6 Mobile Photography Tips you must know - 2018

Do you loan your camera? Here are some of the risks you’re facing

#photographyhobbyist  #photographybestoftheday #photographyforever

Loaning and borrowing photographic gear has always been a delicate subject, especially among photographers who are also good friends. It involves a lot of trust on one side and responsibility on the other. The value of the tools is fairly high most of the times and that makes things even more delicate. I’m not in any position to judge whether it is right or wrong to loan cameras, but I would like to shine a light on some of the risks that come with putting your camera in strange hands. These are real risks you have to acknowledge and they should have you carefully consider who it is you decide to help.

Saying goodbye to your custom settings

If you’re the kind of photographer who likes to customize his camera, and you should be because it makes it easier to operate, you probably have your own settings and custom functions. When you loan the camera, chances are the person using it doesn’t have the same working method you do and they’ll probably restore everything or tweak it to meet their needs. All that is fine, but the problem is most people never bother to remember what the previous settings were, not to mention restoring them.

Accidents happen

It doesn’t really matter if you lend your camera to a best friend or an acquaintance. They could be a long time pro, or a beginner. Either way, accidents happen and this time I am talking about the real, honest, unwanted ones. A lot of things can occur and it’s not even worth counting possible scenarios. Getting back a broken camera can be very frustrating and all that can be amplified if it’s your main camera and you have a shoot coming up in the next couple of days. The best way to protect yourself from these events, besides not loaning the camera, is insurance or making sure the person you lend it to is fully capable of covering the costs.

Recommended Cameras:

Nikon D500 | Nikon D3300 | Canon EOS Rebel T5 | Sony A7RII | Canon 7D Mark II

Missing deadlines and damaging friendships

If you do loan cameras, it would probably be a good idea to do so only to trusted, close people. What’s very important is to make sure there is a clear date for the return of the equipment and only under special circumstances should it be missed. Even so, there are cases when the camera is not returned in due time and the owner himself has to borrow from someone else, provided the loaned camera is the main one and the backup isn’t good enough for the job. All that leads to tension that could ultimately damage the friendship. I’m not saying don’t help a friend in need; just make sure to help the friend that is aware of the return time.

It might get stolen

Don’t doubt it. I’ve heard of a recent case in the photography community of a small town from Europe that made me raise both my eyebrows. There was this event photographer who kept borrowing stuff from other shooters, motivating that his own gear was in service or had broken down the day before an event. He would usually get back-up cameras or other gear the others weren’t using so much anymore, so nobody thought there was any reason to panic. All that until one of the other photographers started to suspect something was wrong. This apparently friendly fellow didn’t show up with his camera on time. It turned out the guy was borrowing equipment and selling it on EBay, and since he was so busy, no one could find him. Until the Police did of course, but it goes to show that, sadly, even some people you think you know can turn out to be entirely different. Regardless of goods, if loaning is necessary, you should be extra careful who you trust with your possessions.

It might come back in one piece, but check out all those black dots!

Not everyone is careful with cameras. Some people have a natural way of ignoring proper handling and can easily get a camera filled with dust. It’s not that they mean it or have anything against your camera, they probably do the same with theirs and you know what they say, you can’t teach old dog new tricks.

NIKON Prime Lenses	CANON Prime Lenses	SIGMA Prime Lenses
Nikon 24mm f/1.4	Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II	Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG
Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G	Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM	Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM
Nikon 35mm f/1.4G	Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L	Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
Nikon 85mm f/1.4G	Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II	Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
Nikon 300mm f/2.8G AF-S ED	Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS	Sigma 300mm f/2.8 EX DG IF

The person you lend it to might not have the material ability to replace it

This is also a dreaded situation. Something bad happens, more or less avoidable, and the camera is totally damaged beyond repair. The person you gave it to might not have the financial resources to replace the camera, especially if we’re talking about a pro model. Needless to say, nobody expected something like this to happen, and you both probably thought in the back of your mind that the worst thing that could happen would be a repair and that would be no problem. Situations like this are very delicate and there isn’t a standard way of dealing with them, Insurance is probably the only safety measure.

You might build an unwanted reputation

This also depends on who you lend to. Helping out someone out of good will is a great thing, but if you do it for the wrong people you might build an unwanted reputation as the go to guy who lends stuff and is flexible on the return date. You probably don’t want your phone to ring with photographers asking for something every time.

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Photography Reviews

Fujifilm X100S Compact Camera: What Can Happen When a Camera Company Listens to Photographers

#photographyhobbyist  #photographybestoftheday #photographyforever

Since 2010, Fujifilm has been carving a niche for itself in the camera market by designing a number of cameras (XF1, XE1, X-Pro1, etc.) that many serious photographers, including professionals, consider excellent second-camera choices. These photographers love the exceptional image quality of their DSLRs and all the creative versatility they provide, but who wants to be burdened with carrying a DSLR all the time, especially for personal photography uses?

Want to see reviews from other photographers? Read them HERE on Amazon OR you can read reviews HERE on Adorama.

For this reason, many photographers gravitated to the Fujifilm Finepix X100 after its released during 2010. Its combination of retro styling and advanced technologies made it so appealing…until photographers were confronted with the camera’s firmware problems. Fortunately, Fujifilm addressed these problems, giving the X100 a second life, which created a faithful group of serious photographers who just love shooting with it.

Fast forward to March 2013 and Fujifilm has announced its upgrade, the Finepix X100S. Although this new camera hasn’t been fully tested, it appears that Fujifilm listened carefully to users and reviewers’ comments and criticisms about the X100 model. This has resulted in the much-improved X100S, a wonderful example of what can happen when a camera company pays attention to its loyal customers and the larger photography market.

