Digital Traveler

Lena Dunham--More than Just a "Girl"

2014-01-11T10:15:00.002-08:00

What would you say in 2010 if you were asked if Lena Dunham would be big star? My bet is, not likely. At the time she had just finished making her movie Tiny Furniture.

Back then Matthew Bamberg was researching the future of photography for his book, New Image Frontiers: Defining the Future of Photography. At the time Dunham's team was publicizing her movie, making it known to the world that twenty-somethings in the United States were drifting aimlessly. But there was more to her madness than that. Laura Dunham was no normal "girl."

Bamberg found that she had just finished filming her first film, Tiny Furniture, an award-winning powerhouse of a film about a self-indulgent millennial, one that caught the author-photographer's eye not because of its topic, but because of its novelty as a film made with a simple camera. The prediction about Dunham being a powerhouse came true in 2014, as she makes headlines all around the world.

Lena Dunham is smart, very smart. She was the one of the first to make an entire movie with a dSLR camera. That in and of itself is notable, more notable, perhaps than the theme of her movies or all that talk about appearing in them in her birthday suit. The camera--a Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS --was novel at the time, a camera that could take video in high definition, and one that end up making her a big star.

Dunham should be lauded, not for her fame, not for her nudity and not for her lifeless former life. She should be seen as a keen woman innovator, a technological wiz-kid. Appearing in television shows will be the least of many bold innovations in the future.

mid-century modern art

What's New in Tech for 2014?

2013-12-27T10:28:00.001-08:00

Okay, then. The year 2014 is stipulated to be the year of the wearable camera. Guess we'll see about that. This year's New Year New Tech Gear on Amazon promises you a slew of devices that even the technophobic will appreciate.

Surely, the first tech item you'll want--a must for experimental photographers--is the

iVUE Camera Glasses, which are shown below. Talk about good street shots. This device has got to be a must for street photographers. Have to try it. Review coming soon.

Top Ten Holiday Photography Gifts for 2013--The Best Big-Sensor Cameras for Budding Photographers

2013-12-04T12:18:00.003-08:00

It's the season to be jolly and to look for that special camera gift. The top ten holiday gifts list for 2013 for travel and street photographers from Matthew Bamberg's Digital Traveler Blog.

Why another list when there are dozens on the Internet? This list is unique in that it's for people who want to buy a camera for someone who is interested in selling their photography on the Internet. For this reason, all types of cameras with large sensors are included in the list, cameras that will ensure that image quality is acceptable to microstock and fine art photography websites such as Dreamstime and Fine Art America.

This year several new cameras appear on the list. Some are mirrorless and others are smaller dSLRs with full-frame sensors. In top ten holiday gifts list for travel and street photographers, the rankings are based on cost (on Amazon), resolution and sensor size.

Note, here, at this time you get what you pay for. Most mirrorless cameras aren't as up-to-speed as dSLR cameras when focusing on moving objects (those moving toward or away from you) and don't auto-focus well in low-light because they have contrast detection instead of the dSLR's phase detection. No improvement here since 2012, but the technology is moving forward with Sony's NEX-5TL, which reportedly has a fairly decent auto-focus.

The focus for 2014 is to assist you in making a decision between the two kinds of cameras to get the best value for your buck.

The list includes only camera bodies. For best image results pick up a good telephoto lens. I use a Canon L-Series 24-105 mm lens and find that very adequate for street photography while traveling.

Here's the list:

1.Canon EOS 5D Mark III

$3,300
22 mp
full size (35 x 24 mm)

2. Sony DSC-RX1/B Cyber-shot Full-frame Digital Camera

$2,800
24 mp
full size (35 x 24 mm)

3. Canon EOS 6D

$1800
20 mp
full size (35 x 24 mm)

4. Sony NEX-5TL

$800
16 mp
APS-C (23.5 X 15.6 mm)

5.Olympus Evolt E620

$1,500
12 mp
13.0 x 17.3 mm

6.Nikon D800

$2,800
36 MP
full size (35 x 24 mm)

7. Canon EOS REBEL T4i

$800
18 mp
22.3 x 14.9 mm

8. Nikon D3200 24.2

$600
24 mp
23.2 x 15.4 mm

9. Sony A65

$700
24 mp
23.5 × 15.7mm

10. Pentax K-r

$400
12 mp
15.8 x 23.6

San Francisco Sunset Cruise on the Red and White Fleet Review

2013-07-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

Golden Gate Bridge as seen from Red and White Fleet boat

Cruising on San Francisco Bay certainly isn't a tropical endeavor. The wind-whipped inlet offers marvelous views on a cold sea, so cold, in fact, that shivering is the norm since the boat leaves the pier as the fog comes pouring in.

