Jack Art Photography

Digital Camera Symbols 2.

2011-08-18T21:56:00.000-05:00

What are those symbols on your camera? What do they mean? Let's look at a couple more. Let's begin with the the Auto mode Symbol. Basically on this setting the camera will do the thinking for you. You simply point and shoot. Perhaps the easiest way to use your camera. Using this usually stops you from making minor adjustments with your camera, and certainly can lead to out of focus shots if your focus sensor doesn't hit the right part of your subject. Certainly this setting makes your camera easy to use. Yet has it limits.

the "S" mode that stands for shutter priority. This is the best mode for shooting action, or where you wan to control the shutter speed for effect. The shutter speed is chosen on the menu and the other functions automatically adjust to compensate various light by automatically changing the aperture. You can use this to intentionally blur a picture or freeze a scene with action. All by controlling the shutter speed in the "S" mode.

Got a new digital camera and not sure of the symbols?

2011-08-09T11:09:00.000-05:00

This is the macro symbol. It means that you are taking pictures close to your lens. That is usually small objects close up. Most point and shoots have this symbol. Check your manual, to understand your camera's limitations in this setting. Use this to shoot flowers, butterflies and anything you want a very close up picture. The depth of field will be more limited as you are closer and holding the camera steady may require a faster shutter speed, or very steady stance.

A refers to Aperture Mode: Aperture is the width the lens opens when the shutter is released. The guide numbers are also called F-Stop, the focal ratio which technically is a the focal length divided by the aperture. What it means simply is that on most SLR"s including digital SLR's your fstop is the number on the lens or on your display represented in numbers such as 1.4, 2, 22, etc. It is a representation of how wide the shutter opens the aperture when the shutter is released and therefore how much light enters the camera. The smaller the number the bigger the opening the more light that comes in. The larger the number the smaller the opening and less light comes in. Shooting inside, the f stop would be in the low numbers such as 1.4 or 1.8 on a bright sunny day it would be higher such as 22. Some basic issues with fstop is that the smaller the number the less depth of field you will have in your photo's the larger the number the more depth of field you will have.
So when the camera is on A the priority is the aperture, size the shutter opens the lens or fstop, is set and the adjustment point then becomes the shutter speed. So if you have your camera set on A the aperture stays static and the shutter speed is adjusted to compensate for different lighting. This allows you some level of control on the sharpness or lack of sharpness of the images in the back ground of your pictures.

My new Favorite Point and Shoot

2011-06-14T21:20:00.000-05:00

Model Highlights: 16.2-megapixel, Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonar T lens with 30x optical zoom, Full HD 1080/60p movies, "Exmor R" CMOS sensor, Hi-speed Linear Focus, 3D stills and Sweep Panorama
Model Sony HX100v sells for 449 currently on sale at BB for 399. A very functional camera, I would recommend for almost anyone who wants to take great stills, video, or do panorama. Sure it is a small sensor, it will still do a great 16x20. With a 30 time zoom it is a great value. My wife has ordered one for herself. Don't mean to sound like an advertisement, I am really that impressed.

The Spirit of Photography

2011-05-02T22:05:00.000-05:00

Capturing the images with the right lighting is fun. And just the beginning of photography. Getting the clients to step out and be themselves and capturing the spirit of their relationship is much more difficult. I find most wedding and portrait photography falls some where between event photography and art photography. Event photography is capturing the flow of events, group shots and individual shots. Art photography is capturing the spirit or personality of the people involved. Approaching a wedding as art will change the photography significantly from one wedding or portrait to another. As the art of a person is unique to each individual and the photography of that person or group will be individually approached as well. www.jackartphotography.com See the Adam and Bee gallery. Not the most technical pictures but most filled with their personality.

Camera's For Real Estate Agents.

2011-03-26T14:36:00.000-05:00

Before your go a lot further stop and read this article by Ken Rockwell. The title is "Your Camera Doesn't Matter". If you are having difficulty getting great shots of your listings you may find it is not your camera it is you. There is actually a talent to taking pictures. Certainly you can learn and apply the principles of photography, but if you find this is not enough then you may consider more specific training. See Ken's article here.... http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm

The equipment you need to shoot real estate is more available than ever. Just 20 years ago to accomplish what these cameras can do, would have required an expenditure of well over $2,000 dollars. Today the right point and shoot will do much more for under $400.

What I have found, is that when homes are well represented with strong photographs they get shown sooner, and if priced properly more frequently. Since most folks begin their home search on the web, you will find the better representation you have there the more attention your listing will receive. I shoot high end homes for several agents. To really capture a high end home is NOT just a camera, it is the lighting, and sometimes some strong lens correcting software found in programs such as DXO or Photoshop CS5 and a lot of "seeing" the home before it is shot. for Photoshop CS5 or DXO, unless you are going to really, really, really get into photography, I don't recommend the time it takes to learn these programs. Today we talk about Camera's

The camera I have most recommended in the last year has been the Sony Hx1 it has been out for at least a couple of years, shoots great shots, does panorama by shooting several shots and stitching them in the camera to give you a pretty cool panorama shot. The Camera also shoots 1080p video. So over all a good choice. The Hx1 has a 28 mm wide angle lens with up to a 20x zoom. For shooting homes the 28mm wide angel is most helpful. For wider angled shots, Sony had relied on the sweep panorama for this. I like this camera, it will certainly serve you well and at the same time it has some drawbacks that competitors have capitalized on and now there are some strong alternatives.

In February of 2011 Nikon released the Coolpix 500 it does the sweep panorama and it has a 22.5 wide angle shot up to a 36 x zoom. The extra 5 mm in the wide angle is significant. It also shoots 1080p HD movies so you can add video. The reviews have been good. Certainly this is a new camera and has not been tested and I have not yet seen one as they are just hitting the stores. I do trust Nikon and know they make a strong product. Based on the early reviews this looks to be a strong camera for shooting real estate.

Canon also has an interesting entry into the mix. the Power Shot SX30is has a 24mm wide angle and zooms upto 34x. It does shoot video it is only at 720p. And it does not have the panorama zoom. This makes it less of a contender, but because of the 24mm wide angle I did include the camera. I would have to consider the Sony or Nikon, if I were choosing.

All three camera's have a pop up flash that will help with most shooting. You can also soften the flash with some translucent (not clear) white, non sticky plastic shelf liner. * I will do an instructional video on this soon.

If I were choosing I would have to most strongly consider the Nikon at this point. I have experienced the Sony and certainly like the camera, I like the extra wide angle on the Nikon, and since it also does the sweep panorama it is a strong contender.

What do I shoot with?

I do professional photography along with my real estate. I shoot with a Nikon D200 Dlsr with an 18-200 zoom. I also use some portable Alien Bees Lights to add light in tough situations. The lens alone costs almost twice as much as the camera's I am discussing here. The difference is simplicity of use. The cameras I am recommending above will handle 80% of your needs for shooting real estate. The 20% of the time you need something more, I would suggest a good professional photographer with the right equipment.
Keep in mind photographers, like real estate agents, you will find a wide variance of skills and equipment among those who call them selves professional. So choose carefully. If you have more questions let me know. And good shopping...

