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A Worthy Project for Landscape Photographers: League of Landscape Photographers

Canadian landscape photographers Samantha Chrysanthou and Darwin Wiggett have created the League of Landscape Photographers, a self-identified group of artists who photograph the world around them in accordance with high ethical and artistic standards. ‘Landscape’ in this group is defined broadly to include wilderness and human interactions with and connections to the land. There is no cost to being a League member but each member must post a personalized code of ethics on their website or social media pages to join. League members share and discuss their ideas, portfolios and projects in the League Facebook group and on the League blog. The pinnacle achievement of the group is the annual, collectable fine-art Leaguemagazine to be released in the fall of 2017. There is currently a fundraising subscription campaign on until April 4 with the goal of getting $ 30,000 CAD to fund 1000 copies of the magazine that will go to subscribers worldwide. All proceeds from the subscriptions go to the creation of the magazine with its evocative imagery and high-end local printing and design. This is a magazine funded by photographers for photographers (no ads or commercial content) and funds raised go to fairly pay ALL contributors for their creativity. League magazine strives to promote photography with a conscience and show that photography can make a positive impact through thoughtful and ethical creativity.

Act quickly as their fund raising deadline is drawing near.

The post A Worthy Project for Landscape Photographers: League of Landscape Photographers appeared first on JMG-Galleries – Landscape, Nature & Travel Photography.

JMG-Galleries – Landscape, Nature & Travel Photography

April 4, 2017
Nikon centralizes optical engineering departments from across the business

Nikon Corporation has announced that it is to bring all of its optical engineering facilities under one roof with the establishment of a single division to service the needs of the whole organization. The plan aims to centralize the company’s optical skills from each of its business units so information, technology and knowledge can be shared to make the whole company more effective. The Optical Engineering Division will be under the control of the main Nikon company, Tochigi Nikon Corporation.

The creation of the new division is part of Nikon’s restructuring plan that has seen concerted efforts to streamline the business after its previous restructure didn’t produce the results it needed. Nikon says that optics are its principle strength and this reorganization will help it to make the most of its resources. There is also a suggestion that having all the optical engineering in one place will help the company respond to variances in demand for certain products, which may help to elevate shortages of new releases.

Press release

Establishment of the Optical Engineering Division, aggregating all optical engineering functions to create new value

Nikon Corporation (Kazuo Ushida, President, Tokyo) announced today that the establishment of the Optical Engineering Division on April 1, 2017. Aggregating all the optical engineering functions distributed in each division is intended to create a synergistic effect and enhance multifunctionality, as well as enabling flexible deployment of resources to the area as necessary so as not to miss any business opportunity.

This new Optical Engineering Division is an organization that aggregates lens, mechanical and system engineering functions related to optical equipment and optical solutions. Superior technology and knowledge with respect to optical engineering maintained in each division will now be accumulated and evolved in the Optical Engineering Division to develop optical products that create new value.

In our restructuring plan, announced in November 2016, we decided to restructure our group companies to enhance manufacturing technology of optical components that are our core competence and a differentiator from our competitors. All the functions related to the manufacturing technology of optical components, which were previously owned by Nikon Corporation and our group companies, have now been brought together at Tochigi Nikon Corporation, our consolidated subsidiary, which started operation on February 1, 2017.

In addition to these advances for manufacturing technology of optical components, the newly established Optical Engineering Division will further improve our greatest strength, optical technology, by aggregating optical engineering functions, thereby helping to maximize our products’ competitiveness.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

April 4, 2017
Sony’s sensor roadmap includes a 150MP medium-format chip for 2018

The Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, the Sony division that is responsible for design and manufacturing of the Japanese company’s image sensors, has published its image sensor roadmap up to 2018 and the document includes some rather exciting news for medium-format photographers.

Sony’s plans include the launch of 100MP 44 x 33mm and 150MP 55 x 41mm medium-format sensors in 2018. Both sensors will be backside-Illuminated. The former is the same format as sensors currently used in the Fuji GFX or Hasselblad X1D, and the latter would fit into the Phase One 100XF. The roadmap also includes a 150MP 55 x 41mm monochrome BSI sensor to be launched in 2018.

