Controlling ur point and shoot cam (4)

Part 4 people of the series "Controlling ur point and shoot cam " , where u learn to understand how ur cam "thinks" .

Video from www.youtube.com/user/DigitalPhotoGuy

Controlling ur Point and Shoot Cam (3)

Part 3 of the series Controlling ur point and shoot cam , which aims to show u how ur cam "thinks" so u can trick it into better pictures . :)



Video from www.youtube.com/user/DigitalPhotoGuy

Controlling Point and Shoot cams (2)

Part 2 of controlling ur point and shoot cam . A simple yet great video . Enjoy .:)



Video from www.youtube.com/user/DigitalPhotoGuy

Controlling Point and Shoot cams (1)

Pretty cool topic we're discussin today , and its for those of u who dont have the high-end dslrs , those of u who are new to photography or who arent even into it , but just wanna know how to get the best pics out of their simple point and shoot digicams . In 4 parts , 4 vids are gonna explain to u how to get better exposure for skin tones and get rid of those underexposed or overexposed pics .




Video from www.youtube.com/user/DigitalPhotoGuy

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY (8) :Maintaining underwater camera systems....

Long ago in post 4 of underwater photography , i was planning on posting this article , yet i decided it was wiser if i explained the underwater cam system first , and we did that in parts 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , and now were here . Just to remind u guys of what we discussed under the topic of underwater shots :

1) Basic problems & solutions
2) A vid demonstrating the use of a wide angle lens and a red filter underwater
3) Hints for the innocent
4) Underwater housing systems
5) Housings in more detail
6) Ports
7) A video of the whole system put together

Maintaining underwater camera systems

by Mark Webster

Reproduced from

in focus 69 (October 2002)

Underwater photographic equipment, whether you are a professional or simply looking for snapshots, requires a serious investment before you even start to take your pictures. In addition to absorbing all the technical details required to produce a good picture you must also learn how to look after your equipment to ensure that it functions correctly throughout its life and does not let you down at that crucial moment, probably when you have spent a mint on that tropical trip which places you alongside a whale shark, great white, mantis shrimp or whatever!

Water, particularly salt water, is an extremely hostile environment to take any type of mechanical equipment into. Although our amphibious cameras, housings and flash guns are designed to keep water out and operate under these harsh conditions they will not do so forever unless a little tender loving care is applied at regular intervals to keep control of that marine attrition. The some basic principles will apply to both totally mechanical cameras and housings as well as the latest auto focus models, although the hazards of even a minor flood for the latter are much more dangerous as water and electronics generally do not mix!

The best approach is to establish good basic procedures for "every dive" maintenance backed up with regular detailed attention and your camera system should then last you a lifetime. You may even want to plan more advanced servicing and. maintenance which is not as complicated as it may first appear. For those with slightly less confidence or time there are a number of specialist suppliers and service agents who will undertake those longer term complete overhauls.

Pre-Dive Preparations:

When planning to take your camera on a dive, be it a single day out or part of an extended trip, the first step is to ensure that you have enough time set aside to attend to the preparation of your equipment. More cameras and flash guns have been flooded by inadequate or rushed preparation than any "0" ring or structural failure. Even the experts and professionals ' flood their equipment and it is almost always due to something forgotten in the haste to get into the water to chase that special shot. So find a clean area, decide what lens and film combination is required for the dive and then commence a set of routine steps to prepare the camera system for the water. Listed below is a suggested procedure which should help to establish your own requirements:

o Remove the main "0" rings from the back plate (amphibious camera or housing) and lens or port. Clean the "0" ring seats thoroughly with a cotton bud or the edge of a paper kitchen towel. Now clean each "0" ring by wiping it with a paper kitchen towel and then regrease each one. Many people make the common mistake of assuming that more silicone grease on the "0" ring will produce a better seal. Wrongi This will only attract more in the way of dirt and debris ? the "0" ring should only be lubricated lightly until it shines by putting a dab of grease between you thumb and forefinger and then gripping the "0" ring as you pull it through. Replace the "0" rings and, if using a housing, install the camera and connect the hot shoe.

o Prepare your flash gun or flash housing in the same way, remembering to fit fresh batteries if necessary.

o Before loading a film in the camera, connect up your flash gun, having cleaned and greased the connector "0" ring, and test fire it. This way if you have a malfunction you will not unnecessarily waste film as you test the system. If you have a TTL flash system it is wise to also check that this is functioning correctly at this point. This is simply done by setting the flash and camera to TTL, setting the lens to a medium aperture (say f8 or f11) and pointing the gun straight into the lens from 15-20cm. When the flash is fired from this range then the TTL indicator on the gun or in the viewfinder should indicate that the shot was OK and TTL has functioned correctly. The flash should also recycle almost immediately indicating that it has not fired on full power and that TTL control has functioned.

o Once you are happy with the flash you can then load your film and check it is advancing correctly - also conf irm you have the correct film speed selected on the cameral Close up the camera back or fit the back plate of your housing with a final check that the "0" is clean and seats properly as you close up and latch.

o Now you are ready to assemble the remainder of the system. Connect flash arms, base plates, aiming torches etc. and check their functions. give the lens or port a final polish and the system should be ready for the water.

