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Tamron SP 15-30mm F2.8 Di VC USD G2 sample gallery

13 Nov

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We got our hands on Tamron’s second-generation SP 15-30mm F2.8 a couple of months ago at Photokina, and we’ve just started shooting with a copy for Nikon mount. The lens sports a number of internal enhancements, such as the addition of a second processor so that autofocus and stabilization are each handled by their own chip. See how we’ve gotten along with the lens so far.

See our Tamron SP 15-30mm F2.8 G2 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

13 Nov

There is an incredible array of color in our world, so it’s no wonder that it plays such a significant role in photography. However, have you ever considered narrowing your pallet down to just two colors? A duotone image is just that – an image made up of two individual tones. A duotone scheme can highlight subtle detail or boast a vivacious color combination that can make an image pop! Here’s how to make use of Photoshop’s Duotone tool to create a beautiful duotone look.

1 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Select an image with a good tonal range so that the duotone can take full effect.

How to Duotone a Photograph

Step 1 – Preparing an Image

First, select an image with a good tonal range and open it in Photoshop. I chose this image of a flower because it has a range of dark shadows through to bright highlights.

In order to apply a duotone effect to your photograph, you convert it to a greyscale image first. Select ‘Image’ in the top Photoshop menu bar, followed by ‘Mode -> Grayscale.’

2 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

A prompt will appear, asking if you want to discard color information. Click ‘Discard’ and your image will be converted to Grayscale.

3 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Click the ‘Discard’ button and your image will be converted to grayscale.

After you have converted your image to grayscale, you may notice that your image looks a bit flat. Open a ‘Curves’ adjustment layer by clicking on the ‘Curves’ icon in the Adjustments tab.

4 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Adjust your contrast with the ‘Curves’ adjustment layer until you are happy with the level of contrast in your image.

5 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Adjust your contrast with the ‘Curves’ adjustment layer until you are happy with the result.

Step 2- Converting to Duotone

The next step is to convert your image to duotone. Make sure you have your original image layer selected and click on ‘Image’ in the top Photoshop menu bar. Select ‘Mode ->Duotone.’

6 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Once you’ve selected ‘Duotone’ from the menu a Duotone Options window will open.

7 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

If it isn’t already set, click on the ‘Type’drop-down menu and select ‘Duotone.’ Selecting ‘Tritone’ and ‘Quadtone’ will allow you to add three and four colors respectively, but we’ll just stick with the two colors for now.

8 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Click on the ‘Type’ drop-down menu and select ‘Duotone.’

Step 3 – Making Adjustments

Once you’ve selected ‘Duotone’ from the ‘Type’ drop-down menu, you’ll see two channels are available: one for ‘Ink 1’ and one for ‘Ink 2’. Traditionally ‘Ink 1’ is set to black, as it defines the shadows in your image, so start with that. Ink 2 is for filling in the mid tones and highlights with your selected color.

9 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

The ‘Ink 1’ and ‘Ink 2’ channels.

There are two ways to go about applying a Duotone effect to your image. The first method is to click on the ‘Preset’ drop-down menu and select a color scheme from the available options. To preview your adjustments as you go, make sure the ‘Preview’ box is checked.

11 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Click on the ‘Preset’ drop-down menu and select a color scheme from the options available.

However, if you aren’t keen on the preset options, you can always select your own custom colors. Click on the colored box for ‘Ink 2’ and you will bring up the ‘Color Libraries’ window.

12 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Click on the color box for ‘Ink 2’ to bring up the ‘Color Libraries’ window.

The ‘Color Libraries’ window groups colors into certain printing prerequisites, so have a browse and find a color you like. You can also click the ‘Picker’ button to bring up the standard ‘Color Picker’ window. Once you have found a color you like, click OK.

13 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

You can adjust the contrast of each channel individually. Click on the curve window to the left of the color boxes and fine-tune your contrast as you would adjust a Curves adjustment layer.

14 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Click on the curves windows to adjust the contrast in each channel.

15 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Fine-tune your contrast as you would adjust a ‘Curves’ adjustment layer.

Once you are happy with the result, give a name to each channel (I usually just name them Ink 1 and 2) and click OK!

Step 4- Experiment!

Now you have the basics down, its time to experiment! Here are a few of my own examples below.

16 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Here is a more traditional application of the duotone tool. I added this sepia tone by selecting a deep brown from the Color Library.

17 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

This evocative color scheme was made up of a deep red color for the shadows and a blue tint for the midtones and highlights.

18 - How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop

Traditionally, a duotone image is toned with black for the shadows. But that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment! I got this rich, pop-arty effect by combining red with magenta.

Please share your creations below!

The post How to Duotone a Photograph in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Photokina 2018: Nikon interview – ‘We love feedback, because it leads to better products’

13 Nov
Two cameras, two lens-mounts, separated by almost six decades. The new Nikon Z7 (left) is the first of a brand-new breed of Z-mount full-frame Nikon cameras, just as the original Nikon F (right) debuted the legendary F mount in the late 1950s.

This interview comprises on-record portions drawn from several conversations with multiple Nikon executives dating back to August, primarily those which took place in Tokyo following the launch of the Z system, and in Cologne, Germany, during the Photokina trade show.

