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See the full gallery on Posterous

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via content.photojojo.com

Nice DIY on how to get those phone images to blow up to massive prints.

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via blogs.reuters.com

Phenomenal demonstrations of the power and grip of photography.

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I’ll warn you right up front; this post is not for everyone. Some cameras have the ability to make a fine tune adjustment to autofocus. For those with a camera model that allows for fine tune adjustments, checking focus accuracy can be important, especially when shooting macro images where pinpoint focus is more vital. For the average shooter, the millimeter adjustments might not be as vital.

First off, here is a list of camera models known to have the ability to make micro-adjustments. This list is by no means complete, so check your camera’s instruction manual to see if this ability is available to you:

• Canon (50D, 7D, 5DMkII, 1DMkIII, 1DMkIV, 1DsMkIII, 1DIV)
• Nikon (D7000, D300, D300s, D700, D3, D3s, D3x)
• Sony (A850, A900)
• Olympus (E-30, E-620)
• Pentax (K20D, K7D)

I was sent a device from datacolor which aids in checking focus. You can certainly make your own device as the principle involved is simple: Focus camera on a known flat object and then measure front or back to where the camera is actually focusing. The time and know-how involved in making an accurate device would likely be comparable to the MSRP of $59USD for the datacolor LensCal.

Get a price for the Datacolor DC SLC100 SpyderLensCal Lens Calibration System on Amazon.

The Process

To check camera and lens autofocus (this test is best ran with each lens/camera combination you use) you will either need two tripods or a level surface. The LensCal comes with a tripod mount hole in it and it contains a bubble level.

Insure both the camera and LensCal are level, exactly perpendicular and at the same height. This is very important as being off to one side or the other, or pointing the camera slightly to the side, will cause an error in results. In my case, I used a table and bubble level. Turn off vibration reduction/image stabilization capabilities.

Lighting is important but not super critical, meaning a studio setup is not required. Make sure the target is light from in front. I chose a sunny day when the sun was slightly off of noon to give ample lighting.

datacolor notes the distance from lens to target should be around 5 to 10 times the focal length. The lens should also be zoomed all the way out, if it is a zoom lens. For instance, a 100mm lens should be 500mm-1000mm away. Some camera manufacturers might have other recommendations. The aperture of the lens should also be opened all the way (lowest number possible at that focal length) and it is best to use aperture priority mode. An open aperture will insure a shallow depth of field, making differences in focal points easier to spot. To help with viewing the image after shooting, I highly suggest using the lowest ISO you can achieve. There should be plenty of light available, so a low ISO won’t be a problem.

With autofocus turned on, choose a focus point at the middle of the target area. It’s important to not let the camera select a point from the ruler, which is why manual focus point selection is suggested. Now take a shot.

I suggest importing the photo into your computer for checking. Some people use the screen on their camera, which provides all the accuracy they are looking for, but I would not recommend its use. In the shot above, it appears my camera is back focusing; it is focusing too far to the rear. I note this by checking to see if the 0 is the sharpest point on the image. Here’s a 1:1 zoom of the above image (click for full size).

Now, I don’t have the best eyesight in the world, but I can see that the area behind 0 is more in focus than the area in front of 0. Is it huge? No, but it is noticeable. I selected a point about four steps back from 0 as what I thought was in focus. I then made the adjustment to my camera. Canon has an easy to understand symbol these days (it used to say Forward and Backward and confused some people). In this case, I adjust my focus backward by 4 millimeters, because it was back focusing.

I then reshot the target to check focus.

Is the change huge? Nope. And hopefully it won’t be for you too. At times I would use a 3:1 zoom in Lightroom to check, but at that zoom it becomes difficult to really tell. 1:1 works best.

Just to see how far out of whack things can be, here are two shots adjusted to -20 (pulling focus closer to the camera, creating more front focus) and +20 (just the opposite).

The biggest question I know many of you will ask; is the price worth the result? If you have multiple cameras and lens combinations, this device might serve you well (especially in a camera like the Canon 7D which allows for adjustments to be saved for each lens used). If you shoot macro, this device will also serve you well because at that range, millimeters often mater. Lastly, if you are a pro and tight focus matters to you, this device will help, especially if you rent lenses or upgrade camera bodies (it folds flat for easy storage).

For the average user, I would say the result might not justify the cost. In that case, an alternative method might be to shoot a flat, contrasting target and step through all 40 of the adjustments available (if your camera goes to -20 and +20). Then review in a computer and make your best guess which is most in focus. This is certainly more time consuming and requires a steady hand as you make about 120 presses of buttons on through your camera’s menus.

Check out the Datacolor DC SLC100 SpyderLensCal Lens Calibration System on Amazon.

Post from: Digital Photography School's Photography Tips. Check out our resources on Portrait Photography Tips, Travel Photography Tips and Understanding Digital Cameras.

