We checked all the entries and randomly selected and lucky @ramoncarcases is the winner.

Didn’t win? Don’t despair. There’s another giveaway tomorrow and tonight I’m announcing the next quarterly giveaway – it will be the most expensive single prize I’ve ever given away. With the help of WHCC I’ll be giving away a:

Canon 1D MK IV

Details coming on that contest very, very soon.

Please note, if you decide to unfollow me because you didn’t win, I’m okay with that, but you won’t be allowed to re-enter the next camera giveaway.

Thanks for being a part of Photofocus.

Photo Courtesy Bambi Cantrell - Copyright 2010 - All Rights Reserved

I just had one of the most surreal experiences of my life. People who know me are probably on the edge of their seats since I’ve had lots of surreal experiences. But this one is right up there. I had my portrait made by Bambi Cantrell. Although she needs no introduction to many of you who make portraits for a living, not everyone in my audience is familiar with her, so I’ll take just a moment to explain who Bambi is.

Her list of accolades and accomplishments is long indeed. She was honored in July 2008 by the Russian Federation of Professional Photographers, and was presented with the prestigious “Golden Eye” award; an award only given 10 times in the history of the organization. In 2007 American Photo Magazine named Bambi Cantrell as one of the “10 Best Wedding Photographers in the world.” Cantrell was honored by Microsoft Corporation in 2006 by being named the first woman “Icon of Imaging” in their elite Icons program, and to this day provides photographic educational training to photographers worldwide. In 2003 the United Nations honored Bambi Cantrell with its ”International Leadership Award,” and in 2001 Bambi was honored with “The Lifetime Achievement Award” the highest honor given by The Wedding Portrait Photographers International Organization.

In addition to being an internationally recognized photographer, Bambi Cantrell is also an accomplished author. She has three best selling educational books, “The Art of Wedding Photography,” “The Art of the Digital Wedding,” (with Skip Cohen) and “The Art of People Photography.”

In other words, Bambi is a pro’s pro.

Photo Courtesy Bambi Cantrell - Copyright 2010 - All Rights Reserved

While in Vegas for the WPPI conference, I had the pleasure of having my portrait made by Bambi. Just one of the many perks of being friend’s with Skip Cohen is that he knows everyone. And while Bambi and I had spoken at the same conferences, and been introduced before, I didn’t really KNOW her. Skip KNOWS her and thanks to his relationship and persuasive ways, he talked Bambi into taking time out of one of the busiest schedules in the world to shoot me.

I’ve heard many photographers say what I’m about to say. One of the reasons I became a photographer was that I hate having my picture taken. As long as I have the camera in my hand, I rarely have to suffer the indignity of being the subject of the photo. Let’s face it, I’m not exactly male model material. So one of the reasons I went to the best in the business is that it was going to take the best in the business to make a portrait of me that didn’t completely suck. In fact my goal here was to end up with a photograph that made me a little less gross than I am in real life!

I had no idea what to expect from this experience. I knew I was nervous and that I wasn’t looking forward to it. NOTE: That’s the way many of the people who wind up in front of my camera feel so it’s good to stop and have the same experience so I can feel some empathy towards their fear.

Photo Courtesy Bambi Cantrell - Copyright 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Bambi called me up to her suite at the convention hotel. She sat me down and started probing me for information. She wanted to figure out who I am and what I’m about. But she did all this probing with a camera in her hand. And WHATEVER I was expecting, I wasn’t expecting what happened next. You see, Bambi Cantrell is a crazy woman. She’s a spazz! She kicked off her high-heel shoes and started jumping around on the hotel furniture trying to get a good angle to shoot me from against the natural light coming in through the hotel window. She started calling me “darlin’” and “BooBoo” – (BooBoo????) and was laughing and asking questions and making monkey sounds and it was just plain wild. She jumped up on a table and the couch. She warned me that she never knew what was going to come out of her mouth. She moved me this way and that. All the while, she was encouraging me, saying “You’re gonna’ love the way these turn out.” She also kept asking me questions.

