6 Strong Reasons Why Photographers Should Have A Blog

By Jason D. Little  

When it comes to a photographer’s online presence we tend to think of social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook — or YouTube for those who create videos on a regular basis. It seems, though, that the lowly blog sometimes gets overlooked.

In internet terms, blogging is old school. There will always be new, exciting social media outlets that pop up — some will last, many won’t. But blogging, in all its basic glory, still represents a valuable tool for photographers.

If you’ve been thinking about starting a blog, here are 6 reasons why you shouldn’t delay any longer.

1. Build A More Intimate Audience

Social media possesses an inherent cool-factor. Trends prevail, follower count often matters more than skill, and everyone wants to portray themselves as living their “best life.” Lost in the fray is authenticity.

While the “like for like” and “follow for follow” philosophy pervades social media, a blog allows you to post your work and feel a bit more sure that those who follow you are following you because they really value what you’re doing.

Furthermore, if you’re looking for more depth in the way of comments you’re more likely to get that on a blog than you are on a social media site where approval can be signified by a heart or a thumb.

I have found that people are more inclined to leave longer, more nuanced comments on a blog. Even if it’s only two or three individuals, you can develop those into meaningful relationships.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

2. Share Your Work Your Way

Blogging allows you a level of creative freedom not available on popular social media and photo sharing sites, where you’re generally confined to pretty strict format. Of course, there’s a good reason for this, but if you’re itching to break out of that mould then starting your own blog is the answer.

You can include text and video, place numerous photos in one post, and arrange everything the way you want. If you want even more customization, most blogging platforms allow the use of HTML code.

Getting a blog post ready takes a bit more work than posting a photo on Instagram, but I do believe it’s worth the effort. The end result is a comprehensive presentation that can reveal the true depth of your work.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

3. Expand Your Creativity

Photo sharing sites too often inspire sameness. When users join a given photo sharing outlet, it’s not uncommon for them to start emulating whatever look is prevalent there in an attempt to stay relevant.

A blog, however, might encourage you to experiment more as you’re not racing against a trend. When you try something new you will want to share it. When you don’t have the pressure of social media/photo sharing site working against you, you will feel empowered to continue to try new things.

Photo by Ricardo Viana on Unsplash

4. Inspire Others

Your blog should be a reflection of your craft in ways that most social media sites don’t allow for. Because a blog affords you the opportunity to be more personal, you also have a greater capacity to inspire others.

To be sure, you can find inspirational work anywhere, but if it’s the width and breadth of a photographer’s experience that breeds inspiration, a blog will be a more effective stage.

Photo by Jaclyn Moy on Unsplash

5. Stick To Your Own Standards

If you regularly post photos deemed NSFW or produce any other type of content that would run afoul of a social media site’s “community standards,” you’re going to need a blog to get your work out there.

You can certainly post your risqué imagery on a site like Instagram, but you will have to censor it. If you’re anti-censorship, getting your own blog is a no-brainer.

Photo by Mark Duffel on Unsplash

6. Assess Your Growth

Blogs are sort of like time capsules (assuming they are updated on a regular basis) in the sense that you can track your progress across various periods.

Go back to the first photos you posted and ask yourself if you still like them? What technical deficiencies do they exhibit? How strong of a story do they tell? If you included text, what were your thoughts at the time? What are your thoughts on the same topic now?

A blog is an excellent means of self-analysis.

Photo by whoislimos on Unsplash

Final Thoughts

Obviously, the ideas listed above represent only a small portion of all the reasons a photographer might find value in blogging.

Do you keep a blog? How have you benefited from it?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

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5 Ways To Take Great Shots Every Time You Pick Up Your Camera

By Jason D. Little 
 

I’m convinced that the majority of new photographers who go out and spend their hard earned money on a good camera and lens setup do so with good intentions.
They really do plan on learning how to make excellent photos.
Certainly, the learning process is different for everyone — some get the hang of the craft more quickly than others. Of course, the internet is awash in advice on how to be a good photographer, though too much of it tends to revolve around technical settings and gear acquisition.
If it is at all possible to “teach” someone how to be a good photographer, I believe those lessons should be practical in nature.
With that in mind, here are five things you can do to take great shots every time.

1. Know What You Want

Pre-visualize what you want to create before you even arrive on the scene. Of course, once you’re in the moment you may find that the situation isn’t exactly how you imagined it, but that’s okay.
Going into the situation feeling prepared will make it easier to adapt and make little changes along the way. Just because every single aspect of your shot doesn’t come out like you planned doesn’t mean you failed, and the final shot might even be better than you envisioned.