Foggy weather is typical San Francisco summer fare, as Mark Twain put it, "The coldest winter I've ever spent is a summer in San Francisco." Most tourists keep this fact in mind as they board the boat in zipped-up jackets and arms tucked close to the body just above the cameras dangling from their necks.

You would expect a boat similar to a cruise ship upon entering it, but, instead, gets a dinged up boat from the Red and White fleet, a dependable vessel without an ounce of glamor. Once on-board, a small crew takes care of the basics--navigating the boat around the bay and setting up a buffet of fairly tasty sandwiches, salads and cookies.

As the journey progresses a number of people on deck snap photos with their point-and-shoots, camera phones and a dSLR here and there. The boat heads up and down the Marin coast and under the Golden Gate, permitting sights of the bridge from the side that's rarely seen, that facing the Pacific Ocean.

That's it folks. Absent from this cruise was a trip under the Bay Bridge, including the new portion that has just been built. It's too bad, too, because the area of the bay the ship traversed is precisely the place where the fog blows fiercely enters into the bay (yes, we're not talking about creeping slowly into the Golden Gate).

As the boat pulls into the dock near Fisherman's Wharf, you can only wonder why the trip didn't include the East Bay instead of the North Bay, which would have made for a much sunnier trip and certainly a better batch of pictures.

framed canvas prints

Inside Drac's Castle

2013-07-13T08:45:00.001-07:00

Inside Dracula's Castle

You can't go to Transylvania without seeing Bran Castle, or Dracula's Castle, the number one tourist destination in the Eastern European country of Romania.

Dracula's story is based on the notoriously cruel Vlad the Impaler, a menacing personality who terrorized 15th Century Romania. He saw crimes in terms of any actions that offended him.

Nice guy!

The image is processed using the HDR program Photomatix Pro 4 . Photomatix does a remarkable job of merging images of different exposures to enhance the details in a new image that is produced after processing.

prints art

Plane Crash--Perspective from a Commercial Airliner in San Francisco

2013-07-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Asiana plane remnants pulled aside at the San Francisco International Airport

As I was landing on a flight from Las Vegas to San Francisco, I was hoping to get a shot of the damaged Asiana plane that struck a seawall landing short of the runway.

My thoughts ranged from "am I on the right side of the plane to catch it" to "they probably moved it away," but low and behold just after my plane passed the seawall, the crashed plane was visible.

There were a couple of tasks I needed to do in order to get a sharp shot when moving at over 100 mph. The first was the ISO and next, the aperture since I was working in Aperture Priority Mode. Finally, there's the necessity to set up the camera so it shoots quickly.

I decided to set the ISO at 1000 because I knew my Canon 5D Mark II could handle making the image sharp without too much noise, nothing that can't be smoothed out in Photoshop.

Since I was working in Av (A for Nikon) mode, I knew that a wide angle wouldn't work in terms of getting the entire image sharp, but then I couldn't make the aperture too narrow either because of the risk of getting a soft image. So I went with the in-between Av value of 7.1.

Shooting quickly was of the utmost importance. The crashed plane was only visible through my airplane window for less than a minute. I felt that burst mode was quick way to make sure I had enough shots to choose from. I got, like, four shots--two soft, one cut off and one sharp (above).

Portraits with Closed Eyes

2013-07-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

Catching a person whose eyes are closed can lead to a compelling shot.

Don't be so fast to dump your portraits because the subjects' eyes are closed. Closed eyes can show bliss and satisfaction, as you can see from this women at a rally in Palm Springs, CA.

In addition closed eyes can reveal arduous efforts by women to make the lids not only presentable, but also photogenic.

Resale Values for Your Camera--Making Money Reselling Your Camera

2013-07-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

Image taken with a Canon 5D Mark II.

The process of buying a new camera and making some extra money selling the old, used camera begins with shopping for a good camera that meets your needs. If you want to sell your photos to make money, then you're going to have to buy a dSLR or mirrorless camera, both of which come with big sensors. Big sensors are an absolute must for making money with your photographs.