Post Dive Maintenance:

With the correct preparation your camera system should have survived the dive intact and dry inside. However, it is after the dive some of the greatest potential damage can occur as the water evaporates and leaves behind salt crystals which will cause corrosion, dry out "0" rings and eventually cause leaks if not properly washed off. This is particularly important if you are diving in tropical water with a high salinity, such as the Red Sea, where the water will evaporate quickly leaving large crystals which are especially invasive.
The best treatment is to submerge the system totally in luke warm fresh water, before the salt water dries, and let it soak for a while and then work all the controls to ensure that the salt water is fully flushed out. You can then finish off with ageneral rinse under running water before leaving the system to dry. If soaking is not immediately available then a quick rinse under running water will suffice in the interim, but the system should be soaked when the opportunity crises. If you are on an extended trip going through this operation after each dive it is still worthwhile soaking all your equipment once again when you return home as the water in the rinse buckets at dive centres or on live aboards quickly becomes contaminated with salt from other equipment. Between dives prepare your camera system as described above.

This above was just part of the article , further maintenance and long term maintenance

at http://www.bsoup.org/Articles/Maintaining_UW_Cameras.php

Photos from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Uwanemonefish.jpg ,

http://www.camerasunderwater.info/optics/ports.htm ,

http://www.ikelite.com/

Strobist article : Shade is ur friend ...

What i love about mr David Hobby ( creator of one of the most famous photo blogs of all time, STROBIST ) , is his increadible ability to use any environment for his best benefit . He is extremely adaptable , and creates awesome quality work , with minimal equipment . He really understands light , and can virtually create a studio environment out of any place . Today i copy paste this teaser paragraph from his blog and its basically about using on location shade (from buildings for example) to achieve a better exposure for ur shots :

" One of the first things to consider when balancing strobe and ambient light is whether or not you can knock the ambient down a bit, to give you more options with your small-flash lighting ratios.

And for my money, nothing does that quicker and easier than the shady side of a building.If I am doing a strobed outdoor portrait (as in the above photo of two prep football standouts) I will typically use a building as a "sun gobo" whether I include it in the photo or not.Even if I am including a bright sky in the background, I'll use the shade of a building to drop my subject to near black when underexposing a stop for the sunny sky. You get more lighting control this way.

If I am starting in full sun as my ambient, there are only a couple of stops of wiggle room before I get to my tightest aperture and max synch speed. No matter how powerful your flash is, that's the end of the light balancing line for you.You can cheat it a couple of stops with an ND filter, but that is another story (and the subject of an upcoming post.)But the fact that the shaded area was 2-3 stops darker than the area in full sun allowed me to drop the ambient down some for a more dramatic effect in this photo. When you realize that this photo was taken in the middle of the afternoon of a sunny day, you start to see the lighting ratio advantages that shade can give you. "

Rest of the article technique included http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/11/on-assignment-shade-is-your-friend.html

Photos and article teaser from Strobist .

Copyrights : Stealing Works or IDEAS ?

Ok weve talked about copyright before , but this interesting issue came up when a friend of mine talked to me bout one of her works being "imitated" , and i thought maybe we'd talk about that today , and i have to say im no legal expert , i just answered her based upon articles ive read . Now her work was basically an idea , and that idea , was imitated . The photos im using in this post arent the ones in discussion theyre just a couple of my photos i used to relief ur eyes of the boring long lines..(or maybe the lines are better, haha).. :)

My reply :

now im not a legal expert here ,so this is only my opinion , yet i will send this to some of my pro friends and see what they come up with if u want.... but i will tell u this......theres 2 words we can discuss here .... LEGAL and ETHICAL....now legally its a pretty tricky issue : there is no violation to copyright ( assuming that this was copyrighted in the first place which i assume isnt ) , because he did not save ur pic to his computer and use it in its exact same form , so he did not reproduce ur work . what happened here (was by reference to both links u sent me ) reproduction of THOUGHTs or creative IDEAS . I copy pasted this piece from http://www.photosandthelaw.com/articles/copyrightthis.htmAnd it goes like this " Copyright protection is only available for the expression of ideas and not the ideas themselves. This is known as the idea/expression dichotomy. An example of this dichotomy would be that copyright would not protect a discussion with my partner about how we could set up a particular photo – but the notes we wrote on the back of a cocktail napkin would be protected.If we were to create an image that resembled the Mona Lisa (an example that I use only because it is so widely known. However, if this were really the initial work, copyright wouldn’t have been an issue as the time of protection has expired.) I find a woman who is of similar appearance and I dress her in a similar manner, placing her in front of a similarly situated background and take a photo. All I have copied is the idea of the original. No actual part of the original was used in my re-creation and therefore this would copy would not violate the initial creators expression, but rather just the idea.However, if I took a high resolution image of the Mona Lisa and through the powers of Photoshop put my face into her head – I would have been using the actual original expression in my work – and assuming that copyright protection still existed in the original work – I would have violated it.I have heard it proclaimed by numerous people that there are only five photographic ideas that have ever been taken in the world. Every other photograph has been some sort of derivative of those initial ideas. While this is certainly questionable, it does wrap up this column in a concise manner. Just because someone had an idea before you – does not mean that you will be unable to use that same idea for your own work – so long as you express it in your own original way. "So this is pretty clear . i guess ?! :)

ETHICALLY .. i dont think theres any violation here either , because he said in his own words that the idea was urs , and that he tried to imitate it . So if i were u , and thats just me , id be happy i inspired someone, then again thats just me.

Bottom line is , since u , decided to display ur pics on the web , u should be aware of what could happen as a result of this display , and in ur case u learned that thoughts can be copied , if u didnt want that then ur option would be not to risk that by posting in public . I would also advice u to watermark any work of urs u find important before posting it , it wont protect the IDEA , but will protect u against the copy paste issue.As for me , i try not to waste time thinking about who took my IDEAS and who didnt , i concentrate on my work , push myself to do better , and start coming up with works of such QUALITY that not a lot of people can reproduce , even if they lifted the idea.... I hope this has been of help to u , if u need further info please tell me so i can ask more about this ..

