Take a look at this excellent collection of images. The results from the Jan. 09 Photo Assignment are in. "About Face" was the theme. You can see them all in the Jan, 09 Photo Assignment Gallery. This is quite a collection.

The March 2009 assignment is "Sign of the Times." I'm really excited about the possibilities with this month's assignment. Start working on your contribution now. Details can be found on the Submissions page. You can submit photo assignment pictures up to 600 pixels in the widest direction. Please follow the instructions carefully for labeling the subject line of the email for your submission. It's easy to lose these in the pile of mail if not labeled correctly. For example, the subject line for next month's assignment should be: "Photo Assignment: March 2009." Also, if you can, please don't strip out the metadata. And feel free to add any IPTC data you wish (These fields in particular: Caption, Credit, Copyright, Byline), I use that for the caption info.

Good luck with your March assignment, and congratulations to all of the fine contributors for January. It's an excellent collection of images.

Photo by Mark Given.

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Now Available! The Digital Photography Companion. The official guide for The Digital Story Virtual Camera Club.

• 25 handy and informative tables for quick reference.
• Metadata listings for every photo in the book
• Dedicated chapter on making printing easy.
• Photo management software guide.
• Many, many inside tips gleaned from years of experience.
• Comprehensive (214 pages), yet fits easily in camera bag.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, The Digital Story, Photo Assignment

Can you tell a story in just 10 frames? My bet is that you can. For me, most slideshows go on too long. So I gave myself the assignment to create a series of movies that told a story in only 10 frames. I've published the first entry, Josh & Alex Wedding in 10 Frames.

I created this movie in iPhoto '09, then exported it as a QuickTime file. I then posted it to The Digital Story Flickr page, where I'll be adding more to this series soon.

Take a look and let me know what you think.

Special thanks to Danielle for her contributions to this project!

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Technology, The Digital Story, Story in 10 Frames

Adobe has released a free update to Photoshop CS4 for both Mac and Windows. Here's the official word on what it contains:

The Photoshop 11.0.1 update addresses key issues reported by customers that may impact performance. The update also includes the following enhancements: the ability to correctly recognize 3D textures edited by plug-ins; improved quality of Auto-Blend Layers (Stack Images); and fixes for issues that can be caused by corrupt fonts or when pasting formatted text.

The Photoshop 11.0.1 update is available as a free download for existing Photoshop CS4 customers at http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/ or through the Adobe updater via the application itself.

Direct links to the downloads are here:

Mac - http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4291

Win - http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4292

Other Articles on Photoshop CS4

30 Days of Free Photoshop CS4 - Here's What to Explore

"Top 10 Photoshop CS4 Features" - Digital Photography Podcast 144

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Learn what photographers need to know to organize and edit their images with Photoshop CS4. Take a look at The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers. It fits in your laptop bag and is very easy on your wallet.

Technorati Tags: Adobe Photoshop, Derrick Story, digital photography, Photoshop CS4, Technology, The Digital Story

Macworld has just published my review of the Olympus E-30 DSLR. I think this is one of the best digital cameras Olympus has produced to date. It feels solid and professional, but isn't too heavy or bulky to stash in your backpack when on the go.

The PROS are: Real-time focusing in Live View mode; support for multiple aspect ratios; image stabilization in camera body; unique features such as Multiple Exposure and Digital Leveler; 98 percent field of view through optical viewfinder; exposure bracketing in three or five frames. As for the CONS, I only had two: No movie mode; battery charger requires cord instead of plugging directly into wall outlet. I gave it rating of 4.5 mice.

You can read the complete review of the Olympus E-30 here.

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Olympus E-30 DSLR, Technology, The Digital Story

Lots of talk today about the new compact Olympus E-620 DSLR, and for good reason. This affordable, full featured camera is small enough to go just about anywhere. But what I think is also exciting is that Olympus announced an underwater case designed specifically for the E-620.

