Photography Concentrate

Shoot First. Ask Questions Later.

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:00:00 -0700

Photographs deal in split seconds. There is a mere instant seperating an incredible image from a mediocre one. Learning to develop your photographic reflexes is a huge part of creating better work, but it’s not just a matter of reaction time. No sir.

See, there are decisions that you are constantly making as a photographer. And the first one is often the most important.

It is the very simple decision to take a photo.

Have you ever been in a situation where you thought to yourself: “Should I take a photo of this?”. I do it all the time. But the problem is that by the simple act of asking yourself that question, you may have let the moment pass.

Yep, it can be that fleeting. By the time you’ve thought about the question, decided to shoot, and brought the camera up to your eye, the incredible image has disappeared.

So one of the first steps to developing your photographic reflexes is to get in the mindset of “Shoot First. Ask Questions Later”. Which is a very simple idea. Don’t ask yourself if you should shoot something. Just shoot it. You can decide after the fact whether that image is worth keeping. But unless you took it in the first place, you won’t have that opportunity.

From there your reflexes for setting exposure, composing, and pressing the shutter take over. And these are things to be constantly practicing. The faster you can complete those steps, the sooner you can take the photo.

But it all begins with the decision to shoot. So stop asking yourself, and just shoot.

What To Read Next

About the Author: Hey friend, I’m Lauren! I’m a professional photographer and head ninja here at Photography Concentrate. I’m downright obsessed with photography, and love sharing it with super cool folks like yourself. When I’m not shooting, or writing, you can find me cooking (and eating!), traveling, and hanging out with wonderful people.

WPPI Bound! Win A Full Registration Pass!!

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:15:00 -0700

Update: Contest is closed and we’re contacting the winner! Thanks for entering and sharing yoru favorite thing about vegas!

Woah exciting news! We are heading to WPPI in Las Vegas next month! If you haven’t heard of it, it’s the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Conference, and it’s huuuuuuuge. This will be our very first time—both at the convention and in Vegas, so we’re pretty pumped!

What’s also crazy exciting (perhaps even more so!) is that our friends over at Vision Art Fine Art Books have generously offered to hook one of our readers up with a Full Registration Pass! That’s a $399 value don’tcha know. Pretty rad eh?

How To Enter:

To enter to win all you have to do is leave a comment below answering this question:

What’s your favourite thing about Vegas? (Or, if you haven’t been, what would you most want to see?)

Having not been before we’re super open to any recommendations you might have for us!

P.S. If you aren’t entering, but still have some tips for us, then just put a * in front of your comment and we won’t count it as an entry :)

Fine Print

One entry per person please!
Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win
We’ll close the giveaway on Friday, January 20 at Midnight MST

If you’re planning on going then make sure to say hi if you see us! We’ll be the super pale Canadians looking slightly overwhelmed!!

One final thanks to Vision Art for setting this up. Make sure to check out our full review of their gorgeous albums. These books will knock your socks off!

Organizing Your Ideas with XMind & Evernote

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:00:00 -0700

Today we’re going to look at two fantastic programs that will help you organize your ideas and your notes. That may sound boring, but it’s actually not at all! In fact, this stuff is exciting. Let me explain.

See, you have great ideas. Guaranteed. But you might not be in the habit of writing your thoughts down. You think you’ll remember it, but you don’t. That’s too much work for the brain. And then that little gem of an idea gets lost, forgetten about, and never put into action.

When you get in the habit of writing down your ideas, you are way more likely to use them. Expand on them. Get inspiration for your next shoot, project, business, whatever! It’s downright energizing. Quite simply, recording and organizing your ideas is critical for you to take that next big step (whatever it may be). And these tools will help you do just that.

Meet XMind (a mind mapping / brainstorming program) and Evernote (an extremely versatile note taking program). They’re fairly different, but work fantastically together. Think of them as the peanut butter and jam of brainstorming.

Why You Should Use These Programs To Organize Your Thoughts

Turn Your Great Ideas Into Results!

You have awesome ideas. But if you’re not writing them down then you’re probably not acting on them either. A lot of ideas are complex and require many steps to effectively execute. By writing those ideas down you’ll take a huge weight off your mind, and you won’t have to worry that you’ll forget something. Instead you can focus all that extra mind power on thinking more deeply on specific ideas, or more broadly on large picture stuff, and then producing results!

They’re Free!

Both programs offer very useable free versions. You might never need to upgrade either one! We use the free version of XMind but we went with the upgrade for Evernote ($45/year) because of the additional space it offers, along with offline notebooks for the iPad and iPhone.

Go Paperless

Your Moleskine looks great, but when you need to get down to work it might not be the most efficient tool. By going paperless you’ll free up the typical clutter that comes with paper. It will also be easier for you to organize your ideas, make adjustments, search through notes and find what you’re looking for faster.

