons to upgrade to version 2.0!)

2008-10-21T07:16:00.002-06:00

Check out this article from Dave Johnson -- PC World Magazine's resident photography expert -- about Adobe Lightroom.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/152031/article.html?tk=nl_dfxcol

10/01/08: Short but cool behind the scenes sports photo shoot video

2008-10-01T12:18:00.002-06:00

Check out this short behind-the-scenes video of a sports photoshoot by St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographer Chris Lee. Call me a photo nerd, but I love being a voyuer on stuff like this! ;)

09/23/08: Well, this is pretty cool...

2008-09-23T07:54:00.000-06:00

Just click here.

08/27/08: Who is Anton Corbijn?

2008-08-27T13:08:00.002-06:00

Anton Corbijn is a famous photographer known mostly for his work with the rock band U2. His style is described as showing raw emotion. I was influenced many years ago to become a photographer when I first saw Corbijn's famous picture of Peter Rowan -- the boy on the cover of U2's album titled "Boy" (and also the younger brother of U2 frontman Bono's good friend "Guggi"). Rowan, coincidentally, is now a well-known Irish photographer.

Since his initial work as a still photographer, Corbijn has branched out into directing music videos and feature films. You can check out his official web-site by clicking here.

08/19/08: Real photo, or fake?

2008-08-19T07:26:00.003-06:00

Take the quiz...

http://www.autodesk.com/eng/etc/fakeorfoto/quiz.html

See if you can determine which of the images are real and which ones are fake (computer generated). I got 9 out of 10...much to my own surprise...but then again, I faked my way thru school so I know what I excel at! :-)

06/30/08: Interview with Jay Maisel

2008-06-30T12:50:00.003-06:00

This is an old piece but very relevant -- timeless you might say.

Read this interview with Jay Maisel from Photo Insider. Jay is an amazing photographer known for his mastery of light and gesture in his photographs. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak in St. Louis about 5 years ago -- probably one of the best photographer talks I ever attended.

03/02/08: Samsung made this for photographers...

2008-03-02T21:09:00.001-06:00

Samsung's new SyncMaster 2263X Dual Display monitor, I'm convinced, was built for photographers. The dual display couples a 22 inch primary monitor and a detacheable 7 inch companion monitor -- seems like the perfect setup to work in Adobe Photoshop to me! You have your image workspace on the main monitor and actions or other palettes on the 7 inch companion monitors. Samsung's new monitor earned a Popular Mechanic's "editor's choice" award in the April 2008 issue. The 7" companion or "sub-monitor" connects easily to an available USB port and can be used in portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) modes. Estimated price is around $550.

Seems like a great little set-up especially if workspace is at a premium. Or, if you are like me -- you work dual screen using a laptop and a separate monitor. With the Samsung...I wonder if it would be possible to work with THREE monitors for one PC? Okay...now I'm getting greedy... LOL

03/01/08: "But what if I want all three girls in focus?"

2008-03-01T16:22:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine sent me this interesting article. It's about a new company called Refocus Imaging -- and the ability to change the focal point in a digital imagine during post processing. Check out the article:

http://www.news.com/8301-13580_3-9876296-39.html

Looks pretty cool, eh?

02/29/08: Quote of the day...

2008-02-29T19:59:00.000-06:00

I know I've been off-line a while...my apologies...I've got too many projects right now! But we're back again...and what better way to return to great quotes than one from the master -- Ansel Adams...

"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept."

-- Ansel Adams

02/28/08: Dymo disc painter

2008-02-28T19:56:00.000-06:00

I saw this nifty little disc painter from Dymo featured in the recent issue of Rangefinder magazine. Check it out...

http://www.rangefindermag.com/magazine/Feb08/154.pdf

02/27/08: Fascinating article...

2008-02-27T19:54:00.001-06:00

Check out this article about photographer Paul Nicklen -- the "photographer of the north."

http://www.uphere.ca/node/170

02/26/08: Small aperature can reveal dirty sensor!

2008-02-26T19:29:00.002-06:00

EDIT: Thanks to Oleksandr for pointing out my error on this post. :) I love the photo community on the internet! :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We went ice skating recently and the rink has a rule about taking cameras out on the ice. Naturally, this is a rule I completely disregard. :) With that rule in mind I did use my 4th string DSLR...my trusty 4 year old Canon EOS 10D. I love shooting slow shutter of action shots (especially sports and children...bonus when I can combine the two). In order to get the slow shutter I need, I have to stop the aperature way down.

A small aperature can reveal nasty dirt specks on a DSLR sensor at a low / slow shutter speed that a normal or fast shutter speed would not reveal. See below for examples...

sensor specks barely noticeable... (1/45 second, f22, ISO 100)

...dust specks even more noticeable! (1/20 sec, f32, ISO 100)

And here's a fast shutter speed -- same camera and lens. The image below was shot at 1/500 second, f5.6. The sensor was not cleaned for this shot...but you can not see the dust specs.

02/25/08: CNN interview with Anne Geddes

2008-02-25T18:54:00.003-06:00

Click here to watch a short CNN.com video interview (about 6 minutes) with Anne Geddes. Anne tells us what inspires her to photograph the babies in the way she does and speaks about some of the challenges in photographing new babies.

Enjoy!

12/13/07: Four Elements of a Great Photo

2007-12-13T23:08:00.000-06:00

Supremely talented travel photographer (and Nikon shooter) Bob Krist states that there are four basic elements to a great photograph:

1. Good color
2. Good composition
3. Beautiful light
4. A sense of moment - a storytelling element

Keep these simple things in mind when shooting travel, nature...or really any kind of photograph. You'll see great improvement when you are consistently accomplishing all four elements in your images.

12/12/07: Are you shooting at the edges?

2007-12-12T23:21:00.001-06:00

I watched the Tom Brokaw special "1968" on the History Channel tonight. Well...I watched as much of it as I could while trying to assert my role as "Mr. Mom" on evenings when my wife is at work. LOL

One of the people they interviewed was, of course, some kind of hippie radical expert or something...gee, I really wish I would have remembered his name! He talked about the hippie culture and the Haight-Ashbury element that would consistently "go to the edge." This concept really struck a chord with me -- at least as an visual artist. :)

Am I shooting at the edges? I mean...am I pushing my talents and abilities as a photographer further and further each time I pick up a camera? Am I doing the same when I sit down to work with the images in my favorite image editing program?