Photo by Gurkamal Teja 

2. Get Closer

How did you respond last time you saw something you really wanted to photograph? Did it stop you dead in your tracks?
This seems to be the most common reaction when people are captivated by something. It’s human nature, I suppose. But if you’re a photographer, don’t stop there. When you see something worth taking a picture of, get closer to it.
Sure, you have to account for things like personal safety and perspective distortion, but you should generally make it a point to get as close as sensibly possible to your subject.

Photo by Pexen Design

3. Work The Scene

Never be satisfied with the first shot you take. Even if you feel you’ve got a definite winner, keep working the scene. Reposition yourself, reposition your subject (if possible), change your perspective, take a look around you in every direction.
Don’t get locked into a single vision. A slight change in something in your environment can have a powerful impact on your photo, so get in the habit of being thorough and milking a scene for all it’s worth.

Photo by Gustavo Borges 

4. Stay Vigilant

Always be ready to capture a great moment. The best moments are typically candid and spontaneous. This is why the best street photographers will pick an area and intensely scope it out, finger on the shutter button, ready to pounce.
Wildlife and event photographers also find this technique valuable, but what about portrait photographers?
No matter how comfortable someone is in front of the camera, they’re still likely to reveal a more relaxed, perhaps more playful side of themselves after the shutter button has been pressed. So if you want to capture a more casual and candid portrayal of your subject, keep paying attention to them even after they’ve stopped paying attention to you.

Photo by Pixabay 

5. Return To The Scene

This tip is akin to working the scene, but in this case, you’ll want to return to the scene under completely different circumstances — a different time of day, different weather conditions, different lighting, a different season.
I can almost guarantee that any location has much more to offer than you will get out of it in one visit. So return to the scene and explore it under different conditions. You will be glad you did.

Photo by Victor Freitas 

Final Thoughts

Anyone can learn the exposure triangle and set their camera accordingly. Anyone can read through the manual and master all the controls and settings on their camera.
But good photos are the result of so much more than those things. It takes focused practice, patience and commitment to begin feeling like you’re making any sort of meaningful progress.
Once you’ve got all the technical stuff figured out, the path toward making legitimately good photos becomes a bit more abstract. The tips above will hopefully help clear the way for you.

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Why Do So Many Street Photographers Shoot Black and White?

By Federico Alegria
                                   # black and white

Skipping panchromatic film, which truly delivers black and white photographs, every digital black and white image out there has been post-produced via software.
Therefore, every black and white photograph made through a digital format is nothing more than a post-production that has been made after pulling the raw files an SD card.
Unless you own one of these bad boys, you aren't really shooting black and white digital photography. Even Fujifilm's film simulations aren't pure monochrome renditions of reality since their sensors are not monochrome engineered. Covered that, we can say that black and white photography nowadays is a matter of post-production rather than an inside-camera process.
Many genres enjoy the benefits of the monochromatic aesthetic, but there is one that truly excels at it, and that is street photography.
For some reason, people think that street photography should be in black and white, but this is obviously not true. What is true is that many good street photographers tend to develop their images based on a black and white decision.
Today we'll be talking a bit more about the main reasons why this decision happens to be so popular among street photographers.

1. Black and White Is Timeless

Photo by Federico Alegría

Beyond being a romantic sentence, this format is indeed quite timeless. It is easier to spot a time or an epoch via color, and black and white stretches time a little bit more.

Other elements like architecture, cars and clothes are other ways in which one can spot a specific range of time, but color narrows that scope. Also, we have consumed more historic black and white photographs than color.
Fun Fact: Black and white film usually said “professional” on the box, contrary to film color negatives and slides which just a few were marketed for professional usage.

2. There is a Legacy Feeling Involved

Photo by Federico Alegría

Photography has had quite a rough time making its way through the fine art world since it was considered more to be a product of technology.
Even Walter Benjamin said that it had no aura for him, and to some point, he was right; a photograph can be reproduced countless times.
Back on track, it was only in the late-mid twentieth century that photography began to be recognized as an art form, especially after “New Documents” saw the light in 1967. This was an exhibition curated by one of my personal heroes, John Szarkowski, and here he institutionalized photography as an art form.
Color photography, on the other hand, has been even less popular in the fine art world. Therefore, there is a feeling here that makes people think that black and white photography is more valid as an art form.
The curious thing is that not only was photography the subject in New Documents; it was also street photography. Well, most of it was street photography. This exhibition showcased the work of three tremendous photographers, Diane Arbus (more of a portrait photographer) Garry Winogrand and Lee Friedlander, both street photographers.
Beyond New Document, many galleries, books and museums have shown us that the work of early street photography masters like Robert Doisneau, Henri Cartier-Bresson and even Fan Ho is art. And guess what, most of those photographs have been shown to us in black and white.