Now at this point in the story, you may want to take a breath. I sure did. Within five minutes of arriving at Bambi’s hotel suite I felt like I’d been in the middle of an Indiana Jones movie. This woman has TONS of personality and energy and no matter what shape you’re in when you arrive for a portrait session with her, you’re going to be tired afterwards.

Bambi decided that we should move outside. As we left her suite, we didn’t get 10 feet down the hall before she screamed at the top of her lungs “STOP!” She saw a painting on the wall near her room at the MGM Signature Grand that she liked and asked me to stand in front of it. Well, “asked” isn’t exactly the word I should use. She commanded me. She’d yell “Move 10 feet this way NO stop just two feet, no wait a minute, what’s your dog’s name….no stop right there, look this way, pull your hat down. No back this way, now move forward NO I mean backward….”  Excuse me, but my fingers are getting tired at this point. That was about 10 seconds of an hour-long experience. Bambi is just a nut. There’s no other way to describe it. As an aside, if you want a comedic break from this story or just need to take a nap before finishing it, take a break – when you can, watch this video – http://twt.tl/j3Vz6CB – Yep – that’s Bambi. Now you’re starting to get the complete picture – of her that is.

Back to my journey – and yes it was a journey. Bambi eventually got me outside and we did more of the same dance when she’d move me around and yell things like “Who’s your daddy?” (Mind you, I’m pretty sure that was the first time I’d been asked that question in that manner! At my age, there aren’t many first-time moments so I’ll never forget that one.)

All the time that I was with Bambi I was doubling over with laughter. She was laughing at herself and laughing with me. She was constantly reassuring me, asking me questions, moving me, posing me and while I went into the experience being pretty sure I was going to hate every second of it, I enjoyed the heck out of it because I enjoyed Bambi’s antics.

She told me we were done and we started walking back to the hotel. We hadn’t made it very far but it was maybe another minute to the front door and sure enough, she saw something else that caught her attention and WOW – she started the routine all over again.

We finally got back to the room and I retrieved my belongings. We went our separate ways. We both had appointments so I thanked her and she said I’d get the pictures in a few days.

So what happened here? Is this how the pros do it? You bet! Let me break it down for you. Bambi is a master. She knows what she wants. She’s looking for light. She’s looking for a relaxed subject and she’s looking for images that tell a story about the subject.

During the time she was asking me questions, she was partly getting to know me and partly just trying to occupy my mind so she could get some expressions out of me that would be familiar to people who really know who I am and what I’m about. What’s most impressive to me is the fact that there was never any discussion about me wearing anything other than my usual Tommy Bahama shirt and hat. I wear that stuff almost everywhere I go, no matter what the weather, the time of day or the location. If I were a preacher officiating at a wedding, I’d still be wearing my big, comfortable, bold Hawaiian shirts. And my Tommy Bahama straw hat is really my signature. Bambi instantly figured that out and didn’t question my wardrobe choice. She wanted to shoot the real me and she did.

The results of our session are posted here in this article. You’ll note that I am no better looking than when we started, but Bambi managed to capture photos of me that I actually like. That’s happened only twice in my life before. There’s a reason Bambi is an icon in this industry. She knows what she’s doing. But if you were an innocent bystander watching her work, you might assume she’d been at the bar an hour too long. You see, that’s how pros do it. Thank you Bambi Cantrell. You’re simply the best!

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Photofocus Episode 33

Host: Scott Bourne (www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne) & special guest Jules Bianchi http://julesbianchi.com/ or www.twitter.com/julesbianchi

Show notes by Bruce Clarke (www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke)

Welcome to Episode Number 33 of Photofocus with Scott Bourne and special guest host Jules Bianchi. Photofocus is the show devoted to your questions about anything photography related including gear, technique, locations, etc. Your questions will shape the direction of this show so be sure to send your questions to photofocus@me.com. We will try to answer as many as we can but we get a lot of questions so we’ll try to take a collection of questions that represent a particular topic and present them together.

