45 Search Results for "photography"

• kamitard

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• Paid to learn photography! Paid to learn photography!

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    Was just browsing through the Star news paper and found an interesting little side line in the CityWatch section apparently there's a photography course out there that's going to pay you! That's right, pay you! Here's the write up

     

    Photography Course

    Shutterbugs who enrol for a one-and-a-half-months Certificate in Photography course will be paid a monthly allowance of RM500, given free accomodation and materials for the course study. The course, from Nov 2 to Dec 15, is fully sponsored by the Human Resources Ministry. The training will be conducted at Amp D Video Photo Sdn Bhd, No:20 Jln Pusat BCH 1/3, Bandar Country Homes, Rawang. For details, call Ananda Mohan at 016-222 7921.

     

    So what are you waiting for, learn photography and get paid for it! Sounds like a good idea, especially if you're a student!

     

    Here's the article at TheStar.com.my

  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
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• A few interesting finds... A few interesting finds...

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    Was just browsing the net and decided to type look for photography events in Malaysia and i found these two sites. They're quite recent since i occasionally do the same search but have not seen them before and since they've popped up on the first page on a google search they must've been visited quite a few times. The first is sort of a directory site of local Malaysian photographers but not all of them are represented of course(Malaysian photographers tend to be an anonymous bunch, hanging out only with other photogs). The main site on the hand (if you want to call it that leads back to a resource page for camera stuff) isn't much to look at so a bit of a disappointment there. But the directory listing is interesting.

    The second site is a facebook group site called the Malaysian Photography Outing Group and here's what they say about themselves "This is a group that gather all facebook members who are interested on photography outing, either in Malaysia or Oversea. Members can share their outing experiences , photos and any photography outing events in this group." Seems like a pretty interesting bunch of folks since they like to share their photo spots with others as well as share other photography related stuff like trip packages and equipments. So if you're Malaysian (or not) and interested in photography and locations to go shoot or anything to go shoot, and you've got a facebook account you should definitely drop by and join them.

     

    Here are the links...

    Malaysian photographer directory

    Malaysian Photography Outing Group on Facebook

     

  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
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• NIKON SHOW @ Mid Valley Megama NIKON SHOW @ Mid Valley Megamall

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    Starting tomorrow till the end of the weekend(that sounds strange)... there'll be a Nikon show at the Mid Valley Megamall. It's called the Nikon Show but they'll only be showing their newest cameras and also there'll be some models there and contest and such, you know the deal. This time though it's purely for the still photography purist, so no video presence here which means we at V9kon get to be in the audience this time. Our friends Kelvin Chan and Louis Pang will be there to give talks on their specialty so that's definitely not to be missed but you shouldn't miss Erna Dyanty and Jimin Lai either. Though i'm not too sure how it'll go since it'll be at the ground floor, center court. Anyway, it's on for four days so there's no reason to miss it! Below is the link...

     

    NIKON SHOW @ Mid Valley Megamall, Ground Floor, Centre Court

     

    

    

    

  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
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• Tips from Mr Mahfooz added! Tips from Mr Mahfooz added!

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    If you've checked recently we've updated the site a bit there's a couple of new things on the front page. Also we've uploaded two new videos of Mr Mahfooz, he recently ran the D5000 clinic for first time users of not only the D5000 but also users new to dSLRs. The videos aren't specific to the D5000 though so if you're looking for some quick photography tips take a quick peek at them. Also we're still working on the interview with Louis Pang but in the meantime there's a bunch of new pictures uploaded by our new members that aren't too bad.

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  • 1 year ago
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• An Intro to Photography Part2 An Intro to Photography Part2

  • From: v9kon
  • Description:

    In this second installation of this series, Mahfooz gives us a definition on ISO, how do set it and when do we use it.

     

    This interview was shot with the D90

  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 40
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• An IntroTo Photography Part1 An IntroTo Photography Part1

  • From: v9kon
  • Description:

    In this first part of the series, Mahfooz guides us on the settings of the dial on the D5000. The various settings that can be used and when best to use it.