Fujifilm proves its wisdom by not redesigning the look of the X100S. It knows (and the market has told it) that the original X100’s rangefinder/retro style is what first attracts the eye and why photographers can’t wait to wrap their hands around the body. The new X100S’ classic design is the home of much internal updating, as compared to the X100, but it still has the older camera’s popular fixed 23mm f/2 lens.

Canon Rebel T4i | Nikon D7100 | Nikon D800 | Canon 5D Mark III | Nikon D5200 | Sony A99

The 16.3-MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor in the X100S is essentially the same as found in the X-Pro1 and XE-1; however, Fujifilm added phase detection to the chip, which is expected to increase autofocus speed. Fujifilm has also paired the sensor with its new EXR Processor II and its onboard Lens Modulation Optimizer. Although the only available bench test data is Fujifilm’s, the company says the Optimizer is meant to provide better control of lens aberrations, which should be evident in images shot at the largest and smallest apertures.

Fujifilm’s X-Trans sensor takes a quite different approach than the standard Bayer color filter array found in virtually all digital cameras, although it has proven to be an exceptional design for recording color and details. Four pixels are grouped in a square RGGB configuration: 2 are sensitive to green light, 1 to red and 1 to blue. This configuration is then repeated across the array. The major downside of the Bayer concept is that the pixel configuration becomes confused when it must read a replicating arrangement of shapes/colors, which may be present in certain textures and fabrics, for example. Color bands form that reduce the quality of the image. The typical solution to this problem is placing a low-pass, or anti-aliasing, filter in front of the sensor, but this tends to suppress the resolution of the resulting images.

Fujifilm’s X-Trans sensor technology addresses this issue with a 6x6 color filter array that places pixels sensitive to red, green and blue on each row and column. An anti-aliasing filter is, therefore, not required and the sensor, in theory, should provide greater resolution of the images captured. With the “field” testing of the X-Trans sensor by photographers shooting with the X-Pro1 and XE1, and the resulting feedback, Fujifilm made another wise choice when deciding to use the sensor in the new X100S.

NIKON Prime Lenses	CANON Prime Lenses	SIGMA Prime Lenses
Nikon 24mm f/1.4	Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II	Sigma 24mm f/1.8 EX DG
Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G	Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM	Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM
Nikon 35mm f/1.4G	Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L	Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
Nikon 85mm f/1.4G	Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II	Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
Nikon 300mm f/2.8G AF-S ED	Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS	Sigma 300mm f/2.8 EX DG IF

Fujifilm has also given the X100S the company’s Hybrid Multi-Viewfinder technology, which is one of the reasons the X-Pro1 is so popular. This feature combines an optical and electronic viewfinder. The optical viewfinder delivers superior brightest needed to see what you are shooting while the electronic viewfinder provides both a Live View and image data, such as exposure, white balance, depth of field and focus. The viewfinder in the X100S is also much larger than its predecessor’s: a 2.35M-dot LCD display in place of the X100’s 1.44M-dot display.

Fujifilm also upgraded the capabilities of the Hybrid Multi-Viewfinder with what it calls a focus “peaking” display. It creates an outline around subjects or objects that are in focus. Some of that phase-detection data from the X-Trans sensor supports a “Digital Split Imaging Focusing” display. It simulates the view of manual focus film cameras.

The people at Fujifilm obviously took the comments and advice from users and reviewers seriously. The new X100S includes 70 upgrades, both major and minor, creating a precise photographic instrument that appears to be the right choice for a second camera.

The Fujifilm Finepix X100S is available from Amazon for 1,299.00.

Courtesy of: Photography Talk

26 Free Amazing Video Courses for Photographers

It’s obvious that photography is one area in the creative world that has gained a lot of attention. Popular websites and social networks such as Instagram, 500px, Tumblr, Flick, and much more promote how awesome it is to use photography to express and document your life and experiences whether you are a pro or amateur. Being able to practice photography with quality equipment is consistently becoming more affordable and accessible. But what if you’re stuck on where to learn or boost photography skills? Good news, there are TONs of helpful photography resources both free and paid out there on the web to learn from. Some people like to learn from written resources while others prefer videos. Well, this post is for you guys who enjoy learning from video resources for free! In this post, I listed a variety of Photography Courses from Skillshare, Udemy, and Youtube to get help get your photography skills where you want them to be.

*I’ll be checking back regularly and updating this post, just in case the statuses of the content in these links change. 

#photographyhobbyist  #photographybestoftheday #photographyforever

Udemy

Photoshop and Lightroom in Photography
Ditch Auto Start Shooting in Manual
Create A Gorgeous Photography Site With Smugmug in 90 Minutes
A Guide To Accessories for DSLR
Free Adobe Lightroom Photo Editing Video Tutorials
Portrait Photography With Simple Gear
Photography 10 Top Tips To Be More Creative With Your Camera
Book More Photography Clients
Studio Product Photography
Your Road To Better Photography

Skillshare

Building Trust Between Photographer and Client Capturing Emotion Evoking Images
Lifestyle Photography: Everyday Story Telling in Photo Print
Frame a Great Shot: Exploring Photo Composition
Exploring Photographic Style: The Power of Wonderlust Imagery
Lifestyle Photography: Shoot, Edit, and Sell Your Images Online
Film Photography: The Ins and Outs of Going Analogue
HDR Photo Editing: Perfecting Light and Detail
Photo Storytelling: On the Road with Kevin Russ
Mastering Lightroom for Nature Photographers - 200 Level (Exciting)
Mini-Class: Urban Explorer Photography: Shooting the Forgotten + The Familiar
Photography Classics - HDR Male Portrait
Vintage Photo Fix for Beginners
How To Edit In Lightroom: Creating Tones & Mood

YouTube Videos and Playlists

Free Online Course - Exposing Digital Photography
Beginners Guide to Photography - Free Online Course
Beginner's Photography Courses

10 Major Photography Tips to Improve Your Images in 2019

*Affiliate Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you purchase any of the products listed in this post. (With no additional charge to you, of course, ^_^)

#photographyhobbyist  #photographybestoftheday #photographyforever

1. Learn your camera (s)

One of the common mistakes people make is not learning the ins and outs of their cameras. Whether you're shooting with the latest pro-level DSLR or with a cell phone camera you’ll benefit most from exploring all the features and settings of your camera. Take time to read your DSLR or point & shoot manuals. And explore various apps and features that will give you more control over your phone's camera.