This week we kick things off with a question about metering modes:

Question One – Metering Modes

Several people wrote in to ask what metering mode they should be using when operating their camera.

Jules: Normally I leave it on average metering and don’t change it since I tend to shoot in manual mode most often. I’ll take one shot in Aperture priority, check the histogram, make my assessment of the scene and then switch back to manual mode.

Scott: I tend to use Matrix metering since I’m usually photographing wildlife and don’t have a lot of time to switch modes as the birds are flying by.

Question Two – Focal Length

Jared in Indiana asks: Will there be any difference taking a photo at 100mm using a 70-200mm lens and a photo taken at 100mm using a 55-135mm lens assuming all other things are equal?

Jules: The answer is no but the thing to think about when choosing a lens are the other features. For example, my 70-200mm has IS and opens up to 2.8 whereas the 55-135 goes wider.

Scott: In terms of composition, 100mm is 100mm is 100mm. The quality of these two images may not be the same due to the quality of the lens (e.g. sharper, brighter, etc.).

Question Three – Un fogging a Camera Viewfinder

Tom Timson asks: How do you un fog a camera viewfinder when you’re shooting outside in bad weather?

Scott: The easiest solution I’ve found is to wrap your mouth around the viewfinder and suck. That will remove all the moisture from the viewfinder and clear it up. There are some solutions that you can put on the viewfinder that are supposed to prevent it from fogging up but I’ve found you have to reapply these solutions often.

Sponsor – White House Custom Color

Photofocus is sponsored by White House Custom Color. I’ve actually sold my printer and they do all of my printing now. Visit http://www.whcc.com/landing/ScottBourne/Blog/ for your five free 8 x 10 prints. They have a great new photo box now which is a great way to package your prints. You can also follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/whccpro

Question Four – Limited Edition Prints

I’m thinking about jumping into the deep end and selling prints of my work. Many times you see artists do a run of a print and they will label them (eg. 1/100). Does this mean you can’t print them again or can you do another run in a different size?

Jules: I haven’t done this but one time I took a road trip and did an exhibit at a cafe and sold a few of them but it never occurred to me to sell more of them.

Scott: I do about 9 gallery prints per year and typically limit my run to 100. Your state may have rules and legislation about this so if you say it’s limited and you make thousands then that could be fraud. I will make 100 prints and that includes all sizes but there are some people who will print 100 in one size and 100 in another size but I don’t find that to be ethical. In reality I don’t think you should worry about it too much. I do a pretty good job with limited edition prints but it’s taken me over 10 years to get to that point. If you’re really worried about it, go ahead and do a run of 250. Also, don’t just number the print, you should also include a certificate of authenticity.

Question Five – Calming Down a Bride and/or Groom

How do you calm down a bride and or groom to make their portrait?

Jules: I encourage all of my clients to do a first look and about 95% of my clients see each other about 2.5 hours before the ceremony and you’d be surprised how much that helps. Usually we’ll set something up for them to see each other for the first time. I just stand back and let them have their moment with no guests around. Most of my clients also do an engagement session with me and read my blog so they are comfortable with me by the time the wedding rolls around.Even if I don’t get to shoot with them beforehand, most of my clients get to know me through my blog or when they first meet me and I find that they are similar to me in terms of personality. If they are feeling a bit uncomfortable in front of the camera, I’ll usually give the groom an assignment that encourages them to get snuggly with one another and that usually helps the situation and gets them relaxed and comfortable with each other.

Question Six – Stocking and Selling Prints

Kyle from Taiwan is going to try and sell some prints and he would like to know if he should have some prints on-hand or just get prints done as they are ordered?

Scott: I would only have stock on hand if you are going to do an art fair or an art gallery where they need to have the prints right there. Otherwise, there are a myriad of online solutions such as Photoshelter, Shutterfly and Pictage that will allow people to go online and order prints. I would offer them in a variety of sizes but try to simplify the choices.

Question Seven – Filters in Post vs. Actual Filters

Dan in Nebraska asks: I use Tiffen filters in post. Are the ND and Polarizing filters sufficient in post or should I invest in actual filters for my lenses?

