Apr 04 2009
I’d check out the University Of Washington campus – that’s one of the best places in Seattle.
The trees are established and set against the beautiful old University architecture – it’s a sure shoot no matter if it’s sunny or overcast.
http://www.washington.edu/home/maps/northcentral.html
Mar 31 2009
Guest Post by:
DeeDee Dobson adores the color pink. On her blog, she writes about pink digital cameras and pink gadgets to go along with them.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DeeDee_Dobson
I personally don’t like to drag a lot of equipment with me when I’m out shooting, but there are a few things I simply can’t do without. I have listed my top 5 pieces of equipment that every photographer (amateur or not) should consider adding to their camera bag.
Epson’s Multimedia Photo Viewers
These small, portable backup/storage/display devices can truly save the day if you are out shooting and find yourself with filled up memory cards and lots left to see. You can transfer photos (as well as video and music) straight from your camera or through the built in card slots. The viewers come in three different configurations: the P-3000 has a 40GB hard drive, the P-6000 80GB, and the P-7000 160GB. All measure 3.5×5.9×1.3 ” and weigh 1lb, and some of the features include 4″ screens, long life rechargeable batteries, and A/V output. $299-$699.
Gorilla pod
These flexible, funky looking tripods are amazing little gadgets. Sturdy and durable, their legs twist and bend so that they are able to attach to almost anything (your bike, a car, a pole, a branch, etc.). They come in 5 sizes to suit everything from cell phones to heavy video cameras, and are really lightweight: 1.6oz (the “Go-Go”) to 1.1 lbs (the “Focus”). The SLR model weighs in at 5.8oz and costs $44.95, and the Original model (for point and shoots) weighs 1.6 oz and sells for $24.95.
Homemade Flash diffuser
On-camera flashes usually produce some pretty horrible results, and not everyone wants to spend money on an external flash (and take the time to perfect using it). I have found two homemade remedies that work really well:
For popup flashes, use an old film canister (not the black ones obviously, the hazy white ones). Take the lid off, cut a strip out of it from top to bottom, just wide enough so that it fits snugly over your flash, and just slide it in place so that the flash is being fired through the canister. You’ll have to play around with the camera settings a little bit to get the exposure to where you want it. If you don’t have any old canisters lying about, ask at a photo printing shop if you can have one.
For point and shoot flashes, I use a small piece of tape, regular Scotch Magic Tape (not the totally clear kind). Put one piece over the flash, test and see what you think. If it’s still too strong, just put another piece over it. Weight: negligible. Cost: Around $2 for the tape.
Collapsible Reflector
It might seem like an unnecessary expense, but these small, lightweight disks are invaluable for adding light to the shaded part of a person or object, both indoors and out. I use the 22″ Photoflex disk in Silver/White for just about everything, but they come in several different colors. Give it a try yourself: place a person parallel to a window and take a head shot without the reflector. Then take one with your subject holding the reflector (outside of the picture of course) so that it bounces the light from the window into the shaded side of their face, and look at the difference. If you want to do the test shots before investing, try it with a white piece of cardboard. It works just as well, but it’s not as easy to pack in a bag. Weight: 1.75 oz. (22″ Photoflex) Cost: Around $25.
Rain Protection
The Shutter Hat is like a raincoat for your camera (SLR) so you don’t have to pass up shooting outside just because it’s raining or snowing. It’s held in place by Velcro and a rubber piece that fits into the flash hot shoe, and covers lenses up to 8″ long. It also has two slits for the strap, so you can still carry it around your neck with the Hat on. It folds up really small, so you can carry it with you and have it on hand all the time in case of a sudden downpour. Weight: 2.28 oz. Cost: $39.95
For point and shoot cameras, your best bet is to invest in a waterproof case such as Aquapac or DiCAPac. Not only will they protect your camera in the rain, you can also take it snorkeling or diving. 2.7oz, $29.95-$49.95. For a land-only low cost alternative, use a shower cap or a ziplock bag with a hole cut out for the lens.