Sincerely, Semary

CROSS LIGHTING : SUN AND FLASH

Guys this technique is extremely easy but will give u some amazing results with good impact , i personally LOVE IT . Its called cross lighting , and its basically just using flash to light ur frame in a direction opposite the sun . Or u can say balancing sun and flash . Strobist explained this in 3 full posts , technical details on how to balance included MUST READ.. Remember our reverse engineering post , if u reverse engineer these shots u'll find there are only 2 light sources , daylight , and a single flash .

For those people who think they have to be fully ladened with a cases of flash equipment to get well-lit photos outdoors in the daytime, I offer the example of Strobist reader Brent Williamson, who specializes in shooting people in New Zealand.The photos shown here were done with using a small flash aimed in such a way as to cross-light the subject with the sun. It's technique we have detailed here, here and here.

It's so simple, and yet produces a photo that has a crisp, 3-d look. A bonus is that the sun doesn't even have to be at a flattering angle to pull it off, either. So you can do this as you wait for the light to get nice later in the day.Brent is using minimal equipment to get his simple, yet polished look. Just one speedlight, synched with a Pocket Wizard and opposite the sun.The key is that the flash-ambient balance is such that the light does not call attention to itself. This is worth noting, as many novices get the lighting bug, then go out and start lighting with the subtlety of a ball peen hammer. Brent is just barely balancing the light. Maybe just a little under the ambient, actually.

Article from Strobist .

Photos BY Brent Williamson .

THINGS U SHOULD KNOW PART (5) : What is shooting on SPEC ?

For those of u who are following along , ud know we have an ongoing series called THINGS U SHOULD KNOW discussing topics like copyright and licensing ... Those of u who just joined , or who werent paying attention we discussed :

1) Copyright
2) Licensing
3) Royalty free
4) Third party distribution rights

Today we discuss : Shooting on spec ...


What's wrong with shooting on spec?

Shooting on "spec" (or speculative) means to shoot to a client's specifications without the guaranteed payment of an assignment. It can be a tempting opportunity, especially when first starting out, that comes from speaking with an Art Director who mentions, for instance, that they have a story coming up in your area. While they don't have money for an assignment, continues the AD, they'll be looking for photos of X, Y, and Z and they'd like to see your stuff. Often, the AD will mention that these shots will probably be great stock shots for you to have anyway in an attempt to convince you to go shoot them. If this is true, and the images really are good, generic, saleable stock images, then by all means, go build your stock library and submit some images. But be careful. Do not let the client dictate what it is they are looking for to the extent that the images become too specific to be of any future value. For instance, a recent "stock" request mentioned, "There's a great overlook of the James River about 3-4 miles from the Balcony Falls Trailhead. A road does follow the River in some spots, but there's one bend that the road veers more north, making it possible to have a nice wilderness-like photo. " This sounds pretty specific and more like directions that should be given in an assignment. After all, when else will you ever have the chance to license an image from 3-4 miles down the Balcony Falls Trail, overlooking the James River, showing only a wilderness view, not the road that also follows the river?
The problems with shooting on spec are many. First, you're the only one guaranteed to be laying out money for expenses like film and processing, travel, road meals, packaging, and FedEx, not to mention the time involved to travel, hike, shoot, return, visit the lab, sort, label, package, and re-file the returned images. You're by no means guaranteed to make the sale and if you think that they're going to just sit around and wait on you to submit stuff, you're wrong. If they wanted that, they'd give out an assignment. They'll also be calling other eager shooters and probably combing stock libraries as well, so the chances of yours being the only images they'll see are slim at best.
Second, even if you do make the sale, you must first cover all of your own expenses, leaving little money left to pay for your time. In contrast, if hired for an assignment, your client should pick up the expenses of the trip, the film and processing costs, and then pay you a fee on top of that. Many a spec shooter has made a sale, only to discover that it ended up costing them money, just for the privilege of being published. Flattering, but not a very smart way to try to stay in business. Remember, we should never be so desperate or so vain to simply get published that we forget that the goal of getting published is to make a living.
Finally, shooting on spec erodes the number of assignments available by once again proving to an AD that there will always be a photographer more desperate to get published than to make a living.
As tempting as spec shooting may sound, no opportunity is free. As businesspeople, we must always weigh the benefit of an opportunity compared to all of its costs, tangible and intangible, current and future, and only then can we decide if this is a good deal for us at this time. For instance, the potential benefits of shooting on spec are: POSSIBLE publication; POSSIBLE income of a few hundred dollars; POSSIBLY beginning a relationship with a new client; and finally building stock that has only POSSIBLE future value. The costs are: DEFINITE commitment of time for travel, shooting, sorting, packaging, and filing; DEFINITE costs for film and processing; DEFINITE costs for gas and a day's travel; DEFINITE costs for packaging and shipping; and DEFINITE erosion of available future assignments. It seems that if you were to take this on, you would be the only one with DEFINITE commitments, while your potential client remains just that -- a POTENTIAL client -- and assumes none of the risk. This doesn't seem like a win-win situation or a smart business decision.

Article from http://www.editorialphoto.com/resources/faq.asp#anchor14

TALENT SPOT : FARIDA EL HESSY , MARIA CARPENTER , NICOLE BELCHER..

YAS YAS YAS..!! Its here ..... THE TALENT SPOT ......

