I headed up north yesterday (Saturday), to photography some southern views of the Alaska Range and Denali again. This time I had company – again, it’s always about the people we meet along the way. I was joined by Scott Slone from Alaska HDTV. Here are some links to his work.

Alaska HDTV

Perfect Blend Media

Scott Slone.com

Great guy, passionate about his art & very tech savvy. It was fascinating watching a professional cinematographer at work. He travels light and usually works with a very small crew (read: 2-3!) and yet produces beautiful and inspiring footage and shows that most big production companies would be envious of. As soon as you get a chance (that means, as soon as you’re done here ) I highly advise that you check out alaskahdtv.com and watch a couple (or all…) of their shows. If they don’t get you excited about visiting or traveling within Alaska – you may want to check your pulse.

The high winds stirred too much glacial silt into the air at my usual locations, and obscured a clear view of the Alaska Range. Rather than heading home empty handed,  I shifted my focus from the grand landscapes to the minute – those of ice formations. I love these kinds of exercises, macro work for me is very relaxing – more contemplative. It’s difficult to go on a shoot without any preconceptions, especially with something like Denali and the Alaska Range looming just a few miles away. It’s all about keeping an open mind and understanding that there are thousands of shots (if not more) all around you if you remember to keep your eyes open.

Ice Patterns on Frozen River, Alaska

“But Dave. What’s this? A new logo?”

Guess you’ll have to stick around to find out more in the future. It’s an exciting endeavor though, and I hope you’ll be a part of it!

And now on to the feature presentation!

iPhone Apps for Photographers

The iPhone has changed how I run my business, how I live my life & how I interact with others. Yes, I’m an Apple Fan Boy. Guilty as charged. Apple is one of those rare companies that listens to it’s patrons and answers their questions with stunning results and amazing technology. The iPhone has been out for a couple years now – since January of 2007. But what really created the paradigm shift was the App Store. Apps designed by everyone, from large design studios down to 1 man/woman shows. Apps designed that have real uses – and as photographers, there are a plethora of options. A veritable buffet. A smorgasbord of choices… ok, I’ll stop.

Here’s a list and explanation of the iPhone Apps I use in my work. Some are specific to photography, some aren’t – but all are game changers. These are not photo manipulation apps, these are resource type apps.

Evernote

The main iPhone screen upon startup

What can I say? I love this app! Evernote is a multi-platform tool and is a very versatile note-taking tool. I use it to take all of my mobile notes; text, photo, voice. One of the great things about this app is that it syncs with “the cloud” whenever you get back into 3G service (or immediately, if you are already there). Evernote is also a web app. So you can see/edit/organize your notes from any internet connected computer. You can also install their free desktop app that syncs with “the cloud” as well. It’s a very flexible app and can be used any way you want to. I use it for jotting down my writing ideas, and for major writing projects (because it is always backed up). You can install a plug-in for Firefox, Safari, and Explorer that allow you to keep still clips of anything on the web with the push of a button. Have an article (like this one?) that you really want to read, but don’t have the time right now. Easy, just click the Evernote Clipper button in your web browser to save a copy to your Evernote desktop app. It’s also immediately available on your iPhone as well (as long as you have a web connection). Leaving your laptop at home, but you might have access to a coffee shop or internet cafe with community computers? It’s available immediately through the Evernote web app! Really a great tool, for photographers and mortals alike. Free app.

http://www.evernote.com/

The Weather Channel

& Accuweather & WeatherBug

What can I say? Weather forecasters & weatherpeople in general, are the only people that can be soooo wrong soooo often and still come back for work the next day. Weather apps are exactly the same. I have a couple loaded on my iPhone all the same. I tend to look at them all and then average the forecasts for a location. All apps free.

Astromo

Astromo - the Ephemeris Screen

I honestly don’t use this app as much as I used to (see the next app), but I do check out the Ephemeris screen from time to time – simply because it has planetary data such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter & Saturn. I don’t use it a whole lot. For $9.99, I would recommend skipping this app, as Focalware (see below) offers much more.

