Andy Comber Photo Blog

Click the slideshow to buy a print

2012-09-28T21:39:00.001+01:00

Hiking, Waterfalls and Drama

2012-06-29T17:10:00.001+01:00

Recently I went on a hiking trip to West Yorkshire area, near Leeds.

Visited the famous Ingleton Falls Trail. a 5 mile Hike around some stunning waterfalls. After Heavy rain in the area recently, the falls were absolutely raging, very slippery trail and I twisted my ankle on the trail.

Determined to complete the trail my friend and I soldiered on and saw and shot some magnificent waterfalls.

The following day we went hiking over the yorkshire dales in the Peak district in the UK.

After trudging through waterlogged dales to reach the limestone formations on the dales and a further trek down to the viaduct, while shooting the viaduct we were charged at by a riderless horse that had bolted after shedding its rider.

shortly afterwards we saw the rider trying to catch up with their horse.

To say my 3 day hiking holiday was eventful would be an understatement, but I had great fun shooting these beautiful locations, even in bad weather at times.

Cant wait for another adventure to go shooting once again.

Enjoy the images on my page

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/andy-comber.html

Andy Comber

FINALLY!! UK PRINTING FOR SMUGMUG IS HERE

2012-03-23T15:05:00.000+00:00

Today Smugmug elves were working hard to bring us a long awaited feature.........

UK Printing by Loxley Colour and all the usual smugmug trimmings to boot.

Loxley colour has been in business for over 50 years now and is largely regarded as one of the best print houses in the world not just the UK.

Today all the UK and European residents can get all the benefits that, up until now, have been reserved for Pro Account Holders in the United States.

So how do things compare?

Well pricing costs to you, the photographer are reasonable and we now have the option to price as a percentage over the base cost (This option means if they change their prices, yours will automatically adjust to the same percentage of profit for you), you can set the final price to your customer and it will show your profit margin in your price list automatically.

This will make Pros in the UK and Europe setting prices and making sales effortless.

You can even set a minimum price of order that will allow the customer to choose "Boutique Packaging" on certain galleries which supplies their chosen prints and products boxed in a pretty package with all the expected care and attention from a smugmug service.

Currently the "packages" option that the US Printhouses that are teamed up with smugmug can offer is still disabled, but we expect these to be added later on down the line.

The setup is a snap, and the ability is included to create a separate pricing for different gallery types or individual prints that are special like a "Signature Series Print" for example can be priced differently to the rest of the gallery.

UK residents have been screaming out for this feature and its finally here.

I for one am not disappointed with the offering, a great choice of print house as well as great tolls to optimise my sales and make my business run smoothly.

VAT for all the UK people reading this is added at the checkout cart, so be aware that the prices you set DO NOT INCLUDE VAT until they are added to the cart by the customer.

What If I Have a VAT Exemption Number? (we hear you cry)

Simple just open up your CONTROL PANEL and Click the "SETTINGS" tab, then Click to edit your "Billing Info". The Last field at the bottom is where you enter your number.

They also do not include postage as these will vary depending on destination.

All in all a fantastic addition to the smugmug setup and now, all you guys like me in the UK have no reason not to join in the smugmug family and don't forget to visit www.myprofoto.com to get your site tricked out with a gorgeous looking template.

Thanks Smugmug for listening to your fans and getting us some printing love with your awesome service to boot.

Canon 5D Mark III Release Live Event

2012-03-01T20:38:00.001+00:00

Come Join Us

As you know I have been on the PhotoTips Podcast with growing frequency, and I have been asked to attend this live event tomorrow night at 11pm as a technical advisor and producer. For what you may ask,,, well there is a new camera being released by Canon as you may or may not know. This camera being release will be a game changer in the realm of digital photography. There are some aspects that aren't public but some have made predictions about, but I can say in a fairly certain voice that those predictions are 99.99% accurate.. With these new aspects it will be pronominal and may get me to change brands if my brand doesn't follow suit.... But I digress....

