Blog

Tips for Cyber-Scouting Photo Locations So You Can Get the Best Shots
The post Tips for Cyber-Scouting Photo Locations So You Can Get the Best Shots appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

You’ve saved money to go to that great photo spot, marked your calendar, put in for vacation time, and are already thinking about the photos you want to make. The trouble is, you’ve never been there. Your time will be limited. You want to be able to use it to make pictures, not scouting to find where to go and when to be there for best locations and light. How can you “know before you go?” Welcome to the “Twenty-Twenties,” a time when cyber-scouting photo locations can be the next best thing to being there.

Where is this? You tell me. Cyber-scouting photo locations will teach you how to see before you go, log GPS coordinates, and then get to the specific spot once you’re near. 1/100 – f/11 – ISO 200. Now, plug these coordinates into your browser and tell me where this is – 42°4’55.464″N 113°43’31.974″W

Cyber-scouting?

I thought I’d coined a new term, but a quick Google search proved otherwise.

Many people who are planning trips now “cyber-scout” the internet to pre-plan their journey. Hunters, backpackers, vacation travelers – all kinds of folks have discovered the usefulness of these online tools.

It only makes sense that we, as photographers, tap into the ability to see photos and survey sites we’re planning to visit before we even get there.

My photo buddy Dan and I made a dream-trip a few years ago, photographing New England in the autumn. Living 2,600 miles away in Idaho, it wasn’t like we had much familiarity with the area. As we’d only be there less than a week, scouting once we had “boots on the ground” wasn’t going to be possible.

Wasting time getting lost wasn’t an option either.

Had I not done some cyber-scouting for photo locations before my New England Trip, I’d never have known about Avalanche Falls in the Flume Gorge of New Hampshire. Moreover, I would have never been able to make this shot. 5 seconds, f/20, ISO 200

Dan prefers not to see too many photos of a spot before he goes, concerned it will overly influence what he shoots. He’d rather see it with “new eyes” and create unique compositions.

I can appreciate that viewpoint, but I’m different.

Planning a trip, pre-visualizing the locations, seeing the spots, and anticipating being there is like getting two trips in one. It’s a virtual-reality vacation, plus a real-reality trip where, once I’m there, I already have some familiarity. Different strokes, I guess.

It worked though – I became the planner/navigator, and he just made great shots on the trip. (He’s a much better photographer than I, but that’s another story for another day.)

Once I located locations we might want to go, I plotted everything out using my GPS coordinates and Google MyMaps.

Where to be and when to be there

When asked the secret to his great photos, a famous New York spot-news photographer is thought to have originated this photography quote –

“f/8 and be there.” – Arthur “Weegee” Fellig

The idea is that being at the right location at the right time is more important to make a great photo than all the technical equipment and technique combined. So, when you are planning to photograph somewhere you’ve never been, how do you know what are good locations, and what are good times to be there?

That is precisely the reason for cyber-scouting photo locations.

A GPS primer

Locations can be referred to in many ways. The simplest is the place name. Photographer friends we told about going to New England said a not-to-miss spot was Acadia National Park. Good general information, but how about specific spots?

Okay, “be sure to get to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse,” they said. Traditionally, we might have found the spot with a paper map, written directions, and perhaps some coaching from the locals.

A search for the Bass Harbor Lighthouse on Google Earth and there you are.

These days we have GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) navigation equipment, in our cars, on our phones, and in many other devices. Any spot on Earth with an unobstructed line-of-sight view to four or more GPS satellites can be precisely defined.

The Bass Harbor Lighthouse is at 44°13’19.27N, 68°20’14.79W.

The first set of numbers is how far north of the equator the place is, the second how far west of the Prime Meridian – unless you’re in the Southern Hemisphere.

Places south of the equator and east of the Prime Meridian have GPS coordinates like this: 33°51’23.68S, 151°12’53.49E. These are coordinates for the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Copy and paste those coordinates into your web browser, and you’ll bring up a map of those precise spots.

In the southern hemisphere, the GPS coordinates are slightly different. The Sydney Opera House in Australia is “down under” with coordinates south and east of the Prime Meridian.

We’ll come back to why you want to know this in a bit. In the meantime, stick a pin in that spot while we explore other ways to develop a list of locations you want to visit on your photo trip.

Books

You remember books, right? Those paper things we read before we had computers, tablets, phones, and other devices?