Jules: When I shot film I used filters a lot. I’m normally a big fan of getting it right in the camera but now with digital I think that post processing might be the way to go with filters as you have a wider range of choices and can experiment to get the look you want.

Scott: The only filters I ever use in the field are circular polarizers and neutral density filters. As for Dan’s question whether the filters in post will mimic using filters in the field – yes on the sky but nowhere else. A polarizer cuts through glare and while you can mimic that in post, the glare is still in the picture.

Sponsor – Lens Baby

Speaking of getting it right in camera, we’d like to thank another one of our sponsors – Lens Baby. We are giving away another Lens Baby so visit Photofocus.com and look for the banner ad on the right-hand side to enter. Be sure to visit www.lensbaby.com to check out their creative lens system and the new Composer which works with their optic swap system. Check out the new fisheye and soft focus optics. You can even use them when shooting video with one of those new hybrid DSLR cameras. With one lens and 25 different accessories you can shoot many different types of images. Major motion pictures are even been made now with the Lens Baby.

Question Eight – Storing an Old Camera

Ralph Foss in Bangor Maine has a Nikon F from 1970 that he wants to put in storage. The camera doesn’t have any batteries so that won’t be an issue but Ralph is mainly concerned with moisture and dirt.

Scott: I believe that if you’re going to put something into long term storage you need to look at a lot of factors. If it’s particularly humid, then you run the chance of getting mold. If you put in an environment around 72 degrees with 78% humidity and that doesn’t change much then you can probably get away with having it in a plastic bag. If the environment is changing, you may want to get a humidifier to help maintain a constant humidity level or a de-humidifier if it’s too humid.

Jules: I keep all my cameras and lenses packed in my bags at all time in the closet. If he’s keeping it and not going to shoot with it, then being able to preserve it might not be as big of a deal.

Sponsor – Scan Cafe

We’d like to thank our sponsor Scan Cafe for making this show possible. They have a new service and can do a turnaround in a little as 8 business days. They have now scanned more than 38 million images and it’s all done by hand. If you have slides and negatives that you’ve been meaning to scan – Scan Cafe is the answer for you. They hand scan your images, perform color corrections, remove scratches, etc. They can also do B&W negatives. Fees start at around $0.29 and they have complete tracking so you always know where your scans are. Head on over to www.scancafe.com and if you are a new customer you’ll get 20% off your first order by using the code ‘focus‘. Ask for the hi-res upgrade if you’re a serious photographer and looking for the very best quality scans. Scan Cafe and Photofocus are also giving away a Nikon D300s. Find out how you can win this great prize here.

Question Nine – Size of Image vs. Quality of Image

Is there a correlation between size of image and quality of image?

Jules: Yes, I think there is a difference. I made the mistake of shooting my first wedding with the 5D Mark II set on the sRAW setting rather than the full RAW setting but post processing seemed to make it fine for a 10×13 album.

Scott: Yes, there is a correlation. I think the real question here is can I get away with small file size and still get quality. If the output is going to be an 8×10 album then you can probably get away with a smaller file size. If the image is going to be blown up for a 30×40 canvas then you can’t. I always try to capture in the biggest RAW file format and the biggest color space I can so I have the most to work with. When you work in a program like Photoshop, every single change takes some image quality away. The only exception is when I’m shooting fast action sports and need that fast buffer.

Question Ten – Mac vs. PC for Post Processing

What’s the difference between using a PC vs. a Mac for post processing of images?

Scott: The main difference is that there happens to be a lot of software in the old days that was only developed for Macs but now most if available on both platforms. It depends on what you want to accomplish. I think Macs are designed around imagery and a very large percentage of photographers tend to use Macs. Having said that, if you use a Windows based PC then I think you’ll be just fine. If you like Aperture then you’ll have to use a Mac.

Jules: I use a Mac but I have lots of friends who use a PC and both seem to be fine.

Question Eleven – Tripods for Wedding Photographers

Do wedding photographers need tripods?

