BetterPhotoJim

Last Day for Huge Course Sale!!

Today's the day! It's your final chance to get in on the big sale going on at BetterPhoto's online digital photography school:

• Save $40 off 8-week photo courses with gift card code Fall40
  OR
  
• Save $20 off 4-week photography classes with gift card code Fall20.

But you must hurry up and enroll, since the sale ends today!

Creative Digital Photography: Tripod's Essential Accessory

A remote cable shutter release keeps your hands off the camera when photographing from a tripod, thus letting you record the image without inadvertently jarring your camera when pressing the shutter button.

Also, some DSLRs have a lock-up mode that reduces the possibility of vibration when the mirror flips up during slower exposures. If your camera lacks this feature, you can use the self-timer. Like a cable release, a timer also prevents your finger from jiggling the camera.

Use of the lock-up mode or timer, of course, assumes your scene doesn’t require a decisive moment at which to take the picture. That's why the cable release is considered a vital accessory for tripod shots.

Another sharpness tip: Tripods and stabilization (i.e., IS or VR) don't always go together! See my previous post on image stabilization and tripods.

NOTES:

• This tip is from my upcoming new book (co-authored with Kerry Drager): The BetterPhoto Guide to Creative Digital Photography, which focuses on composition, design, color, and light.
• Get BetterPhotoJim blog posts automatically! Sign up for an RSS feed.
• Need more? At BetterPhoto, we have some great ways to get inspired! For example, check out our free Photo of the Day newsletter.

Big Savings on Online Photography Courses!

Check out the outstanding sale going on this week at BetterPhoto's digital photography school online:

• Save $40 off 8-week photo courses with gift card code Fall40
  OR
  
• Save $20 off 4-week photography classes with gift card code Fall20.

Hurry and enroll, since the sale runs now through Friday, October 7.

Note: Learn more about BetterPhoto's online photo school.

New Composition Course: Last Day for Great Deal!!

The time is ticking! This offer is crazy! Today (Friday, Sept. 30th) is the final day to get in on our Self-Guided Fundamentals Value Course for $20 off, PLUS all of the bonus materials!

The bonus items alone are valued at more than $77! Check out this new self-paced Value Course: Creative Photo Composition.

Added Bonus for New Course on Composition!

I'm thrilled that my exclusive video interview with master photographer Tony Sweet is now part of the bonus materials for BetterPhoto's new self-paced course on composition!

In this interview, you'll get inside Tony's artistic mind and learn how to model one of the very best when it comes to creative digital photography. We are so lucky to have Tony as part of the online instructor team at BetterPhoto's digital photography school.

But don't miss out! The bonus materials (including the Tony Sweet interview) AND the reduced price are only good for a limited time. In fact, the sale ends this Friday, September 30th, at midnight.

Sign up today for the Creative Photo Composition value course!

Creative Digital Photography: Capturing Texture

By making a strong statement about texture, you can add a tactile dimension to your photos. That's the word from photographer Lynne Eodice. If you haven't already, check out her excellent photo blog over at BetterPhoto Instructor Insights:

Creative Digital Photography: Capturing Texture

By the way, Kerry Drager and I also discuss the elements of design (including texture) in the upcoming book: The BetterPhoto Guide to Creative Digital Photography

Thanks!
Jim

Get Creative with Your Composition!

It's here! My BetterPhoto team and I just put the finishing touches on the latest self-paced, Internet-based Value Course: Creative Photo Composition. It's designed for total beginners and for hobbyists who need a creative boost.

With this go-at-your-own-speed course, you'll start making consistently eye-catching photos with your own creative spin ... TODAY!

Creative Photo Composition consists of a 74-page ebook tutorial, a private forum, and my own instructional videos. That's not all. This week only, get downloadable bonus items AND save $20!! But you must hurry, since the price will go up after this Friday!

Get all the course details here...

Crash Course in Composition!

In BetterPhoto's soon-to-be-released Value Course, I'll be your co-pilot as you start to see clear skies, uncluttered pictures and start making images that you will be proud of for years to come!