If the spot for your trip is well-known, the chances are good that someone will have written a book about it. For our trip, we picked up “Photographing Acadia National Park,” by Colleen Minuk-Sperry. It turned out to be a great resource.

We later took a workshop with Dave Long of Blue Hour Photo Ventures. Dave has written numerous e-books on great New England photo locations and has included the GPS coordinates of each spot, making cyber-scouting them online and later getting there a breeze.

Find out if there are good books written about your intended photo location.

Location Websites

Do you think there’s a spot no one has written about on a website?

Guess again.

Say your boss decides to send you on a business trip to Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland. (If he does, he might be telling you something). Should you take your camera?

Where is it, and what’s there?

Google “Top Photo Spots in Ittoqqortoormiit” and yup, you’ll find photos. You’ll find companies giving photo tours. You’ll find photos on 500px by others who have been there.

Even though it is one of the most remote places in the world, you can still cyber-scout it and know what you’ll see before you go. (Or I can view the photos a friend of mine in our photo club took when he visited Greenland with noted landscape photographer Art Wolfe. Unbelievable!)

Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland is listed as one of the most remote populated places on earth, yet cyber-scouting photo locations with Google Earth makes it easy to take a “virtual tour.”

My point is, it’s unlikely you’ll find a place anywhere in the world not discussed and pictured on the web. Plugin the GPS coordinates (70.4849752,-21.9729592) for Ittoqqortoormiit (don’t worry if you can’t pronounce it), and off you go, no sled dogs required.

Photo websites

I couldn’t even begin to name all the online sites where photographers post their photos. Cyber-scouting photo locations on such sites can be a virtual tour of the area you plan to visit.

See a spot you like? Make a note of the place name and then search for it. 500px is a favorite place of mine. For our Acadia National Park trip, I found over 7,000 photos. Heck, even for Ittoqqortoormiit, there were 81 photos the night I checked.

Flickr alone had over 6,000 posted photos of the Bass Harbor Lighthouse when I checked. I think there might have been half of those photographers there the day we visited! Iconic spots have become even more known since the internet.

Another good photo location to check is Flickr. (They had over 1,500 photos of Ittoqqortoomiit when I looked.)

Many of the photos posted there have the GPS coordinates recorded, and with a few clicks, you’re off on your virtual tour.

Come fly with me

What if you could send your “virtual drone” off on a mission cyber-scouting photo locations? That’s pretty much what you have with Google Earth.

“Fly” to a location, see it from different angles, zoom in, look for place names, see photos others have taken there, and get the GPS coordinates.

It’s a great way to scout a spot before going.

Use the emulation mode of Google Earth to enter the date and time, turn on the sun, move the slider and see when and where the sunset will be. On 8/18/20 it will be straight up the shoreline from the lighthouse and set at 7:31 p.m. EDT.

Let’s fly over the Bass Harbor Lighthouse. Which would be the better angle – shoot toward the east or west? What if I want to get the sunset?

If I’m there on a particular date, where will the sun set, and at what time? How will it all line-up? Google Earth can emulate all of that.

Fly to the spot, activate the sunlight slider, enter the time and date you plan to be there, and move the slider to watch how the light moves across the landscape. Cool huh?

The wildcard is what the weather will be when you’re there.

You can anticipate the weather a couple of days out with weather apps. You can decide if you should go or maybe seek an alternate spot.

Another reason for cyber-scouting photo locations is to have a “Plan-B” should the weather not cooperate.

There are also a bunch of good weather apps useful for photographers. Even with all my best scouting, the evening we went to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse, the sunset was a bust with heavy cloud cover. Some things still can’t be totally planned. Still, I thought I made a decent shot, regardless.

It’s hard to make a unique shot of this location, especially with a few dozen other photographers all standing a few feet apart hoping for a nice sunset. All my cyber-scouting still couldn’t conjure better light. You do what you can. 6 seconds – f/11 – ISO 200

Make your shot different

One problem with going to an iconic photo location is that so many other photographers have probably been there already (you’re likely to find a pack there when you go), and made thousands of shots.

Take advantage of the ability of Google Earth’s fly-over capabilities to look for different compositions. Check the landforms, angles, the way the light falls at certain times of the day, and how you can create different and interesting images.

When you find a spot, “drop a pin.” Note the GPS coordinates, and then you’ll be able to find that unique spot once you’re onsite.