Jules: You don’t need a tripod but I do bring one to every wedding that I shoot. I like to have them for specialty shots like room shots. You are competing with the Uncle Bob’s of the world and you need something to differentiate yourself. They are also good for venue shots after the sun has gone down and you want to get a shot with that nice deep blue sky.

The Blog

Just a reminder that you can visit the blog at www.photofocus.com for the show notes and plenty of other photography related articles. We are here on the 5th, 15th and 25th of each month. Please email us your questions at photofocus@me.com. If you can tell us where you’re from and how to pronounce your name that would be great too. Be sure to join our Flickr group where you can upload and share your photographs with other members of the Photofocus community and follow Scott on Twitter at www.twitter.com/scottbourne for lots of photography new and tips, plus chances to win great prizes. Also, for more coverage of the iPad, check out http://padpundit.com/ and be sure to listen to the new podcast featuring Scott and Andy Ihnatko.

Wrap Up

We want themes and questions from you. Be sure to visit the blog at PhotoFocus.com for articles, how-to’s, videos and more. You can also subscribe to the blog on a Kindle. Email us at photofocus@me.com follow us on Twitter. Don’t just take pictures – make pictures.

Scott Bourne is at www.scottbourne.com or www.twitter.com/scottbourne

Jules Bianchi is at http://julesbianchi.com/ or www.twitter.com/julesbianchi

Show notes by Bruce Clarke www.momentsindigital.com or www.twitter.com/bruceclarke

Author: Larry Volk and Danielle Currier

Publisher: Focal Press

Review by Conrad J. Obregon

Visual professionals usually introduce themselves to prospective clients and employers by presenting a portfolio. No Plastic Sleeves: The Complete Portfolio Guide for Photographers and Designers calls itself a complete guide to portfolio preparation. The authors claim it is aimed at both photographers and designers.

After an introduction to general principles, the book launches into a discussion of branding, followed by cover design; materials and forms; layout, including a brief discussion of grids and typography; construction of the book; digital and on-line portfolios; promotional materials, like mailers; and professional materials like resumes and business cards. There are appendixes that list other print and on-line resources. Interviews with students, teachers, and employers were sprinkled through the book, although most of the interviews just reiterate points previously made by the authors. There is also a companion web site.

As a photographer, the first question that occurred to me was whether the methods and goals of photographers and designers were so similar that one book could deal with both groups. While design firms may be looking for customers, the portfolios being described here seemed more designed for individuals seeking employment. For most photographers their portfolio is more often used to secure one-time (or recurring) assignments or perhaps to get an exhibition space. The book’s bias seemed to me to be in favor of job-seeking designers. For example, one chapter describes the preparation of a portfolio book, including even the creation of covers from scratch. Perspective employers of designers may be interested in the craft involved, but photography buyers will be more concerned with the images the photographer presents, probably making it more cost and time effective for a photographer to purchase one of the more elegant portfolio covers available.

In many cases, I found that the authors dealt in general principles rather than providing detailed examples of how to accomplish something. (The authors did provide plenty of illustrations of final products.) For example the discussion of branding discussed its importance but did not show concrete examples of a particular individual’s product so that it was easy to see how the portfolio reflected the individual’s brand. It may be that the concept of branding doesn’t have much application to individual portfolios. Moreover in the case of photographers, it might have been better to talk about a style rather than a brand.

As another example, in the chapter on layout, the authors mentioned image sequencing which is certainly important to the presentation of the portfolio. However the discussion was limited to a general discussion of sequencing; the presentation of a number of thumbnails from one portfolio without comment; and reference to one classic book on the subject.

The design and preparation of a portfolio must be closely integrated with an individual’s marketing effort, and while the authors acknowledged this, it seemed to be scanted. For example, for the fine arts photographer, a matted series of pictures is often a far better way to make a portfolio presentation than a book, although either a book or a DVD may be useful in gaining the opportunity to make a presentation.

This book may serve as an introduction to preparation of a portfolio, but it will be most useful in the context of a larger group of books on marketing photography and design.

