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Best 8 of 2008

January 2, 2009 Jason3 Comments

A new year has begun! Happy New Year to my online friends and family! Last year was a great year – it marked the first full year of blogging for me. It showed me how challenging it is to generate new, useful, and meaningful content for readers on a regular basis. Format changes, layout changes, content delivery changes, and a host of other things have kept the blog active for going on almost 18 months now. So, what has kept things going? A great deal of fellowship and other bloggers have shared their wisdom and experiences with me, both personally, professionally, and through their own regular posts. To all of them, I would like to issue a collective “thank you.” However, just as in anything, some are more instrumental in their value, and I would like to deliver special thanks to a few of them. So, without further ado, here are the “Top 8 of 2008“!!!

The Online Photographer – Michael Johnston delivers a steady stream of photography-related content, including articles, news, reviews, and insights into such a wide and diverse range of subjects, it astounds me. Thanks Michael for your regular pearls of wisdom!
Photoshop Insider – Scott Kelby is perhaps one of the most prolific writers of our time on photography and Photoshop. Suffice to say, he definitely has his finger on the pulse of the photography community. If you want to know what’s going on, and what’s coming up soon – stop by Scott’s blog.
Strobist – David Hobby’s blog/site has become the de facto resource for anything and everything relating to lighting for photography. If you want to get schooled on lighting, Strobist is the place to go. He has several resources including the Lighting 101, Lighting 102, and regular content that is both educational and inspirational. If not in your bookmarks, add it today!
This Week in Photography (a.k.a. TWIP) – Led by Scott Bourne, and contributing photographers Alex Lindsay, Steve Simon, Ron Brinkmann, and Fred Johnson, these professionals get together once a week in a podcast to deliver some of the best audio content on the web. A little more than a year old, they’ve risen quickly to become the creme de la creme of audio podcasts. The blog also has great tips and content delivered regularly by Scott. Thanks to this entire crowd for raising the bar on audio podcasting!
Digital Photography Life – Led by Scott Sherman and Michael Stein, this podcast started under another name by another sponsor, and their departure from the airwaves shortly was a source of great concern for me. These guys are the normal guys, the enthusiasts of photography – just like me (only probably more knowledgable, insightful, and entertaining). Their weekly podcasts are always a kick to listen to and make for perfect commute killers! Thanks to Scott and Michael!
Jason D. Moore – I would be remiss in not mentioning Jason’s influence not only on my blogging, but also on my photography. Jason was generous enough not only to include me in his now famous “Weekly P&P” listings, but also as a contributing member to the now well-known and respected Geographic Composition series. Without his generosity and kind words of support I would not be where I am today either as a blogger or a photographer. Thanks Jason!
Photowalking Pro – Jeff Revell has become a household name for introducing the idea of photowalking to the masses. From there he has springboarded to become a well-respected member of the photography community. He has tutorials, reviews, and just tons of great content that are inspirational and meaningful for anyone of any background and ability. He was generous enough to also donate time to being on the CB Interview series. Thanks to Jeff for taking the time to participate, and to also serve as a source of inspiration!
Michael Palmer Photography – Michael has shown me, both through his comments here, as well as through his contributions to the Geographic Composition Series and on his own blog, that when push comes to shove, in the end, it’s always about the photograph. He has produced some amazing images that he has willingly shared in a variety of outlets including those mentioned, as well as on his won website. Whenever I need a dose of pure inspiration, I look through his photography, as well as his comments here. So, thanks to Mike for all your support and motivation through the past year!

These are just some of the resources and friendships I have developed that have had a meaningful impact on the quality of both my photography and blogging in 2008. Thanks again to the whole gang! It’s been a great ’08 – let’s make it a fine ’09! (Yeah, that was cheesy, but it rhyhmed!)

In the meantime, keep on shooting and best regards to the entire community for a prosperous and bountiful new year! Happy Shooting!

Top 100 of 2008 Honors!

December 29, 2008 Jason1 Comment

For the interim posts between Christmas and New Year, I am not going to be introducing much in the way of new content, but while traveling recently, I got word that CanonBlogger receieved accolades as one of the top 100 blogs for 2008. Thanks so much for the recognition! In looking at the other sites mentioned, I would also highly recommend the entire list of other blogs as many are in my daily read list. Be sure to stop over and see the others honored this year:

Top 100 Blogs of 2008

The true meaning of Christmas…

December 25, 2008 Jason3 Comments

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Merry Christmas one and all…

December 24, 2008 JasonLeave a comment

As we join with family, friends and loved ones to enjoy the holiday season, and share our Christmas wishes with one another, this week the “What’s This?” takes a holiday break. Please enjoy the season with your loved ones. I’ll be back on Monday with the last photo tidbits for the year! God bless and Merry Christmas!