If you ride a tour bus and get off at Vista Point, you can make this shot. It’s not bad, but it’s sure not unique. Thousands of tourists get essentially the same shot every day.

Let’s use an example.

If you go to San Francisco, you’re probably going to want to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge. If you ride a tourist bus and do what a jillion other people have done, they’ll stop at Vista Point on the north side of the bridge. Line up with a thousand other photographers (and even more “happy snappers”), and take the same basic shot everyone gets.

Yawn.

Instead, use Google Earth for cyber-scouting the location.

You might learn if you went to Marshall’s Beach over the southwest side of the bridge, you could get a much less-photographed vantage point. With some creativity, good light, and a dose of photographer’s luck, your shot won’t be like the one the folks on the tourist bus will take thousands of times each day.

Send up your “virtual drone” with Google Earth, “fly” around and you might spot this much more interesting and less photographed vantage point of the Golden Gate Bridge from Marshall’s Beach.

Back on the ground with the Peg Man

Another way for cyber-scouting photo locations is to make friends with the Google Maps “Peg Man.” That’s what some call the little character you can move to a spot and get a virtual POV (Point-of-View) look at the area, much as if you were really there.

Let’s head back to Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland.

Open Google Maps and search for the place (if you can spell it). If not, perhaps you saved the GPS coordinates – 70.4844397,-21.9701898?

Click on the map that appears in your browser to open Google Maps. Now look for the Peg Man, he’s that little guy at the bottom right of the screen.

Click on him.

If the streets on your map turn blue, you can then click, hold, drag, and drop him on a spot. You will be whisked away to a POV street view of the spot.

You can now “walk” the streets by clicking in the direction you want to go. Have a look around by clicking, holding, and dragging your mouse left and right. Roll the center mouse wheel to zoom in and out.

It’s almost like being there without having to wear a parka.

Take a virtual walk on the streets of Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland by dropping the “Peg Man” in Google Maps. It seems kinda quiet, but then there are only about 450 people who live here in one of the most remote places on earth.

Maybe a more picturesque spot? Let’s go to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

Type that into Google Maps. It’s bit more populated there, right?

Click the Peg Man over this map, and you will not only see the blue-colored streets, but you will also see blue “Photo Spheres.” Click on one of these, and you’ll have a 360-degree panorama where you can really get a look around.

Yeah, it’s a little more crowded than Ittoqqortoormiit, but as you can “tour” the entire city this way, maybe you can find a unique vantage point for a photo not currently done a million times.

Paris is a bit more populated than Ittoqqortoormiit. Enter Eiffel Tower in Google Maps and get this map. From here, drop the Peg Man to roam the streets or click a “Photo Sphere” to see a 360-degree panorama from that spot.

There’s a pigeon in my panorama! Cyber-scouting photo locations could help you discover when and where to be for this shot. With a long exposure or some skill with the cloning tool, you could also vanish the people. Just watch out for pigeons.

When to be there

I mentioned the two essentials in planning for a great photo:
1. Knowing where to go, and
2. Knowing when to be there.
I’ve covered a few of the tools and techniques for cyber-scouting photo locations – the “where” part of that equation.

There are other tools that will help you know “when.”

Photographers know that great light and the specific spot are keys to making an image that goes above and beyond average. Some online tools and apps can help with that too.

Rather than get into all of those here, let me direct you to another DPS article by author Pete DeMarco, “6 of the Best Smartphone Apps for Travel and Landscape Photography.” In it he discusses:
1. PhotoPills
2. The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE)
3. Sun Surveyor
4. Tide Charts Near Me
5. Maps.me
6. Wunderground
About those GPS coordinates

You remember I said to note GPS coordinates? This is a great way to keep track of, map, and use GPS devices to get you to those spots once you are on location.

You may be able to import a .kmz file or can at least manually input your list of location GPS data into your portable dashtop GPS device. Bring it with you on your trip, and you’ll be set to navigate to all your spots.

These articles were written a few years ago, just before my epic New England trip. What proved most useful was transferring my GPS data into my Garmin Navigator dashtop GPS device.

I used transferred the .kmz file, but also learned that it was easy enough to type the GPS coordinates into the device and save them as locations.

I took the Garmin in my suitcase, set it up in the rental car once in Boston, clicked the location we wanted to go to, and bingo…off we went.

The beauty of the Garmin is it worked completely off the satellite, no internet connection required.