According to Sony the new sensors will allow for a much higher degree of cropping or image magnification than with current sensor types. Potential applications are not limited to conventional photography but also include aerial photography, large area surveillance and inspection applications in manufacturing and industry. The full document is available on the Sony Semiconductor website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

April 4, 2017
Image style AI can convert paintings to photographs

Apps that convert your photos into paintings, with styles ranging from Monet to Lichtenstein, have been all the rage recently, with Prisma being one of the most popular offerings. A research team at UC Berkeley has now developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that can do the reverse – and much more.

Using ‘image style transfer’ their AI can convert Monet’s impressionist paintings into a much more realistic image that comes close to photo quality, giving you a good idea of the scene that the French painter was looking at when he put down his easel and started to paint. In addition, the system is capable of changing winter to summer in an image of a Yosemite scene, turn apples into oranges and horses into zebras. Of course it’s also possible to transform regular photos into Monets, Van Goghs or Cezannes.

The research project uses so-called ‘unpaired data’ which, in the words of the project team means that ‘we have knowledge of the set of Monet paintings and of the set of landscape photographs. We can reason about the stylistic differences between those two sets, and thereby imagine what a scene might look like if we were to translate it from one set into another.’

To achieve that the relationships between similar styles had to be coded in a way that can be understood by a computer and then the AI had to be trained using large number of photos from Flickr and other sources. In a final step the quality of the results was checked by both humans and machines before fine-tuning of the algorithms.

On some occasions the results are still far from perfect but overall the AI is impressively good at transferring styles from one image to another. More information is available on the project’s GitHub page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

April 4, 2017
Pixelated Masterpieces: 32 Real-Life Works of 3D Glitch Art & Design

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

Don’t adjust your monitor – there’s nothing wrong with the images of these sculptures, rugs, furniture and even full-scale architecture. Playing with the aesthetics of digital errors, the glitches are carved, woven or painted right into physical, three-dimensional designs.

Good Vibrations by Ferruccio Laviani

Invited to collaborate with a manufacturer of baroque furniture, artist Ferruccio Laviani took an unconventional approach, programming computer-controlled robotic routers to cut glitches directly into the wood for a warped effect. The result is a series called ‘F* THE CLASSICS!’ and the most striking piece is the ‘Good Vibrations’ cabinet. “In the course of my research for Good Vibrations, I ended up cutting out images from old analog videos, when you fast-forward a tape and get a frozen image that’s all twisted.”

Glitch Rugs by Faig Ahmed

Textile artist Faig Ahmed weaves distortions into traditional rug patterns from India, Persia, Turkey and the Caucasus, making them look stretched, pixelated, warped and otherwise glitched and mutated for a fun modern twist on a beloved classic.

Pixelated Wood Sculptures by Hsu Tung Han

Carved from teak, African wax wood or walnut, Hsu Tung Han’s figurative sculptures dissolve into cubes as if glitching out of existence in three dimensions, making it seem like they’re disappearing or in mid-transition before our eyes.

Real Life Glitch Building: House of Electronic Arts Basel

There’s nothing wrong with this photograph of Switzerland’s House of Electronic Arts Basel building – it’s the building itself that’s glitched. Berlin-based art studio !Mediengruppe Bitnik was invited to create ‘H3333333K,’ a play on the structure’s German name of ‘HeK,’ as a permanent exterior display. “The idea was to cast something fluid, non-permanent like a software error into something physical and permanent, like architecture,” says the group.

Warped Forms by Paul Kaptein

Based in Perth, Australia, artist Paul Kaptein carves laminated wood into warped figures that look almost normal from some angles, and entirely abstract from others, unrecognizable as human bodies. “Paul’s work, seemingly bent through time and space, taps into his medium of emptiness, responding to the gap between immateriality and materiality – through the energy we call potential,” reads his artist statement. “His work is full of the boundless energy of potentiality loops or loops of potentiality or the realization that potential is the energy that constantly moves and transforms. Potential is the force that grabs ideas and translates them into being – it is a poetic energy of necessity and a necessary energy for poetics.”

