On The Cover Welcome to our annual lighting special, where our resident pros share their best gear, shooting tips, and setups. In addition to our multitude of lighting Test Reports, we have multi-flash and portable studio light roundups. We also explore the possibility of using older flash units on D-SLRs. Finally, lightingas...
On The Cover Welcome to our annual imaging software update issue. We explore all the latest imaging software has to offer, from calibration to retouching to special effects. In addition, we have a Test Report special on super potent photo plug-ins. We also have reports on Sony’s NEX-3, a compact system camera, andEpson...
Staff | Sep 15, 2011 | First Published: Oct 01, 2011 | 4 comments
On The Cover
Renowned photographer Steve McCurry shot our cover image of a Rabari girl on the last roll of Kodachrome film ever manufactured. We are privileged to share with you the final frames taken with this beloved film. To see more of Steve’s images, turn to page 122. Aside from Kodachrome’s last windup, we have news about the Polaroid Collection of images being saved thanks to the Impossible Project and WestLicht Museum of Photography. In addition, we have D-SLR tests on the Canon EOS 60D and the Pentax K-5, plus an extensive roundup on backdrops and a lighting test on Booth Photographic’s parabolic umbrellas.
A vocabulary word I still remember from high school chemistry is immiscible. This refers to the fact that some liquids can’t mix together to form a homogenous solution. Oil and water are an example. When oil is mixed with water, no matter how long you stir, they will never blend together to become one liquid.
The Olympus Zuiko 25mm f/2.8 lens, designed for their and other Four/Thirds system cameras, is a sleeper of a lens that offers some fun and interesting photographic options. Not only does the lens allowyou...
Many people think that professional looking portraits of either people or animals require a multiple light setup in a studio. The traditional configuration consists of a main light, a fill light, sometimes a hair light depending on the hair—or lack of hair—of the subject, and two lights on the background. You can see what this type of lighting looks like in where I used a 4-light setup. The background was black paper and the two subtle background lights made it look gray. I set the studio strobes to provide a 3:1 lighting ratio on the model’s face.
A new report from InfoTrends indicates an increased growth in the use of online
photo printing services, resulting in surging revenues for web-based print providers.
According to the Weymouth, MA-based market research and consulting firm, online
photo serviceprovider...
Panasonic LUMIX will launch the Digital Photo Academy, a series of workshops
for all digital camera owners who want to maximize their cameras' features
and create more rewarding and enjoyable photo experiences. The academy, offering
courses at three different levels, will roll out in 20...
The next time you find yourself frustrated by a difficult photo assignment, consider the challenges faced daily by Tara Miller—winner of the 2011 CNIB Eye Remember National Photographer Contest. Miller is a legally blind, professional photographer from Winnipeg, Manitoba who doesn’t let her disability stand in the way of her passion for creating beautiful imagery.
Photographing people in motion is challenging on many levels. Whether you are shooting athletes, dancers, cowboys, or workers, the same issues come into play. First, it’s hard to keep them in focus. Even with the sophisticated autofocus systems built into modern cameras, it is tough to hold focus on fast moving subjects. Second, it’s impossible to study a subject in motion and then compose the picture with deliberation and forethought. The composition constantly changes millisecond by millisecond, and that means you have to think and react quickly and hope that you captured something good. Third, exposure can change as your subject moves through areas of shade or highlights. While automatic meters do a good job in most situations, they can be fooled into over or under exposure depending on how much contrast is in the scene and how light or dark the background is relative to the subject.
There are three things that constitute a “perfect” digital file. Perfect exposure, accurate white balance, and a controlled brightness range. In this article, we’re going to focus on the first—perfect exposure. And in the process,we...
As you might suspect, the photographic industry has been greatly impacted by the horrible devastation of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the ongoing nuclear crisis. While we continue to pray for the injured and those who lost their lives, it’s not too soon to acknowledge the severe impact the March 11 disaster and it’s aftermath has had on many of the world’s leading camera and accessory companies.
At a time when world attention is directed toward the turmoil involving China,
Tibet and the upcoming Olympics, it's nice to see some positive news emanating
from Nepal--especially when it involves the photo industry in support of
an effort to raise awareness andmone...