  • 1 year ago
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• Nikon's Media Preview of the A Nikon's Media Preview of the Autumn '09 Product Line-up

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    

    
    Today bright and early I found myself at a club. I am not kidding at 10a.m. on a Friday morning I was standing in front of the Ministry of Sounds, The Deq, Euphoria. Why was I there? Well Nikon was a having a media preview of their latest cameras. Six cameras to be exact, two dSLRs and four brand new compacts. The dSLRs were the D300s an upgrade to the popular D300 and a brand new intro level dSLR that’s even easier to use than the D5000. The compacts they were introducing were the Coolpix S1000pj, S70, S640 and S570.

    The event started of with a speech by Mr. Stephen Ng, one of the top dogs at Nikon Malaysia. Followed by a little interactive video element that played advertisements for the various models. After which some girls dressed very provocatively in white and platinum wigs came out to show off the S1000pj, which was why the event was being held at a club.

    That pretty much ended the planned program for the day and after which the press was allowed to have interviews and ask questions from the Nikon management present.

    Myself I got right down to matters at hand and had a look at the three cameras that interest me, namely the D300s, the D3000, the S1000pj and the S70.

    
    

    

    Let’s take it a model at a time, first up the D300s I am not familiar with the original so looking at the button layout confused me somewhat. But I do know what it’s capable of, the D300 is a popular model for Nikon and the upgrade or replacement includes the HD video feature that’s present in all of Nikon’s latest dSLR. And I’ve seen what the camera can do in the hands of an open minded professional. At the Nikon USA site if you browse around for the D300s you’ll eventually come across a video done by Amy Vitale, she is a very respected photographer and was given one of the first working D300s. With that first working model she was able to shoot an amazing video of her recent visit to India. If you want to see what your dSLRs video mode is capable head on over and watch it, I strongly recommend it. But I wasn’t really able to play with the D300s at the event primarily because one I wasn’t familiar with and two, there was no storage media in them, so I couldn’t really take pictures to see much.

     

     

    

    Next up the D3000, this is an interesting camera. It seems targeted to those looking to buy a compact but want some features of a dSLR. It’s got a very small body comparable to the D5000 but unlike the D5000 it does not have the flip out LCD screen nor does it have a video mode which is available in all of Nikon’s latest offerings. It does have a new menu feature called Guide which is supposed to make shooting pictures with dSLRs a lot easier to understand as it tells you what does what. Again there was no storage media in it so you couldn’t really play with to get a feel for it. Personally if I had to choose between the D3000 and the D5000 I’d go with the D5000. You get the flip out screen, the video mode and if you experiment enough you’ll figure out what does what anyway.

     

     

    

     

    

    For the compacts you have the S1000pj and the S70. The S1000pj was the reason that the event was held at a club as I mentioned because of an interesting feature that it has, its got a projector. So it’s targeted at a younger, fun loving, want-to-share-the-moment sort of crowd. You can take a picture or a video and immediately you can project it on a wall or any other surface to about 5 feet. It was pretty neat. And it comes with a remote to so you can sort of have a fun presentation wherever you are. The S70 on the other hand intrigued me because of its new screen and menu/navigation feature. It’s got an OLED screen so that’s very nice. They’re going to become more common soon I know that most of the latest cell phones from the Korean manufacturers will soon sport them. And the entire back is made up of it, which means that it’s a touch screen. The touch screen is very responsive and fluid compared to Nikon’s previous model, and they’ve also included gestures. Gestures was first introduced if I’m not mistaken by Apple on their Airbook laptops, that’s where you can navigate and manipulate elements on you desktop by doing gestures on the mouse pad. Same thing with the S70 menus system. Doing certain gestures will help you navigate through the menu or even manipulate your pictures. For example, if you want to zoom in to a picture you take your fingers pinch them together on the screen and then open them, to zoom out you do the opposite place them a part and then bring them together.

    All in all an interesting line up, I’m curious to see how the market responds to some of these models. One things for sure though if Nikon keeps up this habit of putting things you don’t expect of a camera it’ll keep everyone on their toes.

     

    Just for fun here’s the official press release that Nikon gave us.

    All picture courtesy of indomeez.blogspot.com

     

    11 September 2009

     

    PRESS RELEASE --For Immediate Release

     

    Nikon Shows-Off the World’s First Projector Camera

     

    11 September, Kuala Lumpur. Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd launches the first compact camera with built-in projector capability in the world at The Deq, Euphoria Sunway today.