3. It Helps Enhancing Drama

Photo by Federico Alegría

By transforming an image into black and white, there is a higher chance for you to pull the contrast way further than with color. Color tends to render some funny results after tweaking contrasts and other things that can be adjusted in any raw development software.
This is a pretty strong reason for why so many street photographers prefer to publish their images in black and white because honestly, it is easier to have more engaging results that are dramatic and even exaggerated to a point.
Also, some street photographers forget to change their ISO when dwelling between lights and shadows; and black and white is a sloppy yet useful way for correcting those flaws. I've done it; I won't lie to you.

4. To Avoid Distractions

Photo by Federico Alegría

Alright, for me, this is the main and only valid reason why street photography should be presented in black and white. It is challenging to make colors get along in an aesthetic way on the streets due to the lack of control. We can't control what is in front of us, and things happen so fast that we rarely move below 1/60 or beyond 1/250 of a second unless we want some blurriness on the shot.
I must be honest, I like color photography, and I even love the colors that my current camera produces thanks to the classichrome film simulation from Fujifilm, but it is extremely hard to achieve it in a subtle and appealing way, at least for me.
I don't see myself as some special and unique case in photography, so if this happens to me I can infer that it happens to plenty of street photographers out there.

My Trusty Fuji

If the whole color palette doesn't behave well together, the message will be delivered in a distorted way, or at least not in the most efficient form. Black and white reduces this distraction by subtracting color; it simply gets it out of the equation and enables the photograph to transmit the message embedded in it in a sleeker way.
Try reading some photographs, and you'll see that color photography tends to be more complex to decode. Of course, there are various amazingly talented street photographers that have captured the streets in color, and that is my main goal really, to produce color photography that pleases me at a high level.
For the moment, I will stick to transforming into monochrome all those keepers that aren't good enough to be presented in color.

5. It Looks Good

Well, let's face it; black and white photography looks awesome. So, if you like the results that you are seeing, leave them like that. After all, black and white photography is not like in the days of film, we now can choose between color and black and white multiple times on the very same photograph file.
Now you know, so don't feel bad if you are shooting street images in color at first and then you are transforming them into black and white. That is exactly how everybody else has been doing it, at least when it comes to digital photographs.
There are some outliers, of course, like the people shooting with Fujifilm that are so in love with their film simulations that they even are starting to shoot mainly on jpeg!
Don't forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments below

How to Master Low Light Landscape Photography

By Rob Wood  

Over the years, low light landscape photography has come to dominate my interest in the craft and increasingly there is a larger portion of Light Stalking readers for whom the same is true.
And if the rise of certain magazines such as Outdoor Photographer and the popularity of such images on social media is anything to go by, then the genre of low light landscapes is in the middle of a bout of popularity too.

Photo with star trails by Faaiq Ackmerd

But how do you master low light photography as the title promises?
———-
This article is sponsored by Photzy’s Complete Guide to Long Exposure Photography. We will give you the basics in this article, but to dive deep into the craft, Photzy’s guide is highly recommended.

Take a look here.

———-
For starters, I am not going to lie, you need to practice obsessively. All of the best low light landscapers have serious hours under their belt. And while you can get some quick wins (that we will discuss below) sheer exposure to the craft will sharpen your skills just like anything. Continuing to study blog posts like this one as well as any photo magazine articles or books you come across is also obviously going to get you up to speed too (don’t forget to take a look at our mammoth landscape photography guide too).
But here, I want to look at how to quickly get across the basics of this genre for 2 types of shots:

1. Low light landscape photos with sharp stars
2. Low light landscape photos with star trails

So let’s jump in.

Photo by Frank Cone

Gear for Low Light Landscape Photography

Now, you can really go to town when it comes to gearing up for low light landscape photography and it can get expensive quickly. But there is also a lot you can do with very basic kit. Let’s start with the gear you will need.

Minimum Kit

• Camera Body – The best camera is the one with you. If it has manual mode where you can control the aperture, ISO and shutter speed, then that’s all you need.
• Lens – Wider is better but any lens is fine if you can get your desired scene into its field of view.
• Stabilisation – If we’re going really low-fi, then a plastic bag full of sand will suffice.

