Thursday, January 28, 2010

Teacher


I had a photo shoot this morning at an elementary school, and had the pleasure of watching this amazing teacher captivate her students with her teaching methods. She used a lot of rhymes and catchy phrasing to get the key points across and it worked really well. She was so enthusiastic (without being annoying) that you could see in the children's faces that they wanted to learn.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Vineyard


A busy weekend of photography work took me from Pasadena to Santa Monica, ending with a photo shoot yesterday on a vineyard in Paso Robles. I'm so thankful for the jobs that come in and I appreciate the people I have the opportunity to work with.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Nikon


It's the beginning of a New Year and I'm starting over. With my camera system. After nearly 20 years as a Canon shooter, I've made what has been an agonizing decision to switch over to Nikon. (I should say switch back to Nikon because that's what I used B.C. - Before Canon). The reason the decision was so difficult is due to the fact that I really like Canon equipment and have become very comfortable with it. So why the switch? Well, there have been some auto-focus issues that I've worked around over the years. But, more recently, I've been waiting for Canon to produce a pro camera body on a full-frame sensor, without excessive megapixels. Each new Canon release has been with higher megapixel counts - mostly on cropped sensors - making for larger image files and more storage space requirements. High resolution is a good thing, in many instances, but not the most important factor. I think you reach a point of diminishing returns, but Canon kept cramming these sensors with more light-gathering photo sites. Meanwhile, Nikon has gradually built up their pro camera bodies to offer more of what I'm looking for: a full-frame sensor while keeping the megapixels at a more moderate level, which makes for a cleaner (less visible "noise") image, especially in low light situations. They also make an unbeatable system of fast pro zoom lenses, along with a better flash system. Is Nikon better than Canon? No. They are both outstanding. It's just that Nikon offers a better arsenal of gear for my needs as a photographer. I wanted Canon to build the camera I was hoping for. But Nikon built it instead. The D3, pictured here. I ordered some equipment last month and have been learning my way around the controls and handling of Nikon cameras and accessories. I hope to post a follow up here in the future to share some insights into my experience with the switch. Stay tuned. . .

Friday, January 01, 2010

Happy New Year!

Here we go again. Did 2009 really last a whole year? Sure doesn't seem like it. . .it went bye so fast. Let's hope & pray for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010. Happy New Year!