Focalware

Focalware

This is my go to data center for sunrise/set & moonrise/set data. As I don’t trust the built in digital compass on my iPhone, I first orient the iphone with my real Suunto compass. Just set you current location or any other location and immediately view the sun/moon rise/set data for that location at the bottom of the screen. Need to see where the sun or moon will be at any time above the horizon for that location? Just drag the sun/moon on the dial to match the time of the day you are interested in and WAMMO, that’s where it will be. It also displays the elevation above the horizon and (if it’s the sun) the length of the shadow or (if it’s the moon) the phase it is in, in percentage of fullness. You can create your own list of locations to have easy access to frequently visited spots. Just click the “+” or “-” buttons near the top of the screen to adjust dates. This is a great app & I highly recommend it. $9.99

iBird

iBird Explorer Western

I haven’t supplied a link here, because the designer has 9 options available. Just do an iTunes search for iBird & choose the option that works for you. I purchased the regional version “iBird Explorer Western” for $9.99. I am not an ornithologist, by any stretch of the imagination. But this app really helps with that. When I see a bird that I don’t recognize (which is a lot up here in Alaska ) I just use the search function in the app. Enter whatever details you can identify: location, shape, size, the habitat you are in, colors (primary & secondary), bill shape/length, wing shape… well, you get the picture. Put as many details in as you can and the app will narrow down the possibilities, then give you the option to view photos/drawings to aid your identification. Once you I.D. a bird, you can view a map of it’s typical range, how to identify it further, sample photos, sample audio tracks of the bird’s call, facts and a link to it’s Birdipedia entry. Lots of data here, useful for anyone with an interest in our winged friends. There is a “Backyard” version that costs $4.99 and the regional versions all run $9.99. There is also a “Plus” & “Pro” version available for $19.99 & $29.99 respectively.

Anti-Apps

There is also a great built in feature on the iPhone that many users forget is there. The “Bookmark” feature that adds a web link to your iPhone desktop. I use this feature to have immediate access to specialty websites such as webcams that offer live views of scenic places throughout Alaska, I can get a feel for how the weather is shaping up in real time, before I get there. I also use this feature for a quick access to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks GEDDS website that provides updates on solar activity that helps predict the aurora borealis.

A suggestion? Please, someone develop a “SPOT” like app for the iPhone – a personal tracker that automatically syncs with Google maps and utilizes the gps built into the iPhone. Don’t make me buy another device to have to carry and pack, build it in. Hikers and backcountry enthusiasts like the reassurance of the SPOT gps tracking device, and so do their loved ones. This tool would work best if it would automatically activate (at an interval set by the iPhone owner) to “check in” with loved ones back home. The gps location could be sent through an email or available through Google Maps either on a desktop or another mobile device. It could also automatically send a message as waypoints are met. In trouble and need emergency services, just click a button on your screen to send them your location. Why isn’t this available yet?

Desktop Apps

The Photographer’s Ephemeris

The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE) by Stephen Trainor

This is a great melding of technology. It’s an ephemeris built into Google Maps! Great for researching any location world wide to plot sun & moon locations throughout the day, for any day. I’m still getting a feel for all that is available in this program – but it is very powerful & easy to use. I received an email from Stephen Trainor back in May, when I first started trying out an earlier beta (it has now gone out of beta and is fully released!) letting me know that he was going to be working on an iPhone version as well. Can’t wait to see how that turns out.

The only downside to this program is that it requires an internet connection to run. I have found a workaround, it takes some time, but has worked well for me. Plot each date & location you are interested in, then use your favorite screen grab program (I use “Grab”, built into every Apple) to capture the data as a picture and save it as a jpeg. Then just have a folder of those images on your iPhone so you can recheck your data on the road.

I would also love to see this technology expanded to the sky. True, there are many programs that do this (I use Stellarium), but I don’t want to see the sky projected on a generic landscape, I want to see how “the stars will align” over MY landscape. Very useful for predicting planetary alignments and Milky Way photography, as well as constellations. That’s right Stephen, it’s time for version 2.0 . The Photographer’s Ephemeris is free, runs on Adobe AIR, and is HIGHLY recommended.

Alright, so there’s my list. Did I miss something? I’d love to hear what you are using. Please comment below and help the photographic community.

]]> http://sixtyonenorth.com/2009/11/iphone-apps-for-photographers/feed/ 7 http://sixtyonenorth.com/2009/05/buying-your-first-digital-camera-kit/ http://sixtyonenorth.com/2009/05/buying-your-first-digital-camera-kit/#comments Sun, 17 May 2009 08:07:30 +0000 admin http://sixtyonenorth.com/wp/?p=498 “I could use a bigger lens”. Ask my family and friends, it’s a phrase they’ve heard many a time. Photographers are always looking to “expand their kit”. And no, I don’t mean by using Viagra, Cialis, or any natural “herbal” remedies. Then it’s, “I need more megapixels” (MPs). Because you can never have too many, and a 40″ x 60″ print is just too small. But how did we get to this point? It’s because technology is always evolving, and you’ve got to keep up with the Jones’s. Somehow, that top of the line camera (the brand new Cakon 1X Alpha) you bought 6 months ago became completely worthless as soon as they announced the really brand new Cakon 1X Bravo! The truth is, it still works just as good as it did the day you bought it – you’re just trying to keep up with the Jones’s.

