Canon eStore

"Boo." But first, it's about time that Canon actually allows customers to buy products directly from them. It's surprising that their website didn't allow online purchases to be made. The allowability for this via the new Canon eStore is a good addition to the online market. Yet, the eStore is limited in what they sell. It's market is for the consumer, not the professional. The items for sale fall in the range of pocket cameras (point-and-shoot), printers, and photo paper. No SLRs and no new lens for sale. For this I say "boo" but maybe in time they'll expand their market to include pros and prosumers alike.

Photo Geek - Composition Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Composition

If any of these composition terms makes sense to you, you are a bona fide photo geek. If not, the words are self explanatory, just implement them into your shots:

Rule of Thirds
Symmetry
Birds eye view
Close up
Diagonal
Leading lines
S- curve
Repetitive lines
Reflections
Animals & People
Portraits
Story
Shadow Art
Wide Angel
Low Horizon
High Horizon
Low Perspective
Group
Products

Photo Geek - Tripod Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Buying a Tripod

What to look for when buying a Tripod:

Must Consider
Carbon Fiber (or light weight to carry)
Height (proportionate to your height at eye level)
Quick release legs (metal)
Quick release camera mount (a must in my opinion)
Insulation in legs (need in cold weather or won't open up) > or cover with foam
Cross bar lock (to lock legs)

Optionals
Seperate tripod head (with hand grip, trigger)
Level (to ensure even horizon)
Strap or bag (to carry tripod)
Center hook (for camera bag; weighs down tripod so camera does not tip over)
Ability to lower and widen legs (for macro shots) or lower middle bar down horizontally

Brands to Consider
Getzo
Gioto
Bogen
Velbon

Photo Geek - Lens Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Camera Lenses

Camera Body | The 5D Mark II is coming out in November 2008. Should price at around $3K. Eventually Canon will make all camera lines body full framed (the 50D line for example will turn full frame within the next year, two or three to beat out it's competitor, Nikon). Nikon recently changed to full frame to keep up with Canon. Eventually, we'll all be able to purchase full framed cameras at a reasonable consumer price.

Lenses | Buy the most expensive full framed lens you can afford. If you can't afford it, then wait until you can (rather than buying low and upgrading later). Also buy the fastest lens you can afford. It will make a difference in your photo quality and creativity. Some people only work with primes, others like zooms, and yet others like myself like to work with both.

Long zooms lenses | While a 20-300 won't get you the clearest shots at the end ranges (plus vignettes), these lenses are great for travel. For domestic shots (at your home, on assignment) opt to carry multiple lens such as a 17-85 and 70-200 for example. More flexibility and better quality.

Storage | Place your camera in air tight containers with silicon to absorb moisture. Algae, particularly in humid climates, will permanently scratch your expensive camera lens.

Photo Geek - Flash Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Flash

Buying a Flash | Get the most powerful flash you can afford. This is one area where it's not worth it to save a few bucks to get a lesser flash. The level of flash power makes a huge difference.

Flash brackets | Not only positions the flash directly above the camera body with height, but also allows you to take portraits *vertically* while avoiding black spaces in portraits.

Flash and portraits | For those with blue and light eyes, always position the flash from the top down to prevent red eyes. Learn how lighting bounces off ceiling and subjects using the 3 positions of the external flash.

Omni Bounce & Flash Diffuser| The omni bounce softens the skin. The plastic diffuser bounces light off the ceiling less harshly. The textured clear cover is to diffuse light for wide angle shots.

Flash Chord | Allows you to hand hold flashes to catch side lighting. Attach a hand chord to the flash so you don't drop the flash while setting camera functions for the next shot.

Lithium batteries | Drains fully, longer life, and weighs less. Alkaline drains quickly, has a slow death (flash operates slower and slower over time), and will leak in your camera.

Photo Geek - Nikon vs. Canon

Photo Geek - The Fight is On

Camera enthusiasts fall into one of two camps: they are either Nikon supporters or Canon loyalists. Both companies are solid and have rivaled against each other in the photo industry. This is good news for consumers, for it ensures ever improving products at competitive prices.

The skinny on the debate--They are both great camera that perform well. When it all boils down, the basic Pro's and Con's between each line are:

Nikon
(+) More lens coatings = More contrast, more saturated colors (particularly deep reds and yellows)
(-) Internal Camera Technology: Less depth in digital images (flat, less of a 3-D effect)

Canon
(+) Good speed = Fast and Sharp. Technology is way ahead of other competitors. Nikon enthusiasts admit that Nikon will not catch up in the next two decades.
(-) Flatter color, images soft (not as sharp as Nikon)


Philosophical Differences
The Canon line was founded on prioritizing speed which was a gamble back in the 1950s. No one else had done this, yet it's this philosophy that distinguished Canon from other pro competitors who had always privileged Apeture over Speed (Nikon, Pentax, Minolta). Canon felt that anyone can take a good photo, but what will make the biggest difference is camera shake (related to speed). So they focused on excelling in this. Nikon and others felt that the main purpose and pleasure of photography lay in the ability to compose well (hence their emphasis on apeture and coloring). Canon's speed has earned a reputation among sports photographers (around 90% use Canon) while visual artists tend to prefer Nikon.

So...it's your choice. Depending on your preferences, purposes, and aligned philosophy, you might come away being a Nikon or Canon enthusiast.

I personally, use Canon. Call it brand loyalty--my first camera was a Brownie and thereafter my parents bought me a canon camera (as a third or sixth grade Christmas gift...I forget). While I took my little Brownie to family camping trips across the country, it was the Canon that I took to my first trip to Europe when I was 15. Since then, I've loved Canons and probably will never think to switch otherwise.

Photo Geek - DAM Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Digital Assets Management

Lightroom 2.0 | Adobe's newest version of the popular Windows photography workflow software. Helps to create a photo organization system and provide basic touch up tools. Automatically renames files, organizes folders and adds metadata and keywords as you import photos. Tools to correct white balance, exposure, tone curves, lens distrotion and color casts. Also provides online web galleries. The most appreciated time-saving feature by photographers is the ability to enhance the exposure of batches of photos at one time.


Aperture | Apple's version of Lightroom, suposedly better than Lightroom 1.0. But Adobe has numerous versions of Lightroom ready to be distributed for PCs (with an upgrade every six months or so) to out do their Mac competitor. Aperture is great for Mac users and sets the industry standards.

Photoshop CS3 | Whether using Photoshop Elements 6, CS2 (which I have but have never used) or the new CS3, this is a must for professional photographers. It has a more specified range of features that Lightroom does not. Dodging and burning or example, are not yet available on Lightroom.

Bridge| Used to process RAW photos, this is said to be cumbersome and an unnecessary step. Just download, convert your files (to JPEG), and touch up through Photoshop.

(Thanks for Dave for first introducing me to the term DAM which inspired me to inquire more about these software programs; to AC for my 20 minute Photoshop tutorial; and Nely, Willie and Joan for their perspective on Lightroom. The Hawaii State Library has helpful books on these software programs.)

Energy Photo Jump

I love Thursday nights. I get so energized in my photography class, learning the technicalities of my camera, learning about equipment, new software programs, and just talkin' shop. I didn't know that I was such a camera geek. For the next fewweeks I'll be posting some camera tips that I learn either from the field, my two classes, my own experience, from talks with others, workshops, and books I'm reading. This Fall I'm jumping into photography full force!