The live event will start at 11pm 2300 hrs 11 -5GMT, can I be any more clear? The event is held at the PhotoTips Spreecast Channel. We will have a celebrity special guest joining us who is the GOTO guy for anything Canon, that's right Mr Canon Rumors himself Craig Blair. During this live event you the fans will be able to ask questions and interact with the event. We don't know how long the event will last but it should prove to be a great time had by all. I hope to see everyone from the Facebook group and the podcast fans as well as our forum family to join the event. You don't have to be a Canon fan to join in on the fun, remember this is history in the making for our world..

Be a part of that history and say "I Was There"!

Can't Wait To See You All There!!!

Andy Does the "Jarvie Window"

2012-02-22T22:31:00.002+00:00

Recently I had been saving my money for a photo cruise with my friends and colleagues at Phototips.biz and MyProfoto.com to the bahamas.

It was gonna be awesome, however, I didn't save hard enough and in the end, I could not go.

However the money I had saved up was now free for me to spend, so what better to do than to cheer myself up with some retail therapy.

I headed to my favourite Photo store online and bought myself a new fun lens and a flash ring adaptor for my Nikon SB900s

What lens did i get?

A Nikkor 10.5mm Fisheye. What a cool lens this is too.

(Sorry claire, i have no idea what i said to make you pull that face, but I'm sorry lol)

So much fun, the reason i wanted this lens and the Ray Flash Ring adaptor?

To play with the "Jarvie Window" effect.

"Whats that???" I hear you cry,

THIS is the Jarvie window........

I love this effect.

My friend and mentor Jimmy Beltz of phototips.biz fame calls the technique "The Ultimate party Pics" and I think he's right.

A bunch of kids in one room, all pulling faces and you can get a bunch of consistent images of each kid, really fast and easy.

I took a bunch of my friend Claire, and it was great fun.

These are some of the images from my first attempt at this technique.....

This is fast becoming a second favourite lens in my kit bag.

Its not great enough to surpass my 24-70mm f2.8 Nikon lens, thats still my baby and my go to lens for most portrait stuff, but I've seen some fantastic uses for the fisheye to give interesting cool looking images, not just for the "Ultimate Party Pics".

I hope to have more fun with this lens in the future, but for now, I hope you like the first attempt images I have shown here for you all.

I expect more will follow another time in the future.

"You keep pulling silly faces and I'll keep shooting until the wind changes" - Andy Comber

Valentines Day is coming!!!!

2012-02-01T09:55:00.000+00:00

Ok all you lovely ladies out there,

The day of love and romance is almost upon us once again.

Valentines day is 2 weeks away now and what better way to delight your boyfriend, husband or significant other than a set of sexy boudoir photos just for him?

Booking dates can fill up fast so to avoid disappointment, book early and in advance to ensure you get your pictures on time for the special day.

Nothing says "I love You" better than the expression of yourself in some gorgeous tasteful photos for his eyes only.

Dont Delay, Book Today.

one last tribute to Steve

2011-10-17T14:38:00.001+01:00

The King is Dead, Long Live the King

2011-10-06T11:03:00.002+01:00

Apple's website announces the sad news that Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs has passed away. Jobs was 56 years old, and had been struggling with complications related to pancreatic cancer over the past several years. Apple leaves the following message on their website in tribute to Jobs:

Steve Jobs narrated this unaired version of Apple's famous Think Different ad in 1997:

Apple's board of directors released this statement:

We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.

Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

From Robert Scoble: "Flags half staff at Apple headquarters. Sad day in Cupertino."

Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech, where he addresses his mortality. An inspiring speech, excerpt from Observer.com.

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Statements and Reactions

Steve Jobs' family has issued a statement:

Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family.

In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve's illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.

We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.

Tim Cook

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply emailrememberingsteve@apple.com.

No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time.

President Barack Obama

Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was among the greatest of American innovators - brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.

By building one of the planet’s most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun. And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.

