PhotoBlazr
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The EVIL Cameras Cometh
Jan 31st
The new EVIL cameras (Electronic Viewfinder, Interchangeable Lenses) that are being rolled out to consumers this year could revolutionize camera design. Olympus, Panasonic and Samsung already have EVIL models coming out soon, and rumours are abound that Canon and Nikon will soon follow.
Understanding Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes on your camera
Jan 19th
This week’s video explains the use of Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes on SLR cameras.
Many photographers shoot in these modes to give themselves more control over their shots than full auto would, but also allow them to focus on composition rather than calculating exposure.
3 Basic Rules for Great Candid Photography
Jan 17th
Candid photography is the art of consistently shooting pictures of people in natural unposed moments and actions. Candid moments can often capture the unique moments that reflect the true nature of the subjects rather than an image that posed shots portray – so instead of a photo of the family standing in a row looking surprised by a flash, you catch them all laughing together in a tender happy moment.
Candids are also the more difficult photos to take and are more often taken by accident and luck, rather than by using any definite technique. Professional photojournalists and documentary/lifestyle photographers on the other hand make a living by knowing how to shoot these types of photographs in a consistent manner. This post talks about 3 simple techniques one can use to capture candid photos in a consistent manner.
Nikon D3x, D3, D700 and D300S – Firmware Upgrade and Fix Available
Jan 13th
Nikon has announced firmware updates for the D3X, D3, D700 and D300S which are available for immediate download. The firmware fixes a number of issues described below.
365 Photo-A-Day Photo Project
Jan 9th
A few days ago I began my 365 Photo-A-Day Project for 2010 along with hundreds of others on the net. This innovative project consists of taking a photograph a day for 365 days and posting it up on flickr, a blog, or some place on the internet to share with others. The photo can be of anything, some people take portraits, some people have a theme, and some people (like myself) take any shot that might be fun or interesting.
It’s been incredibly fun doing this, and I’m loving the challenge of making sure I take some sort of picture a day.
Understanding your camera metering modes (Matrix, Centre-weighted & Spot metering)
Jan 3rd
This week we go through the 3 main types of exposure metering modes that modern SLRs use: Matrix, Centre-weighted, and Spot metering.
Each mode can be very useful in different scenarios and being aware of how the metering systems work will give you control over how your photographs are exposed.
Bibble 5 Announced
Jan 1st
Happy New Year!
If you’re looking for a solid RAW workflow software, Bibble 5 might just fit your bill. Bibble is known to be extremely fast and has a powerful set of features. The full announcement is below.
3 Awesome ‘Pictures of the Year’ Compilations for 2009
Dec 28th
I always enjoy going through the various Year In Pictures compilation that many of the news sites publish at this time of year. I find the photography not only inspiring, but also a great learning tool.
As PhotoBlazr winds down for the year, we’ve compiled some links to our favourite ‘Pictures of the Year’ compilations for 2009 this year. Check out the list after the jump.
Correcting exposure using a photograph’s histogram
Dec 22nd
Tutorial on how to correct a digital photo’s exposure using the histogram tool. This lesson uses Adobe Lightroom as a demonstration tool but the concepts can be used on other advanced photo manipulation software such as Apple Aperture or Photoshop CS.
Nikon D3000 Review – The Little DSLR That Could
Dec 19th
Nikon’s newest and cheapest entry-level digital SLR, the D3000, squarely targets beginners to SLR photography and does it well. From its compactness, to easy to use menu system, to in-camera walk-throughs, the D3000 does a strong job of making itself non-intimidating to users.
The camera is equipped with a 10.2 megapixel sensor, a 3 inch 230,000 pixel LCD, and a max shooting speed of 3 frames per second. The D3000 body and AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens is priced together at around $550 and is a solid choice as a beginner SLR.
