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joshuamck

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Posts posted by joshuamck

    Visiting Card Layout

    in Casual Photo Conversations

    Posted

    <p>I'm not a graphic designer, so please take my thoughts with a grain of salt.<br>

    The red text comes across to me as overbearing. It's unlikely that the viewer will remember your phone number, but red text says it's one of the most important things on the card. Instead the most important thing should be your name and logo. I feel that the layout of the card is also a bit unbalanced. Try unfocussing your eyes, or running a photoshop blur over the pic and you'll see what I mean. Perhaps move the logo / name to the right a bit? The combination of 4 (or is it 5?) fonts seems subtly incompatible, perhaps see how it looks reducing that to 2 or 3 fonts.<br>

    Is the www neccesary in your website url? If not, dump it (see <a href="http://no-www.org/">http://no-www.org/</a> for reasoning). Is there a distinction between the 2 "c" phone numbers?</p>

    for the 10^6 time which camera

    in Casual Photo Conversations

    Posted

    <p>Why Canon / Nikon?</p>

    <ul>

    <li>Market share around 80% means that most people recommending stuff have one or the other as they're familiar with their own systems.</li>

    <li>Market share also dictates the size of community and resources available for learning</li>

    <li>Market share also means that lens and accessory are more easily available and can be more competitively priced.</li>

    <li>Ergonomics (my personal taste is that my Nikon D90 felt better in my hands than the comparative Canon / Sony)</li>

    <li>User Interface (again, personal taste</li>

    <li>More lenses available than Sony</li>

    </ul>

    <p>Why not Sony?</p>

    <ul>

    <li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Controversy">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#Controversy</a></li>

    <li>Memory Stick instead of more ubiquitous CF / SD</li>

    <li>Looking at online prices it seems that the Nikon D700 or Canon 5D Mk II are both cheaper than the Sony A900</li>

    <li>Less lenses than Canon / Nikon systems.</li>

    </ul>

    Renaming Image Files

    in The Digital Darkroom: Process, Technique & Printing

    Posted

    <p>Assuming your RAW+JPG shots start with the same name (e.g. FOO1234.JPG corresponding to FOO1234.NEF / FOO1234.CRW / whatever RAW format you use.) LR allows you to use the existing suffix number (1234) when renaming files. So these files would become jdm-20101113-1234.dng (after conversion) and jdm-20101113-1234-orig.jpg. If you put an "orig" suffix on your jpeg originals you can distinguish your original jpgs from derivative edits that you make later.</p>

    Renaming Image Files

    in The Digital Darkroom: Process, Technique & Printing

    Posted

    <p>I generally go with the suggested format from the DAM book and find it works well.<br>

    Format: <My initials>-<date in yyyymmdd>-<number of the file from the camera>.<br>

    E.g. IMG1234.NEF becomes jdm-20101110-1234.NEF<br>

    yyyymmdd is the only truly non-ambiguous format for representing the date, and it sorts files in proper order.<br>

    Rename it once and this in effect becomes a unique permanent ID for that file which is persited across backups, derivative jpegs etc. I let catalog programs (e.g. LR) handle such metadata as where / when / what I shot. LR handles the renaming scheme fine, but it might be worth a look at thedambook forums for other recommended software.</p>

     

    Nikon D90 Questions And Focusing

    in Nikon

    Posted

    <p>There's also a learning section of this site that's worthwhile. <a href="../learn/making-photographs/exposure">http://www.photo.net/learn/making-photographs/exposure</a><br>

    Exposure Modes: P,S,A,M</p>

    <ul>

    <li>P (Program Auto) let the camera select aperture and shutter speed for you to get a 'correct' exposure.</li>

    <li>S (Shutter priority) you choose the shutter speed, camera chooses the aperture.</li>

    <li>A (Aperture priority) you choose the aperture, camera chooses the shutter speed.</li>

    <li>M (Manual) you choose both the aperture and shutter speed</li>

    </ul>

    <p>These exposure modes are unrelated to focus method, and each mode can be used with each AF and lens focus mode.<br>

    Focusing, refers changing the distances of the components within your lens to achieve a picture that is Sharp where you want it to be, and not so sharp in other areas. Generally lenses have a particular distance range that is in focus. This depends on the distance from your camera to the subject, and the selected aperture. Larger subject distance increases the in focus range (usually referred to as depth of field or DoF). Larger apertures (higher f-stop) also give a larger DoF, at the expense of letting less light in.<br>

    Your camera has several methods of focusing, manual (where you control the focus by twisting the focus ring on the lens, and automatic where the camera tries to work out the best focal distance. The lens focus selector chooses between these. Your lens also has a similar setting that allows you to choose to use manual or auto (you can override the auto focus by turning the focus ring). Within automatic focusing (AF) there are several different parameters to control. AF mode (AF-S, AF-C, AF-A) chooses whether the camera focuses once (AF-Single) or continuously (AF-C), or chooses which to use automatically (AF-A). Leave it on AF-A to start with until you learn a bit more. Another parameter is the AF area mode. The camera can be set to several different modes that select which points it will attempt to choose when focusing. Auto area is most useful when beginning as this matches the point and shoot style of shooting closely. Single point is worth investigating when you have particular items in a picture that you want to focus on.</p>