_______________________________________
This post sponsored by Ray Flash – Ring Flash Adapter

Copyright Scott Bourne 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Photo by Scott Bourne – Post by Rob Sylvan – Follow Lightroomers on Twitter

Lightroom’s Adjustment Brush is a powerful tool intended for making local adjustments to your photos with any combination exposure, brightness, contrast, saturation, clarity, sharpness, and color settings. Here are 10 tips to make your experience with the tool more efficient and effective.

1. Press K from anywhere in Lightroom to take the selected photo straight to the Develop module with the Adjustment Brush active. Press K again to exit the tool when finished.

2. As soon as you click on the photo to begin your adjustment a “pin” will appear at that location. That pin represents all the settings applied during that editing session. When the pin has a black center it means it is the active pin. The pin is hidden while you are applying strokes with the brush to help you see what you are doing.

3. Press H to manually hide the pin to better help you evaluate your work. Press H again to make it visible.

4. Press O to reveal an overlay that shows where your brush strokes have been applied. Hold the Shift key and press O to cycle through the different overlay colors. Press O again to hide the overlay.

5. Double-click any slider label to reset that slider value back to zero.

6. Click the color swatch and set the S (saturation) slider to zero inside the Color Picker to turn off all color application.

Bonus: If you are using Lightroom 3 Beta, hold the Alt (Mac: Option) key and watch the Effect label change to Reset. Click Reset to set all sliders and color values to zero. Lightroom 2 users can visit my blog for a free preset that achieves the same end.

7. You can sample a color from your photo by clicking the color swatch to open the Color Picker, then click inside the Color Picker and drag out onto your photo, release the mouse button when you are over the desired color. Note the Hue and Saturation values change in the Color Picker as you move around the screen (yes, even outside of the photo and outside of Lightroom!).

8. Use the [ and ] key to decrease and increase the Size of the brush tip. Hold the Shift key in conjunction with the [ and ] to decrease and increase the amount of Feather.

9. Hold the Alt (Mac: Option) key to switch to the Eraser brush, and erase strokes from the active adjustment.

10. Press the Delete key to delete the active pin completely.

Photo Copyright Scott Bourne 2010 - All Rights Reserved

During the 2010 WPPI conference, I helped out and hung out at a photo shoot with Carlos Baez, assisted by Jessica Lark. The shoot involved two professional models and what Carlos calls – “nudeoir.”

Carlos presently is one of the best photographers working with the nude form. So it’s no surprise that the workshop filled up on short notice.

My pals at Pictage helped make the event a reality and Photofocus was a sponsor Even though I was chipping in with advice here and there for newer students, I was learning as much as I was teaching. Carlos gave some great lighting tips but what surprised me is how much I learned from the models. Now I’m not talking photographic knowledge, but rather, how to get great pictures from the model’s perspective.

Both the girls who modeled for our workshop had experience. They knew how to pose and they knew how to hold a photo-worthy expression. Since I mostly photograph wildlife, I don’t find myself using a camera around young, naked girls that often. (I know – you’re probably shocked to hear that!) It’s amazing what that situation creates when the model is a real professional.

Copyright Scott Bourne 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Our models delivered everything we asked and more. The surprise came when I realized that I was making the girl’s faces the center of attention rather than their perfect bodies. It was the model’s ability to deliver attention-getting expressions that got to me. While it would be easy to concentrate on the naked body parts, I kept finding myself being drawn to their faces.

Reading a model is crucial to any kind of photography where models are used. These models were a wealth of information. To find it, all you had to do was watch their face. They let me know when they were comfortable, tired, happy, creative, engaged and motivated, simply by their choice of expression.

I am putting a fine point on this to be sure, but some things are subtle. In the midst of an in-your-face perfect naked body, taking time to read a face can make the difference in getting a good or a great shot.

The event was a blast. Carlos and Jessica did a great job. The folks who signed up for the workshop seemed pumped and in fact, every time I saw any of them at the follow-up WPPI events, I got a hug.