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Pixelated Masterpieces 32 Real Life Works Of 3d Glitch Art Design

Not a Glitch: Cabinet Carved with Disorienting Design

No, there’s nothing wrong with your screen – this intricate wooden cabinet was actually carved to resemble an image error. The ‘Good Vibrations’ storage unit by designer Ferruccio Laviani …

Real-Life Tetris: Items Fit Perfectly in Street Sculptures

Those of us who grew up playing Tetris credit the game with teaching us everything from patience to time management to packing skills. For Swedish artist Michael Johansson, Tetris also seems to …

Image Hacking: 40+ Glitch Art Photos, Paintings & Videos

Surreal, dreamlike and often haunting, databending creates digital or analog image errors for artistic effect. An art form in which corrupted files are either created or mimicked in photographs, …

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

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April 4, 2017
Fotodiox Pro FACTOR Series announced with nine high-output LED lights
Fotodiox Pro has launched its new FACTOR Series, a lineup of nine bi-color and high-output LED light panels for various photographic needs. The series contains three circular lights and five square/rectangular lights with removable barn doors. According to Fotodiox, these nine lights are designed to provide area lighting and spot illumination, and to facilitate ‘studio-style shoots.’

The FACTOR LED lights have adjustable color temperatures that range from 5600 Daylight to 3200 Tungsten, according to Fotodiox marketing director Bohus Blahut. The series utilizes Fotodiox’s Factorsoft, a technology that sets LED chips deep within the lights for ‘a soft, beautiful beam with no hot spots and a single, clean shadow,’ says Blahut. This is complemented by a svelte 1.5in / 3.8cm profile and all-metal construction.

This light series is also suitable for use during slow-motion video recording, as they will not produce flickering in high frame rate scenarios. As well, the lights can be powered from an ordinary AC wall adapter or V-lock batteries. The following models are available now through the company’s website:
- FACTOR 1×1 – Comes with removable barn doors ($ 899.95 USD)
- FACTOR 1×2 100 (100 watt draw) – Comes with removable barn doors ($ 749.95 USD)
- FACTOR 1×2 200 (200 watt draw) – Comes with removable barn doors $ (1,249.95 USD)
- FACTOR 1.5×1.5 – Comes with removable barn doors ($ 1,299.95 USD)
- FACTOR 2×2 – Comes with removable barn doors ($ 2,199.95 USD)
- FACTOR 1×4 – Comes with removable barn doors ($ 2,299.95 USD)
- FACTOR Jupiter 12 (circular) ($ 659.95 USD)
- FACTOR Jupiter 18 (circular) ($ 1,099.95 USD)
- FACTOR Jupiter 24 (circular) ($ 1,999.95 USD)
Press release
Fotodiox Pro Announces FACTOR Series of Bi-Color LED Lighting

Featuring Factorsoft™ technology, the FACTOR series is the next step in the evolution of LED light panels

GURNEE, IL (PRWEB) MARCH 30, 2017

Fotodiox Pro, creator and distributor of several lines of specialty solutions for videography, cinematography and photography, has announced the FACTOR series of high-output, bi-color LED light panels. Designed for spot illumination, studio-style shoots and area lighting, the series contains nine models in various sizes and shapes that are built to use an assortment of creative, series-specific modifiers for shaping and directing the FACTOR lights’ soft beams. They are all available for purchase on FotodioxPro.com.

“At the core of the new FACTOR series is our Factorsoft™ technology,” says Bohus Blahut, marketing director for Fotodiox Pro. “Factorsoft™ refers to our unique use of LED chips, which are set deep in the body of each FACTOR light and produce a soft, beautiful beam with no hot spots and a single, clean shadow. We’ve also built the lights to have fully adjustable color temperature – anywhere from 5600 Daylight to 3200 Tungsten – without sacrificing their fantastic output.”

The FACTOR series features a sturdy, all-metal build and a convenient 1.5 inch profile that makes it simple to position the lights virtually anywhere on set. They run off included AC adapters or V-lock batteries, and produce no flickering at high frame rates – perfect for slow motion video.
- FACTOR Models
- FACTOR 1×1 – Comes with removable barn doors
- FACTOR 1×2 100 (100 watt draw) – Comes with removable barn doors
- FACTOR 1×2 200 (200 watt draw) – Comes with removable barn doors
- FACTOR 1.5×1.5 – Comes with removable barn doors
- FACTOR 2×2 – Comes with removable barn doors
- FACTOR 1×4 – Comes with removable barn doors
- FACTOR Jupiter 12 (circular)
- FACTOR Jupiter 18 (circular)
- FACTOR Jupiter 24 (circular)
Accessory options for the series include model-specific honeycomb grids and creative masks for the FACTOR Jupiter models. To learn more about the FACTOR series and other photography and videography accessories from Fotodiox Pro, please visit FotodioxPro.com.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
April 4, 2017
Sigma 135mm F1.8 Art Sample Gallery

Recently the new Sigma 135mm F1.8 Art landed in the office, prompting us to get out there and shoot some portraits… from a distance. While one of their heavier primes, performance is exceptional wide-open with very quick focusing. What about that background blur? Take a look at our samples to find out.

