Category Archives: General

Inexpensive Gifts (Starting at $8) for Photographers

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Flash adapter and umbrella for an shoe-mount electronic flash.

Flash adapter and umbrella for a shoe-mount electronic flash.

There are a lot of practical and inexpensive (more or less) gifts for photographers. Here is a nice list of items starting at $8. To make it easy to track them down, these items are individuality linked plus most of these items can be found in the Misc Goodies section of my photography store which has direct links to Amazon.com. Prices are current as of the date of this post, but prices do fluctuate. Some items can be temporarily unavailable. These items are not listed in order of price.

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“How To” Series: Off-Camera Flash

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Margarita

Margarita, Studio Portrait with Off-Camera Flash

Twelve articles (links below) to get you started with off-camera flash. The equipment you will need and how to use it.

Getting your flash off the camera opens up a whole new world of photographic possibilities. And the really good news: the equipment is way less expensive than it used to be. If you are ready to get started, I just finished writing (or re-writing) a series of articles on off-camera flash that covers the equipment you will need and shows you how to use it.

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A High Quality, Compact RØDE VideoMic for Your DSLR (and Smart Phone)

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RØDE VideoMicro in use at Acadia National Park.

Let’s face it. While many recent DLSRs and ILCs can give you excellent visual quality in the videos, the sound quality of the built in microphones leave a lot to be desired. For a modest amount of money you can bring the sound quality up to par with the visual quality. That is why video mic sales have exploded.

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My Favorite Smart Phone Tripod Mounts

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Square Jellyfish smart phone tripod mount with conversion plate for an Arca-Swiss compatible tripod head.

After seeing too many incidents when smart phones popped out of their tripod mounts and came crashing to the ground, I decided it was time to write this article.

Posted Dec 16, 2017. Revised and re-posted November 16, 2018.

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The Best Closeup Photography Equipment

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Forget-Me-Nots, Thorne-Swift Nature Preserve, Michigan

Forget-Me-Nots, Thorne-Swift Nature Preserve, Michigan

There are several ways to do closeup photography. Closeup filters, extension tubes, and macro lenses are the most commonly used options. The best gear for you depends on your preferences, how you want to work, the subjects you are after, how much stuff you want to carry, and how much you want to spend. I cover your best options.

Posted Nov. 19, 2017. Updated and re-posted November 15, 2018. Updated Nov. 11, 2019.

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GoPro: Amazing, Small, Inexpensive, HD Video Cameras

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Looking for a small, mountable, “ideal for sports and action”, inexpensive, high definition video and still camera with a waterproof housing and image quality that Lucasfilm (the Star Wars people) calls “amazing”? This camera will go anywhere and mount just about anywhere. Prices for the HERO7s range from $199 to $399 (which is a lot less than your typical DSLR with HiDef video). You can get older models for less, including the ultra compact GoPro HERO Session for $149.

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Get Sharper Images By Using The Best Lens Calibration Tools

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Lens Calibration Tools

Lens Calibration Tools

A lot of photographers have discovered their almost sharp lens was actually a very sharp lens once they tweaked the micro-adjustment settings. You will get sharper images if you adjust the settings for your specific camera and lens combinations. You do this using the micro-adjustment settings in the camera menu along with a lens calibration tool which you can buy or make yourself.

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The Best Digital Cameras – 2018 (Including 2010 – 2017)

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Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR

The holiday season is here and I am getting the usual questions about which digital cameras I recommend. The camera lists below will point you to the highest rated models. You can start with these lists and then narrow it down to a camera with the specific features you are looking for. I will help you in that regard with some information and advice on choosing a camera. The lists below will be updated throughout the holiday season as new reviews for highly rated cameras become available.

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How to Get the Best Results from the Best Online Photo Labs

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The lab you choose and the kind of file you send to your lab can make a huge difference in the quality of prints you get back. How do you pick a good online photo lab? How do you get the best results from your lab? What color space should you use for your digital files and how do you convert your files to the right color space? How big a print can you make from your digital files?

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Favorite Photo, November 13

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Dr Yim plays Eric Satie’s “Vexations” a total of 840 times. Lamoni, Iowa. November 13, 2018.

My favorite photo for this date was created at a rather remarkable and rare event. Dr. Yim, who teaches at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, did a performance of legendary avant garde composer Eric Satie’s “Vexations”. He played it 840 times which took 27 hours and 22 minutes.

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Favorite Photo, November 2

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Sunny, Columbus, Ohio. November 2, 2016.

It was a gorgeous fall morning in Columbus, Ohio, and Sunny and I went for a walk. This particular street is lined with beautiful maple trees so it is my favorite street in the neighborhood to walk down in the fall. This is my favorite image for November 2.

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Favorite Photo, October 29

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Bull Elk, Domino’s Pizza, Estes Park, Colorado. October 29, 2012.

As part of our favorite childhood places trip, my brother John and I made our way to Rocky Mountain National Park. The Park was in its “in between phase” between the splendid colors of fall and the beauty of winter. Once the aspen drop their leaves and the elk disappear back into the trees at the end of the fall rut, the park is not as visually splendid until snow blankets the park

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