Michele Westmorlands Unique Tip on Packing Equipment for International Travel

Internationally recognized underwater photographer Michele Westmorland recently posted about here approach for packing her gear for international travel.

Who Needs a Pelican When You Have an Igloo?

I am often asked “How do I get all that equipment safely to location?” Diving adds an extra burden to the limits that are currently placed on those of us who travel to distant places. So here are a few tips that I have developed over the years to try and take a bit of the sting out it.

You know those shiny silver cases people often use to protect delicate camera equipment? Well, it’s unfortunate, but those branded cases such as Pelican are just too darned heavy and use up the precious pounds needed for the actual camera equipment. Another thing that bothers me about them is THEY SCREAM STEAL ME!

My solution for the past 15 or so years is a good old Igloo cooler. The 60 quart on wheels works fine but you do have to modify it a bit to secure it. By adding a little metal plate that has a loop on each side of cooler, zip ties can be used to secure the lid. The good news is that most people do not have a clue what is in the cooler and generally only ask if I have dead fish in it. I hope not!!! Is it pretty? Well, NO. But that is kind of the point. … Continue Reading

Are You Really Insured?

by Drake Fleege

Is your camera equipment properly insured for at least the typical misfortunes?  I sure thought mine was, until ….  .

I’ve always had good coverage on my equipment. At one time I had an inland marine policy, and then I switched to a company that provided both business liability and equipment coverage without an inland marine. That was a very good policy, written for photographers,  As an example, without additional premium, fine arts (prints, such as at art shows) were covered, as were all my computers, printers, etc.  Unfortunately, the agent that I found this insurance with was more 3+ hours away.  While the agent did a very thorough job of answering my many questions via email, communicating via email had drawbacks.  Call it a control thing of mine – I just like to meet face-to-face with an insurance agent.

When the policy came up for renewal this fall from this fine company, I took the opportunity to seek out local agents who also could provide photographer business and equipment coverage. Successful in my search, sitting in his office on a few autumn afternoons, we reviewed my needs, the coverage available from the new company, and ultimately switched, making the activation date a few weeks out.  Everything seemed to be what I was looking for (though admittedly the coverage was not as complete as the first, it covered what I needed – I thought). … Continue Reading

Topaz Announces B&W Effects & Here’s Some Examples

Topaz Software announced the release of B&W Effects and I had the chance to test the pre-release version.

I love B&W images and have usually used Photoshop’s B&W Adjustments Layers when I covert an image. But I have been interested in trying some alternatives so the release of B&W Effects came for me at the perfect time.

I tested a variety of the features and generally had fun with several of the effects and presets. Here is more info and some examples.

B&W Effects comes with over 200 presets from Sepia to Selenium, Cyanotype to various brown tones. It has various conversion tools from Adaptive Exposure (more coming) to brushes for burring and dodging. You can also brush back color and add enhanced detail. … Continue Reading

Here’s a New Product for Your Fine Art Photography Business

If you are in the business of fine art photography and sell your prints and other related products, you might want to consider this new offering from the folks at Back Lit Box as an addition to your product offerings. There are already a variety of products on the market for displaying images in a transparent manner and most are pretty costly. What Back Lit Box has LED’s which provides pretty even illumination across the Duratrans image.

I sent them a pretty colorful photograph to see how it would display on their box and must say  I was impressed. The Duratrans transparency itself had great detail and very good contrast and when displayed on the box it looked evenly illuminated and as colorful as my original image.

If you are looking for new products to offer your clients this is one to consider. The cost of a 16×24 is $180 with free shipping and that is about half the price of some at comparable sizes on the market and it allows you room for a reasonable markup on your product. Here is what it looks like. … Continue Reading

Why I Shoot Nikon

by Greg Vaughn

I’ve been shooting with Nikon equipment as a pro photographer for many years. Sure, there have been times when I’ve been tempted to switch systems, but the Nikon stuff keeps working for me, and the ergonomics and controls of their cameras have always fit me better so I stay with them. No question that the glass is first class.

Ruggedness and reliability are also big factors for me. I’m not one to baby my gear, and in fact it gets stuffed into backpacks without much padding, jostles around in the truck while driving rutted roads, gets the vibration treatment in airplane overhead bins, and frequently gets splashed, sprayed and coated with dust.