The Final Broadcast… of 2008!

December 23, 2008 Jason1 Comment

That’s right, this week is the final podcast broadcast for CB this year! It’s a good one though with an announcement of the new product line I’ll be reviewing. For those of you getting this in feed readers, here’s the short version:

Christmas Wrap-up: A few last minute gift ideas for the photog-type in your circle
The New Product Line Review Announcement (you gotta listen to find out! 😉 )
The Value of Starting Over
Listener Questions and Answers

Dave from PA – Hot shoe flashes: tungsten or flourescent?

Lynn from WI – Are 3rd party batteries safe?

Kevin from CO – Best way to learn photography

Tomorrow, the last What’s This of the Year, and then lights out…nothing again until next week. The next edition of Thursday Thoughts will come back the second week of January (I couldn’t find it in myself to ask someone to put something together for New Years Day any more than Christmas Day!) That means you’re actually gonna have to spend time with family, friends, and loved ones for a few days. Oh darn! Hope that shopping is almost done! If not, be sure you tune in for those last minute gift ideas! Thanks for tuning in and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

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P.S. What made this week’s podcast different from any other podcast I’ve done this year? (Other than the fact that it’s the last one of the year…)

Year in review

December 22, 2008 Jason3 Comments

As photographers, we are always anxious to get out and capture more images of the beauty that surrounds us. Whether that beauty come in the form of architecture, portraiture, landscapes, wildlife, or any other genre, each has a commonality in that it lures us to keep capturing, and eventually sharing our images with others, whether they be clients, family and friends, or whomever we choose to share our vision with, in whatever form we choose.

One thing that can often elude us though, is the review of our own work. It is this review that kept me from posting on Friday. I was trying to find a few choice images to print out for some photo frames as gifts when I realized I had gone almost two years without a serious evaluation of my work. This means a serious quantity of images had built up that was in need of review. While I have winnowed things down significantly, (and thus freed up a fair amount of hard drive space), a few stand out head and shoulders above the rest. So, for this last full week of 2008, I thought I’d share some of what I feel are the best shots I took of the year. I would encourage others to perform the same ritual. Not only will it help winnow your hard drive space, but it can also give you an honest assessment at how your skills have developed, and help define where you want to go from here. I will give fair warning in that you may have seen some of these before, and that the slideshow does have a music score. I went for something subtle, but many do not like music forcibly pushed on them, so if that’s the case, please mute your headphones or speakers now. So, without further ado, here’s some of my best from 2008:

Jason’s Photography – Best of 2008

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: fine wildlife)

In closing, a few things to consider:

What do you think?
Should I be happy with this?
Could I be doing better?
What about the reviewing? Good idea/bad idea?
Have you seen other photos I’ve shared that should be included?
What about your own reviews? Anyone have any photo reviews to share?

Feel free to share your thoughts/comments/feedback here. As always, happy shooting and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

Thursday Thoughts with… Rob Jones

December 18, 2008 Jason2 Comments

Welcome back to another Thursday Thoughts posting. This week, I am honored to have Rob Jones of Towner Jones Photography participating with the CB Series. You might recall, Rob was kind enough to ask me to guest blog for him a week or two ago at his site, so I thought to reciprocate with him here. (I got the far better deal as he clearly took quite a bit of time with the questions, and even was kind enough to share some of his work with me here at the blog.) Do stop over to his site and peruse through everything he has to offer – I find myself learning nuggets from him almost every day! So, without further ado, here’s Rob Jones:

Q: Everyone always wants to know some of the basics, so let’s get a few things out of the way at once here…1. How long have you been a photographer?

A: I’ve enjoyed shooting pictures since I was a kid. I was in engineering school when digital photography really started gaining ground (late ‘90s) and that’s when my passion for shooting really began. (The technical nerd in me realized that I could feed my artistic side with cameras that required computers… what a concept!!) Then in January of 2007 my wife and I turned our love of photography into a side-business and we haven’t looked back as the business continues to grow. Full-time someday is the current dream. Sorry, that was a little more than you asked for.

Q: Canon, Nikon, Sonly, Olympus, Pentax or some other brand?

A: This may not be the best place to admit this, but I’m a Nikon guy. I can, however, honestly say I’ve never participated in any Canon bashing, online or in person. I do enjoy a little rivalry though…

Q: Mac, PC, or Linux?