Today were featuring 3 amazing photographers/ artists , which i personally am a fan of each one of . Each has her own distinct style , view , and eye . They maybe be different , in a lot of ways , but all of them have 1 thing in common : Talent ...

1) FARIDA EL HESSY : a 23 year old egyptian medical student (currently going through her final year examination ) with an AMAZING eye and an extremely positive personality( she also won the last soduko contest at el Sawy culture wheel hehe) . Im telling u guys , Farida's work caught my eye from the time i saw her first pic . She has this amazing ability to spot the wierdest things , things nobody would normally look at, and shoot them giving them so much life and presence . Her shots of normal everyday objects are captivating , and her portraits are just as impressive, sometimes i wonder if shes has the exact same eyes as the rest of us humans .U guys MUST check her links out .This is one name ure gonna be hearing of frequently , and pretty soon lemme tell u that .

http://cuba1869.deviantart.com

http://www.eyefetch.com/profile.aspx?use...

2) MARIA CARPENTER : as quoted from Maria "I am a stay at home mom to three children... Michael is a senior and Rachel is a sophomore... Seth is in 6th grade and they are a hand full!!! Mornings are fun though... most of the time! I am about to wake my daughter up who is going to FREAK out because she didnt wake up in time to spend time working on her hair... I am SO GLAD I am not a teenager anymore!!!!! " .. Yea , haha . Uve all prob gotten an idea about Marias fun loving personality , she LOVES the outdoors , and ADORES PHOTOGRAPHY. Seriously i cant imagine myself father of three children and still having that much passion for photography (or life hehe). Her works immediately give u a sense of extreme peace , tranquility , and relaxation( although lately shes really been amazing me with her action sports shots ;) ) . She has been very good at conveying how she feels inside to her pics , and it shows , u may see some shooting like Maria , but rarely will u find pics packed with positive vibes like hers . MUST look at her link !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/memoriesbymaria/

3) NICOLE BELCHER : now last , but not least the IMPRESSIVE NICOLE BELCHER . A proof that talent has nothing to do with age , Nicole is an amazing 17 year old from Phoenix , with the artistic maturity of a 50 year old . Im telling u , i see her works till now , and i myself cant believe shes 17 . The amount of thought she puts in her works , amazes me , her brain isnt that of a regular 17 year old , obviously far more advanced . She has this way of wrapping up her works with an inexplicable mystery , which leaves u thinking and wondering . Its a talent this mystery thing im telling ya , not anyone can do that , i for one cant ever make a shot seem mysterious enough . I am proud to say that i am NIKIS fan from the beggining of her artistic journey and will be carefully following her , to see how she shapes herself in the future .

http://www.flickr.com/ndbphoto/show

UNDER WATER PHOTOGRAPHY (7) : Strobes , Mechanical arms

Ok today were wrapping up the underwater cam system , after talking about housings , and ports , today were discussing strobes , mechanical arms , and a small video so u can see what the system looks like when its put together . :) Lets g0 ------->

Flash (Strobe) :

1) U can get a specialized underwater strobe like this one --->

2) Or get a housing for ur strobe like this one here ---------------->

Flash sync cord :

3) Then u need to connect it to ur cam using a sync cord ------>

Mechanical arms :

4) And hold it in place using some mechanical arms -------------------->








A small video so u can see the whole system working together ..

Photos from www.fantasea.com
Video from www.youtube.com/user/imagingresource

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY (6) : Ports

After talking about housings last post , part 2 of the under water cam system , is the PORT.

A lot is going to be discussed here and i thought just before ur heads start aching id give u a real brief summary to help u read more easily. :)

There are basically 2 types of ports :

1) Flat Ports : work for macro lenses and normal lenses .

2) Dome ports : work for wideangle lens.

It is to be noted that the are variable lengths for ports even of the same measurement this is because :

1) Some lenses change considerably in length as they focus .

2) U may need to add a macro lens on top of ur existing one when ure using a dome port , because dome ports make objects seem closer , so in case ur lens doesnt focus under a certain distance u may need an additional macro lens (this will be discussed in more detail further in the post ) .

6"Dome port of different lengths

Flat (Macro) Ports:

A flat port used underwater does not simply act as a window. Instead, the air-water boundary causes it to act as a lens. The effect of this compulsory extra lens element is to reduce the angle of coverage and increase the magnification provided by the main camera lens. The extra magnification is useful with macro lenses, which is why flat ports are sometimes called macro ports. It also means however, that if (for example) you want the same angle of coverage as a 50mm lens, you must fit a 35mm lens. A table showing the reduction in coverage for a lens of a given focal length is given in the angle of coverage article in the optics section.Flat ports are not ideal for use with wide-angle lenses for several reasons: Firstly the port is likely to cause vignetting (cutting off the picture at the corners); secondly the port may introduce noticeable pincushion distortion (although this may be offset by barrel distortion of the lens); and thirdly the edge-sharpness of the picture will begin to deteriorate as the angle of coverage increases. The loss of sharpness is caused by chromatic aberration (colour fringing in off-centre detail). Assuming a 36 x 24mm picture format, or 35mm equivalent focal lengths, a general rule-of thumb is as follows: With 50mm or longer lenses, chromatic aberration is negligible. A 35mm lens will give acceptable results with a flat port (same configuration as the Nikonos W-Nikkor 35mm), but is noticeably better with a dome port. A 28mm lens with a flat port will give poor results. For those who process their images digitally however, chromatic aberration is reversible (see the lens correction article for details) allowing sub-optimal lens-port combinations to be used without penalty except for the loss of coverage (provided that there is no vignetting).

