Welcome to the 8th issue of PhotoFlash

Hi

I wanted to first let you all know that I will be joining Shutterbug Radio's Jack and Howard - the Foto Guys - on Friday morning at 8am Pacific time for a live talk about BetterPhoto. No need to dust off the old FM/AM box in your garage. All you have to do to tune into this Web radio ptogram is visit a particular Web site and click the "Listen Live" button:
http://www.fotoguysradio.com

Now, let me ask you a few questions... Would you like to learn how to use your digital or film camera with confidence? Have you been hoping to could better understand technical issues like exposure? Have you been hoping to someday master Photoshop?

Our BetterPhoto online courses are taught by some of the most respected names in photography today. Classes start in two weeks and enrollment is limited, so sign up today. Here are a few course suggestions:

Make the most of your equipment with Kerry Drager's "Beyond Snapshots" course:
http://www.betterphoto.com/photocourses/KRD01.asp

For a packed and informative class on digital black and white printing, enroll with George Schaub at:
http://www.betterphoto.com/photocourses/GEO01.asp

To learn how to use a large format view camera, check out:
http://www.betterphoto.com/photocourses/LEW01.asp

Explore all of our excellent classes at:
http://www.betterphoto.com/online-photography-courses.asp

In the meantime, enjoy the fun discussions on photographic technique that we have pulled aside for you this month!

Oh, one last thing... if you have not seen them yet, check out the August photo contest winners - once again, we have some amazing images to share with you!
http://www.betterphoto.com/contest/winners/0308.asp

To read the online version of PhotoFlash at our Web site, visit http://www.betterphoto.com/photoflashes/

Have a great month!
Jim Miotke
http://www.betterphoto.com/MG.asp?ID=124

In This Issue: Thursday, September 25, 2003

• Featured Photo: North Shore
• Featured Article: Kerry Drager on The Accessory Photographers Love to Hate
• Where in the World?
• New Photo Discussion 1: One Bad Apple
• New Photo Discussion 2: Busy Bee
• New Photo Discussion 3: After the Rains
• New Photo Discussion 4: Tiny Tiny Snail
• New Photo Discussion 5: Sunset in Paradise
• New Photo Discussion 6: West, from Windy Ridge
• New Photo Discussion 7: Shadows and Curves
• New Photo Discussion 8: Long Shadow of a Surfer
• New Photo Discussion 9: Red Dawn
• The Next Step: Where to Go From Here

Featured Photo: North Shore

North Shore f22, 10 sec, Canon 16-35 2.8L © Warren Ishii HawaiianIslandImages.com Canon EOS D60 Digi...

Featured Article: Kerry Drager on The Accessory Photographers Love to Hate
Kerry Drager, the author of the beautiful how-to book, Scenic Photography 101: A Crash Course in Shooting Better Pictures Outdoors, is quickly becoming a favorite instructor at BetterPhoto. His excellent courses include:

• Beyond Snapshots: Making the Most of Your Equipment
• Field Techniques: Dynamic Outdoor Photography

Where in the World?
Can you guess where this picture was taken? If you think you have a clue, try offering a response.

To learn the correct answer to the last quiz - and see who came the closest, visit the previous Where in the World quiz.

© George Schaub Digital Printing Pentax 67

 

Time Is Running Out: Back to School with a Photo Course

Make this fall a fun one by enrolling in a BetterPhoto photography course! Improve your picture-taking skills while having fun enjoying the fall season - a wonderful time to be a photographer. Each class is focused on teaching you how to improve your understanding of photography through exciting weekly assignments and helpful critiques direct from the instructor. But here is the bad news... enrollment is limited and space is running out in many of the classes. Act today to ensure you get into your first course choice:  Learn more...

 