Every photographer comes to the day where he/she needs a new camera. The necessity of buying a new camera ranges from pending to dire. If it's the former, you might run into a good buy and pick one up for a good price. If it's the later you'll want to go out and buy a new camera right away.

I experienced the later about six months ago when my Canon 5D went on the fritz. I ended up buying a Canon 5D Mark II because not only did the price drop because it came out a few years prior, but also because it was a downright dependable, well-made camera, unlike some of the newer full-frame Canons.

The time to sell your own camera comes after the shopping task. You can sell your old camera to a camera shop or on Amazon or ebay. The most difficult part of this process is setting a price for your old camera. The best way to set a price for your old camra so that you make as much money as possible is to research what others are selling their camera for.

I'll do that for you here with two full-frame (sensor size 24x36mm) dSLRs.

Canon 5D Mark II used sells for about $1,200-$1,800
Nikon D600 used sells for about $1,500

Considering the 5D Mark II camera sells for $2,500 and the Nikon for about $2000, that's not a bad price to get for a used camera. Also, it looks as if the Nikon has a better resale value. If you're a Canon user, that just might have you changing brands.

10 Tips for Making Money with Photography the Easy Way

2013-07-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

Aim high if you want to be a successful photographer who makes money

Making money with your photography is easy if you are organized, focused and positive. Here are 10 tips to make money fast.

You won't be a millionaire, but you can develop a good monthly income if you follow them:

In order to make money you have to be organized:
1. When submitting microstock photography don't submit one at a time. Have your photos by like subject so you can submit dozens at one time.
2. Spend at least an hour a day organizing your photos.
3. To submit work to an online fine art photography website (called POD, Print on Demand), have your photos sorted by attention-getting themes so people will have the opportunity to buy more than one quickly to have a set of similar photos.

In order to make money, you have to be focused:
4. Develop a niche subject to photograph and stick with it.
5. Choose a photography genre that interests you and produce technically adept and compelling images that people will want to buy.
6. Teach others by blogging about your genre or subject matter to get recognized as a pro in the field.
7. Creatively rank (put in order) your priorities, ranking the one that will make you money number one.

In order to make money you have to be positive:

8. Give yourself "can do" statements. Every time you think of not being able to do something, immediately switch that thought to a positive, "I can do that!"
9. Start the day with positive affirmations about your work.
10. Know that when you work hard and stay focused that you will succeed.

Book Review--Things Come Apart a Teardown for Modern Living

2013-07-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

Page from "Things Come Apart"

The new book Things Come Apart: A Teardown Manual for Modern Living is unique in that it presents images from a photographer who isn't Leibovitz or Avadon, but just a regular guy from the "golden wheat fields of Saskatchewan."

He takes his photography into the twenty-first century by gathering his photos from a video source--a technique that you've probably never seen before in a coffee table book. Photos from video? Yes, that's the concept and since its done in an exemplary way, the result is both stunning and educational.

You don't have to go farther than examining a page of this book to imagine how meticulous the "videographer" had to be in shooting the components included in each page of images.

In the page to your left, Todd McLellan, illustrates the intricate parts of an old Mac Classic computer. He misses nothing--every component of the computer is there in some of the sharpest shots you'll see of such small objects. From the individual keys of the keyboard that scatter in rows across the bottom of the page to the pieces of hardware on the left, the images are relentless in their capacity to mesmerize the viewer.

You could look at the images for hours--a jigsaw puzzle that the mind naturally gravitates toward solving. After all if the photographer took the machine apart, it would be only natural for the viewer to try to put it back together--a job that's well worth the $21.43 that the book costs.

Fridays in Egypt Turn into Turmoil

2013-06-28T16:05:00.001-07:00

After the revolution, Fridays are troubled in Egypt

The time after prayers on Friday is never calm in Egypt. Today was no exception, as tragedy unfolds in the country known for some of the most beautiful antiquities in the world. Sad news from Lower Egypt about someone who got shot in the port city of Alexandria has poured into the media.

Americans are now warned to stay away from the country. It's too bad. It's as a country is being thrown away--monuments and all--because of the recalcitrant leaders of the country not compromising with the opposition. All we can hope for is that someday they will.