I was surprised how often we didn’t have internet availability, even in what seemed only “hills” by a westerners’ perspective.

The lesson learned – don’t count on your phone, tablet, or other internet-required devices for navigation. A stand-alone GPS navigation device (Garmin, Magellan, Tom Tom, etc.), which requires only a satellite connection, is a much more reliable option.

Analog backup

Cyber-scouting photo locations before your trip is a fun way to “see” and know-before-you-go the spots you’d like to photograph.

Electronic GPS devices can be a great way to get to the spots you’ve planned on visiting. But should it all go south, the connections don’t connect, and the power fails, an old-fashioned paper map and a compass is a good “Plan B” to have in your pack.

Just sayin’.

Of course, don’t overlook talking to the locals, or even better, local photographers who know the great spots. Also, hiring a guide can be well worth it, especially if you are in a foreign place.

For now, though, do some cyber-scouting, and get excited about your upcoming photo trip.

When you get back with some awesome images, post a few in the comments section below and tell us about your adventure.

Happy trails.

The post Tips for Cyber-Scouting Photo Locations So You Can Get the Best Shots appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

Digital Photography School
February 14, 2020
News: When to Expect Sigma’s Full-Frame Foveon Camera

The post News: When to Expect Sigma’s Full-Frame Foveon Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Back in 2018, Sigma announced it would be creating a new kind of camera: an L-mount, full-frame mirrorless body with a Foveon sensor.

In 2019, Sigma gave an update, indicating that the Foveon full-frame body would debut in 2020.

And then, just days ago, Sigma announced that the full-frame Foveon wasn’t even close to production-ready:

As a result of careful and rigorous testing based on the latest development information, however, it has become clear that the launch of such a camera would be infeasible within this year. Still at this point, we cannot say for certain when the full-frame Foveon X3 sensor will be put into mass production.

Unfortunately, it looks like we won’t be seeing the Foveon sensor in a full-frame camera for quite a while, though it’s encouraging that Sigma hasn’t scrapped the project entirely. Of course, only time will tell whether the company meets its end goal of a full-frame Foveon option.

Sigma has created a number of cameras with Foveon technology in the past, including two recent mirrorless bodies that separately feature APS-C and APS-H size sensors (note that APS-H sensors sit between the smaller APS-C and the larger full-frame, 35mm sensors). But Sigma’s only current full-frame digital camera, and only current Sigma full-frame camera to use an L-mount, uses a standard imagining sensor, not the Foveon tech that gets consumers excited.

What is it about the Foveon sensor that’s so special?

To understand this you should also be familiar with standard (Bayer) sensors, which dedicate a single RGB color to each pixel/photosite. Light hits the Bayer sensor, and is filtered into the corresponding photosites: red light enters into red photosites, blue light enters into blue photosites, and green light enters into green photosites.

Then, through a process called demosaicing, the full-sized color image is determined based on the already-existing color data.

Foveon sensors, on the other hand, toss this out the window. Instead of dedicating a single photosite to each color, Foveon sensors capture data for three colors per photosite, resulting in more information captured per pixel and better sharpness overall.

Note that the full-frame Foveon is planned to incorporate the L-mount, and will, therefore, handle L-mount lenses that are produced by Panasonic and Leica, in addition to Sigma’s own L-mount glass.

For now, I recommend keeping an eye out for news regarding Sigma’s new camera. And, if we’re lucky, we’ll have some information before the year is out.

Are you excited about this camera technology? Will you be buying this camera when it is finally released? Share with us in the comments section.

The post News: When to Expect Sigma’s Full-Frame Foveon Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

February 14, 2020
Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony Review
The post Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

Hot on the heels of Tamron’s widely successful f/2.8 zoom lenses comes a trio of f/2.8 prime lenses, specifically a Tamron 20mm, 24mm, and 35mm. I recently tested the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 and found it to be a surprisingly fun little lens.

Why surprising? Well, the 35mm f/2.8 may seem like an odd lens at first glance. There are faster versions of this focal length, such as the 35mm f/1.8 and 35mm f/1.4. And for those who shoot with a 16-35mm f/2.8 or 24-70mm f/2.8, this lens might seem unnecessary. However, there are a few clever tricks that the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 lens has up its sleeve to set it apart from the competition.

Tech specs

The official name of this lens is the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 Lens. It is made for Sony E-mount mirrorless full-frame cameras. Affordably priced at $ 349 USD, this is among the cheapest 35mm FE E-mount lens options.