The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve’s wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.

Microsoft Cofounder Bill Gates

I’m truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs’ death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.

Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.

The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.

For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.

Warren Buffett

He was one of the most remarkable business managers and innovators in american business history.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg

Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.

Disney President Bob Iger

Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined. Steve was such an "original," with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time.

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt

Steve Jobs is the most successful CEO in the U.S. of the last 25 years. He uniquely combined an artists touch and an engineers vision to build an extraordinary company... one of the greatest American leaders in history.

California Governor Edmund Brown

Steve Jobs was a great California innovator who demonstrated what a totally independent and creative mind can accomplish. Few people have made such a powerful and elegant imprint on our lives. Anne and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to Steve's wife, Laurene, and their entire family.

Dell Founder Michael Dell

Today the world lost a visionary leader, the technology industry lost an iconic legend and I lost a friend and fellow founder. The legacy of Steve Jobs will be remembered for generations to come. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to the Apple team.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Steve lived the California Dream every day of his life and he changed the world and inspired all of us.

Former Yahoo and Autodesk CEO Carol Bartz

It’s the ultimate sadness. First of all, it’s a young person who was revered, sometimes feared, but always revered. In a way, it’s kind of prophetic; everyone was hoping he could be on stage yesterday. He was a very special person, and he didn’t get to where he was by having people like him all the time. He got to where he was because he had a vision and a purpose. It’s easy to try and please everyone, but he kept to his principles.

Google Cofounder Larry Page

I am very, very sad to hear the news about Steve. He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance. He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it. His focus on the user experience above all else has always been an inspiration to me. He was very kind to reach out to me as I became CEO of Google and spend time offering his advice and knowledge even though he was not at all well. My thoughts and Google’s are with his family and the whole Apple family

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Tonight, America lost a genius who will be remembered with Edison and Einstein, and whose ideas will shape the world for generations to come. Again and again over the last four decades, Steve Jobs saw the future and brought it to life long before most people could even see the horizon. And Steve's passionate belief in the power of technology to transform the way we live brought us more than smart phones and iPads: it brought knowledge and power that is reshaping the face of civilization. In New York City's government, everyone from street construction inspectors to NYPD detectives have harnessed Apple's products to do their jobs more efficiently and intuitively. Tonight our City – a city that has always had such respect and admiration for creative genius – joins with people around the planet in remembering a great man and keeping Laurene and the rest of the Jobs family in our thoughts and prayers.

New York Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.

Steve Jobs was a visionary and a wonderful friend of The New York Times. He pushed the boundaries of how all providers of news and information interact with our users. I am among the many who deeply regret his passing.

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson

We are saddened by the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was an iconic inventor, visionary, and entrepreneur, and we had the privilege to know him as partner and friend. All of us at AT&T offer our thoughts and prayers to Steve’s wife, family, and his Apple family.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

Steve Jobs was a visionary who changed the way we live, an innovator whose products brought joy to millions, a risktaker who wasn’t afraid to challenge the status quo, and an entrepreneur who led one of the most creative companies of our time.

His sage advice was respected by policymakers on both sides of the aisle. His courageous fight against cancer brought strength to many. I hope it is a comfort to those who loved him, especially his family, that so many grieve his loss and are praying for them at this sad time.

News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch

Today, we lost one of the most influential thinkers, creators and entrepreneurs of all time. Steve Jobs was simply the greatest CEO of his generation. While I am deeply saddened by his passing, I’m reminded of the stunning impact he had in revolutionizing the way people consume media and entertainment. My heart goes out to his family and to everyone who had the opportunity to work beside him in bringing his many visions to life.

Google Cofounder Sergey Brin

From the earliest days of Google, whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership, we needed to look no farther than Cupertino. Steve, your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product (including the macbook I am writing this on right now). And I have witnessed it in person the few times we have met.

On behalf of all of us at Google and more broadly in technology, you will be missed very much. My condolences to family, friends, and colleagues at Apple.