Jack

After the Wedding

2011-03-22T15:45:00.000-05:00

One of the giant differences between wedding photographers is the amount of editing. I have seen no editing just a disc, or light editing, and then some charge as much as $40 dollars per picture for full editing of the photographs. Needless to say you will need to know what you are purchasing. Certainly you can take hundreds of pictures during a wedding or event. And it is not cost effective to completely edit all the pictures. However you should have some indication of the number of pictures that will be fully edited for the price of your package. Editing will require color correction, to as involved in changing eyes, or faces, removing obstacles in the pictures, repairing blemishes etc. So as you consider a photographer for any services, ask how many pictures will be fully edited for the fees, or is that an extra fee and if so how much. As a professional photographer I like to give my clients a clear price, so they have no surprises. I may lose some potential clients because my initial price may seem larger than others, who do little or no editing of the pictures. On the other hand I don't lose any friends by surprising them with hidden fees.

Jack

Follow up on Bagging Your Camera

2011-02-10T15:03:00.000-06:00

Wow a year goes by fast. In December of 2009 I posted some information about bagging your camera. Later that month I purchased a Kata 3n1 20 bag. After a year I have fond it to be a well built bag that protects my camera well. It can be used as a sling or as a back pack bag. The padding is great and I have hiked a couple of times in the rain and my equipment stayed safe and dry. Where the bag falls short is when I carry my 4 lens, and my filters and then want to take my Fong light diffuser, it gets crowded. Currently I have a Nikon d200, 700300 nikon lens, 105 Tokina 2.8 lens, nikon 18-200 lens and nikon 50mm 1.8 lens, nikons 600 flash, battery charger, extra battery, memory cards, 3 lens filters, and my Gary Fong, diffuser for my flash, an extra pair of glasses, and a very small flash light. There is not room for more. I would recommend the bag and the newest version with a couple of cool improvements can be found here http://www.amazon.com/Kata-KT-D-3N1-20-Sling-Backpack/dp/B001BP7YFM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297371343&sr=8-1 or http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&Ntt=Kata+3n1-20&A=endecaSearch&InitialSearch=yes&Q=&N=0

Jack

Wedding Photography2.... The Relationship in the Room!

2011-01-25T21:53:00.000-06:00

Most of the focus is making the wedding day perfect. The challenge of creating your dream wedding within a budget can be daunting. What to keep, who to invite, and which vendors to use can feel like an impossible juggling act. Before you make these decisions, take some time to identify the essence of what what is really happening on your wedding day. There is a new entity that is created when two people come together in marriage - the relationship. If done right, it becomes bigger than the individual partners, and this is what couples truly celebrate with their wedding. So as you design your wedding be sure to allow the personality of this new entity, your relationship, to be revealed. As a photographer, I work to help couples identify this unique personality and capture it in their wedding photographs. For me, it is the difference between good technical photography and great photography. A photograph where you don't see "the picture"; instead you re-live the moment, you see the emotion, the power of the two about to become one. So choose your flowers, venue, brides maids, groomsmen and the decorations, to reflect the personality of the relationship the two of you are building.

Jack Art Photography.

We Photograph Relationships

Choosing a Wedding Photographer Part 1

2011-01-04T20:52:00.000-06:00

I am often amazed at how people plan their wedding. Most give great detail to the dress, the flowers and the setting. Often the photographer is the last consideration. I suspect this has happened as many wedding photographers simply show up, take some shots, leave, provide proofs or a disc and move on. Many so called photographers will shoot a wedding for virtually nothing. So how should you choose a photographer? What should you look for when looking at photographers.

First let me explain, there is a wide range of services offered in "wedding photography" and you generally get what you pay for. Some simply shoot the wedding and provide an unedited or poorly edited photography on a disc. And you have a slight step above snap shots of your wedding. A good photographer will come in with a well planned approach unique to your wedding...(more on this in a subsequent blog)

Bare minimums:

Equipment:
Should be at least digial slr, 10 mp or higher, cameras. A minimum of DX format cameras in the semi professional to professional level with a preference for FX format sensors. Then there should be more than one. What is the primary equipment? and What back up equipment is available? Just in case the equipment is stolen, or an accident happens. Most quality photographers will list or display their equipment in some form.
Lighting available. The days of shooting a wedding with a flash are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Actually having lighting to shoot with will increase the quality and assure a good photo. So a review of the lighting, is important.
Video, if you want a video of the your wedding, review the video equipment the resolution, and ask if there is a back up camera.

How many photographers? For a simple wedding a photographer with an assistant should be adequate. For a wedding with more than a few guests (60or more) with larger plan than a wedding march, solo, vows and exit, you will want to be sure two photographers are available and shooting to be sure you don't miss anything.

More to come....

Christmas...r u Prepared??

2010-12-15T09:26:00.000-06:00

Getting some one you love a camera for Christmas? Take some time to prepare. If the camera comes with rechargeable batteries take some time and charge the batteries before you wrap the gift. Also be sure they have a memory card. Then when the one you love opens the camera it is ready to shoot.... It only takes a little planning. And they will thank you....

Jack

Portraits While Folks are Home...

2010-12-08T10:23:00.000-06:00

A special I am offering in the Columbia area, We can take your family photo in the studio or in your home. We offer flexible schedules. You get prints as well as digital copies of your photos. Call soon...

Some Cool camera's for this Christmas 2010

2010-12-07T15:29:00.000-06:00

For most folks the Sony HX1 will provide several years of great family photography. With clear macro and a 20x zoom you can capture almost anything. It also records hd video as well as panorama pictures. This is classified as a point and shoot and will be more than enough camera for family, vacations, hobby photography. No lenses to carry around all in one reasonably small package. Cost around $350.00

Not a Sony Fan..... The Nikon Cool Pix 100 below also about $300 will do almost everything the Sony will. It is missing the in a camera HDR, otherwise you will find this a joy to use for family, hobby and general photography...

Want a more Serious camera, with some recent price drops the Nikon D90 is probably one of the best buys on the market. About $800 for the back and the lens of choice will be the Nikon 18-200 VRII lens about $695 this combination gives you one of the best Nikon Digital SLR with one of the best DX zooms on the market. Of course you can add more lenses later. This camera will fill your needs to the professional level, until you need large (48 inch plus prints) prints. I have recommended this camera to several friends and all who own it love it.

New, a point an shoot size camera with interchangeable lens. Sony is unique in this market in that the Sony Nex3 and Sony Nex 5 give you a full DX frame, in a very compact space. Picture quality is good, it too will do panorama, and in camera hdr, as well as HD video. So far the ratings have been good and at about $600 for the camera and one lens it is a good choice. Keep in mind the manual function on this camera leaves some to be desired, but the auto and near manual settings work fine. Compact, versatile and full DX frame with interchangeable lens....

Want a cheaper point and shoot.

Check almost any Nikon, Canon or Sony point and shoot camera. You will be fine. I also like the Olympus Stylus Tough cameras that are water proof, they take a great picture and are very tough.