Only Samyang makes a cheaper version.

All other FE 35mm options are over double the price of this Tamron. However, most of them have apertures of f/1.8 or faster.
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum Aperture: f/22
- Lens Mount: Sony E
- Format Compatibility: Full-Frame
- Angle of View: 63° 26′
- Minimum Focus Distance: 5.9″ / 14.99 cm
- Maximum Magnification: 0.5x
- Macro Reproduction Ratio: 1:2
- Optical Design: 9 Elements in 8 Groups
- Diaphragm Blades: 7, Rounded
- Focus Type: Autofocus
- Image Stabilization: No
- Filter Size: 67 mm (Front)
- Dimensions (ø x L): 2.87 x 2.5″ / 73 x 63.5 mm
- Weight: 7.4 oz / 210 g
- Price: $ 349 USD
Compact size

Coming in at just 3oz, the Tamron 35mm 2/.8 lens is so lightweight, it may feel as though you forgot to attach a lens to your camera. Its size makes it a great lens for travel or street photography.

Since it isn’t terribly heavy, the lens does have a mostly plastic feel to it. However, the lens is still weather-sealed and even comes with a gasket in the bayonet to prevent moisture and dust from building up.

Tamron also offers a 5-year warranty with all of its products, which should help put your mind that ease.

Fun macro capabilities

Despite its light weight, the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 is a bit chunky – it’s definitely not a pancake lens.

But part of the reason for the lens’ size is its macro capabilities. As noted in the tech specs above, this lens has a minimum focusing distance of 5.9 inches (15 cm) and a macro reproduction ratio of 1:2. This means that you can get really close to your photo subjects for some macro photography fun.

When focusing at a close distance, the bokeh looks amazing, making up for this lens’ f/2.8 aperture.

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400, Aperture Priority

Excellent image quality

I paired the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 lens with a Sony A7riii and found the resulting images to be pleasing. The images were sharp with excellent contrast, good bokeh, and just a small amount of vignetting.

The lens also performed well while shooting video. However, there is no image stabilization in the lens, so it is not an optimal choice for video shooters.

Laggy autofocus

After listing several high points of this lens, it’s time to talk about its downfall – autofocus.

Given Sony’s reputation for having fast and accurate autofocus in its cameras, this lens’ autofocus performance was disappointing.

When paired with my Sony A7riii, the Tamron often struggled to focus on both macro and non-macro shots. The autofocus problem worsened in low lighting. As someone with lots of experience with macro photography, I suspect that the slow autofocus is due to the lens’ macro capabilities. So in a way, it’s a trade-off – you can shoot macro with this lens but at the cost of slow autofocus.

In Conclusion

Should you get this lens?

If you are a beginner photographer looking for a compact prime lens to experiment with, the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 would be a great choice. It has a great price point and will help you develop an eye for photography, as the 35mm focal length is often recommended as the best lens for beginners.

Even experienced photographers may prefer this compact lens with macro capabilities for travel or street photography. However, if you often shoot fast-paced subjects or in low light environments, save up for the more expensive, faster versions of this lens.

Have you tried the Tamron 35mm f/2.8 lens? Share with us your thought in the comments section.

Shot with the Sony a7r iii and the Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/1600 sec, f/9, ISO 500, Aperture Priority

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/500 sec, f/9, ISO 500, Aperture Priority

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 4000, Aperture Priority

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 3200, Aperture Priority

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/50 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800, Aperture Priority

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 3200, Aperture Priority

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/160 sec, f/10, ISO 400, Aperture Priority

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 400, Aperture Priority

Sony a7r iii with Tamron 35mm f/2.8. Focal length 35mm, 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 400, Aperture Priority

The post Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

Digital Photography School
February 14, 2020
Canon launches its latest pocket-sized photo printer, the Selphy Square QX10

Although not nearly as exciting as its impending R5 mirrorless camera, the T8i or the 24–105mm F4–7.1, Canon has also announced the release of the Selphy Square QX10, its latest ultra-compact photo printer.

The Selphy Square has a built-in rechargeable battery and uses thermal transfer dye-sublimation to print images up to 68mm x 68mm (2.7in x 2.7in) with 287dpi resolution. The printer is rated for up to 20 prints on each charge, with each print taking roughly 43 seconds from start to finish.