Please note that responses to our questions were provided variously by multiple high-level executives, engineers and marketing specialists. These exchanges happened at different times, and in all cases, our conversations were conducted via an interpreter. As such, since individual attribution is impossible, responses have been combined and anonymized. The following interview has been edited for clarity and flow.

What were the biggest challenges you faced when developing the Z mount?

For the mount, the biggest challenge was to finalize the specifications. This is a new system and we’re looking ahead into the future for our users. We want them to use the Z mount for a long time, so we wanted to make sure that the specifications would [support] use for the long-haul.

For lenses, taking the Z 35mm F1.8 for example, we were determined to exceed the [previous] performance level, which was very challenging. Manufacturing was challenging too because we wanted to exceed [previous] lens specifications and performance.

In the camera bodies, we had to maintain robustness, while making them smaller and lighter. This was a challenge for us.

The Nikon Z mount is intended to be at least as futureproof as the legacy F mount – hopefully, according to Nikon representatives – it will still be current in 100 years’ time.

Nikon Z-mount lenses are designed for cameras that are capable of high resolution video as well as stills – how does this requirement affect the design?

Our optical design had to change. There are five elements that are improved significantly. One, we minimized aberrations, in a very well-balanced manner. Secondly, we improved resolution, towards the edges of the frame – not just the center. Thirdly, we improved point image performance [coma] towards the edges of the frame. Fourth, bokeh is natural, and beautiful. And finally we minimized ghosting and flare effects as much as possible. All of these improvements allow us to render sharp, very ‘real’ images.

Mechanically speaking, we improved focus speed, and focus is very quiet and very smooth in movie recording. That smoothness is really improved, and also movie users can adjust focus speed, from slow to fast.

We’ve tried to maintain the same level of operability between the D850 and the Z7

One of the concerns that we have with the Z6/7 is that their autofocus behavior and user experience is so different to DSLRs like the D850. Why did Nikon make this decision?

The D850 has a dedicated autofocus sensor, but in the Z7 we have on-sensor phase-detection autofocus. Each system has its own distinct features and its own strengths. We looked at the differences between the two, so that we could satisfy our customers’ needs by utilizing the strengths of each system. It’s not a question of which system is better, each has its own strengths.

When we think about usability of the autofocus systems, we’ve tried to maintain the same level of operability between the D850 and the Z7. Our priority is to make sure that our [Z7] customers feel that they have the same level of functionality and usability [as they do with the D850].

The Nikon Z7, pictured here with the 35mm F1.8, one of three compact lenses announced at the debut of the new Z mount, in August.

Do you intend to be more proactive in the Z-series, to respond to feature requests via firmware?

We need to look at our camera models, their features and characteristics, and our customers’ needs. With some models it’s better that we update their functionality more often than others.

But upgrading a camera isn’t easy. Also, as functionality evolves, software becomes even more complicated to design and update. However, the environment is changing rapidly, and due to the accelerated evolution of the functions, maybe we have to accelerate our response. We will make sure that we develop and upgrade [our cameras’] functionalities in order to satisfy our customers’ needs.

Our goal is to become number one in the full-frame market

Do you have an internal target for percentage of sales represented by Nikon mirrorless versus DSLR?

We have internal sales targets for each model, but we cannot disclose the figures. Our goal is to become number one in the full-frame market for both mirrorless and DSLRs.

What is your target timeframe for achieving this goal?

That’s a difficult question to answer – we cannot disclose the specific timeline, but we will make every effort to hit the target of being number one as soon as possible. We believe that we can achieve the number one position maybe quite soon. A lot of manufacturers have launched full-frame mirrorless cameras, but sales of our Z6 and Z7 are really robust, which gives us confidence.

Since DSLR and mirrorless have their own benefits and merits, they can co-exist

How do you expect the Z6 and Z7 to affect sales of Nikon’s DSLRs?

Since we launched the Z6 and Z7, demand for the D850 has remained very robust and stable. Since DSLR and mirrorless have their own benefits and merits, they can co-exist, and they will. However, its unavoidable that the market will shift more and more towards mirrorless. Right now, mirrorless market share is around 40% but by 2020 and afterwards we expect that mirrorless will surpass DSLR. For now we think they can co-exist.

At launch, the Z system is a full-frame system. Could it support DX (APS-C) format cameras in future?

We are not thinking about other formats yet. But we’re monitoring market trends, and we’re not ruling anything out [in future].

From left to right: The Nikon D850, the new Z7 and it’s main competitor, the Sony a7R III.

When you were developing the Z6 and Z7, what were your key benchmarks, and measures for success?

In one word, our benchmark for the Z7 was the D850. We wanted the Z7 to be at least on the same level as the D850. We have a lot of accumulated knowledge from our DSLRs, and we gathered information from our customers to make sure that we really met their needs and their demands. For example a comfortable grip, a good viewfinder experience, and the operational feel of pressing the shutter. We have to make sure that we can match or exceed these qualities [of our DSLRs] before putting a [mirrorless] product on the market. These are the expectations that people have of Nikon as a camera maker.

In-body V.R. is a new concept in the Z6 and Z7, and we set a very strict target for the number of stops of correction. When it comes to lenses, we can’t disclose the exact numerical performance targets, but we’ve already talked about the five ways in which we aimed to improve the lenses, plus operability and user-friendliness. We actually set some very ambitious targets.