     

    The Coolpix S1000pj is the world’s first digital camera that has a built-in LCD projector, upping the ante on the feature warfare of this highly competitive industry. With a simple touch of a button, the camera projects photos or movie clips on any flat surface up to 40 inches in size. Nikon has created a new experience in sharing photos with family and friends in most any location.

     

    In this season, Nikon also rolled out the Coolpix S70, its first digital compact camera to feature Nikon’s innovative Clear Color OLED display with intuitive touch control. Immediately noticeable in the OLED display is its brightness, vivid color reproduction, and sharper contrast. At 3.5”, it is highly responsive and recognizes multiple fingertip commands, giving freshness to the meaning of “camera control at your fingertip.”

     

    “The Coolpix S1000pj and Coolpix S70 mark another milestone in Nikon’s long history as a camera brand that is synonymous with innovative and quality products,” says Mr. Stephen Ng, General Manager.

     

    “It used to be a megapixel war zone however consumers today are aware that megapixels are not the only key to enhanced photography experience. One of the joys of picture taking is sharing our photos with our friends which traditionally we would print them out or showing them via the camera’s LCD. The projector function of the Coolpix S1000pj makes photo sharing more convenient and exciting with your friends, as they just sit back and view the photos in an instant,” added Mr. Ng.

     

    For those consumers who would like to shoot action or moving objects, the new Coolpix S640 is designed with an ultra-fast auto-focus drive which is close to that of a DSLR, enabling it to capture fast moving objects much easier than before. Nikon also launched highly affordable Coolpix S570 which comes with various colour choices, to meet consumers’ expectation of a trendy outlook.

     

    The Coolpix S1000pj, S70, S640 and S570 all come with 28mm wide angle lens, 12 megapixel image sensor and 5x optical zoom. There are also a bundle of built-in image enhancing functions such as the Nikon Smart Portrait System, Scene Auto Selector, and Quick Retouch to make photo taking simple, yet satisfying.

     

    Also in Nikon’s new line-up are the D300S and the D3000 DSLR cameras that are upgraded versions of the D300 and D60 respectively. The D300S not only has a 7 frame-per-second shutter rate, but also comes with auto-focus HD movie shooting capability. It also features an SD and CF memory card slots allowing users to select the recording medium of their choice.

     

    The D3000 on the other hand, is a highly affordable DSLR for new enthusiasts. Comes with easy to use Guide Mode, the D3000 is affordably priced at RM 2,288 which comes with an AFS 18-55mm VR kit lens. It is expected to draw more upgrades from the compact level. “Consumers today are more aware about photography than never before. Thanks to DSLR becoming more affordable and easy to use, consumers will slowly move towards cameras with better pictures quality, and Nikon DSLR cameras will definitely give them that satisfaction,” said Mr. David Ng, Marketing Manager.

     

    --- End ---

     

     

     

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  • 1 year ago
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• We were at KLPF! We were at KLPF!

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    It’s been a while since I last blogged, life got in the way if you will. Anyway, about three weeks ago Seel and I had the pleasure of attending KLPF. You may have seen the banner on the main page. Not only had we attended KLPF, but we were actually invited to speak on the main stage by Nikon Malaysia. It was the first time we had ever been asked to do anything like it, but I’m getting ahead of myself. First of all let’s say a little something about KLPF of the Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival. It’s the only event of its kind in Malaysia but it isn’t truly a festival per se, more like the usual vendor exhibition mixed in with a few guest talks, speakers and contests. If I were to describe a photography festival it would be something along the lines of Chobi Mela held in Bangladesh. This past KLPF though is the biggest one yet in KLPF even when compared to last years which was held at Berjaya Times Square. Moving on, Seel and I were invited to talk at KLPF because just recently we had shot a video PSA using Nikon camera namely the D90 and the D5000. It was sort of a pro bono-slash-experimental video that a close acquaintance of us, who just so happens to run an advertising agency, came up with. Alan Lim is a pretty well known name in the industry and used to work at Naga DDB as a creative director, he was curious about the quality of the video and if it were acceptable to use in actual production. We have worked with Alan before and he knew about us and our website and what we do, so he got in touch with us. Anyway long story short we showed him what we can do with using both the D90 and the D5000 and some lenses, and we ended up blowing him away, sort of. We showed him that we could get angles and shots that had he used the usual production method would have been time consuming or in some cases because of the situation would have been impossible. We used little to no lights, using only the available lights and fiddling with the sensor settings such as the ISO, aperture and exposure. In the end not only did we manage to pull of a fantastic job but a fast and fun one too. If we had actually been doing it for a fee it would have probably come in at a more affordable price for Alan too. So now there’s interest in the video by some parties since Alan has been showing it around, we’ve been told that it might actually be viewed publicly and if I’m not mistaken firstly on public buses. So that’s why we were on stage at KLPF. KLPF itself had a good turn out. It stayed crowded throughout the day only tapering of towards evening, and even the special rooms set up for the speakers would have lines waiting to enter. We managed to catch Louis Pangs’ talk and it’s safe to say that his fame precedes him. We caught him after his talk for a chat and an interview. We’ll be putting up that video soon or you can see it at Louis’ site once we get him a copy. The usual vendors were there but the one that surprised me was Tamron. They had decided to make a big presence by setting up their lenses on an elevated stage, all the other vendors had the usual floor displays. Nikon didn’t have anything new to show other than dummy models of the upcoming D300s and the S1000pj, though we heard that they did have preproduction models back at their headquarters. We were also impressed with a few of the Panasonic cameras especially their compacts since they shot at FullHD and the image quality was surprising. Also at KLPF Olympus had their latest cameras including the EP-1 the micro four thirds that’s been making waves in the camera industry. All in all it was a good experience.