Because of Live View mode, underwater shooters now have a bright, 2.7" LCD they can use for composing shots underwater. This is much easier than previous methods (of guessing the composition). The new Olympus housing is rated down to 40 meters underwater. It has five interchangeable lens ports available, so you can use your favorite lens underwater too. And it accepts an Olympus flash bracket.

I think for many photographers, this rig is going to change their approach to underwater shooting.

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Geotagging is not the prettiest word, but it's a fun part of photography that many people still aren't enjoying. In this podcast, I introduce you to easy (and affordable) ways to get your feet on the ground, so you can add this new dimension to your pictures.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Street Shot is the February 2009 Photo Assignment. Time to hit the pavement and discover the interesting moments of life that happen all around you. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is Feb. 28, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Introduction to Geotagging". You can download the podcast here (26 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

See My Other Posts on Geotagging

Testing the Eye-Fi Explore Card at Home

Geotagging a Journey with photoGPS, iPhoto, and Flickr

iPhoto '09 as Your Geotagging Tool?

First Look at Jobo photoGPS Device and Software

Update to Geotagging Workflow, Including Jobo photoGPS

Finding a Reasonable Geotagging Workflow

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

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SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Two books that show you how to take better pictures, then process them with ease. Good photography starts with good capture. The Digital Photography Companion gives you creative tips and technical advice for taking top-notch digital photos in a wide range of conditions. In other words, this book will help you make your pictures look better than everyone else's.

Get it Right at Capture

The Digital Photography Companion shows you how to:

• Choose the right camera (DSLRs, compact cameras, or hybrids) and learn all of the typical features they offer, such as face detection, image stabilizers, diopter adjustment, focus assist light, RAM buffer, and more.
• An A-Z guide of digital camera controls explains everything from Aperture Value (Av) Mode and Autoexposure to White Balance, the Zoom/Magnify Control, and everything in between
• Advice for a variety of photographic adventures, such as capturing existing light portraits, creating powerful landscape images, and shooting fireworks, underwater portraits, infrared photos, and more, along with lighting and filter tricks.
• Complete advice for sharing your photos, converting from color to balck & white and more, plus an overview of photo management applications, from Adobe Photoshop Lightroom to Apple iPhoto.
• Printing doesn't have to be a painful experience. Learn various options, including direct printing without a computer, ordering out, and selecting the right inkjet printer for home (and what to do with it once you get it there.)
• You also get an appendix with Quick Reference Tables, as well as other useful tables scattered throughout the book.

Take Control of Your Pictures on the Computer

But don't let your creativity end when you click the shutter. Become just as masterful on the computer as you are with the camera. The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers is your complete workflow guide from uploading the images to the computer, to sharing them with the world.

Many photographers, even the pros, feel overwhelmed by all the options that Photoshop provides. Fortunately, The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers spotlights only the critical tools you'll need most often in one compact reference. Professional photographer and bestselling author Derrick Story teaches you how to quickly and efficiently organize and edit your photos without compromising the originals.

The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers lays out an easy to follow workflow that starts with uploading your images to the computer, organizing them, and marking your best shots. From there, you'll see how to quickly:

• Make basic adjustments such as cropping, color balance, and tonal adjustments
• Use advanced tools for black & white conversion, spot removal, batch processing, and more
• Refine your images using adjustment layers, masking, and smart objects
• Learn specific recipes for retouching portraits, swapping colors,

Two Books, One Complete Course in Photography

By having The Digital Photography Companion and The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers at your fingertips, you have a complete course in photography at your disposal.

Post a mini review below, and Derrick Story will send you a signed author plate for each book you own to make them official signed copies.

Post a Mini Review

Let us know what you think about either of these books. Post a mini review right here.

"Here's a shot I took while attending a City Lights workshop held at dusk in Brisbane, Australia," writes Paul Merrett. "The science fiction looking device shown is a 60m (200 ft) high ferris wheel called The BIg Wheel. We had started shooting it from different angles while the sunlight faded."