These are high-performance cameras and lenses – how long has the system been in development?

We cannot disclose the specific number of years.

How important was it to Nikon to incorporate high-quality video features in the development of the new Z-mount cameras?

An increasing number of customers are looking at stills and video and they want both of them. Therefore we focused on improving video performance, which also affected body and lens design. We wanted to make sure that the new cameras would have very good still and video qualities.

We want to be recognized as a company that provides tools for video professionals

We love feedback, because it leads to better products. We want to be recognized as a company that provides tools for video professionals. If we hear from professionals that now, finally, they can do the kinds of jobs they want to with our products, that would be great. We’ve provided a set of functions, including N-Log, and if any of them can be useful, we’re very happy about that.

We are now starting to communicate with the community of professional videographers because we have really improved the video performance of our cameras and lenses and we’re proud of that, so we want to communicate this to the community.

The Nikon 1 V3 was the last – and arguably best – of the erstwhile 1 System mirrorless camera lineup. Although the 1 System didn’t last, Nikon tells us that a lot of the technologies pioneered in cameras like the V3 was utilized in the development of the full-frame Z mount.

How much technology and experience gleaned from creating the 1-system was brought into the new Z system?

That’s a hard question to answer. There’s a lot we could say, but it’s hard to put into words. The basis of the technology comes from Nikon 1. Especially the technology behind the imaging sensors. Not the [hardware] technology itself but definitely the concept and basic principles.

Of course, the the F system and the 1 system represent the basic foundation of everything that we do, but with the Z system the goal was to go beyond those predecessor products. The larger volume of data being communicated [between camera and lens] is a huge benefit, and that’s one of the biggest improvement between previous models and the new Z-series.

The F system and the 1 system represent the basic foundation of everything that we do, but with the Z system the goal was to go beyond

The concept for the development of the new series, although obviously to some extent they are based on the F and 1 systems that came before it, is to listen to those users and hear what they like and don’t like, and look into the future. People might be happy with what they have right now, but maybe those technologies won’t work in the future. We can’t be myopic about it.

It’s very important to us that our F mount customers can use their lenses with the Z mount, for example. We had to consider that.

Did any of the engineers that worked on the 1 system go on to work on the Z6 and Z7?

Yes – part of the development team from the Nikon 1 was involved in developing the Z6 and Z7.

With the next generation of Z mount cameras, is it more urgent to target professionals, or beginners?

While we are focusing on mid-to-high end models, entry-level users who have never used an interchangeable lens camera are very important to Nikon. Both entry-level and professional users are equally important to us, and we aim to expand the Z mount system lineup to appeal to a wide audience.

The iPhone X/S, and other smartphones of its ilk are small, powerful, water-resistant and take great photographs. According to the Nikon executives that we spoke to, the threat to traditional camera manufacturers from mobile devices, jam-packed with computational photography technology, is acute.

Will future Z series cameras offer optical V.R. in addition to in-body stabilization?

We intend to continue with the development of optical stabilization. If there is a benefit of the functionality, we will continue to employ [optical V.R.] as an option. For telephoto lenses, optical stabilization is very beneficial. When it comes to wide-angle zooms, in some cases it is also beneficial.

What are the biggest challenges facing Nikon in the future?

This is a hard question to answer. Because of the advent of the smartphone, the digital camera has shrunk. However, the mirrorless camera market has been revitalized, and we believe that Nikon can expand this market. Another challenge is that if computational photography technology advances rapidly, maybe smartphones will be be able to produce images that are as good as interchangeable lens cameras. If this happens, it will be a real challenge.

The number of people taking photos is growing, and the number of photos being taken is also growing

However, because of smartphones, the number of people taking photos is growing, and the number of photos being taken is also growing. So maybe we can combine hardware and imaging technologies where we can see a business opportunity to expand into camera, software applications, b to b [etc.] there are many possible opportunities for us.

So many people take photos with their smartphones because they want to post them to Instagram or Facebook, or other social networking services. However, some of these people are not really satisfied by the quality of the photos taken on their phones. This segment of people are looking for a camera which can give them better quality images, but maybe they’ve never used a dedicated camera ever in their lives. I am sure that this segment of the audience is growing and [they represent] a great opportunity.

Will we see fewer DSLRs released by Nikon in future?

Our strategy is to [market] both DSLR and mirrorless. We launched the D3500 [alongside the Z6/7] and we’re planning to launch more DSLR models in the future.

The F mount was Nikon’s premier lens mount for 60 years – how far into the future are you looking for the Z mount? Another 60 years?

At least another 60 years! I was about to say 100. Hopefully it will last indefinitely – that’s why it’s so important for us to look into the future, and why such a high volume of data communication [in the Z mount standard] is so important.

Editors’ note: Barnaby Britton

This has been a big year for Nikon, and I suspect one that Nikon’s engineers and executives have been eagerly awaiting for a long time – to say nothing of their customers. Nikon did a fine job of maintaining and updating the F mount for as long as it did, but the question was never if the company would replace it with a redesigned standard for mirrorless, but when.

