Which is the "Real" Camera?

Many times I have folks come up to me, look at my expensive Nikon DSLR camera with an expensive lens attached, and then apologize for having "just a point & shoot". Well, let's take a look at what a $200 camera can do compared to a one costing ten times that amount.

Here is a basic sunset picture, one taken with an Olympus point & shoot, the other with a Nikon D300. Can you tell which is which? Do you like one over the other?

Over the next week, I'll make some more shots with both cameras, and then discuss the similarities and differences between the two.

Bottle Caps Become Art

Ann has been experimenting with various discarded materials to give them a second life as works of art. She makes delightful tote bags and wallets from aluminized juice pouches and coffee bags, gorgeous zippered bags of felted wool obtained from old sweaters bought at Goodwill, and lately has been crafting pins from bottle caps. I have been trying to do my part by consuming plenty of bottled beers to produce a supply of caps. Sometimes a husband just has to make these sacrifices.

Today, we photographed some of Ann's pins so that the pictures could be posted on her brand new site (www.etsy.com/shop/2ndGoRound ). We tried a couple of different studio set-ups including light-colored backgrounds, lit backgrounds with a frontal studio light, ambient light but finally settled on diffused natural light with the pins sitting on black fabric. A little post processing in Lightroom; and voila, nice shots for the web.

Dreaming of Last Fall

Flagstaff weather is being its typical unsettled, late winter style with sleet and wind today. I got to thinking of our llama trek last October near Bluff, Utah. The autumn colors were fabulous, days warm, nights crisp, and the rock art was spectacular.

I tried a couple of panorama shots, which are quite easy. Set your camera on aperture priority so that the depth of field does not change as the overall exposure might. Take several overlapping pictures of the landscape (using a tripod is handy but the two examples were handheld). Then using Photoshop or another program that has a pano-program, let the computer and software splice them together.

Also, if your camera gear is getting heavier with each passing year, consider having a friendly, fuzzy llama helping you out. E-mail me for more information about these remarkable pack animals, which can carry over 100 pounds. You can take a few camping extras like a bottle of wine!

2011 Photo Workshop Set

It's not too early if you want to get a reservation for the 2011 Digital Photography Workshop at the Elkhorn Ranch southwest of Tucson. Contact the ranch directly at office@elkhornranch.com for accommodations, horse rides, rates, etc. Or zip me an email at swa@infomagic.net for details about the workshop.

Where's Spring?

It just keeps snowing here in Flagstaff, so this morning Simone and I went out to the Kachina Wetlands for a XC ski. The fresh powder on top of who knows how many feet of packed snow was heavenly. As we rounded a stand of ponderosa pines, we saw a half-dozen Canada geese floating in a bit of open water. Of course, when they spied Simone, off they flew. I was able to get a few quick snaps before they disappeared. On the image of the geese, I have applied a little vignetting (using Adobe Lightroom) to draw the viewers eye toward the subjects - a technique often used by Ansel Adams. What do you think? Is it too obvious? Annoying? Or just right?

The Thinker

Sometimes a photographer gets his or her best ideas when just...well, you know...wandering around. We were hiking in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arizona when we stumbled upon a throne with a view. Just a few minutes of deep thought, and we came up with some brilliant (at least they seemed brilliant at the time) picture ideas for the Elkhorn Ranch Photo Workshop.

Elkhorn Ranch Photo Workshop

I just returned from a week teaching a photo workshop at Mary and Charlie Miller's Elkhorn Ranch, which is located southwest of Tucson. This was our third season doing a workshop there and the turn out was great. It's a wonderful place to take exciting horseback rides, hike in the canyons or up mountains, and enjoy delicious meals with old friends and make new ones while learning how to use these darn, complicated but totally amazing digital cameras. We are planning on offering the workshop again in 2011 on January 23-30. Contact me for more information.