New Photo Discussions

New Photo Discussion 1: One Bad Apple One BAD Apple Taken on my livingroom mantle (covered with paper), using bright indirect light (coming in several windows). Shutter 1/30, tripod. © Mary-Ella Keith Canon EOS 10D Digi... Cool image, Mary-Ella!! - Colette M. Metcalf See Colette's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:There's a show-off in every bunch! A very creative shot. Great job Mary-Ella! - Patricia A. Kuniega See Patricia's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:How fun! I love your lighting and composition..and that gold filigree apple is a nice touch! - Roseann E. Dreasher See Roseann's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Thanks all! I had fun with this one. The gold apple is one of my many "finds" at the local thrift stores. I'm always on the lookout for props for my photography, or stuff I can use in my mixed media art. Those stores can be dangerous! Here's a question if anyone is reading this - at another site I just had someone comment that the apples looked soft focus - not crisp enough. I used a tripod and everything, and thought they were fine (maybe time to get my eyes checked? Opinions? - Mary-Ella Keith See Mary-Ella's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 4:I really like this Mary-Ella, the lighting and compositions are great. I think that the apples are rounded that the parts that curve away just don't have as crisp an edge as something flat. Maybe the lighting also makes the edges look a bit softer, from the shadowing on the bottom part. Sometimes on other sites it seems that some are a bit overcritical! - Claudia Kuhn See Claudia's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 5:Great imagination and execution,Mary-Ella. At 750x500 it's impossible to tell if anything is sharp or soft IMO. Did you lock the mirror-up and use a cable release (or self timer). Sometimes even on a tripod at certain shutter speeds you can get a bit of movement when the mirror slaps up--just a thought. Still an excellent image!! - Murry Grigsby See Murry's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit mcgphotocards.com - Murry's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 2: Busy Bee Busy Bee f 2.8, 1/1600, in our garden, tripod would have been helpful with focus! © Tom Iverson Nikon D100 Digital... Tom, Just a note as I also sent Jean one. I think you both should have tied for first place. All the winners were great but both of you were extra special. Your Busy Bee is still the Best of Show. - Dorothy E. Dyer Response 1:Dot, Thank you for your kind comments. I think third place is more than I would have expected among such wonderful photographers. I look forward to improving and learning in the next class. Clearly, I am a beginner amongst some really talented people and learning from each of you was an invaluable component to the class. - Tom Iverson Response 2:Tom, You are absolutely right. I too am a beginner and I learned so much from all the critiques but felt I was with some real professional people and at time it could be intimidating but also pretty special. My next class will be on the Digital Camera which is something I want to learn in and out. Have fun with your next class. I know you will do great. - Dorothy E. Dyer Response 3:I just wanted to add my two cents, Tom... sure a tripod or a slightly extended depth of field might have helped but your focus is almost dead on. More importantly, your composition here is absolutely perfect. Keep up the great work! - Jim at BetterPhoto.com See Jim Miotke's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit Jim Miotke's Deluxe BetterPholio™ - Miotke.com Take an Online PhotoCourse™ with Jim Miotke: Jim Miotke's Online Photography Classes Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 3: After the Rains After the Rains © Mark Lopp marklopp.com Canon EOS Rebel 20... Great rendition of a classic subject, Mark. - Trevor Roberts Response 1:Thanks for the kind comment, Trevor. The streambed in this shot is usually on the dryside, but in April/May, this part of Smokey Mountain National Park near Gatlinburg was hit by prolonged heavy rains, flooding many streams and tributaries. The flooding was scary actually, but it added a wet look to this trail (Grotto Falls). I enjoyed the cool mist and breezes actually. The tree canopy protected me from much of the early rains. In the summer, this trail looks more "used", but on this April day it seemed like a small paradise. I took the shot because I could smell the fresh rain water splashing over the rocks. Probably the first time you ever heard that an amateur photographer follows his nose rather than his eyes! I don't know how some people feel, but sometimes the long narrow streams are more inviting to me than an isolated waterfall. - Mark Lopp Visit marklopp.com - Mark's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 4: Tiny Tiny Snail Tiny Tiny Snail Less than an 1/8 of an inch. © Janet R. Pedersen Sony DSC-F707 Cybe... This is a wonderful capture, Janet. The detail is amazing, given the really tiny size of the little guy. Most of us wouldn't even have seen him, let alone been able to capture him so perfectly! - Gerda Grice See Gerda's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 5: Sunset in Paradise Sunset in Paradise Riomaggiore, Italy at sunset © Jessica R. Edwards Canon EOS Rebel Ti... Hi Jess... I have alwayzs had difficulty taking photos of sunsets, I have a few questions if it won't be any trouble to ask. - what speed film did you use? - what was your shutter speed? - the apeture? - did you use any filter? - how did you get the colors like that or were they just waht you saw? Thanks Jess. - Aravinda Subasinghe Response 1:I used 400 speed film and I don't quite remember what my shutter speed and aperture settings were. I use a UV filter on all my shots. I didn't manipulate the colors in any way... that's just how the sunset looked. I wanted the foreground to be dark, so I didn't use a flash and if I remember correctly, I used the settings that my light meter recommended. If you want your foreground to be lighter you could use a flash or set your shutter speed slower or open up your aperture more than what your light meter tells you to do. - Jessica R. Edwards Response 2: Purple Clouds © Jessica R. Edwards Canon EOS Rebel 20... Hey Jess, thanks for that... I got this picture - ain't all that good... please let us know how I can improve it. It a photo taken outside my bedroom window. - Aravinda Subasinghe Response 3:Hi Aravinda, You are certainly going in the right direction. I would just do two main things: 1) Watch your corners. You don't want things like that black shape cutting out the upper left corner. 