$ (document).ready(function() { SampleGalleryV2({“containerId”:”embeddedSampleGallery_1111272077″,”galleryId”:”1111272077″,”isEmbeddedWidget”:true,”selectedImageIndex”:0,”isMobile”:false}) });

The printer uses a new square-format ‘sticker-type paper’ Canon is calling XS-20L that has a specialized coating that ‘protects against splashes, spills, and fading for up to 100 years when stored in an album,’ according to Canon.

The Canon Selphy Square QX10 printer is available in black, green, pink and white for $ 150, while 20-pack of paper and ink will set you back $ 15. You can find out more information about the Selphy Square on Canon’s product page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 14, 2020
CAKE Ösa electric utility motorcycle can function as an off-grid mobile studio

Swedish motorbike company CAKE has launched Ösa, an electric utility motorcycle with off-road capabilities and a uni-bar extending from the back of the bike. The company offers a modular clamp-on system with baskets that attach to this bar, enabling owers to transport a variety of gear. The company specifically demonstrates Ösa as useful for photographers, describing the bike as a ‘mobile studio.’

Ösa was first introduced in late 2019 as CAKE’s second model following its Kalk platform. The new electric utility motorcycle is designed to function as a ‘power station on wheels,’ according to CAKE; it features a top speed of 100 km/h (63mph), range up to 100km (63mi), 65kg (143lb) weight, 6061 aluminum frame, 7050 aluminum handlebars and both medium and large battery options to suit different user needs. The full bike specs are available on CAKE’s website.

Buyers can get Ösa with an optional power converter that enables them to power lights, speakers, laptops, and other electronic items with the motorcycle’s battery. The converter supports 110/220V devices and offers standard US and EU power outlets. The bike itself is charged using standard 110/220V wall outlets and takes around three hours to go from zero to 100% charged.

In addition to the outlets for powering larger equipment, the motorcycle also features a built-in 5V outlet for charging smaller items like phones and a single 12V outlet for ‘medium duty’ items.

CAKE is currently accepting $ 200 deposits on Ösa with the remainder of the $ 8,500 price (or higher, depending on configuration) to be paid when the customer’s order ships. The company will start shipping the bikes on a first-come, first-serve basis in March. DPReview has inquired about getting a review unit, but we can’t promise we’ll get our hands on one.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 14, 2020
Breaking: CP+ 2020 cancelled amid Coronavirus concerns

Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has announced it’s canceling the CP+ 2020 trade show, citing concerns surrounding the Coronavirus.

In a post shared on its website, CIPA says the annual tradeshow, which was supposed to take place from February 27th through March 1st in Yokohama, Japan, has been canceled ‘given there is no effective treatment or containment measures to deal with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).’

A screenshot of the note on the CP+ 2020 website.

Mobile World Conference (MWC), the world’s largest smartphone exhibition, was canceled earlier this week, leaving many wondering if CP+ was next. As now evident, those concerns were valid. Below is a tweet from the official CP+ Twitter account confirming the cancellation:

??????????????????
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????2?27???4????????????????????????????????????????https://t.co/64VfAXnep5

— CP?2020??? (@cpplusjp) February 14, 2020

According to CIPA’s website, CP+ drew in exhibitors from 120 countries and nearly 70,000 visitors last year. No further information has been given at this time and as of publishing this no manufacturers have commented on the cancellation. We will continue to update this story as more details are revealed.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 14, 2020
Canon launches ‘image.canon,’ a new cloud platform for managing and sharing images

Canon has launched a new cloud-based image platform designed for use by select Canon device owners. With the new image.canon service, photographers can have images automatically forwarded from their camera to their computer, mobile device and supported third-party services like Google Drive. The service is free to use and stores images on Canon’s own server.

Put simply, image.canon allows some Canon camera and SELPHY printer owners to register a Canon ID and then use the service to wirelessly transfer images from their supported device to Canon’s cloud platform. From there, the images can then be forwarded to third-party services, a computer and mobile devices.

The platform supports all of the image formats offered by compatible Canon cameras; users can connect an unlimited number of cameras to the service. Likewise, Canon doesn’t have any restrictions on image size or the number of images that can be transferred, though the company says there may be instances where uploads are restricted for ‘operational reasons.’

Image.canon stores the uploaded original images for 30 days, after which they will be deleted from the server. Thumbnails of the images will remain and only be deleted if the user doesn’t use the service for an entire year. The company also offers users 10GB for long-term image storage beyond 30 days. Support for forwarding images to Adobe Creative Cloud and Google Photos won’t arrive until later this summer.

