I’d like to start by thanking the new subscribers for signing up for my newsletters, and saying that if this is your first issue, then welcome! I’m excited to have you along and hope that I can help educate, inspire, or in some way, jump start your interest and excitement about photography with my experience and insight.

 

If you’re a veteran subscriber, then I’d like to thank you for staying with me through past issues, I hope that I’ve met your expectations about what you hoped to learn or gain by following me and my photography. 

 

 

I often get asked by readers which camera or camera system I’d recommend. Fifteen years ago, it was a no brainer. If you wanted to shoot high quality photos, you got an SLR. However, these days, with increasing technology, the field of possible choices has grown to include a huge variety of choices. Now, we have DLSRs, EVIL cameras (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable lens), Micro Four Thirds, and some very capable compact cameras. 

 

I still hold that if want the best quality, a DLSR is the way to go, but it’s not always practical to carry around a DSLR system. And when we’re talking quality, keep in mind that many smaller cameras these days produce images that are good enough for pro work. And when you consider that most photos end up on the web, just about any camera on the market produces acceptable quality imagery. 

 

My answer to this question revolves more around what you want to do with your camera, rather than how many megapixels you think you need. Does it work for you to carry a body and multiple lenses, or would you rather have a smaller, more portable system? Is pocket sized appealing or is that too small? Maybe you want to invest lightly in a couple of systems in order to be flexible. 

 

Whether you’re new to photography and looking for your first “serious” camera, or looking to upgrade, I’ll admit that for some, there’s no easy answer. In all cases, it requires a great deal of research and thought. Check out this article in Outdoor Photographer Magazine, it’s got some pretty good insight about what to consider when shopping for a new camera.

 

 

This month, David duChemin and his Craft and Vision crew released the first issue of their brand new magazine, Photograph- A Quarterly Magaine for Creative Professionals. Having been a big fan of the Craft and Vision eBooks and the personal vision that David has put across during the past 3 years, I was pretty excited about this release. I was not disappointed.

 

The first issue of Photograph brings a fresh look to the idea of photography magazines, mostly because it was created by an exceptional photographer. It’s filled with incredibly striking photo essays, complete with a large number of full page images, interviews with different shooters, tech tips, creative ideas, printing tutorials, gear reviews, insight and more. Contributors in the first issue include Art Wolfe, Younes Bounhar, Martin Bailey, Chris Orwig, Nicole S. Young and more.

 

Perhaps what I like most about Photograph is that it perfectly represents the style of new media that can be created by anyone. The reality is that you could create a magazine like this if you wanted to. Maybe you will someday. At any rate, not only is Photograph a beautiful journal that I know you’ll enjoy, I just think that this kind of creativity and ingenuity should be rewarded. Also, David is entirely open to having anyone submit work- he says so right in his Letter from the Editor column. Check it out! 

 

(photos by Seth Resnick)

 

Keywording is not our favorite aspect of digital imaging, (I often fall behind) but it’s a necessary and vital step in our workflow. Think about it- How many images do you shoot a year? Could you find each one if you needed to? How long would that take? 

 

I can’t stress how important it is to keyword and add the right metadata to your images. It could mean the difference between finding a shot for a client or customer, successfully filling a stock photo request or losing the sale because you “forgot about that shot,” or couldn’t find it. Even if you don’t sell your imagery as stock, you still want to have a well organized image catalog. 

 

Check out this post by Seth Resnick, who is often regarded as the king of keywording. I know Seth, I used to work with him a little bit years ago when I was a stock agency photo editor. He’s one of those guys who’s always right on top of the game in every single way, and you can learn a lot by reading anything that he writes.

 

 

I try to highlight current specials on camera gear that I know will benefit my readers. Hey, someone is always in the market for new gear, right? Here’s a list of instant rebates on Canon Lenses and Speedlights that’s going on right now. It’s a big list with some pretty good savings. For you Nikon shooters, here’s a list of Nikon rebates that are being offered through November 17, and offer savings up to $950 on bundled body/lens/flash combos. Anything to help save you some cash that you can use to fuel your adventures!

 

 

Right now, I’m offering my readers a 15% discount on my eBook collection, which includes Going Fast With Light, Making The Image and How to Become a Pro Photographer.  To save, simply use discount code LIGHT15 in your shopping cart and you’ll be able to save on the 3-eBook bundle. This is only a limited time deal, so grab it while it lasts! If you've already picked them up, then I'd like to thank you for your purchase. I hope they help you become a better photographer!

 

 

That’s if for this issue. Enjoy my recent blog posts and have fun with your camera this week! As always, thanks for reading, and be sure and share this newsletter with your other photographer friends!

 

Dan

 

Shot with the Fujifilm X10.