The dual monitor solution...Maximizing the Lightroom experience

I'm hooked.

I used to think working with two monitors would be confusing and not worth the amount of desktop real-estate you must dedicate to the second monitor. 

But after watching what I think is a great video by Adobe's Julieanne Kost, I must say it has made working in Lightroom much more efficient and enjoyable. 


If you have only one monitor, don't fear...watch the video through to the end and Julieanne will share how the same techniques designed for the dual monitor solution can be applied with a single monitor.

hhmmm...  should this be a Pick of the Week?

Close, Closer... and now three steps closer!

There are three basic techniques photographers can use to instantly improve their images... getting closer, finding the right light and creating more images.  Finding the right light is likely the most important as a mediocre composition can be transformed by glorious light.  Moving closer to the subject is equally important.  Many times amateur photographers stand too far awar from people they are photographing - often 10 to 20 feet from their subjects.  This becomes an even bigger problem the smaller the subjects are.

Snow day activities...

We're in the grips of the third big snow storm of this winter.  About 8 - 10 inches fell overnight and it doesn't show signs of stopping.  Here on Long Island's south shore, wind and cold temp off the water are more of an issue than the snow fall, driving is a challenge as we are last on the town's snow-plow route...  Clear days are graced with a beautiful view of the Great South Bay.  Today, visibility is measured in feet.

My house is full of interesting things to photograph but today I will concentrate on two other activities...  Spring cleaning of my gear closet and making a list of things I can throw in the for-sale forums, and spending some time in Lightroom finishing the keywording of a few recent shoots (until my wife yells at me to get off the computer..).

I've been dedicating a good deal of time to learning the nuances of Lightroom3 Beta..fingers are crossed that the roll-out will be soon as I really like the enhancements.  I am reluctant to convert my current LR catalog over to LR3 since it is still Beta.  FYI..you can import existing DNG's  image files using the Add command in LR3's import dialog while keeping them in your current LR catalog, and make all the edits and changes you wish without disrupting the original files.  LR3 recognizes all the changes, keywords and exif info from the earlier version and also picks up all your presets, keyword lists and print templates, but your changes in LR3 won't be seen in the earlier versions...not backward compatible.  So you can can dive into LR3 with a familiar look and feel of your older version.  Fun!!

The 'Best' Question...

What's the best lens...  How best to light a subject...  What camera bag is best (ugh, try to answer that one)..

How many times have you asked, or been asked a similar question?

Twice in the past five days I have been asked something like "I am going to be doing a shoot of [insert subject/place].  What is the best way to approach it?"

What dawned on me is that one of the reasons I am so deeply in love with this crazy craft is that there is no one perfectly right answer... there are umpteen perfectly right answers and like many art forms there is plenty of room for interpretation!  Put ten practitioners in one room, ask them the a question similar to one of the above, and you'll likely get more workable answers than you could handle.  And all will have a high level of viability.

It's from a potpourri of ideas like this, that new, creative techniques evolve, budding photographers can draw from to help grow an inventory of proficiencies and experienced photographers add additional arrows to their already full quiver.

From time to time you might encounter some folks whose massive egos lead them to think their way is the only way. But that's another topic.  More often than not, I find our community is graced with individual's who want to help and believe in giving more than they receive..

Next time you see this kind of question, take the time to share your thoughts and experience.  And open up to idea that there is always something to be learned.

Sigma launches five new lenses!

The five new lenses along with links to more info.

85mm F1,4 EX DG HSM (full-frame with HSM focusing)
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10022015sigma85mm.asp

Rear-focus, rounded 9-blade aperture, 77mm filter, hood has adapter for more shading with DX cameras, reproduction ratio is a disappointing 1:8.6 (Nikon's 85/1.4 is similar at 1:8.4).