"I decided to try a shot of The Big Wheel from much further back. For this version, the white balance was set to Tungsten as a suggestion from the instructor who wanted us to experiment with different settings. Other parameters were, ISO 50, f22, 17-40mm f4L lens set to 17mm, Canon 1D Mark III, tripod and self timer."

"When I reviewed the shots later in Aperture, I liked this one the most -- even better than the other "correctly white balanced" frames, and better than the faster shutter speed shots that clearly showed the gondolas attached."

If you have a candid you'd like to share, take a look at our Submissions page, then send us your Grab Shot. We'll try to get it published for you on The Digital Story.

And you can view more images from our virtual camera club in the Member Photo Gallery.

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Technorati Tags: candid, digital photography, grab shot, The Digital Story

The Eye-Fi Explore provides a geotagging alternative that doesn't depend on GPS. Instead, it taps the Skyhook Wireless database that contains thousands of WiFi hotspots and their location data. These hotspots have been surveyed by Skyhook and are constantly updated by users.

The Eye-Fi Explore Workflow

The Eye-Fi Explore system is straightforward. You insert the SD card into your camera's memory slot. It provides you with 2 GBs of storage plus WiFi connectivity. You use the Eye-Fi Manager software to set everything up. When you configure the card, you make it aware of your home network. That way it can automatically access it (even if it's password protected) and upload images as they are captured. During this process, Eye-Fi consults the Skyhook database, retrieves the geodata, then adds that information to the Jpegs it is transferring.

I have the card set up to transfer files to both my MacBook and to my Flickr account. The images that go to Flickr are kept private until I approve them for public viewing. Both versions of the image contain geodata that can pinpoint where I took the shot on a map.

I tested the Eye-Fi Explore card at my studio using a Canon G9 in Raw+Jpeg mode. When I took a picture, the Jpeg version was uploaded wirelessly to my MacBook and to Flickr. The Raw version of the image was left alone. To verify this process, I took the card out of the camera, inserted it into the Eye-Fi card reader, and looked at it on my computer. Both the Raw and Jpeg versions were on the SD card, and neither were tagged with geodata.

So, if you want to location data added, keep in mind that you can only do so if you use the wireless upload, and that it only affects the Jpegs. Raw files are not part of this workflow.

A Few Quirks

Hang on to the card reader that comes with the Eye-Fi Explore. For some reason the Eye-Fi card wasn't recognized by my regular card reader, so I'm now using its bundled mate instead.

Concerning accuracy of the geodata... that depends a lot on the accuracy of the Skyhook database. I noticed that the images shot at my studio were mistagged. The location was about a block away. The reason for this is that I had moved during the summer, and Skyhook still had the location for my AirPort Extreme at the old studio. So I went to the Skyhook Submit WiFi AP page and updated the database. I'm still waiting for update confirmation, even though I submitted the information a week ago.

And finally, you don't really have any control over the upload process. What you shoot gets uploaded and that's that. So for a lot of people, this process might not be a good fit.

The Bottom Line

The Eye-Fi Explore is selling for $105 on Amazon. It works as advertised, and it is a reasonable geotagging solution for urban settings and other areas that have WiFi access points. If the Skyhook database is accurate, so will be your geodata. You can shoot Raw+Jpeg with the card, have your Jpegs tagged and uploaded, then deal with your Raws later using your normal workflow.

Shooting around my studio, I liked the card. In my next installment, I'll take it out into the field and see how it works with Wayport hotspots.

See My Other Posts on Geotagging

Geotagging a Journey with photoGPS, iPhoto, and Flickr

iPhoto '09 as Your Geotagging Tool?