The cameras and lenses just keep on working, even the “prosumer” class gear that isn’t designed to stand up to heavy use. … Continue Reading

Lens Review: The Tamron SP AF200-500MM F/5-6.3 Di LD (IF)

by David Hemmings

One of the most common questions I am asked from my students and other budding bird and nature photographers is “what is the best all around lens for bird and nature photography?” The second most common question is “what is the best lens when traveling for the purpose of photographing birds and nature subjects?” This is not a simple question to answer as there are multiple factors that will determine which lens is right for you. Some of these factors include whether or not you will be shooting handheld while hiking, how close you will be able to get to your target species, how much weight you are willing to carry around with you and last but not least, your budget.

If I were asked to select only one lens for bird photography I would have to answer that it would be a 500mm prime lens. When photographing birds it is not uncommon to need lots of focal reach for your intended subjects. For me, 500 mm’s represents a good all around focal length for most situations. It can be coupled with a teleconverter for even more focal length and still give me crisp, sharp images. … Continue Reading

What Shooting With A View Camera Taught Me

Once upon a time, many professional landscape photographers used the 4×5 view camera to capture their nature photography on large format film.

I did and I loved shooting with the 4×5 view camera. But I haven’t used one in years.  Why? I love digital as well but the cost of film and processing is the biggest reason.

Throw in the digital world of stock photography which requires high quality film scans for digital distribution and then the need to store the same film in an archival environment.

Many photographers still shoot large format nature photography using film. Are they die-hards who refuse to give into the digital tidal wave or artists holding on to a tried and true system for superior quality images?

It’s probably both. For some there’s a rejection of the technology that’s consuming the art form and others it’s the refusal to let the joy of shooting with a view camera die for them. … Continue Reading

If You Are Photographing and Camping in Bear Country, You Will Want to Have One of These

As winter begins to give way in many areas across North America, some outdoor photographers are preparing for adventure photo shoots in a variety of backcountry locations that will include bear country.

If you are planning to camp anywhere near known bear locations you may want to consider taking a UDAP Electric Bear Fence.

UDAP company founder, Mark Matheny is a survivor of a grizzly attack. In 1992 he was hunting near Yellowstone NP when he spotted 35 yards away, two small grizzly cubs nursing on their mother.

When she spotted Mark, she jumped and charged full speed at him. He began to run yelling for his hunting partner as he jumped behind a log. As he said:

“Running from the bear, I now admit, was a total mistake. Not only does running increase the likelihood of a full-blown attack, it doesn’t work. You can’t outrun them.” … Continue Reading

Keywording Made Easy

by Drake Fleege

For a brief minute, think of yourself as an image posted on an on-line stock agency or on your own web site.  Your colors are vibrant; focus is tack-sharp; composition is stunning; subject (that is you!) is well sought-after.  You are on the internet, you are ready to be licensed for publication, yet it just does not happen.  Not only are you not licensed, you are not even viewed.  Even though the caption proudly proclaims “Bright white and yellow flower”, you just do not show up in the searches.  What a lonely feeling!  If only our images could speak.

I doubt any of us want our images simply taking up space on a server.  We want them reviewed and evaluated for publication consideration, and ultimately licensed.  That is, after all, the goal for each image submitted to the stock agency, isn’t it?

Recently, through PhotoSource International’s PhotoStockNotes, I was listening to a pre-recorded interview Rohn Engh (Director of PhotoSource) held with Gary Crabbe, longtime photo researcher and professional photographer (Enlightened Images).   As Rohn pointed out in the introduction, Gary not only works behind the camera creating his wonderful photography, he also searches for images on behalf of his own clients.  … Continue Reading

Topaz InFocus Improves Low Rez Film Scans

In December, Topaz Labs released their new software, InFocus, which is a sharpening tool that can also rescue blurred images. I have been dabbling with this software and posted yesterday on those tests using InFocus on a blurry RAW file and I think it worked pretty good.

Since I still have a ton of 4×5 and 6×7 transparency films that need scanning and an older Epson Expression scanner, I thought a test was in order to see if InFocus could actually improve the scans from the Epson, and if so, how much?

As I mentioned yesterday, I am co-owner of online stock photo agency, Fogstock and have full access to the companies Imacon Flextight scanner. But I don’t live near the office so getting there for days or weeks of scanning is not easy. And I have never considered the Epson Expression suitable for high resolution stock image files that are ready for download and print.

So why not run a test to see if InFocus will bring a scan of a 4×5 original from the Epson up to or close to the same image scanned on the Flextight? Here are the results.

… Continue Reading