The Z mount of course is Nikon’s second mirrorless camera mount, after the 1 mount, designed around the 1″ sensors used in the company’s various 1-series ILCs from 2011 until the discontinuation of the lineup earlier this year. It was interesting when speaking to executives to learn that some of the technologies from Nikon’s 1 System (and in fact some of the engineers that worked on it) were integral to the development of the Z mount.

The resulting mount is a very, very different standard to Nikon 1, and different again to the 60-year old F mount, despite being designed around the same sensor format. Clearly the company is looking ahead – a long way ahead, judging by the ‘100 years’ comment in our interview – and it will be interesting to see how Nikon develops its Z-mount lens lineup in the coming months and years. Unlike Canon, Nikon publishes roadmaps, and I suspect that the Z7 and Z6’s true potential (and that of their inevitable successors) will become clear once lenses like the planned 24-70mm F2.8 start to become available.

The Z7 really is intended to replicate as far as possible, the performance and durability of the D850

So what did we learn from this interview? For one thing, we learned that Nikon wants to be the number one full-frame manufacturer, and it hopes to achieve that position fairly soon. That’s a lofty goal, and a bold statement, but the Z6 and Z7 are bold products. As far as Nikon’s executives are concerned, the Z7 really is intended to replicate as far as possible, the performance and durability of the D850 – a very popular camera which has been backordered almost since the day it was announced.

To the company’s credit, we think that the company has largely succeeded in this goal (although there are some things we’d like to see improved) and that’s no small feat. It’s a bit disingenuous to call the Z6/7 first-generation cameras, but they’re certainly first attempts at something very new for the company, and compared to Canon’s more cautious approach with the EOS R, straight out of the gate they’re powerful, highly competitive ILCs. Whether there is any room for APS-C products in Nikon’s future Z-mount lineup, however, is unclear.

The challenge of building a reputation as a video manufacturer is one that Nikon hasn’t really been faced with tackling up to now

While Nikon has made some overtures towards videographers before now (lest we forget, the D90 was the first DSLR to shoot video and the D850 is a very capable 4K video camera) the challenge of building a reputation as a video manufacturer is one that Nikon hasn’t really been faced with tackling up to now. The Z7 and (especially) the Z6 have a lot to offer these users, and it will be interesting to see how Nikon approaches the challenge of becoming a major player in this space, alongside more experienced competitors like Sony, Canon and Panasonic. It’s reassuring to see that whatever challenges Nikon faces in the future, a lack of confidence doesn’t seem to be one of them.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Lastolite HaloCompact is a new reflector, diffuser with a collapsible design

13 Nov

Lastolite, a subsidiary of Manfrotto, has launched a new lighting tool it calls the HaloCompact.

The HaloCompact is a collapsible reflector/diffuser tool that comes in two versions: a double-sided reflector (with silver on one side and white on the other) and a two stop diffuser.

The defining feature of the HaloCompact is its RapidExoframe, a lightweight aluminum frame that slots together multiple sections to create a 85cm/33.5in base when fully constructed. When packed down, alongside the folding reflector/diffuser material, the HaloCompact is small enough to put inside your camera bag or attach to the outside.

The HaloCompact also has standard quarter-inch tripod threads along the frame so it can be attached to various arms and accessories for when you need an extra hand. Below is a video from Lensvid showing off the HaloCompact in person at Photokina 2018.

Both version of the HaloCompact has an MSRP of £71.95, but there’s no mention of availability and at the time of publishing this article the HaloCompact isn’t listed on the UK or US version of Lastolite’s online store. DPReview has contacted Lastolite for more information regarding US pricing and availability and will update this article accordingly when it receives a response.

Lastolite by Manfrotto Launch HaloCompact 85cm (33.5”)

Lastolite By Manfrotto, the world’s leading manufacturer of backgrounds and lighting control systems is proud to announce the launch of the HaloCompact Reflector and Diffuser.

The HaloCompact is a completely new, patent pending design concept that makes the everyday reflector and diffuser panel even more portable than ever!

Unlike many traditional reflector/diffuser panels that incorporate a steel rim pop up design, the 85cm (33.5”) HaloCompact is constructed using Lastolite By Manfrotto’s new innovative RapidExoframe™ technology. The collapsible lightweight aluminium frame quickly slots together and the reflector or diffuser fabric simply clips onto the frame. The cleverly designed RapidExoframe™ construction allows the frame to breakdown into small multiple sections and along with the folded fabric packs into a carry case measuring only 6.5 x 27 x 6.5cm (6” x 6” x 6”) weighing only 335g (reflector and case).

The ultra-compact folded dimensions make the HaloCompact the perfect solution for Photographers on the move or with very limited carrying space. It now means a reflector/diffuser can always be carried in the camera bag rather than having to consider whether to take an extra bag or not. A handy carabiner style clip also allows the user to clip the HaloCompact to their belt if out on location with their camera only and no camera bag.

The HaloCompact also features an ergonomically designed handle so it can easily be held and accurately positioned with one hand. The handle also incorporates a very useful ¼” thread (plus a ¼” to ¼” adaptor), enabling it to be easily attached to various different support systems, to offer secure positioning further away from camera position.

The HaloCompact is available in two versions – the first is a double-sided reflector, with silver one side and white the other. The second version is as a 2 stop diffuser.