First Look at Jobo photoGPS Device and Software

Update to Geotagging Workflow, Including Jobo photoGPS

Finding a Reasonable Geotagging Workflow

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Technorati Tags: digital photography, geotagging, Technology, The Digital Story, Eye-Fi Explore

Canon announced that their zoomerific PowerShot SX1 IS will be Raw enabled this spring. They will release a firmware update that will unlock this capability giving shooters the added benefit of Raw capture on this compact camera. By doing so, Canon has provided a nice alternative for those who want the 28mm to 560mm zooming range of the SX1, but aren't interested in lugging around a DSLR and telephoto lens.

The Canon SX1 has many interesting features for the photographer on the go. It uses AA batteries that are easy to find anywhere in the world. It can record HD video (1920 x 1080) and high resolution Raw (3648 x 2736), and it accepts a Mini-HDMI to HDMI cable so you can plug it directly into an HD television for movie or slideshow playback. (You can read a good review of this camera on photographyBLOG).

If you want to shoot 10 megapixel Raw on a compact camera with a powerful zoom and HD video capture, then take a look at the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS. You should be able to download the Raw firmware update next month.

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, The Digital Story, Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

You can now post and read reviews for all of the Red River paper stocks on their site. This new feature was just launched, and I thought that our virtual camera club could help get things rolling by posting reviews of your favorite papers. Red River is a solid supporter of The Digital Story, and their product is outstanding. I just posted a review of Arctic Polar Luster, the surface that I like best.

If you haven't tried Red River paper yet, you can get their Sample Kit for $7.99, including free shipping. You get two 8.5" x 11" sheets for 19 different papers. It's a great way to discover the best stock for your printing needs.

Other Posts About Red River Paper

Getting Started with Inkjet B&W Printing

Red River's Arctic Polar Luster and the HP B8850 Printer

Welcome Aboard Red River Paper

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Technorati Tags: digital photography, printing, The Digital Story, Red River Paper

Have you ever watched those timelapse videos of someone building a house or creating something else cool? I just found this nifty SiteGrinder movie on YouTube by Fmlad where an entire web site is designed in 8 minutes. I think this piece does a good job of giving you a feel for the power of SiteGrinder 2.

Previous Posts about SiteGrinder

Introduction to SiteGrinder for Beautiful, Easy Web Design

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, The Digital Story, SiteGrinder

Here are five things you need to keep in mind when shooting in low light. Follow these tips, and your shots will amaze even you, let alone those you share them with.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Street Shot is the February 2009 Photo Assignment. Time to hit the pavement and discover the interesting moments of life that happen all around you. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is Feb. 28, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "5 Low Light Shooting Tips". You can download the podcast here (18 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

After the wedding was over, our next challenge was to cull the best images from the 2,300 shots we captured over the course of the day. Between the two of us, we had amassed over 32 GBs of Raw files, and we had to transform that data into a customer-friendly deliverable.

My assistant, Danielle, uses Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for her post production. I use Apple's Aperture. By midweek, Danielle had worked through the entire shoot, and delivered a CD to me of high quality Jpegs (at full 5D Mark ll resolution). I had already winnowed down my shoot to a collection of favorites.

I integrated Danielle's picks with mine in Aperture, then sorted by "time captured." This put the entire shoot in order. The only slightly strange parts were when I went off to shoot the boys before the ceremony, and she was shooting the empty reception hall. But other than that, everything meshed together perfectly.

The final gallery count was 447 -- that included both Danielle's and my best shots. I then exported the images out of Aperture as high quality Jpegs constrained at 2200 pixels in either direction. The pictures were uploaded to my Shutterfly Pro account, and I sent the URL out to as many family members and wedding participants as I had email addresses for, encouraging them to pass along the link to anyone they wish.

On Shutterfly, viewers can watch a slideshow or manually click through the images in the gallery. If they see something they like, they can order a print on the spot. Shutterfly handles the printing, business transactions, and delivery. I can monitor activity via my Shutterfly Pro account.

