Promote Control Version 3 - firmware upgrade.

Promote Systems has just announced a major firmware update for Promote Control that brings Video control, significant improvements in Time-Lapse and Bulb Ramping and support for Sigma SD1/SD1 Merrill cameras!Click here to get the firmware update.Click here to read more and see some video demonstrations. 

Iceland Photo Tour and Workshop - September 12 -20, 2014

REGISTER EARLY - these workshops fill up in a few days.

Iceland – The Land of Fire and Ice – is an experience for non-photographers and photographers alike. The country provides the opportunities to capture mighty glaciers, waterfalls and spouting geysers.  Majestic mountains, magnificent coastlines and smoking volcanoes.  September  is the beginning of the awe-inspiring Aurora Borealis – the Northern Lights.Click Here for DetailsIceland is by far the most ideal destination for viewing the Aurora Borealis. Its modern infrastructure and excellent location, midway between Europe and the United States and with direct flights makes it ideal for sighting of the Northern Lights.In late summer Iceland is truly magical. As this workshop is scheduled for September and solar activity permitting we should have some opportunities for seeing and photographing the Aurora Borealis.On this tour we will take you to the very best photography locations Iceland has to offer. We will visit the many rugged volcanic landscapes, the iconic giant waterfalls, glacier lagoon and the black volcanic coastlineDeborah Sandidge is a professional photographer specializing in travel and freelance work. She is the author of Digital Infrared Photography, published by Wiley. Deborah teaches online courses including Long Exposure Creativity, Infrared Photography, and Artistic Imagery. You can’t get a better instructor for Long exposure, IR and creative photography than Deborah.Deborah has collaborated with the Nikon Learn and Explore site demonstrating star and star trail photography, along with long exposure photography. Deborah’s images have been used by Nikon in brochures, product guides, and for three years, the Nikon World calendar. http://www.deborahsandidge.comOlgeir Andresson was born in Reykjavik and now lives on the Reykjanes peninsular in the town of Reykjanesbaer.. He has concentrated on the art and capture of the aurora and this has become his trade mark.  His images grace the 4 Icelandic Postage Stamps depicting the Aurora Borealis. He won the highest honor of photographer of the year in the Danish Zoom Magazine and his work has been shown in Times Square in New York sponsored by Kodak.  You will not get a more experienced Northern Lights’ photographer. http://www.olgeir.comShiv Verma is a professional photographer and educator. Chairman of the Photographic Society of America’s International Exhibition, Vice President of the New England Camera Club Council and a member of multiple photographic associations. He conducts photo workshops worldwide.Click Here for DetailsREGISTRATION FORMS

REGISTER EARLY AS WE FILL UP VERY FAST.