2. Understand lighting and how to manipulate it

Capturing photos is all about capturing light. So, take some time to learn about how light works and how to manipulate it. Experiment with both natural light, available light, and artificial lighting. You don’t need expensive strobes, LEDs, or fancy modifiers to do this. You’d be surprised to know some of the most magical images you’ve seen have been captured with $10 Ikea lights and foil pans for modifiers. There are a ton of DIY lighting tutorials on the internet so just experiment and have fun!

Furthermore, lighting can be a challenging subject to understand. There are a lot of great learning resources out there, but I want to recommend my favorite book for photographic lighting, Light | Science, and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, & Fuqua. I highly recommend this book not only because it was the book my photography professors idolized, but also because it gives an amazing breakdown of the science of light for non-scientists like myself. 

Get this must read now!

3. Gather Inspiration

Stuck in a creative rut and can’t find any ideas? Thanks to the internet you can find all kinds of photography inspiration online. Websites such as 500px, Deviantart, Instagram, Flickr, and inspirational blogs can help you find photography ideas. Just remember while I recommend learning how to recreate someone’s lighting setup, avoid completely copying someone’s image. If you are going to do any type of image recreation, treat it as a personal exercise just for practice. If you’re going to copy someone’s image and post it as your own, I recommend only doing this if it's a tutorial where that artist gave you permission to copy their set up. Make sure you ask, credit, or tag the artist too to avoid any copyright issues.

4. Maintain Your Equipment

I used to be terrible at this. I used to go months without cleaning my camera sensors and lens until I notice all of the horrible dust marks appearing in my pictures. Yeah, that’s right; camera sensors collect dust which can decrease the quality of your images. And even if you know how to retouch them out they can be a pain in the @ss to clean up. So make sure you clean your camera/lens regularly or you can take them to a local camera store and they’ll clean it for you. The prices can vary from place to place, but I recommend letting a professional clean your camera to avoid damaging your equipment. Also, pay attention to firmware updates and any maintenance included in your warranties.

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5. Experiment with different equipment

Learn and make the make the most of the equipment you have first, of course. But it helps to learn how to use a variety of equipment especially if you plan to go commercial. Learn how to experiment with DIY to high-end photography equipment. I always recommend trying strobes at some point, they’re super fun to use. But don’t worry, you don’t always have to save to pay an arm and leg for new photo equipment, there a lot of camera rental options out there. Just search camera rentals in your local area or check out camera rental website. *Tip, I recommend always paying the little extra fee for having your rentals insured unless you already have an insurance plan to cover equipment rentals. Accidents do happen :(

6. Learn from photography courses

Although I went to college for photography, I’ll honestly recommend using local or online resources to learn photography skills first. (Honestly, art school is just way to expensive especially when you have so many affordable or free learning resources online.) There are a ton of websites and individuals online who offer photography courses. You may also have some local photography groups or clubs that offer access to photography education. And if you really want to pay for college-level photography courses, there are community colleges and four-year colleges that offer photography courses and degree programs. Just don’t feel pressured to pay so much for formal photography education, there are so many super successful photographers who taught themselves without ever walking into a college class.

Check out my other post 10 Skillshare Photography Classes for Bloggers!

Or you can look at my post on my other blog for a list of 27+ Free Video Courses for Photographers

7. Share your work for feedback

It's always helpful to get another set of eyes to evaluate your work and help you improve. There are a variety of places to share your work such as Instagram, Facebook groups, forums and more. You can also join local photography clubs and MeetUp groups to help you connect with photographers of different skill levels.

8. Capture in RAW (if you can)

RAW image files capture more information than JPEGs do. JPEGs are compressed image files, and while you can do some editing to them; there’s only so much they can take before the image gets overprocessed. RAW images give you the most control over your image when it's time for editing in programs such as Photoshop and Lightroom. Just make sure you keep your photo editing software updated so they can process your specific camera’s RAW file. Unfortunately, this is not always an option with smartphone photography; however, I believe there are some apps that allow your phone to capture RAW files. Just be mindful of your devices’ space when using RAW files, they can range from a few megabytes to several gigabytes depending on the camera you are using.

9. Learn basic photo editing

Get the most of your shots with photo editing. No matter how great your initial capture may be, there is usually something small or big that can be changed to take it to the next level. You can hire a retoucher to manage your photo editing or retouching. Or you can do the minor editing yourself. So take time to learn the basics of programs like Lightroom and Photoshop. I would recommend at least learning Lightroom because it's a great place for both editing and organizing your images. Photoshop is a great program to learn as well.

10. Edit with presets and actions that fit your brand

Whether you are shooting photos for business or for fun, it never hurts to develop a consistent look between your photos. While hiring a retoucher is an option, you can also manage your photographic brand consistency with some basic photo editing skills and using Lightroom Presets/Photoshop Actions that match your brand! These are basically the same as filters you use in apps like Instagram or VSCO to edit your mobile photos. You simply upload your photos into Lightroom or Photoshop and apply the preset or action with one click. You can also add additional tweaks and edits after applying the action or preset.