    Lightroom and files management - Please suggestions!

    in The Digital Darkroom: Process, Technique & Printing

    Posted

    <p>2TB drives are $100 USD/AUD = $0.05/GB. Assume you're making 3 copies of the file for sake of argument (original, onsite and offsite backup), so bump that up to $0.15/GB. The largest size a RAW file will be is about 40MB (not sure if this is correct) = $0.006 (or less than 1c).<br>

    So by my thinking, to make it worth your time deleting files vs just paying for more storage space, you'd have to delete a massive amount of photos per hour. 3600 photo deletions per hour (or 1 per second) = $22.<br>

    Storage is cheap, time costs money. Rate the file as a 0 and move on and you'll spend less time worrying if you've deleted the wrong files.</p>

    Viewing/Managing Raw files on Atom based computer

    in The Digital Darkroom: Process, Technique & Printing

    Posted

    <p>I use Lightroom for this. LR3 works without issue on my 10in ASUS EeePc.<br>

    LR2 had some issues with not being able to fit the import dialog on the screen in this resolution. I was able to workaround this by using a keyboard shortcut to flip the screen sideways to allow me to click the import button.<br>

    Image ingester pro (when I tried it 6 months ago) didn't work well on a small screen either.</p>

    Need All around Lens for Nikon D5000

    in Nikon

    Posted

    <p>On a cropped sensor (e.g. that found on the D90, D5000 etc.) I find that 50mm is too long for club work. For me, It's too close for the cramped conditions mostly found in clubs. 35mm can be a a tiny bit long at times (though it's the length I use most often, and I'd definitely recommend it as a cheap option). If you want a zoom, look at the 17-50mm (this will be my next purchase), though a friend of mine swears by the 12-24. You can work out the focal length that you need on your lens using the field of view tab on <a href="http://fcalc.net/online/">http://fcalc.net/online/</a>.<br>

    E.g.<br>

    50mm at 3ft gives you a field of view of 1.339 ft wide × 0.896 ft high (i.e 1 person's head).<br>

    50mm at 6ft gives you 2.755 ft wide × 1.844 ft high (2 head and shoulders)<br>

    50mm at 9ft gives you 4.171 ft wide × 2.792 ft high<br>

    35mm at 3ft gives you 1.945 ft wide × 1.302 ft high (head and shoulders)<br>

    35mm at 6ft gives you 3.968 ft wide × 2.657 ft high (2-3 people head and torso)<br>

    17mm at 3ft gives you 4.087 ft wide × 2.736 ft high<br>

    17mm at 6ft gives you 8.252 ft wide × 5.525 ft high (good for group shots)</p>

    What's a Photographer's Favorite Laptop?

    in Wedding & Event

    Posted

    <p>1) Well may that be, however if you want to use adobe software (PS/LR) on multiple computers, does that still work for Mac/PC versions? I.e. if he keeps the PC and buys a Mac laptop does the transfer to Mac version invalidate the PC version? If he buys a PC laptop, the licensing explicitly allows multi-use - i.e. $0 for use on his desktop and laptop, so long as their not in use simultaneously. Is there such a nominal transfer charge for the other software that he uses (Office, ...)? Seamless menus are a personal choice. I respect your opinion that you don't like the way this is up to the individual app. I grew up and have been using PCs since the early 80s. To me, the Mac menu paradigm just feels wrong. I perceive the unit of interaction as a window, each window having menus / other controls. Mac sees the unit of interaction as an application, each having a menu. Neither is right or wrong. Neither is particularly hard to get used to or a differentiator that can be used for more than personal preference between the two platforms.<br>

    3) I think you're suggesting that I'm talking about budget model laptops. Phooey to budget models. Dell Studio XPS or the equivalent spec HP / Lenovo is all I'd really consider suggesting here. Past issues in previous versions of windows aren't really relevant if the issue has been fixed.<br>

    5) I was being a little cheeky on the IE thing ;) The minimal effort required to install the Windows Live Essentials tools wouldn't sway me on choice of platform. Not installing this stuff is the right thing for an OS that is used for many things (e.g. I use many virtual machines for software development purposes, I don't want anything on those machines except what is actually needed for development.) There is also the concept of Attack Surface. The more applications that you install on a box, the more you increase the likelihood of being insecure. Your claim that Mac is secure is not supported by real world data. At the Pwn2Own contests held annually, the Mac is usually the first one to be broken into.<br>

    6) Again, past history does not dictate my present advice about systems. If we were still stuck with XP / Vista, my advice would be possibly different. The Apple did that first argument is done to death, so I won't bite on that one.<br>

