Follow up on Bagging Your Camera

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!

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

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??

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...

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

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

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