The HaloCompact Reflector Silver/White (LL LR3300) has an RRP of £71.95.

The HaloCompact Diffuser 2 stop (LL LR3301) has an RRP of £71.95.

For more information, please visit www.manfrotto.co.uk/lastolite

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The New York Times’ massive photo archive is being digitized with Google’s help

13 Nov

The New York Times has millions of printed photographs stored in an underground archive nicknamed “the morgue,” and it has begun the arduous task of digitizing this collection. Google is part of the project, according to a post on one of the company’s blogs, where it explains that its machine learning and cloud technologies will help The New York Times store, process, and search its archive.

The morgue houses between 5 and 7 million photographs dating back to the late 19th century, all of them stored in folders within file cabinets. Many of the photos haven’t been viewed in decades and all of them are at risk of damage. In 2015, for example, the morgue experienced minor damage after water leaked in from a broken pipe.

The New York Times‘ CTO Nick Rockwell said in a statement to Google:

The morgue is a treasure trove of perishable documents that are a priceless chronicle of not just The Times’s history, but of nearly more than a century of global events that have shaped our modern world … Staff members across the photo department and on the business side have been exploring possible avenues for digitizing the morgue’s photos for years. But as recently as last year, the idea of a digitized archive still seemed out of reach.

To help preserve this visual history, Google has stepped in to provide The New York Times with its cloud storage product for storing high-resolution digital copies of the photographs. The New York Times has developed a processing pipeline for the digitization project that includes resizing images using Google Kubernetes Engine and storing metadata using PostgreSQL, in addition to the open source command-line software ExifTool and ImageMagick.

Google’s machine learning technology augments the system to offer insights into the digitized content. The company’s Cloud Vision API is used to detect text, logos, objects, and more within photographs, while the Cloud Natural Language API uses the detected text to categorize the images. This data makes it possible to search the digitized collection for specific images that would otherwise be lost in the vast archive.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Award-winning film shot through Hasselblad 500CM warns of photo obsession dangers

13 Nov

I think there may be more than a few of us who have been told that we spend too long looking through a viewfinder instead of experiencing life first hand. And there will be plenty of us who know that sometimes we don’t get to experience an event because we are constantly looking for the best angle and thinking photography rather than feeling the moment as everyone else is.

Filmmaker Casey Cavanaugh has made a really cool film on the subject, and has created a wooden rig that allowed him to mount his Sony a7S above the viewfinder of a Hasselblad 500CM so he could record the movie through the viewfinder of the medium format film camera. I won’t spoil the story for you, but it doesn’t end well for the Hasselblad! Cavanaugh also shared the main actress in the film, Corrina VanHamlin, tragically passed away after it was made.

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Link in bio || We all had a really amazing time making this short film for the Capital City Film Festival. Watching it now is a little more difficult for me as well as anyone who might have known the amazing lead actress, Corrina VanHamlin. She tragically passed away this year and her performance in this film is but a glimpse into the wonderful and talented person she was. I’m extremely grateful that we were able to make this piece of art together. Huge thanks to the rest of the team, @xiaoxinghan @ryanzern @danhartleyvideo @lukepline • • • • • • #cinematic #shortfilm #hasselblad500cm #hasselblad #fujiframez #framez #sonyframez #fujifilm #sonya7sii #sonya7riii #sonya7iii #fullframe #atomosshogun #groundglass #mediumformatfilm #mediumformat #mediumformatphotography #mediumformatcamera @hasselblad @hasselbladfeatures @hasselbladculture @hasselblad.japan @petapixel @phoblographer

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See the GxAce YouTube channel to watch Casey’s other films. Cavanaugh is the same guy behind the DIY XPan camera video DPReview shared last week.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Gear Offer is an online marketplace for buying and selling used camera gear

13 Nov

When it comes to buying used photography gear, there are plenty of options around the web: eBay, Amazon, KEH, B&H, and Adorama. Now, there’s a new option — Gear Offer, a photography-specific marketplace for selling and buying used camera equipment.

Based out of Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, Gear Offer is a self-proclaimed “marketplace just for photographers that’s hassle free, priced fairly and continually improving” founded in March 2017.

Trusting a new online marketplace isn’t always easy, but Gear Offer clearly lays out its terms of service and guidelines on how selling and buying items works.

Listing items on Gear Offer is free. There’s even a built-in pricing tool that uses recent sales of identical products as a guideline for what price you should set your item(s) at. Once the gear is listed, it’s a matter of waiting for someone to click the “buy now” button on the product page or make an offer that’s accepted.

Once an item is purchased, the funds from the buyer will be transferred to their Gear Offer account. The seller then packs up the item, ships it off, and adds the tracking number to the purchase on Gear Offer. The buyer will then receive updates until the item (hopefully) safely arrives on their doorstep. After the payment has cleared, which Gear Offer claims is “typically in 2 business days” the seller will receive their funds. Below is a chart provided by Gear Offer that illustrates the timeline of the buying and selling process.

To protect against fraudulent accounts and activity, Gear Offer says it uses machine learning to continually evaluate the risk of certain sales and transactions. It also relies on reviews from buyers and sellers to help build trust between frequent users. In the event something does go wrong, Gear Offers says customer service is provided by “real live humans,” and not ones in offshore call centers.