A: As I mentioned earlier, I’m also an engineer so it’s PC all the way. I can’t trust a computer that doesn’t get rebooted everyday.

Q: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

Vanilla, with Hershey’s chocolate syrup. I may have a bowl after the interview.

Q: Moving into a little more granularity, photographers often enjoy hearing helpful and constructive critiques of their work, as we are aware of how much we can grow from it. However, we’ve also all had the “nice shot” and “cool” comments when we’ve shared our work. With that backdrop in place…what was the singular most useful critique or comment you’ve ever had on work you’ve shared publicly, and who said it (if you can share)?

One of my blog readers, a guy I know as “Emilio” regularly asks me, “Why did you…” or “What made you choose…” or the like about the photos I share on the blog. At first, I would find myself getting a little defensive, but later realized that being asked to express what was going through your mind when you took a photograph is a really powerful way to grow your photography. If you start to ask yourself those same questions BEFORE you take the picture, you’ll see the ratio of “keepers” increase.

Q: If someone was asking you for an honest critique of their work, what 3 factors would you look at most (excluding friendships or family relatives, we’re talking professional or fellow photographer-types here)?

A: Composition – Are you trying to create something artistic or are you just taking a snapshot? Either is fine, just know what you’re going for when you frame the shot.

Exposure – Are all of the areas of interest in the photograph properly exposed? Would a little artificial light make the difference between a good photo and a great photo?

Character – Coming from a guy who takes way too many pictures, I may sound like a hypocrite, but quantity does not lead to quality. Pictures with real character usually are the result of selecting a subject that interests you, and taking the time to put a little bit of yourself in each photograph.

Q: Got any war stories from field shoots or outings that you can or would be willing to share?

A: Here’s the one that still brings me the most pain when I think about it.

November 2006.

I had spent the whole morning walking the streets of downtown Toronto taking pictures of this beautiful city. Bundled, though I was, 19 degrees, was still cutting through my coat when the wind was blowing.

I turned a corner to find a homeless man, completely covered in blankets asleep on the sidewalk in front of me. Only a single, bare foot hung out exposed to the elements.

As I was lifting my camera to take the shot (which was pretty moving by itself) a brand new Lamborghini Murcielago turned onto the street about a block or so up the road. It was heading toward us, and would pass the homeless man on the sidewalk. Both would fit perfectly into my frame. I zoomed out to reframe the shot.

My heart pounding I waited for my moment… and squeezed the shutter release.

It is at this point that I noticed the ‘FULL’ prominently displayed in my viewfinder.

I have never let a memory card get below 20-30 remaining images since – you just don’t know when that amazing photo is going to present itself.

Q: If you had to choose between the gear or the software as the only way to create, which would it be and why?

A: Gear. I love messing around on the computer more than most folks, but I sit behind a desk too much of my time. The camera lets me get out into the world, and that’s where all the photos are.

Q: If you had to pick three pictures out of your entire portfolio to represent your approach to photography, or your artistic vision, which ones would you pick (feel free to share images here)?

A: Three pictures! There’s no way. Problem is, my artistic vision continues to change, and (I hope) my approach to photography continues to mature with time. Recently I’ve enjoyed continuing to develop my portrait photography, so I’ll share a couple favorites from that genre.

The first is a studio shot I did of a good friend of ours whose husband is a musician (that’s his beloved guitar) – we did this as a surprise gift for him. I love the photo as it really captured both her beauty and attitude.

The next is fairly recent, from one of my more exciting assignments. I had the honor of serving as the official event photographer for the White House Summit on International Development here in DC. With the distinction of being a part of the logistics team for the event, I was given access to the president – and was allowed to stand right at the base of his podium during his speech. I don’t care what your politics are, that was a blast.

Finally, out of the thousands upon thousands of photos I’ve taken, this one currently holds the most treasured spot in my heart. My blog readers will recognize this as the shot I posted on Thanksgiving this year, my two beautiful daughters Reagan and McKinley, on the first occasion I was able to get them in the studio (the day McKinley came home from the hospital).

Q: Any final thoughts you’d like to share about the state of photography or any catch phrases that you keep in mind when shooting?

A: Let’s see. I’ve got a catch phrase that really stuck with me, from a conversation with the great Scott Kelby, about post-processing that I really like. When discussing what amount of “retouching” is acceptable for portraits (in context, a group of us were talking about a shot of a bride) Scott said, “It OK to make a bride look as beautiful as she should feel on her wedding day.” That kind of thing is why that guy gets book deals. I still think about that statement every time I’m in post.