Dome Ports:

Dome ports were introduced in the 1960s, by the photographer Flip Shulke and others, and provided a solution to the problem of vignetting with fish-eye lenses. It soon became obvious however, that the dome port has another desirable property, which is that it corrects for the reduction in angle of coverage caused by the air-water boundary. A dome port is set-up for wide-angle photography by placing the entrance pupil of the lens at the centre of curvature of the dome (ie., the point at the middle if the dome were a complete sphere). In this case, light rays heading for the entrance pupil always strike the port surface at right-angles, no refraction occurs, and the angle of coverage of the main lens is conserved. This convenient situation comes at a price however, which is that the port acts as a strong de-magnifying lens.

Based on an original illustration by Gale Livers of Ikelite Inc.
The effect of the dome port is to make the subject appear much smaller and much closer than it really is, and the camera has to be able to focus on this 'virtual' image. This is not a problem with true wide-angle lenses, which have a very short minimum focusing distance, but with moderate wide-angle (28 & 35mm) and standard lenses, it may be necessary to add a close-up lens to the front of the main lens, especially when using a dome of small-radius. Be prepared to add a close-up lens if your main lens cannot focus closer than about 25cm from the image plane. Needless to say, when using any underwater port, the distance markings on the lens are not to be believed.Dome Radius or Diameter:Some manufacturers use a nomenclature which attributes a number of "inches" to a dome port. This measurement is not the diameter of the port assembly, but is the inside diameter of the complete sphere from which the dome is notionally cut. Hence an 8" dome port has a 4" radius of curvature, measured from the centre of the notional sphere to the inside surface of the dome. Similarly, a 6" dome port has a 3" radius of curvature. Since the angle of coverage of the camera lens is preserved when the entrance pupil (the place where the iris appears to be when looking into the lens) is placed at the centre of curvature, the radius of curvature is the preferred distance from the entrance pupil to the inside surface of the dome. When purchasing a dome port, it is necessary to obtain something close to the required distance by selecting a port with the nearest appropriate stem-length, or by choosing an extension ring of the appropriate length.The proximity of the virtual image created by the dome is a function of the radius of curvature. Small radius domes place the virtual image closer to the camera than large radius domes. Hence a lens used behind a small radius dome is much more likely to require a supplementary close-up lens than a lens used with a large radius dome. The use of close-up lenses is best avoided if possible, but large radius domes have the disadvantage that they are delicate and vulnerable and contain a lot of air (i.e., additional ballast weight may be needed). Hence, instead of apportioning funds to the purchase of a large dome, it may be better to use a small dome and divert surplus funds to the purchase of a lens with a small minimum focusing distance.Assuming that the main camera lens is perfect (and therefore also mythical), a small radius dome port introduces more chromatic aberration (colour fringing in off-centre detail) than a large radius dome. An improvement in optical quality is not guaranteed by changing to a larger dome however, because the aberration introduced by the small dome may just as easily cancel some of the aberration of the main lens as increase it. Assuming that a close-up lens is not required, the lens data needed to determine which radius of port will give the sharpest pictures with a given lens is difficult to obtain, so it is probably best to choose the port radius on practicalities (size, buoyancy, vulnerability) rather than optical subtleties such as this.

Article and photos from http://www.camerasunderwater.info/

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY (5)

As promised in part 4 of underwater photography, we said we'll discuss how the underwater cam system works in more detail . So today were gonna talk about housings .

Flexible housings:

One solution to the pressure problem is to make the housing flexible. The housing can then simply contract (reduce in volume) to keep the pressure on the inside and the outside the same. This is a very reliable system, because the lack of any pressure difference means that there is no real tendency for the housing to leak. This system is also very simple, because the controls of the equipment inside the housing can mostly be operated through the flexible plastic. There are limitations to this approach however, because as you go deeper, there will come a point when the housing clings tightly to whatever is inside it, the housing won't be able to shrink anymore, and a pressure difference will begin to appear. Consequently, flexible housings still need to have a pressure-resistant sealing system. The ewa-marine housings in the pictures above all use a metal clamp, held together by hand-tightening screw-fasteners ('hand-wheel nuts'). Closing the housing is a matter of making sure that the two surfaces which will be clamped together are clean, since dirt, and particularly hairs, can make microscopic channels through which the water can creep. Cleaning the surfaces is simply a matter of wiping them with a lint-free cloth or paper towel, and inspecting them carefully before fitting the clamp. When assembled properly, the sealing system, and the tough flexible plastic material, can withstand large pressures, 30 or 40 metres of water, and the real limitation is that of how much punishment the thing inside the housing can take. With cameras, there comes a point when the water starts to press buttons which you don't want pressed, and so the recommended depth limit for flexible housings is usually (but not always) about 10 metres.

Hard, Rigid, or Pressure-Resistant Housings:

Hard housings, whether part of a camera, or a separate box into which the camera must be installed, are nearly always sealed by means of a device called an O-ring. In fact, there will be an O-ring seal for every control, and every plug, socket, or window, in the housing, but the user is mainly concerned with O-rings (such as the one around the door which gives access to the camera) which have to be disturbed in some way while the equipment is being prepared for use.
The O-ring itself is simply a rubber band, usually of circular cross-section, but manufactured to high tolerances so that it is free from nicks, holes, and other defects which might let the water into the housing. The O-ring is also made of a particular type of rubber (there are lots of types), chosen for its chemical resistance and hardness, and it is not a good idea to use a substitute unless you know what you are doing.
The 'O-ring seal' is the combination of the rubber ring and a specially shaped groove, which is designed so that, when the housing is placed under pressure, the ring is forced into the gap through which water is trying to pass.