It was a great experience. And to Stacy and Jolene, our models, I say thanks for being real professionals and for showing me the way.

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This post sponsored by WHCC – White House Custom Colour – Get Five Free 8×10 Prints From WHCC

Photo Copyright Scott Bourne 2010 – All Rights Reserved

I’m coming off eight weeks on the road, away from my Gig Harbor studio. Several of you wrote in this week to ask how my on-the-road workflow works. So here it is.

I now have to manage both video and stills so this represents a slight change to my previous workflow.

I used to rely exclusively on 320 GB G-Drive Minis in the field. These 7200 RPM drives are rock solid. But they’re not big enough to hold all the files I now capture on long trips.

My Lexar UDMA 32GB cards fill up fast these days so I’ve added a G-Drive 2TB G-Raid to the mix. It’s a bit big for on the road use but I make it work.

I’ll break the workflow into two parts – video and stills.

VIDEO

Once full, I dump the CF cards to the G-Raid. I name the folders based on place (Fl – for Florida – XX for client – and 0110 for January 2010) Then I catalog the footage in FCP. I hope to add Aperture 3.0 to this mix but so far, I don’t feel that I can trust Aperture with this important job due to memory leaks and stability problems.

If I do any editing, I put the finished product on the G-Drive Minis and duplicate the work copying from one G-Drive to the next. I also back-up to my server in Minnesota each night to make sure I have an immediate off-site backup. This can be challenging when I am short on bandwidth, but I usually can get it done within a few days.

That’s about it for the video. I will rely on my staff to take the video to the next step and from there it will end up on our Promise VTrack E-Class SATA RAID system back at the studio. We have an A/B system where A is primary storage and B is backup. The server in Minnesota is our off-site storage.

PHOTO STILLS

My photo workflow is more complicated. Once full I dump the CF cards to the 320GB G-Drive Minis. I create a folder for each card labeled identically to the video workflow. Then I duplicate the copy to a backup G-Drive Mini.

I then usually import the images into Lightroom 2.0 but on this trip I am testing Aperture 3.0. Since I have the images set aside in separate folders, I don’t feel I am risking much using Aperture to create a managed Library. I create a Library for each card full of images. This makes sure I get the best performance out of Aperture. I can always merge the Libraries in Aperture 3.0 if I need to thanks to that new feature.

The Aperture 3.0 Libraries are hosted on the G-Raid and backed up on additional 320GB G-Drive Minis.

Overnight, the files from each stills shoot are also backed up to our server so we have off-site backup within 72 hours of each shoot.

When I get back to the studio, my staff will copy all the stills and Aperture 3.0 Libraries onto the Promise VTrack E-Class SATA RAID both A/B.

While on the road I’ll make my initial selects and create smart albums full of five-star photos. Other than creating a few JPEGS for addition to the Photofocus blog or to Flickr, I won’t do any serious editing on these photos until I get back to the studio and can work within my color managed system that includes relying on my 24-Inch Apple monitor to make sure I’m seeing everything.

It’s probably not a perfect workflow, but it’s mine. And I provide it here not to say you should do the same things I do, but rather to show you one person’s approach. I hope it is helpful information.

The 40 megapixel camera is a design marvel. It features a CCD sensor by Kodak and performs well in low light, it has a very wide dynamic range that more closely matches the human eye. The new autofocus system (called True Focus and Absolute Focus) is the fastest (and most accurate) I’ve ever seen on a medium format camera.

As tested, this is a $20,000 camera. Add the beautiful tilt-shift adapter for another $5900, another $11,000 for a couple of additional lenses and it’s an expensive beast.

But there’s room for a camera like this. High-end fashion, product, landscape, portrait, wedding and advertising photographers can justify that kind of money. And talk about setting yourself apart from Uncle Harry at the wedding who’s shooting the latest DSLR. He’ll look at you with envy! Based on my limited first tests, there not much doubt that this camera is worth it for those who can spend it. The image detail, clarity and color is simply the best I’ve seen from a digital camera – period.