You can get a good point and shoot compact digital camera for about 150 up. If you pick out one and want me to give you an opinion on it post it here and I will respond.

Based on the reviews I have read stay away from the Nikon 3000, the Canon d50, and the Sony Alph 200. The Sony Alph series 300 and above are good cameras.... Check your prices. For example when I bought my Stylus Tough camera, it was 72 dollars cheaper on the Best Buy web site than it was in their store.

I prefer to buy local if you can. Columbia Photo has a great selection of cameras check them out. Just compare prices.
Jack

Elsa Dorfman

2010-10-29T15:31:00.000-05:00

Ran across an interesting Portrait photographer's web site recently. Attached is a picture of her and her camera. She uses a Polaroid 20 x 24 camera. It produces a large image. Her cost is over 50 dollars per shot. That is interesting just from the equipment point of view. BUT

What I find most interesting is she charges between $2800 and $4500 per portrait session. She takes time to get to know the client and then sets them in a setting that best depicts them. Takes two yes I said two shots and then the client gets to pick between the two shots. The initial price does include a large print of her work. WOW, photography at it's best...her web site is worth the view. I would strongly suggest you check it out. And realize that real portrait photography is much more than lights and camera, it should be a reflection of you.

Jack

Nikon d800? And Portraits.

2010-10-08T13:07:00.000-05:00

Rumors have it there will be a D800 and D4 available late spring or mid Summer 2011. The rumors go on that they will be 16-24mp nothing for sure on other details. More details will follow.

I have been shooting some portraits, first time in several years. After measuring the set up time, the shooting and then the editing time, I am in shock of how little many photographers value their skills, their time or that are willing to put out an inferior product just to be "cheap". I can go on for a bit, but when you have 10 -20 thousand dollars of equipment and you skills and talent going out, why would you work for less than minimum wage just to shoot. If you shoot a wedding often takes 4-8 hours, Then you edit and prepare the photographs, for show another 6-15 hours. If you are editing in less time you probably aren't doing a good job. Simply put. Stop it!!!! either value what you do or do something else! A good photographer is not common, it is way more than pointing a camera and clicking, and it is worth being paid well. And I would challenge you to value your self and your profession.....
Jack

Nikon D7000

2010-09-20T22:06:00.001-05:00

Nikon announced the release (Oct 15, 2010 ) of the Nikon D7000. (Not to be confused with the D700).

The 7000 is a DX format camera 14 mp that is a step up for the D90. I have read the preliminary blogs and dpreview.com has a good reveiw as does Ken Rockewell. It looks like Nikon has another winner. Keep in mind this is a semi pro camera, it will take great picts on Auto but then so will a good Nikon point and shoot for 1/4th the price. This is for the photographer that is doing something with his or her work. Either art photographer or entry level professional photographer. I will follow up as I actually see the camera shortly after it is released.

Nikon also announced a new flash the SB700. After reading the review I think I will stay with my SB600. Just not enough new and great stuff. There is a discussion on being able to up date the firm ware, I have never had a firm ware problem with a flash, seems like a waste of time. Simply I will not up date my camera or flash until it is worth while. The D200 is getting close, I am holding out for a 14 plus FX format camera Nikon is sure to release in 2011 or 2012.

IN summary. The D7000 is a yes so far,
the SB600 is still my preferred flash.

Be cool!

Nikon Announces

2010-08-20T11:12:00.000-05:00

Nikon has place some new stuff on the Market. A couple of point and shoot camera's and a Digital SLR the d3100 apparently an up grade for the d3000. Since the d 3000 is one of the worst camera's Nikon has made, I hope the upgrades are significant. I will be following this release and looking a the camera. If you are considering one. Be careful... More to follow.
They are also releasing some new lens. the 85 mm prime lens looks interesting again will follow with more. Info.

Night and Day New Photos

2010-08-17T20:42:00.000-05:00

Found a Corvette on the trail had to get a pict...

Have to look carefully looks like something was lost.

These are some local fountains with long exposures...

A relief on a grave stone...

Simply good light.

Some new Picts

2010-08-16T23:57:00.000-05:00

Green Diamonds

Rumors

2010-08-12T18:38:00.000-05:00

I discussed the Sony Nex 3 and 5 earlier. Rumor has it Nikon is coming out with some new models one will probably be the Nikon D8000 to replace the D90 there are also Rumors of a D4000 and a D3100. Major photo shows happen this fall. We will know soon. I suspect we will hear more definitive info by the end of August. Just rumors...Mp? between 14 and 18 mp is the rumor I am hearing. More to come

New Digital Camera with Interchangeable Lens

2010-08-11T13:45:00.000-05:00

The Sony Nex 3 and Nex 5 is hitting the market. I checked out the reviews and actually have been to check them out. This is the first Sony and the 3rd camera of this type to be released. Olympus has one, as does Pentax, I am not a fan of either of those camera companies thus far and have paid little attention to them. However Sony is one of the 3 camera companies I do track. The pros and cons are discussed at length in a review by dp review at. http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/SonyNex5Nex3/ It is a good read and I would suggest you do so before you purchase this camera. So far it appears the nex 3 and nex 5 are similar. The Nex 5 has a magnesium alloy body, I have held the Nex 3 and it seemed plenty strong even in a plastic case. At the photo store the guy tried to tell me the Magnesium body was water proof, when I questioned him he quickly backed down. It is not water proof... The Nex 3 and 5 are essentially the same, the Nex 5 has a slightly smaller body and an infra red reciever, and 1080i AVCHD moving recording mode.

The review points out the manual modes are difficult to operate. You can read more at dp.
Thinking about buying one of these cameras here is my pros and cons bullet point style.

Pro

Has micro 4/3rds sensor.... larger gathers more info than standard point and shoot
small light and easy to handle
few buttons to get confused with
interchangeable lenses with image stabilization in the lens
Has in camera stitching for panorama shooting
Does HDR in camera
Image Stabilization is in the lens

Cons

adjusting the camera to manual is difficult and limited.
The buttons on the camera are not specific (except shutter) and change depending on the mode.
The camera comes with 1 lens with the option to purchase additional lenses. So far the price on the additonal lenses is from 600 dollars up. The Kit for the camera and 1 lens is suggest retail at 699. You could easily have 1800 in the camera before you are through
Sony add on flash is proprietary. You can only add Sony Flashes.
The camera does not accept other Sony lens with out an adapter and then many of the functions of the lenses do not work and since the other Sony lenses do not have image stabilization the lens so the of other Alph lenses is more limited

I will write more as I have more experience with the camera. For now I would say UNLESS you are planning on enlarging your pictures beyond 16x20 or need some specific feature of the Nex 3 or 5 you can accomplish just as much with more zoom, with a high end point and shoot. A point and shoot with a 20x zoom is in Nikon, Sony or Canon, will give you a wider range of shooting and zoom with out removing lenses, or having to carry a large amount of equipment, for far less money.

A good camera for a segment of the population, just not necessary for most.

Jack

Went to Best Buy

2010-08-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

Thinking o buying a camera, I don't sell them but can help you pick one out. Need to know how to use your camera better I can help.