But what about new photographers looking to make their first purchase? How do you make sure that you are making a good investment? Cameras and camera equipment (kit) are not cheap. There is a dizzying array of options to choose from. Everything from cameras to lenses, tripods to filters, memory cards to flashes, remotes to camera bags. And a whole lot in between.

What comes first? What is the next step? I hope to answer some of those questions in this post.

Cameras

First things first. Simply put, they are only a light-tight box. They are the human eye ball simplified. The camera body is the eye,  and the digital sensor is the retina. You need a lens to complete the eye analogy. The aperture is the iris and pupil, and the lens elements are the cornea and crystalline lens. The eye lids are the lens hood. There you have it – a human eye simplified. To prove a point, professional photographer Terry Richardson, used a disposable film camera (yep, those little Kodak or Fuji plastic and cardboard contraptions) to do an entire shoot for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (I swear, I read it for the articles…). Oh, and he got the cover shot. It’s not the camera!

“Dave, hurry up and tell me what to buy!”

No.

You’ve got to ask yourself a question first. “Self, what do I want to photograph?” Until you know that, the rest is trivial. 75% (or more) of people would be fine buying a digital point and shoot camera and going with that. Heck, I own one & it’s a lot of fun. But if you want to push your photography (and yourself) and have a fully customizable camera, you need a digital SLR.

“Dave, what’s a SLR?”

“SLR” stands for Single Lens Reflex. It simply means that it uses a mirror to allow the photographer to look through the viewfinder and see exactly what is being photographed. The mirror flips out of the way when the shutter is fully depressed (pushed down, not considering a course of Prozac). Point and shoot (p&s) cameras and rangefinders provide a viewfinder that looks around the lens and approximates the view of the lens. Sometimes, much less accurately than desired. SLR cameras allow you to buy different lenses and swap them out as the subject or circumstances dictate. They also offer the widest variety of accessories, so you can grow and customize your “kit” as you develop.

I stick by my long standing belief that you should buy a camera from one of the “Big Two” manufacturers. Canon or Nikon. Pentax, Sony (they bought Minolta’s technology), Sigma do make good equipment – but their systems and available accessories are not as developed as Canon or Nikon. Truth be told, both Nikon and Sony use Sony digital sensors on most of their offerings. The only major difference that sets these brands apart is stabilization technology. Canon was the first to the plate with I.S. lenses (Image Stabilization). Then came Nikon with their V.R. lenses (Vibration Lenses). Sony shook things up by building on Minolta’s in camera sensor stabilization (SteadyShot INSIDE™). Canon’s I.S. has been very good and Nikon has really advanced their V.R. technology – but I honestly hope that they both adopt an “in-body” stabilizer technology like Sony in the future. It would make the lenses smaller and lighter weight and lower their cost. Sony has proven that in-camera stabilization is every bit as effective as lens-based stabilization.

Digital SLRs are very different from their old step-brother, the film SLR. Image quality is essentially identical between a 1970′s Canon and a 1999 Canon. Not so in the digital world. Sensor technology leaps forward every few months it seems. But remember the original point I tried to make. That great shot you took 1 year ago with your “now old and decrepit Cakon 1X Alpha” is just as good as it was then. A good photo can stand the test of time, regardless of the technology.

There are a lot of options in camera bodies, but they all do the same thing – they take pictures. Some even make movies! As a comparison between Canon and Nikon, here is how their cameras match up in offerings. They don’t match up perfectly, but this is in the ball park.

Canon Rebel XS & XTi = Nikon D40, D60 and D5000

Canon Rebel T1i = Nikon D80 & D90

Canon EOS 40D & EOS 50D = Nikon D300

Canon EOS 5D Mark II = Nikon D700

Canon EOS 1D Mark III = Nikon D3

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III = Nikon D3X

The megapixel range in these cameras is astounding. Any of these cameras can produce very nice 16″ x 20″ prints. The more megapixels you throw into the camera, the larger you can go and the more aggressively you can crop. The top of the line EOS 5D Mark II, 1Ds Mark III and the D3X can produce amazing 24″ x 36″ prints with no problems, and can often times go much larger.