Adjusting Focus With Datacolor Spyder LensCal

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Next Level Pictures presents “8 Hours in Brooklyn” featuring beautiful slow motion video shot with a Phantom Flex high speed camera in and around Brooklyn. Cinematographer Jonathan Bregel describes his concept for the video:

Anyway, the idea behind this video was to document whatever sort of culture we could find within an 8 hour span with literally no pre-production. I have honestly seen too many slow-motion explosions, face slaps, and popping water baloons, that I thought capturing real culture, and real emotion would be a cool change of pace. My goal was to successfully pull of a few of these shots with a small crew in order to be able to pitch the Phantom Flex for a lot of the documentary work we shoot/produce. A big misconception is that you need a massive crew and massive lights in order to use this camera…false. However, you do need to know how to use natural daylight to your advantage along with having a kick-ass core crew to support you.

via Doobybrain

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In case they’ve passed you by to date, these images are just too incredible not to share. Tokyo teenager Natsumi Hayashi has an odd, but incredibly fascinating hobby – she takes photographs of herself jumping, until she gets a perfectly clear shot that looks like she’s levitating.

Witness her ‘flying’ around the house with a vacuum cleaner, down the street and down a railway platform. The shots have a magical quality about them that belie the hectic pace of Tokyo and add a touch of mysticism. Oh, and they’re damn cool.

Geekologie, Mail Online

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http://www.thomaspeschak.com/kayak-great-white-sharks-/

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via electronista.com

Pretty amazing technology at work here. Wonder if this is the "Next Big Thing" for photography? Or, is it going too far in taking away creative control in the "Art" of photography.

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As promised back in April during NAB, Apple pulled the trigger on Final Cut Pro X Tuesday morning, turning its back on the previous generation of non-linear editing tools and offering a new, fully 64-bit application that aims to revolutionize how video content is created.

Now that video editors across the land can finally get their hands on the new Final Cut Pro X for the amazingly low price of $299.99 directly from the Mac App Store, we can finally see what Apple plans for its longtime professional video editor. The application is no longer bundled as part of Final Cut Studio and has been rewritten from the ground up with 64-bit processing for a major boost in performance, speed and memory management.

So where to begin? There’s so much new it’s hard to keep it all straight, but we sat down and pulled 10 of the best new features of Final Cut Pro X -- and here’s why they’ll rock your world.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

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via blog.livelovelaughphotos.com

For many who know me you know I love shooting candids and all sorts of other types of photography. When it comes to family photo's however it is alway me behind the camera, which translates to very few shots of the family as a compete unit. For Mother's & Father's day we decided to do a real family shoot with Lena from Live, Love, Laugh photography.

It was a good time, not because it as a very casual day out with the family, but because we also know Lena as a neighbor. She is good and was patient and very good at doing what she does... despite shooting Canon :-P

You should definitely check out her work and if you are in the North New Jersey area and are looking for some good family, newborn or other loved one's type photography, I recommend Lena highly, she's got skillz.  Check out her site and the rest of our picts:

 blog.livelovelaughphotos.com

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via dailymail.co.uk

I love photography. I love the idea that a moment in time can be preserved for others to marvel at a time gone by. Whether it is moments of your children that pass by in an instant, or relatives who have long departed.

It is why running across this article amazed me. To think that these images are well over 70 years ago and that the individuals witnessed in them may have passed, it makes the mind race as to what life may have been like for them. These are truly some amazing images on their own. For them to be in color is just the icing on the cake. Enjoy.

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The first thing to acknowledge here is that large people know that they’re large. As with any body type (skinny included) their body image may cause them to believe that their either larger or smaller than they are. You can tastefully discuss body image with them clients which is something I may be inclined to do with any type of person. Understanding how a client feels about their body is always a great thing to know. And if they’ve scheduled a photo session, they’re probably already pretty confident people.

Read More @: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips. Check out our resources on Portrait Photography Tips, 

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via 365grateful.com

I think I have found my avenue for creative expression. Every year around December or January the world starts to mumble about starting a 365 project of sorts. That is basically a verbal commitment to snap a picture a day of anything for an entire year. Most never make it past the first month (myself included) because there is no real connection or emotional need in the photography element.

I ran across the 365 Grateful Project and for some reason it brought meaning to the whole concept of taking a single picture a day for 365 days. This is about approaching your day with eyes open looking for a single thing in your day that you may be grateful for and taking a picture of it. The best part is you are not expected to kick it off a the beginning of a new year. You can start today, tomorrow or the next.

I am sure there is much that I am grateful for in my daily life that I take for granted because my eyes aren't open to receiving the blessings that I have in my life. Instead, I am blinded or focused on the negative or material things that I trudge through day in and day out. I believe we all do.

So for a moment, take a look at http://www.365grateful.com and see if it is something that inspires you as it has me. Now to think of the logistics behind how I want to set up a place to capture these moments in my life that I am grateful for. I will be something to believe in for sure.

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