Keep in mind. For the most part the guys in Best Buy are not strong at either. So when you go to buy a camera be informed. Again today I saw that reinforced.

There is Shooting and then there is Shooting

2010-07-31T15:30:00.001-05:00

Digital cameras are reasonable versatile and almost everyone has one. I am seeing more and more great shots by people as they use their camera's more. Not that many years ago if you shot a picture you would have to complete the roll of film, take it to be developed and then see your results. In many cases it might be years before you take your film for processing. I recall when I had a dark room processing as many as 30 rolls at a time. Not that I took that many pictures at a time, it was I had let them build up over a year or so. Then there is the expense. It was at least 3-6 dollars to get a roll of film developed and even the dark room had expense. Now we shoot see the results and adjust and keep moving.

I spoke with a person who went on vacation to Europe and had taken over 1000 photos in only 7 days. This isn't necessarily bad if you have tons of time to review them and edit them. In this case the individual ended up with about 140 shots they liked and kept. I define this a "Persistence" photography. You just keep shooting hoping you get a good shot.
Then there is "Lucky" photography. I have some of these. You see a shot at the right time and right place, there is no particular planning it is just there. You grab it and you got lucky. You wont take as many shots this way and you will always have to be prepared with your camera to get these shots. Certainly this is still photography and you can capture some great shots and photography can be more challenging....
Then there is the "intentional photographer'. This is where you fully integrate the understanding of your camera, photography, and lighting to take the picture you choose when you want it. You understand terms like f-stop, apeture, shutter speed, white balance, and more. And know how to use your equipment to achieve your desired results.
Many people are happy to stay in the Persistence mode and that is fine, as is staying lucky. I find the biggest challenge is to move into intentional photography. I am finding more time is spent studying, my equipment, lighting, and sun location at different seasons and times of day. The photograph becomes the result of a reasoned disciplined approach. It is the ultimate photographic challenge.

Artrageous July 2010

2010-07-25T20:57:00.000-05:00

One of the more unique galleries in the Mid West Pure Gallery is dedicated to art photography

only. Currently 11 artist are presenting with Todd Shelly and Piet Van Waarde as the guest artist... The opening was attended by over 200 people (lost count around there).

I is worth the ride and worth the time to check it out. Pure Gallery 504 E Broadway Columbia, MO I enjoyed it immensley

Editing your photos, Storing your photos

2010-07-09T11:07:00.000-05:00

I am finding more and more folks who are wanting to share their photos, store their photos, and edit their photos and are lacking good basic software to do so.
If you store your photos on your hard drive it can crash as mine did the other day. Fortunately I had my 33,000 pictures backed up in multiple places. I use Mozy as well as two external hard drives. I was disappointed with Mozy for a couple of reasons. First they had a list of files I could up load by name, I had to request a down loadable copy which took about 2 days. Then it was a long list of files with no specific name a down load number each took hours to down load then more time to unzip, very arduous. Second they wanted amost 100 dollars to put my files on a DVD and send it to me.
Originally I tried backing up my files to CD's or DVD's , this works well but even the best Cd's and DVD's stop working over time. The basic CD life is about 5 years the high quality can be longer. Archival can be even longer and can be expensive. And they are on site, so if you have a fire or lose them you are burned.
In the mean time, I am finding more and more folks that are wanting to do more with their photos, and Light Room or Adobe CS5 is out of their budget. Simply put they are looking for basic help with storing, editing and maintaining their pictures.
I have a possible Solution. First let me be clear this is for the average person not a photographer. For the professional the answers will be different.
Mozy is nice but not my favorite, I will use them until my contract is up and move on. I understand, but have not checked out Carbonite, they have a new live on line view of your files this may bee cool. I have found that Google offers some good help here. In two areas under the same name.

Picasa, photo editing software, can be down loaded into your computer for free, it gives you almost any editing you might want to do to your family pictures, for free. Google has provided up dates and it is respectable.

Picasa Web albums. Google offers 1 gb free space to place your pictures on the web, actually in the Google Cloud, you can buy 20 additional gb for 5 dollars per year, this will hold a lot of pictures. You can keep your pictures private, or you can make them public or you can share them with only those you want to share them, by invitation. A really reasonable service and great way to share pictures.

One trick. When you up load your pictures for Picassa, it will default to a smaller sized picture for the up load. This can limit the size you can print or enlarge the picture. When you check to upload choose keep original size and it will do so. I have some rather large pictures uploaded to Picasa.

I am sure there are others. I know HP has a site, as does many other groups. I personally trust Google to do a good job. Check it out.

Got out my Tokina 100 mm 2.8 macro today

2010-04-27T20:28:00.001-05:00

Haven't used the macro in a while. Thought I would give it a try. It was like finding a long lost friend or a new gem. I cleaned the lens and went out to shoot some dandelions. The lens allowed me to get close up to focus on sections of the dandelion. The center or the outer edges with the stems give two very differnt looks a the flower. This is one of the quick shots there is no cropping the actual shot size. I had forgotten how versitile this lens is. While I prefer Nikon lens for my work occasionally a third party makes a cool lens. The Tokina 100mm would fall into that category.

Dandelions have several layers. First the outer center, like you see at top and then with a slight change of focus the stems and outer edges. I only had a few minutes to shoot. I will see what to do with these later. Getting my old friend made it fun...

Jack.

Headless Horse-Man

2010-03-24T17:23:00.000-05:00

Recent trip to Mayfield Ky. A grave that has been there for at least 60 years was severely damaged in an ice storm. This is part of what was left...

Camera Shot

2010-03-22T20:59:00.000-05:00

found this at a country store on the back side of Maui past Hana. Don't tell the car rental people it was a dirt road. What an amazing collection....

New Photo On the Ready

2010-03-22T09:03:00.000-05:00

Let me know what you think..

Olympus Stylus Tough

2010-02-20T17:12:00.006-06:00

I purchased a new camera about 10 days ago and have been checking it out. I purchased an Olympus Stylus Tough 8000. I specifically chose the 8000 because it is water proof. When I look at the basic stats 12 mp 3 x zoom and built in flash it is an ordianary point and shoot. The fact that it can be submerged up to 35 feet makes it a good snorkeling camera. Since I like to snorkel when I am in the place to do so and have been looking for a rugged camera to carry (yet light) when I am biking it seemed like the perfect purchase. I shopped around and it ranged from 299 to 400 on the web and locally. ON Best buy on line they had the camera at $303 but in the store it was marked $379. I convinced them to match the on line price (really I think it is their policy but you have to be informed and ask). I like most of u can use an extra $76.

I have taken the camera snorkeling 3 times. It took me some time to understand the technology for the underwater portion and which settings work best. I found it to be less than intuitive, but generally a good picture. There are 3 underwater settings. Close up, called snap shot, Underwater 1 (you can use the zoom) underwater2 you can’t use the zoom, and the focal lengths are different. The view screen is helpful underwater as there is no range finder. Above water it requires me to have my reading glasses to effectively frame the shot. I suspect this camera will travel with me a lot on my bike and in wet and dry situations. The Olympus Stylus Tough 8000. Crush resistant( up to 250lbs) and generally a tough camera.