BBF - Back Button Focusing

This week I saw a post on Facebook where a friend was talking about seriously starting to use Back Button Focusing. I know there are lots of opinions and articles on this topic but one more will not hurt. Please note, this has nothing to do with back focusing. Before we go to far into the BBF stuff let’s get familiar with camera focusing. Most modern DSLR Cameras have the ability to manually focus on your subject or automatically focus.  Some lenses do limit you to manual focusing as they have no motors and electronics to drive the focusing elements.Automatic or Auto Focus has a few modes, One Shot, AI Focus and AI Servo in Canon speak and AF-S and AF-C in Nikon speak. There really should be some ISO standards for this kind of stuff.One Shot and AF-S basically means the camera will trigger the lens to auto focus on the subject, lock the focus for you to capture the image.AI- Servo and AF-C means the camera will trigger the lens to auto focus on the subject and then do its best to keep the focus on the subject while the subject is in motion.Canon has AI-Focus which is supposed to intelligently detect motion and trigger the appropriate auto focus mode, one shot of AI-Servo. This can be problematic so let’s leave it out of this article.No lets understand how we get this to work. By default your camera is set to focus and read the exposure when you half press the shutter button. Fully depressing the shutter button takes the picture. Not a bad way to do your photography.So what is the problem?  If you have a static subject, and use center auto focusing point (it is the most sensitive AF sensor) you would half depress the shutter button.  This action will initiate the auto-focus and then you will see or hear focus confirmation, now you can depress the shutter all the way and capture your image. Optionally, keeping the shutter button half depressed you can recompose and then press the shutter button all the way and take your image. This system works great for static subjects. Now you are trying to photograph moving subjects. You can’t half depress the shutter and lock focus and then take the shot because your subject will have moved and no longer in focus.You switch your camera to AI-Servo (canon) or AF-C (Nikon). You are capturing great action images and you notice a great subject that is static. You point your camera, focus and recompose – Oh! NO! you lost focus and more Oh! No! the opportunity is gone. What could you have done? You could have switched the camera back to One-Shot or AF-S or switched your lens to manual focus after getting focus and then pressing the shutter to grab the shot. This would definitely be too late.To overcome this issue you need to separate the focus initiation from your shutter release. Now you need to assign focusing to some other button. Typically this is one of the buttons on the back of your camera and hence the term Back Button Focusing or BBF.Using your custom functions or menu functions set your shutter to meter only, assign the AF-On button to initiate focus. Now you will use your thumb to depress the AF-On button to initiate focus and then use the shutter button to capture the image. There are two steps but well worth it.One of the greatest benefits is when you want to lock focus, you simply release the AF-On button.  The lens will not refocus till you depress the AF-On button again. So for any action photography you can be ready for any motion and yet be in a position to lock focus when you need to.A huge benefit, you can leave your camera in AI-Servo or AF-C mode and never have to switch to One Shot or AI-S mode. When you use BBF, as long as the AF-on button is depressed the focusing system will remain active in follow focus mode tracking your subject (AI-Servo or AF-C), release the button and focus stays locked. So for stationary subjects, all you need to do is to tap the AF-ON button and focus system will focus and lock.  Remember to release the AF-On or the camera will continue to try and refocus.Now once you set BBF you need to be aware that this will take some getting used to.  Your fingers and brain need a major reset.  You will miss a few good shots but once you are used to this system you will wonder why you have been wasting so may good opportunities.Warning for Nikon users: The back button focusing button AF-ON will not trigger the lens vibration reduction “VR”. The shutter button must be half depressed to trigger VR. 

A single leaf

If poetry comes not as naturally as leaves to a tree it had better not come at all.John Keats

Even a maple leaf past seems to feel this New England cold.

So looking forward to Spring

This image was treated with Macphun Intensify Pro

Google updates the NiK Plug-in suite.

Google has released Version 1.110 of the NiK Plug-in suite. Updates are installed automatically so you don't have to do anything.On a personal note, I wish they would upgrade Define and Sharpener Pro - the software is so outdated.

The following are the release notes

• Fixed crashes and other issues with Intel GMA GPUs on Windows and Mac OS
• Fixed an issue with the progress bar causing our software's window to appear on top of other windows
• Improved launch speed
• Fixed an issue with preset tool tips that occurred after a preset was renamed
• Several updates to translated text
• Silver Efex Pro 2: Reset the default Compare "before" image to the default black and white image in Side-by-Side and Split View modes. Users who want to compare to the original colored image need to adjust the comparison state in the History browser
• Color Efex Pro 4: Fixed the functionality of the Cool Ice method in Photo Stylizer.
• Sharpener Pro 3: Fixed an issue that occurred when working with multiple images in Aperture and using “Color Ranges” for selective sharpening that set the three custom colors to grey instead of to red/orange/blue for the second image or later

iUSBport Camera Review

The iUSBPort Camera is a wireless camera to iPad tethering device compatible with a number of Canon and Nikon DSLR’s.  It communicates with the camera via a USB cable and communicates with the iPad in WiFi 802.11b/g/n "Access Point", "Ad Hoc” and "Infrastructure” modes.