Are you shooting at the edges?

12/10/07: Peter Miller's favorite shots...

2007-12-10T17:51:00.000-06:00

Maybe it's just a slow sports news day...but I LOVE it when Sports Illustrated does these features of their top photographers and their favorite shots. Check out uber-talented sports photographer Peter Miller's gallery of favorite shots...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0711/gallery.canon.miller/content.1.html

12/09/07: Interview with Denis Reggie

2007-12-10T17:50:00.000-06:00

Here is a Canon "Explorers of Light" interview with Denis Reggie -- check it out...

http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=926&fromTips=1

12/07/07: Quote of the day...

2007-12-07T22:44:00.000-06:00

Clay Blackmore...on posing group portraits...

"We do everything we can to make the women look as beautiful as possible...and then we stick the men in there."

:)

12/06/07: Check out these portfolios

2007-12-06T08:54:00.002-06:00

I'm fascinated by photojournalism -- the style of pictures where an image can tell an entire story without words. I get a lot of inspiration from looking at the portfolios of working photojournalists.

Check out this web page of of the Wichita Eagle that features the portfolios of their top photographers.

http://www.kansas.com/static/projects/portfolios/

12/05/07: Question from the mailbag...

2007-12-06T08:54:00.001-06:00

S.R. from St. Louis sent me this recent question -- he is an amateur film shooter considering a Canon DSLR purchase.

Question: "With the Rebel Xti, can I shoot a picture by composing/viewing the image using the LCD display, or do I always have to use the view finder to shoot and the LCD is only for review and to view the settings?"

Answer:
The Rebel Xti does NOT have "live-view" (LCD screen shooting) -- you have to compose via the viewfinder. The 40D on the other hand DOES have live-view shooting capabilities.

The thing to realize about live-view is that you have to manually focus as the auto-focus doesn't work with Canon's live-view shooting mode. You can pre-focus using the shutter or back-button (the 40D has a focus button on the back of the camera…an improvement over previous Canon high-end consumer models that only allowed you to back-button focus via the * button and a custom pre-set -- the 40D designers went ahead and added this as a separate button) and THEN activate live-view.

While I love the new 40D, I personally am not super jazzed about live-view shooting -- about the only time I've used it is when I want to take someone's picture before they think I'm going to take it -- in other words…at family gatherings during dull moments. :)

Perhaps when I get more time to shoot nature / macro detail shots, I'll find more use for live-view shooting.

12/03/07: REALLY high end wedding!

2007-12-03T15:03:00.004-06:00

Want to learn more about a wedding that cost $90 million? Check out:

http://www.weddingsutra.com/community/featured_vanisha_main.asp

for all the details on the June 2004 wedding of Vinisha Mittal to Amit Bahtia. The celebration lasted SIX days! (Most people are lucky to have a honeymoon last six days!)

11/30/07: Quote of the day...

2007-11-30T23:18:00.001-06:00

This quote is rather controversial, in my opinion, as photo contest judges often have a much lower threshhold to define the difference between an amateur and a professional photographer.

"People who earn less than half of their income from photography are amateurs. This has nothing to do with the quality of their photography."

-Ken Rockwell

I've seen contests where the official rules state that an amateur is someone who earns less than 5% of their income from photography. To each their own (definition). :)

11/26/07: Hexadecimal color codes

2007-11-27T15:22:00.000-06:00

If you need to find out the hexadecimal color code for a particular color in your digital imaging project(s), you need to visit mathisfun.com. :)

Bookmark this page:

http://www.mathsisfun.com/hexadecimal-decimal-colors.html

You'll be surprised how much time you can kill on this site.

11/25/07: Exploring Urban Ruins

2007-11-25T00:10:00.001-06:00

I've done a little photographic exploration of urban ruins -- back in the day before children came along -- and I am still fascinated by the prospects of photographing anything that is old, abandoned and disused.

If you are also intrigued by derelict buildings and urban decay from a photographic perspective, check out this web-site dedicated to photographic exploration of urban ruins: http://www.opacity.us/

If you know of other web-sites dedicated to urban ruin photography (amusement parks, hotels, sports facilities, junk yards, whatever...) -- please share them by posting in the comments section! :)

11/22/07: Be sure to over-do the main course!

2007-11-22T16:32:00.001-06:00

Today being Thanksgiving or "turkey day" in the United States I wanted to take an opportunity to remind photographers to always over-do the main thing. If you are hired to photograph a wedding...don't forget to get LOTS of pictures of just the bride and groom alone. I've heard from people who've told me that their photographer didn't get enough (or, perish the thought, ANY!) formal pictures of the bride and groom alone. I realize that a lot of emphasis has been placed on purely photojournalistic photography at weddings these days...but that doesn't mean your clients want JUST candid pictures! In all likelihood there are going to be parents and grandparents who want, expect, and deserve good quality posed pictures -- at the very least, a wide assortment of candids that show them just the main subjects of the day!

So remember to "keep the main thing the main thing!" It's better to have too much than not enough when it comes to pictures of life events like weddings!

11/20/07: Check out this amazing camera!

2007-11-20T22:24:00.000-06:00

Check out the Red One (tm) video camera. It's a video camera that will shoot hi-res still images like no other video camera. I don't know much about it (and at nearly $17,500 for the body and between $4,950 and $8,500 per lens -- I better just get two of them...he-he-he...), but it looks revolutionary! The convergence of super high-quality still and motion picture capture devices is becoming reality.

11/19/07: Shooting for you? Or for a client?

2007-11-20T22:13:00.001-06:00

It happens all too often -- I hear from people (not clients of mine) who tell me they didn't get the images they wanted or expected from their wedding photographer. Part of that has to do with wedding photography style changes (posed vs. photojournalistic) and the conversion to digital (where it used to be in the film days you'd get a set of less than 100 proof pictures total and with digital...you get a LOT more than that!).