Canon’s new cloud service will officially launch in April 2020.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 14, 2020
Everything You Need To Know For a Fashion Shoot

Preparing for a fashion shoot sounds easy on paper, but in reality requires a lot of thought out planning – namely for the equipment you’ll need. There’s flexibility within this, but there are certain elements that are necessities (such as your camera and lighting). Luckily, we’ve written up the perfect guide to help you, and to make your own fashion Continue Reading

The post Everything You Need To Know For a Fashion Shoot appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

February 13, 2020
Coronavirus shuts down World Mobile Conference smartphone exhibition

Fears around the global spread of the Coronavirus have led organizers of the world’s largest smartphone exhibition to pull the plug on the show just days before it was due to open. The Mobile World Congress was due to run from the 24th -27th February in Barcelona, Spain, but after a number of exhibitors pulled out of the show a statement was released to say that going ahead with the event was ‘impossible.’

With a large part of the smartphone industry based in the Far East close to where the virus was first detected and where the most infections have been reported, fears had grown in the industry that the coming together of so many people could become a health hazard. Only a few days ago the GSMA, the owners of the show, issued a statement that said MWC would be going ahead and listed all the precautions organizers would be taking to minimize risk to exhibitors and visitors alike. Precautions included a ban on people from the Chinese Hubei province and anyone having visited China in the previous two weeks. In the end though, the risks were seen as too great to those attending and to the population of Barcelona itself.

A truncated section of the full statement currently visible on the MWC homepage.

The show had expected to attract more than 109,000 visitors for its 2400 exhibitors, including businesses, the public and international press. The next GSMA Mobile World Congress is due to be held at the end of June in Shanghai, with a further show in Los Angeles in October. Whether these events go ahead remains to be seen, but there must be a great deal of doubt over the Shanghai exhibition as it is only four months away and movement within China is extremely restricted at the moment.

Doubt must also be cast over the CP+ photography equipment exhibition that is due to be held in Yokohama, Japan, from the 27th February. This is also now an international show that attracts exhibitors from all nations that manufacturer camera equipment. According to the CP+ website, last year’s show brought in exhibitors from 120 countries and almost 70,000 visitors. Currently, the exhibition’s website has no obvious mention of the coronavirus and doesn’t list precautions organizers will be taking to secure the health of those attending. The Diamond Princess cruiseship, quarantined with 3600 passengers and crew still aboard after the infection spread to 175 people, is docked in Yokohama harbour close by.

To find out more about the Barcelona World Mobile Conference and the 2021 exhibition see the GSMA MWC website.

Press release:

GSMA Statement on MWC Barcelona 2020 from John Hoffman, CEO GSMA Limited

12 February 2020, Barcelona: Since the first edition of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in 2006, the GSMA has convened the industry, governments, ministers, policymakers, operators and industry leaders across the broader ecosystem.

With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event.

The Host City Parties respect and understand this decision.

The GSMA and the Host City Parties will continue to be working in unison and supporting each other for MWC Barcelona 2021 and future editions.

Our sympathies at this time are with those affected in China, and all around the world.

Further updates from the GSMA, are on our website and can be found on www.mwcbarcelona.com.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

February 13, 2020
Photograph Your Commute, See the World Differently
The post Photograph Your Commute, See the World Differently appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

It doesn’t take long for our commute to become familiar and mundane. We make our way through the world on autopilot, not seeing the details that surround us. By taking the time to photograph your commute, you both improve your photography and start an exciting personal project.

As photographers, we should be learning to see the details around us even when we’ve seen them a thousand times before. Our eye needs continuous training to keep it in good shape, just like an athlete needs to train at their sport regularly. And a commute to work on foot or by public transport is an ideal time to flex your visual muscles.

Here are some reasons why leaving ten minutes early for your commute in the morning with your camera can help you train your eye and eventually become a better photographer.

Plan out your project

All of the images in this article came from a single challenge – to photograph my walk to work and to try and spot small details and moments I might ordinarily miss. Each day I was walking from King’s Cross to Camden in London, a journey of no more than a mile. It took me primarily through industrial areas, and I wanted to try and capture something interesting.