17-50mm F2,8 EX DC OS HSM (DX lens with HSM)
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10...ma17mm50mm.asp

70-200mm F2,8 EX DG OS HSM (also full-frame with Sigma's image stabilization and HSM)
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10...a70mm200mm.asp

Magnification ratio is 1:8, closest focus is 55". 9 rounded aperture blades. 77m filter thread, hood extender for DX cameras.

8-16mm F4,5-5,6 DC HSM (DX ultra-wide lens with HSM)
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10...gma8mm16mm.asp

50-500mm F4,5-6,3 DG OS HSM (the Bigma with image stabilization added)
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10...a50mm500mm.asp

Keeping track of all those image files...

At last count my image library manages well over 200,000 digital images.  I have files dating back to 2001 that originated in digital form and many that were scanned to digital files that date ages before.

That's a lot of images to sort through when I need to find that one image I know will depict my message perfectly...  Hmmm, it was a morning shoot, it was warm, I think it was at a park, no the beach...well, that's all I remember but when I see it, I'll know it!!  We've all been in this predicament.

By maintaining a good filing system and keyword hierarchy, with relentless diligence, I can narrow the search down to some manageable number of images with just a few clicks.  Here are some ideas worth considering as you accumulate more and more images....

List , charts and sketchs can keep you focused and save time

I'm a list person... I sketch and doodle a lot.  I have lists for everything.  I have an iPhone app to keep track of my lists.   So it should be of little surprise to find that I make photography lists and sketches.  Lists of things I want to photograph; How I want to photograph them; Workshops I will be doing; Topics to share here in the blog..

Consider quick napkin notes of ideas you want depict in your photo session.  Many will agree that working from a self-assignment can help give your random ideas some direction and form.  You don't need to be an artist, nor do you need to be overly detailed.

Creating a schematic after a recent workshop has helped me recreate the shooting and light setup and will save me a ton of effort next time I want a similar setup.  Historically I will make three to five revisions of a particular setup on scrap paper before committing it to one of my journal.  The journal has a rather random flow, but I keep an index in the back of each book and use a keyword hierarchy to navigate back to the entries of lists, camera settings and schematics that fill the front pages.

Pick of the week.... Gaffer's tape

Yep... a lowly roll of tape.

 

It's uses are countless.  It sticks like Duct Tape, but peels off like a Post-It note paper, without leaving any sticky residue.  It isn't cheap as far as tape goes, but there are no substitutes.

Think in opposites...

One compositional guideline to making interesting images is to do something someone else hasn't done, see from a slightly different perspective. 

When everyone is hunkered down because the snow is falling, grab you gear and go out shooting!  Don't wait until the snow or rain is over to start your photo session.. that's been done a gojillion times.

 

 

Don't worry about your equipment, it can withstand more abuse than the average person can subject it to.  Pay more attention to sudden changes in temperature..From out in the snowy cold to inside a toasty warm car..condensation will form on and inside your equipment that can cause irreparable damage, so keep the heat off!  I did say think in opposites, didn't I ??

Nikon releases two new lenses...

The 24mm f/1.4 AFS...  should come in around $2,200..   Yes, fast glass is expensive

• A fast, wide-angle 24mm fixed focal-length lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4
  This lens is perfect for capturing scenes such as architecture, landscapes and narrow indoor spaces with incredible perspective at the wide-angle focal length of 24mm. As an wide-angle lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4, it offers superior optical performance demonstrated not only with handheld shooting under dim indoor lighting, but with large blur characteristics that make the most of this fast lens in images that exhibit dynamic perspective.
• Constructed with two ED and two aspherical lens elements
  A new optical design achieves an excellent balance between high resolution and aberration.
• Nano Crystal Coat significantly reduces ghost and flare
• Equipped with a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for extremely quiet autofocusing
• Offers two focus modes, M/A (autofocus with manual override) and M (manual)