They’re easy to use

Anyone can use these programs—no training necessary! You’ll be getting down to business minutes after downloading them. Also, because of how simple both programs are, you’re more likely to use them when you need to.

Mind expanding

XMind is especially useful for helping you explore ideas. Once you’ve written something down you’re free to let your mind wander wherever it wishes, and the program can keep up with you. Maybe it will be a complimentary idea, or maybe something completely different. It can be quite the cathartic experience, and take you in directions you never expected!

Cloud Storage

Both programs can be set up with “cloud” storage. Evernote automatically syncs online and we save XMind files to a free Dropbox account. The huge benefit of this is that notes can be accessed from multiple computers effortlessly. Lauren and I have one Evernote account that we access from 4 computers, 2 iPhones and 1 iPad and it all works seamlessly. This again ensures that we actually use the program!

Mac & PC compatible

It doesn’t matter what operating system you use there’s a version of XMind and Evernote you can use.

For Brainstorming

XMind is incredibly powerful brainstorming software. It’s a program we only recently discoverd, but it has quickly become an indispensible tool. As mentioned above the program is free and available for both Mac and PC. See the video below for a quick demo.

For Notetaking

Evernote is the utimate online journal / notebook. You can use it to write out notes, lists, drafts. You can also save images, pdfs, and websites into notebooks. It’s seriously a killer app that nobody should be without. Again free, and available for both Mac and PC. (I epscially like that there’s an iPhone and an iPad app!). See the video below for a quick demo.

The beautiful thing about these programs is that anyone can find use for them. They’re extremely powerful tools that will quickly improve how effectively you organize your ideas and your notes.

How have you used XMind or Evernote to help better organize your life or business? Share your experience in the comments!

What to Read Next:

About the Author: Hi there, I’m Rob! I’m a pro photographer and head ninja here at Photography Concentrate. I love all things photography: shooting, teaching and always learning more! If I’m not reading up on the latest photography news, or studying a technique, I’m probably reading a book or planning our next adventure!

How Will You Photograph 2012?

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:00:00 -0700

Well, my friend, here we stand at the beginning of 2012. Kind of a neat feeling isn’t it? This year is still all potential, no baggage.

So, before we get all the way back into the grind, and the weeks start slipping by, let’s take a second to think about how to photograph 2012. After all, the world might end this time around the sun. If that’s the case, at least let’s make it a great year, photographically speaking.

Here are a few ways to make 2012 a fantastic year for your photography!

Shoot More

You can always be shooting more. Bring a camera with you everywhere, even if it’s an iPhone, or a compact system. Use it every chance you get. When you look back at the end of this year you’ll be glad you took lots of photos. Trust me.

If this is something that’s resonating with you, you might want to consider doing a Photo A Day project (or a 365 as it’s also known). You’re a few days late, but I’m sure the universe will forgive you and still let you play!

The shooters I’ve seen complete a 365 ended up improving their skills, taking a ton of amazing shots, and having a lot of fun in the process.

Shoot for Yourself

If you’re a pro, you’ll know what I mean when I say that client work has a way of taking over your life. You’ll look back on a year and realize you hardly shot anything that wasn’t for clients.

Don’t get me wrong, client work is awesome. But you need balance.

So this year, carve out time to do your own personal work. And be proud to be shooting for yourself.

If this sounds good to you, then pick a specific project that you’d like to shoot for yourself this year. It can big, little, or in between. Just define it, and start making it happen. You’ll be amazed at how much you learn, and how much the photos mean to you.

Pick A Theme

Photo projects with a core theme are always so fascinating. They can span over the course of the entire year, and even further. Having that thread that ties the images together creates a cohesive power. A story. A purpose.

The best theme is the one that interests you the most. What has your attention this year? It can be anything. Seriously. And it definitely doesn’t need to be about photography. Use photography to get you closer to the other things you’re interested in!

For example, we’re interested in “work”. More specifically, the people who have a deep passion for what they do. Last year we approached a local coffee roastery that we really admired. We took photos for them, and the experience was incredible. We learned more about coffee (which we’re pretty obsessed with!), learned more about caring about what you do, and met some amazing people. It’s a theme that we are really excited to keep exploring!

Identifying a theme helps you focus your shooting, and keeps you interested for a long time. And it gets you thinking more about your work. Lots of good stuff with themes.

So what are you really interested in? Like, really interested. What is it that makes the wheels in your head start turning? Think about how you could turn that into a theme for your photographic work, and then start shooting!

Explore

Go somewhere you haven’t been before. And take your camera. You literally can’t even imagine what you might come across (I mean, you’ve never been there before right??). Chances are you’ll find yourself in the middle of an adventure well worth photographing.

Now this place could be anywhere in the world. If you have the means, and the time, book a flight to a country you’ve always wanted to go to. Seriously, just book the tickets and the rest will fall in to place. Trust me. We’ve traveled around the world a fair bit, and it always, always, always begins with just getting the tickets. Remember, the world might end this year, it might be your last chance to check that incredible place out!