My story there began there on a Friday last March. I started out in Cairo when, shortly after my arrival late in the evening, the trip became very rocky. My love for photographing trains and subways caught up with me early on the second day of my trip when I opted for my traveling companion and I to take a subway ride after a long walk around Gezira Island near to where our hotel was located. After snapping a few shots of the subway cars and station, plainclothes police picked us up in the Sadat subway station under Tahir Square. To be sure, photographing there was a foolish endeavor, but the shots were well worth it, as it is one of the most fascinating public spaces I've ever seen.

To make a long story short, the encounter took a turn for the better during a rather humorous interaction with the authorities who became amused while thumbing through my images (after my instructions) in my Canon Mark II dSLR camera. They had run into the images of animals I had taken at the Bronx Zoo while looking for the subway shots. After a brief debate about what "art" was (I had explained that the subway shots were art) they were appeased and guided us out to Tahrir Square, several blocks away from our hotel.

The next day we went with a guide to the Islamic Quarter, another public space with nothing-less-than-thrilling photo ops. Afterward, I had asked to stop for some food to bring back to the hotel. The guide and driver kindly obliged, stopping at a fast food restaurant in downtown Cairo. Camera-in-hand, I continued to look for some good street photo ops. After snapping a few, I saw a group of masked young men in black (who, I later discovered, were part of an anarchist group), the leader holding a gun (which at first I thought was a toy) high into the air.

Before I knew it, I was on the ground behind a car under a hail of bullets being pulled from a fireball in the doorway of the restaurant. My traveling companion had tugged me from one of the Molotov Cocktails that the group had thrown at the restaurant. Needless to say, after the ordeal, I thanked him profusely for saving my life.

After we arrived at the hotel, I had made a decision not to continue our trip to Luxor and Aswan, but ran into the threat of a big fee from the airline for changing my reservation. I decided we would continue, fretfully I must say, on a trip that went on to become the one of the most rewarding of my life...

travel prints

Google Doodle is Gaudi--Here Are My Two Cents

2013-06-25T12:48:00.001-07:00

Gaudi sculpture

Gaudi doorway in Barcelona

Couldn't resist adding to Google Doodle's Gaudi celebration. Here are two lesser known works, two photographs taken in Barcelona of intricate sculpture arched over a building's entrance.

thunderbird art

Sit in the Front of the Bus for the Best Photo Opportunity

2013-06-25T10:08:00.004-07:00

If you're on a bus, sit in the first seat up-front to capture subjects straight-on.

Want a good image from the best vantage point possible, an image that can be taken through a polarizing filter? Then sit in the first seat up-front on a bus (this image was taken from a Premira Plus bus in Mexico). The front window is polarized to give you shot some good lighting if the sun is shining brightly on your subject.

This tactic works particularly well when you're taking the buses in Mexico because in the the cities there are often street performers engaging in activities that you never thought possible. The guy in the image above is using sticks to keep a baton-like object in the air, hitting it while lifting his leg and jumping in the air. I managed to catch him frozen with my Canon 5D while the bus has stopped at a traffic signal. The guy performs on the corner where the light is red so that his audience is a line of vehicles stopped at the signal.

To be sure, this only works if the vehicle you are in is the first in the line of the stopped vehicles, which somewhat minimizes the chance that you'll get the shot in the same way as it was taken above. If you're in Mexico City, there's a good chance you'll get a shot like this because on some days there are street performers at nearly every stop light.

Photoshop CS6 Oil Painting Filter

2013-06-23T22:13:00.001-07:00

Photoshop's done well with its oil painting filter in CS6

Why Americans Aren't Buying Mirrorless Cameras

2013-06-20T09:30:00.001-07:00

The USA Today published an article about how Americans haven't taken to the mirrorless cameras. Sales appear to be declining, creating the possibility that the mirrorless camera might not make it in the market.

The article briefly states a few reasons--the autofocus isn't very good and many consumers don't know about it. Also, they buy what they know and they know dSLRs. Buyers are shunning these cameras when they are one of the most novel tech items known today, a camera that's small, has a big sensor and interchangeable lenses.

Apparently, vigorous buyers' interest in Japan has propelled mirrorless camera to 10 percent of the market. So, what gives?

My guess is bad reviews about the camera, more specifically bad reviews about the mirrorless camera's autofocus, a detrimental camera part for any photographer amateur or pro. The autofocus performance for these cameras varies from mediocre to bad to worst because either the phase detect system of mirrorless cameras is inferior to that in a dSLR camera or because the mirrorless camera has no phase detection and depends upon the imaging sensor to focus, making it focus slowly like a point-and-shoot.