Guest Post by:
DeeDee Dobson adores the color pink. On her blog, she writes about pink digital cameras and pink gadgets to go along with them.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DeeDee_Dobson
Mar 30 2009
I thought it was going to be overcast yesterday so I headed north the Skagit Valley and found several fields in color. Took the photo above.
However, It turned out to be a sunny day so I got the brilliant idea to head south to capture the Daffodils at The Van Lierop Bulb with Mount Rainier in the background.
Turns out the daffs aren’t ready yet. If you are thinking about the trip down to capture Mount Rainier in the background – wait a couple more weeks.
Mar 29 2009
Here’s a great resource if you are thinking about photographing the Tulips or Daffodil farms outside of Mount Vernon this spring.
Provided by the Washington Bulb Company, Inc., the parent company of Roozengaarde and Tulips.Com. They grow over a thousand acres of flowers in the beautiful Skagit Valley, Washington! Many thousands of people visit each spring to see the spectacular bloom in progress.
Here’s a link to their farms, which field is blooming and what type of bulb. Check it out before you head up there.
http://www.tulips.com/bloommap.cfm
I’ll see you there!
Mar 28 2009
O'Malley A Purrfect Pals Cat Who Came Home With Us
Purrfect Pals is a local Puget Sound based cat rescue organization. My two cats, Jett & O’Malley were adopted from the group, so naturally I have a soft spot for the group.
Every year as a fund raiser they have an “Average Joe Cat Show” – where house cats can compete for Monster Cat, Most Obnoxious or Most Well Behaved, Longest or Fluffiliest tail, etc.
It’s in Shoreline (at the Shoreline Center on 15ht Ave NE) this year on May 2nd.
Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM ($5.00 per person)
They also hold a Photo Contest, which is what this post is about. Here’s a chance to dust off your favorite cat photos and enter them in the Photo Competition. The photos will be displayed at the show.
Contest Rules:
General: Photographs must be taken by the entrant. Photographs must be of cats.
Catagories: Prizes will be awarded for all categories listed. They are:
Judging: Entries will be judged on the basis of content, composition, and artistic merit. All photos may be digitally manipulated; the “Creative Digitally Manipulated” category is intended for clearly digitally created compositions.
Prizes: Every entrant will receive a prize for every category entered. First place awards will be given in each category for both children and adults. All other entrants will receive second place awards. A single photo will earn the Best in Show award.
Who May Enter: Open to all photographers. Entrants age 12 and under will participate in the children’s section. All other entrants participate in the adult section. Each entry entitles the entrant to select one category. Additional categories may be selected for $3.00 per additional category, per photo. Each paid photo entry ($15.00 per photo) entitles the entrant to one free admission to the Average Joe Cat show.
Photo Use: Participants agree to allow Purrfect Pals to utilize entered photos for non-commercial uses such as fund-raising appeals, newsletters, and on web sites.
Preparing Your Entry: All entries must be submitted as a print, with a maximum size of 8X12 inches. Photos will not be returned. Purrfect Pals will mount your print on white cardboard. Mark your name, address, and phone number on the reverse of the print along with the image’s name and categories entered.
For an entry form contact Purrfect Pals by 360-652-9611 ext. 4 or visit their website at www.purrfectpals.org
I have the form but don’t see a deadline – but I would expect they need the entrants by mid April 2009.
Mar 27 2009
One you have those stellar photos of Mt Rainier with the daffodils – send them into the National Geographic Great Outdoors Photo Contest!
Entry Deadline: April 20th, 2009
GRAND PRIZE
A five-night stay for two at Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya Hotel in Mexico, including breakfast daily, one dinner for two at Ambar restaurant, and two aromatherapy massage treatments. Contributed by Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya.
CATEGORY WINNERS
Each category winner will receive:
$100 B&H Photo gift card
Gold Pass – PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo
Winners in the professional category will also receive valuable prize packages including:
a digital camera
a PDN Photoserve portfolio
a subscription to PDN magazine and PDNonline.com
a PDN swag bag
Professional winners’ work will also be featured in the August 2009 issue of PDN magazine and in a winners’ gallery on PDNonline.com. Great prizes, great professional exposure!