I found the strap that came with the camera was not as secure as I liked, for underwater use as it did not securely strap to my wrist and the camera certainly will not float. First I used a rubber band to tighten the band on my wrist and at later at the dive shop found a rubber wrist band that had a clip to adjust the tightness around my wrist. This is a little thing Olympus should have thought of. But just a warning get a good wrist band if you plan to dive or snorkel with this camera, it would be expensive to drop it in 30 or 40 feet of water and not be able to get to it.

Here are some Pictures (not touched up) I took both under water and above water.

pretty clear shot in clear water about 7 feet

deep.

this is about 15 feet of water.from the water to the shore, self shot...

Pretty interesting camera. I plan on taking this on on my bike rides since the Olympus 8000 is compact and rugged. And can get wet if we get in the rain. Overall a fun tough camera.

New Photos.....

2010-02-15T15:16:00.002-06:00

A sunset from the high country as the sun is lowering you can see Molokini crater in the foreground. A warm shot for you.

New Photos Check them out

2010-02-15T15:13:00.003-06:00

The Swimming Hole.... on Water Color

Taken in Hawaii on the north side of Maui in 2010. People swimming looking and taking pictures a lot of activity and just fun. A cool scene for any wall.

Bag your camera

2009-12-16T22:15:00.005-06:00

The other day I noticed decent point and shoot with a cracked screen. I had to help my wife get her camera out of her purse. If you are going to spend 100 or more on a camera be sure to take the time to get a new camera bag. The bag is not just about carrying the camera it is to protect the camera. It keeps it cooler in the car ( if it is out of direct sunlight) and protects it from the bumps and dings you get with it bouncing around in your purse or pocket. Most digital cameras will give years of great service. IF you take care of them. Don't let them get too hot or too cold. Keep them away from dust, pocket trash or other items that can scratch or damage the camera. Keep them dry. A good camera bag is the best way to do this.

I have been resarching various DSLR bags for my nikon. As the current bag, that has performed well no longer holds my all my stuff. I have found several possiblities and in the process have identified a few companies that seem to have the edge over the competition. Lowepro is a good bag with several good options they make bags for all levels of cameras, and they are competitevely priced. Best buy, and Columbia Photo have a good selection of these bags.

Kata has great ratings. IT is the bag I chose because it has options of a back pack, or either a left or right shoulder sling bag. It will also hold all my stuff. I can't wait to get it. Kata has great ratings. I will let you know more. Unfortunatley they are not available in the Columbia area.

My current bag is Tamrac bag. I have had it for 3 years and it has performed flawlessly. It is still in great shape. In fact I will be selling my current bag when my new one gets in. Columbia Photo carries Tamrac bags.... Check them out.

The real story is that if you go to all the trouble to find a great camera that meets your needs take a few more minutes and a few more dollars to get a great bag to keep it protected. Just because your point and shoot will fit into your pocket doesn't mean you will get the logest service from it by doing so.... Bag your camera now..

Stein em Rhein

2009-10-29T11:36:00.002-05:00

May have mispelled the name of the town... I took this last year on a bike ride in Europe, have been looking at the picture for some time and now it is a new addition to my portfolio. This community is over 600 years old...

Photo Excursion

2009-10-17T10:09:00.002-05:00

Saturday October 24 beginning at 8:30 am and ending at 3:30 pm I am offering a day of taking pictures in and around Columbia, I will
Help you learn to use Your camera to get great pictures,
Help you learn to look for the type of pictures you want to do whether it be family shots or art shots.
We will be in Down Town Columbia, and on the Katy trail.....
The focus is to help YOU take better pictures,
The Costs is $85 for the day... IF we have 5 or more sign up we will vote on the best picture for the day and that person will get a $100 cash prize. Sign up today the group size is limited to 10 people. Email me and I will send you a registration form.... stanley.jack@gmail.com

Sensual Plants

2009-10-02T22:27:00.004-05:00

In August I was checking on the work completed by a contractor at a Condo I manage for a family that lives out of town. The neighbor had this very interesting small planter in the front of her condo. The day was overcast day and a fun shot. I took three shots total. I can't totally explain the sensual part, but as I took the picture it had a sensual sensation. So the name "Sensual Plants". I will have only 125 prints avialable, wonder who will be the first to purchase one. Let me know.

Jack Stanley

Fall Photo Excursion

2009-09-22T09:22:00.002-05:00

For the first 10 to sign up, I am offering "It is Not the Camera" photo excursion taking pictures of the fall Colors the second and/or third weekend in October. The event will be in and around Columbia, Point and Shoot Cameras are great for this event. The class is hands on, taking pictures using your camera with help from Jack. Sign up today, The cost of the class is $95 per person...We will have some fun, and learn a lot. I suspect we will end the day at a winery in the area to look at the pictures we have gotten....The person with the best shot will win $100.

Look forward to seeing you...

Photo Excursions

2009-09-22T09:05:00.002-05:00

The last few art shows I have participated, I have found a real desire to learn to get better pictures. In the Zona Rosa Show I spoke with over 100 people interested in getting better pictures. Some thought they needed new camera's. In almost every case it is not the camera it is the use. So I will be scheduling some "It is Not The Camera" photo excursions for groups up to 10 people. The goal will be to group people that have similar goals. For example, if you want better pictures of your kids or grand kids, we would have a day of hands on taking candid shots of kids and people with different lighting and I would teach you to use your camera to get the best possible shot. OR if you want great scene shots or sun set or sun rise we would work a group. And then I suspect we should look at a 10 day photo excursion to Italy.

The one day excursion will be $95 per person, I will hold one in St. Louis, Columbia, and Kansas City, possibly Chicago. If you are interested let me know soon. The Fall Colors could be a great excursion in the next couple of weeks...

Jack ....

The Polorad Swinger

2009-08-31T10:09:00.004-05:00

The Polorad Swinger.
When I was 15 I purchased a Polarad Swinger, it was $19.95 which sounds cheap today, at that time I was working for $1.00 per hour. (1968). It was the beginning of my love of photography. I traveled around the highschool hangouts and took pictures., Mostly candid shots of friends and acqaintances, my friends liked the shots for the most part and I began for the first time to consider taking pictures. For those of you who are younger the Swinger was a black and white camera. The original swinger did a print about 2.5x3 inches. And the print developed instantly on the paper. For me, the camera represented more than just taking pictures, it quickly became my itentity point with many acquaintences. To the point that in just a few weeks of using my Swinger, when we had the Year Book Staff meeting, I was elected to be the yearbook photographer. A huge step for me in that it put me in contact with M. Geary our highschool English teacher, who came from a family of photographers. I will talk more about that relationship in future blogs. The point is that this $19 dollar investment, sparked an interest, that has followed me all my life so far, specifically for 41 years. Each level I have moved up has engendered a greater love for what I can capture with the camera. And the range of expression it allows me to share a part of how I see the world with the people around me. The Polorad Swinger. The beginning of one of my life long passions....