Other than that the mirrorless cameras aren't so bad, and, in many ways, are just as good as a dSLR. You might conclude that Americans want good autofocus. They want to photograph objects in motion where having an autofocus is vital to a good shot.

Personally, I would lean toward the Nikon 1 J1 10.1 MP HD Digital Camera System with 10-30mm VR and 30-110mm VR 1 NIKKOR Lenses (White), as that camera's autofocus has been determined to be best, outranking any of the Canon mirrorless cameras' autofocus.

Drawing from a Photograph in Photoshop or Elements

2013-06-17T16:00:00.002-07:00

Drawing from photo in Photoshop or Elements

After making a photograph look like a painting, the next best project for your art is to tweak it into a drawing. They're a myriad ways that you can do this in Photoshop and Elements. The following procedure is only one way and a pretty good one at that:

Open an image

Make that image into a normal layer that is not locked. Layer>New>Layer from Background (you can also double click on the Background Layer in the Layers palette).

Now, duplicate the layer so you have a copy of the original in case if you're tweaking gets out of hand. Layer>Duplicate Layer... Name the layer "Original"

Select the top-most layer in the Layers palette by clicking on it.

At the top of the Layers palette, click on the Blending mode. On the drop down menu bar click on Color Dodge.

Click on Image>Invert

Click on Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur

Change Radius to reflect detail in the Gaussian Blur dialog box. Choose any value you want according to how much blur you want. Click OK

In the Layers palette, click on Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer (the black and white circle) and then click on Hue/Saturation bringing the Saturation down to zero with slider that appears.

To darken, click on the New Fill or Adjustment Layer again, this time choosing levels.

Adjust the Levels as you see fit.

HDR Doesn't Have to Look Overprocessed

2013-06-14T09:47:00.001-07:00

Learning to shoot three or more images of different exposures and combining them using software such as Photoshop CS 5/6 HDR Pro (part of Photoshop CS 5) or Photomatix is not all that difficult. In my book Beginning HDR Photography, you can learn the workflow (steps) to make a variety of HDR photographs, which add detail to all parts of the photograph with options such as the Grunge to Painterly styles for maximum enhancement.

Don't underestimate the value of HDR, as it can make a big difference in your photography, especially on cloudy days (to show details in the cloud layers). To be sure, some say that the medium is overprocessed and others don't say it's not photography at all, but digital art. No matter what your opinion is about the craft, it's the only real way you can get more detail into your shadows and highlights without clipping (blown colors) from the processing.

When you learn how to shoot images at different exposures and combine them in postprocessing with Photomatix Pro 4 (the best for HDR processing), you'll understand the process better, being able to tweak the photographs with more precision and know when you can and can't do additional processing in Adobe Camera Raw (Photoshop's companion software that tweaks with little damage to the photo)

Contrary to being an art with which you need a tripod to produce, HDR can be shot simply with and without a tripod by adjusting the camera setting known as AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) to shoot several shots at a time at different exposures.

You can also shoot HDR photo sets (landscape, street or indoor ) by adjusting the Shutter Speed settings. HDR photographs give you the choice of making a product that's ranges from natural looking ones to those that appear surreal or painterly.

french prints

Samsung S4--Smart Phone that's a Point-and-Shoot Camera

2013-06-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hot on the heels of the iPhone 5 is the Samsung Galaxy 4, heading toward a number one finish in the sales numbers. The Samsung S4 camera reviews are pouring in.

Why? It's the camera! At 16 MP with a 10X zoom lens, which makes the device look like a point-and-shoot, it usurps Apple's iPhone 5 camera, crushing it to a proverbial number 2.

If you've shot with an iPhone and struggled to get a close-up of a a far-away object you know that the iPhone is a poor performer, leaving that object as a spec in the frame.

Don't let the numbers fool you though, as the one-third inch sensor size is pale in comparison with that of the least expensive dSLR. What that means is that when you look at your photo at 100 percent resolution on your computer, you'll find the edges falling apart, making it unsuitable for many practical applications such as printing a photo taken with the camera for your living room wall.

Okay, Apple. Get your groove back. Where's your zoom lens and more powerful sensor? Are you going to be the first company to squeeze a decent-sized sensor into a smart phone?