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
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• DineshFrancisBenedict

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  • Since: 1 year ago
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• cherylho

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  • Since: 1 year ago
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• Notice to Users of Nikon D5000 Notice to Users of Nikon D5000 Digital-SLR Camera

  • From: v9kon
  • Description:

    Hey Guys,

    For you D5000 owners out there, here is an official announcement from Nikon Malaysia

     

    Thank you for choosing Nikon for your photography needs.

    It has come to our attention that a certain electronic component related to power control in some Nikon D5000 cameras is of substandard quality and may, in rare cases, prevent the camera from powering on

  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 52
  • Forum: News & ...

• Free Open Courseware Collectio Free Open Courseware Collections for Digital Photographers

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    Okay i haven't posted in a while things have been a little busy these days... anyway i haven't forgotten you guys so here's the first in a series of post i'll be making to help out you budding photographers out there and it'll pretty much cost you nothing. Just a little time more time in front of your pc instead of out there shooting. What i'll be bringing to you are free open courseware that are "free" and they're all about photography and how to help you become a better photographer.

    The first one for this post is brought to you by the folks at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or better known as MIT. And what they have to offer is an open courseware on Introduction to Photography. The main page for it is a little out of date and the details for the syllabus and schedule are not applicable anymore but the courseware is still good and available for download. So if you're interested hit the links below.

     

    MIT OpenCoureseWare Introduction to Photography Mainpage

    CourseWare Material Download

    If you're interested in videos related to the courseware follow the link below and follow the instructions.

    Courseware videos

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
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• Viewbook PhotoStory Call For E Viewbook PhotoStory Call For Entries

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    Amsterdam, July 1, 2009 – Viewbook PhotoStory, a new contemporary photography contest opened its submissions today, encouraging all documentary and conceptual photographers around the world to submit their most compelling series of photographs; photo stories that are judged by the public and an internationally renowned jury.

    Viewbook PhotoStory 2009 challenges documentary and conceptual photographers around the world to create compelling stories with a linear series of photographs in an online gallery. Every professional photographer or emerging talent can easily submit their series free of charge using a 60 day, no obligation, Viewbook Pro account. ’With this competition we aim to inspire each other with photographic creativity and generate international publicity for the most talented entrants.’, says Peter Bas Mensink, publisher of GUP magazine and co-initiator of the competition.

    An international jury consisting of Marcel Feil, (curator of FOAM museum) Lauren Heinz (Editor Foto8.com) and Alison Zavos (editor Featureshoot.com) and other industry professionals assess the photo stories on their overall impact and photographic excellence. The first price winners receive international publications & lifelong subscriptions with a value exceeding $12,000. The best photo series get published in the Viewbook PhotoStory 2009 book.

    All pre-selected entries appear on the viewbookphotostory.com website, where everyone can view the photographic narratives and vote on their favorites. ’We want this to be an online event that everyone can be part of, says Peter Bas. The public decides which photographers win the special public prices.’