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

April 3, 2017
Nikon formally announces 100th anniversary products, still no word on pricing

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Nikon has formally announced a range of special-edition products to mark the company’s 100th anniversary. First shown at the CP+ show back in February, we’ll have to wait until June for pricing and availability information.

The 100th anniversary products include gunmetal gray versions of the company’s premium D5 and D500 DSLRs, alongside the ‘holy trinity’ of F2.8 zooms, and special editions of Nikon’s WX 7×50 IF and WX 10×50 IF binoculars.

Press release:

NIKON 100^TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE MODELS

TOKYO (April 3, 2017 at 12:01 A.M. EDT) — Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of commemorative models and goods celebrating Nikon’s 100th Anniversary, which falls on July 25, 2017. These special items will be available only in limited quantities; More information including prices and availabilty will be announced in June 2017.

Since its establishment (as Nippon Kogaku K.K.) in 1917, Nikon has provided the world with unique value through its optical products based on optical and precision technologies. 100th anniversary commemorative models have been planned and developed with the tradition and advanced technologies, which have always led the times, that Nikon has cultivated over the past 100 years at their foundation, but they also incorporate the thanks and hope we feel looking toward the next 100 years. All commemorative items with the 100th Anniversary logo and special finishes and features that give them an even more elegant look and feel will be released. They are commemorative editions of our two flagship digital SLR cameras, a commemorative edition of the ultimate NIKKOR lens in our series of f/2.8 maximum aperture lenses, a commemorative set of three NIKKOR lenses, and finally, commemorative editions of three binoculars. In addition to the 100th anniversary commemorative models, we are also preparing a special collection of commemorative goods.

See our 100th Anniversary site for further details.?

D5 100^th Anniversary Edition

The D5 is Nikon’s flagship FX-format digital SLR camera. It has supported the work of professional photographers in such fields as press, sports, and nature photography, and has also aided in activities related to the study and exploration of space. The D5 100th Anniversary Edition, in which the heritage of a flagship model is embodied, has a dark metallic gray finish and a stamp on the bottom noting Nikon’s contribution to the study and exploration of space. An anniversary booklet detailing Nikon’s contributions to the study and exploration of space is also included.

D500 100^th Anniversary Edition

The D500 is the DX-format flagship that offers both agility and highly precise rendering. With its metallic gray finish and commemorative logo, the 100th Anniversary Edition combines an elegant look and feel with practicality. It comes with an exclusive metal case that has a plate on which the commemorative logo and serial number are engraved. The case contains a commemorative body cap and a commemorative leather strap embossed with the commemorative logo.

NIKKOR 70-200E 100^th Anniversary Edition

This is the 100th anniversary edition of the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR, a fast telephoto zoom lens that has been well received for its ability to offer both superior agility and excellent optical performance since its release in 2016. The commemorative lens comes with the individual glass elements that make up the internal workings of the lens, as well as a special stand and case for displaying them, providing those who purchase and use the lens with a sense of just how the lens achieves its characteristic rendering.

NIKKOR Triple F2.8 Zoom Lens Set 100^th Anniversary Edition

NIKKOR lenses have become synonymous with Nikon’s optical technologies. The NIKKOR Triple F2.8 Zoom Lens Set 100th Anniversary Edition is a set of three f/2.8 maximum aperture zoom lenses that best represent the NIKKOR name. The set is comprised of the wide-angle AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, the normal AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR, and the telephoto AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR. The same commemorative serial number is engraved on all three lenses.

WX 7×50 IF and WX 10×50 IF 100^th Anniversary Editions

The WX 7×50 IF and WX 10×50 IF 100th Anniversary Editions are commemorative editions of models in the new ultra-wide field of view WX series (WX 7×50 IF, WX 10×50 IF), which offer incredibly wide fields of view with sharp and clear viewing all the way to field edges. The special commemorative logo is printed on the bottom of the binocular’s central shaft, and an exclusive serial number is stamped on the top of the central shaft. What’s more, in addition to the usual strap supplied with the binoculars, the 100th anniversary commemorative models also come with a WX leather strap embossed with the commemorative logo.

