February 2013

Photographing an Artisan? Focus on their hands

Submitted by David Cardinal on Wed, 02/27/2013 - 08:42

When photographing people, we’re trained to focus on the face, and especially the eyes. Like any other “rule” of photography, though, it doesn’t always apply. In particular, when you’re capturing someone performing a craft or skill, the skill itself becomes a key part of the image. In the case of this woman potter who was kind enough to let us photograph her throwing a pot, her hands are what drew my attention. They moved smoothly and confidently, clearly the result of years of being a master potter – her village is famous throughout Myanmar (Burma) for its pots, which are highly-prized both there and throughout Asia.

Nikon stirs things up with new 24MP 6fps Nikon D7100 DSLR with no anti-aliasing filter: all for $1199

Submitted by David Cardinal on Wed, 02/20/2013 - 20:34

Nikon has announced its expected update to its venerable . The Nikon D7100 features a fairly predictable resolution of 24MP, very respectable for a prosumer camera, and as much or more than most users need. What will surprise most people, though, is that Nikon has left off the anti-aliasing filter (which they refer to as the OLPF). Previously the only Nikon camera with this modification – that allows slightly sharper images at the cost of increased danger of moiré artifacts – was the specialty Nikon D800e….

Using Infrared to improve your color photos: Cutting through fog

Submitted by David Cardinal on Tue, 02/19/2013 - 09:32

Infrared is its own special kind of photography, and can provide plenty of really great images on its own. In addition to making great , Infrared images can also be a tool to improve your color photographs. Currently the techniques in this article are a little advanced, and require some fairly specialized camera hardware, but if they catch on then it is only a matter of time before they are embedded in popular cameras and software solutions. In the meantime, for those willing to do some extra work, the result can be seemingly impossible photographs.

Myanmar (Burma) Trip Report: Images and their stories from our recent photo tour

Submitted by David Cardinal on Mon, 02/11/2013 - 09:49

After our , we headed to Yangon in Myanmar, to meet the rest of the group and begin our trip through some of the major historical and culturally important areas of the country. We began in Yangon, by far the largest and most important city in Myanmar. Called Rangoon by the British, it was restored to its traditional name after independence.

Cambodia Trip Report: Images of Angkor Wat & Environs

Submitted by David Cardinal on Fri, 02/08/2013 - 10:21

We’re just back from a very successful photo tour of Southeast Asia – Cambodia and Myanmar. The first part of the trip found us exploring the Angkor and Rolous temple complexes in Cambodia, along with some of the surrounding countryside and villages. Having been visiting, photographing, and leading trips to the area for nearly a decade, the increase in tourism has been noticeable. Fortunately, there are still plenty of lightly visited temples for those energetic enough to get away from the main tour routes.

George Orwell’s House: The Ultimate Future B&B

Submitted by David Cardinal on Wed, 02/06/2013 - 13:52

Tucked away in a corner of Myanmar (Burma) away from most tourists is the once sleepy town of Katha. Famous mostly in the West as where George Orwell was last stationed in Burma, and in the literary world as the setting for his novel, Burmese Days, the town is now something of a trading hub on the Irrawaddy River. Somewhat lost in the town’s growth are the house in which Orwell lived, and the home of the British Club – center of social life during the Colonial period and central to the novel.

Nikon 70-300mm AF-S VR Lens: Compact and Competent

Submitted by David Cardinal on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 14:21

No lens has been more of a workhorse in the Nikon lineup than the mid-range pro zoom. Starting life as an 80-200mm f/2.8 lens for film, it has gone through many iterations until the current version. However, its $2400 price tag, 8” length, and 3.4 lb. weight mean that it isn’t right for everyone or for every situation.

Enter the sleek, slender, but still well-built . At 1/4 the price and less than half the weight of its bigger brother, with a built-in focusing motor (AF-S) for fast focusing, the lens is a tempting alternative for travel assignments or everyday use. It’s extra range (300mm versus 200mm) also means that it doesn’t require a teleconverter to bring distant subjects into the frame.

February 6th Talk at BABP in Palo Alto on ‘Creating Award-winning Photography’

Submitted by David Cardinal on Fri, 02/01/2013 - 04:31

I’m pleased to be returning to one of my favorite local photo clubs, the , next week. I’ll be giving a presentation (which I first gave at B&H in New York last October) on Creating Award-winning Photography – with a focus on wildlife and bird photography. If you enter contests, or have thought about it, there will be plenty of advice. Even if you just shoot for yourself, there will be lots of pointers to help improve the quality of images you capture.