To confirm this claim DPReview tested the Gear Offer contact line by calling at roughly 4pm ET on a Saturday and after stating its name via a Google Voice operator service, DPReview was connected to a line that was eventually directed to a voicemail that said we would hear back “as soon as possible” regarding its inquiry. DPReview called again five minutes later in a secondary effort to contact the Gear Offer team and was immediately connected with a representative from the company.

Gear Offer makes its money is through a 6.9% processing fee when an item is sold, similar to how eBay and Amazon works, although at a lower rate — Gear Offer notes that eBay charges 12.9% (plus a standard $ .30 fixed processing fee).1 The 6.9% fee comes from the income of the seller of the item.

Head over to Gear Offer to find out more and browse around the current listings. To list or purchase photography gear sign up for an account.

1 The eBay processing fee is 10% and the PayPal processing fee is 2.9%, which makes for the 12.9% total fee.

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Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience

13 Nov

There are many different types of portraiture. Maternity is probably one type that is truly one-of-a-kind. Each maternity session is different, however, these tips will help you have the same approach to your sessions so they run smoothly from beginning to end.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 1

Keep Posing Simple

When women get a maternity session photographed, they are usually between 7-9 months pregnant. As a photographer, you should know that a growing belly is tiring. Therefore, keep posing simple and move your client to a minimum to help her stay comfortable while you are photographing this beautiful moment in her life.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 2

In order to keep the focus on the belly, use your client’s hands to frame the belly. One hand on top and one below, both below, both on top, or rubbing the belly. All are great ways for your clients to connect with their belly. They will also appear more natural in photos as the bump is the main focus.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 3

Popping one knee out can help give your client a little more shape. This is especially helpful if she is wearing a long maxi dress or wardrobe that hides her natural shape. Make sure that your client pops out the knee that is closest to the camera. She can do this by putting one foot on tip-toe or just bending the knee.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 4

In order to make the belly stand out while still giving your client a bit of shape to her body, angle her at 45 degrees from the camera. This makes the maternity silhouette more prominent in the photographs.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 5

Pose your client with a knee pop and at 45 degrees toward the camera to put the focus on the belly silhouette.

Posing with Partner or Siblings

When posing with siblings, make sure to pose your client first and then have her children surround her. Or if she is willing to carry one sibling. Try different poses and allow for natural posing to happen. Children might be excited to rub or kiss the belly, and you can capture many natural expressions.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 6

When posing with partners, make sure that they are interacting or connecting with the belly as well. A hand on the belly, or kneeling, rubbing or speaking to the belly can really bring out a connection. Don’t be afraid of just focusing on the partner and the belly bump. Take photos close-up and from afar to include both clients.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 7

Photographing the whole family can be tricky during a maternity session. Keeping the energy light and happy can really help bring out the best expressions. Working quickly is a good idea to keep the siblings interested and engaged. Move through poses swiftly and try to tell jokes or be playful to help.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 8

Whether you’re photographing your client indoors or outdoors, try to maximize the number of poses in one spot. Being pregnant can cause swollen feet if she is on her feet for too long. When posing siblings and partners, move them first or move them closer to your client so that she doesn’t have to move around too much.

Know Your Pregnancy Facts

If you are a female photographer and have been pregnant before, then you can skip this tip. However, if you have never been pregnant or are a male photographer, it is really important to take the following into consideration. You will ensure your client has the best maternity session experience.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 9

  • Maternity clients may not be able to walk around a lot without getting tired or swollen. Take breaks between setups and offer her a seat whenever possible.
  • Bathroom breaks: Be close to bathrooms because a pregnant woman will need to go often.
  • Offer water and snacks. Pregnant women need more calories so it’s really important for them to have healthy snacks and lots of water. It’s a nice gesture if you these to the session to offer her. Take it a step further by asking what her favorite snack is right now.
  • Ask if they will want retouching done to their belly. Some women prefer to keep it natural as it is in real life. Some will want a little extra editing. Asking up front can keep you from doing double the work or having to re-edit photos later.
  • Ask if your client will want to show her bump or not. This will help you prepare her to bring the right wardrobe.
  • Do not point out the obvious: that they are pregnant, or big, or look like they are having twins or anything of that nature. All you should ever say to a pregnant woman is that she looks beautiful and congratulations. Anything outside of that can seem like unsolicited advice or opinions. It may be interpreted as rude.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 10

These are just a few of the things you should be aware of in order to give your client the best maternity session experience. She will see that you have put a great deal of effort into her comfort and will be instantly appreciative.

Props and Accessories

Ask your client to bring props or accessories that she has already purchased for her little one. Shoes, bows, onesies, signs with the name or another special item that can really personalize the session for them.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 11

The more they bring, the more you will have to play with resulting in more options and variations for your clients. It can be exciting to incorporate the items into the session.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 12

Photograph the items alone as well as with the bump. A nice detail photo of the item can look really nice in an album. You can also offer ideas for them to bring props or particular accessories to create more of a story.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 13

If you are photographing inside your client’s home, you can photograph the nursery. As well adding to the overall experience of her pregnancy, it will show the experience of waiting for the baby to arrive.

