So many megapixels ago

Posted by Mark on Feb 24, 2012 in nature photography | 22 comments

Foggy River Sunrise, Calla Burr nature sanctuary, Michigan Image # LA-7574

With some recent print orders, I stumbled upon this image in my archives.   When I saw what camera I made it with, it made me think of an interesting contrast of the times in DSLRs and the complete flip in what people chose to complain about.   It was made close to 8 years ago now with my very first DSLR, the Nikon D2H, with only 4 megapixels.  Back then the megapixels wars were in full gear, and Nikon took some criticism for not keeping up with the Joneses and releasing only 4 MP in a camera when many were going 6 or 8.

Now, the D800 is coming soon, with a whopping 36 MP.  The key complaint?  ”Holy pixel gluttony – that’s too much!”  :-)  Even though I am on the waiting list for one, I am still reminded that what is most important is that you are making the most of the camera you have and where you are at.  The number of megapixels wasn’t going to make me any more likely to be in this spot on this morning.   To this day I still sell and publish many images created with my D2H.   What matters most are the images I created during the times that I had it.  I am sure they will bring about great memories and sales for years to come.

iPAD for Photographers

Posted by Mark on Jan 28, 2010 in nature photography | 22 comments

Apple iPad

Unless you have been comfortably tucked away yesterday reading one of those old fashioned, bound paper things or simply refused to listen to any one of 10,000 different media sources – you probably know that Apple unveiled their latest gizmo today called the iPad.   The hype has been building for months and the rumors can finally be squashed.

For photographers, no doubt there will be interest in portfolio displays, book publishing, and access to more tools to share our work.   As consumers, some will embrace, some will drool, and of course pundits will take their shots.  What I find most amazing is the transformation digital media and tools are shaping the way we communicate and interact with the world around us.   Apple presented this as the “gap filler” to fill what is between a device like the iPhone and a full blown computer.   Our lives are pelleted with so many data streams, from so many different sources, do we need every little gap filled with yet another device?

The iPad looks like it can do a lot of very cool things – games and movies stand out to me, as well as possible new methods for distributing photographs, and possibly eliminating the piles of magazines I rarely have time to read anyway.  I am certainly running out of space for them.   I do wonder however, when does it become enough?

I love technology and gadgets, but lately I am finding myself just wanting to sit by a tree in my woods and listen to the birds sing, even if I may need my iPhone to identify them occasionally.  

How do you think this new gadget will fit in with photographers?

Another case for RAW – the Future

Posted by Mark on Jan 5, 2010 in nature photography | 34 comments

Wandering the Geographic

I have read a lot of articles and writeups about folks who advocate shooting only RAW file formats and those who shoot JPEGs only.   For the most part, I say – to each his own.   It doesn’t really matter to me what others shoot with.   There is one aspect however, beyond the number crunching, beyond the print comparisons, that is often overlooked – the future.    I think that beginners and experienced alike need to be conscious of what the implications of their file format choice not only means to them today, but also 10, 15, 20 years down the road.   I believe the current albatrosses that hang around RAW capture’s neck are the limitations on the technology of output devices – print publications, monitors, and most printers can barely touch reproducing all of the possible data that a RAW file captures.

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Alaska bound

Posted by Mark on Aug 25, 2009 in nature photography | 26 comments

Well, I am now less than 2 weeks away from heading off on my first trip to Alaska.   I surprise myself I haven’t mentioned it before here, but I have been so swamped with so many other things.  I will be photographing for a few days just outside Denali National Park, and then down to Katmai National Park to photograph coastal brown bears.     Both are places I have always wanted to go to, and yet I will also miss so many more places in Alaska that I wish I had time to visit.  For the bear portion, I will be living on a boat for 6 days, which enables access to some of the more remote areas of the Katmai coastline.

Equipment packing is going to be interesting.  I am just starting to gather things together to make sure I fall within the 75 lb weight limit I need to be at.   It seems I have been making purchases of items I “think” I will need over the past few weeks.  It is amazing how the expenses can start to add up with things you think you will need here and there.   Weather I understand can be highly variable, wide ranges of temperatures possible, rain likely, and waders are a must for stream crossings and wet landings.   It seems like 75 lbs should be doable, but when I start subtracting camera gear, laptop/hard drives and rain gear – it doesn’t leave a lot left for clothing or other extras.

But aside from the equipment aspect, what about the mental part?  Do I know what I want as far as imagery?  What are my goals?   Is it possible to pre-visualize any compositions to look for, despite not being familiar with the region?  Perhaps this is an equally important packing list to formulate.   Of course so much will depend on conditions and reacting to them, but it doesn’t hurt to dream a bit.  I have certainly seen a lot of pictures of Alaska, a lot of the bears at Katmai, and I hear you can see Russia from up there.  :-)  But what do I want to portray of my first experience here?

Bear Image of the Year

Sometimes I will make small sketches and keep them with me just as reminders in case the scenery and conditions look accommodating.   Here is such a sketch.  It is not defined by any images I have seen before, but something that I thought would make for a cool shot should the opportunity arise.  (If someone has seen such an image – please don’t burst my bubble.  :-) ) It could be entirely wishful thinking for a moment that could never happen.    I think you can easily surmise why I am a photographer and not a sketch artist.   Fortunately these do not weigh anything.

So posts will be scarce over the next 3 weeks or so.   Hopefully some stories to tell, images to share, and matching sketches with what really happened when I return.

No longer just a toy

Posted by Mark on May 10, 2009 in nature photography | 14 comments

Magnolia

Point & shoot cameras have always been a bit of a double-edged sword with me.   I love them for their convenience and portability, but always felt at a disadvantage in using them for “serious” photography.   I realize that this is a bit of a predujicial judgement on my part, because certainly great images can be made with a variety of tools.  However, it is not without some justification.  The small sensors used in these cameras are quite limiting when compared to the quality you obtain from a DSLR.  And -  make a photograph without a tripod?!  Blasphemous.  In some cases though, these times are changing.

A few notable landscape photographers have reviewed the Canon G10, that have placed this camera in the “hmmmm” area of my mind.   Guy Tal’s review and Michael Reichmann’s review both left me with the impression that this camera is capable of some very fine results.  Michael was really brave and dared to compare the camera’s results with his medium format back.   It makes for some very interesting reading.   Both of these guys have provided some fine examples, so there is no need for me to repeat comparisons, etc, etc.   I suggest reading both reviews if you are looking for a more portable camera for those casual walks in the woods.

Something that really stood out to me is in Guy’s review where he mentioned …

“What surprised me more was that I found myself paying attention to things I wouldn’t normally photograph, namely trash dumped by local idiots who use the place for target practice.  I generally try to avoid these reminders of the uglier side of humanity, and having to set up a tripod and larger camera to photograph them would likely ruin my mood and the magic of the place. Yet having a hand-holdable little camera at my grasp almost compelled me to aim it at just about anything in sight.” – Guy Tal, Jan 2009

These words rang true for me in my own experiences.   Not only was I satisfied with the technical quality of the images, but I found some different compositions I don’t think I would have made if I was just hiking around with my normal set of gear and tripod.   That in itself is a bit to reflect upon.   Why wouldn’t I have seen the same things?

I suppose there is a lot to be said for keeping things simple.   It is difficult to quantify the stress impact of hauling gear around and fumbling with controls has on our creative instincts.   But it is there to some extent.    I certainly don’t see the Canon G10 as a replacement for my DSLRs – but it has become a notable compliment to them.