The cute thing about this system is that the seal actually gets tighter as the pressure increases; which means that the seal is inherently reliable, provided that the O-ring and the O-ring groove are kept in good condition and are kept thoroughly clean while the housing is being closed. This is the most important thing you need to know about underwater photography with hard housings, because bad husbandry in this department can lead to serious disappointment, whereas bad photographic technique can be rectified with practice. There is nothing difficult about assembling an O-ring seal however; it is simply a matter of cleaning the O-ring and the groove with a paper towel, inspecting the surfaces for dirt and hairs, and, for the type of seal shown above, applying a very thin coating of grease to the O-ring. The grease used on O-rings incidentally, does not form part of the seal; its job is simply to make the O-ring slippery so that it can slide into position without being damaged. Most manufacturers opt for the hard-housing approach to underwater equipment design, and a wide range of underwater cameras, camera housings, camcorder housings, and torches are available, with depth ratings from 20 metres to over 100 metres.

Article from http://www.camerasunderwater.info/articles/starting.html

TALENT SPOT

GUYS AND GIRLS OF THE WORLD..!!!! (uve prob seen me do this before, so u wont be as shocked , hehe ) GUYS AND GIRLS OF THE WORLD ... LISTEN UP..!! LISTEN UP PEOPLE ..!!! IM ANNOUNCING THE BIRTH OF A BRAND NEW SERIES OF POSTS , THAT WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT ALL OF U..!!!! SO ....LISTEN UP.... THIS IS ABOUT U GUYS NOT ME.....HEAR ME OUT ON THIS...!! READY..??

<----------TALENT SPOT--------------------------->

THE WORLD IS SO FULL OF TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS , and every once in a while i'd be lucky enough to come across one of them......

WHAT IM GONNA TRY TO DO HERE IS MAKE SURE THOSE TALENTS DONT GO BY UNNOTICED .... I WANNA PUT THEIR NAMES OUT THERE FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE , AND LINKS TO THEIR WORKS FOR ALL THE WORLD TO WATCH AND ENJOY JUST LIKE I DID ...

So....... :)... that being said...... this series is gonna be starting pretty soon God willing , and any of u people , who thinks he or she has work hed like to show the world , or knows of some talented photographer , tell him about this place , and tell this place about him .... Contact me on my email ahmedtarek84@yahoo.com and send me links to ur work , and if I see something I like , rest assured ur work is gonna be posted .. !!

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY (4)

Still on the underwater topic ! I was planning to make part 4 about cam maintenance ( quick reminder we discussed "probs and solutions" in part (1) , posted a vid about using a wide angle lens and a red filter in part (2) , and talked about the "reality check" in part (3) ), then i thought to my self , lets explain how the underwater cam system works , just so that u guys know what ure maintaining . So lets get to it ! .. Oh and one more thing , the part about explaining how the system works is probably gonna be explained over a bunch of more posts .

Mostly at this time to shoot underwater, underwater housing systems are the most popular and prevailent option . And their concept is simple , providing a cover for ur normal land camera . As i said this will take long to explain but to really simplify it it consists of 4 basic parts (when discussing housings for slrs)--->

1) A housing : for ur cam and thats basically a box ( it can also be a plastic bag called flexible housing but we'll get to that later ) where u put ur cam where the water cant reach it. This box has a hole upfront for the lens to go through .

2) A port : now we said the housing has a hole for the lens but we wont leave the lens out in the open for the seawater to soak , so we have a port which is basically tube for ur cam lens . It has 2 ends one end is the part which goes in the hole for the casing , and its other end is the part where the light comes into ur lens , and this end in particular can have many shapes according to the type of lens u use... It can be dome shaped( bigger domes for wider angles) , or flat (for macro lens) .

3) Lighting system : which can be Flash(strobe) system , or a continous lighting system.

4) Mechanical Arms : to hold ur strobes and help u position them freely underwater.

Now each of those 4 basic parts will be discussed in more detail in successive posts God willing .

October 29th , Wired : By Mr Aladin Abdel Nabi

October october october , WOW , its been a busy photographic month !!! So much goin down in Cairo u guys , its like a photo fest . Can life possibly get any better ?!. So check this out guys and girls , i open my email this morning and what do u know ?! A sweet email from Mr Tony Marcel himself , heres what it says :

Dear friends......
with the first morning sip of my favourite turkish delightfull coffee "sokar ziada", I was happy to receive an email from my photography
teacher at the C I C center Aladin Abdel Nabi........I owe this friend and excellent photographer lots of my photography
know how....
An annoucement of his next exibition is good opportunity to all of us to attend and learn from his expertise...... Hope to see you there.........................Tony --

Tony Marcel

Mobile : 0123442777

As quoted from the email.. ( God! i love , how he sends his emails while he has his warm coffee , with styyyle ;) ) .

People did i tell u before about that gutteral feeling that i get ?! Yea , i get something like a feeling inside me when something goods gonna be around , and i got it when i heard bout the exhibit , so be sure to listen to mr Tony u guys.

And yes it hurts me just as much as it does u guys , to write mr Tonys name without being able to give links to his amazing work , but God willing i'll see what i can do about that in the near future.

Peace out people...

THINGS U SHOULD KNOW Part (4) : Third Party Distribution Rights

Continuing parts (1) , (2) , (3) , where we discussed copyrights , licensing , and royalty free , today we discuss third party distribution rights .

What are "third party" distribution rights and why should I care?