Dreaming about Pictures

2009-07-30T08:25:00.002-05:00

There seems to be a dry spell in finding or seeing photographs I actually like. I am sure it is my camera simply not taking good pictures. Or is it my own perception. At any given time taking good pictures is certainly effected by the equipment (about 10%) and 90% based on your perception and attitude. I find that to be true and false. To take a good picture you have to see it as you take it. Or see the potential, this requires an open mind. It does not require a specific mood. For example if you are in a down mood take pictures, you may come up with a poignant result., if you are up take pictures, you may well find a product that is up lifting. If you enjoy finding just the right picture, it requires two things, 1. pick up the camera, 2. take time to look for and take pictures. These are the two things I have not done enough lately. And the sole reason I have not found the pictures I want. So today I will pick up my camera and shoot. How about you?

Art Shows..

2009-07-23T10:20:00.002-05:00

I am preparing for the fall round of art shows. It would be most helpful if you checked my website and posted in the comments your favorite pictures, that is the ones you would be most likley to want on your wall. I am trying to reduce my work to only the very best.. If you don't like anything comment on that as well. www.jackartphotography.com

Computers

2009-07-10T08:47:00.006-05:00

I have had a couple of questions about computers specifically the new net books. I am not a computer expert and yet I am still a geek. My youngest son is an IT guy so I guess this qualifies me somewhat.

If you are considering the net books keep a couple of things in mind. They are not just smaller lap tops. They are net books. Many have limited memory and limited computing capability. They will run some basic software (if there is enough memory) however they will be slow. So here goes.

There are two types of drives available. Flash drives (built in) usually under 50gb drives they are solid state, no moving parts. These are lighter and smaller than the ones with a regular hard drive. The response time is a bit faster, but I haven't been convinced it is worth the extra money.

The other drive is a regular hard drive like in many lap tops. These will have more memory, be slightly slower in response time and usually are cheaper.

I have a Dell net book purchased from Sams for around $300. I tried to work with Out Look through a vpn and it was ardously slow. It works much better accessing email via web mail. This seems to be true of all the net books (as my son says "hence the name net book") It handles word processing and basic features ok yet slow. My computer has a 160 gb hard drive. Which is very handy.

The coolest one I have seen so far is the Sony net book. very small very cool and very expensive (around $900)

Battery Life : be sure to check the battery life of what ever computer you are considering a good measure should be about 2.5 hours or longer. Some of the net books with flash drives have a very long battery life.

So what do net books have to do with photography. As I travel I find my net book is excellent for additional storage, and viewing of files, (raw is a problem yet) and connecting to the web and email. That is about it. It is also light and easy to carry. I can view and edit files and it is a useful tool.

I have not heard favorable things about the Acer net books, but have heard good reviews of most of the HP, Sony, Dell ect.

My basic advice would be unless you absolutely need a net book don't, the current deals on lap tops are great. HP, Sony and Toshiba make some pretty good lap tops or notebook computers for around $600 and they are much faster and more versitile, and yes a bit heaver.. I would go with a minimum of 3mb ram, Core 2 duo processor, preferably intel, and the size screen that best fits you. Comp USA has some good deals on both net books and laptops. Don't get carried away with High Defninition laptops unless you are gaming or watching a lot of movies, for most work applications the High Definition is not necessary. The other good thing about a full lap top is you can run Photoshop on them and fully edit on the move.

As for operating systems, Be sure what ever you buy will allow you to up grade to Windows 7 when it is released. I am working on a pre released version of windows 7 as I write and will tell you it is much more stable than Vista ever could be. Windows 7 should be released in September. If you don't want to bother with upgrading later you could wait until then to get a computer with windows 7 already loaded.

Disclaimer, I have purchased 100's of comtputers for my former company over the last 15 years. I have opinions but they are mine. If you note I have trouble with the gb and mb designations. One is for hard drives and the other is for the ram. I never get those quite right. In a net book you need at least 1 gb of ram.... I hope this helps.....

Jack

2009-07-05T14:47:00.003-05:00

At a recent art show, I had an early visitor. A man and his son about 8-9 years old. He was looking at my display and pulled the print below out. He looked at it intently for a bit and then asked me to tell his son what this was about. He had tears in his eyes and his voice was broken. I explained that in war sometimes soldiers died and lost their dog tags and we did not know who they were. This tomb is to honor those soldiers who are not identifiable, and the guard who gards to tomb to show honor to this soldier is unknow since his back is to us and the child's hands is unknown. And I hoped that child would not have to see or make such a sacrifice. The man asked me how much, and handed me the money for the print. I thanked him as I wiped the tears from my eyes and was thankful for the opportunity to take such a shot.

Jack
UnKnown....

2009-05-10T16:23:00.002-05:00

I find it interesting that in different shows what pictures seem to attract the most attention. The
Artist's Brain I started showing a couple of years ago has suddenly picked up popularity. It is a fun picture , did while visiting Branson at Christmas time a couple of years ago. When I saw the lit wreath in the tree I knew what I wanted to do with it. I was discouraged with the print as the first several times I displayed it, I saw no response and no sales. And now since last fall it has continued to increase in popularity. So here it is......

The Artist's Brain
copyrite 2005
Jack Stanley
Let me know what you think. And if you like order one for your self, It is a fun colorful picture for almost any wall...

Jack

Looking Large Lately?

2009-05-10T16:18:00.002-05:00

I have added a couple of printers to my arsenal. An Epson 4000 professional printing archival, photo quality images up to 17 inches wide. And an Epson 7600 printing archival, photo quality images up to 24 inches wide. So when you look on line at my photos at Jack Art Photography you know you can order larger sizes. OR if you have taken a picture you want in a larger size I can do it. I can do it on Gloss, Semi Gloss, Canvass, Velvet Art Paper and more.... let me know.

Jack

Kodak Camera's

2009-05-10T16:12:00.003-05:00

I was in Best Buy today and the Kodak rep was there demonstrating the new line of Kodak point and shoots. They have some interesting features. The one that stood out to me is the feature that automatically moves the camera from Macro, to scene to portriate with no input from the user. Certainly interesting. I also noticed there was some issues with accuracy in focus, HOWEVER since I shot only4 shots with the camera I can't say if that is a consistent issue or not. For the money there seems to be a good value, it is a pvc case, (not metal like many others) If I had a teen, or person not very tech saavy looking for a camera, I would sugget this as a beginner camera. Check out the line, at this point I am recommending as a fun, less expensive limited possiblity, for the very occasional user. Next time I will try to do a recommendation with more qualifiers on it.

Sunny Days Not always necessary,

2009-04-12T21:00:00.005-05:00

Sunny days often give photographers a tinge of excitement. The bright light and good contrasts are great on a sunny day. Except. As I pointed out in an earlier blog, that flowers are often best photographed on cloudy or with out direct sunlight. Or as in the picture below.