    Viewbook PhotoStory is initiated by www.viewbook.com and GUP magazine, backed up by Blurb, Workbook and many supporters. The organization encourages photographers to submit their work as early as possible to get the most out of the public voting. Submissions close on 1 October 2009.

    For more information and to submit, please visit www.viewbookphotostory.com

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  • 1 year ago
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• 2009 International Exhibition 2009 International Exhibition of Fine Art Photography

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    2009 International Exhibition of Fine Art Photography
    Deadline July 14, 2009

    Angelina, © Andrea Land

    Eligibility: The exhibition is open to photographers world wide, both amateur and professional.  The Center for Fine Art Photography invites photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought to participate in its exhibitions. Experimental and mixed techniques are welcome.   Exhibition and Awards: With selection for this exhibition, artists and their work will be seen by an international audience of collectors, curators, art consultants and others who appreciate the fine art of photography. Juror’s Selection: $300 and an online marketing consultation with Andy Adams, Editor of Flak Photo. The Juror’s Selection will also be included in Flak Photo’s Online Exhibition during the month of October 2009. Director's Selection award: $200 Gallery Visitor’s Choice Award: $100 Flak Photo’s Online Exhibition:  A selection of artists will be chosen to exhibit their work in the Flak Photo Gallery (www.flakphoto.com) during the month of October, 2009. Two Artists’ ShowCase Online subscriptions for one year:  (preview at www.artists-showcase.org) All exhibitors are included in the Center's online gallery   For more information and entry details go to The Center for Fine Arts Photography

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  • 1 year ago
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• Vote for Hasselblad Masters! Vote for Hasselblad Masters!

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    Introducing a new Hasselblad Masters Awards

     

    

     

    The Hasselblad Masters Award is the most prestigious awards in the industry, each year celebrating the best in both established and rising photographic talent. Masters Awards are given in recognition of a photographer’s contribution to the art of photography and are judged on overall photographic ability, encompassing creativity, composition, conceptual strength, and technical skill. Past Masters include both renowned artists of international standing as well as promising newcomers in a wide range of fields and disciplines.

    Partnered by Hahnemuelle, Broncolor, and HP, the top 100 finalists for this years Hasselblad Masters Awards competition is online now. And this year, for the first time, the competition is open to voting from members of the public. Click here to register and vote for the 10 finalists.

     

    Official Hasselblad Masters 2009 website

    

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  • 1 year ago
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• Top Ten Digital Photography Ti Top Ten Digital Photography Tips

  • From: naqhi
  • Description:

    Top Ten Digital Photography Tips

    by Derrick Story, author of Digital Photography Pocket Guide, 3rd Edition

     

    You've heard this before: Digital cameras do all the work. You just push the button and great pictures magically appear. The better the camera, the better the photos. Isn't that right? Heck no!

    The truth is that you can make great photos with a simple consumer point-and-shoot camera, or take lousy shots with the most expensive Nikon. It's not the camera that makes beautiful images; it's the photographer. With a little knowledge and a willingness to make an adjustment here and there, you can squeeze big time photos out of the smallest digicam.

    To help you down the road to great image making, here are ten tips that will enable you shoot like a pro (without maxing out your credit card on all that expensive equipment).

    1. Warm Up Those Tones

    Have you ever noticed that your shots sometimes have a cool, clammy feel to them? If so, you're not alone. The default white balance setting for digital cameras is auto, which is fine for most snapshots, but tends to be a bit on the "cool" side.

    When shooting outdoor portraits and sunny landscapes, try changing your white balance setting from auto to cloudy. That's right, cloudy. Why? This adjustment is like putting a mild warming filter on your camera. It increases the reds and yellows resulting in richer, warmer pictures.

    Figure 1a is shot outdoors in a mountain environment with the white balance set to auto. Figure 1b shows warmer tones thanks to using the "cloudy" setting and a pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses over the front lens. (Canon PowerShot S200, Program mode)	Figure 1a.
    Figure 1b.

    If you don't believe me, then do a test. Take a few outdoor shots with the white balance on auto, then take the same picture again with the setting on cloudy. Upload the images to your computer and look at them side by side. My guess is that you'll like the warmer image better.

    2: Sunglasses Polarizer

    If you really want to add some punch to your images, then get your hands on a polarizing filter. A polarizer is the one filter every photographer should have handy for landscapes and general outdoor shooting. By reducing glare and unwanted reflections, polarized shots have richer, more saturated colors, especially in the sky.