It allows your iOS devices, MAC’s and PC’s to remotely control your camera.  Of significance is the ability to expand the size of your LCD view into the size of your IOS or personal computer screen.The iUSBPort Camera is manufactured by Sanho Corporation the makers of IUSB Port, HyperJuice and HyperDrive devices.The remote control software is a free app available from Apple iTunes Apps store for iOS devices and from Sanho for Android devices.  As of the writing of this review I found the most control and operation flexibility is offered when using an iPad.

Dimensions:	84 x 72 x 37mm / 3.31" x 2.83" x 1.46"
Weight:	89g / 3.14oz
Screen:	Mono 132 x 32 pixels LCD
Ports:	1 x High Speed 480Mbps USB Host Port (5W Powered)
Wireless/Speed:	WiFi 802.11b/g/n "Access Point", "Ad Hoc” and "Infrastructure" Mode, 20Mbps
Built-in Memory:	4GB (500+ image buffer to support continuous shooting)
Software:	Native iOS, Android, Mac, Windows app
File System	FAT / FAT32 / exFAT / NTFS / HFS+
Battery:	3300mAh Rechargeable Li-Poly Battery. Up to 8 hours battery life
Input Power:	10W (5V, 2A) via standard micro USB port. 5-7 hours to full charge.
Included Accessories	DC USB charging cord and USB cable

 The iUSBport Camera package includes a standard mini USB cable and a USB recharging cable. You will need to charge the battery that is internal to the unit and rated at 3300 mA hours. The battery can be charged using any USB port on your PC or an external USB charger. A fully discharged battery requires about 7 hours of charging time and gives you a useful charge of approximately 8 hours. This is as stated by the manufacturer but not tested for this length of time during this review. I do find that this duration for recharging may pose a problem. A battery compartment would be a nice feature allowing you to replace the discharged battery and continue shooting.The device itself is made of plastic and is relatively large.  The underside of the unit has a standard cold shoe mount enabling you to mount the unit into your camera’s hot shoe flash mount.  This mount also has a quarter inch socket allowing you to use the unit with any alternative method of threaded mounting. The mini USB cable connects to the USB port on your camera. Turning on the unit with the power button on the side opens the display on top of the unit. This is a two-line display that provides various status messages. An additional blue light indicates power on and flashes during data transfer activity. A battery charge indicator stays a yellow/orange during charging and turns green when the battery is fully charged.To control the iUSBport Camera using an iOS device you must download the application from the Apple App Store. You will see two available apps, the one you want is the black and orange icon app.  See image belowIf you have the older app please delete it and install the latest app.  There are significant enhancements and additional features that have been incorporated.Once you have downloaded the application from the app store you will need to pair your iOS device with the iUSBport Camera. There are multiple ways to pair and connect the devices using either an ad-hock network or your existing Wi-Fi network. If you use the ad-hoc network your iOS device will not communicate with the Internet. Pairing using your existing Wi-Fi network will allow your iOS device full access to the Internet while connected. Either of these options works well and both operate at about the same network speed. However, the advantage of an ad-hock  network is that you can use the paired configuration in any location. This is clearly a convenient feature and will be appreciated by most photographers.Let’s step through the setup for an ad-hock connection.  With the unit connected to the camera power on the unit and then the camera. If the connection is successful the display on the unit will read “iUSBport Camera Ready”Now go to “settings” on your iPad and you should see iUSBport as one of the network choices.  Select it and wait until the connection is established.

 Now open the iUSBport application and if you do not see your camera on the Dashboard tap the refresh icon (top right).

On a successful detection of the camera the iUSBport Camera will display “iUSBport Camera Tethered”. Concurrently the Camera Control Panel will be launched.

  The top right of the screen displays all the camera settings that the camera has been set with.Tap Lv and the camera will switch to Live View mode and the image preview will be displayed on your iOS device.