I also prepare a CD of high resolution Jpegs and send it to the clients. I know a lot of photographers don't believe in this, but I want my clients to have their own master collection that they can play with and print as they wish. That will be the last step for me in the assignment. Then I can check it off my list and move on to next week's work.

Photo of happy couple after the ceremony by Derrick Story, captured with a Canon 5D Mark ll using fill flash.

Previous Installments of the Wedding Photographer Chronicles

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 1, the Rehearsal

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 2, Analyzing the Church

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 3, During the Ceremony

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Wedding photography

"I took this shot while attending (for the first time) the 2009 Imaging USA--the annual conference of PPA," writes Paul Leasure. "This shot was taken in the Phoenix Convention Center where this mirror rises approximately 90 feet from its base below the grand atrium."

Paul used a Nikon D70S at 1/80 second at f4.5 and ISO set to 640. The focal length was 24mm.

If you have a candid you'd like to share, take a look at our Submissions page, then send us your Grab Shot. We'll try to get it published for you on The Digital Story.

And you can view more images from our virtual camera club in the Member Photo Gallery.

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Technorati Tags: candid, digital photography, grab shot, The Digital Story

Joel Meyerowitz is a serious photographer who specializes in street shooting. Since this month's Photo Assignment is "Street Shot," I thought you might enjoy this video by Joel on street photography. He provides lots of tips on how to position yourself and what to look for.

As I mentioned earlier, Street Shot is the February 2009 Photo Assignment. Time to hit the pavement and discover the interesting moments of life that happen all around you. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is Feb. 28, 2009.

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Now Available! The Digital Photography Companion. The official guide for The Digital Story Virtual Camera Club.

• 25 handy and informative tables for quick reference.
• Metadata listings for every photo in the book
• Dedicated chapter on making printing easy.
• Photo management software guide.
• Many, many inside tips gleaned from years of experience.
• Comprehensive (214 pages), yet fits easily in camera bag.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, technique, The Digital Story, Street Photography

I was reading about the new Wasabi Ultramobile Photo Printer that fits in your back pocket and enables you to produce 2"x3" prints from your mobile phone or via USB connection. The key to this device is a very interesting technology called ZINK paper, which means "zero ink."

"ZINK Paper is an advanced composite material with cyan, yellow, and magenta dye crystals embedded inside and a protective polymer overcoat layer outside. When heat is applied in just the right way, full color images appear like magic on the paper."

All of this seemed too good to be true. So I did a little price evaluation of the printer and the paper. You can get the Wasabi Ultramobile Photo Printer from Dell right now for $99 US, and the paper is available from folks like B&H for $9.99 for 30 sheets. In other words, this seems like an affordable technology.

This could be a good device to have in your bag when you shoot events. You could make prints on the spot, or have an assistant to it. If you're a Raw shooter, make sure you capture in RAW + JPEG mode. You can make the prints from the JPEGs and use the RAWs to create the final product.

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Technology, The Digital Story, printing

The Canon 5D Mark ll looks good on paper, but what happens when you're faced with a challenging assignment, such as this wedding in a dimly lit church? You'll find out in this podcast where I field test the camera and report on the results.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Street Shot is the February 2009 Photo Assignment. Time to hit the pavement and discover the interesting moments of life that happen all around you. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is Feb. 28, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Field Test of the Canon 5D Mark ll". You can download the podcast here (30 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Learn what photographers need to know to organize and edit their images with Photoshop CS4. Take a look at The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers. It fits in your laptop bag and is very easy on your wallet.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Now that there's a Mac version of the Jobo photoGPS software, I could streamline my workflow for geotagging a journey home from a business trip. As I left the last meeting of the day at Lynda.com, I mounted the Jobo photoGPS Geo Tagging Flash Shoe on my Canon 5D Mark ll and documented my departure. I snapped pictures all along the way. It was a car-plane-bus-car trip making it perfect for documenting.

