Mt. Rainier National Park. A conventional 24mm could capture this shot (maybe), but seeing it is far easier with the TS-E. With the conventional 24mm, the depth-of-field preview button darkens the viewfinder too much; an alternative, an in-camera (digital) test shot evaluation, is time consuming. Near-to-far focus that’s not attainable with a conventional short telephoto […]
Can’t find your images? Step up to the Lightroom Filter Bar ___ 05/2010
I had a brief moment of alarm a few weeks ago while using the Lightroom 2 (3 looks to be the same) filter bar search tool, which is located above the thumbnail images in grid mode in the Lightroom Library (if you don’t see it, toggle the \ key and it will appear). I did […]
Got Histogram? Field Tool Extraordinaire ____ 04/2010
A camera’s histogram is a great field tool, among the best of tools in a digital photographer’s kit. It’s in the review mode built into almost every camera; some cameras even have it “live”. So take advantage of it. Learn how to use the histogram. As photographers, we’re always pushing the review button to see […]
Canon 7D: AI Servo Set-up for BIF (Bird in Flight) _ 03/2010
I bought a Canon 7D in December, and have used it for some tough bird in flight (BIF) shooting, as well as for perched but flighty songbirds. My hope for the 7D was that I finally had a camera that could nail a high percentage of BIF shots, images that my primary camera, the Canon […]
Cheap Fifty ___ 2009/12
I looked at upgrading my Canon 50mm f/1.8 II this month, a lens I don’t recall seeing in the lens kit of professionals, or, in recent years, hobbyists. 50mm is a standard focal length for 35mm SLR’s, and f/1.8 a common aperture that goes with it. The 50mm f/1.8 was once the standard kit lens […]
Photo Tip: Backpacker Panorama Hardware __ 09/2009
A year ago I built a light-weight panorama tool out of wood. My hope was to make back-country panoramas. My dream was to rival the pixel count of high-end, medium-format digital backs, or scanned 4×5 film cameras without the weight, bulk or cost. Here in Washington State, I imagined Prusik Peak in the Enchantments, or […]
Photo Tip: Lightroom Collection Efficiency ___ 05/2009
Edited 3/15/2013. Once a month I attend a local Audubon bird photography meeting, held at the local Unitarian Church in Kirkland. We bring in digital images on flash drives for show and tell, discuss field trips, and teach each other tips and techniques. This tip grew out a recent meeting. A bunch of us use […]
Photo Tip: Gimme Dat DNG? ___ 03/2009
Like many folks, I wasn’t even aware of the DNG (Digital Negative) format for Raw files until I started using Adobe Lightroom in 2007. DNG is a publicly documented, open-source Raw format developed by Adobe, and a response to a potential format management quagmire that may evolve as camera manufacturers use and discard proprietary formats, […]
Digital Thinking: A Vertical from a Horizontal __ 01/2009
For many of us, shooting verticals takes a conscious effort. The comfortable grip of most cameras—especially most dSLR’s—induces “landscape” shots. Only high-end dSLR’s have a built-in vertical grip that helps make “portrait” shooting routine. Still, rotating the camera 90° involves either a thought like “I should get this in a vertical for its cover potential”; […]
Get Smart with Lightroom Star Ratings __ 11/2008
Edited 3/16/2013. Rating your photos with stars (1-5) is a good way to compliment metadata keywords for searches. Photo management software (I use Lightroom) gives you the ability. Star ratings are easy to apply, and filtering by star-ratings can quickly narrow your search and speed selections for submissions. There’s also a sort of side benefit: […]