If you’re unable to make that dream trip, don’t worry for even a moment. There is so much to explore closer to home. Go on an adventure in your own country. I guarantee there is so much to see there!

Or, it can even be in your city! Go somewhere in your city you haven’t been before. Act the tourist in your hometown, and you’ll find tons of adventures worth photographing. Promise.

So, where are you going to explore?

Push

This is simple. Push yourself to do something with your photography you haven’t done yet.

Use film. Try out a different camera. Use natural light only. Use flash only. Shoot landscapes. Shoot portraits. Shoot alone. Shoot with someone new.

Get out of that comfort zone. You can do it.

Read

Spend time reading this year. And not just about photography. Read up on a ton of different subjects. Maybe on the theme that you’re going to explore, or the country you want to travel to.

Read philosophy. Business. Psychology. Fiction. Study science. Graphic Design. Renaissance Art.

Get your mind exploring all sorts of different topics, and I guarantee it will feed back into your photography in all sorts of wonderful ways.

If you haven’t yet, make sure to get yourself a library card and start going regularly.

Think

Give yourself time and space to just think about photography. Meditate on it. It’s totally worth the effort.

I get the opportunity quite frequently because I write these articles for you, and I’m so grateful for it! I learn so much about myself as a photographer by doing this. So I can promise you that if you give yourself some space to think about photography, you’ll be amazed at what you come up with.

Make sure to write down your thoughts. Use Evernote. Seriously, this part is really important. Value your ideas, they are always worth it!

Enjoy

Perhaps most important of all, make sure to enjoy shooting this year! I think it’s pretty simple. If you aren’t enjoying shooting, why would people enjoy looking at the photos?

Here’s to a great year everyone! We hope you’ll keep checking out our site as you make 2012 an awesome photographic year. We’ll have lots of awesome stuff here to help you out!

Your Turn

How are you going to make 2012 photographically awesome? Share with us in the comments now, we wanna know!

The Top 10 Posts of 2011

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:35:00 -0700

It’s been a busy year here on the site! We published over 100 articles filled with all sorts of photography info and goodies. Today we’re going to revisit our top 5 most useful posts where you’ll learn a few ways to improve your shooting. Then we’ll reveal our top 5 most popular posts that we received the most feedback on. There’s something for everyone so read on!

Thank You!!!!

Finally, a big HUGE thanks to you, awesome reader. This site wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for you, and your valuable feedback and interaction. We can’t wait for next year, we have so much awesome stuff in store for you!

Happy holidays everyone, and we’ll see you in the New Year!

Your Turn

Did you have a favorite blog post this year? Share it with us in the comments below!

What To Read Next

About the Authors: Howdy! We’re Rob + Lauren, the head ninjas of Photography Concentrate. We are two professional photographers who think this is the best job in the universe. We like it so much, in fact, that we want to help other people do it, so they can be super happy too. We’re also fond of travel, food, cool people, and our cat Scooter!

Shoestring Photography Gift Ideas

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:52:00 -0700

Cash can be a bit tight around the holiday season, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money to give a great gift. And some of the best gifts are actually free!

We’ve brainstormed a few budget ideas that would be perfect to give as a photographer, or to a photographer.

From Photographers

Framed Prints

Lots of possibility here! You could give a print of something you’ve photographed yourself. It could be a landscape, something abstract, a shot of you and whoever you’re giving the print to—anything really! Be creative! It could be a fun project photographing something that would be meaningful to the person you’re giving it to. Another idea is framing old prints! Find a photo from yesteryear that brings back some great memories and frame it!

Albums

Photo albums are blast to go through! They are especially powerful because of their storytelling potential. Maybe you’ve gone on a recent adventure with family or friends that could be made into a great photo album! A collection of your favourite photos from 2011 would make a great gift. You could create one on a budget using a program like iPhoto (though you might not get it in time for Christmas). Or for real shoestring value you could get one that you slip photos into.

Photo Shoot

Great photos are something that people can treasure forever! And giving them as a gift shows that you care about the person, and want to capture them. We’ve given the gift of a photo session a few times, and it has always been a win-win situation. We get to take photos of the people we love, and they get great photos of themselves. You can include the files, and then optionally add in prints or albums.

For Photographers

Framed inspirational quotes

The history of photography is full of inspirational characters. Words of wisdom and inspiration can really help a photographer stay motivated. We’ve put together a few of our favourite inspirational / motivational posters that are beautifully designed and ready to be printed. They’re all 8x10 in size which makes them easy to find frames for. You can download a 12-poster pack here, and 4 more posters here (all for free!)

Vintage Photos

A trip to the local antique/vintage store may be able to score you some vintage photographs. They are usually super inexpensive, but a fascinating piece of photographic history! Pop them in a antique frame for extra vintagey goodness.