Ideal Kit

• Camera Body – Same as above, you need a camera body that allows you to shoot on manual. At the top end of town, the Nikons (D810, D850 etc) probably have the ascendancy for now, but really it's a matter of degrees and any DSLR or Mirrorless camera is just fine.
• Lens – Ideally you will probably want something in the 10-20mm range. I use a Nikon 14-24mm f2.8, but there are many other lenses that are good too. The 16-35 is very popular. But really, any lens is fine if it achieves the composition you want to get.
• Stabilisation – You probably want a nice big, heavy tripod as landscape shooting can get windy which will rock your camera around a bit and cause blurring.
• Remote Shutter Release – This also stops the potential for camera shake and unwanted blur.
• Neutral Density Graduated Filter – Now, this one isn't always needed, but if there is a significant difference between the exposure of the sky and the land then you will be glad you had one on hand.

Other Kit

Landscape photographers tend to like certain phone apps to help with their research and calculations.

• The Photographer's Ephemeris – This is probably the grandaddy of landscape photography planning apps.
• PhotoPills is also quite popular for planning.
• Dark Skies – If you want to photography dark skies and perfect stars.
• Sun Surveyor – If you want to know exactly how the sun is going to affect your shooting location at certain times.

Other Low Light Photography Scenarios

Now, in low light landscapes, there are several conditions you will be shooting in. In this blog post, we're going to stick to basic landscapes and skies for low light shooting.
Here are several other lessons that are worth looking at for specific scenarios, but more suited to photographers who are looking to emphasise the sky in their images:

• How to Photograph the Moon
• How to Photograph the Milky Way
  • The 500 Rule
  • The 600 Rule
• How to Photograph Star Trails

Even if you're not planning shooting one of those scenarios, those articles are worth a read as they will also teach you to avoid certain outcomes in your images (star trails etc).

Shoot a Basic Low Light Landscape Photograph

Now, this is going to assume you want to shoot a basic landscape with a sky showing sharp stars (not trails). This process should end up giving you exactly that.

Photo by Sam Willis

Camera Settings and Shooting Process:
It is very difficult to say exactly what settings you will need in a situation without actually being there to measure the light – every scene is different. With that being said, let's look at some starting settings that you can work backwards from (It's a very good idea to read our article on the 500 rule for this part).
You will want to start with settings roughly like these to take some test shots to see what the light is doing to your exposure. Then you can adjust from there. For these test shots, your settings will be somewhere around these:

• Shutter Speed – Set this first as this is what determines whether or not you get star trails. 500/Focal length is the rule (so if you’re shooting at 20mm, the shutter speed will be 25 seconds (500/20). (Yes, this varies according to sensor crop so it’s best to take a look at the table in our 500 rule article).
• ISO – Start at 3200
• Aperture – Shoot wide – start at f/2.8.

As you can see, these settings vary quite significantly different to traditional daytime landscape photography.
What then?
After you have taken the shot, you will want to probably make a few adjustments to your settings. These are the common problems:

• Did the stars in your image trail? (Zoom in on your viewfinder). If so, your shutter speed was too long.
• Is the shot too dark or too light? Adjust your ISO accordingly.

Adjusting for these questions and reshooting the scene should end up giving you a respectable low light landscape photograph with sharp stars in the skies.

Shoot a Long Exposure Low Light Landscape Photograph

Now if you want to keep the shutter open for a long time and capture those star trails, then you need to do things quite differently. Because you’re going to leave the shutter open longer, we can shoot with lowers ISO (hence lower noise in the image) and narrower aperture if we want to.

Photo by Ian Beckley

Here’s a strategy to test the exposure conditions with shorter shutter speeds and then move to longer ones which will save you a bit of time. Let’s start out with something like this for a test shot (and we will change it after we see our first results):

• ISO: 3200        
• Aperture: f/8
• Shutter Speed: 30 seconds

Now, we start adjusting until we’re happy with the exposure which is different for every scene. After you’re happy with the exposure, move onto the longer exposed image.
In very general terms, the aim, once you are happy with your test shot exposure, is to keep reducing the ISO and compensating for that by increasing the shutter speed. (Getting to know the exposure triangle for this is going to help a lot).
For example, going from ISO 3200 to ISO 1600 would require you to double the shutter speed.
Making these adjustments will result in a long shutter speed and an image with low noise that captures the movement of the star (star trails). You will need to use Bulb mode on your camera for exposures longer than 30 seconds (use a remote shutter release of the delayed timer on your camera to help avoid moving the camera and causing unwanted blur).

