LATEST ADDITIONS

I often get questions about how to store digital image files safely and securely. Although there have been a lot of options, all of them have involved compromises. Recently, however, one of our readers told me about Millenniata.com, and I immediately looked into this new American company. I found that Millenniata has a new DVD disc technology that provides “more than” archival life expectancy, as established by the US Department of Defense’s Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, California. Their report can be downloaded as a PDF file from the Millenniata website.

More and more birdwatchers are capturing images of their favorite subject using digital techniques. But having the equipment is only half the battle to achieving stunning bird images. A good knowledge of your equipment, an understanding of both photography and field craft, and a firm basis in postproduction techniques are also essential if you want to capture and create high-quality bird photographs. All these topics are covered in this portable guide to bird photography. Although small enough to fit in a jacket pocket or camera bag, The Bird Photography Field Guide introduces and instructs on each stage of the digital photography process, describing all the necessary equipment, discussing specialist field-craft techniques, and showing you how to manipulate and enhance your photos. In this excerpt David Tipling shares his thoughts on perhaps one of the most important aspects of the craft—seeing and using light.—Editor

It isn’t often that as a camera reviewer you get the chance to test a camera with the technical experts right at hand, but that’s how I got to know the Phase One 645DF and IQ160 back. Actually, I attended one of the company’s Phase One Digital Artists Series workshops in Chicago with other photographers (see PODAS workshops sidebar for further info on this and other workshops the company is offering). Beyond the guided portion of the workshop, we were given time to go off and work with the camera at our own pace. It didn’t take long to find my comfort zone with the new IQ system. By the end of day one, I had a working familiarity with the camera and back and hardly paid attention to the big bundle I was hefting. Although I often felt quite at ease shooting handheld, for night photography and some other occasions I did employ my trusty Benbo tripod, with the camera seated on a Foba Superball M-2 on one day, an Acratech GP-L ball head on another.

RTP, Rehabilitation Through Photography announces the election of Jackie Augustine to the position of President of the Board of Directors. Jackie is a 30 year veteran of the photographic industry. She served as Group Publisher of VNU/Nielsen’s Performance Group of Magazines and prior to that she was VP, Group Publisher of the High Technology Group of magazines at Primedia which included Petersen’s PHOTOgraphic and Shutterbug magazines. Currently she is the President of Jackie Augustine Consulting, a company focused on integrated media and marketing solutions. She is also a Member of the PMDA Board of Directors and Editor of the PMDA website.