Courtesy of: Filtercrave

Photography Gifts to Buy Yourself in 2019

#photographyhobbyist  #photographybestoftheday #photographyforever

 

^{Photo by anyaberkut via iStock}

Not happy with the gifts you got for Christmas?
Or did you get a little money from Santa to spend on new photography gear?
Either way, there's no lack of awesome photography gifts to buy yourself in the new year.
Here's a few of my favorite photography accessories that I've enjoyed using over the course of the last year.

Holdfast MoneyMaker Solo

One of the best photography accessories I bought this year was hands-down the Holdfast MoneyMaker Solo.
I've been a Holdfast customer for a long, long time, and I have their original MoneyMaker dual camera strap.
The "problem" - if you can call it that - with the original MoneyMaker is that it was purpose-built for two-camera shooters. I'm not always a two-camera shooter, though.
So imagine my excitement when Holdfast unveiled the MoneyMaker Solo, which is specifically designed for single-camera shooters.

It's made of the same impeccable materials as the original MoneyMaker, with gorgeous full-grain leathers and high-quality metal components.
That makes it a durable (and beautiful!) addition to any photography kit.
It's also functional, too, with an innovative Belt Anchor that keeps your camera right next to your body. When you're ready to shoot, you can release the Belt Anchor with one hand for taking a quick shot. You can reattach it one-handed as well!

The comfort level of the MoneyMaker solo is next-level, too.
The shoulder strap is nice and large, which helps distribute the weight of your gear evenly across your shoulder.
The stabilizer strap helps keep the shoulder pad in place as well, so you don't have to worry about constantly adjusting it as you work.
This camera strap really is the pinnacle of form, function, and comfort. I highly recommend spoiling yourself a little bit by giving one a try!

Learn More:

• The Worst Mistake You Can Make With a New Camera
• Practical Tips That Will Make Photography Easier

CanvasHQ Prints

As with Holdfast, I've been a customer of CanvasHQ for years now, and I keep coming back over and over again because the quality of their canvas prints is simply outstanding.
What I like about canvas is that it gives my photos a little more depth and character thanks to the texture of the canvas.
And since CanvasHQ is at the top of their game and uses only the finest canvas, inks, and wood for the frames, I know that when I order a print, it'll look spectacular.

Heck, even if there's something wrong with the print, I don't have to worry...
That's because CanvasHQ has a 30-day money-back guarantee. I've never had to utilize that guarantee, but if I did, it would be as simple as returning the print and getting my money back (or getting a new print sent to me).
On top of that, CanvasHQ has a lifetime guarantee against cracking, bubbling, or fading. Talk about peace of mind!

The process of getting a print is easy, too.
Just upload your image and CanvasHQ will give you tips for sizing, color adjustments, and so forth. You even get free proofs emailed to you before your image is printed.
Once it's printed, you'll get your artwork in a jiff - current turnaround time is just two days!
In other words, you can really treat yourself to something nice in the new year by getting a gorgeous, handcrafted print made of your favorite photo. And since it'll have a prominent place on the wall in your home, it's a gift that will keep on giving!

Learn More:

• Why Your Photos are Bad - and How to Fix Them
• Reignite Your Love of Photography With These Simple Tips

Inexpensive Lenses are a Great Gift for Yourself

^{Photo by yanik88 via iStock}

As we all know, photography can be one heck of an expensive hobby or profession.
That's why I've started to buy used lenses to help stretch my budget a bit further.
Think about it - if you can find good-quality lenses for a fraction of the price, that's a lot of money you can save over the long haul.
What's more, when you buy used lenses, you might even be able to buy a couple of them for the price of one new one. That's a deal if you ask me!

Though I've tried buying used lenses on places like Craigslist before, it was usually a shady deal that made me uncomfortable.
Then I found Lensfinder, and those troubles have gone away completely.
Lensfinder was built by photographers, for photographers, which makes it the ideal place to find great used glass.

There's no sifting through a million unrelated items on eBay, no creepy sellers on Craigslist to deal with, either.

^{Photo by FatCamera via iStock}

Instead, you just enter what you're looking for, and Lensfinder will present you with lenses that match your criteria.
Better still, it's an all-in-one platform, so once you sign up for a free account, you can buy all the lenses you want, pay for them via PayPal, communicate with the seller, and leave feedback without having to leave the site.
Not bad, right?!
If you're in the market for a new lens, pop over to Lensfinder and see what you can find. You might be surprised at just how much you can save versus buying new!

Learn More:

• Cheap Nikon Lenses That Offer Amazing Image Quality
• 4 Ways You Can Improve Your Photos This Weekend

Make Editing Videos Simpler and Faster in the New Year

It's become apparent over the last couple of years that photography and videography are merging more and more.
That being the case, many photographers aren't just creating beautiful photos, but they're also creating compelling video content.
Given that video production is taking a much more important role in the lives of photographers, in the new year, I'd suggest investing in one of the best video platforms available - Kizoa.

What I appreciate about Kizoa most is how easy it is to use.
Whether I'm using their cloud-based platform online or using their free iOS app, I can edit my videos and turn them into professional-looking creations in short order.
Kizoa has a huge suite of tools that make the process of editing so much easier. That includes the ability to add transitions and special effects as well as music and text overlays.
There's even a collection of pre-made video templates to help you get started. Naturally, basic tools for straightening, cropping, and rotating, among others, are also available.

Once I'm done editing my videos, sharing them couldn't be more streamlined.
I can share the video via the built-in YouTube or Facebook integrations, download it in various file formats, burn it to a DVD, or even email it.
And since Kizoa starts at just $29.99 for a lifetime premium membership, it's a gift you can get yourself without breaking the bank!