A Few Other Tips

Camera Mirror Lock-Up – If you’re lucky enough to have a camera with this function, then you should consider using it. It stops the problem of your camera shaking during the shutter release motion which can often cause slightly blurry shots for long exposures.

Photo by Kendall Hoopes

ND Grad Filters – A lot of times you find yourself in a scenario where the exposure of the land and the sky is quite different. In these times, it can be very useful to have an ND Grad on hand to help you balance things out. Our article on ND Grads with worth a read.
Post Production – If you have shot in raw format (and you should) then you can do a lot to finish off your images in post-production. Often, you can draw out a lot more detail than the initial image shows, so don't be shy about playing with your images in Lightroom.

This photo was edited in Lightroom with the FauxHDR Preset from Light Stalking's Pop Pack.

If you’re anything like me, you’re going to fall in love with the genre of low light landscape photography. A lot about it from the challenge through to the resulting images and even how people react to them can be extremely satisfying.
One of the things I find most challenging is that it covers several blocks of learning – you need to have your head around landscape photography, long exposure photography and camera craft.
If you’re interested in really diving deep on long exposure landscapes (and long exposure in general),
       
https://resources.digital-photography-school.com/ref/937/

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Sony reveals Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII super-compact with 90 fps bursts and mic socket

dpreview staff

Preorder on Amazon.com From $1,198.00

Sony has revealed the Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII, the seventh installment in its 1" pocket camera series. The RX100 VII uses the same 24-200mm F2.8-4.5 zoom as its predecessor but mounts it in front of what we're told is a new 20MP stacked-CMOS sensor.
The new sensor has more phase-detection autofocus points and, more importantly, Sony's latest autofocus systems: Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF, first seen on the a6400 and a9.
In addition to being able to shoot at up to 20 frames per second with no viewfinder blackout, the RX100 VII can also shoot seven-image bursts at up to 90 frames per second. Focus and exposure are locked and there's no pre-buffering, and you have to release the shutter button before you can shoot another, but this 'Single Burst' mode tries to increase your chances of capturing 'the moment.'

The Mark VI's already capable video - UHD 4K with virtually no rolling shutter, 1080p video at up to 120p and high-speed shooting at up to 1000 fps - is enhanced with a more powerful image stabilization mode that combines both digital and optical correction, along with the addition of a microphone socket. Video can also be tagged so that it is played back in portrait orientation.
The RX100 VII isn't compatible with Sony's old downloadable PlayMemories Camera Apps, but does gain a built-in intervalometer, one of the most sorely-missed apps.
The rest of the spec is pretty similar: flip up/down touchscreen, a retractable EVF activated by a single button press and the same battery at all the other RX100s. The launch price matches that of the RX100 VI, at $1200/£1200/€1300. It's expected the Mark VI will be reduced in price to make room for the new model.

Read our RX100 VII Review in Progress

View our RX100 VII sample gallery

Press Release

Sony Brings New Level of Power to Premium Compact Camera Line-up with Introduction of the RX100 VII

Newest Addition to RX Series Delivers Alpha 9 Level Speed and AF Performance with Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF

• Newly developed 1.0-type stacked 20.1 MP Exmor RS™ CMOS image sensor with DRAM chip and latest generation BIONZ X™ image processor
• Alpha 9 level speed performance with up to 60 AF/AE calculations per second and 20fps blackout-free shooting with AF/AE tracking
• World leading 357-point focal-plane phase-detection AF + 425-point contrast-detection AF with world’s fastest[v] 0.02 sec focus acquisition speed
• Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for humans and animals
• ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm F2.8 – F4.5 Large Aperture High Magnification Zoom Lens
• New Single Burst Shooting Drive Mode at up to 90fps speed
• Pro-level movie functionality including 4K HDR (HLG), Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for movie shooting, 4K Active SteadyShot™, Vertical-position data recording for movies and integrated microphone jack