    BTW, I'm not saying that a MBP is the wrong tool for this situation at all, just that other tools might work just as well and giving the required information that may help the OP assess whether that is the case. I own an iPod and I think it's a brilliant piece of tech. I intend to buy a iPhone 4 when they come out to replace my piece of junk WindowsMobile phone.</p>

    What's a Photographer's Favorite Laptop?

    in Wedding & Event

    Posted

    <p>@John<br>

    1) Re-buy was the core message I was trying to impart here. OP's husband already has a PC and presumably software to manage photos. Re-buying all that software in a Mac version means that this is a significant cost. Photoshop alone costs photoshop price for the mac = $700USD, moving photoshop license from old PC to new laptop = $0. I agree that for a user experienced with Office, the new UI paradigm can take a bit to get used to. For me, the UI works, and is more usable than the alternative toolbar design.<br>

    2) The reviews stating that the MBP running Windows faster weren't even correct at the time those reviews were done <a href="http://gizmodo.com/331223/macbook-pro-fastest-windows-laptop-not-so-fast">http://gizmodo.com/331223/macbook-pro-fastest-windows-laptop-not-so-fast</a>. This was only true for a short period of time. My statement that running Windows on a Mac is a compromise is based on the numerous incompatibilities that are found in doing this. See <a href="http://www.macwindows.com/">http://www.macwindows.com/</a><br>

    3) We're not suggesting lesser expensive PC models though are we? We're comparing to the very expensive MBP. I'd assume we should be comparing to not so expensive but still decent PC laptops, not the bottom end. Again, I'll reiterate, plugging an external monitor in Windows 7 (which we can assume that any new PC comes with these days) just works. Not really a comparative point in that case.<br>

    4) This point has intentionally been left blank<br>

    5) Am I to understand that you're suggesting that a) OSX is better because it includes apps, but b) Windows is worse because it used to includes apps but got in trouble for that? But then you're complaining that a freely available app is about 4 clicks away from a standard install. Windows 7 supports DVD playback using Windows Media Player or Windows Media Center if you're using it as a home theatre setup. This functionality is free, not a stripped down version of an external piece of software. Neither OSX or Windows 7 support Blu-ray playback without adding additional software. (Though perhaps that's a moot point with the MBP given that it doesn't come with a Blu-Ray drive...).<br>

    6) You've probably never worked in a corporate IT environment where the Registry solves many many problems that would be significantly harder to address with the way that OSX does settings. That the registry is "The reason gets slower and slower over time" is a bit misleading. (<a href="http://serverfault.com/questions/51751/system-degredation-does-windows-slow-down-over-time">http://serverfault.com/questions/51751/system-degredation-does-windows-slow-down-over-time</a>). Registry cleaning software is snakeoil and serves no purpose for a properly maintained system. Installing Windows 7 is a breeze (2-3 clicks from CD insertion to running machine IIRC).<br>

    7)<br>

    senor croc: "Lastly, It might be better to give him the cash and let him buy it- computers are a tax deduction."<br>

    +1 on this. As an IT professional, I'd hate for my partner to buy me computer equipment compared to giving me the cash and letting me buy the equipment. Whilst I'd appreciate the gesture, it would be a non-optimal way of doing me a favour. OP's fiance might be the same, and might have his own notion of what he wants better than a MBP. Communication is key in any good marriage.</p>

    What's a Photographer's Favorite Laptop?

    in Wedding & Event

    Posted

    <p>Re John Deerfield:<br>

    1) Switching to Mac may mean re-buying and relearning software that you already own and use.<br>

    2) You can run Windows on Mac, but it's a compromise rather than the rule.<br>

    3) Almost every PC laptop I've ever seen has had an external monitor port. The Dell XPS 16 I use has an HDMI port, a Display Port and a VGA port. Telling the computer to display to the projector is as simple as pressing Windows+P.<br>

    4) TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculations are at the whim of the person doing the calculations. See <a href="http://techdistrict.kirkk.com/2010/03/11/cost-mac-or-pc-a-look-at-tco/">http://techdistrict.kirkk.com/2010/03/11/cost-mac-or-pc-a-look-at-tco/</a> for a recent one.<br>

    5) Windows 7 has equivalents to the slideshow feature in iLife (it's not installed by default, but is offered as an optional installation via automatic updates.)<br>

    6) The registry solves a bunch of problems that are real problems. I no registry as a discerning choice. It would seem that apps these days are moving less away from the registry and towards xml files for configuration, alternatively configuration stored in databases.<br>

    7) bonus! Realistically the answer is to talk to your partner about it, he's either set on a Mac or he isn't. People with their emotions already wound around a decision are often difficult to sway into the opposite decision regardless of the provision of information that would otherwise lead them to decide differently.<br>

    The Dell Studio XPS 16 is quite a nice beast that can be specced out well beyond the equivalent Macbook Pro for a cheaper price (at least last I looked). There's a great forum at <a href="http://forum.notebookreview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16">NotebookReview.com</a> where advice on laptop choices can be sought.</p>

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