Learn More:

• Must-Have Gear for New Videographers
• Avoid These Common Beginner Videography Mistakes

Kenko Nyumon Circular Polarizing Filter

If you're like me and you shoot a lot of landscapes, a circular polarizing filter is a must-have.
Not only do they help minimize glare off non-metallic surfaces like water, but they also reduce atmospheric haze and boost contrast in the sky.
The result of all that is a landscape photo that's cleaner, crisper, and has more drama. What's not to like about that?!

Buying a lens filter is a lot like buying a lens - you get what you pay for.
But that doesn't mean that you have to spend an arm and a leg to get a great polarizer.
I've used a Kenko Nyumon Polarizing Filter for a while now, and it has performed beautifully.
Its optical-grade class is polished and coated to aid in resisting water and oil from your skin.

On top of that, these filters have a SLIM mounting ring, which minimizes vignetting when you're shooting with a wide-angle lens.
Kenko offers these filters in various sizes from 37mm to 82mm, and also offers models that fit Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, and many other brands of lenses.
If you invest in one filter in 2019, make it a circular polarizer. It simply offers too many benefits not to have one in your bag!

Learn More:

• Landscape Photography Tricks You Should Be Using
• 4 Ways You Can Improve Your Photos This Weekend

Syrp Genie II Linear

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2019 is to shoot more timelapse videos. To do that, I'll be using the Syrp Genie II Linear.
I haven't used this rig yet, but I've used its predecessor many times and to say that I've been impressed with it is an understatement.
Syrp really has made making timelapse videos so much easier thanks to the innovative features they've packed into their little motion control device.
And when I say little, I mean it - the Genie II Linear is every bit as small as the original Genie, so you can pop it in your camera bag and you'd never know it was there.


This little guy can attach to any slider on the market and can even work with cable cam systems up to 328' in length.
That means you can quickly and easily upgrade your timelapse setup to get beautiful timelapse videos and real-time videos as well.
On top of that, you can control the Genie II with your smartphone and tackle tasks like key-framing, shooting interviews, creating timelapses, and shooting B-roll as well. Syrp is working on future features that include live view and camera control for ramping exposure, among others.
It really doesn't get much easier than that to create a timelapse video!

Learn More:

• Top Timelapse Rigs and Accessories for 2019
• How to Set Up and Shoot a 360-Degree Photo

The Vest Guy Colorado Vest

Even though I've only had my Colorado Vest from The Vest Guy for a couple of weeks, I'm already at the point of being so happy with it that I had to include it on this list.
Seriously - if you don't have a photography vest, you need one!
I never thought I would ditch my camera bag in favor of a photography vest, but now that I've experienced how much easier it is to carry gear on me instead of in a bag, I'll never go back.

For starters, these vests are designed and made in the U.S., which as a veteran of the armed forces, I really appreciate.
The design of the vest makes shooting photos so much easier with large cargo pockets on the front where you can carry a couple of lenses up to 400mm in length.

The integrated camera strap is highly adjustable for a custom carrying experience, and keeps your camera right at your fingertips for quick shots.
There's even a scratch-proof pocket for filters as well as optional accessories like padded shoulders, an additional camera strap, a hydration pack, and custom name tags, just to name a few.
Why not make 2019 the year you step up your game, streamline your workflow, and shoot in greater comfort?! You can do that with a photography vest from The Vest Guy!

Learn More:

• The Best of 2018

Luminar 3

As someone that's used Photoshop and Lightroom for years and years, I understand how difficult it is to switch to a new editor.
Recently, though, I made the move to Luminar 2018, and once the new Luminar 3 was released, I jumped on board with it. Talk about a great decision!
What sets Luminar apart from programs like Lightroom is that it's much, much easier to use.
There are a host of presets (called Looks) that you can apply to your images with just one click for quick editing, but you still have the option of making fine adjustments with a variety of slider controls.

Luminar 3 also has artificial intelligence-powered editing tools that make dozens of adjustments simultaneously to further speed up the editing process.
That includes AI tools for enhancing the sky as well as the Accent AI filter (shown above) that applies about a dozen changes to your image that improve the colors, detail, and tone of your image, among others.
With non-destructive editing, a new library for organizing and sorting your photos, customizable workspaces, precise adjustments without having to make selections, and a host of other innovative tools, Luminar isn't just powerful, but it's also easy to use and affordable!

Learn More:

• Get a Comprehensive Luminar Review
• Testing a New Affordable Lightroom Alternative

Click Props Backdrops

I know not everyone is a portrait photographer, but if you are, you can step up your game in 2019 with a high-quality backdrop from Click Props.
I've known the Click Props team for years, and I've even spent time with them at their Las Vegas studio. I've seen these backdrops up close and personal, and they're gorgeous!
These backdrops are made of 550gsm vinyl, so not only are they super strong, but they're also easy to clean when your shoot is wrapped up.
You can use and abuse these things without worry that they'll be trashed - they're that durable!

The backdrops come with reinforced grommets along the top, which makes it easier to hang them and swap them out between shoots. You can even order your backdrop without grommets and set it up on a roller system if you prefer.
Either way, the backdrop will hang straight and clean, so you don't have to worry about folds or creases causing a distraction in the background.

There's a huge selection of backdrops (and floors) to choose from as well - more than 200 unique designs that will help you fulfill your creative vision.
When you create portraits, the background might not be the star of the shot, but the background certainly matters when it comes to the quality of the photo.
Boost the appeal of your portraits in the new year with a gorgeous backdrop!