This was taken in St. Louis Missouri, at an old church. The contrast is smooth not a distinctive as on a sunny day, the tones are solid as well. The day was overcast and just before a rain shower. I was frustrated because I had made the trip (120 miles) and it was overcast. On that trip I got this picture, one of my favorites. It was shot with available light. Thank goodness for image stabilization. So go out into the overcast day. You never know what you may find. Sometimes overcast is a good time to shoot.

Camera's again

2009-04-11T22:45:00.003-05:00

Once again I was in a store tonight and saw someone looking at a digital slr and not really needing one. The point is for 99% of what you may want to do photographically (unless you are working at a professional level) can be done with a good point and shoot. Nikon has some new ones that have an 18x zoom image stabilzation and even one with 24 x zoom. Sony Nikon and Canon have some great point and shoot camera's that will do most anything you want. The 8 and 10 megapixel camera's will easily produce a 16 x 20 and even larger. To get a digital SLR camera with the range of lenses that the newer point and shoots have would easily cost in the thousands of dollars. So if you are thinking you need a new digital SLR please take some time and identify what you want to do with it. Then look carefully you may find a 300 point and shoot will do more than you ever imagined. Ask me if you have any questions...

Tempe AZ./ Art in the Park Columbia, MO

2009-04-02T10:49:00.002-05:00

I just returned from the Tempe Festival of the Arts, and it was a great show. I found even Southwesterners liked my stuff. I drove out, 21 hours, and set up and completed the 3 day show and drove back. Thousands of people, lots of lookers. A great show.
My next show will be in Art in the Park in Columbia, I am going to have some of my older stuff priced very reasonably and introduce several new peices. Be sure to check it out in June. Of course I have my art available on www.jackartphotography.com.... Thanks to those of you in the Temp/Phoenix area that purchased my work. I hope to hear more from you soon.

Jack

Two Doors and a Window

2009-03-23T19:55:00.002-05:00

Hey a new picture. I took it on a trip to Fayetteville, AR. It is one of the simple ones that I like the feel and texture... I printed it on water color paper. Just feels good to me. Two Doors and a Window. If you like it you can order it from my website http://www.jackartphotography.com/

Photo Safari

2009-03-03T14:15:00.001-06:00

I am considering a photo safari, possibly to the Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, on this trip I would have up to 12 people that would like to learn to use their camera's better. The cost would be in the 20-30 dollar rage... Woul any of you be interested in a photo day with training?

New Photograph Angel Moon.

2009-02-06T09:01:00.003-06:00

When I go to take pictures, I slow down. I start looking at things people and details. I take a lot of time in a relatively small area. In August of 2008 I was working in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I spent my evenings taking pictures. This Angel was found on a 1957 Jeep. A fantastic hood orniment. The light (moon) was in the right just a position to achieve the shot. It took a few tries to get the shot just right. I used an indirect flash on this one, others you will see soon were taken with a flash light. I have it placed in a mat to give you a better idea of how it might look in your world... If you like you can order from www.Jackartphotography.com or email me at stanley.jack@gmail.com

Taking Pictures of flowers

2009-01-12T19:53:00.014-06:00

Taking Pictures of Flowers is Probably not the best winter topic, but I am getting ready to do a class for a gardening group on how to take pictures of their flowers. So I thought in preparation I would write an entry about the subject. There are several aspects to taking pictures of flowers. The first is focus. Each camera is a little different, however you will want to use the one or two point or center balanced focus setting on your camera. I would also choose the vivid selection and set the light balance to auto.

Flowers are generally best shot in diffused light, rather than direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can dilute the colors and the details of your flower.

You can wait until a cloudy day or you can use wax paper to diffuse the sunlight if you need, by holding a sheet of it above the flower, making a shadow. Be sure the shadow covers the whole frame of the picture.

The picture to the right shows several common mistakes. First, the shadow is not covering the whole picture, then the bright sunlight reduces the ability to capture the texture of the flower and finally the back ground is not difussed and distracts from the picture. So this one is a reject.

BACKGROUND: If the back ground is too busy or detailed as noted in the picture above, it will detract from the focus on the flower. You can accomplish blurring the background with a wide or more open f stop (if you can control the f stop). If you have a digital camera that is more automatic, then you can focus as close to the flower as possible, making the focus range tight.

If you want to get even closer, then use your zoom. Every zoom has a minimum focus range. You are looking for the most zoom and as close to the subject as possible; most cameras will blur the background with this setting. The picture below was captured with the zoom- note the background is several feet from the flower and reasonably blurred, making the flower stand out.

Macro: Usually you do not need to use your macro setting to get a good flower shot, unless you want only a portion of the flower. I will discuss the use of the macro in another entry.

FLASH: Sometimes using a flash even on a bright day will darken the area around the flower reducing the background distraction.

Another way to control the back ground is to use some black masking paper several inches behind the flower. Be sure it covers the entire back ground and is slightly blurred in your focus. If done correctly your flower will stand out very well from the background.

Since I am writing this for a wide range of camera users, keep in mind some of the techiques will not work with every camera. The trick is to experiment with your camera. Many digital cameras have a flower or close up setting. I do not use this setting; I prefer the camera setting usually signified with the "camera" icon. With a point and shoot, I would use the auto setting for the white balance, shoot in the highest jpeg or tiff resolution possible, with jpeg it is usually called "fine". Then shoot the picture.

BREAKING THE RULES:The picure to the right was taken in very bright sunlight. I did not get the detail, however I did achieve a the effect I wanted. So even breaking the rules can be o.k. This is one of my favorites, and has been a popular one for my clients as well.

Taking a picture with the back ground in focus can be a good shot as well. It can set a wider tone and mood. It may take a few tries to get the picture you want. The picture below was done in Hawaii, and keeping the background in focus gave it a real sense of the natural setting of the flower. Yes I broke the rules...

The Picture above was shot in bright light with the shade of the woods behind the flower garden making the background dark.

What Kind of Camera: One of the most common questions I hear is what kind of camera should I use. Some of the pictures above were shot with a 5 megapixel point and shoot and some were shot with a $2000 digital SLR. Can you tell what camera was used?

One more thing: If you like any of the pictures and would like them for your walls let me know. stanley.jack@gmail.com.

copyrite 2009

Some Cool Camera's To Consider

2009-01-06T20:38:00.007-06:00

Some Cool Camera’s

I am going to discuss some camera’s in price ranges from 100 dollars up to 400 dollars. These are good cameras but certainly not the only good ones out there. As I said I am partial to the Sony point an Shoot camera’s. You will find Nikon and Canon’s with similar features and prices. Most will serve you well. These are the three brands I would recommend. Many other companies have a good camera model but Nikon, Sony and Canon, have great cameras.

Sony Cybershot H50 Priced between $325 and $399

It is a full featured point and shoot. It touts the Smile Shutter technology that will automatically take the picture when the subject smiles. It also has face detection and will balance the focus on up to 8 faces. It is for the serious amateur or someone who just loves to take pictures. Unless you just want a digital SLR, this camera will do more than 99% of the population would ever use. This is a great camera, if you use your camera a lot and want great shots. You certainly will need to read the manual a couple of times to get the full benefit of the H50. And prepare for a Learning Curve for special situations. Check out the rest of the specs below.

