Archive for the ‘Digital Photography’ Category

Digital Asset Management Software Reviews

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

Neocamera just added the last review for the article series on digital asset management. There is now coverage of the DAM aspects of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Bibble 6 Pro, IDImager Professional, IMatch and PicaJet FX. Ultimately the conclusion and usefulness of these software is up to you but read our reviews to find out how the compare, what they can do and where their limitations are.

Photoshop Lightroom is a very sophisticated package, backed by the biggest sofware company among its peers but every other sofware has unique and useful features with a significantly different feature set. Ultimately, Lightroom is the most well rounded and the one with the least failiures but when compared to Bibble 5 Pro and PicaJet FX, Lightroom’s speed is embarassing and we certainly hope Adobe is making this one of their top priorities for Lightroom.

Bibble 5 Pro is very close to being ideal sofware for managing huge collections of images but its refusal to handle large images and the lack of response from their technical support department makes its future dubious for professional photographers.

PicaJetFX is a very interesting offerings for those who do not need the sophistication of the other DAM software reviewed here. It does extremely well in most of what it does and it does so at blazing speed, possibly making it one of the most compelling experiences among its peers.

IDimager Professional is an outstandingly complex software with unmatched capabilities. At the same time, and this is probably the price to pay for such features, IDimager is extremely slow and uninituitive in many areas.

The only true failure of this group of reviews is IMatch. This sofwate is both outdated and difficult to understand.  Its incredibly sluggish performance is bound to drive away potential users, particularly those that need to manage substantial collections of images.

Neocamera Blog Neocamera.com © Cybernium

Digital Asset Management Software

Friday, March 5th, 2010

Neocamera recently published an introduction to Digital Asset Management software along with a review of Adobe’s Photoshop Lightroom. Today, the series continues with a review of Bibble 5 Pro from Bibble Labs. More Stay tuned for more DAM software reviews on Neocamera.

Neocamera Blog Neocamera.com © Cybernium

Ten Tips to Taking Great Photos This Spring Break

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Whether you’re going on a vacation to somewhere hot and sunny, or staying around town to visit local attractions, you’ll want to remember every moment of the fun. Why not grab your favourite digital SLR camera to document your spring break with the utmost flair? Switch to Manual mode and get creative with your shots. Take time now to learn what your camera can do beyond Auto mode. Not sure where to begin? Follow these simple tips and make this year’s spring break photos your best ever.

1. Shoot in continuous mode – If you’ve ever had trouble taking crisp, clear photos of a constantly moving subject, a child or pet for example, try changing your camera settings to a continuous burst mode. Several frames per second will increase your chances of catching your subject just the way you want. If you have Subject Tracking, you’ll have an even greater array of features to help you capture that perfect shot.

2. Flash forward – Using a flash ensures all your photos are crisp and clear, especially in darker lit settings such as a dinner or dance party. And don’t stop there – be sure to use flash outdoors as well to help balance any dark contrasts.

3. Work with what you’ve got – Take advantage of your camera’s settings whether it’s a low-light sensitive capability such as a broad ISO range, or automatic setting selections for taking pictures in various environments. Learn the features your camera offers and use them to create impressive images you’ll be proud to put on display.

4. Shutter finger – The beauty of digital is the ability to review any photographs you take instantly and decide which you would like to keep or re-shoot. With this in mind, don’t hold back. Take more pictures rather than fewer and sort through them later. This will help you focus on the photo opportunities at hand, giving you a better chance of capturing that perfect shot.

5. Exposure is key – Any good photo has an intended balance to the amount of light used when the picture was taken. Experiment with your camera’s exposure settings, bracketing the brightness levels for different effects. Sometimes an over or underexposed photo can be a creative expression of an otherwise normal photograph. Just remember, when in doubt, underexpose – these images can be brightened later on, whereas an overexposed image won’t pick up all the details and not much can be done to correct it.

6. Get to know, be a pro – Take into account who or what your subject is. If you are photographing a person, learn what their personality is like and what they are comfortable with; if you are taking photos of an animal, you will need to know what its temperament is; and taking pictures of an object requires you to identify the best features to highlight. The more you learn and understand, the better you will be able to model your photograph in its best light.