The modular system brings back the old days when I shot Hasselblad 500 CM bodies. You can change backs, lenses and viewfinders. It’s a level of freedom you can’t find on a 35 mm DSLR.

The PHOCUS software comes free with the camera. Other medium format cameras require you to purchase a piece of software to talk to the camera that costs $500. I watched a demo of PHOCUS and while it doesn’t offer the file management of Aperture or Lightroom it offers everything else and then some. It’s a sophisticated program that makes the H4D40 even more powerful, and it isn’t all that hard to learn to use.

This is a solidly-built, well-designed camera. I haven’t made enough exposures with it to give it a full recommendation, but so far I’m impressed. I hope to find time later this month to give it a complete field test.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Photofocus is proud to announce the addition of Andrew Darlow as a regular contributor to our site.

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Electronic flash has many uses when outside. For starters, flash can reduce or eliminate “raccoon eyes,” a look that can occur due to shadows being cast under the eyes when the sun is high in the sky. “Fill flash” is a term generally used to describe the use of flash to “fill in” underexposed areas. Fill flash can be enabled in several ways: by using the small flash found on many point-and-shoot cameras; by using a camera’s pop-up flash; with a detachable flash unit (examples are Speedlites, made by Canon, or Speedlights, made by Nikon); or with an off-camera flash unit, such as monobloc flash units like the AlienBees brand of strobes. The icon on most point-and-shoot cameras to turn on fill flash is usually a lightning bolt-press the flash button until you see the lightning bolt stay on (with some cameras, you need to be in “Manual mode” to make the flash fire in bright light).

A removable flash unit that sits in your camera’s hot shoe, or an off-camera flash is generally best. That’s because you can separate your camera lens from the flash, which reduces the chance of red-eye in your subjects, plus you can create larger catch lights in your subjects’ eyes by using a diffuser over the flash. Diffusion options range from homemade diffusers made from tracing paper and tape, to products like the LumiQuest BigBounce diffuser. An off-camera flash has the added benefit of allowing you to light from any angle.

It’s important to point out the importance of catchlights-they can help transform a photo from “ho-hum” to “holy-cow”! Flash opens up so many possibilities for creating distinctive (or in some cases, problematic) catch lights.

I photographed the little girl and her Pug above on a sunny day at about 1 P.M. in late August. An off-camera compact flash unit (Vivitar 285HV, a “classic” and widely available for under $100 new) was placed slightly camera right with a large diffuser about two feet (.6 meters) from the subjects. I used manual mode on the flash and camera to find the right balance between the natural light and flash.

I generally use Manual mode on both my camera and flash when outside. To do that, I usually set my shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/125 sec to help ensure sharpness, and I set my aperture and ISO to expose the background properly before turning on the flash. Then I adjust the flash power and distance from my subject(s) until I’m happy. There are more automated ways to get great looking outdoor images with flash (especially with matching flash and camera brands). Flash Exposure Compensation (FEC) is the primary tool offered on most camera/flash systems. Test it at about -2 to start, and bracket the flash intensity (-1, -3, etc.) to see the effects.

An outstanding resource on flash photography covering Canon-brand cameras and flash units (but helpful in general for understanding this subject and more), can be found here: http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

Copyright Scott Bourne 2010 - All Rights Reserved

I’ve been looking into how my photos are viewed on Flickr. I don’t know if there’s anything to be learned from this, but it’s fun.

I’m not very active on Flickr, but do occasionally enjoy posting an image there.

Flickr keeps amazing stats on your photos like how many times they were viewed or “interestingness.”

I’ve been looking for patterns in the response there to my images and can’t really find one other than folks are interested in things that occasionally surprise me.

The most views I’ve ever received were for this picture of an osprey catching dinner.

The ninth most popular image in my Flickr portfolio happens to be the one that received the most comments.

Three of the top 20 images are simply pictures of gear – nuff said :)

Perhaps someone smarter than me can make more sense out of the stats Flickr provides. In the mean time, I’ll continue to monitor it and can recommend the service as a fun way to show people your work.

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