Learn More:

• How to Plan a Portrait Photo Shoot
• Key Tips for Using a Photography Backdrop

SIRUI SR-Series Tripod

I got my hands on SIRUI's new SR-3004 tripod a couple of months back, and this thing is an absolute beast.
I've used SIRUI tripods for the better part of a decade, and the quality of craftsmanship of these things is what has kept me a loyal customer over the years.
My old tripod - the SIRUI W-2204 - is a great tripod. But I got the SR-3004 because it's a bigger, beefier tripod that can extend to 80 inches in height with the optional two-stage center column and can hold up to 55 pounds of gear.
And even though it's not advertised as being waterproof, as you can see in the image above, my trip to the beach involved a lot of water. So long as I rinse the tripod off and dry it before I head home, I've experienced no problems whatsoever from sea water or sand.

SIRUI has loaded this thing for bear with features as well.
That includes a flat top plate with 3/8" mounting screw for maximum stability, a removable top plate for quickly converting the tripod into a video tripod, a multi-function hook with built-in adjustment tool, and a 1/4" socket built into the spider for quick and easy attachment of accessories.
Add to that simple 1/2 twist leg lock mechanisms and three-position leg angles, and you have the makings of a tripod that's the ultimate in functionality and ease of use.
What a great gift to buy yourself in 2019!
Courtesy of:  Photography Talk

Photography Reviews

Fujifilm XE-1 Digital Camera: A Classy, Image-Making Package for Photography Enthusiasts

#photographyhobbyist  #photographybestoftheday #photographyforever

 

Savvy professional photographers and enthusiasts didn’t overlook the new Fujifilm X series of mirrorless cameras when the company introduced the X-Pro1 during January 2012. Many were definitely attracted to how well the company adapted the classic rangefinder look, but with top-of-the-line features, such as a distinctive optical/electronic viewfinder combination, solid metal body and the advanced design of the 16-MP X-Trans CMOS sensor (more on it below).
Want to see reviews from other photographers? Read them HERE on Amazon OR you can read reviews HERE on Adorama.

Fujifilm then made the same move of many of its mirrorless competitors by taking what it had learned with the X-Pro1 and creating an even more appealing camera, and at a lower price point, for a bigger audience of enthusiasts. The result is the Fujifilm X-E1, which was released during September 2012. For many photographers, it becomes a clear and serious alternative to the Sony Alpha NEX-7 and Olympus OM-D E-M5.

Fujifilm cleverly gave the X-E1 some of the capabilities that have made the X-Pro1 so popular as well as a number of new functions that should allow it to compete successfully with comparative models. For starters, the XE-1 looks very much like the X-Pro1, with the traditional rangefinder styling updated for the 21^st century, but in a slightly smaller footprint.

Most of the size difference comes with using an all-electronic viewfinder in the XE-1 instead of the hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder of the X-Pro1. Nonetheless, the OLED EVF sports a very impressive 2,360,000-dot LCD. The X-Pro1’s has a more typical 1,440,000 dots. Fujifilm did have to reduce the specs of the rear LCD on the XE-1 to 2.8 inches and 460,000 dots, but that keeps the LCD in the range of its competitors and helps to make the body more compact, which is what the audience for this camera wants. Even at that smaller size, Fujifilm was able to give the XE-1 virtually the same configuration of control buttons, switches, etc. and user interface.

The retention of the 16-MP X-Trans CMOS sensor in the XE-1 is very significant, as it was a bit of a revolutionary approach by Fujifilm when used in the X-Pro1. The Bayer color filter array has been the standard for virtually all digital cameras because it has proven to be an exceptional design for recording color and details. Four pixels are grouped in a square RGGB configuration: 2 are sensitive to green light, 1 to red and 1 to blue. This configuration is then repeated across the array. The major downside of the Bayer concept is that the pixel configuration becomes confused when it must read a replicating arrangement of shapes/colors, which may be present in certain textures and fabrics, for example. Color bands form that reduce the quality of the image. The typical solution to this problem is placing a low-pass, or anti-aliasing, filter in front of the sensor, but this tends to suppress the resolution of the resulting images.

Fujifilm’s X-Trans sensor technology addresses this issue with a 6x6 color filter array that places pixels sensitive to red, green and blue on each row and column. An anti-aliasing filter is, therefore, not required and the sensor, in theory, should provide greater resolution of the images captured. In all honesty, Fujifilm is still developing this technology, especially as it relates to RAW shooting, but for most enthusiasts, the upside of the X-Trans sensor is worth its inclusion in the XE-1.

New to the Fujifilm XE-1 are a pop-up flash, a 2.4mm stereo microphone jack and a firmware update to version 2, which will also significantly improve the performance of the X-Pro1. The new firmware results in twice the speed for file writing and much less time between photo capture and playback, approximately 2 seconds. In addition, Auto ISO sensitivity for JPEG shooting has been expanded to 25,600.

Enthusiasts will also like the new XF 18–55mm f/2.8–4 R OIS LM zoom lens that is available as part of a kit package with the XE-1. The 35mm equivalent focal length range of 28–80mm, uncommonly fast maximum aperture and optical image stabilization that produces sharper handheld images to as many as 4 shutter speed stops slower make this new lens an excellent companion to the XE-1.

The bottom line is that Fujifilm is not about to be outclassed by Sony, Olympus or any other competitors offering comparable mirrorless cameras, which means no enthusiasts that is attracted to this kind of camera should fail to overlook the Fujifilm XE-1 digital camera.

The Fujifilm XE-1 Digital Camera with the FUJINON 18–55mm f/2.8–4 Kit Lens is available from Amazon for $1,399.00

Courtesy of : Photography Talk

Take better outdoor photographs with 35+ hours of pro instruction 

#photographyhobbyist  #photographybestoftheday #photographyforever

As part of an ongoing series, the CNN Underscored team showcases outstanding deals you can shop right now on the CNN Store. Each week, our staff chooses a product to feature that we think you'll love. This week, we're highlighting The Complete Outdoor Photography Bundle ($39, originally $450; store.cnn.com).