8×30 E II 100^thAnniversary Edition

This is a commemorative edition of the Nikon 8×30E II, a binocular with an orthodox and classic design used and loved by many over the years since its release. Its 63.2° apparent field of view is realistic, and the application of a multilayer film coating to all lens and prism surfaces ensures that the field of view is bright and clear. The commemorative edition has an exclusive metallic gray finish, and the commemorative logo is printed on it. In addition, it comes with a special strap and case.

100^th anniversary commemorative goods
Nikon 100^th Anniversary Crystal Creation Nikon Model I

This is an elegant and beautiful crystal reproduction* created by Swarovski, the world’s leading crystal manufacturer, in commemoration of Nikon’s 100th anniversary.

Nikon 100^th Anniversary Pin Collection

This collection of lapel pins representing Nikon’s most historic and popular products, as well as the corporate logo, looks back at Nikon’s 100-year journey through light.

Nikon 100^th Anniversary Premium Camera Strap

This premium camera strap is made entirely of the best Italian leather that only improves with use and age.

Nikon 100^th Anniversary Miniature Nikon F Camera

The historic Nikon F, Nikon’s first flagship model and the camera that set the standard for single-lens reflex cameras around the world, is faithfully reproduced with this 1/2-scale model.

More information will be available in June.

See our 100th Anniversary site for further details.

Nikon 100^th Year Anniversary

Since the company was established in 1917, Nikon has cultivated its status as a pioneer of optical technologies around the world. Guided by a corporate philosophy of “Trustworthiness and Creativity,” Nikon provides a wide range of products and services globally by harnessing advanced opto-electronics and precision technologies. Nikon is proud to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2017.

*Swarovski is a trademark or registered trademark of Swarovski AG.

Specifications, design, product name and supplied accessories may differ by country or area. Specifications and equipment are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacture.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

April 3, 2017
Beyond Brutalism: Cutting-Edge North Korean Architecture

[ By Steve in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

The infamous Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang may have stolen the spotlight but North Korea can boast many other examples of unusual cutting-edge architecture.

The Korea Central Zoo (also known as the Pyongyang Central Zoo) was founded in 1959 but recently underwent an extensive makeover, re-opening in July of 2016. The zoo was and continues to be criticized for exhibits that include a chain-smoking chimpanzee and various breeds of dogs. Canines are forbidden to be kept as pets in the capital city, ostensibly for hygienic reasons.

We’re here to discuss architecture, however, and when it comes to the Central Zoo the highlight has to be the huge tiger-head entrance archway. Rather impressive, unless you’re an easily frightened child (or adult). At least the scaredy-cats can find some solace at the turtle-shaped Reptile Enclosure.

Handball Hall

Handball is kind of a big deal in North Korea and the North Korea women’s national handball team has competed at the Asian Women’s Handball Championship no less than six times since 1991 – though they’ve never finished higher than third. The team practices at the strikingly angular and not at all ball-shaped Handball Hall located on Chongchun Street in Pyongyang’s “city of sports” district.

We don’t have a date for the first photo but the image just above snapped by Flickr user Aaron Geddes (Gedsman) in March of 2016 displays some subtle differences.

International Cinema Hall

The International Cinema Hall isn’t in use very often as its main raison d’etre is hosting the Pyongyang International Film Festival every other year since 1987.

The sprocket-shaped building sits cheek-by-jowl to a golf course (you read that correctly) on the island of Yanggakdo, located in the Taedong River running through downtown Pyongyang.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Beyond Brutalism Cutting Edge North Korean Architecture

Exclucity: Unique GoPro Footage of Pyongyang, North Korea

Notoriously restrictive of the media, the North Korean government surprisingly granted the request of an outsider seeking to shoot a virtually unprecedented video: a continuous car tour of the …

Shanghai Expo 2010: 15 Cutting-Edge Architectural Designs

(Images via: Shanghai Cultural China, Boston.com, Arch Daily)
When you’re awarded the highly coveted position of official host city to the world’s latest, greatest and inarguably grandest …

Kim Jong Il Leaves an Unusual Architectural Legacy

Started in 1987 and still not complete, North Korea’s Ryugyong Hotel is perhaps its most potent architectural symbol, and an odd legacy for an odd and secretive leader. The 105-floor, …

[ By Steve in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]

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WebUrbanist

April 3, 2017
What learning photography and roller derby have in common

Sure, there are obvious differences between picking up a camera and playing a full contact sport on roller skates. Though you’re probably less likely to break your wrist taking pictures, the guiding principles of learning any new skill apply to photography just as much as roller derby. Trust me, I’ve started at the very bottom in both disciplines – I have literally been there and gotten the t-shirt. So many t-shirts.