    What's that you say? Your digital camera can't accommodate filters. Don't despair. I've been using this trick for years with my point-and-shoot cameras. If you have a pair of quality sunglasses, then simply take them off and use them as your polarizing filter. Place the glasses as close to the camera lens as possible, then check their position in the LCD viewfinder to make sure you don't have the rims in the shot.

    If your camera doesn't accept filters, then you can still achieve the effects of a polarizer by placing your sunglasses over the lens. Figure 2a is shot normally without any filtration. Figure 2b is shot during the same session, but with sunglasses placed over the lens. Notice the enhanced colors and deeper sky tones. (Canon PowerShot S200, Program mode)	Figure 2a.
    Figure 2b.

    For the best effect, position yourself so the sun is over either your right or left shoulder. The polarizing effect is strongest when the light source is at a 90-degree angle from the subject.

    3. Outdoor Portraits That Shine

    One of the great hidden features on digital cameras is the fill flash or flash on mode. By taking control of the flash so it goes on when you want it to, not when the camera deems it appropriate, you've just taken an important step toward capturing great outdoor portraits.

    In flash on mode, the camera exposes for the background first, then adds just enough flash to illuminate your portrait subject. The result is a professional looking picture where everything in the composition looks good. Wedding photographers have been using this technique for years.

    Figure 3. By placing the subjects in the open shade beneath a tree and turning on the fill flash, both the boys and the background are properly exposed. (Canon PowerShot G2, 1/250th at f-4, flash on)

    After you get the hang of using the flash outdoors, try a couple variations on this theme by positioning the subject so the sun illuminates the hair from the side or the back, often referred to as rim lighting. Another good technique is to put the model in the shade under a tree, then use the flash to illuminate the subject. This keeps the model comfortable and cool with no squinty eyes from the harsh sun, and this often results in a more relaxed looking portrait.

    Remember, though, that most built-in camera flashes only have a range of 10 feet (or even less!), so make sure you don't stand too far away when using fill flash outdoors.

    4. Macro Mode Madness

    Remember as a kid discovering the whole new world beneath your feet while playing on the grass? When you got very close to the ground, you could see an entire community of creatures that you never knew existed.

    These days, you might not want to lie on your belly in the backyard, but if you activate the close up mode on your digital camera and begin to explore your world in finer detail, you'll be rewarded with fresh new images unlike anything you've ever shot before.

    Even the simplest object takes on new fascination in macro mode. And the best part is that it's so easy to do with digital cameras.

    Figure 4. Nature looks much different, and sometimes more compelling, at close range. (Canon PowerShot G2, Programmed exposure, spot meter, Close Up mode, flash off)

    Just look for the close up or macro mode icon, which is usually a flower symbol, turn it on, and get as close to an object as your camera will allow. Once you've found something to your liking, hold the shutter button down halfway to allow the camera to focus. When the confirmation light gives you the go ahead, press the shutter down the rest of the way to record the image.

    Keep in mind that you have very shallow depth of field when using the close up mode, so focus on the part of the subject that's most important to you, and let the rest of the image go soft.

    5. Horizon Line Mayhem

    For some mysterious reason, most human beings have a hard time holding the camera level when using the LCD monitors on their digicams. The result can be cockeyed sunsets, lopsided landscapes, and tilted towers.

    Part of the problem is that your camera's optics introduce distortion when rendering broad panoramas on tiny, two-inch screens. Those trees may be standing straight when you look at them with the naked eye, but they seem to be bowing inward on your camera's monitor. No wonder photographers become disoriented when lining up their shots.

    Figure 5. How do you square up an image in the LCD viewfinder so it appears "level" when you view it later on the computer? Look for nature's horizontal lines and use them as guides. Sometimes you can use the line where the sky meets the ocean, other times you can use a strip of land as your level. In this case I used the shoreline of a mountain lake to help me align this composition. (Canon PowerShot G2, Aperture Priority exposure set to f-8, polarizer filter)

    What can you do? Well, there's no silver bullet to solve all of your horizon line problems, but you can make improvements by keeping a few things in mind.

    First of all, be aware that it's important to capture your images as level as possible. If you're having difficulty framing the scene to your liking, then take your best shot at a straight picture, reposition the camera slightly, take another picture, and then maybe one more with another adjustment. Chances are very good that one of the images will "feel right" when you review them on the computer. Simply discard the others once you find the perfectly aligned image.