A Library Card

A library card is probably one of the best gifts you could give anyone for any reason. It has the ability to give literally infinite inspiration and knowledge! Plus it can help anyone, from a beginner all the way up to seasoned pro.

Magazine or Magazine Subscription

The holidays are perfect time to browse through photography magazines. You can grab them for just a few bucks and they make great stocking stuffers!

Your Turn

Do you have any shoestring gift ideas from/for photographers? Share them in the comments now!

A Different Gift Guide for Photographers

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:00:00 -0700

Let’s be honest: photographers are hard to shop for!! Well meaning gift-givers may have no clue if said shooter actually needs said gadget, will use it, if it will work with their camera, or what it even does! And with wish list items often starting in the hundreds of dollars range, well, it’s not always an easy task to make your shooter happy!

So we’ve whipped up a different kind of gift guide. This isn’t just a list of specific products to buy, but rather general ideas of items that any photographer could use! With examples and suggestions!! Hooray!

Let’s dive in, and see if we can’t make that photography lover in your life squeal with happiness when they unwrap their present! (Or at the very least say “Hey, I could totally use this!”)

(Photographers: feel free to leave this post open on all the computers around the house for a subtle hint. Or leave printed versions on every flat surface if you’re not into subtlety.)

Essentials

These are the things that every photographer needs. Solid gift ideas that will actually get used!

1. Memory Cards: Ok, so it’s not a sexy gift, but a new memory card is mega useful. Get them a bigger one or a faster one and they will use it literally every time they take a photo!

2. Spare Batteries: Again, kinda dull. But when their main battery runs out, and they grab the spare and can keep right on shooting, they’re going to mentally hug you.

3. Passport Drive: These little buggers are super useful for anyone. For photographers they are especially handy for transferring photos offsite, so those precious images are safe!

4. Camera Straps: There are so many nifty camera straps out there you can really find something that any shooter will love. Some are focused on function, and others are more stylish. You could also grab them a sweet leather hand strap — an accessory Lauren won’t shoot without!

5. Camera Bag: Picking the right camera bag is a tricky process, but do it well and you just may become a hero. For the ladies, there’s the mega popular Kelly Moore line. Guys have one option over at Kelly Moore, or the more adventurous might enjoy the National Geographic line. They’ve totally got Indiana Jones appeal.

Fun Cameras

Maybe your shooter has all the serious gear they need, but would appreciate something fun! Here are a few ideas.

6. Holga: A plastic camera with infinite possibilities. These are tons of fun, and really get the creative juices flowing. They shoot medium format film, so you might want to grab a couple rolls of that too.

7. Polaroid (film): The original instant camera. They aren’t easy to come by these days, but you can hunt on eBay for one, and pick up the film over at The Impossible Project.

8. Polaroid Zink: The next generation instant camera is the Polaroid with Zink (zero-ink) technology. These look like mega fun!

9. Fuji Instax: Like a newer, more affordable version of the Polaroid! You just can’t beat the magic of seeing a photo develop before your eyes. There are a few different models to fit different price points.

Cleaning Supplies

Ok hear me out. I know “cleaning supplies” are the last thing you think of when brainstorming gift ideas, but these make awesome stocking stuffers!! It doesn’t matter if you’re a pro, beginner, Canon, Nikon—all photographers need some cleaning gear. A clean camera is a happy camera, after all!

10. Lens Pen: A cheap, portable, invaluable gadget. Keeps lenses clean and free of photo-ruining smudges.

11. Microfiber Towel: You can grab big ones or small ones, but whatever kind, these towels make sure your camera is shiny.

12. Rocket Blower: Your photographer might not have one of these, but they should. They dislodge dust from lenses and sensors. Which pretty much will save hours and hours of tedious work in Photoshop!

Software

If your lucky photographer is just getting started they might need some software to get them going! Here are a couple ideas for software to get ‘em.

13. Lightroom: The industry leading photo editing program. Lightroom is tops for photo editing, and also awesome for organizing all those shots. Easy enough to learn for beginners, but powerful enough for pros. We heart Lightroom!

14. Photoshop Elements: Maybe your shooter likes to do crazy cool compositing or shoots portraits where retouching is necessary. Photoshop Elements has tons of powerful features, at a very sweet price!

Peripherals

That’s a fancy word for “things you plug into your computer”. But these gadgets can make a world of difference when working on your photos!

15. Wacom Tablet: A must-have for any photographer. These take a little getting used to, but once you do you’ll wonder how you ever managed without one. They make photo editing feel more like painting. Seriously awesome, and with tons of different models for different price points! Check out our post on why these are so awesome!

16. Mouse: Seems weird, but actually one of the quickest ways to boost your computer performance is with a better mouse! Lauren uses a Razer gaming mouse, and we’ve heard good things about Logitech mice too.

Books, Movies & Magazines

Photographers need inspiration and there’s nothing better than flipping through a gorgeous photography book or watching a great movie to get the creative juices flowing!