This self-guided course on composition is on target for a Monday, September 26th, launch. Included will be practical tips, before-and-after photos, and inspiring assignments, plus videos in which I'll show you - step by step - on how to improve your photos.

Have a great weekend, and stay tuned for another great BetterPhoto learning adventure!

Monitor Calibration - It Makes a Difference in Your Photos!

BetterPhoto instructor Rob Sheppard compares monitor calibration to flossing your teeth. "Sure, you know it needs to be done, but it is not a particularly exciting part of digital photography." However, he adds, it does make a big difference to your images, and all monitors generally need some calibration in order to look their best.

Still, he wants to emphasize:

Calibration will not guarantee better prints, no matter what the marketing hype says. It will guarantee a more consistent and accurate monitor that can help with printing, but a good print is another issue.

Also the editor at large for Outdoor Photographer magazine, Rob shares more of his thoughts and expertise on this important subject:

Rob Sheppard: I tried out X-Rite's i1 Display Pro and the ColorMunki Display units. What really impressed me about both units is how fast they worked. I admit that my color calibration tools (and I have both a DataColor Spyder unit and an older Xrite i1 unit) took a long time to calibrate the monitor. That was one reason why I did not update my calibration very often (though to be honest, LCD monitors don't need the frequent updates that the old tube type monitors did). The basic calibration of the i1 was done in a couple of minutes, while the ColorMunki unit took about five minutes. That is fast enough to make this much more convenient and definitely makes me want to update my calibration gear.

Rob Sheppard: The software for the units is nicely designed and very helpful. You don't have to know anything about color calibration to use it. The instructions are clear and easily followed. I never had any question that I might be missing something or not doing something right. The sensor units are small and attractive, and also easily used.

Both of these units have an ambient light sensor. Some people like this a lot, and this can be useful if the light around your computer constantly changes because that can affect what the monitor's display looks like (mine is in a room that has the light fully controlled because of this issue). Basically, this allows you to monitor the ambient light of the room and adjust the monitor to compensate.

Each also allows you to calibrate a projector, which is great since projectors can have distinct problems in giving consistent color. I have not tried that yet.

Rob Sheppard: Both units did a good job with calibration, though I thought the results with the i1 unit were better for me. That is really a tough call. I think all monitor calibration units I have used do a decent job, and it is difficult to say that one is arbitrarily better than another. The i1 is more expensive and offers more features in adjustments, but the ColorMunki certainly is a good unit. I will say that I am definitely updating my calibration gear and I will be buying the i1 unit. The photos you see here are all from Xrite.

Rob Sheppard: The important thing is to get a monitor calibration kit of sensor and software, then use it. It does make a difference. And if you are working with two monitors (which I love to do - it helps in so many ways), monitor calibration can really help a lot. I found that the i1 did a really good job of helping my second monitor get very close to my main monitor (you cannot necessarily expect them to be the same unless they are identical monitors - two monitors of different brands and prices simply will not have the same technology to allow a perfect match).

NOTES:

- Check out Rob Sheppard's BetterPhoto bio and online photography courses!

- Also, Rob is one of the major contributors to one of my upcoming BetterPhoto Guide books: specifically, The BetterPhoto Guide to Light (due out in April 2012, published by Amphoto Books). Meantime, another book is coming out soon: The BetterPhoto Guide to Creative Digital Photography, which focuses on composition, color, and design. Both are co-authored by BetterPhoto instructor Kerry Drager!

Creative Digital Photography: Steady as It Goes

More and more DSLR lenses have image stabilization. But a tripod is still frequently the sturdiest alternative. It also has the added ability to help you critically compose your photos. In any case, be sure to read your lens’s instruction sheet. Many lens models require that stabilization be turned off when using a tripod, otherwise possible blurring in the image could occur. When in doubt, turn off the feature.

Note: This tip is from my upcoming new book (co-authored with Kerry Drager): The BetterPhoto Guide to Creative Digital Photography, which focuses on composition, color, and design.