Using the control panel you can set ISO, Aperture, white Balance, etc. Each of these  can be changed remotely using the iOS device. Tap on the orange text buttons to open a window where you can modify the setting. Tap on the green check button to commit the setting in the camera. See the image below.

In live view mode, you are also able to select the point of focus by tapping on the area on screen to establish that as the focus point.

If focus is established the focus indicator will turn green.

If focus can not be established the indicator will turn red.

Taping the “Camera Icon” you can remotely release the shutter. The shutter will be triggered only if there is a card in the camera with available space to store captured images and the camera attains focus. The image will be captured on the camera's memory card and also transferred to the iOS device. These functions are based on the "Settings" panel shown below.

You can also manual focus by tapping the MF button.  A manual focus panel will open. Three sets of arrows will move the focus in either direction in small, medium and large increments.

Five regions are available to review various areas of the live view screen. A slider is provided to increase the magnification for fine tuning focus. See the next image.

 Various functions are made available or greyed out base on Still or Video capture.If you click on the video icon the unit will switch the camera to video more. The shutter release button will change from a camera to a red dot. See below.

Taping the button will start the video recording.  While the video recording is in progress the red button will become brighter with a red indicator on the button's circumference. A red flashing indicator will also display on the preview screen.

Video Record Mode: This will switch the camera from still capture to video captureThe iUSBport Camera and the iOS app also provide HDR and Timelapse functionality.  HDR images can be captured in either Aperture priority mode (I do not recommend this method at all), Shutter priority mode and ISO mode where each can be bracketed in various increments and numbers of images captured. To capture HDR you must use the "Run" button not the shutter release button.

Time lapse sequences are captured by using the time-lapse button to the right of the HDR button.  Set all required ISO, aperture and shutter setting in the camera settings panel. Next tap the Time-lapse button and set the initial start delay, the interval between shots and the number of images to be captured. Start the capture by tapping the "Run" button.

A screen toggle icon is available on the left lower third of the screen. Tapping this toggles to a semi full screen mode.

Tapping the camera icon (lower right corner) opens a settings window where you can make changes to your camera settings for exposure, white balance, etc.

The top right corner has a icon that can be used to toggle live view on or off. The right edge center is the shutter release button.  On the left edge toward the center is a filmstrip view that shows images captured.  You can scroll up and down to select any image for display. See the image below.

If you select an image from the film strip it will open full screen. A set of three additional icons will be displayed in the bottom edge of the screen.  from left to right, the trash can, the histogram and a star ratings icon. The histogram and the other to set ratings icon open individual windows to display a histogram and a 1 to 5 star rating panel.

The histogram will only be displayed if the center icon (the histogram icon) is tapped.

When this screen is active and live view is active the app will not permit any incremental zooming. However zooming in is available when reviewing any images from the filmstrip.

When an image is selected for review the top of the screen displays the file name, time of capture and the image file size.

Using the iUSBport Camera

Establishing an ad-hoc connection with the iPAD was very easy and all the functions on the primary screen work as they should. The preview and Live modes remain in the Landscape display mode irrespective of how you camera is oriented.  This could be resolved and would make the application much more valuable.  Camera functions were easy to change and registered as they should.  The HDR mode is a bit clumsy and requires a little getting used to.  The time-lapse function is more than adequate for normal time-lapse capture.

In the full screen mode all functions work as expected with one exception.  I was unable to set any star rating.  Each time the application would crash and required a restart. This problem exists in both screen modes and is an annoyance that need to be addressed. The other significant issue is during capture.  As you capture images the filmstrip will show the first three images captured but none of the incremental images. You must scroll through to get to the current image. This filmstrip needs to advance as each image is captured.

On the physical aspects the unit is fairly large and since it is designed to be mounted on the hot shoe of the camera the hot shoe foot is very loose.  A clamping lever or a scream wheel as provided on most hot shoe flash heads would have been a good feature.