Check out The Book List for Photographers and The Ultimate Documentary List for Photographers for some ideas. Walk around a bookstore or two and see what jumps out at you. And when in doubt, grab an Amazon gift card and let them go wild!

There are also tons of photography related magazines out there. You can pick up a few different ones for variety or hook them up with a subscription to their fav. If they have an iPad, check out Zinio for lots of great magazines in digital format.

Lenses & Cameras

This is often what a shooter wants most: a snazzy new camera or a shiny lens. But, as you’ll be looking to spend many hundreds to get a good lens, and many many hundreds for a camera, this isn’t always a viable option.

17. Oh, you’re a moneybags are you? Ok, well if you want to get that special someone a camera, start off by grabbing our free Camera Buying Guide to help you understand just what all those numbers and letters actually mean!

18. If you don’t have the cash to get them the latest full frame DSLR, consider picking up a high quality point and shoot that they can take with them anywhere. We’re big fans of the Sony NEX series. Check out our month long field test of the Sony NEX-3 here.

Are lenses more your speed? It’s not an easy task to pick a new lens for someone else, but it will be extremely appreciated if you get it right!

Need some ideas of which lenses are most useful? Check out The Portrait and Wedding Photographer’s Tool Kit // Part 1: Lens Selection and The Photographer’s Wedding Day Gear Kit for some of our favourite lenses.

19. Wanna get a little funky? Check out the Lensbaby Composer for something fun and a bit more affordable than big time lenses!

Education

And, of course, the gift of learning is always awesome! Queue the quick self promotion! :)

20. If your photographer is looking to get more control over their camera check out our Extremely Essential Camera Skills tutorial.

21. If they want to edit their photos with Lightroom, Super Photo Editing Skills will get them there.

22. And if they want to design albums with InDesign, check out Awesome Album Design Skills.

You can grab gift codes for any of our tutorials and give it to the lucky shooter in your life. Here are the gift code links for you:

Print out the code, frame it, carve it into a solid piece of hardwood, or simply write it across their forehead while they sleep. However you present it, just send them our way and we’ll take care of the rest!

Big Idea

Photographers come in all shapes and sizes, and have all sorts of different types of gear that they are into. But I’d wager that there is one thing that all photographers want. And that is support. Show your photographer that you support their passion, either with a nifty gifty, or just by being interested, and they’ll be a happy little shooter indeed!

Well, hopefully that gives you a bit of insight into some awesome gifts for the photography lover in your life! Happy Holidays, and happy photographing!

Your Turn!

Got any awesome gift ideas for photographers? Share them in the comments below!

Easy Color Management: A Review of the NEC PA271W Display

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:00:00 -0700

Have you ever gotten prints back from the lab only to be disappointed that the colors don’t seem to match up with how things look on your display? Maybe the color temperature is a bit off, or the prints don’t have the right level of contrast. Welcome to the wonderful world of color management! Trying to keep colors accurate from capture to print can be a frustrating process if you’re not using the right tools.

Today we’re going to look at the NEC MultiSync PA271W, a 27inch proofing grade display that will ensure what you see on your screen is what you’ll see in print.

The NEC MultiSync PA271W. Just what the Photo Robot ordered!

Notes

NEC was kind enough to send me a display for the purpose of this review. I’ve been given the option to purchase the reviewed display at a discounted price—an option I’ll probably be taking advantage of!
I have never owned a professional proofing grade display before and I don’t have much technical knowledge about monitors. Despite that I’ll do my best to share with you what I’ve learned so far and to provide my honest opinion of the display.
I’m testing this monitor on a MacBook Pro. I’m using the supplied display port cable along with a 3rd party DisplayPort-to-Mini DisplayPort adapter

Why Photographers Need Professional Displays

Here’s the big question. How important is it for you to have total control over the look of your photos? If you’re just getting started, it probably doesn’t matter too much. But as you progress you’ll find you become more and more obsessed with details. With a pro-level display you get complete control over the details. Let’s break it down.

Better results for prints

With a proofing grade display you can be pretty much certain that what you see on the screen is how things will look when printed.

Now, a screen that transmits light will be a little different than a paper print that reflects light. What creates the difference is mainly the color temperature of the light that you view prints under. What you can actually do is calibrate your display to different color temperatures in order to simulate what paper would look like under different color temperature lights! Total control.

The big point: If you want your prints to look like they do on your screen then a proofing grade display is a necessary investment.

Better results for screens

If you’re not planning on printing your images then a pro display might be even more important. These days a lot of photos don’t actually end up as prints, and are only seen on screens. Because the display is essentially your final output, having a good one ensures the final look of your images is the way you intended.

What’s Included

The display arrived in a sturdy, well packaged, box. Inside the box was:

The display
Power cable
USB cable (to connect the monitor’s USB ports to the computer)
DVI cable
Displayport cable
SpectraView II software
SpectraSensor Pro display calibrator
CD w/manual

The display model I’m reviewing is the PA271W-BK-SV which includes the SpectraView calibration system. You can also purchase a version of the display without the calibrator.