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son

I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was truly a genius of our time, a man with a rare ability to fuse art and technology. In centuries from now, he will be remembered alongside Leonardo da Vinci. His achievements will continue to shine forever.

Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, John Lasseter

John Lasseter, Pixar and Ed Catmull, Disney

Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family. He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply 'make it great.' He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all better people. He will forever be a part of Pixar’s DNA. Our hearts go out to his wife Laurene and their children during this incredibly difficult time.

George Lucas

The magic of Steve was that while others simply accepted the status quo, he saw the true potential in everything he touched and never compromised on that vision. He leaves behind an incredible family and a legacy that will continue to speak to people for years to come.

Some are leaving flowers at Apple Stores in tribute:

Source:

At Apple HQ:

Neighbors leaving messages:

From Cupertino (thanks H.P.)

Good Reads

- A nice article by Walt Mossberg of his relationship with Jobs.
- Article by Brian Lam on the lost iPhone 4 and his conversations with Jobs.

I thought about the dilemma every day for about a year and half. It caused me a lot of grief, and stopped writing almost entirely. It made my spirit weak. Three weeks ago, I felt like I had had enough. I wrote my apology letter to Steve.

- John Markoff writes the NYTimes' Steve Jobs Obituary
- Harry McCracken pens Time Magazine's Steve Jobs Obituary
- Steven Levy writes about Steve Jobs for Wired
- My Neighbor, Steve Jobs - A great piece written before his death.

While Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal and CNET continue to drone on about the impact of the Steve Jobs era, I won’t be pondering the MacBook Air I write on or the iPhone I talk on. I will think of the day I saw him at his son’s high school graduation. There Steve stood, tears streaming down his cheeks, his smile wide and proud, as his son received his diploma and walked on into his own bright future, leaving behind a good man and a good father who can be sure of the rightness of this, perhaps his most important legacy of all.

- A great video retrospective of Jobs' career:

- Palo Alto's Patch site has photographs from the growing tribute outside Jobs' Palo Alto home, including one of this small flower pot which Jobs' wife Laurene placed on the fence outside their home

Original Post from Mac Rumors.com

Well Done Donald Duck!!!!! QUACK QUACK!!!!

2011-09-07T09:00:00.011+01:00

Ok for those who are now wondering what the whole Donald duck was about, first an explanation.

My good friend and talented Photographer Anders Hareskov in Copenhagen, Denmark has had some great success recently.

(What a Handsome Chap he is eh ladies?)

Not long ago, Anders had revealed to me that if his name is translated from Danish to English it translated as "Donald Duck". I of course found this hilarious, and it stuck!

Ok explanation over, lets get to the amazing news.

Anders has not only opened his own photo studio for his photography "Copenhagen Photo House" (NEW website coming soon) but expanded his love and skills in photography into starting his own supply store, run from his own studio, selling photographic lighting and modifier equipment aimed at all price ranges AND a photo sharing and printing service BestilDitFoto.dk

This business is called "PhotoFlash.DK" and they sell studio flash kits all the way down to tiny foldout modifiers for on camera pop up flashes, all at very competitive prices.
Not just affordable, downright cheap!!!

But cheap is in no way how I would describe the quality of kit.

I have purchased equipment and the fold out 60x60cm speed light soft box not only compares with the similarly designed "Lastolite" branded version, it was less than HALF THE PRICE!!!

After a slow startup, over the last few months this business has been growing and growing and after some interest from a professional photographer over in Denmark, his awesome flash kit and soft box equipment has gained notice of a magazine.

Anders has a 4 page spread in the centre of "Zoom" magazine with a detailed review of his equipment. Compared to High End Brands like Elichrom and the "Menik" Branded kit got a maximum 6 stars out of 6 in the review.

The reviewer had nothing but great things to say, not only about the quality of the kit, but Anders giving awesome customer services.