Final thoughts on photography… I’m like many others, excited to see an expansion of the art form and enjoying an ever-growing community of folks who share my same love for photos.

Jason, thank you for the opportunity to ramble on such an awesome blog – it’s been a lot of fun and I really appreciate it. Take care and Godspeed.

Rob, thanks to you for taking the time to participate, and readers, please take the time to stop over and see his blog and website – he’s got some truly great stuff there!

Whats This?

December 17, 2008 Jason3 Comments

Now in week 22, see if you can identify the latest picture of the day for the “What’s This?” series shown above. Lastt week’s shot as a constructio garbage chute from the inside. As promised I am including an exterior shot today so everyone can see what they look like from a “normal” perspective.

In other news, don’t forget the poll on the sidebar! We’re at 30 votes and counting – let’s see if we cna break that 50 mark! I also noticed that the feed readers are now over 500, and CB also hit a new one day high of 572! Very exciting stuff to see that many people enjoying the blog. Tomorrow’s Thursday Thoughts is none other than Rob Jones ot Towner Jones Photography. You may recall he asked me to guest post on his blog a few weeks ago, so I invited him to come in here and do the same! He’s got some great insights to share too, so be sure to stop back for that. Until then, happy shooting! Hope all your shots are good ones

Not Tuesday but Moo-Day

December 16, 2008 Jason3 Comments

Tuesdays seem to be daunting days for the podcast, so I may have to adjust the schedule some…I am thinking Fridays in the future, but would welcome suggestions. For the time being, here’s a couple shout outs and photos for your Tuesday enjoyment:

First off, thanks go out to Rob Jones of Towner Jones Photography for another nod from his blog.

I’d also like to pay special thanks to Dave Cross of NAPP fame. I saw a pretty big blip up on the blog from about a week or two ago and when recently looking at Google Analytics, saw he had given me a mention from his blog back on Dec. 1st. Thanks so much Dave, and although it’s been said, it’s worth saying again – my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Lastly, shouts to fellow NAPP member Mitzs who also gave me some link love on her blog, Pursuing Photoshop! Thanks for that! 🙂

And now, for the POTD entries, I was able to contribute to Jason Moore’s ongoing Geographic Composition series which is featured on his blog today, so here’s that photo:

And last but not least, since I got the 10-22mm lens (finally, after a year or so of debating which wide angle to get) on Friday, I was playing with the zoom and looking at the angle of view when my dog came right up to the lens the other day. Instinctively, I snapped the shutter. The aperture was wide open and the shutter speed was way to slow so the image quality is horrible, but the image itself is just hysterical. Her name is Maggie, but we call her Moo for short. So, in honor of her, I am closing today’s post with her:

Happy shooting, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!

Sex and photography?

December 15, 2008 Jason1 Comment

The Influence of Sex on Photography

This has been a topic I’ve wanted to address for some time now, because I think gender does have an impact on how we look at, and how we capture imagery. We all know that men and women are different, so it should come as no surprise that we see the world differently. Thus it also naturally would follow that we take pictures differently too. So, can we really break down how men and women take pictures differently?
Probably, given a scenario, anyone could devise a set of criteria to measure how people see the world. In fact, a recent article in Popular Photography (the one that inspired me to finally write this actually), suggests that men tend to think of images in technical terms (the geometry, the depth of field, the aperture, the shutter speed, the lighting, etc.) while women tend to look at images in terms of the impact and the meaning of the image. I am very much oversimplifying things here, so would highly encourage you to read the article at Popular Photography, but it does give us an indication that not only do we view the world differently, but that the world reacts to us differently as well.

I found the latter statement to be profoundly interesting… the world reacts to men photographers versus women photographers differently. It makes sense once it’s said, and you think about it. But are we aware of how we are impacting the shot? This is particularly a useful question to ask if we are taking portraits. People respond to genders differently all the time – call it a gender bias. It’s not necessarily a bad thing (though it can be if taken to an extreme), but it is something that we as photographers should try to get a sense of as we capture our images. So, put your radar antenna up – and look at how people respond to you. Are you getting the reaction or the expressions you want? If not, it might be simply the gender bias factor coming into play. Since there’s not much you can do about your own gender (at least not without a serious fiscal investment in some extensive medical procedures), about all we can do is be aware of it, and when possible mitigate the bias when we do encounter it.

For me that means talking to women and men, and working collaboratively when the situation permits. Surely though, there are other ways to address role that sex plays too. So, now that I’ve got your radar up – think about it, and consider these questions:

Are people reacting the way I want them to, and if not, could my gender be a factor?
How can I mitigate that?

Share your thoughts and answers in the comments!