About The Display

27 inches diagonally
Resolution: 2560x1440 pixels
97.1% coverage of the AdobeRGB colorspace
3 USB ports
2 x DVI ports
1 x DisplayPort
Retail price w/ SpectraView Calibrator US$1649
Retail price w/o Calibrator US$1399
Comes with a 4 year limited warranty
Compatible with Mac and PC

Setting Things Up

The monitor was really easy to setup. The handle on the top of the display made it easy to carry the monitor to my office and position it on my desk. The power cable and DisplayPort cable were easy to connect. I used a 3rd party DisplayPort-to-Mini DisplayPort adapter to plug into my MacBook Pro. It’s important what kind of cable / adapter you use as not all are compatible. (Read more about this under the Tips section later on!)

I installed the SpectraView Software, waited the required 30 minutes to warm up the monitor, and then used the supplied sensor to calibrate the display. Calibration went smoothly. You simply plug in the calibrator to a USB port on your compter, open the SpectraView II software and click calibrate. The sensor has a protector that you flip off before placing on the screen. I’ve read of people mistakenly leaving the cover on, but the instructions are pretty clear.

The PA271W is being calibrated on the left hand side, and my Dell 24inch Ultrasharp is on the right hand side.

First Thoughts

When the calibration was complete the color of the display looked way better! I had a freshly calibrated 24in Dell Ultrasharp setup right beside the PA271. I brought up a couple test images up on both screens. The difference was pretty remarkable—way more than I expected. The color of the PA271W was way closer to what I could see in print. The PA271W also showed better detail in dark shadows. Way more detail could also be seen in highlight areas. I was shocked to see what I had obviously been missing with the Dell Ultrasharp.

Another thing that really impressed me was the size and resolution of the display. Text is crisp and easy to read. And photos obviously look fantastic!

Testing the Display

I’ve used the display for about 80 hours so far (the software tracks usage) and it’s been a pleasure to use! My testing has been pretty casual, and more about typical usage than scientific analysis.

Prints

I looked at prints from our album manufacturer along with lustre prints I’ve done myself on an Epson 3880. Under my office lighting the color and contrast from print to screen looked quite accurate.

Comparison to the Dell 24in Ultrasharp

As mentioned this monitor was mainly compared to a 24in Dell Ultrasharp (calibrated with a Spyder3Pro). Both were calibrated to the same the same color settings. The PA271W was calibrated a bit brighter than the Dell but close enough to make some ballpark comparisons.

As mentioned the PA271W showed better detail in highlights and shadows. The color also seemed more accurate when compared to prints. Colors (in particular skin tones) seemed more realistic. A huge difference between the two monitors was how color looked at different viewing angles. The PA271W looks fantastic from a fairly wide viewing angle. The Ultrasharp quickly changes colours as you move away from a central viewing point.

The PA271W on the left, and the Dell 24in Ultrasharp on the right. Obviously photos won’t do either monitor justice but you can still see a noticeable difference, especially in color and shadow detail.

The most noticeable difference comes with viewing angle. This shot was taken at about a 45 deegree angle. The PA271W does an incredible job of showing consistent color at wide viewing angles. The color shift in the Ultrasharp is quite noticeable.

Video

Video looks great on the monitor. I did a bit of video editing work in Premiere Pro, and I also downloaded a couple HD movie trailers from Apple. You can profile the display for broadcast video, but it looked good to me with the Photo Editing profile. Response time for the display seems great. I couldn’t see any noticeable ghosting and 1080p video looks beautiful with the display’s high resolution (even though it only takes up about 2/3rds of the screen!). I don’t play video games but with this display I could be tempted!

What You’ll Love About This Display

The NEC MultiSync PA271W with SpectraView II is basically a turn-key solution for color management. I love that the display, the cables, the calibrator, and the software are all bundled together (and all work well together!). At US$1,649 it’s also quite reasonably priced for such a hassle-free solution. I was pretty doubtful about the value of such a display but after the brief time I’ve spent testing it, I feel foolish for not budgeting for this sooner. I think a monitor like this could help a lot of photographers take the quality of their editing and their prints to a much higher level.

You can swivel the screen using just one hand, which works well for me if I want to show Lauren something I’m working on (the extra wide viewing angle also comes in handy here). You can also move the display up or down and adjust tilt, but you have to use both hands for that.

The display itself also looks great. It’s a bit thicker than you might expect but not in an ugly way.

The bezel is quite low profile. The buttons on the monitor are unobtrusive and the menu is straightforward.

The stand and base are pretty sleek. Photo Robot approves!