Hope so.

Islamic District in Cairo--A Must-See

2013-06-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

People in Cairo's Islamic District

While Cairo's Islamic District is filled with beautiful mosques and restaurants, it's the people that make this place. For a Westerner it's like being on another planet. All impressions you may have had about the place turn into chimeras.

The Islamic District is about a twenty minute cab ride from Tahrir Square, is a must-see destination when you go to Cairo. Everything about the place--the architecture, the shopping (the market in the district is huge), the mosques and the people seemingly take you to another time and another place.

Look closely at the people's faces in the shot above the two men at the far right are pondering deep thoughts, a barefoot guy with his legs crossed sits next to them on the left, head down in slumber . On the right you see many traditional garments from head scarves to kaftans.

To be sure, in order to get a photo like this, you have to take a wider picture of a scene, so as not to get all of the people staring at the camera (and the photographer), annoyed at breaking a traditional Islamic code of conduct--the Hadith--a set of laws that sometimes prohibit images of any living thing. A good 35 mm sensor will catch people sharply, even if you have to crop the image to see them.

Finally, the expressions on the human faces seem to be pensive, possibly thinking about their revolution and what it means to life in their city and pondering the passing people as reflections of Allah.

Focus and The Art Photographer

2013-06-05T17:43:00.002-07:00


If you photograph architecture stick with it until your an expert

Catch yourself hanging out a cafe sipping a double non-fat latte? Wearing black? Maybe you don't yourself, but find someone who does. Definitely take the opportunity to photograph him/her or take a self-portrait if you do.

Most important of all, don't judge yourself as a non-creative person just because you don't fit the stereotypical mode. Moreover, if you do, might as well camp it up. I mean you only live once.

If you do have an interest in being the real thing, consider what you like, not what someone else does. As an art photographer be assured that you can like whatever you want, photograph anything you like and carry yourself anyway you please.

If colors turn you on, photograph them in every which way--muted, sparkling, brilliant, subdued. Shapes and forms got your goat? Take them in in all of their splendor from gnarled trees to inch worms up-close.

Whether you're a street photographer or work in a studio, keep in mind that what separates you from the classical masters of any era from Stieglitz to Evans and Model to Adams is your practice, motivation and talent. Yes, in that order.

If you pick up a camera once a week, your photographs are bound to be mediocre no matter how good what camera you use. Practice every day with enthusiasm and a dash of talent and you'll be on your way to a successful career.

Add to this, extensive knowledge of your subject and you'll pass those who are generalists because you'll be devoted to a focused genre, be it landscapes or architecture.
landscape prints

Google Tasks for Photographers

2013-06-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

Google the vast behemoth does indeed rule. All photographers-- amateur and professional--are dependent upon the multitude of features it offers. Whether you're a photographer who has a business of his own or an amateur who wants portfolio exposure, everything you do on the Internet affects your exposure on Google.

The primary rankings for photographers are dependent upon both the images they upload to their website, blog, social networking site, microstock, fine art selling website appears in search results. Where they appear is dependent upon many factors from what you upload, how you name it, how substantive the information is, how frequently you post information on blogs/websites and, more recently, how you set up Google Plus.

The most recent development in the search engine--a must for photographers to initiate--is Google Plus and the associated Authorship program. Deciphering the information to get a higher search engine ranking for your platform is at best challenging. The number of ideas you need to succeed in Google's placement of your portfolio and associated contents runs in the mulitple digit range.

Here are the tasks that you should do to keep up with Google SEO:

One-Time Tasks Setting up Google Plus, Getting the right domain name, Setting up a blog using Blogger as a resource to increase your rankings, Google Authorship information/set-up, YouTube Account Set-up

Yearly Tasks Everything you Wanted to Know about Duplicate Content but were Afraid to Report--Searching for copyright violation/duplicate content/images on all websites.
Reporting violations to Google TOS regarding your content.

Monthly Tasks Updating Platform on all Google listings, including Facebook, Website Directories (Technorati, for example), YouTube...

Daily Tasks Naming your images, image sizes, blog posts, SEO basics, Survivial HTML, watermarks

What tasks have I missed?

Retro Car and the Rule of Thirds

2013-05-31T05:06:00.003-07:00

Holiday 88 front end

Composing part of a vintage auto is a fairly straight-forward task. If you study the above photo almost all of the important parts of the it--the whitewall tire, the word "Holiday," the headlight all follow the Rule of Thirds.