SAN DIEGO — July 25, 2019 —Sony Electronics today announced a new addition to its award-winning series of RX compact cameras: the RX100 VII(model DSC-RX100M7). Utilizing technologies that were previously available only in Sony’s acclaimed Alpha 9 full-frame mirrorless camera, the RX100 VII achieves new levels of performance in a compact camera, in both stills and movie shooting.
The RX100 VII is powered by a newly developed 1.0-type stacked 20.1 MP Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and the latest generation BIONZ X image processor, which work together to deliver peak autofocus and speed performance that has never before been available in a compact camera. Flexibility of shooting is ensured by a ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm[viii] F2.8-4.5 high magnification zoom lens, making the RX100 VII a versatile choice for all types of shooting scenarios and users, ranging from photo enthusiasts to professionals.
“The RX100 VII sets a new standard for performance in compact cameras,” said Neal Manowitz, deputy president of Imaging Products and Solutions at Sony Electronics. “Sony will continue to drive innovation in the world of imaging, constantly pushing to empower creators with the most capable tools that allow them to realize their vision, and create like they have never been able to before.”
New Standard for AF Performance in a Compact Camera
The RX100 VII offers a world-leading[v] 357 focal-plane phase-detection AF points and 425 contrast-detection AF points. In addition, thanks to a newly optimized lens drive control, the world’s fastest[v] 0.02 sec[vi] AF acquisition time is realized. A major leap in AF/AE tracking performance during continuous shooting[i] means the camera performs AF/AE calculations up to 60 times per second[ii] and captures fast moving action at 20fps[iii] with AF/AE tracking, ensuring that each moment is shot with swift and accurate focus.
In addition, the image sensor realizes blackout-free shooting[iv] for a completely live view, even when continuous shooting at 20fps[iii]; the same experience as the Alpha 9.The RX100 VII also debuts a new drive mode, Single Burst Shooting[ix], for capturing the perfect high-speed shotat up to 90fps[x] in JPEG/RAW format utilizing the anti-distortion shutter. Single Burst Shooting[ix] allows the photographer to frame fast moving action and shoot as if taking a single shot, but the camera will actually deliver seven still images taken at 90fps, 60fps or 30fps, so the user can select the perfect moment.
For the first time in a compact camera, the RX100 VII introduces advanced Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF capabilities. Real-time Tracking utilizes Sony’s latest algorithm, including artificial intelligence-based object recognition to ensure that subjects can be captured with excellent accuracy, even via the touch panel on the rear screen. Real-time Eye AF, the latest version of Sony’s acclaimed Eye AF technology, employs A.I.-based object recognition to detect and process eye data in real time. This results in improved accuracy, speed and tracking performance of Eye AF for both humans and animals[vii], which allows the photographer to concentrate exclusively on composition[ii].
Movie Making Marvel
The compact and lightweight characteristics of the RX100 VII (approx. 302g / 102mm x 58mm x 43mm[iii]) mean it can always be carried and has mounting flexibility that larger cameras simply cannot match.
Despite the small form factors, there are a multitude of pro-level movie making capabilities, including:

• 4K in-body movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning in high bit rate XAVCS™xi
  
• Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF for video
  
• 4K Active SteadyShot that is 8x more effective than 4K Standard SteadyShot[iv]
  
• Industry standard 3.5mm microphone input[v]
  
• Hybrid Log-Gamma[xii](HDR) / S-Gamut3.Cine / S-Log3, S-Gamut3 / S-Log3
  
• Compatibility with Movie Edit add-on from the ‘Imaging EdgeTM’ mobile application for movie stabilization and editing
  
• Vertical-position data recording for movies[vi]
  