All the images in this article were part of a project to photograph my London commute. These images: ISO100, 100mm, f2.8, 1/250th sec

You don’t have to plan your project in-depth, but it does help to have a general idea of where you want to go with it. In my case, I knew that I wanted to produce a series of black and white images that focussed on the architecture of the area.

It doesn’t have to be architecture photography. You might choose to shoot people going about their day. Or perhaps the urban wildlife that you see in the mornings if you get up extra early. Maybe you walk through a park with particularly lovely trees and landscapes.

The sky is your limit, but jot down a few ideas of how to photograph your commute to help you get started.

Choose the right kit

You don’t want to be lugging a huge camera bag to work every day on top of everything else you take, so figure out where you can slim things down when you photograph your commute.

ISO100, 100mm, f2.8, 1/250th sec

Most of the time, I chuck my camera and a single lens straight into my handbag protected by a simple wrap. It’s easy and does the job of keeping the camera scratch-free. It also doesn’t take up too much space.

If you want a bit more protection, you could look at once of the camera bag inserts that are purpose-made to fit inside any handbag or rucksack. They’ll allow you to organize your camera gear a bit more, and it’ll offer more peace of mind if you get jostled on your commute, or you drop your bag accidentally.

Don’t forget to consider your accessories too – an everyday carry kit in a small container might be just the thing to put together.

Practice makes perfect

Logic dictates that if you practice a skill regularly, you will improve over time. So practicing photography each day, even for a little bit, is a way to improve your photographic eye by leaps and bounds in a short space of time.

Left image: ISO100, 100mm, f2.8, 1/400th sec Right image: ISO200, 100mm, f2.8, 1/200th sec

You don’t have to have your camera out and round your neck the whole time either. Just thinking ahead to a place where you can stop on your route and get your camera out for ten minutes would work.

If each day you pick a different place to stop and shoot, you’ll soon find yourself improving.

The key when you stop is to try and pick out a new detail to shoot. You could even try to shoot ten photos without moving your feet in a different location each day.

Pick a technique to improve

Without focus, you might find it harder to make significant improvements in your photography. So when you’re planning to photograph your commute, perhaps pick a technique to improve as well as a subject. Or maybe you could choose a technique to focus on per week or even per day.

Every commute will lend itself to a different set of techniques that you can practice to improve. But you might like to focus on some of the following areas:
- Focussing accurately
- Composition
- Introducing motion blur
- Capturing light and shadow
- Experimenting with depth of field
Present your work

At the end of your project, or when you feel like you’ve exhausted everything your commute has to offer photographically, be sure to do something with the photos. Many of us are guilty of letting images languish on our hard drives without ever seeing the light of day.

At the very least, you could think about putting your pictures on social media.

Perhaps talk in the captions about the sights and sounds that were around you when you captured the image, or how you were feeling that day. You might be surprised to find that the kinds of photos you shoot relate to your emotional wellbeing and the way the environment makes you feel.

ISO100, 100mm, f4, 1/1250th sec

You could also put together a book. It isn’t expensive any more to get a single book made of your photos, and there are lots of companies that offer this service. Consider if you want to include short pieces of writing alongside your photographs, just like you might on social media.

Lastly, you might want to consider an exhibition full of beautiful prints.

If you’ve never had a show before, this might feel both terrifying and unachievable. Every significant achievement starts with a small step.

Start by exploring local gallery spaces and seeing how you get your work in them. Some have open shows that you can submit work for consideration.

Others will want to show a whole series from a single artist and will tell you how they want to see your work. There are also some gallery spaces that you can hire for a week or two to show your work.

The choice is yours!

What about a 365 project?

It might be tempting to turn a daily practice into a 365 project. But I would like you to think hard before you commit to doing that. It sounds easy at first – just a single photo a day! And if you’re committing to taking your camera to work each day, then that might look easy.

ISO100, 100mm, f4, 1/800th sec

But 365 projects can suck the fun out of photography if you’re not the kind of person who is really, really into them. If you want to do this kind of project, then perhaps consider a ’52’ version – just one image per week. That allows you to have bad days, and sick days, and days where you don’t want to look at your photos in the evening!

But whatever you do, and wherever you take this project, make sure it’s fun. It should be an enjoyable highlight in your day, not a daily slog. Spending a little bit of time every day with your camera should be something that brings you joy.

Have you ever taken the time to photograph your commute? Please show us the images in the comments!

The post Photograph Your Commute, See the World Differently appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

Digital Photography School
February 13, 2020