2) And maybe go out scouting for a different location, one that allowed you a bit more compositional flexibility. Have fun photographing sunsets! - Jim at BetterPhoto.com See Jim Miotke's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit Jim Miotke's Deluxe BetterPholio™ - Miotke.com Take an Online PhotoCourse™ with Jim Miotke: Jim Miotke's Online Photography Classes Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 6: West, from Windy Ridge West, from Windy Ridge Tamron 75-300 @ 300 mm , ISO 1600, 1/125th @ f8, polarizer. The results of scouting--so so photo of a sunset looking out over Spirit Lake into surrounding hills. I was hoping Mt. St. Helens would look good at sunset, but had no luck with that. However, my son and I had a nice evening hike! © Robert Brown robertobrownphotography.c... Canon EOS 10D Digi... Nice image, Robert! It's pretty amazing that you're able to get that kind of colorful sky with ISO 1600. - Tony Sweet See Tony Sweet's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit Jim Zuckerman's Deluxe BetterPholio™ - CorporateFineArt.com Take an Online PhotoCourse™ with Tony Sweet: Image Design Fine Art Flower Photography Response 1:Yes, I agree with Tony on this one, Robert. Like many of your images, this is composed excellently. I am impressed with what you got out of a "so-so" sunset. And I am also glad to hear it was a good bonding experience with your son ;-) - Jim at BetterPhoto.com See Jim Miotke's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit Jim Miotke's Deluxe BetterPholio™ - Miotke.com Take an Online PhotoCourse™ with Jim Miotke: Jim Miotke's Online Photography Classes Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 7: Shadows and Curves Shadows and Curves A find during a neighbourhood walk about. Tripod mounted, spot metred and adjusted, 75-300mm lens - using aprox 250. © Leanne M.E. Boyd Canon EOS Rebel G ... Great find, Leanne!!! - Colette M. Metcalf See Colette's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:Hey Leanne I like your composition, along with the shadows and textures you have captured. Just a suggestion here and I hope you do not mind. I might would take this into PS and darken it just a tad and maybe some more contrast. - Darren K. Fisher See Darren's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Very creative composition Leanne! Cool image. - Jim Damare See Jim's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Darren: Don't mind a bit - thanks for the suggestion. Dottie, Jim, Charlene, and Murry - Thanks for stopping by. - Leanne M.E. Boyd See Leanne's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 8: Long Shadow of a Surfer Long Shadow of a Surfer On a Maui beach in early morning, November 2002. Canon Powershot G3. © Patricia Marroquin Canon EOS Elan 7/7... Great perspective and composition with much eye appeal...wonderful work Patricia! - Warren Ishii Visit HawaiianIslandImages.com - Warren's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Response 1:Coming from the Hawaiian Island Image master, this means a lot. Thank you very much, Warren! - Patricia Marroquin See Patricia's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:I love this one, Patricia! Wonderful use of dynamic lines and colors! But, you're surely wrong with the date - november 2002 - where is the snow? - Jean-François Schmutz See Jean-François's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit jfsphotos.com - Jean-François's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Response 3:Nice job, Patricia, you had a quick eye and an even quicker finger on the shutter! Great image! - Carol Brill Response 4:Wonderful angle, colors, composition and detail, Patricia. What a spot! - Ronald Balthazor Visit balthazorphotography.com - Ronald's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Response 5:Excellent image. I love the lighting along with the layers you have captured not to mention the human elemant so very well placed. - Darren K. Fisher See Darren's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 6:Patricia, I think this image has it all. Great lines, subject, natural colors and beauty. Really nice! - J W. Robinson Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 9: Red Dawn Red Dawn A sunrise on the Monongahela River. Levels & hue adjusted in PS. © Gary W. Lake Nikon D100 Digital... Beautiful colors. - Theresa McCloskey See Theresa's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:I knew this was yours even before I scrolled down to your name. I love the way it has 2 colors at first glance, then has a multitude of them. I like the way it appears to have a mirror image both on a horizontal axis and a vertical one, makes your eye just flip all over the image. - Brian T. Martin See Brian's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Just the place and time I'd like to be. Makes me dream. Thank for sharing such a beautiful image. - Nicole S. McGrade See Nicole's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:I love the tone of this beautiful image...fantastic job Gary! - Warren Ishii Visit HawaiianIslandImages.com - Warren's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

 

The Next Step: Where to Go From Here

• Browse more photo discussions at BetterPhoto.com
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If you would like to be featured in PhotoFlash, we look for photo discussions that educate, inspire, and encourage BetterPhoto members. In the spirit of helping others become better photographers, we encourage you to share details, tips, and techniques in your discussions... after all, that is what BetterPhoto is all about - honest answers for budding photographers.

Until next time, thanks for reading and keep having fun with photography!
Jim Miotke
BetterPhoto.com, Inc.

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