I think a lot of photographers get caught up in shooting for themselves and not for their clients -- they concern themselves more with winning awards, gaining acceptance to associations, or showcasing images on web-sites or blogs. Don't forget -- your clients are footing the bill...your obligation is first and foremost to them. And remember, not all clients want the same thing...so take the time to find out what your clients like and want in their images, and work your style in to what they want.

11/17/07: Are there flaws in your workflow?

2007-11-17T08:08:00.001-06:00

This morning I realized I made a serious mistake in my workflow -- the processing, posting and archiving of images. In Adobe Bridge I use the * ratings to sort out keepers from non-keepers (a polite way of saying "the junk"). I typically shoot in RAW, make batch edits in Bridge and use the Image Processor to create the jpeg files (for final presentation / printing, etc.).

After posting the images I then go back and delete the non-keepers -- anything that doesn't have at least a rating of 1 star (one *). However, by saving the jpeg files in the same location as the RAW files, a JPG folder shows up in the same location. When I searched for "all unrated items" and deleted them (or, I should say "sent them to the recycle bin" to be more accurate) -- I inadvertently deleted the JPG folder. Normally I don't save the files in the same place -- I create a separate folder for the keepers -- but this morning I goofed and saved them with the originals. Fortunately I was able to restore the all-important keeper jpegs from the recylce bin -- but I learned that I could have made a really dumb mistake in haste.

What potential flaws do you have in your workflow that you might need to fix?

11/11/07: The "establishing scene" shot...

2007-11-11T22:08:00.000-06:00

If you photograph in the documentary or photojournalistic style in any way, shape or form, you should be to include 'establishing scene' shots in your images of the event you are shooting. Establishing scene shots are self-explanatory -- think in terms of Seinfeld episodes where the outside shot of the corner diner is shown before they cut to scenes insdie the diner -- yet, all too often, photographers neglect to capture quick shots of the venue or location where an event is being held. These establishing scene shots help to define chapters of the album, slideshow or scrapbook you intend for displaying the images.

So take a few minutes to consider the "place" -- the scene setter images -- to help design the presentation of your documentary images.

11/03/07: Try taking "Rain Man" images!

2007-11-03T22:17:00.001-06:00

Did you see the movie "Rain Man" with Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman? Did you watch the end credits where the images the "rain man" shot on the cross country drive were featured?

Sometimes I like shooting pictures in what I call the "rain man style" -- random shots taken while driving, often featuring motion blur and / or rather mundane things that compelled the character played by Dustin Hoffman to take photos of. Here are some examples I shot earlier this week in "rain main style"...

11/02/07: How'd you do that?

2007-11-02T21:04:00.001-06:00

How did I do this?

It's actually a very simple modification in Adobe Elements 6.

Go to:

Enhance > Adjust Color > Adjust Color Curves

Then select the "Solarize" style!

The above image was taken outside a fast-food restaurants (one of our favorites!) around dusk. Made for an interesting solarization project, eh?

11/01/07: Photographing kids...

2007-11-02T21:03:00.000-06:00

Get down on their level!

10/31/07: Happy Halloween! Don't forget to...

2007-10-31T16:55:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween! Don't forget if you are photographing your trick-or-treaters to over-expose ghosts and underexpose vampires!

That's a quick little lesson in exposure compensation. Your DSLR meter wants to make everything 18% gray...by nature, that means very white subjects (like brides, snow landscapes, brides playing in the snow, etc.) will be UNDERexposed by your camera meter; very dark subjects (like grooms in black tuxes, mud pits, grooms playing in mud pits, etc.) will be OVERexposed. SO...over-expose the high-key (very light colored subjects / backgrounds), underexpose low-key (dark colored subjects / backgrounds).

Have fun!

10/30/07: Two things people look for in a picture of themselves...

2007-10-30T07:58:00.000-06:00

This is a tip I picked up from Clay Blackmore on his recent "Capture and Creativity" tour. Clay worked with legendary photographer Monte Zucker for over a quarter of century -- I found him to be a wealth of knowledge on interacting with your photo subjects.

Clay mentioned that there are two things people look for when they see pictures of themselves...

-- what is / how good is my expression?
-- how does my body look?

As photographers we need to always, always, always keep these two things in mind when we capture images of people. Great expression...flattering presentation of their body.

Clay also said something pretty humorous about people who look at pictures of themselves and think they look old. He says in reply "well, in 5 years you're gonna love this picture." Seasoned photographers in the room (and older people in general)...got the joke. :)

10/29/07: Brand new Lightroom book!

2007-10-29T20:45:00.001-06:00

My October book recommendation is:

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 1.1 - by David Huss and David Plotkin. This book was just released by the publishers on October 27th -- I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I just ordered it. I like that it has been updated for LR 1.1 -- many of the early Lightroom books had to have PDF supplements for the 1.0 to 1.1 updates...such is the price of being an early adopter. :)

10/28/07: New Prototype Canon Lenses...

2007-10-29T20:41:00.000-06:00

At the recent Photo Plus Expo in New York City, Canon introduced two lenses that are currently being developed:

-- a 200mm L f2.0 IS (image stabilization) USM lens
-- an 800mm L f5.6 IS USM lens

Both of these pro level lenses were introduced only as prototypes -- but they show great promise. Read more about these lenses on the Canon news release.

10/27/07: Yeah, it's Halloween...

2007-10-27T23:41:00.000-06:00

I'm not really into all the Halloween stuff -- it's really a kid's thing as far as I'm concerned. However, since it is Halloween...I thought I'd present a new twist on landscape photography. Sometimes you can get some pretty amazing images while photographing in a cemetery. The grounds are usually well-kept, you can find old trees and headstones, etc. Give it a try. But try not to look too much like you are there to take pictures. And be reverent in your presence of other peoples' lost loved ones.

Here are some images I shot recently in a small-town cemetery...

10/25/07: Fall pictures...

2007-10-25T14:56:00.001-06:00

What photographer doesn't enjoy taking pictures of the explosion of color in fall foliage? And what photographer / parent (or grandparent) doesn't enjoy taking pictures of their kids at play?