Show Your Client Photos During the Session

Pregnant women are very self-conscious about the way they look. To make sure that they feel confident, show her a really great portrait of herself during the session. This can give her a boost knowing that you have captured her best.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 14

Letting her see for herself that she is radiant and beautiful can make the session go much smoother. She will trust that you are getting the best photos of her during this very unique and important moment in her life.

Offer a Newborn Session

When you are wrapping up the maternity session, offer your clients a newborn session for when the baby is born. Newborn sessions are typically done within two weeks of the baby being born so they don’t lose their newborn features.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 15

Chances are that your client hasn’t thought that far in advanced yet and it will be nice for them to come back to you since you have already built trust.

Maternity Session Tips For Better Client Experience 16

Let them know about the session options you offer and how you can create a beautiful album of both sessions so that they can always look back on these joyous moments in their lives.

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If they walk away with a great experience during their maternity session, they will certainly want to come back for the newborn session. And all subsequent portraits thereafter. Don’t miss your chance to keep your clients coming back!

In conclusion

A maternity session is special in that you get to photograph this very unique, one-of-a-kind moment in your client’s life. Make sure to stay positive and energetic. Take breaks and snacks, and be aware of what you say.

Guide your clients through the process so that they can enjoy and trust you to make the best photographs possible of such an important time in their lives.

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Photographing Still Life Can Teach You These 3 Things

12 Nov
  1. Composition
  2. Lighting
  3. The importance of taking your time
Photographing Still Life Can Teach You These 3 Things © Kevin Landwer-Johan

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Photographing still life, more than most genres, gives you more control. You can control your subject, location, lighting, composition etc. when you make still life pictures.

Photographing just about anything else gives you have far less control, or it’s much more difficult to control the photo session. Landscape photographers must rely on external factors like the weather and vantage point. Sports photographers are restricted by how close they can get to their subjects. Wildlife photographers are often hampered by their subject’s movements. Portrait photographers have to deal with all manner of moods and emotions from their clients.

Photographing inanimate objects can happen just about anywhere. A studio space is not necessary. You can use your kitchen and set up on the table. Backyards and public parks can be great locations for outdoor still life photography.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Subject matter options are wide open. What do you like looking at? Find something you like – it will be more engaging. Small (but not too small) objects are easier to manage. Still life with large items like refrigerators or park benches will be more challenging to work with. You are not restricted to fruit and bunches of flowers.

Whatever and where ever you chose, you can improve upon three essential skills by photographing still life.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Composition

You have unlimited freedom to place and move your subject material about. This can help you gain a better understanding of composition.

Moving your objects around you will see how they relate differently to each other. You can overlap them or choose to position each one so it’s independent.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Camera position can view your set up from any angle you imagine. Experiment with high and low angles. Watch how this can dramatically affect your composition. Doing this in a situation where you have control and freedom to move about will help you learn to do so other times you are taking photos.

Backgrounds can be varied. You can use just the natural surroundings or add in your own backdrop. If the room ambiance is conducive to the images you want to make, use it well. However, if there are distracting elements behind your set up, insert a backdrop of your own. This can be a piece of card or cloth or something else to help enhance your composition.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Hopefully, photographing still life will stimulate your imagination. Having the freedom to manipulate your compositions will enhance your photography in general.

Lighting

Working with inanimate objects is a great opportunity to learn more about lighting. With people, animals and other things that move about, being consistent with lighting can be challenging. Landscapes and architectural photography can have more complex lighting demands.

Starting with a simple light set up is good if you are new to photography. The kitchen window if your objects are on the kitchen table. Start making your series of photos and then open the kitchen door to let light in from another direction. Compare your photos and see the changes adding more light makes.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Switching on an artificial light source allows you more control. Use a lamp or flashlight. These allow you to see the effect of the light, unlike using a camera flash. Vary the position of the lights. Lift them higher or drop them down lower. Moving them further away will lessen the amount of light on your objects.

Reflectors can be made good use of in still life photography. Even a sheet of white A4 printer paper can be an effective reflector. Try different reflective surfaces of varying sizes and study the difference they have on your scene.

Look at the direction of light and shadows. How do they interact when you have more than one light source?

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

By trying different light sources and setups you will develop a better eye to discern light in other situations where you are taking photos. It can help you to know when to add another light source or reflector.

Taking Your Time

Setting up for a still life photo session somewhere you can leave it a few days or weeks has its benefits. So often people are in too much of a rush to get a photo and move on. Take your time, and work slowly as a painter does. There’s no rush.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Being able to go away and come back to your arrangement of inanimate objects allows you to see it with fresh eyes the next day or next week.

Maybe you will see the relationship between elements differently. The lighting will have changed from morning till afternoon if you are using natural light. You might think of another object you want to add to the scene that will really make the photo. Ideas will come that you had not thought of initially.

Changing lens focal lengths is also good to experiment with. Compare how the objects interact with each other and the background as you view them with different lenses.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Setting up outdoors, you can photograph at different times of day and night to see the effects of different light. Does moonlight provide the most interesting lighting for your composition? Or is it best first thing in the morning?