By law, the right to control and profit from the distribution of images lies with the copyright holder. Many clients' contracts will attempt to claim that right for the client, as in, " the right to reproduce, distribute, adapt or display [the image]", or the right to, " transferorsublicense [the image]". By allowing this language to stay in a contract, you are effectively agreeing to allow the client to re-sell your images, perhaps even in direct competition with you, and keep the fee!These contracts ridiculously attempt to claim that because the client has licensed the use of the image once, or even paid for its original creation, that the client then has the right to continue to profit from the image in the future. This is in direct conflict with both the intent and the letter of US Copyright Law and should be stricken from every contract.
The only time a clause like this should be allowed to stand is when you are intentionally allowing a third party to act as your agent, on your behalf, and when there is a specific agreement spelled out for the sharing of both responsibilities and revenues. A typical assignment, and especially stock sale, has no business including a rights-grabbing clause demanding third party rights. To protect help yourself, be sure that you include language to the effect, "No third party rights are granted and this agreement may not be assigned, transferred, or sold, in whole or in part. By granting this license, photographer in no way relinquishes, assigns, transfers, or sells his/her copyright," on everyestimate, contract, usage license, and/or invoice as appropriate.

Article fom : Editorial Photo

MOVING WALLS: A DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION

<> MOVING WALLS: A DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
A traveling exhibit opening on October 28, 2007 at the Contemporary Image Collective aims to spark debate about the role of documentary photography in effecting social change.

Event Info
Name:
<> MOVING WALLS: A DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
Tagline:
A traveling exhibit opening on October 28, 2007 at the Contemporary Image Collective aims to spark debate about the role of documentary photography in effecting social change.
Host:
Contemporary Image Collective
Type:
Exhibit
Time and Place
Date:
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Time:
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:
Contemporary Image Collective
Street:
20 Safeya Zaghloul Street, off Kasr El Aini Street, Mounira
City/Town:
Cairo, Egypt

View Map
Contact Info
Phone:
0020227941686
Email:
info@ciccairo.com

28 October - 22 November 2007

Recent work by local photographers Osama Dawod and John Perkins will also be exhibited. Dawod’s project focuses on the effects of climate change on Egypt’s northern coast and Perkins looks at foreign workers in Dubai.

The show, Moving Walls: A Documentary Photography Exhibition is sponsored by the Open Society Institute, a private foundation based in New York City, the exhibit will feature the work of seven photographers, selected from over 70 whose photographs appeared in Moving Walls exhibitions in the United States. In conjunction with the exhibition, the Open Society Institute and the Contemporary Image Collective will sponsor a workshop for local photographers taught by Chien-Chi Chang, a member of Magnum Photos. The Open Society Institute will also work with the Association for the Advancement of Education in Cairo on a youth media photography workshop for high school students in Egypt which uses Moving Walls in the curriculum.

Facebook Event Link : http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=5742163190&ref=nf

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY (3)

Ok now part 3 , may not turn out to be a favourite for u guys , after having gotten u all excited bout diving and underwater shots in parts (1) and (2), im afraid this part is gonna be a bit of a reality check , just so that u guys dont think its all good . After all , that way u can all appreciate it better and view things from an extra wide angle... :)