Fall is a great time to get good pictures of kids playing in those falling / fallen leaves. You should try taking a variety of images using both fast and slow shutter speeds, as well as try backlit images (where you are shooting toward the sun...BUT DON'T LOOK AT IT! :) )

Here are some samples...

slow shutter & backlit

fast shutter and front-lit

fast shutter and backlit

10/24/07: Reward if found...

2007-10-24T11:54:00.000-06:00

It still amazes me when I shoot with other photographers who do not put their names / phone numbers on their removeable media / compact flash memory cards. If you have cards that don't have your name on them...go get a fine point Sharpie marker and put your name on your cards RIGHT NOW! And if you ever have paying clients that are relying on you to capture precious memories on your memory cards...you might consider putting "Reward if found" on the cards. A blank 4 GB memory card is probably only worth $50 or so...but if you have wedding or event pictures on a card and that card gets misplaced (or stolen, perish the thought)...you'd probably consider paying a reward to a person who would be kind enough to return that card to you.

While you're at it...put your name and phone number on your compact flash card wallet as well.

Hopefully you'll never have to thank me for this tip...but if by chance you do...you're welcome. :)

10/18/07: Quote of the day (1 day early!)...

2007-10-18T17:30:00.000-06:00

So

Happy

It's

Thursday

as we used to say in college!

Here's a funny quote from Clay Blackmore's seminar earlier this week...

"Beauty is in the eye of the checkbook holder."

:)

10/17/07: Check out the Boda bag...

2007-10-17T18:09:00.001-06:00

If you are looking for a nifty lens bag for active "change on the fly" shooting...check out the Boda Bag. The Boda Bag is not inexpensive...but it gets rave reviews and appears to have everything a photographer would want in a compact bag. (Disclaimer: Those who've shot with me know I'm not the compact bag type...but...I aspire to be!)

10/16/07: Affordable camera / gear cases...

2007-10-16T20:07:00.001-06:00

If you are anything like me...you've got more than a 1979 Chevy Malibu Classic station wagon worth of camera gear. And you're probably always looking for optimal solutions for transporting gear to shooting locations. You might consider checking into used "road cases" from AV supplies and on ebay. Road cases are the hard sided cases that musicians, audio-visual companies, and other media professionals use to transport gear safely. Just do a search for "road cases" on ebay and you might find exactly what you are looking for to store / transport camera, lighting, projection or other gear. You might have to do some searching to find the right size...and the case may have some road scars...but I'm a fan of putting gear in less than the fanciest cases when it comes to airline travel! It's function over finesse in my book...and a beat-up old case less obvious to would-be thieves than the latest camera manufacturer embazoned gear bag! LOL

10/15/07: Capture & Creativity Tour

2007-10-15T02:55:00.001-06:00

Tonight I attended the "Capture and Creativity" tour in St. Louis. Capture and Creativity is a four hour seminar hosted by Clay Blackmore and Jane Conner-Ziser. I highly recommend this seminar -- it's very affordable and jam-packed with great information. Clay discusses his creative posing and lighting techniques while Jane demonstrates her prowess at retouching in Photoshop, Painter and Lightroom. There are still a number of dates / cities left on the tour...if you have the chance...go!

Check out the Capture and Creativity web-site for more information.

10/14/07: Answer to yesterday's question...

2007-10-15T02:54:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I asked "what is this?" about the picture below. I was looking to see who could tell me as much about how I shot the picture as possible. Thank you everyone who responded! :)

Here's the answer...

I was at a wedding reception "playing." ("Play time" at a wedding reception occurs after all the formal stuff is complete -- formal dances, toasts, cake-cutting, etc.) The camera is a 5D hand held, bulb setting at f8.0 with about a 3 second exposure. The light is a Quantum T5D trigged by pocket wizard. I have the camera in my right hand, pocket wizard in the left...I popped the flash off a number of times while the shutter was opened...and I panned the camera while popping the flash. There was a dimly lit chandelier to my left and the band's amplifier lights (which gave the glow stick look someone mentioned) -- those are the squigly lights. The dance floor was pretty crowded for the shot...but everyone was moving around in addition to me moving the camera so it makes everyone look kinda ghost like.

Here is what it looked like when I moved the camera in a circle during the exposure. For this exposure, the dance floor was empty...not nearly as cool (IMHO)...but still worth the look.

Stay tuned for more "play time" posts!

10/13/07: What is this?

2007-10-13T16:42:00.001-06:00

What is this and how was it done? Take your guesses in the comments section -- see if you can tell me what I did to make this image. I'll reveal the answers in tomorrow's post.

10/02/07: Just in time for Halloween...

2007-10-02T12:07:00.000-06:00

Every once and a while I have to release some built-up creative energy. LOL

10/01/07: A little of Jessica Claire's "magic"

2007-10-01T09:52:00.001-06:00

Dane Sanders' CutFrame TV features a number of awesome videos by Dane and other fantastic photographers. At Pictage Partner Conference in 2006, Jessica Claire made this short video demonstrating how she takes an image from "blah" to "wow" in Photoshop. I may have posted this previously...but it's worth repeating! :)

09/30/07: How to make great photos...

2007-09-30T19:18:00.000-06:00

Check out Ken Rockwell's "How to Make Great Photographs" web-page...

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/howto.htm

Awesome advice Ken!

09/24/07: Take care of your tripod

2007-09-24T08:22:00.001-06:00

It sounds silly, but nothing can be more frustrating than a photo-shoot spoiled by a tripod failure. You spend hours doing location scouting, you have excellent camera gear (including back-up camera bodies, spare media cards, an assortment of fancy lenses) coupled with your amazing artistic skills -- you hike up a small mountain to get a beautiful sunset image (alternately -- you have 50 people assembled for a group shot in a very dimly lit church or reception hall!)...and your tripod falls apart. YIKES! Whoooodathunkit???

Recently I noticed that one of my tripod legs was slipping at inopportune moments. I thought -- no big deal...I can fix this with an allen wrench or a screw-driver. WRONG! Turns out I needed a slim profile socket wrench to tighten down the faulty leg. Who would have thought that a $300 tripod would give me fits trying to find the right tool in my garage to fix the problem? (Yeah, duct tape would have worked...temporarily...LOL.)