Anders impressed the reviewer so much they are in talks to start running photographic workshops from his studio / shop and customers of Photoflash.dk also receive a discounted price on these workshops too.

This all adds up to a big buzz in the Pro Photographer circles in and around denmark right now and I can't recommend them highly enough.

The image above is lit using the Menik lighting system from Photoflash.dk and was shot by the reviewer for the magazine article.

I wish Anders the greatest success with all his business ventures and truly hope that this great opportunity puts Copenhagen Photo House, BestilDitFoto.dk and PhotoFlash.dk on the map.

My First Interview

2011-09-01T19:14:00.001+01:00

Hey everyone

Well the world famous, loveable, adorable photography Geek of a host Jimmy Beltz and the Phototips Podcast invited me to be on the show with another mutual friend, the Awesome Shannon Allison. (the guy with 2 girls names)

In This show we discuss a few topics including

What Makes a Pro?

Rumour Control?

Cheap Flashes - are they worth buying?

Mirrorless Cameras - are they pointless?

as well as discussing a great charitable project for this Christmas holiday season chaired by the already mentioned Shannon Allison.

This round table discussion was over an hour in length but we threw around some ideas and opinions that may change your views on where you sit in the photography world, what kit to buy, if mirror less cameras are a fad or the future of photography.

Watch the show and Id appreciate any comments below should you feel the need.

Most of all enjoy the show and keep shooting

Episode 104 - What is a pro? from James Beltz on Vimeo.

The Beauty of Boudoir

2011-08-20T20:57:00.000+01:00

OK I Know Ive been gone for like forever and a day.

Ive been pretty busy recently and have some great new images to share here now.

Recently I was fortunate enough to shoot a stunning young girl by the name of Tasha.

Tasha had an idea for an amazing and very sexy gift for her boyfriend.

She wanted a boudoir shoot and needed to find a photographer she could trust.
A mutual female friend of ours suggested me as a possible candidate and after a brief consultation she decided to hire me.

(Told you she was stunning right?)

Tasha already had a bunch of cool ideas for the images she wanted and also was willing to allow a little creative freedom for me to come up with my own ideas.

Though to be honest the phrase "Superman Pants" will never have the same meaning again :)

Now these types of shoots are always pretty nerve racking, not only for the model / client but also for the photographer at times.

Id got this shoot via a mutual friends recommendation, the pressure was on for me to make this perfect.

After a few setup shots and some rapport building we soon settled in and in my mind I created some of my best images so far. certainly some favourites.

The shoot was so much fun, we had wardrobe changes, backdrop changes and a tight schedule.

2 Hours of shooting and I had created some very cool images.

Tasha wanted a book printed and chose her favourite images after looking through the final selection on my website. I printed a small book and sent it along with her DVD of images in a custom designed DVD box.

It made for a great gift package for her special man, and I'm told he was very pleased.

This type of shoot is so much fun and very rewarding, although my work was minimal to make Tasha look amazing I urge any aspiring photographers that have any reservations about this type of photography to do your research, and if the opportunity arises, TAKE it.

I send my sincere thanks to both Tasha and Claire for the opportunity and trust given to create some images I personally am very proud of.

Cant wait to do another so ladies, if your out there, and read this BOOK TODAY!!! :)

Pi is WRONG!!! Replace NOW

2011-07-01T11:28:00.000+01:00

Ok I apologise in advance, im about to get a little uber geeky here, and its nothing to do with photography.

The mathematical constant PI that has been used for ever to define a circle is WRONG!!! its confusing and clumsy.

Here is a video that explains how trigonometry could be so much easier and also more elegant.

Once you watch the video about TAU then hear what Tau sounds like in the second video.

Now this is a musical interpretation of Tau.

I think its beautiful. what do you think?

Bet you never thought Maths could be so lovely?

Am I right?

OK birthday in october?!?!? anyone???

2011-06-18T21:18:00.000+01:00

Now these are either, ridiculous, bizarre, shabby chic, or just plain cool.