Once I returned home, I had the photoGPS write the geodata directly to the Jpegs on my memory card via the photoGPS software and my card reader, then I launched iPhoto '09 and imported the images off the card and into the application. This two-step process actually went faster than I anticipated. I chose the images I liked, put them in an iPhoto album, then uploaded directly from iPhoto to Flickr.

In order for your geodata to travel with your images into Flickr, you have to set the permissions in your Flickr preferences. Go to Your Account > Privacy & Permissions > Import EXIF location data (yes). Do this before you upload your images from iPhoto. Also in iPhoto, you can add descriptions for each image, and those captions will travel with the photos in to Flickr.

In my case, I told the story of a business trip home. You can see it by visiting From Lynda to Home. As you click from image to image, you learn about each stop along the way. If you click on the map link for each photo, you can see the location where it was taken. You can also click on the map link for the set to see all of the pins for the entire journey.

By clicking on the detail link for the set, you're presented with medium thumbnails for the trip with captions and map links. Flickr provides you with many different views and lots of information. It's really quite useful.

I'm going to keep playing around with this particular workflow. But I thought you'd like to see what can be done, even at the early stages. If you don't have a geotagging device such as the photoGPS, you can add the geodata in iPhoto '09, then upload to Flickr. You don't get as much geodata that way, but it's still a great option.

See My Other Posts on Geotagging

iPhoto '09 as Your Geotagging Tool?

First Look at Jobo photoGPS Device and Software

Update to Geotagging Workflow, Including Jobo photoGPS

Finding a Reasonable Geotagging Workflow

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, geotagging, iPhoto '09

Sometimes you get lucky. During the rehearsal, I was concerned because the couple was standing beneath a bank of lights shining directly down on the tops of their heads. I wasn't sure how I was going to capture flattering shots of them. To make matters worse, the wedding coordinator had specifically requested that I didn't use flash during the ceremony.

Here's where I got lucky. The next day, I'm in position during the ceremony, and it's the priest is standing in the glaring light, not the couple. This time, they were standing back a few feet basking in the glow of light bouncing off the white robe of the priest. He was a human reflector.

I composed the shot on a Canon 5D Mark ll with the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens set wide open. The shutter speed was 1/60th of a second and the ISO was set to 1600. I had enough light, and more importantly, the right kind of light, so I never considered turning on the flash. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

In the next installment I'll talk a bit about the post production of four, full, 8 GB cards.

Photo of wedding ceremony by Derrick Story.

Other Installments of the Wedding Photographer Chronicles

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 1, the Rehearsal

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 2, Analyzing the Church

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 4, Delivering the Goods

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Wedding photography

When we arrived at the church for the rehearsal, I was very impressed. It's absolutely beautiful. And if we didn't have to actually photograph people in there, life would be terrific.

The problem is that all of the lighting is designed to show off the architecture. So, for example, when the wedding couple was standing at the altar during the rehearsal, the only lighting on them was coming straight down from the ceiling, nothing from an angle. This is what I call Halloween lighting: the forehead is bright, the eyes go hollow, and the nose radiates to the point where there's no detail.

Typically, the solution is to use fill light. Great! Except that the wedding coordinator doesn't like flash during the ceremony. So I had to negotiate "some flash" and the rest existing light shots. So I think our plan will be to make sure we have at least a couple shots via flash of every major activity during the ceremony, then go for existing light artistic for the rest.

We're shooting with Canon EOS 5D Mark II bodies, so we can push the ISO up to 1600 for the artistic stuff. I'll probably use ISO 400 for the flash photography to keep the intensity at a minimum and for faster recycling times.

In the next report, I'll let you know how this plan worked out.

Other Installments of the Wedding Photographer Chronicles

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 1, the Rehearsal

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 3, During the Ceremony

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 4, Delivering the Goods

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Wedding photography

It's true, every wedding is different. But oddly enough, I prepare for each one the same way. So I thought it would be fun to walk you through a wedding weekend where my assistant and I are the photographers.