The composition of a photograph should follow this rule, a rule which not only applies to photography, but also to video on almost every device. Placing objects one-third from the left side of the frame is just the beginning of this rule. The rule of thirds allows objects to be placed in four places in the frame:

1. one-third from the bottom
2. one-third from the top
3. one-third from the left side
4. one-third from the right side

Which third you are going to place your subject/object is up to you. Most of the time your aesthetic sense will tell you.

There are a few exceptions to the Rule of Thirds, one being a frame that includes a symmetrical scene such a train track placed in the middle of the frame and sliding into a sliver at the horizon.

Canon T5i's Top Ten Features not much Different from the T4i

2013-05-25T06:19:00.004-07:00

Canon Rebel T5i with open viewfinder screen

Last month, Canon introduced the EOS Rebel T5i , a camera that's likely to become one of the most popular around.

Despite it's size (it's a dSLR, so it's much bigger than a point-and-shoot), the images it can capture with APS-C 18 MP sensor are nothing less than stunning.

Here's what the camera has to offer:

1. APS-C sensor, which is big by point-and-shoot standards, a huge factor in producing acceptable images for microstock and/or POD websites at 100 percent resolution.

2. Shoots at 5 fps, making catching thrilling action shots much easier.

3. ISO to 12,800 (though I wouldn't set it greater than 3600 because the noise elimination in post-processing is almost impossible with an ISO that's any higher).

4. HD movie mode for video buffs.

5. Touch-screen is 3 inches and, as you can see in image, pulls out so that you can easily display your images without having to turn your camera around.

6. Some in-camera post-processing, which permits you to tweak with a choice of 7 filters.

7. Reduces noise by permitting you to merge 4 shots in-camera.

8. Contains 9 auto-focus points for a sharper image at small apertures.

9. Gives images finer details with 14-bit A/D conversion.

10. New updated kit 18-55 mm kit lens, now with image stabilization for sharper subjects/objects.

Many are saying that the Canon Rebel T5i isn't much different from its predecessor the Rebel T4i, which is absolutely true.

Photo Sets--What Type of Photography Does a Hotel Buy?

2013-05-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

Building reflections are a popular hotel photography theme

Building reflections with squares and lights

Building with beautiful clouds reflecting on it

Building reflection with compelling clouds

Reflection of classic building on a modern building

Reflection of brown building on glass building

Reflection of one modern building on another

Photo sets are more important than ever. With photography being so hot these days, hotels are slapping it on walls all over the world. It's simple and chic, characteristics of the hotels wanting to sell themselves as hipster boutique. So, what type of photography does a hotel buy?

Two requirements for the photography you want to sell to hotels and/or restaurants:

1. A set of photographs with a related theme.

Photos have to be similar to one another in a number of ways. The more focused the theme, the better the set.

2. Photos need to be sharp at 100 percent resolution with no noise or sensor spots.

Cleaning up your photos in Photoshop is an absolute must! Any spot seen by the buyer is a deal that's bound to be broken.

Last month, I traveled to a hotel where the theme was building reflections. When I saw the photos, I realized I could do the same set just as good as the ones I saw, if not better.

I posted the building reflections that I've shot around the world on Facebook and am now writing about them on this blog.

Lesson to be Learned: Check out the hotels to see what's up on the walls. You might have a similar set of images with a related theme. If you do, you're all set to put your work out there after a little postprocessing.

Overprocessed HDR

2013-05-15T07:29:00.002-07:00

Overprocessed HDR occurs most often when you opt for the Grunge mode

HDR photography ranges from very realistic photos where the shadows and highlights keep more of their detail thorough subtle juxtapositions of a number of photos, each taken at different exposures.

When HDR photos are merged automatically with a few mouse clicks in Photoshop or Photomatix, it can look like a miracle has been created--bountiful color, multiple-dimensions and stark contrast seemingly sparkle within the frame. But some feel that the resulting photo is overprocessed, no matter how good it looks.

Many photographers and others in the business feel that HDR is simply overprocessing photographs, costing the medium its integrity, producing fake-looking images that are to a traditional photograph as a plastic cup is to a wine glass.

Now it's time for you to decide by casting a vote below:

Does HDR processing compromise the stature of photography as art?
	Yes
	No

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