Learn from my frustrating experience. Check your tripod for loose connections and find the right tool to tighten them. You know what they say...an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

09/23/07: Looking for a Canon 40D?

2007-09-23T21:43:00.000-06:00

I've been considering the Canon EOS 40D for my wife. Most places are out of stock...many have waiting lists.

I found that you can buy it on Amazon.com -- according to their web-site they have them in stock and you can get free 2 day shipping.

Here is the link (which is thru my Amazon associates page -- which supports the Daily Photo Tips education fund):

The above link is for the kit -- the 40D with a 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS (image stabilization) lens. Amazon's price is $1499 for the kit.

If you just want the body only (and not the kit) look for the drop down and select the "body only" option. The body only price on Amazon is $1299 -- pretty much the same price I've found on B&H, Wolf Camera, etc.

09/22/07: Check out Craig's Actions...

2007-09-22T20:36:00.001-06:00

Not to be confused with Craig's List :), Craig's Actions are Photoshop actions that are highly regarded in a number of photography publications and have received many favorable reviews on other photo web-sites. To learn more about Craig Minielly and the amazing creative and time-saving actions he has developed, go to his web-site...

http://www.craigsactions.com/

You can get several free actions by providing your name and e-mail address -- you can opt in to receive newsletters and special announcements from Craig. Here is the link to receive free actions...

http://www.craigsactions.com/Downloads/CActionsDownloads.html

Enjoy!

09/21/07: Quote of the day...

2007-09-21T08:24:00.001-06:00

"I think about photographs as being full, or empty. You picture something in a frame and it's got lots of accounting going on in it--stones and buildings and trees and air--but that's not what fills up a frame. You fill up the frame with feelings, energy, discovery, and risk, and leave room enough for someone else to get in there."

-Joel Meyerowitz

09/20/07: Renaming layers in Photoshop...

2007-09-20T12:18:00.001-06:00

Humans are such creatures of habit. Forever and a day I've been taking the "long way" to renaming layers in Photoshop. Why does one rename layers? Well...for starters...to help you remember a little more about either what action you performed on that layer...or what creative affect you applied on that layer. Too often we start out with just a duplicate layer and when we go back to a project and see a layer called "duplicate layer" it can be a challenge to quickly determine what you did on that layer.

There are multiple ways to rename layers...you can right click the layer on the layer palette and select properties, you can right click on the actual image and select properties to rename the layer (the active layer will be selected)...OR...and I just discovered this little short-cut...if you can click directly on the layer description in the layer palette...and you can edit / rename directly -- a small but significant time saver in my book! :)

09/19/07: Sale on refurbished Epson projectors...

2007-09-19T12:20:00.000-06:00

Epson's clearance e-store is having a sale on refurbished projectors. For instance you can get a 1200 ANSI lumens projector under for $399. Awesome!

Click here for details. If you like the look of projecting your digital images / digital projects onto large screens...you can do it quite affordably with refurbished projectors for not a lot of money.

There are also great deals on point and shoot cameras, printers and scanners. (About the only thing I wish they had a little lower prices on is their storage devices...but, hey, we can't get always get what we want all the time, eh?)

EDIT: I stand corrected! \o/ I just bought an Epson P-2000 40GB portable storage device (refurbished) for $254.95 after instant rebate. Very niiiiiiiiiiiiice...I've been wanting one of those doo-hickeys...makes life easier when I'm shooting weddings with a 2nd shooter...I won't have to wait to get the files! Thanks Epson...you all ROCK!!

09/18/07: My first test of Animoto!

2007-09-18T11:23:00.001-06:00

Earlier I promised I'd check this out... :)

09/17/07: This looks promising!

2007-09-17T19:21:00.001-06:00

Have you heard about Animoto?

Animoto promises to be the "end of slideshows." It's an online resource that takes photos you upload, using music of your choice, customized into a very slick broadcast-calibre video. I haven't signed up or tried it yet...but I'm going to! :)

If anyone has any experience using Animoto -- or links to productions of your own -- please feel free to share.

Meanwhile...if you want more information about Animoto, go to their web-site and watch the 60 second "learn more" video. http://animoto.com/ I have no idea how much it costs! :) I'm sure I'll find out very soon tho!

09/14/07: Quotes of the day...

2007-09-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'm in the mood today for some more random anonymous photography quotes... :)

"Unlike a painter, a photographer starts with something finished and works backward."

"Let your words be few, and your exposures many."

"Life is like photography. You use the negatives to develop."

"Of what use are lens and light to those who lack in mind and sight?"

09/09/07: Motion Picture Lighting for Digital Photography

2007-09-09T20:26:00.000-06:00

Check out this short YouTube video interview with Rick Ford -- on his success using motion picture style lighting for still photography:

09/08/07: Portrait Sessions - Confidence and Control

2007-09-08T10:38:00.001-06:00

Quite often the secret to a successful portrait session is establishing an element of control in the session and demonstrating an appropriate level of confidence in your shooting abilities. If a photographer doesn't establish a degree of self-confidence in his or her photo abilities, the photo subjects will have a difficult time relaxing for the shots. Even if things don't go exactly as planned for whatever reason (uncooperative weather, equipment failures, etc.), it's important to show your portrait subjects that you have control over the session and that they should trust your abilities as a photographer to capture great images. Sometimes it's just a matter of showing that you know what you are doing -- demonstrating an eye for detail, posing the subjects in a flattering way, etc. -- and you'll gain the trust of your subjects. When they trust you in your abilities...they'll feel more comfortable and relaxed having their pictures taken.

09/07/07: Quote of the day...

2007-09-07T15:00:00.001-06:00

Today's quote is not about photography or even by a photographer...but I think it holds a very important lesson for photographers -- especially wedding and portrait photograpers.

"People will forget what you said, they will even forget what you did, but they will never forget what you made them feel."

Maya Angelou

09/06/07: Which IS lens performs best?

