Thursday, July 28, 2011

Some photography gear is a waste of money

Lens filtersOften photography equipment, especially a DSLR with lenses, many travelers purchase to capture high quality memories of their treks, isn't inexpensive.

Sometimes, after spending substantial cash to purchase equipment some photographers try to conserve their remaining expendable photo gear money by augmenting that gear with “inexpensive” (read that “cheap”) gear. More often than not, when that occurs, some purchases turn out to be a waste of money.

In my early years of purchasing photo equipment, before I knew what I was doing, I goofed purchasing camera bags which didn't last or meet my needs, tripods which didn't hold my camera/lens steady, and filters which diminished my image quality.

I've got a list of some of the classic purchase errors photographers sometimes make to save some money. Unfortunately, in the long run, these purchases are too expensive, because they either need quick replacement with better gear, or are permanently relegated to a drawer or closet

Photography Exhibition: Philadelphia Museum of Art - Unsettled:Photography and Politics in Contemporary Art

Heard, 1985, Barbara Kruger, AmericanThe Philadelphia Museum of Art has become one of the foremost exhibitors of fine art photography in the nation, especially since the completion of its Perelman Building. Unsettled: Photography and Politics in Contemporary Art is a very special photography exhibit I strongly recommend to anyone who lives or is traveling to the Greater Philadelphia Region.

This exhibition will run throughout the summer of 2011

Monday, July 18, 2011

Choosing photography equipment bags for travel - Epilogue

Lowepro Dryzone 200
I've been getting many queries about choosing bags for travel, for photography gear. The two major domains in which photographers carry their gear on trips are “in-transit,” and during shooting.

In Part I, I discussed the problems of “in-transit” travel, which also affects how you pack for your trip.

In Part II, I discussed the specifications for bags for carrying your gear while “in-transit” which must be considered when choosing bags for that purpose.

In Part III, I discussed bags for carrying your gear while shooting.

I created this blog to offer helpful information for travel photographers; general tourists capturing beautiful memories, through advanced amateurs intent on sophisticated travel photography. I'm not writing articles to induce readers to use the same equipment I prefer, merely because I use them.

So, with reluctance, due to many emailed requests, I will reveal below which bags I currently use for my travel photography, and why. I hope everyone will concentrate on the why, and not the particular bags themselves.

Smartphone Apps for Photography: Depth of Field Calculator

Depth of Field CalculatorHave you ever taken a portrait, or a close-up of a flower or insect and wished that either more of it had been in focus, or the exact reverse, that less had been in focus?

I sure have. When shooting wildlife, such as birds, I normally want the entire bird in focus, but sometimes I don't close down my aperture quite enough to ensure that that my depth of field enables me to accomplish that.

In order to know what will be in and out of focus, you'll need to know what your “depth of field” is.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Choosing photography equipment bags for travel - Part III

Lowepro Dryzone 200
I've been getting many queries about choosing bags for travel, for photography gear. The two major domains in which photographers carry their gear on trips are “in-transit,” and during shooting.

In Part I, I discussed the problems of “in-transit” travel, which also affects how you pack for your trip.

In Part II, I discussed the specifications for bags for carrying your gear while “in-transit” which must be considered when choosing bags for that purpose.

In Part III below, I'll discuss bags for carrying your gear while shooting.

The decision when purchasing a bag for carrying photographic gear while “in-transit” is dominated by the stowage options of transit companies, the physical size of their stowage areas, their bag restrictions on the physical size and weight of bags, plus the transit companies' limits on liability.

On the other hand, the decision when purchasing bags for carrying your photographic gear when working or shooting is dominated by bag characteristics which affect their use, protection for your gear, comfort of the photographer, and issues of quality and purpose.

TSA sends letter to NPPA assuring photographers' rights at airports

US Air plane at gate in Atlanta
If you've been following the problems of tourists and professional photographers with TSA (Transportation Security Administration) at airports, you already know that there have been reports that travelers have been harassed, and intimidated by TSA TSOs, when trying to photograph at TSA checkpoints in airports.

Ryan Miklus found out about getting into trouble if you try to take a photo, or make video at a TSA checkpoint when he flew from Phoenix to Reno with his parents earlier this year.