I don't care which

I want them!!!

iCufflinks by Adafruit from adafruit industries on Vimeo.

iCufflinks by Adafruit from adafruit industries on Vimeo.

You can order them here (should the desire take you!!!)

ATTENTION PHOTOTIPS FANS OF THE UK!!!!!!

2011-06-14T20:34:00.000+01:00

ATTENTION PHOTOTIPS FANS OF THE UK!!!!!!
Here your chance!!!!

The world famous, Loveable, Adorable, Photography Geek of a Host, The PSG Jimmy Beltz Himself plans to show the UK fan base some seminar Love!!!!

Thats right Folks!!
In 2011 Jimmy wants to do A UK seminar.

In order to show the love, Jimmy needs to know how to cater for us Brits as best he can, and to do that he needs some info from you the UK Fans.

He knows He has a huge following in the UK
(We are currently his 3rd largest fan base)

But …………..

He needs to know how many would want to attend to make sure the venue is large enough to cater for the decending masses that will ensue, and most importantly where you lovely people are geographically within the UK.

This will help us choose a spot to allow most people who wish to attend to be within reasonable travelling distances of the chosen Venue.

This could be the only chance Jimmy makes it over to the UK for such an event and we need to make it the very best it can be.

The date to be confirmed at this stage but "Winter This Year" Is all thats known so far.

A Christmas Photo Workshop Bonanza of sorts perhaps???

Who knows? It could be the Best yet, and all attendees are guaranteed to get a wealth of knowledge and as a bonus get to meet the host with the most….
THE ONE AND ONLY PSG in person too.

Send in your UK locations (Town / City names please not just County) and lets make this an event to behold.
The sooner you can get us details of where you all are, the sooner we can plan a date and work out prices etc for the venue but expect a ticket price of around $250 US per head for a Full day event.
(thats just over £150 in reel money for us brits!!)

Jimmy also guarantees that one lucky winner at the event will also get to have Dinner with the PSG

Post your locations in the Comments below to let us know.

Further Details will follow as we get them and they will also be posted on
http://andycomberphoto.blogspot.com/

as well as the usual channels on

http://www.Phototips.biz ,

The Forum,
http://www.phototips.biz/forum/index.php

Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_117604714422&ap=1

DONT DELAY REPLY TODAY

Be Careful what you wish for- still want to get closer?

2011-06-10T17:23:00.002+01:00

This Russian photographer got more than just a close up.

The baby leopard decided to jump up to the roof of the car to this photogs position

He looks thrilled (I think)

Later on it seems the Big Cat wanted to inspect the images and the content of his kit back.

Perhaps he thought he was a police officer in the UK and wanted to check his stuff under anti terrorism law?

Who knows, but rest assured I would not like to be in this situation either!!

Read the original posted story here at DailyAnimalLover.com

Posted for fun here only :)

Cupertino Council responds to Steve Jobs Campus Proposal

2011-06-09T12:12:00.000+01:00

I think the council of the City of Cupertino knows a good thing when it sees it.

seems like they will do all they can to get Apple to start construction on their new campus in a timely manner

Here is the video of the councils reply to Steve Jobs presentation

Steve Jobs Pitches Cupertino on Stunning New Apple Campus

2011-06-08T14:35:00.001+01:00

Late last year it was revealed that Apple purchased a 98-acre campus from Hewlett Packard, just up I-280 in Cupertino. Last night, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, in trademark black turtleneck and jeans, explained Apple's plans for the space to the Cupertino City Council. Here's what the new 4-story building holding 12,000 employees will look like when it's completed in 2015:

As Steve describes it:

"It's a pretty amazing building. It's a little like a spaceship landed. It's got this gorgeous courtyard in the middle... It's a circle. It's curved all the way around. If you build things, this is not the cheapest way to build something. There is not a straight piece of glass in this building. It's all curved. We've used our experience making retail buildings all over the world now, and we know how to make the biggest pieces of glass in the world for architectural use. And, we want to make the glass specifically for this building here. We can make it curve all the way around the building... It's pretty cool.
The facility will be 80% landscaping, with most of the parking underground, compared to 20% landscaping with all above ground parking currently. The current campus has 3,700 trees and Apple plans to increase that to more than 6,000 trees, including "some apricot orchards."