2007-09-06T18:45:00.001-06:00

In the current issue of Popular Photography & Imaging (October 2007) a series of image stabilizer lenses were tested for performance in terms of average improvement in f-stops (IS vs. non-IS). The lens which performed the best was the Nikon 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 ED-IF DX IR II zoom lens with an average f-stop improvement of a very impressive 3-4 stops. Second place went to the Canon EF 70-200mm f4 IS USM which showed a 2.5 to 3.5 f-stop improvement using IS.

We just thought you'd like to know.

09/05/07: Canvas prints vs. stretch canvas prints...

2007-09-05T09:32:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine called me this week to ask me for advice on getting good stretch canvas prints (i.e. the print is mounted / wrapped onto a frame or base) -- it seems he ordered canvas prints at a local lab expecting that they would be stretch mounted on a frame but, much to his dismay, his prints were only printed on loose canvas.

I suggested that my friend check out Mpix for his stretch wrapped canvas images. More details on wrapped canvas prints from Mpix can be found on the Mpix web-site:
http://www.mpix.net/productsinfo.aspx?prod=12

09/04/07: Check out "Don't Box Us In"

2007-09-04T07:21:00.001-06:00

Louisiana photographer Mark Eric Motichek has hit another home run. Mark is the creative force behind Trash The Dress and has recently started a new web-site -- Don't Box Us In.

DontBoxUsIn.com is a web-site that features today’s best artistic and creative photographers -- photographers who are given complete control of the creative process. Take a few minutes to check out the site and be inspired.

Keep up the great work Mark Eric!

09/03/07: Book recommendation for September...

2007-09-04T07:20:00.003-06:00

I'm gonna get started early this month with a book recommendation. "Rule of Nerds" is the latest from our friend Aaron Johnson over at WhatTheDuck.net.

Rule of Nerds is the entire first year collection of comics featuring everybody's favorite loveable photographer / duck. You can get Rule of Nerds for just $32 from Amazon.com. It's a great gift for yourself or for a photographer friend. Enjoy!

And here's the latest "What The Duck" comic...

09/02/07: If you lose enough lens cleaners...

2007-09-04T07:20:00.001-06:00

Over time I've accumulated a very nice selection of lens cleaning cloths...I have blue ones, yellow ones, white ones, even 18% grey ones. I suppose I just lost them long enough to miss them, bought new ones, and then found the missing ones. (And I never turn down a freebie when a vendor offers one! LOL)

Now I've gotten into the habit of storing a lens cloth in each of my lens pouches -- that way I don't lose them...clean the lens, put the lense cloth back in the pouch. I also tend to clean the lenses almost every time I pull them out of their pouches..."here's the lens, here's the cloth, let's just do a quick little wipe and voilà :) ...I have a nice clean lens surface!"

09/01/07: Taking a break...

2007-09-01T06:31:00.001-06:00

I was shooting a wedding today -- glorious weather, beautiful bride, handsome groom, fun and cooperative wedding party -- what more could anyone ask for? :)

The bride had a number of different places she wanted to go for pictures and we covered most of them. The reality is...whether you are a pro shooting a wedding or an amatuer out in the backyard trying to get your kids to line up for this year's Christmas card picture...you need to give your models / subjects a break from time to time or you'll end up with those tired "I don't want to have my picture taken" shots.

Are you still with me or are you wondering about the overwhelmingly obvious nature of today's tip? Here's the key...when you tell your subjects to take a break...that doesn't necessarily mean you should stop shooting! Sometimes a short break is what your subjects need to get back to their natural state (of not being so stiff with plastic smiles) -- this is a great time to get a few great candid images! :) Yes, you as the photographer need to take a break from time to time as well, but you'll likely get some very nice candid shots of your subjects when they aren't so conscious of having their picture taken. As Dori from "Finding Nemo" might say if she were a photographer..."just keep shooting."

08/31/07: Quotes of the day...

2007-08-31T07:20:00.001-06:00

Two great quotes from legendary photographer (and considered by many as the father of modern photojournalism) Henri Cartier-Bresson...

Photography is an immediate reaction, drawing is a meditation.

We photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing, and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth can make them come back again. We cannot develop and print a memory.

-- Henri Cartier-Bresson

08/30/07: Building Bridges...

2007-08-30T07:48:00.001-06:00

Check out this CNN.com video about orthodontist-turned-photographer Phil Borges who uses photography to build bridges between American children and childen of other / developing nations. Check it out. You can learn more about Borges' "Bridges to Understanding" Foundation by clicking here (www.bridgesweb.org). Photographers can volunteer to become mentors in the program -- giving them the opportunity to promote cross-cultural awareness in a classroom setting or in nations such as India, Nepal, Guatemala, Kenya, Peru, and South Africa.

08/29/07: Photograher FAQ's

2007-08-30T07:47:00.001-06:00

Talented wedding photographer Jessica Claire offers some insight into how she creates amazing images -- check out Jessica's "Photographer FAQ's" page by clicking here.

Keep up the great work Jessica!

08/28/07: THIRTY frames per second -- the "sound of power!"

2007-08-28T20:20:00.001-06:00

USA Today staff sports photography extraordinaire Robert Hanshahiro is featured on this video -- demonstrating the 3 camera, remote-trigged set-up that USA Today used to capture Barry Bonds' 756th home run. The video takes a little while to load (it's 26 MB, don't try this from a dial-up connection!) but it's worth the wait. Enjoy!

In case you have trouble with the link, here is the URL: (copy + paste into your browser's address bar)

http://www.sportsshooter.com/special_feature/30fps/

08/27/07: New DSLR models from Nikon

2007-08-28T20:18:00.001-06:00

I'll admit it...I've been a Canon shooter for twenty-four years -- but that doesn't mean I've never been tempted by some of the nice products that Nikon puts out. Just this month they have announced two new DSLR models -- the D3 and the D300. You can read more about these hot new cameras on the Nikon news releases:

http://nikonimaging.com/global/news/2007/0823_01.htm

D300

http://nikonimaging.com/global/news/2007/0823_02.htm

08/26/07: Interviews with nature photographer John Sexton

2007-08-26T22:15:00.000-06:00

If nature photography appeals to you, be sure to check out nature photographer John Sexton's web-page:

http://www.johnsexton.com/

You can download / listen to interviews with John by clicking here.