At its current price point of $199 I would recommend this product for anybody wishing to remotely control their DSLR using an iOS device in a wireless network environment.

Metering Modes and How Your Camera Meter Works

My latest article has been published in Digital Photography School.  Non DPS subscribers may read it using the link below.  There are lots of excellent articles and product reviews available in DPS and they are all free.Click Here for the article

Lightroom for Mobile Devices

A post on DPReview http://www.dpreview.com/news/2014/01/18/adobe-leaks-lightroom-mobile-app indicate  the mobile version of Lightroom will be released soon.  The price point is what I find bothersome.  An annual subscription of $99 or about $9 a month after adding taxes.  Not sure if a non-cloud based License will be available or will the cloud subscription be the only option.  Mobile apps range from $0.99 to under $50.00 and most are upgraded at no additional charge.  Adobe appears to have its sights on a different pricing model.

Balancing Color for Flash and Ambient Light Using Gels

So glad to see another one of my articles published in Digital Photography SchoolClick Here read the article

Think Tank Retrospective - A Special offer

Think Tank Photo just announced a limited special offer.  Between now and February 6, 2014, when you purchase a Retrospective® Laptop Case or a Retrospective® Camera/Laptop Bag you will receive for free your choice of a PowerHouse Air or a PowerHouse Pro clear organizer.The Retrospectives combine classic design with room for modern camera gear to create the perfect shooter’s bag. These lightweight shoulder bags come in three fabrics that offer a sense a style that matches your shooting needs.These customizable clear cases fit power adapters, plus AC cable, pens, small cables, USB drives and other small items. Easily configure the dividers to suit your needs and stay organized.  Secure each item in its own dedicated space for easy access. Keep chargers organized with divided space for the power adapter and the cable inside a clear zippered pocket. Zippered organizer pockets on the back of the case hold small adapters and cables.Click on the banner below to order.

Nikon's Flagship D-SLR to be Shown at 2014 CES Today

Press Release:

MELVILLE, N.Y. – Nikon Corporation is preparing for the release of its next-generation flagship model, and has announced the development of the Nikon D4S HD-SLR.  The camera will be on display, before its official release, at the Nikon booth (#14916, Central Hall) at the 2014 International CES show from January 7-10, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As Nikon's new flagship model, the D4S will offer advances over the Nikon D4 HD-SLR camera, including enhanced image quality enabled with adoption of a new image-processing engine. The new HD-SLR will also feature more advanced autofocusing performance, further solidifying it as the choice for professional sports, nature and event photographers as well as photojournalists.

The D4S represents a concentration of Nikon's advanced camera development technologies and legacy as a leader in imaging. The D4S will further expand the possibilities for professional photographers who demand the best possible performance and image quality in challenging environments. The Nikon D4S will build upon the success of the acclaimed Nikon D4, a camera highly regarded for its speed, unrivaled low-light ability and amazing image quality that made it the choice of professionals and advanced amateurs around the world.

Further details regarding the Nikon D4S, including announcement date, availability and suggested retail price will be announced at a later date.

When Plagiarism Hits Home

During most of my 1 day workshops and seminars, I am often asked for a copy of my slides or a set of notes.  On occasion I have had attendees use their smart phones and iPads to capture images of each slide. On a few occasions, I have had someone discreetly record my entire presentation.  I have never said any thing. I have had one known occasion where what I presented was used by someone else as their own work.I am always torn between whether to give a copy or not. This is a difficult situation. A lot of work goes into putting together a workshop, the research, the content, the hands-on, and even the notes.  For someone to take and use the very same for personal gain is unethical and this has come to light in a few recent cases.  Two well known photographers who were well respected in the photographic community were found plagiarizing and as a result have had to pull out from the next WPPI.Now, a recent case has emerged where a photographer/videographer attended a workshop and subsequently used pretty much the same material, the same verbiage, the same examples and the same references to do his workshop on Creative Live.  This is like saying, not only did I steal but let me show the community what I stole.More on this at https://www.slrlounge.com/stolen-workshop-unfortunate-common-trendTheft in the photographic world is not new. Copyright infringement is not new.  What is so disturbing is that the very photographers who are trying to protect their own copyright have shown little regard or respect for a fellow photographer's or a fellow artist's work.Frederick van Johnson discussed this on the most recent episode of This Week in Photography entitled Theft vs. Creative Inspiration - TWiP 341. Of significance are: what , when and how you should give credit if you use someone else's work.Can you as photographer condone this?Your thoughts and comments would be most appreciated.  Use the comments section on this post so that all my all Facebook, Google, Twitter readers and other social media followers can read your posts.