Hints for the innocent
by Bob Halstead
Reproduced from in focus 64 (February 1999)
It is all very wonderful to see beautiful underwater photographs published in Asian Diver, but it is about time someone confessed! Some of the younger readers might not understand the suffering and sacrifices necessary to get those images, and end up with entirely the wrong idea. I've seen grown men cry. I've seen others, in a frenzy of frustration and rage, smashing their cameras and strobes on the rocks. It is not an uncommon occurrence for me to offer comfort to some sad soul staring in total shock at a dripping mess when, after spending hours cleaning and greasing "0" rings and studying instructions, the diver's camera filled with water on its first dive.
Once I shot 6 rolls of film with a Nikonos 15 mm lens just back from a $450 overhaul, these were some of my best shots of swimming with Silvertip Sharks. As I lived on a boot in Papua New Guinea, I sent my slides to Melbourne in Australia for processing and was at sea continuously during this period. It was two months later that I saw the results ... guess what ... all the pictures were out of focus. The lens had been assembled incorrectly. So what did I do? ... I LAUGHED! Yes the Gods of underwater photography got me again!
The most important thing I con tell you about taking pictures underwater is "IF YOU CAN'T TAKE A JOKE, DON'T TAKE UP UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY".
If you are really worried about your cameras and strobes filling with sea water you should sell them as soon as possible because, have no doubt about it, THEY WILL. It's very depressing for everybody else on the dive trip having to listen to you moaning about how much you paid for it all, and how few dives it has done, and how careful you were, etc. SELL IT ALL NOW,
One of the most important facts that most people do not realise is that "IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE HOW CAREFUL YOU ARE". There are no gold stars awarded for cleaning "0" rings after every dive, in fact the Gods just love these conscientious types. You are setting yourself up for the fall! Logic has nothing to do with underwater photography, this is warfare, and if your strobe has its number up nothing you can do will prevent it from filling with water. Just take the view that it is a good thing that it is the strobe that is full of water and not yourself.
Now if you take the other extreme of not servicing your cameras at all then, of course, that also is tempting fate ... although it does have the advantage of not having wasted so much time! If cleaning "0" rings is your thing then go for it (personally I find it incredibly boring). Just as long as you don't think you are scoring points and that it will have any effect at all as to how long your camera will repel the deep. What method do I use ... I believe that you should "CLEAN 0 RINGS WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT".
As a professional teacher for many years and a full time diving instructor for many more years, I've ended up teaching just about everything that I know, and a few things that I do not know, at one time or other. I have resisted, however, teaching courses in underwater photography. I'm quite happy to give the odd tip and some friendly advice e.g. NEVER LEND YOUR CAMERA GEAR TO ANYONE IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. (this is the Gods' absolute favourite, the gear is certain to stuff up), but have never taught a full course in underwater photography. I have started a couple of courses, but no one could pass the first lesson. To be able to take underwater photographs YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO DIVE WITHOUT USING YOUR HANDS. So my first lesson consisted of a dive where the diver's arms were strapped to his/her sides with a spare weight belt. I was quite happy to supervise but never had any takers.
Even when your strobes are not full of water they have the habit of firing perfectly on the surface but failing when under water. I use a technique that I thought of after reading "Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance!'. It's got nothing to do with the book but that is when I thought of it so I call the technique "ZEN AND THE ART OF GETTING YOUR STROBE TO FIRE". Basically the technique calls for intense concentration and split second timing. As you are composing the picture and all the elements of composition are combining to perfection, you must totally focus the power of your mind on the strobe so that at the instant the shutter is released you send a massive pulse of energy to the strobe commanding it to FIRE! I have found this to be very successful - although once I must have overdone it as the whole strobe exploded!
Please do not think that just because you have descended to the bottom and fired off a couple of successful test shots that you can look forward to a whole roll of gold medal-winning exposures. I well remember a dive with master photographer Carl Roessler, who had been having a few strobe problems on previous dives. Meeting him on the bottom he gave me a confident OK sign and pointed to his camera. About two minutes later a grey reef shark, anxious for a change in diet, come up to him and bit his strobe cord in half. THINGS ARE MOST LIKELY TO G0 WRONG WHEN EVERYTHING IS WORKING PERFECTLY.
EXPERIENCE DOES NOT HELP. On one cruise with ten members of an Underwater Photographic Society (that had a total of 112 years of experience taking underwater photographs) I witnessed the drowning of five cameras and four strobes. I also saw 36 frames shot with no film in the camera, a camera opened before rewinding the film; a diver take a camera down with one shot left to shoot fifty minutes of close shark action; a diver try to take photos with no battery pack in his strobe; a whole roll shot at 1/2000th of a second; a lost close-up lens; and a roll shot with the strobe turned off. Someone also left their land camera on the sun deck overnight ... yes, you're getting the idea, OF COURSE it rained.
One very bad mistake I made was letting my favourite model buy an underwater camera. NEVER ALLOW YOUR MODEL TO TAKE UNDERWATER PICTURES. Since then she refuses to model for me as she is too busy taking her own pictures. This is how I got into fish photography.
Since fish come in all sorts of shapes and sizes the question arises as to what lens should be on the camera for a particular dive. I get asked this question a lot. I wish someone would give me the answer. David Doubilet of National Geographic solves the problem by taking down eleven cameras, each with a different lens, on every dive. WHATEVER LENS YOU SELECT FOR A DIVE IT WILL BE UNSUITABLE FOR THE SUBJECTS THAT ARE FOUND. Understanding this will prevent a lot of disappointment and make those dives where, by mistake, a creature passes by that can be photographed with the lens that you have on, occasions of absolute joy.
When asked by a fellow photographer as to what exposure I used for a particular image, my response is usually "the right one". Discussions as to f-stops and shutter speeds are almost as boring as cleaning "0" rings. THE BEST WAY TO GET THE CORRECT EXPOSURE IS TO GUESS. Being lucky is a great help for a budding underwater photographer. If you are not so sure of your luck and your uncle owns Fuji, you could try another technique. I once overheard a diver ask Australian Kevin Deacon what exposure he used to produce one of his perfect prize-winning shots. "All of them!", was the reply.I've been taking underwater pictures for nearly 30 years, and have had success using Nikonos model two. I have eight of them, all but one bought second hand. This means that I always have one or two in good working order while the others are being repaired, I think this is the main reason for my success. I've used al I sorts of strobes but my favourite manufacturers are selected not because their product works better but because they provide excellent repair service. A good rule of thumb is that you should have ONE COMPLETE SET OF CAMERA GEAR FOR EVERY THREE DAYS OF DIVING YOU INTEND TO DO. This gives one day to get it working, one day to shoot some pictures and one day for it to screw up.
Underwater photography is a tough game to play, but if you are determined then GOOD LUCK TO YOU. I have to admit that some of my most exciting moments in the sea have been looking through the viewfinder at the incredible images that are forming. Capturing them on film is something else ... in fact sometimes you can get so excited that it is impossible to control yourself and the camera, and you miss the shot. This is why I advise budding underwater photographers to PRACTISE BY TAKING EXCITING PHOTOS ABOVE WATER. The more exciting the better. Pick subjects that make you shake the same way you would if you turned round to see a fifteen foot great hammerhead five foot away and you know you have two seconds to get that perfect shot before the beast either swims away or bites you. Personally I use this argument to justify to my wife why it is necessary for me to take photos of other beautiful women in skimpy bikinis. Darling! ... please put that strobe down ... Ouch!
I finally bought myself a very expensive professional land camera with a cast aluminium housing. It is a beautiful machine but I worry about it filling with water. Perhaps it is time to take up golf.
This article has been reproduced with the kind permission of Rob Halstead. Bob is an accomplished writer and has been taking underwater photographs since 1969. He lives in Cairns Australia, where, he says, "he is trying to sort out all his slides".

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