• Interval Shooting[vii] for stunning time-lapse videos
  
• Super Slow Motion[viii] recording at up to 960fps
  
• 180-degree flip screen for ease-of use while vlogging
  

Shooting Grip Kit for Vloggers
Sony will also be introducing a Shooting Grip Kit (DSC-RX100M7G), which includes an RX100 VII and Shooting Grip (VCT-SGR1) that allows for easy recording and zooming right at your fingertips; Bracket with Accessory Shoe; and two Rechargeable Battery Packs(NP-BX1)[ix]. Pair this kit with an external microphone (sold separately), such as the Sony Stereo Microphone (ECM-XYST1M) which mounts onto the bracket’s accessory shoe and allows for a convenient and simple vlogging setup.
New Jacket Case for the RX100 Series
Sony has also introduced a new leather-look body case for the RX100 series(LCJ-RXK), which includes a lens jacket and shoulder strap to protect the camera from bumps and shocks. Available in black, it provides easy access to the microphone jack and USB terminal, which enables charging and image transfers without the need to remove the case.
Pricing and Availability
The RX100 VII compact camera will ship in August 2019 for approximately $1,200 US and $1,600 CA.
The RX100 VII Shooting Grip Kit will be available later in 2019 for approximately $1,300 US and $1,700 CA.
The LCJ-RXK jacket case will ship in August 2019 for approximately $85 US and $110 CA.
[i] Approximate effective megapixels
[ii] When using the electronic shutter; effective when the shutter speed is 1/60 or above
[iii] When using the electronic shutter with "Continuous shooting mode: Hi". Effective when the shutter speed is 1/60 or above
[iv] Effective when using electronic shutter. The slower the shutter speed, the lower the refresh rate of the screen
[v] Among fixed-lens digital still cameras with 1.0-type sensor. As of July 2019, based on Sony research
[vi] CIPA standard, internal measurement, at f=9.0mm (wide-end), EV6.6, Program Auto, Focus mode: AF-A, Focus area: Centre
[vii] Real-time Eye AF for Animals supports still images only, and cannot be used in combination with tracking. Does not work with some types of animal. Focusing may not perform well depending on scene and subject conditions
[viii] Angle of view (35mm format equivalent)
[ix] Seven still images are shot per burst. Focus and exposure are fixed at the first shot
[x] When Drive Mode is set to “Single Burst Shooting: Hi”
[xi] 3840×2160 pixels. A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required to record movies in the XAVC S format. UHS-I (U3) SDHC/SDXC card is required for 100Mbps. When “Auto Power Off Temperature” is set to “Standard”, continuous shooting is possible for about 5 minutes
[xii] Connect this product to an HDR (HLG) compatible Sony TV via a USB cable to display HDR (HLG) movies
[xiii] Compared to RX100 VI
[x1v] Both right eye and left eye are selectable, either via the menu or by the touchscreen panel
[xv] Width x Height x Depth
[xv1] Image compensation angle at wide-end (Comparison with 4K standard mode)
[xvii] Attaching a mic without the Shooting Grip Kit requires an optional accessory
[xviii] In-camera movie playback is in the horizontal position. Whether or not movies are displayed in the vertical position depends on your device
[x1x] Wi-Fi does not work during interval shooting
[xx] Audio recording is not available. A Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card is required
[xxi] One included with RX100 VII body

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 VII specifications

Price
MSRP	$1200/£1200/€1300
Body type
Body type	Compact
Body material	Aluminum
Sensor
Max resolution	5472 x 3648
Image ratio w:h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	20 megapixels
Sensor size	1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm)
Sensor type	BSI-CMOS
Processor	Bionz X
Color space	sRGB, AdobeRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 125-12800
Boosted ISO (minimum)	64
White balance presets	10
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	Optical
CIPA image stabilization rating	4 stop(s)
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Extra fine, fine, standard
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.3, DCF v2.0) Raw (Sony ARW v2.3)
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.)	24–200 mm
Optical zoom	8.3×
Maximum aperture	F2.8–4.5
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi-area Center Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Digital zoom	Yes (2x)
Manual focus	Yes
Normal focus range	8 cm (3.15″)
Macro focus range	8 cm (3.15″)
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	921,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	0.59×
Viewfinder resolution	2,360,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/2000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/32000 sec
Exposure modes	Auto Program Auto Aperture Priority Shutter Priority Manual Exposure
Scene modes	Portrait Sports Action Macro Landscape Sunset Night Scene Handheld Twilight Night Portrait Anti Motion Blur Pet Mode Gourmet Fireworks High Sensitivity
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash range	5.90 m (at Auto ISO)
External flash	No
Drive modes	Single Cotninuous Single burst Self-timer Continuous bracketing Single bracketing WB bracketing DRO bracketing
Continuous drive	90.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Highlight-weighted Average Spot
Exposure compensation	±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±3 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 25p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 3840 x 2160 @ 24p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 120p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 100 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 100p / 60 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 28 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 60i / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 50p / 28 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 16 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 25p / 16 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 50 Mbps, XAVC S, MP4, H.264, Linear PCM 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 24 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1920 x 1080 @ 24p / 17 Mbps, AVCHD, MTS, H.264, Dolby Digital 1280 x 720 @ 30p / 6 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC 1280 x 720 @ 25p / 6 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/ SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Pro Duo
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB charging	Yes
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI with uncompressed 4K/30p output)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n with Bluetooth and NFC
Remote control	Yes (wired or smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	NP-BX1 lithium-ion battery & USB charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	260
Weight (inc. batteries)	302 g (0.67 lb / 10.65 oz)
Dimensions	102 x 58 x 43 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.69″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

This weeks free Photography Ebook.  Here's the link to get your free copy:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/guide_to_bird_photography/docs/Bird+photography+lesson+1+(FREE).pdf

Enjoy!

P.S.  Is there a photography topic the free ebooks haven't yet covered that you'd like to see a free ebook address?  Let me know in the "comments" section below. 