Cold Weather Photography Tips

With temperatures in New England and other parts of the world, down in the single digits and below I thought it would be a good idea to provide some cold weather photography tips.

There are three key items to keep in mind:

• Going from warm into the cold
• Photographing in the cold
• Coming back in from the cold

Going from Warm into the Cold

Going out into the cold has minimum issues with your camera equipment but is a problem for you if you are not dressed appropriately.  Layers of warm clothing are preferred rather than one inner and a thick outer layer.  Good boots, hats, scarves and touch sensitive gloves or flip out photographer’s mittens are a must.  Use chemical warmers in your boots and gloves to keep your extremities warm. Unless it is snowing, your camera and lenses need little additional protection.  They will survive the cold once they come down to temperature.  This is one time you do not need to worry about condensation - cold air carries minimum moisture.  Carry carbon fibre tripods as they do not get as cold as the aluminum ones.  Cover the upper legs with leg covers that can be purchased from any camera store.  You can also tape hot-water pipe insulation that you can buy at you local hardware or plumbing supply store.

Photographing in the Cold

So now you are out and your equipment is freezing as are you.  Keep your camera inside your over garment - keep it warm as in extreme conditions you can end up with a frozen shutter (it is the lubricant that tends to freeze). You will soon realize that your camera’s battery has depleted and the camera stops working.  Always bring a few spare batteries with you.  Carry them in an inner pocket so your body will keep them warm.  Swap out the depleted battery with a fully charged warm one and you are ready to shoot again. Cycle through your spares.  The first battery you thought was dead will recover a decent charge when it warms up so you can repeat the process a few times.

Take your camera out from under your clothing when you are ready to shoot.  Do not breathe on your camera, particularly the viewfinder. The moisture in your breath will condense on the eye pice and cause a loss of visibility and lost photo opportunities. If it is snowing heavily, use protective waterproof devices to protect your camera and lens.  You can use plastic bags in a pinch. Always carry a lens brush so you can brush of any snow from the front element of your lens.  It is good to periodically check for snowflakes.  If the lens was warm and some snow starts melting then use a dry lint free cloth to wipe off the moisture.

Coming back from the Cold

With your photography done it time to come back indoors or to the warmth of your car.  Stop! The equipment is cold the indoor air is warm and moist - CONDENSATION is ready to play havoc with the camera and lens. What is worse, the humid air will penetrate all openings within your camera and lens.  This condensation can be really detrimental to the electronics and mechanical components of your gear. Even if you own weatherproofed professional equipment you should still take precautions.

What you need to do is to let all this cold equipment warm up slowly while it is placed inside an air tight enclosure.  Large Ziploc® or similar bags are ideal. If you do not have any of these bags you can place your equipment in your camera bag that can be zippered shut.  Messenger style bags are not suitable.  Put the equipment in the bag before you bring it into a warm area.  Now any moisture will condense on the bag, not inside and no moisture will condense on your equipment.

Hopefully these pointers will help you and give you the opportunity for some great cold weather photography.