And, the AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR

• An ultra wide-angle zoom lens with maximum aperture of f/4 through the full 16mm to 35mm range of focal lengths
• Built-in vibration reduction (VR II) offering camera shake compensation equivalent to a shutter speed increase of approximately four stops
• Nano Crystal Coat significantly reduces ghost and flare
• An ultra wide-angle zoom lens with an angle of view beginning at 107° and a filter attachment size of 77mm
• Equipped with a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for extremely quiet autofocusing
• Constructed with two ED and three aspherical lens elements for superior aberration compensation
• Offers two focus modes, M/A (autofocus with manual override) and M (manual)

Both should prove to be excellent tools.. but I am turning blue waiting for a few other items from the back rooms of Nikon..  How about an update to the Cream Machine, the 85 f/1.4?  Or, an AF-S version of the 80-400VR?  And, please Nikon...while I love my D3, can't you make me a D3 in Dx?  Please?

(images and text courtesy of Nikon..)

Biggest mistake

What is the biggest mistake made by beginning digital photographers??

Trying to load 35mm film into the camera’s compact flash card slot..

But seriously, folks, the biggest mistake made by beginning digital photographers is assuming that the latest and greatest of photographic technology will make it all good and correct all of the hurdles faced by generations of film photographers coming before them.

Granted, advancements in sensor technology and lens control simplify much of the labor in setting up basic shots.  And I am the first to admit I am a serious gear head.  But even the most advanced digital camera cannot suggest composition, dramatic lighting or mood behind capturing a striking photo.

Next time you are pondering that high ticket piece of kit, consider taking a professional workshop or class, or go on a photo oriented trip.  Your photography will improve far greater by spending a few days back to back immersing yourself in your craft than it would by buying a new lens or body..

And, by all means... read the manual!!  Good chance you camera has far more capability than you actually use...

Exposing to the right side of the Histogram...

In a recent workshop a question was asked regarding the best way expose in RAW format.  The question went something like this...   So, if I create two images, one shot at two stops over the metered value and one shot at two stops under the metered value the two stops under will be a better image?  The answer was "yes".  I don't entirely agree.  Ok, let me explain...

Pick of the Week...DropBox

It's time to leave the house..  Cell phone goes in my jacket pocket; Laptop in my shoulder bag accompanied by a portable USB Western Digital Passport HD; USB memory stick in pants pocket; printed list of all my web user names and login info under lock and key...in my wallet.  I'm equipped for a day in this digital world.  Well, welcome to a few years ago.

Fast forward to today...

Self-Assignments...staying sharp

One way I find I can be more effective in a photo-journalist way is keeping my eye sharp and training myself  to acknowledge what's around me, not just see it.  It takes attention and practice.

Last year I was inspired to start a self-assignment of photographing the numbers 1 - 50 as seen around me.  I committed to not using house numbers as that would be too easy, and to try to isolate the numbers if possible.  Far harder than you might imagine..

A recent visit to my daughters school proved especially fruitful, but with all the labels, charts, number lines, rulers and class-room numbers it almost felt like I was cheating.   

Click the image for more in the Number 1 - 50 project

Holy Smokes! Now THAT's a pool!!

Another incredible image from HDR guru Trey Ratcliffe.  Head over to his website StuckinCustoms for more of his work (and the hi-res version of the image below).  Not sure what is more engaging..the calmness of the water or the enveloping blue of the walls and ceiling..   Trey offers this tidbit about the indoor pool..."Here’s a cool fact about this pool.  Part of Hearst has now been gutted so there is room for the IT department.  The IT department uses the water from this pool to cool their equipment…  wild, eh?"  

Click the image for a larger version and the story..

 

(And if you think pool is cool, check out the library...)

More iPhone apps to improve your photography!

I have found I am using the iPhone for imaging more and more these days..   No, it hasn't replaced my D3, nor will I use it for birding..  But is it a great tool for documenting lighting setups for future reference, for making an image of a shooting location that was or might be particularly rich in photo opportunities and even for an occassional portrait or location shoot.  Here are a few more apps I find particularly useful...

Hit the jump for more...  (that's the Read More link below...)