If You’re Not Happy With Your Photos Don’t Blame Your Camera

By Jason D. Little




There’s an unfortunate train of thought among many new photographers (and some not-so-new photographers) that there’s a correlation between the cost of camera gear and picture quality.
Mind you, I referred to picture quality, not “image quality.” I’m not talking about pixels and resolution here. I’m talking more abstractly about a good photo versus a bad photo.
A good photo can come from a budget/entry-level camera just as a bad photo can come from a high end/professional-level camera. Whether a photo is good or not has far less to do with your gear than it does the individual holding the camera.
So if you’re a new photographer who is preoccupied with thinking that better gear leads to better photos, here is why you should squash those thoughts.

Your Camera Is A Good Camera

Here’s a question I get asked a lot (too much): “Hey, is the [fill in this blank with just about any make and model] any good?”
“Yes.”
Because I don’t actually have to have hands-on experience with the specific camera someone is asking me about to know it’s a good camera.
It’s not 1994. Everything that comes out these days is “good.” Whether it’s the right camera for any given person is a different point of consideration, but there are no truly crappy cameras in production today.
The entry-level camera you’re using or considering buying will do everything you need it to do perfectly well and a whole lot of things you don’t really need it to do, but it’s fun to have certain features like WiFi, in-camera filters and 4K video.

Image by Pexels

The Kit Lens Isn’t So Bad Either

In fact, depending on the lens, it’s probably excellent. The problem is, the term “kit lens” has a stigma attached to it. People see the kit lens as a sort of a throw-away lens that exists primarily to make the camera buying process more convenient.
But there are some really good kit lenses out there. Fujifilm’s 18-55 f/2.8-4 comes to mind. I know plenty of photographers who happily held on to their Canon 24-105 f/4L even after upgrading to higher-end camera bodies.
It’s true that kit lenses have shortcomings, usually in the way of aperture and focal length, but you won’t find a better bang for your buck. So don’t sell off your kit lens the moment you unpack your new camera.

Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán 

You Need Other Things

Starting out in photography involves a lot of learning, so instead of overspending because you think a higher-end camera is going to make you a better photographer, stick to the lower end gear and use whatever is left of your budget to buy other things that will facilitate your learning process.
Things like a tripod, extra batteries, a good camera bag, maybe a couple of filters (ND, circular polarizer), a few books. Any photographer who has been around long enough knows that there’s always going to be some random accessory to buy. Which is easier to do when you haven’t blown your budget on an unnecessarily pricey (at this stage) camera.

Photo by Alex Andrews 

If you’re not happy with your photos, it’s not the camera’s fault. So don’t throw money at a problem that can be fixed for free. 99% of the photos you want to make can be made with the gear you already have. New gear or more expensive gear isn’t going to help you.
Your remedy lies in greater patience with yourself, a deeper commitment to learning the craft and an emphasis on upgrading your skills over upgrading your gear.
In time, after some honest reflection and self-assessment, you’ll know when you’re due for an upgrade.

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21 Long Exposure Photography Examples

By Rob Wood

We decided to put together a bunch of long exposure photography ideas to help you get out of your “artist's block” and out shooting. Long exposure is such a huge genre and this is a big enough collection that you're sure to find something that inspires you.
All of the shots below leave the shutter speed open longer than you're going to be able to hand-hold a camera, so you're probably going to need a tripod to emulate any of them. And while they're great for getting ideas for a long exposure shoot, there is quite a difference between shooting a light painting shot and a true long exposure.
If you want to knuckle down to really lock away your knowledge of long exposure photography, then there is no better way to do that than by reading Kent DuFault's Complete Guide to Long Exposure Photography. Take a look at it here.

Photo by Ioannis Ritos

Photo by Mike Chai

Photo by Kyle Roxas

Photo by Skeeze edited with the HDAlmost Preset from Light Stalking's Pop Pack Collection.

Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy

Photo by Engin Akyurt

Photo by Dave Morgan

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh

Photo by Pawel L.

Photo by Alex Montes

Photo by Nuno Obey

Photo by Cesar Perez

Photo by Engin Akyurt

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh

Photo by Jonathan Petersson

Photo by Michał Ludwiczak

Photo by Ray Bilcliff

Photo by Anata Nsg

Photo by Kyle Roxas

Photo by Matthew Leland

Photo by Ray Bilcliff

Hopefully, that lot will give you some useful long exposure photography ideas. Remember, if you want to try your own versions of any of them, then you're best advised to take a look at a more comprehensive rundown of the skill set.

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