One feature I like is that the display features multiple inputs (2 x DVI and 1 x DisplayPort) so you can connect the display to multiple computers and then just switch inputs on the display to switch between computers. It also features two USB inputs so that you can connect a USB cable to both computers. If you plug a keyboard and mouse into the display you can set it up so that when you switch inputs your keyboard and mouse also switch to the active computer. This is great for me because I work between a MacBook Pro and a Mac Pro.

There’s one more DVI input hiding under the stand’s shadow!

One final thing that you’ll love about this display is how easy it is to calibrate! It’s important to regularly calibrate, and because it’s so simple with this monitor I know I’ll actually do it.

Tips

When using the calibrator make sure to slide off the protective ambient light cover.
If you need to plug the monitor into a Mini DisplayPort like the ones found on MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros then you’ll either need to purchase an approved NEC cable or get an adapter. The problem is that most cables and adapters don’t work properly with the monitor (because most cables aren’t properly manufactured to the DisplayPort spec). I found a StarTech adapter that I’m using with the supplied DisplayPort cable and it’s been functioning perfectly (what’s great about this particular adapater is that it doesn’t block the neighbouring USB port on the MacBook Pro - this is the only DisplayPort adapter I’ve found so far like this).
DVI vs. DisplayPort: Only the DisplayPort cable will deliver the 10bit signal the display is capable of producing. A DVI cable will only deliver 8bits. The problem is that if you’re using a Mac you’re limited to 8bit anyway. From what I understand only Windows 7 is capable of delivering a 10bit signal. If you have loads of free time or lots of curiosity head to this Wikipedia article to learn more about color depth.

Where to Buy

I would suggest picking up the display/calibrator combo (PA271W-BK-SV). The calibrator works perfectly with the display, and is actually a custom X-Rite i1 Display Pro calibrator.

Final Thoughts

I decided to review this monitor after a discussion with my printer. I asked him how important he thought a professional monitor was in photography. His reply was typical and poignant; “How much do you value your images?”. After seeing what this display is capable of, I can see that I haven’t been valuing my images enough. While I’m still learning how to use this display, I’m excited about the room it gives me to improve my editing and my prints.

A special thanks to Klyment Tan for suggesting this monitor to me.

Hundreds of Thousands of Crappy Photos

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:00:00 -0700

Have you ever seen the work of a great photographer and felt this simultaneous combination of “Wow, this is so awesome!” and “Man, I really suck.”

Well, join the club, my friend. I think we all feel that way at some point. I mean, you want to be looking at work that is better than your own to inspire you. But that’s inevitably going to leave you feeling like you don’t measure up. Dilemma! But here’s the big thing to remember. What you don’t see are the hundreds of thousands of crappy photos that photographer has taken.

I’m not exaggerating. We tried to figure out how many photos we’ve taken that weren’t good enough to make the cut. We gave up really quickly because the numbers were staggering and I’d rather not think too much about it. ;)

So today, as hard proof, I am going to share some of our very recent crappy photos with you. I’ll give a bit of commentary about what makes them crappy, but, well, it’s pretty obvious. Hope you enjoy! :)

Exhibit A: From a very recent wedding. This is just a complete miss. I wasn’t in the right spot at all. Things were moving quickly, I was shooting a lot, wasn’t thinking enough, and took this stunner.

Exhibit B: Wow. Could that dress BE more blown out? There is absolutely no information left, and no way to recover the photo. I really rocked on this one. Basically I took a photo before I had considered a new lighting situation. Fail.

Exhibit C: This one is just all sorts of bad. It’s underexposed to begin with, so that’s not awesome. But there’s much more crappiness going on here. Note the beautiful light pole coming right out of the bride’s head. Lovely. And the half child playing in the grass. Perfection.

Exhibit D: Just a complete miss. Even if the focus was actually on the pup, where it should be, it still would have been a weak shot. Blah.

Exhibit E: Textbook example of underexposure. Got too excited and took a shot before reading my light meter. Classic.

Exhibit F: Wow, this one is just crappy in every way. Blurry, boring, and it features that nice big blue light in the top corner. If that was a UFO this would be a good photo. But it’s not. So it’s crappy.

Exhibit G: What is this even of? I liked the lines, but did such a bad job of making something interesting out of them. It’s crooked, and the parking signs at the bottom are distracting. Just boring boring boring.

Ok, I think you’ve got the idea. We take some really crappy photos, even after years of doing this. And I expect there are many many more to come, and I’m cool with that. By taking crappy photos, understanding why they’re crappy (this is the key!) and then improving next time you’re out shooting, well, that’s how you get better!

So, when you’re looking at all your crappy photos, don’t feel bad. Remember that every photographer out there has taken so many crappy photos it would make your head spin. The great ones just learn from their mistakes, and keep on shooting!

Shoot Before They're Gone

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:00:00 -0700

You need to photograph the important people in your life before they’re gone.

Yep, that’s a pretty intense way to start off a blog post. I didn’t gently ease you into it. Nope. I just hit you over the head with the point. But, well, this is just too important to dilly dally with. If you don’t read any more than the first sentence, at least you’ll know what this was all about.