    If you practice level framing of your shots, over time the process will become more natural, and your percentage of level horizon lines will increase dramatically.

    6: Massive Media Card

    When you're figuring out the budget for your next digital camera, make sure you factor in the purchase of an additional memory card. Why? Because the cards included with your new high-tech wonder toy are about as satisfying as an airline bag of peanuts when you're dying of hunger.

    If you have a 3 megapixel camera, get at least a 256MB card, 512MBs for 4 megapixel models, and 1GB for for 6 megapixels and up.

    That way you'll never miss another shot because your memory card is full.

    7: High Rez All the Way

    One of the most important reasons for packing a massive memory card is to enable you to shoot at your camera's highest resolution. If you paid a premium price for a 6 megapixel digicam, then get your money's worth and shoot at 6 megapixels. And while you're at it, shoot at your camera's highest quality compression setting too.

     

    Why not squeeze more images on your memory card by shooting a lower resolution and low quality compression settings? Because you never know when you're going to capture the next great image of the 21st century. And if you take a beautiful picture at the low 640 x 480 resolution, that means you can only make a print about the size of a credit card, not exactly the right dimensions for hanging in the museum.

    On the other hand, if you recorded the image at 2272 x 1704 (4 megapixels) or larger, then you can make a lovely 8- x 10-inch photo-quality print suitable for framing or even for gracing the cover of Time magazine. And just in case you were able to get as close to the action as you had liked, having those extra pixels enables you to crop your image and still have enough resolution to make a decent sized print.

    The point is, if you have enough memory (and you know you should), then there's no reason to shoot at lower resolution and risk missing the opportunity to show off your work in a big way.

    8: Tolerable Tripod

    I once overheard someone say, "He must be a real photographer because he's using a tripod." Well, whether or not you use a tripod has nothing to do with you being a true photographer. For certain types of shots though, these three-legged supports can be very useful.

    The problem is tripods are a pain in the butt to carry around. They are bulky, unwieldily, and sometimes downright frustrating. Does the phrase "necessary evil" come to mind?

    For digital shooters there's good news: the UltraPod II by Pedco. This compact, versatile, ingenious device fits in your back pocket and enables you to steady your camera in a variety of situations. You can open the legs and set it on any reasonable flat surface such as a tabletop or a boulder in the middle of nowhere. But you can also employ its Velcro strap and attach your camera to an available pole or tree limb.

    Figure 6. The UltraPod II is lightweight and affordable (less than $20 typically).

    You might not need a tripod that often, but when you do, nothing else will work. Save yourself the pain and money of a big heavy lug of a pod, and check out the svelte UltraPod. Yes, then you too can be a real photographer.

    9: Self Timer Fun

    Now that you have your UltraPod in hand, you can explore another under-used feature found on almost every digital camera: the self timer. This function delays the firing of the shutter (after the button has been pushed) for up to 10 seconds, fixing one of the age old problems in photography: the missing photographer.

    Hey, just because you've been donned as the creative historian in your clan, that doesn't mean that your shining face should be absent from every frame of the family's pictorial accounting. You could hand your trusty digicam over to strangers while you jump in the shot, but then you take the chance of them dropping, or even worse, running off with your camera.

    Instead, attach your UltraPod, line up the shot, activate the self timer, and get in the picture. This is usually a good time to turn on the flash to ensure even exposure of everyone in the composition (but remember that 10 foot flash range limit!). Also, make sure the focusing sensor is aimed at a person in the group and not the distant background, or you'll get very sharp trees and fuzzy family members.

    Self timers are good for other situations, too. Are you interested in making long exposures of cars driving over the Golden Gate Bridge at dusk? Once again, secure your camera on a tripod, then trip the shutter using the self timer. By doing so, you prevent accidental jarring of the camera as you initiate the exposure.

    10. Slow Motion Water

    I come from a family where it's darn hard to impress them with my artsy pictures. One of the few exceptions happened recently when my sister commented that a series of water shots I had shown her looked like paintings. That was close enough to a compliment for me.

    What she was responding to was one of my favorite types of photographs: slow motion water. These images are created by finding a nice composition with running water, then forcing the camera's shutter to stay open for a second or two, creating a soft, flowing effect of the water while all the other elements in the scene stay nice and sharp.