More information about the contest: http://thegreatoutdoorsphotocontest.com/
Mar 26 2009
mt rainier by digisnap1
I’m waiting for the next clear day to head down to The Van Lierop Bulb Farm (http://www.vanlieropbulbfarm.com) for a photo of Mt Rainier in background and Daffodils in the foreground. If I can make it down there around 6:30 – 7:00 pm the sunset colors will really pop out the photo.
I read about this photo op in The Photographer’s Guide to the Puget Sound & Northwest Washington
To find the spot take I-5 south to exit 142B (Puyalluo) to SR 161 south. Turn left on Pioneer and go 2miles. At a 1/4 mile past Shaw Road, Pioneer takes a hard right. Turn left here, cross over the railroad tracks onto 134th Ave E. – You’ll find Van Lierop’s on the corner.
Mar 22 2009
I’ve driven by this truck many times over the last few months. I always tell myself to stop and take a photo.
Yesterday I took a few hours off and drove up 1-5 to the spot. It’s just south of Mt Vernon – at the NOAA exit. At the bottom of the exit, turn right, then left at the first street. Go north about half a mile – you’ll find this wonderful old beauty waiting….
The sun was almost showing, which made for a more even light – not really harsh shadows.
I used a tripod and bracketed the exposures – this may be a good subject for an HDR photo.
Mar 20 2009
The Gray Card in Digital Photography
To purchase a gray card on Amazon Click Here
18% Percent Neutral Gray Grey Card Digital Studio Location Photography
When taking digital photographs, a grey card can be an essential accessory in creating white balance and getting precise representation of colour. A digital camera will record the colour of light very accurately. The eye and brain are extremely adaptable to variations; digital is not, it records what is there. Something might look white to us, but if it has a colour cast, that will show on the digital file.
By using a grey card, the camera can be set to a true white balance, resulting in a more accurate recording of all the colours. This is particularly important when there is mixed light from different sources. There might be a mixture of daylight and tungsten and even a bit of fluorescent thrown in.
A grey card is a piece of card which is grey. These days, they are often made of a more durable material than card but they will be a neutral grey. The older photographic grey cards are not suitable because they are not neutral enough. They were used for judging exposure rather than judging a white balance and colour neutrality.
Photographic grey cards have a reflective surface of 18%. Digital grey cards usually have a reflective surface of 18% or 25%. That doesn’t matter; what does matter is their accuracy, they must be neutral grey.
The grey card is put into the image so that the light falling on the subject also falls on the grey card. The white balance reading is taken from the card. The photograph should be taken in Raw and not as a JPEG in camera.
Short of using a proper copying bench with flash or tungsten lighting, then the best way to photograph a painting is outside. Choose a bright day with diffused light, and be out of direct sunlight. The only way to make an accurate white balance is to use a grey card.
The sample on the left uses a card with a true white, an 18% grey and a black. Setting the image to these tones will give as accurate interpretation of the colours as possible. Without a grey card there is no chance of getting the colours of the paints looking like the originals.
Where lighting conditions are completely controllable, such in a studio, a grey card is still an essential gadget. Exposure and colour balance need to be consistent in every image. Relying on the camera’s automatic reading of the conditions means that when the subject is changed, the readings will change. With a grey card, the digital photographer can take a specific reading from a single target point and the resulting settings for the white balance will be good for all the images in that lighting, even when the subject matter is changed.
Two objects might look the same colour in one type of light, but can look different colours in a different light source. For example, a matching scarf and handbag might look different colours in a second type of light. This is due to the amount of ultra-violet light the objects absorb and reflect. Using the grey card can help minimize the problems here.
The Cube takes the grey card to a more precise level. The six sides of the cube are black white and grey; but it also has other features.
A Cube is particularly useful in a studio environment.
The top chrome ball will catch specular highlights which is an extreme highlight containing no detail.
The white face is the brightest highlight still retaining useful detail.
The grey face is an 18% grey for setting mid-tone neutrality and colour temperature.
The black face is for the shadow, still retaining some shadow detail.
The black hole, referred to as the Black Trap, is an absolute black and is used as a reference point for the black face.