Ok, backstory. In case you didn’t know, we are holding a giveaway for a camera right now (today’s the last day to enter, fyi. If you haven’t entered yet do that AFTER you read this post, ok?). If you’ve participated in any of our giveaways before you’ll know that we like to ask a question for entries. Not only does it get you thinking (which is always a good thing), but it gives us some really valuable insight into you, our awesome readers.

This giveaway that’s going on right now has the question “If you had the opportunity to photograph one person, past or present, who would it be and why?”. We were expecting to see lots of names of famous people in history. And we got a few. But there was another type of answer that showed up time and time again. It totally surprised us, but now, seeing these responses, it completely makes sense. The answers were along the lines of…

“If I could photograph anyone in history I’d shoot my (great)grandmother…my (great)grandfather…my mom…my dad…my cousin…my son…”

For the majority of our readers, it was a family member that mattered far more than anyone else in history.

Wow. Heavy.

Reading all the answers was incredible. We got a peek into what made these people photo worthy, whether it was their smile, their kind heart, their incredible sense of style, their bravery… On and on it went, answer after answer. Photographers wishing they could photograph someone who is gone.

So it boils down to a very simple lesson for all of us. We have to photograph the important people in our lives before they’re gone, and we no longer have the opportunity.

The Next Generations

One of the big things we need to remember as photographers is that we’re not just shooting for ourselves. We’re shooting for future generations. Children. Grandchildren. Great-grandchildren. And they will want to see images of their family members. Understand their roots. See the people they may have never had a chance to meet.

Photographs let you see someone that may have been gone before you were born. You grow up hearing stories of them, and being able to put a face to those tales is priceless.

You, as a photographer, can take on a very important role—the family historian. And it’s easy! All you have to do is shoot when you hang out with family. They may seem like simple snapshots now. But that’s the beautiful thing about photos. They gain in value with time. Without fail. In 50 years those snapshots become incredible windows into the past.

There was one word that came up so often in these responses that it really stood out. And that word was “share”. Folks wanted to take photos of these special people not just for themselves, but to share with their family.

And there again we can see that photography is not just for ourselves. It has the power to transcend our own experience. We can share what we see and feel with anyone who looks at the image. Magic.

So take photos not just to have, but to share. Keep that in mind when you’re shooting. Who else is going to see these images? Who will these be shared with? I think that when we meditate on the purpose of our images, it can affect the way we shoot, and add depth and meaning to our work!

Remember

Photographs can also be a way to remember the people who have gone from our lives. Their smile, how they looked when they laughed, their eyes, and, with some photos, their essence.

My memory isn’t great. Sure, I remember the big things. But it’s the details that get fuzzy. And I’m starting to suspect that the details are what make things really special.

Photographs are awfully good at capturing details. They fill in those gaps in your memory. You always think you’ll remember at the time, but then days, months, years pass and poof. Gone.

See, there’s a theme here. You’re not shooting for now. You’re shooting for the future.

Grown Ups Are Special Too

I don’t know about you, but I find it far easier to photograph the kids I know. They don’t have the hangups, they don’t tell me which is their good side, or not to shoot them because they “feel fat” that day. They just go about their business, enjoy themselves, and I get to capture it.

But here’s the problem. The kids get lots of pictures, but the adults are left out of the record. Big huge gaps. Not good.

Photographing adults in casual company is awkward, I know. But it’s worth pursuing, and letting them get used to it. Seriously. Because again, the photos aren’t just for them!

So don’t overlook the older folks in your family. Every stage of life is important and deserves a pictorial record.

Beautiful

Beauty is such a complex idea, far deeper than glossy magazines suggest. Many of our readers mentioned that their family member was beautiful, inside and out, and that’s why they wished they could photograph them.

Were those people all models? Of course not. They were regular people, like you, me, and that guy over there.

Were they beautiful? Absolutely. You know that old saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? Well, it’s totally true. And I’m going to pair it up with another quote.

“Things are beautiful if you love them.” - Jean Anouilh

These important people in your life, you probably love them. Very much. So they’re beautiful to you. And when you photograph them, that’s what you’re looking to show.

You know what? They might not see it. They might get all hung up on their imperfections (which we all have), and their insecurities (which we all have), and that’s why they complain about having their photo taken.

But the simple act of asking to photograph them, and then to take that portrait, and capture that beauty you see…Well, that right there is a gift. To them, and to the people in the future who will want to see who they were—as shown by someone who loved them.

Carpe Diem

Look, you just never know when it will be your last chance to photograph that special person. So carpe diem—seize the day. And the image. The future will thank you.

P.S. Thank you so much to all our readers who commented and shared these thoughts with us. We learn so much from you, and really really really appreciate your openness. :)

P.P.S. If you still haven’t entered that contest then go do it now! You could win a Fuji Instax, it’s seriously cool!!

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