08/25/07: Reconditioned products from Lacie

2007-08-24T23:42:00.001-06:00

If you're bargain conscious like I am...you probably check out clearance / reconditioned computer hardware like I do! I've had good success buying reconditioned computer equipment over the years...something about having the "new bugs" worked out of the gear appeals to me! (Yeah, I buy late model used cars too! But I buy all my cameras new...why is that??? LOL)

Check out reconditioned disk drivers, burners and displays from Lacie on at their clearance store...

http://www.lacie.com/us/products/clearance/products/?id=10007

08/24/07: Quote of the day

2007-08-24T07:44:00.000-06:00

I think this goes well with the recent announcement from Canon about the EOS 1Ds upgrade...

"After 40 years of ingesting every aspect of photographic science and composition, I still find the camera to be an endlessly intriguing partner that challenges my imagination and knowledge. All that with only 3 variables of shutter speed, aperture and focal length."

-Ralph Auletta

08/23/07: This made me laugh...

2007-08-23T14:12:00.001-06:00

08/22/07: New 21 mega-pixel camera from Canon!

2007-08-22T20:32:00.000-06:00

This just in -- Canon has announced an upgrade to the EOS 1Ds. More information can be found on the Canon web-site. Woo-hoo! Way to go Canon. :)

08/21/07: Book recommendation for August...

2007-08-21T09:46:00.001-06:00

Recently my sister read "Change the Way You See Everything" -- I was at her house last week and picked it up to thumb through a few pages. It looks awesome! It's a short read -- under an hour -- when you just peruse the pages (as they recommend doing first before doing the exercises).

I'm ordering my own copy this week! It's available on Amazon.com for under $20.

08/20/07: Affordable, compact monopod...

2007-08-21T09:45:00.000-06:00

Canon makes a very affordable, compact monopod -- just $29.95 at B&H Photo. For more information, go to:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/348374-REG/Canon_6195A005_Monopod_100.html

I am a big fan of using a monopod -- not only for extra-steadiness, but also to get shots from angles I might not easily be able to get to. Don't have a ladder handy for a group shot and you need a high angle? A monopod can help you gain another 4 feet or so! :)

08/19/07: Great American Photography Workshops

2007-08-19T22:05:00.001-06:00

If you are a nature photographer, you might want to check out Great American Photography Workshops. GAPW has been in business for 15 years -- and they have a wide variety of classes from single day events to multi-day tours.

Here is the web-site:

http://www.gaphotoworks.com/

On the site you'll find information about upcoming events as well as articles written by GAPW instructors.

(BTW -- I really wish I could go to the Glacier National Park workshop in September -- Scott Kelby of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals will be there!)

08/18/07: Photo practice...

2007-08-18T08:32:00.001-06:00

Here is a random thought I had recently. Wouldn't it be cool to get a bunch of photo masters together in a room and challenge them to very quickly demonstrate how they would handle a tricky shot / tricky lighting situation. Imagine something like a curtain would rise and each of 10 photo masters has 60 seconds (or other arbitrary but brief amount of time) to get a great command of the situation and capture an image. Wouldn't it be neat to see all of the different ways each master would respond?

I tend to seek out challenging photographic situations. If you are having trouble with different situations (tricky light, composition, etc.)...go seek out those opportunities to force yourself to deal with the challenges. Don't avoid what you fear...attack it! :)

08/17/07: Quote of the day...

2007-08-17T22:30:00.001-06:00

Love the simplicity of this one... :)

"A camera gives you a reason to stare."

-John Running

08/16/07: Rick Sammon's Top 10 Digital Photography Tips...

2007-08-16T05:40:00.002-06:00

Yet another awesome (and free) video tutorial -- check out Rick Sammon's Top 10 Digital Photography Tips on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Unv6DPJiU

08/14/07: Good resource for flash fill information...

2007-08-14T21:00:00.000-06:00

If you want to learn more about using a flash for fill light outdoors, or to create various effects with dialing your flash power up or down, check out this handy little cheat sheet from our friends at Popular Photography & Imaging:

http://www.popphoto.com/assets/download/821200311318.pdf

08/13/07: Beware Fake Memory Cards!

2007-08-13T21:07:00.000-06:00

Recently I came across a review on eBay about spotting fake memory cards (compact flash, SD, etc.).

Click here to read a guide for spotting fake cards.

Best bet is to only buy from trusted sellers -- if you come across something that sounds too good to be true, it probably is fake!

EDIT:
Here is an even better write-up.

08/10/07: Quote of the day...

2007-08-10T22:20:00.001-06:00

"A good photograph will make an uncommonly good image of common subjects."

-Anonymous

08/03/07: Quote of the day...

2007-08-03T10:02:00.000-06:00

Today's quote -- a nod to my love of the game of hockey, which I miss dearly during the summer -- is something that has helped me with my photography.

"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be."

-- Wayne Gretzky

All you have to do is change the words "hockey player" to "photographer," "plays" to "shoots," and "puck" to "picture."

To wit...

"A good photographer shoots where the picture is. A great photographer shoots where the picture is going to be."

I know...it's a stretch...but think in terms of a nice vista in poor light (mid-day sun, too high or too low contrast, etc.). Many photographers might skip right past the scene without seeing it's potential. If you are familiar with positions of the sun and the time it rises and falls, you'll see that same vista with great light. So, be like Wayne Gretzky -- only with your camera and lenses instead of stick and puck -- and you'll find many more great scoring, er, shooting opportunities!

08/02/07: Join ProPhotoResource.com -- it's FREE!

2007-08-02T20:41:00.001-06:00

I just learned about an awesome online community of great photographers helping each other out. ProPhotoResource.com is for professional photographers or advanced amateur photographers who are exploring the opportunity to go pro. Our good friend David Jay who runs OpenSourcePhoto.net just signed on to be a regular contributor to Pro Photo Resource.