More on the Cube and the Gray Card can be found at: The Gray Card
Guest Post By:
Duncan Wherrett is an experienced photographer and user and teacher of Photoshop
Photoshop Tutorials
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Duncan_Wherrett
To purchase a gray card on amazon.com click below
18% Percent Neutral Gray Grey Card Digital Studio Location Photography
Mar 06 2009
6 Annual Photo Contests That Could Bring You Fame, Glory and International Recognition
It’s not always easy to come up with new, creative ideas for your photos. Sometimes you need to give yourself an assignment to snap out of the old way of doing things. Submitting your photos to contests not only gives you a specific goal to work towards, you also get feedback on your work from the pros. And if you’re lucky, a prize or two to boot.
These annual contests will give you plenty of inspiration:
Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award
In celebration of its 30th year, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (for professional photographers only) has added a Newcomer Award category, open to prospective professional photographers, 25 years or younger. They are looking for a series of photos (up to 12) showing the interaction between man and the environment, and the deadline is March 1st, 2009. The winner will receive $2,500 Euros (presented at the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie festival in Arles, France) and their work on display in an online gallery at Leica’s website.
International Photography Awards
You’re sure to find a category that suits your tastes in this contest: there are 8 main and 51 subcategories for amateurs, and 9 main and 63 subcategories for pros. The deadline is March 27, and the cost to enter is $25 for a single image, $50 for a series and $15 for each image after that (for amateurs). A jury picks 21 category winners, and prizes include cash ($10,000 and $5,000), exhibits of your work, Lucie statues, and the winner awarded the “Photographer of the Year” prize will also be featured in (and shoot part of) a Pilsner Urquell documercial in the Czech Republic!
Underwater Images Photo/Video Competition
The 12th Annual Underwater Images Photo/Video Competition is obviously limited to photos taken underwater, but these prizes will probably make you want to go out and invest in a waterproof housing if you don’t already own an underwater camera. Winners are awarded dive trips to Papua New Guinea, Honduras, the Solomon Islands, the Cayman Islands, Bonaire, Hawaii, and Indonesia. Other prizes include a 7 night all inclusive dive package in Roatan, a five day stay (for 2) in Borneo, dive equipment, gift certificates and more. The contest is open to amateurs only, and it’s $10/image to enter (as many images as you want). All prizes are donated by the dive operators and resorts, and the proceeds from the contest go to marine conservation, education, and scholarships. The deadline for 2009 is April 1st.
National Wildlife Photo Contest
This contest, held by the National Wildlife Magazine, is open to everyone over the age of 13, and divided into pro, amateur and youth divisions. (If you’re not 13 yet, check out the Ranger Rick Photo Contest, held every three months). The 2009 deadline is July 20, and you can enter up to 20 photos. The entry fee is $15 (for all 20 pictures) and includes six issues of National Wildlife as well as a year-long membership in NWF. The categories this year are “Plant Life”, “Birds”, “Mammals”, “Other Wildlife”, “Connecting People & Nature”, “Landscapes”, “Backyard Habitats” and “Global Warming & Wildlife”. Winners are awarded cash prizes, calendars, field guides and more.
National Geographic’s World In Focus
If you’ve ever leafed through an issue of National Geographic, you know that they are used to stunning photography. There is some serious competition in this one, but don’t use that as an excuse not to enter! No details have been announced yet for the 2009 contest, but the deadline is normally in late summer/early fall (check their website for updates), and categories last year were: Sense of Place, Outdoor Scenes, Travel Portraits, Photo Essay and Spontaneous Moments. The entry fee is ordinarily $12/image for amateurs and $35/image for pros. Prizes in 2008 included camera gear, photo workshops, trips to various exotic locations, and your image in print and online.
Islands Magazine
Islands’ annual photo contest is on its 20th year, and if you like travel, this is one to enter for sure. They are looking for island-based travel photos, and the entry fee is only $3/photo. Prizes this year include trips to Fiji, Oahu, Iceland and Aruba. The 2009 deadline was January 31st, so set your sights on entering next year (something to keep in mind while vacationing this year).
Guest Post by:
DeeDee Dobson encourages everyone to enter their photos in contests. On her blog, she talks about pink digital cameras and the different brands on the market.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DeeDee_Dobson