2014 - 1st Quarter One-Day Workshops

Here is the schedule for the first Quarter of  2014.  Please use this REGISTRATION link for details about each workshop and to register.REMEMBER ALL ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS INCLUDE A PIZZA LUNCHJanuary 11 - Product Photography and Lighting TechniquesJanuary 12 – Food Photography and Lighting TechniquesJanuary 18 – Lighting for PortraitureJanuary 19 – Timelapse Photography, post processing and video assemblyJanuary 25 - Macro CloseupJanuary 26 – The Digital Darkroom – a course that covers capture to process and enhancement to output to print and web media. A one day program for digital image making workflowFebruary 1 – Flower Photography, Textures, Blending and moreFebruary 2 – Lightroom 5February 8 – HDR – done right using Photoshop, Photomatics, NiK HDR Efex 2, EnfuseFebruary 9 - Macro CloseupFebruary 22 – Timelapse Photography, post processing and video assemblyFebruary 23 - Photography Basics 1 day Class March 1 – Flash PhotographyMarch 2 – Lightroom 5If you have any questions or would like more information please call 617-759-0010 or email sv @ shivverma.com (please remove the spaces) 

To All A Very Happy New Year

How many resolutions have you kept, and if so ......Another year is done and the New Year will be upon us in a few hours.  Oh yes, some of you are making resolutions and some are making commitments - all good intentions, but how many do you keep, and if you do, for how long?If you are, or want to be a photographer, here is a list of  10 “DO’s” worth committing to:

1. Learn to be deliberate with each image.
2. Don’t shoot the same frame unless you make a change
3. Learn and pay attention to composition
4. Learn and pay attention to exposure (expose to the right)
5. Respect your subject - always
6. Don’t get enamored with new equipment - unless you have mastered what is in your bag
7. Make images don’t just take images
8. Look behind you - there is another image, possibly even better
9. Be aware of photographer’s etiquette (it is common sense)
10. Learn something every single day (it may not be new)

To my readers, those who have attended my workshops, classes and al my friends, I give a heartfelt thanks for 2013!  I look forward to another exciting year with you in 2014.  To all A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.  

My Decision for the Creative Cloud

Given the fact that most of my plug-ins work with Lightroom and independently as stand-alone applications I will stay with my licensed copy of Photoshop CS6 and Lightroom 5.  As long as Adobe continues to create RAW converters for Lightroom there is no need to have ACR updates for Photoshop. I use NiK, OnOne and Topaz as my primary Plug-Ins and I feel the current version Photoshop is sufficient for my editing needs.If what whatever reason Adobe moves Lightroom to the cloud and makes that the only option my choices are as follows: its choice - Capture One for RAW and edits, 2nd - DxO for RAW conversion and corrections, and finally Aperture.  Yes this will be a learning curve, but I am willing to accept that as the option.There are 2 days left with the $9.99 pricing offer so make your decision wisely - I have made mine.

A Special Discount for LRTimelapse 3

LRTimelapse 3 is one of the best time-lapse assembly software products available and works seamlessly with Photoshop Lightroom 5.For the remainder of 2013 and January 1, 2014 you can license or upgrade to any version of LRTimelapse for a 15% discount.  This applies to upgrades and cross-grades too.A brief explanation of the options:

• If you still don't have any License, you can choose LRTimelapse 3 private and LRTimelapse 3 Pro. You can read about the differences here.
• If you have a LRT2 private license, you can get a discounted upgrade to LRT3 private or a discounted crossgrade to LRT3 Pro. For the latter, you will then save the cost of the update to version 3.
• If you have a license for LRT2 Pro (commercial), you will require the update to LRT3 Pro.
• If you already have upgraded to LRT3 private, you can crossgrade to Pro, if you need the advanced features.

Click Here and use the discount coupon code: XMAS2013LRT

Rode Video Mic Pro - Compact Shotgun Microphone

I got a Rode Video Mic Pro - Compact Shotgun Microphone for Christmas as a gift and put it through its paces. First impressions after two days of use - it is an exceptional, well built, mono video microphone that has a fantastic super cardioid condenser. Rode microphones are designed and made in Australia. The Video Mic Pro is easy to mount on any DSLR hot-shoe and with its built in 3/8 inch socket can be mounted on booms and stands with ease.

