Just wanna have fun…

FIRST the camera, the window into the soul. Casio once again gives us a chance to capture the true moments we see in everyday life. Is the quality of this capture true fully the most important feeling that we need to get? Isn't the essence of the moment the true goal? One day cameras will capture "mood" and "feeling" as well as just an image. Lets not look down upon this capture device because of 10.1 megapixels, but look at the price and see that many will be able to share there moments with loved ones and youtube (the void of strange men) I ask again friends, let us embrace technology and enjoy our time in the 21st century. we can belong to love and peace, and now capture it for future generations.

:) Read.

Afghanistan => Incredible + moving photography

The Boston Globe’s Big Picture blog puts up incredible photography relevant to what’s going on in the world now.

They just put up two photo-series current Afghanistan and days of the the Allied soldiers there.

In Afghanistan, Part One

In Afghanistan, Part Two

These are powerful photos. Makes the whole thing seem human.

Must you be taking that picture?

Look at how almost everybody in the audience is busy filming or taking pictures.

The most famous legend-of-a-man in the world is in the same room, right in-front of them and they’re not present - completely off somewhere else busy operating some finicky gadget so that they can have some crappy amateur footage to upload to Facebook or show their friends.

They should be present, listening, reveling in the moment, absorbing every glorious detail. Instead they ruin the experience by trying to be the photographer when in most cases they’d be mediocre at best.If you really want photos to take home, assign a friend or two to take all the photos and be done with it.

This happens everywhere else too. How many times have you seen someone out on a vacation they’re never really having because they’re busy “capturing the moments?”

If new dads spent less time behind the camera and more time being a dad, they’d have more precious moments and experiences instead of empty photos of times gone by.

Most pro photographers takes hundreds of shots when out shooting something professionally, and they still often can’t find pictures that satisfy themselves or their bosses. It takes a lot of effort and time and skill and luck to get what you really want. Odds are you aren’t going to be that lucky most of the time.

Instead of spending the whole time looking at reality through an LCD screen, remember that 4 or 5 well-timed shots should be enough. You don’t always need to upload that clip onto YouTube. It’s okay if you miss some shots. You can’t have everything.

So spend less time behind the camera, and more time enjoying the moment.

Or do you still not see it?

This why I still suck at photography

Nearly a complete decent panorama, ruined because a big chunk of the background is missing.

I didn’t have enough experience to see this coming and not enough practice to know what to do in this situation.

Sure I should be able to patch it up somewhat in Photoshop, but it’ll still be very noticeable to the experienced eyes, and still very flawed.

Today I'm just an aspiring hack

Someday I'll be making pictures like these. Until that day, I'm all but failures.

Ryan Brenizer talks about this, and this is expected and normal.

It's a shame - that until that day comes, I'll only produce shoddy crap out of all the wonderful subjects I come across. Doesn't do them an ounce of justice.

BREAKING: The New Nikon-Canon DE-1

BREAKING: The New Nikon-Canon DE-1

NEW F2-iEOS mount - 18 MP - ISO 25600 - 1080p 60fps

Nikon and Canon team up for a joint effort to make the next-generation of cameras that could eventually replace Digital SLRs.

Unlike a Digital SLR, an Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens Camera has no Mirror/Prism box. Instead there is a high-quality electronic viewfinder in these compact and significantly smaller cameras. The technology works almost the same way live-view works on some of the newer DSLRs.

The most impressive feat of the new DE-1 is its new F2-iEOS mount. This is a wholly new mount, based on Canon's current EOS mount. This new mount allows the use of both Canon's and Nikon's wide array of lenses.

The mount itself modifies and repositions itself slightly so that Nikon's legendary F-mount lenses can be effectively used.

Full auto focus works for both systems, and infinity focus is possible with all lenses.  Additionally, both companies announced a new line-up of high-quality pancake lenses to compliment the new camera system.

The innovation doesn't stop there. The 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor inside the DE-1 is same basic sensor used in Nikon's flagship D3X, with added resolution to make up for the crop factor. The sensor goes up to ISO 25600 in normal shooting, opening a never before possible area of low-light photography. Sensitivity can be bumped up to ISO 51200 in a special mode.

The camera houses not one but two image and video processors. Nikon's EXPEED II and Canon's new Digic 6 processors are both used for an unparalleled image quality and responsiveness. Both sensors share the load to make the camera shoot 8 FPS while maintaining live-view.

The camera can shoot 1080p video at 60fps.

Photographers and enthusiasts can now buy and use practically any lens they want. The companies are hoping this would boost lens sales of the two companies in "today's tough and slow market."

The camera is slated to sell in late '09. Further details and price will be announced before the camera starts to sell.

The DE-1 has been developed in close collaboration of both companies. The new Nikon sensor, for example, is fabricated on Canon's assembly lines.

It's an impressive but tough achievement, and in light today's slow economic times, it's an effort well made!

It should be noted that almost any lenses for 35mm SLR cameras can be adapted to be used on the new DE-1. The press release however urged the photo enthusiasts to not do such a thing and stick to the offerings by the two companies.

This effectively ends "the long and pointless" Nikon Vs Canon debate, according to Internet blogger and annoying know-it-all Ken Rockwell. "We all made huge mistakes in the past going digital," he said. "Film is for all photographers who cares even the least bit about the quality of their work."

A senior Canon spokesperson acknowledged that it was Rockwell's recent movement against digital photography solutions that scared the two companies into joining together to work on this project. “Desperate times call for desperate measures. We believe a collaboration like this will truly benefit our customers.”

The powerful impact of Cropping

If you instantly understand how after just a simple cropping, these become two completely different images, you, my friend, understand cropping.

You are good. A star for you!