Apple also plans to build its own energy generation facility using natural gas, with the electricity grid as a backup.

One of the city councilors asked what the citizens of Cupertino would get from the new campus, and in particular brought up a free Wi-Fi network, like Google offers in Mountain View. Steve responded that Apple was the largest taxpayer in Cupertino and he felt that the tax benefits to having a company like Apple in Cupertino was benefit enough and the city should be providing a service like that.

"If we can get out of paying taxes, we would be glad to provide free Wi-Fi."

Story Via www.macrumors.com

Summer Seminar From James Beltz and "PhotoTips"

2011-06-01T11:09:00.000+01:00

Protect Your Expensive Strobist kit from thieves

2011-05-31T12:00:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone,

Ok now this subject is a very real threat, and the threat translates into all countries and languages across the globe.

Lets say your setup for a shoot at an education building sports event, lets say your shooting gymnasts or a basketball game something like that.

You may have set up lighting gear on clamps in bleaches or on railings, they are securely clamped and not gonna fall........

BUT..........

They are gonna be near the general public when they arrive to watch the event.

Any one of these people might be a potential thief. Im not suggesting that all or any mothers watching their young daughter compete in a gymnastic event are thieves, but somebody might see this expensive equipment, SEEMINGLY just sitting there unattended and think to themselves......

"Hmm I bet thats worth a buck or 2 on Ebay...."

Or maybe they scope you out and plan to get the rest of your kit after the game by following you back to your car to jump you and steal your stuff.

PHOTOGS OF THE WORLD .............. WE ARE NOT DEFENSLESS!!!!!!!

OK so maybe not lightsabers the thought is there, and the threat is certainly feasible.

David "Strobist" Hobby has posted a blog post about this very subject, and suggests ways to protect yourself in these situations.

This post is summarised here also by a YouTube contributor called "Art of the Image"

Now I have also taken this a step further and produced sheets of stickers to warn against potential thieves.

These can be purchased directly from my zazzle page by clicking the image.

Using these stickers on or around your flash and clamp is just another seed of fear to unsuspecting potential thieves.

By occasionally manually popping these flashes will help remind people these are constantly being used and will be noticed if removed immediately.

Hopefully if you ever do this kind of shoot, you will not need to use the "Strobist - Self Defence 101" technique but should you need to here it is in simple 3 step form.

For this defence method you will need 2 items.

1) A powerful flash (i suggest a Nikon SB900) set to FULL POWER (turned on and charged) and hold it with your thumb on the TEST button

2) In your other hand a heavy MonoPod, strapped to your hand, and held at the handle

"Basic strategy:

1. ***POP***

2. Whoppity, whoppity, whoppity, whoppity...

3. Rinse and repeat as needed."

Although the post was originally written in a tongue in cheek and humorous way, it is a real and present danger.

DONT RISK A £300 Flash unit for lack of not having the correct warning stickers!!!

DONT DELAY BUY TODAY!!!!

A Cinematic marvel

2011-05-29T20:01:00.000+01:00

Now this post is photography related of sorts, but cinematography more than still photography.

Im a HUGE fan of this movie.

Not a word really said throughout the whole duration, just visuals, and music.

It occasionally uses time-lapse photography to show the passing of time at accelerated rates and when they do the outcome is always astonishing.

Many parallels are made between the human and animal kingdoms as well as exploring the differences between many cultures and religions.

Any person that lives and breathes as part of planet earth, should watch this movie at least once in their lifetime.

It is serene, shocking, enlightening, interesting and amazing, usually all at the same time.

Here is the trailer to give you just a small taster of the beauty within.

Enjoy..................