We've already completed the planning for the event. I have a detailed shot list that the clients and I have agreed to. So the next step is rehearsal night. Yes, I go to the rehearsal.

I believe this is one of the keys to my success. Both my assistant and I show up with shot list in hand. We make notes about the environment. We meet the family members and note their names. The rules of the road are explained to us by the wedding coordinator. And we have a chance to scout out locations for the various group shots on our list. After the rehearsal is over, we compare notes and prepare for the big shoot the next day.

Tonight, we'll also make an appearance at the rehearsal dinner. I'll have a bite to eat and snap a few candids. This gives me the opportunity to see if I have any "blinkers" in the wedding party and discover any other quirks that I should know about.

Once I have my plan in place, I go to bed. No late night partying, no goofing off. I need to be fresh and on top of my game for the upcoming event.

I'll probably post the next installment in this series tomorrow morning. Until then, wish me luck.

Other Installments of the Wedding Photographer Chronicles

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 2, Analyzing the Church

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 3, During the Ceremony

Wedding Photographer Chronicles: Chapter 4, Delivering the Goods

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Wedding photography

Editor's note -- Virtual camera club member Steve Cooper has been wrestling with a problem in iPhoto '09. He identified that there's an apparent loss of sharpness when using the crop or straighten tool. He has some good information here on the issue, so I thought I'd share it with you. The following text was written by Steve and sent to me via email.

I was delighted to learn that a new version of iPhoto ('09) was released just as I was starting work on a large number of travel vacation photos. I was not so delighted to find out that a significant problem I had observed in iPhoto ‘08 was not fixed in the new version, and that the workaround I had previously used was no longer effective.

If you have an image containing a lot of fine detail and are working with it in iPhoto’s Edit mode, you’ll find that if you crop or straighten it, it will lose some of its original sharpness. Further, if you then use the Sharpness slider to try to remedy the situation, it may appear to have no effect unless you apply a very large amount of sharpening. (It turns out that printing results in a sharp image — it's the on-screen display that's deficient here.)

I have recently found that moving the Picture Size slider just a tiny bit to the right restores the screen image sharpness, but this is true only if you keep the slider away from its normal leftmost position. While a reasonable (if annoying) workaround when viewing a single image, this is not a practical solution in many situations.

My workaround in iPhoto '08 was to open the image in Photoshop (using it in External Editor mode from within iPhoto) and apply some insignificant change just to ensure that the JPEG was rewritten when saved back into iPhoto. This worked well, but unfortunately no longer does so in iPhoto '09.

The only way to fix an affected image in iPhoto '09 appears to be to export the image from iPhoto and reimport it. While this doesn’t result in the loss of any EXIF data (except of course for the "Imported" date), you will lose your ratings and keywords. If you’ve imported the image back into the library from which it came, it's easy enough to copy the ratings and keywords from the neighbouring original image, which you can then delete entirely by Command-Option-Deleting its thumbnail. This could be tiresome if dealing with a large number of images, but at least it works.

One thing I have learned while exploring this problem is never to discard an image from iPhoto just because it seems to be "out of focus" and not responsive to the Sharpness slider. Always nudge the Picture Size slider fractionally to the right and see what happens. If sharpness improves by a useful amount, use the workaround above to "rescue" the shot.

Finally, I can report that Aperture 2 seems to be free of any problem of this kind.

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Technorati Tags: digital photography, iPhoto '09, The Digital Story

Most photos that are submitted to The Digital Story lack important metadata, such as author name and copyright. We have many good tools to help us identify our work so others know who the photographs belong to. For example, using EOS Utility, software that came with my Canon DSLR, I can add identifying metadata to the image at the point of capture. The first screen shot show me setting up the camera, and the second screenshot shows how the information is displayed in the Preview application for the Mac.