Anyone can be a photographer these days -- all you need is a camera phone. But a good photographer? That's another matter. There are around 350 million photos uploaded to Facebook and 80 million photos uploaded to Instagram each day. No wonder it can be hard to have your photos stand out.
And nature photography can be trickier than indoor shots. You could just snap a picture of a landscape with your phone, but to really capture the color of a sunset or the movement of a wild animal, you'll need to learn some specific skills.
The Complete Outdoor Photography Bundle ($39, originally $450; store.cnn.com) is an extensive online course led by several award-winning photographers. They show you, through their experiences, tested techniques and varied teaching styles, how to master your art and your equipment. Their tips on better angles, better light, better gear and better editing techniques go way beyond what you'd find in a user's manual.
With this package, you'll get a bundle of five courses that focus on specific skills:
Landscapes & Natural Light (1.5 hours, 12 Lessons, $39.00 value)
You can always adjust studio light, but natural light is less forgiving. In this course, Matt Klokowski, a Tampa-based landscape photographer and the best-selling author of more than 20 photography books, will teach you how to make the best of whatever light nature gives you. From dawn to dusk, Klokowski takes you through every kind of lighting situation possible, so you'll have all your bases covered.
The Art of Wildlife Photography (10 hours, 24 lessons, $159.00 value)
Wildlife can be hard to find. And even when you do find animals, they're hard to capture in a photograph -- they move quickly and unpredictably. Tom Mangelsen has over 40 years of experience observing and photographing some of our planet's wildest and rarest places, and in this course he'll teach you what he's learned. Through Mangelsen's personal experiences and expert knowledge, you'll learn about proper equipment, scouting methods to find your subjects, and even the ethical considerations of working with wildlife.
Basic Post-Processing For Landscape Photographers (1 hour, 4 lessons, $29.00 value)
Sometimes, what you see in nature just doesn't translate into a photograph. With another course led by Klokowski, you can learn how to use applications like Photoshop and Lightroom to recover the lost hues, auras, and intensity that you saw in the natural landscape.
Landscape Photography featuring Marc Muench (12 hours, 27 lessons, $99.00 value)
Photography, like any art, involves both artistry and technique. With Marc Muench, a seasoned professional of more than 20 years, you can learn what he calls the "creative trinity" and the "technical trinity" of photography. The former will teach you how to understand composition, subject and light, and the latter will give you a mastery over your equipment. Muench's work has appeared in publications like Time and National Geographic, and he's well-versed in all the intricacies of outdoor photography.
Nature & Landscape Photography (12 hours, 27 lessons, $99.00 value)
You'll learn how to capture the grandeur of landscapes in your pictures through the lens of other forms of art. Award-winning photographer John Greengo uses illustrations, animations and other comparative examples of great photography to show how you can make your pictures more unique. Greengo's mastery over many forms of visual art makes his approach to photography unusual and valuable.

With this comprehensive package of courses, you'll be able to master nature photography. And now that it's available for 90% off, this is an opportunity you won't want to pass up if you've ever thought about improving your outdoor photography skills.

Noelle Ike, CNN Underscored Underscored

How I Lost My 8-Year-Old Photography Website

#photographyhobbyist  #photographybestoftheday #photographyforever

Jenny Cruger

This is the story and all the messy details of how I lost my photography business’ 8-year-old website at Bludomain, a hosting service “for the creative professional.”

Last week was busy! Along with a regular schedule of newborn sessions, family sessions, and maternity sessions here in my studio, editing, album design, and ordering appointments. I had a workshop coming up over the weekend that I would be teaching here in the studio, then a quick flight to Florida for a beach session, and then a couple days later a short, much-needed vacation with my husband.
And then the bottom fell out. I was driving home from the studio and received an Instagram message from a photographer friend of mine that my website was down. Okay… slightly annoying and instead of running inside from work all day to see my babies and eat for the first time that day, I would have to park myself at my computer and send off a help ticket to my host and domain owner, Bludomain.
After being with them for 8 years, this was nothing new and happened occasionally, but thankful I had been one of the lucky few who they seemed to address quickly and fix such problems. A wrench in my day, but nothing horrible. I had actually just paid my yearly domain renewal fee a week or so before, so I knew it was nothing I had done.
This was the email response I got back from them.

Jennifer,
We are so sorry for the continued downtime. The RAID array has failed on this server and we are in the process of restoring it at this time. We are acutely aware of the inconvenience this has caused you, and we are doing all we can to ensure it is resolved. We would like to provide an accurate timeline as to how long it will take to resolve this, however it is difficult to estimate that with this type of issue. Please rest assured that our entire team is doing all they can and we will update you as soon as we have news. Due to high ticket volume please do not respond to this message. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience.

Okay. Again, I get that crap happens. And then the magical website people fix the technology and we are on our way again. A day or so out a website being down is NOT the end of my world.
A day goes by and nothing happens. I write:

I saw on the FB page to ask for an update through a ticket… is there any news? Are there back up servers the sites can move to, to be up and running?