Simplification

2011-05-26T19:05:00.000+01:00

A well used compositional technique is called simplification.

As its name suggests, this is all about making the image simple and clutter free.

This removes doubt as to the subject and often employs or enforces other rules to be used automatically.

Here I shot a snapshot with my iphone, the image is simplified , no distracting background to worry about, but i also used another technique called the rule of thirds.

This places areas of interest into an imaginary line on a grid that splits the image into 3 equal parts both horizontally and vertically.

Here the road sign sits on those lines, plus i also made use of another rule without thinking about it.

That is "Negative space"

Enjoy the image

Not Photo but Still COOL

2011-05-23T19:01:00.000+01:00

Here is an animation by one of my friends Tony Comley.

This guy has some twisted ideas sometimes and everything he makes is always a scream.

This is a sci fi pandas adventures in space.

What? you don't think pandas can dogfight in a space battle? Guess again.

I cant quite choose if this is cute, insane, bizarre or just plain daft, one thing I can be sure of is its totally Tonys personality written all over this one.

Great work as always Tony, the rest of you .......sit back and enjoy Retro Rocket panda space thingy story!!!!

QR Code gen test

2011-05-22T20:52:00.000+01:00

this is to test the use of QR codes on items to auto direct to my website.

scan it with a smart phone QR reader and try it out

Wheelchairs and vomit, lost rings ....OH MY!!!

2011-05-11T16:55:00.001+01:00

First wedding shoot under my belt!

Ok at this juncture I should probably be elated, proud, relieved its over........

To be honest, if any other wedding shoot I do is like the one I just shot I will be reduced to a gibbering wreck holding my knees and rocking myself while i sob.

It was, how can we say ........eventful.

Few mishaps along the way, some unexpected surprises and some nasty ones too.

I barely escaped with my sanity.

Now for all those people out there looking to shoot their first wedding with no helper or little preparation, my advice is to book yourself into a psych ward now.

Don't let these words put you off though.

Ultimately it was a lot of hard work, I learned plenty of mistakes NOT to do in future, I learned a little about myself and it was a memorable experience.

I joked a lot after saying stuff like "Never again" and "No more weddings......EVER" but in truth,

Id love to get more experience at these events.

I didn't get all the shots I wanted and was not entirely happy with the ones I did get, but I learned a heap of valuable lessons.

First lesson:
Always have at least one helper for your gear (preferably 2)

Second Lesson:
Know the Schedule backwards and prepare to take charge if the schedule slips

Third Lesson:
SLOW DOWN!!!!

Its true that you have little time to "GET THE SHOTS" sometimes but its better to have a handful of awesome photos than 2000 junk photos.
Running and Gunning is no way to shoot a wedding.

I found I needed to slow down, Pick my moment and shoot a good shot, machine gunning shots it pointless and creates a million images to edit and prepare for a book or dvd etc

Fourth Lesson:
Know your STYLE and stick to it.

There are so many rewards to getting great shots from a wedding (i wish I got more from my set) and with a little care, patience and perfect planning wedding shoots can be a lot of work but a whole lot of fun too.

Through looking at the images I shot and seeing my style emerge, as well as having it pointed out to me by my good friends Shannon Allison and Jimmy Beltz, I came to recognise where I fell foul, where I did ok and where my individuality lies.

Personal style is not something that can be taught, it JUST HAPPENS. It will emerge the more you shoot.

I have been schooled in recognising my style, and its been suggested I stick to it.
(And I intend to from here on in.)

This is great advice.

DO YOUR THING, YOUR WAY, AND TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, AND YOU WILL CREATE AWESOME IMAGES EVERY TIME.

Fear of weddings????? me??????? Not any more!!!!

some test photos with the new lens

2011-05-04T19:56:00.000+01:00

Here is a small sample of images I took today to test my new toy.

I LOVE IT!!

Smugmug custom website supplied by www.myprofoto.com

Photos hosted by smugmug.com