Sony H50 Specifications
9.1 Megapixels
15x Optical Zoom / up to 81x digital Zoom
Smile shutter, face detection, intelligent scene recognition and Double AntiBlur
Solution.
Optical Image Stabilization
MPEG1 Movie Mode
Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot Exposure Modes
80-3200 ISO Levels
JPEG File Formats
3-inch LCD
MS Duo / MS PRO Duo Storage Media (plus 15MB internal capacity)
Proprietary Lithium Ion rechargeable

The Sony Cyber Shot H10 Price $185-279

My wife owns this camera and uses it for her real estate business. She tried a couple of other cameras that did not fill the bill like the H10. Kim is a point and shoot diva. She does not like fiddling around with the camera, just wants great shots. The H10 had Delivered that. This camera has Optical stabilization like it’s big Brother the H50. It also has a digital range optimizer that tones down the highlights and brightens the dark areas, which gives you a very even tone. The H10 has the face detection, but you will have to catch the smile yourself.
If you want a little more challenge, this camera had a manual mode to allow you full manual control, if you want choose your own settings. This is a solid choice, for some one who uses their camera regularly. It is a lot of camera for the money.

Sony H10 Specifications
8.1 megapixels
10x optical zoom / 2x digital zoom
Optical Image Stabilization
30fps movie mode with sound
Auto and manual exposure
Auto focus
3.0-inch LCD screen
Memory Stick Duo and Pro Duo storage (with 31mb internal memory)
Lithium-ion battery pack

Sony Cybershot S750 price $99-160

The Sony Power Shot S750 is an entry level camera for anyone who wants to begin or continue taking digital photography. This camera is small and easy to carry (I would suggest a small case to protect the camera) in your purse or in a pocket. It has a 3x zoom which is pretty standard on this level of camera. And it has the added feature of face detection and a very decent ISO 1200 mode for lower light pictures. It is a good basic point and shoot and well worth the money if you are wanting a simple camera, easy to use and easy to carry.

Sony S750 Specifications
7.2 megapixels
3x optical zoom / 2x digital zoom
Face detection
ISO 1200 high sensitivity mode
30fps movie mode with sound
Auto exposure

Canon Powershot SD770 IS Price $145-190

The Canon Sd770 IS is a 10 megapixel camera, and like the Sony S750 it is very compact. You get a few more megapixels as this is a 10 megapixel camera. Canon’s lens-shift image stabilization, will provide a crisp picture, highly detailed, you will be pleased. It is a solid contender for the average point and shoot user. You won’t go wrong with this camera.

Canon SD770 IS Specifications
10 Megapixels
3x optical zoom / 4x digital zoom
Face detection auto-focus
Lens-shift Image Stabilization
Movie mode with sound
JPEG file format
ISO 80-1600
Auto and manual exposure
2.5-inch LCD monitor
Secure Digital card storage (32MB card included)
Lithium-ion battery

Regardless of the Camera you choose I would suggest you consider do you want a range finder to look into or are you o.k. with the screen. And what size screen works best for you. Once again let me know if you have any questions…

Jack

What is the Shutter Release Button For anyway?

2009-01-03T17:34:00.003-06:00

Most of us think we point the camera and push the shutter release button and everything should be fine. What you may not realize is that on most digital camera's the shutter release has two functions. The shutter Release of course, and it is also for locking your focus. You get the scene you want and the focus you want press your shutter release 1/2 way down and hold it and crop your picture and then when you are ready press it the last 1/2 way down to take the picture. Pressing the shutter release 1/2 way down holds the focus you have achieved as long as you hold it partially down. This can save you the frustration of poorly focused pictures. Read your user manual carefully for better instructions.

A Quick Fun Idea

2009-01-02T16:06:00.001-06:00

Something To Try:::
Take your digital camera, dis-able your flash. Then take a couple of flash lights and after dark try taking a picture using different flashlight, an LED often will give a blue hue etc. Be sure to hold your camera still or use a tripod. can be fun. You may see some purple fringing, or even some blur. Take it play with it and see what you create. Let me know what you get.

2009-01-02T16:00:00.003-06:00

New pictures on my gallery site. We were biking in Germany in September and this was on the motel desk infront of the picture on the wall. I couldn't resist. Check the gallery site www.jackartphography.com/ say you saw it here and you can purchase this picture at a 20% discount. This picture is copywrited by Jack Art Photogrphy.

What Camera Should you Buy...

2009-01-02T15:25:00.001-06:00

What Digital Camera Should you buy? Great Pictures are done by the person not the camera……

If you are a professional photographer looking for a camera, then this is not your article. This is intended for the average person who wants to take great photographs.
First Ask yourself…
What Am I going to do with the camera?
If you are taking family pictures, vacation pictures, and want an easy camera to use, there are several fine choices. Basically there are two or three things to consider. If you know these answers you can more easily choose a camera.

Size Matters. If you rarely enlarged your pictures beyond an 8x 10, you will be fine with anything 3 megapixels or more. If you don’t really use your camera often and only want the typical 4x6 then a less expensive point and shoot will be a good choice.

How Much Zoom? Zooming in allows you to get a closer picture without being closer. However, it can be challenging to find the right cropping and catch the picture on the fly. Most point and shoots will have a 3x zoom. Some will have 5 or 10x zoom. The larger the zoom typically the larger the camera needs to be to make room for the additional lens space needed. I like a 5-10x zoom. My son loves his 3x zoom.

How Often Will I use the Camera? If you use your camera only a couple times a year, consider a camera that uses disposable batteries, (never store your batteries in your camera). If you use your camera regularly, see the discussion about Lithium Ion Batteries below.

Now you have defined your use. Begin looking at camera’s

Point and Shoot cameras are not what they use to be, they do a lot more!! If I were purchasing a Point and Shoot I would look at the Sony, Canon and Nikon lines.

Zoom comes in two forms.
Optical zoom which is most clear and accurate and..
Digital Zoom, where the computer in the camera creates a zoom based on logarithms. Good but less clear and accurate.
Many cameras will have both. This is ok.
I would look at a minimum of a 3x zoom.

Built in Flash… absolutely necessary and a minimum requirement. For most people the flash built in the camera will be more than adequate.

Macro Setting, allows you to focus very close to an object. You may not be use to such a setting but once you have it (it is usually already there) you will find it a lot of fun to play with.

Camera Battery: Unless you only use your camera a couple of times a year, I would avoid cameras that use disposable batteries. For the more frequent user, Lithium Ion batteries are great. A Sony with a Lithium Ion Battery freshly charged can take a couple hundred jpeg pictures on a charge, usually about ½ that if you are using the flash.

Some Great Cameras are available from Sony, Canon and Nikon. For point and shoot my personal favorite is Sony. My wife has the Sony H10 which is a great camera for almost everyone. It costs between $199 and $299.
For $99 to $200 you can find a great point and shoot with a 3-5X zoom in either of the above brands.
Today’s digital cameras can handle a wide range of photography and situations. Do not let someone talk you into more camera than you need.
Next Time we will talk about Digital SLR’s…. Jack