The first 3 lines (Canon Rebel models through the Nikon D300) all use an APS-C sensor size. APS-C is smaller than a 35mm piece of film but offers a higher resolution than a 35mm piece of film ever could. It also means that they magnify any lens you put on the camera by about 1.5 times! A free and built in  teleconverter! So a 20mm lens is in fact producing a 30mm view & a 600mm lens is producing a 900mm view. Great for wildlife, bad for wide angle landscapes. There’s another trade off, the viewfinder isn’t as bright or large to look through in these cameras when compared to a full frame camera. Everything in photography is a compromise, everything. The sooner you recognize that, the sooner you can advance as a photographer. The Nikon D90 and D5000 can also capture HD movies, though not as high a quality as the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

The Canon 5D Mark II & the Nikon D700 both use a full frame (35mm equivelant) sensor size. With these, there is no built in teleconverter. This means that any lens you mount gives the exact view it was designed to give, a 12mm wide angle lens is exactly that – 12mm. Awesome for landscapes and offer LOTS of detail in your images. The Canon 5D Mark II also shoots full HD 1080P movies – beautiful quality movies!

The Canon 1D Mark III is a “partial-crop” sensor. Almost a full frame sensor with a 1.3 built in teleconverter. Great sensor, very fast frames per second rate, and a great “compromise” between a full frame and an APS-C type sensor.

The Nikon D3, Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and the Nikon D3X are all full frame sensors. Again, great for landscapes and very high quality (and resolution) images. Oh, and they’re expensive. The Nikon D3X (at the time of this writing) is about $8000. That’s just for the camera body. “Lenses NOT included”. Got a bank nearby? Consider a loan or robbery. Disclaimer time: Dave Taylor & Sixtyone North LLC accepts no responsibility for any photographers anticipating incarceration due to alleged robbery attempts. Darn lawyers – they made me put that in there.

The long and short of it is that every one of these cameras can produce fine images. It is a matter of what your intended “final product” will be. If you are a hobbyist looking to decorate your home/office with small”ish” prints of your family, vacations, or local wildlife/landscapes a Canon Digital Rebel or Nikon D40 – D90 will work wonderfully. If you want more features, higher resolution, better noise performance, higher “frames per second” (can you say 10 frames per second?), you’ll need to look at that loan/robbery option. *Please refer to afore mentioned disclaimer*

The growing popularity of the movie making option on a few of these cameras is a sign of the future. Rather than having to lug around a digital camera and camcorder, you can have all that performance in one package. Get used to it ol’ fogies, HD movies are here to stay – this ain’t your dad’s Holga or Brownie.

Don’t discount ergonomics either. True, I’m a Canon shooter – but I’ve always thought Nikons fit my hands better. The grip and control layout just makes sense. So why did I go with Canon? At the time, Nikon wasn’t committed to developing their V.R. system, stating that it wasn’t a tool that working professionals saw the benefit of. Watch a football game or a tennis match. Check the sidelines (and endzones), see that white mass of huge camera equipment? Those are all Canon cameras sporting 500mm and 600mm lenses… with I.S. capability. They make a world of difference. Nikon came around though, but by the time they had, I had already invested a sizable amount of cash/credit in my Canon system. I may switch sides in the future (cameras… not orientation. I like women. Sue me). The Canon ID series, and the Nikon D3 series also include a built in vertical grip. This adds weight, but also comfort and a good counterbalance to heavy lenses. You can add aftermarket vertical grips to most of the other cameras in this list as well. The Canon models look like you slapped a plastic brick on the bottom of your camera, whereas some of the Nikons (in particular the D700) blend together so well, it’s hard to tell that it is an accessory. Canon could learn something from this approach.

Another compromise. With smaller sensors (like those in the first few lines), you will see more noise in your photos at higher ISOs. This is because of something known as “Signal to Noise Ratio”. A Canon 50D shares a similar resolution with the venerable Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II, but the larger sensor of the Mark II will produce “cleaner” files because of it’s larger sensor.

Coming up next? Lenses & Filters! Stay tuned. And remember, the best camera is the one that you own and have with you. That little p&s camera you carry in your purse or messenger bag takes a lot better pictures when you have it with you. When it’s sitting at home & is 20 miles away, you probably aren’t gonna get the shot.