Basic or "silver" membership on ProPhotoResource.com is FREE. Premium or "gold" membership is just thirty-five bucks and you get all kinds of great discounts from Pro Photo Resource sponsors (including a FREE account on Printroom.com -- normally $99!).

When you sign up for ProPhotoResource, be sure you tell them you heard about them on DailyPhotoTips.com! :)

08/01/07: What are your photo goals this month?

2007-08-01T18:25:00.000-06:00

Happy August! Where has the summer gone? My son only has 3 weeks left before school starts.

With each new month I try to set some personal goals -- and some photography goals too! This month I want to concentrate on finding a better sensor cleaning solution for my Canon 5D -- the larger sensor seems to attract larger DUST! I'd also like to schedule some time for myself to shoot some nature / landscape photos. I used to do that almost every Saturday (well, before we had kids, anyway!) -- now I'm lucky if I can get 2 hours a month set aside for just having some fun shooting. So...hold me accountable and I'll post up some of my August "fun stuff!"

And feel free to enter your photography goals in the comments section of this post...we'll revisit the goals a month from now.

Keep it real!
~Dan

07/31/07: Sale on Mike Colon DVD's!

2007-07-31T19:34:00.001-06:00

Super talented wedding photographer Mike Colon is having a sale this week on his DVD sets. His "Reaching the High-end Bride" DVD, regularly $249, is on sale for $129 and his "The Colon Experience: 4 Day Intensive" DVD, regularly $650 is on sale for $279. For an even greater savings you can buy both for $399 -- a FIVE HUNDRED dollar savings! I own both DVDs and I was lucky enough to have some of my work featured in the Colon Experience DVD as I was a student in his class earlier this year. Mike's business advice is just as good as his shooting tips. If you ever have the chance to see him work...you'll learn a LOT!

Click here to go to Mike's web-site for more information or to order one or both DVD sets.

07/30/07: Vacation pictures...

2007-07-30T20:34:00.000-06:00

You never know where you're gonna get a fun vacation picture. And that's the beauty of digital...you can keep shooting without spending the kind of money you used to have to in the film / develop / print days.

We just got back home today from a long weekend in Michigan and Wisconsin (we basically drove all the way around Lake Michigan!). On Saturday we took a "fast-moving" ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island (yes, they are spelled differently). The ferry probably had 150 passengers, I'm guessing, and the ride was only 2-3 miles (guessing again). I couldn't resist going to the back of the ferry where you could stand on the outside deck of the boat. It was very windy back there -- but I wanted to get some pictures without the impediment of the boat windows. I took this shot (below) of a person sticking their hand out of one of the windows -- I don't know -- it's just a fun picture that I like. :)

07/28/07: Sometimes you just gotta take shots like this...

2007-07-28T08:48:00.000-06:00

I know...it's a bumper sticker on a bicycle...but it made me take notice (enough to snap a pic...yeah, it doesn't take much to amuse me)...

07/27/07: Quote of the day...

2007-07-27T14:29:00.001-06:00

"The photographer begins to feel big and bloated and so big he can't walk through one of these doors because he gets a good byline; he gets notices all over the world and so forth; but they're really -- the important people are the people he photographs. They are what make him."

--Gordon Parks

07/26/07: Lookout for wayward sand!

2007-07-26T21:56:00.000-06:00

We're on vacation in Michigan this week. Although I take GREAT care to make sure I don't expose my cameras / lenses to the elements when visiting a beach (not changing lenses at the beach, carry a rocket blower with me, etc.)...I did NOT expect my three year old son to sneak up behind me with a handful of sand as I was shooting a portrait of his sister. Fortunately I'm (still) a pretty big guy so my back blocked almost all of the sand (I still have some in my ears!)...but I learned my lesson today...as I do every day with my youngest son around!

07/25/07: Back-up your critical files NIGHTLY!!

2007-07-25T21:08:00.000-06:00

Today I'm sad to report that I had a 160 GB hard drive crash. 99% of the files were backed up...the 1% that was were PSD files from a project I just completed. Shame on me for not immediately backing them up. Just because the drive was less than 3 months old doesn't mean it wasn't safe (fortunately it's under warranty). It's just a bummer that I have to re-do about 4 hours worth of work to recreate the PSD files I lost. I'm going to attempt some file recovery software...he-he-he..."when I have time"...so I'll keep you posted.

07/21/07: "No Lifeguard on Duty" Exhibit

2007-07-21T20:33:00.001-06:00

Many photographers are drawn to things unusual...to things "off the beaten path." My mom lives in Dallas and she tipped me off to an exhibition of photographs by J. Bennett Fitts called "No Lifeguard on Duty" currently on display at the Holly Johnson Gallery in Dallas.

"No Lifeguard on Duty" focuses on empty swimming pools at abandoned motels throughout the U.S. The collection of images on display 40 by 50 inch color prints with muted tones -- Fitts shot the images primarly on overcast days, or at dawn or dusk. According to a review in the Dallas Morning News, Fitts has "an eye for forlorn aspects of the American dream and has the technical skills to realize the vision in these very accomplished prints."

To see some of the images from the exhibit, check out J. Bennett Fitts web-site.

07/20/07: Quotes of the day...

2007-07-20T21:55:00.001-06:00

'Tis the vacation season, so here are two quotes related to photography and travel. Happy trails!

"Basically, I love photography - and travel. You could say I travel to take photographs and take photographs to travel."

-- Rick Sammon

"No place is boring, if you've had a good night's sleep and have a pocket full of unexposed film."

-- Robert Adams

*Ed Note:
I suppose we could ammend Adams' quote to state "and a pocket full of 8 gigabyte compact flash cards." :-)

07/14/07: Photosynth - Update

2007-07-14T08:39:00.000-06:00

We here at Daily Photo Tips first told you about Photosynth -- the revolutionary imaging software being developed by LiveLabs at Microsoft -- almost one year ago (see this post).

Here is an updated presentation on Photosynth featured on Ted.com -- a cool technology sharing web-site. So, while our good friends David Jay and Gary Fong are just now mentioning Photosynth on their blogs, remember that we talked about it LAST AUGUST! :)

(But, we still love you Gary and DJ...)