Top image: shows where I enter my personal metadata in EOS Utility so it will be included in the EXIF data of every shot I capture. Bottom image: here's how it appears in Preview after upload to my computer.

In this week's podcast, I talk about the value of personal metadata and cover ways that you can add it to your images.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Street Shot is the February 2009 Photo Assignment. Time to hit the pavement and discover the interesting moments of life that happen all around you. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is Feb. 28, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Mark Your Photos" You can download the podcast here (25 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

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SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Learn what photographers need to know to organize and edit their images with Photoshop CS4. Take a look at The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers. It fits in your laptop bag and is very easy on your wallet.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

"Here's a shot that I think will raise a smile," writes Steve Cooper. "Taken in Bangkok, Thailand, with my Canon Powershot S5 IS."

If you have a candid you'd like to share, take a look at our Submissions page, then send us your Grab Shot. We'll try to get it published for you on The Digital Story.

And you can view more images from our virtual camera club in the Member Photo Gallery.

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Now Available! The Digital Photography Companion.
The official guide for The Digital Story Virtual Camera Club.

• 25 handy and informative tables for quick reference.
• Metadata listings for every photo in the book
• Dedicated chapter on making printing easy.
• Photo management software guide.
• Many, many inside tips gleaned from years of experience.
• Comprehensive (214 pages), yet fits easily in camera bag.

Technorati Tags: candid, Derrick Story, digital photography, Digital Photography Companion, grab shot, Technology, The Digital Story

In a recent podcast on setting goals, I mentioned that 2009 might be the year you finally publish that great photography web site you've always wanted to have. Or if you have a site, but it's long in the tooth and not what you want, then this could be the year to give it a major face lift. I think web sites are important for photographers of all levels. They serve as your showcase so people can find and enjoy your work.

Designing a beautiful site can be much easier than you think. And it doesn't have to be based on some template that thousands of other photographers are using. Today I'm going to introduce to SiteGrinder. It's a Photoshop plug-in that takes your ideas and builds the site for you. I've been exploring the product for a few weeks now, and I think you're going to like what you discover. In a nutshell:

"Media Lab’s SiteGrinder 2 plug-in converts Adobe Photoshop into a powerful, intuitive website development system that makes it easy. SiteGrinder 2 and Photoshop are everything you need to create gorgeous websites that look exactly like your Photoshop designs. With the click of a button, SiteGrinder 2 effortlessly transforms Photoshop files into professional quality, CSS-rich webpages. SiteGrinder 2 gives complete control over every aspect of your website’s design and functionality ... all without leaving Photoshop. SiteGrinder 2 writes the HTML, CSS and other web programming code so you don't have to."

Over the course of the next few months, I'm going to show you the ins and outs of SiteGrinder. But first, I want you to have a solid introduction. So here are a few things to look at now.

• The SiteGrinder Tour walks you through a series of captioned screenshots that introduce you to the plug-in's basic concepts and operation. It only takes a few minutes to click through the slides, and I found them very helpful.
• The Big Idea page is quite informative. And hanging off of it, you can drill down into a number of features that are explained in detail.
• You can also watch screencasts that demonstrate in realtime how to use SiteGrinder. They don't use the current version, but I still found them helpful.
• You can download a trial version and test it for yourself. SiteGrinder will watermark graphics until you unlock the trial.

SiteGrinder works with Photoshop 7 and newer on both Mac OS X and Windows. And if you're not a Photoshop user, but have Photoshop Elements 3 or newer, SiteGrinder works with those host applications too. You can buy either the Basic ($129) or Pro ($349) version. Here's a Comparison Chart that shows you the feature differences.

And finally, if you'd like to see some sample sites created with SiteGrinder, peruse the links on this page, there's some fun stuff to look at.

In the next installment, I'll talk more about how to set up your Photoshop document for SiteGrinder conversion.

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Technorati Tags: Adobe Photoshop, Derrick Story, digital photography, SiteGrinder