Specifications as provided by Rode

Frequency Range	40Hz - 20kHz
Output Impedance	200Ω
Maximum SPL	134dB SPL (@ 1kHz, 1% THD into 1KΩ load)
Maximum Output Level	6.9dBu (@ 1kHz, 1% THD into 1KΩ load)
Sensitivity	-38.0dB re 1 Volt/Pascal (12.60mV @ 94 dB SPL) +/- 2 dB @ 1kHz
Signal to Noise Ratio	74dB
Equivalent Noise Level (A-weighted)	20dB-A
Weight	85.00gm
Dimensions	95.00mmH x 43.00mmW x 150.00mmD

I was a bit surprised with the short length of the cable that connects the mic to the 3.5 mm socket in camera.  However, it is long enough for all DSLR’s when the mic is mounted on the hot shoe. Extension cables are a quick fix when you want the microphone connected to an external recorder or when mounted on a boom pole. The mono output is paralleled to both left and right channels. The unit is powered by a 9V battery housed in the microphone frame.  I found the battery door to be a bit clumsy in its construction and the ease of opening and closing the compartment door is not easy. The battery life is stated at 70 hours, which is more than sufficient for any field work.

The unit is mounted within a cradle with four shock/vibration control elastic bands. A second set of these bands is included in the packaging. There is sufficient clearance between the cradle and the mic so the likelihood of any bumps and interference during normal use.

The rear of the microphone has two three-position slider switches.  The upper switch positions are power Off, Mic On (flat response) and Mic On HPF (High Pass Filter set at 80Hz).  The second switch is a three-position attenuation control. -10dB, 0 and +20dB.  Above these switches is a LED that flashes red on power on and then turns to green.  When the battery is low the LED will turn to a solid red.The high Pass Filter is excellent at filtering room noise, environmental hum, and other low frequency ambient noise. Wind and pops are well handled by the foam encasing on the super cardioid.  The microphone’s attenuation control functions exceptional well.  In loud environments, street scenes with a lot of traffic noise the -10db and 0 db settings are ideal.  However in low sound level situations the +20db has the right amount of boost with absolutely no deterioration of sound quality.  The directional pattern is excellent and the mic eliminates side and read sounds very well.The +20db setting was not required when the microphone was connected to and external recorder.  Using 0db set on the mic and attenuating the signal on the recorder yielded the best results.The microphone is well packaged comes with a quick start guide However the manual must be downloaded from the website. The warranty is 1 year that will be extended to a 10 year warranty once you register. You must register your product on the Rode web site at www/rodemic.com.In conclusion, this is an excellent light-weight professional shotgun mice that I have no hesitation recommending for any DSLR videographer.You can get this mic at The Camera Company - click here and at Hunts Photo - click here

Season's Greetings

A Podcast for all Photographers -TWiP

I don't remember when it was that I started listening to TWiP but it was a long time ago some time in 2008 when Scott Bourne was the host - TWiP 1 or were the podcasts even numbered then - it does not matter.  If you want to know about the what, where, and when of photography, subscribe to TWiP.  A weekly podcast hosted by the awesome Frederick Van Johnson and two or more co-hosts.  You can watch the video on http://www.thisweekinphoto.com or subscribe to the audio only podcast on iTunes - TWiP.  It is the most popular photography podcast listed on iTunes and has never been out of the top 100 Tech Podcast list and has been as high as number seven on the overall list, a mere six spots behind Oprah - WOW! The show has more than 200,000 listeners every month more than one million page views each month.Fore some shameless self promotion - I was interviewed by Frederick for episode #339 - click here to check it out.A plug for Frederick -  If you have a marketing question or need some education regarding marketing for your business you must check out www.mediabytes.com - a web site that Frederick started that has easily digestible bite sized education for all photographers.