    You can create a painterly effect with moving water by mounting your camera on a tripod and slowing the shutter to an exposure of 1 second or longer. (Canon PowerShot G2, Aperture priority set to f-8, shutter speed 1 second, polarizer filter, UltraPod II tripod)	Figure 7a.
    Figure 7b.

    You'll need a tripod to steady the camera during the long exposure, and you probably should use the self timer to trip the shutter. If you camera has an aperture priority setting, use it and set the aperture to f-8, f-11, or f-16 if possible. This will give you greater depth of field and cause the shutter to slow down.

    Ideally, you'll want an exposure of one second or longer to create the flowing effect of the water. That means you probably will want to look for streams and waterfalls that are in the shade instead of the bright sunlight.

    Another trick is to use your sunglasses over the lens to darken the scene and create even a longer exposure. Plus you get the added bonus of eliminating distracting reflections from your composition.

    Final Thoughts

    Most digital cameras, even the consumer point-and-shoot models, have a tremendous amount of functionality built into them. By applying a little ingenuity and creativity, you can take shots that will make viewers ask, "So what kind of camera do you have?"

    You can tell them the answer, but inside, you'll know it's not the camera responsible for those great pictures. It's the photographer.

    Derrick Story is the author of The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, The Digital Photography Companion, and Digital Photography Hacks, and coauthor of iPhoto: The Missing Manual, with David Pogue. You can follow him on Twitter or visit www.thedigitalstory.com.

     

    Original article at Oreilly.com
    

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• Leaked Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Leaked Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds compact has us hot, bothered

  • From: naqhi
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    Okays here's something that's got me really interested. Lately i've been mentioning about the Micro Four Thirds system and also have probably said something about the Olympus E-P1. well here's some more about it. Olympus will make an official announcement sometime tomorrow about the E-P1, that's July 16th and the camera sites and blogs are all looking forward to it. Why the buzz well lets just say this might be a new system that'll take photography in a new and interesting direction, maybe. And, because there's a lot of buzz there's a lot of leaks. Engadget's got a little article on with a few specs and a gallery of the E-P1 so if your as curious as i am, hit the link after the break.

    Engadget's piece on the Olympus E-P1

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• CELEBRATING MULTICULTURALISM T CELEBRATING MULTICULTURALISM THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY: Talk by Steve McCurry

  • From: naqhi
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    Photography by Steve McCurry.
    
    CELEBRATING MULTICULTURALISM THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY: Talk by Steve McCurry
    
    Public Lecture
    
    Mon 15 Jun, 8pm
    
    Presented by the US Embassy
    
    Admission Free
    
    
    Steve McCurry, recognized universally as one of today’s finest image-makers, has won many of photography’s top awards. Best known for his evocative color photography, McCurry, in the finest documentary tradition, captures the essence of human struggle and joy. A member of Magnum Photos since 1986, McCurry has searched and found the unforgettable; many of his images have become modern icons—“Afghan Girl”, “Beggar Girl” and “Dust Storm”. Born in Philadelphia, McCurry graduated summa cum laude from the College of Arts and Architecture at the Pennsylvania State University.
    
    Steve will be travelling to Kuala Lumpur, Kedah and Penang during his visit to Malaysia, June 14 – 18. In his presentations on “Celebrating Multiculturalism through Photography,” aided with a slide-show, McCurry will also aim to enlighten the audience on his use of photography as an art to showcase the beauty and strengths of the various traditions and cultural diversity of the societies he encountered during his travels. In a word, McCurry’s presentations celebrates multiculturalism through the art of photography.
    
    All photographs by Steve McCurry.
    
    
    
    
    
    
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• Nikon's D5000 gets reviewed in Nikon's D5000 gets reviewed in staggering detail

  • From: naqhi
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    Still wondering if the Nikon D5000 is worth it? Not convinced of the reviews out there for the D5000? Well DPReviews(one of the best photography gear sites out there in my opinion) has just released a 33 page review filled with samples for you to look at. If you're still not convinced that the D5000 is for you after reading it then maybe it just isn't. All in all the conclusion from the guys at DPReview are favorable, so maybe you should try to read the whole thing before you make a decision. So if you're interested hit the link after the break.

    Nikon D5000 Review at DPReview.com

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