Hi ,

 

 

The big news in the photography world last week was the release of Adobe Lightroom 4. This latest version adds some really great new features, including GPS geo tagging of your images on Google Maps, photo book creation options through Blurb, and of course, a powerful image processing engine that gives you even more control in your photo editing workflow.

 

Perhaps the best part about Lightroom 4 is the price- only $149 for the full version and $79 for the upgrade. That’s half what it used to be. If your at all serious about your photography and still use a system that’s based on iPhoto, Picasa or some other Non-Pro image software, now is definitely the time to upgrade. 

 

Check out Lightroom Laura’s What’s New in Lightroom 4 free video tutorial and get an introduction to all the new features. And if you’re a Lightroom Novice, check out the 18 part video course, Lightroom Made Easy by SteeleTraining and automatically get the additional LR 4 updates as they become available.

 

 

The other big news in the digital world last week was the announcement of the new Apple iPad. With a supercharged 1 Ghz dual core A5X processor and a 2048 x 1536 Retina Display, (twice the pixel density of the iPad 2), the iPad is becoming a powerful table that’s actually usable for professional photography work. Suddenly my 3 Productive iPad Apps for Photographers post is even more relevant. Check out the iPad Photography Magazine Roundup for a list of great photo related publications that you can get in the iPad Newsstand.

 

 

I often get asked by photographers what type of lens I’d recommend for a “second lens.” I try to answer these emails and blog comments as best I can, but for those who want additional insight on this matter, check out this great post, aptly called Your Second Lens that outlines the advantages of different types of lenses and why you might consider adding a certain type to your arsenal.

 

 

There are pretty much two truisms when it comes to flash photography. One, not matter how much you think you know, you’ll always screw something up, and two, you can never know too much. Even though I pretend that I can wrangle my Speedlights with some level of authority, I’m always looking for new ways to learn, whether they be book, video tutorials or useful websites like Strobist. 

 

This week on Photowhoa, which is a daily deals site for photographers, you can get flash photography guru Scott Robet Lim’s interactive flash guide called Master Lighting Guide to Flash Photography for 58% off- only $39. This in depth guide has text, diagrams, external links, video and more. Lots of great info that will help you improve your lighting skills and give your portraits a much more professional look. Just like all the Photowhoa deals, this one only lasts for a limited time. (3 more days.)

 

Of course, if $39 is too much for you right now, you can always pick up my latest flash ebook, Going Fast With Light- it’s only $12.95, (Shameless plug ;)

 

 

Last week we were bombarded with one of the most active solar storms in recent history. If you live even close to the northern latitudes and had clear weather, you were treated to unbelievable displays of the aurora. Here in Alaska, the displays were simply awesome. Check out these awesome photos by fellow Alaska photographer, Carl Donohue. Did you see and photograph the aurora where you live last week? If so, post some of your favorite images in the Outdoor Adventure Photography Flickr Group.

 

 

Last week, I wrote a handful of posts about compact cameras. While I’m mainly a DSLR guy, today’s small cameras are better than ever. Quality is up, focus is fast and shutter lag is gone, which means that these little image making machines can be worthy tools for any photographer, pro or enthusiast. I bought my first compact camera this year, have you bought one or are you thinking about finally buying one or upgrading? 

 

I hope that you’ve been getting some great shots this March!!

 

Enjoy the posts, share this newsletter with your friends and take care!

 

Dan