Conclusion

Find yourself some space. Gather together a few of your most aesthetic things. Take your time to move them around and change the lighting. Think about how the objects relate to each other. Think about the different results you achieve when you change the lighting. If you don’t like what you photographed one day, come back another and make some more photos.

Please share with us any still life photos you may have taken in the comments below.

 

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Wedding Photography Gear You Need When Starting Out

12 Nov

What’s in your bag?

dps-equipment-wedding-photography

Weddings are vibrant and full of emotions, making it all too easy to have a purely romantic view of the day. For the couple and guests, that is very true. However, if you are a supplier on the day, it can be a very different experience. All the more if you are the wedding photographer! The pressure is on, and you have a huge responsibility to capture the day.

When you first begin photographing weddings, it is important to have a love for weddings and a connection to the occasion. If you hate weddings – which some people do – I suggest you steer clear of wedding photography. It is also beneficial to have a creative eye. If you lack both, it will be apparent on the images you capture.

When starting as a wedding photographer, it is quite understandable that you may not have the full arsenal of cameras, lenses, flashes, etc. Often we start with only the basic equipment in our bag and plenty of creativity (and for some, a healthy dose of confidence).

If you are considering being a wedding photographer and exploring what you can achieve with a basic kit, then this article is for you. These are also just my suggestions. I do not assume that you could not become a competent wedding photographer otherwise.

dps-equipment-wedding-photography

1. Camera

A full-frame professional camera is ideal, but if you only have a crop-sensor camera, there’s no reason you can’t shoot a wedding. The main impact of this would be the lenses. Unless it is a dedicated crop-sensor lens, a crop-sensor only uses a section of the lens, causing some loss in light and sensor use.

Newer cameras are equipped with better technology to handle noise, especially in low-light conditions. This technology is crucial because regardless of season, weddings will always involve low-light. Often very little natural light. The pixel size of images from newer cameras is also generally larger allowing more room for adjustments like cropping. It also allows better enlargements of your photographs in print. 24MP is now average for a newer camera whereas it was around 12MP 10-years ago.

2. Lenses

I feel lenses are a must. If you want to shoot weddings, at least have the 50mm or 35mm prime lens. They open to larger apertures than the kit lenses (the ones that come with the camera body). A maximum aperture of f/1.8 will do, but even better is f/1.4 and f/1.2. However, these lenses can be pricey though. If you tend not to use a flash unit, the advantage of these lenses is made clear.

A zoom lens is a massive help when capturing unfolding events during a wedding day. You don’t have to zoom with your feet as you do with a prime lens. In my opinion, you can get away with using a zoom kit lens for candid captures and don’t have to shell out for a pricey f/2.8 zoom when starting out. I must also add that these f/2.8 zooms are amazing pieces of glass and are worth the investment if you can afford it.

Top tip: Use a hood or a UV filter on your lens to protect it from knocks and breakage. Some people say filters affect the sharpness. That may be so, but I’d rather have an intact lens and a 99% sharp photo than a broken lens and a 100% sharp photo. The difference is pixel-peeping minuscule.

3. Flash Gun

Many people call themselves a natural light photographer. There is nothing wrong with that. However, if you want to shoot weddings, I encourage you to be open-minded and explore the possibility of learning to use flash. Weddings, especially evening receptions can be notoriously dark and having a flash gun will serve you well.

Top tip: Use a diffuser or bounce card.

dps-equipment-wedding-photography

4. Memory Cards, Spare Batteries, Remote Triggers or Transceivers (If You Use Off-Camera Flash)

These are self-explanatory. Have spares and spares of spares!

5. Backup Equipment

If you have to borrow extra equipment for back-up, do so. You never know when something will unexpectedly pack-up! When I shot my first wedding, I owned one camera body (a crop-sensor), and I borrowed my sister-in-law’s camera, just in case. I didn’t use it but having it with me gave me peace of mind.

dps-equipment-wedding-photography

6. Other Helpful Equipment But Non-Essentials

The following can come in handy but in my opinion, you can do without them:

Grey card – You shoot at a fast pace in various lighting scenarios during a wedding – indoors, outdoors, tungsten, LED, natural lights, etc. It would be crazy to use a grey card every time you moved! You can shoot in Kelvin or use Auto White Balance. The important thing is that you shoot in Raw so you can adjust the white balance in post.

Reflector – I used to carry a reflector when I first started, but now I take my flash guns instead. And I never go without at least two of them! But a reflector is handy. Because I don’t carry one with me most of the time now, when I shoot small details, I use a small piece of white card or anything white that may be handy.

Tripod – I never carry a tripod as I find it too cumbersome and heavy! But you’d never see me cover a wedding without a monopod. They are easier to lug around!

7. Non-Essentials That Add Value to Your Service

Brides are often grateful when you magically produce things that they did not expect you to have. For instance, bobby pins, hair grips, scissors, or tissues. Likewise, if you help in other ways when you can, for example, putting the buttonholes on, helping with jewelry, etc. As they say, it’s in the little things.

dps-equipment-wedding-photography

Lastly, invest in a good, well-padded camera bag. Your equipment will love being in it!

You can read more about lenses for wedding photography in an more exhaustive article I have written here.

I hope you found this article helpful and I wish you the best in your journey as a wedding photographer! Do share your thoughts or any equipment you may want to add in the comments below!

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