As I head for the golden pastures where retired derby skaters go, I’ve done a lot of reflecting on the journey. Whether you’re fresh meat (that’s a real derby thing) or just a newbie photographer figuring out what PASM means, I think these basic principles apply.

You will be really, really bad for a while

When you’re new at skating, just staying upright is hard. You can see me demonstrating this point above at one of my earlier scrimmages.

Photo by Robert T. Bakie

With very few exceptions, everybody starts off bad. Like, really bad. In roller derby you’re a hot mess for a while until you learn how to move with eight wheels strapped to your feet. While it might be less obvious to a casual observer, starting out in photography is kind of similar. Until you get the basic principles in hand, there’s really no way around messing up a lot of shots. Don’t let it get you down.

Practice makes perfect, or at least better

By all means, read up on the fundamentals. Study the work of your heroes. But there’s no substitute for getting out there and getting dirty. As a beginning photographer, the more challenging situations you try to photograph, the more you’ll learn what does and doesn’t work. It’s the same in roller derby – you just need to log a lot of hours on the rink.

You’ll probably think you’re better than you are for a while

This is a photo of a telephone pole I took in 2009. It is Not Good. I thought it was something really special at the time.

The Dunning-Kruger effect – a surge of self-confidence that causes beginners to think they’re better than they are – is just as real in derby as it is in photography. Once you start seeing your skills improve, you’ll lack the frame of reference to know how truly bad you still are. And usually, someone or something will bring you back down to earth pretty quickly (refer to the photo at the top of the page for a diagram of what that can look like). That’s okay, it’s just another reason why the next tidbit is so important.

Seeking out feedback will help you see what you can’t

As humans we’re not great at spotting our own weaknesses, so seeking out someone more experienced in your field for some critique is invaluable. Listen and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Roll with people who are better than you are (you know, physically roll, or just go on a photo walk). Pay attention to what they do, but don’t stress out if you can’t quite keep up yet. You will eventually.

Once you master the basics, you’ll find your style

I’m still working on it but at least I’ve graduated from telephone poles.

We aren’t all an Ansel Adams, and we certainly can’t all be a Missile America. Some skaters, like yours truly, are wiry, bony types who look more at home at a Scrabble tournament than on the track. When you have good command of basic skills, you’ll start to see where your strengths are.

Similarly, with the nuts and bolts of exposure under your belt, a beginning photographer can start playing with different styles and subject matter. Pay attention to what you find you’re drawn to and build on your strengths.

Setting realistic goals will help you keep growing

Without goals, you’re just going in circles – aside from the literal circles that you roll in when you play derby. For best results, make your goals specific, realistic and achievable (you know, SMART) and find someone who can help keep you accountable for working toward them. Assign yourself a photo project and set deadlines for yourself, rather than sit at home worrying that you’re not shooting enough.

Don’t give in to Gear Addiction Syndrome

Gear Addiction Syndrome is real and it’s not just a problem for photographers. Many derby skaters can hold in-depth conversations about their preferences in knee pads and the secret sauce that is their wheel setup. Skating requires a certain level of gear smarts, but just as it is in photography, you can get too carried away making adjustments, particularly when you’re starting out.

In either case, experiment, find what feels like a good fit, and then embrace getting the most you can out of your kit before you start trying to upgrade everything in your (skate or photo) bag.

It will all start clicking and that’s when the fun really starts

This is what it feels like when things finally go right. There’s just a lot of actual blood, sweat and tears leading up to that moment.

Photo by Danny Ngan

The absolute best moments I’ve experienced playing roller derby and taking photos have been when instinct kicked in and I stopped thinking. I’ll turn a corner and see the best shot of my day materialize right in front of me, and I’ll have the right lens and the right settings to capture it. Or I’ll suddenly put a skill I’ve practiced for hours to use in a game.

Nothing beats that moment. Savor it.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

April 2, 2017