Their response:

Hi Jennifer,
The accounts on the server are still restoring. We will notify you as soon as cPanel is available. Our priority is to get cPanel and mail functioning ASAP.
We will update you when that is done.
Apologies again for taking so long. This is an unprecedented occurrence for us.
Regards,
Zahari

Again, nothing I can’t handle. I do get most of my new inquiries from my website because I am #1-3 on the first page of Google for every single search term (which I spent 8 years working my tail off to become), so any more than a couple days of this and it could begin to affect me, but at this point they are acting as if they are working to fix the issue and all will be well soon enough.
I don’t know much about technology, but I do major companies have backups, etc.
Another reply from them:

We are so very sorry for the continued inconvenience this down time has caused. Our first priority is to get email back up and running but to do that the accounts first have to be restored. As you can tell this is an extremely time consuming process. Without getting into details that are too technical, this is a simple case of where a machine has failed us, with catastrophic results. All we can do, given this scenario, is to work as diligently as possible to get the content back up and running.
Moving forward I would like to offer some options, unfortunately neither option is ideal:
1: Wait for the account to get restored; you would have your email back within the next 24 hours or so but the website and content will take a bit longer to restore. This process could take several days.
2: As a second option we would like to offer you the choice to move to a new hosting account with a blank site of your choice. We can reconfigure email for you and assist you with uploading your content – content from your previous site is not accessible at this time, however. Please let us know if you want to move forward with this option.
Unfortunately, in retrospect, this is not an issue anyone could have predicted, once we resolve this we will do all we can to ensure that it does not happen again.
BluDomain management

I don’t use my email through them because all of a sudden on Jan 1, 2015, I started going from 0 spam emails a day to about 500 a day. So I basically had to shut that down and move to Gmail. At this point I don’t really care about anything, I just need them to put my site back up. And I don’t use their templates. I am basically using only their hosting services.
Here’s my response to that:

I don’t want to make a whole new website…is it guaranteed that when it comes back (within a couple days) all of the content will be just the same as it was before this?

Their reply:

We can expedite the restoration of your account and email and images should be restored. We would need to set up a blank new site and we can assist you in uploading the images to your site. All the text content would have to be re-entered… sorry.
Harald

It was this email where I started getting nervous. Wait, alllll my content is gone??? 8 years of blogging 2-3 times per week, all of the copy I had stayed up til 2 am some nights creating and tweaking, 8 years of links to where I was published with my work, interviews, etc. Reviews from clients I had put up. Just gone???
My reply to him:

I’m so confused. So if I want to do something now I’ll lose everything and have to basically start from scratch or if I wait it out I’ll still have to do that? I don’t use your email, I use Gmail, so I’m not worried about that. Is my prophoto site going to be gone either way???

His reply:

Unfortunately that is correct. I am so sorry. We can reconfigure a new site for you but we cannot restore the external site. So sorry.
Harald

WHAT?! So in 24 hours we went from it will take some time but we are getting sites back up to basically we lost all of your work over 8 years, but we’ll give you a new website template (remember, I don’t even use their website templates!!). Ummmmm this is becoming a nightmare at this point. And remember, they own my domain name. When I was new and didn’t know better I purchased everything from them, so www.jennycrugerphotography.com lists their name as the owner (until today!)
At this point, I asked about backups, etc. He offered to initiate a domain transfer (this is still Thursday, June 21st) and I am just in disbelief this is happening. I’m about to lose everything. I know right away that losing that site and content my SEO will disappear.
His reply:

We do have back ups… the only issue is that the folder that contained the mySQL databases became corrupted, and those cannot be restored.
Harald

And so I said yes, do that and give me my domain back and I will just start again. Because I sure as hell was not willing to work with them anymore or have their hand it anything of mine. So that night I started over with www.jennycruger.com completely, which cost me about $500 at the time. At about 11 pm I hired someone to help to me do the things I couldn’t figure out in building the new site for a couple hundred dollars and at 2 am I crawled into bed and cried myself to sleep.
To the Internet (which, remember, is how almost all new clients hire me!) it was like I was completely GONE and a brand new business. I had poured so many hours into my website to get a high Google ranking over 8 years and it was wiped out completely.
Friday: At 6 am, my 4 hour old woke me up and I continued to spend my only day ‘off’ in weeks with my children working on getting my new site up and running.
I taught a workshop all day on Saturday and Sunday. Monday morning I left my house at 5 am for a flight to the beach to photograph a family. At this point, I hadn’t heard anything from Bludomain about giving me my domain name back so I began sending emails.
4 days later I don’t have my domain back and email them and get this from Aundrea, the owner.
She has NOT emailed me whatsoever and even so, it makes no sense for me to ask to have my domain transferred to me on THURSDAY and then on Monday she is writing “I’m going to unlock it”. It should have had that done days ago.

Jenny,
I continue to write you that we can’t point your domain name if you are transferring it, I’m going to unlock it so you can transfer it and then have your new hosting company do what is needed.

Over the next few days, I heard NOTHING from them. I am sending her an email or two every day being over-the-top patient.

I’m checking in again to see the process and timeline on this. Maybe you have sent an email but haven’t gotten anything since your first one to me and it looks like the domain is still in your hands. I went from #1 to completely dropped off Google already so getting this sorted is a pretty urgent matter.

Nothing. Finally, I sent an email that my website (the one she owns and lost) is still down and I kid you not, her response is:

What site is down – the site below is live?

Ummmmmm Oh. My. God. She is looking at my signature in my email of my NEW site I probably spent a good 30 hours on over the past 4 days thanks to HER company. Of course it’s live.
Cue more tears and outrage. HOW is this happening.
At this point, other photographers who have lost everything are finding me and we have started a Facebook group for those of us in this position to help each other and figure out what we can do.
It took 2 more days after that (and tons of back and forth, more separate help tickets submitted to Bludomain) to finally get my www.jennycrugerphotography.com domain BACK in my hands and pointed to my new site.
It really should have been a quick process for them. So much for being willing to ‘help’ me in any way to get THEIR mess fixed.
And really, it’s not at all fixed. I own the domain now, but every link is broken so the SEO is completely gone. Had they gotten it to me right away when I asked on Thursday and actually helped me, I could have set up the brand new site on the old domain and not completely dropped off Google.

---

About the author: Jenny Cruger is a photographer based in the Nashville, Tennessee area. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Cruger specializes in family photography in Nashville and also specializes in maternity, newborn, and baby, and family photography. You can find more of her work on her (new) website, Facebook, and Instagram. This article was also published here.