7. Wherever you will go – Take your camera with you so you never miss a moment. When selecting a new camera, consider how you will transport it. If you select a smaller unit, this will be less of a concern, but if you purchase a larger, heavier camera with additional lenses and flash attachments, consider investing in a good camera bag to protect your equipment and make it more portable. When on foot, take advantage of a camera strap around your neck – many of today’s digital SLR cameras feature rapid start-up times, so you’ll always be ready if a picture opportunity arises.

8. The more the merrier – Challenge your skill level. Investing in a few accessories can make photography easier and help to produce better photos. A tripod can help to steady a shot, while additional lenses provide various zoom options, macro options, wide-angle, and more. Adding an external flash can make a photo more dynamic. Digital SLRs are great because they are customizable to every photographer’s needs.

9. Don’t forget to touch up – Make life easier by performing simple image corrections right on the camera before uploading them to your computer. This makes picture development a snap.

10. Have fun! Be creative – Get up high or down real low to capture that perfect shot, creating dimension, angles and a personal flare to all your photos. Develop your own style of photography to set yourself apart from the crowd.

Making use of these tips can be that much easier with a Nikon D3000. Touted as the easiest-to-use digital SLR, its exclusive Guide Mode helps even the most novice photographer capture quality images by assisting users in choosing shooting modes for a variety of situations, and if desired, exploring advanced photographic techniques. The D3000 is lightweight and compact – at 126 x 97 x 64 millimeters and only 485 grams, it is the perfect size to take with you wherever you go, ensuring you never miss documenting a moment of the fun. A useful feature in the D3000 is the exclusive Nikon Stop-Motion Movie Mode, one of many tools found in the Retouch Menu, which allows you to choose a collection of the finest moments captured. The camera then creates a fun and creative video out of your selection. This spring break brush up on your photography skills and take the photos everyone will cherish.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP):
D3000 Body Only – $449.95
D3000 Set with AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 G ED II NON-VR Lens – $529.95
D3000 Set with AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 G VR (Vibration Reduction) Lens – $579.95

For more information on this or other Nikon cameras please visit www.nikon.ca.

Submitted by Nikon Canada

Neocamera Blog Neocamera.com © Cybernium

Neovoyage Photography Tours

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Introducing Neovoyage, a site that takes photographers to places full of life, wonder and beauty. From remote wilderness to remains of ancient civilization to distinguished modern cities, Neovoyage brings people on amazing tours centered around photography. Neovovage focuses on a single purpose, to let photographers do what they enjoy while taking care of the logistics, planning and research needed to find the most photogenic sites and to be there when photo opportunities are among their best.

Neovoyage tours are an opportunity to explore and experience new places at their full photographic potential. They are designed to fill your senses with a wide variety of subjects and to bring you there when the light is best and at the height activity when appropriate. Each tour is planned from the ground up with photography in mind, touching places that are unique and  truly photogenic. To maximize the intensity of the group’s experiences, timing is a key factor in tour schedules. The time of the year, day of the week and time of day are all carefully selected so that chances of agreeable weather are high, events are at their liveliest and light enhances photographic potential.

Photographers are aware of the importance of knowing a place in order to tap into the most photogenic opportunities. This is why so many famous photographers regularly return to certain places and produce their best work as they get to know the place. With Neovoyage, that knowledge is woven into tour itineraries so that travelers are free to see more of the world and bring back amazing photographs with each photography tour.

As part of the launch, Neovoyage has prepared an amazing 2 week journey to Ecuador, one of the most diverse places on Earth. A land of breathtaking landscapes, amazing wildlife and every-changing scenery, Ecuador has a variety of subjects for every type of photography. Its density and dramatic landscape provide variety over short distances where one can go from ice-capped volcanos to deserted beaches or tropical rain-forest in a matter of hours.

The first Neovoyage follows the central Ecuadorian Andes in mostly comfortable to cool high-altitude climate. Photographers on this journey will visit two UNESCO world heritage sites and several protected reserves with astounding wildlife. Photogenic subjects will abound as we travel through colonial cities, cloud-forests, valleys, volcanoes, ancient Inca ruins, high-altitude paramo and indigenous villages with bewilderingly colorful markets. The itinerary will be a small group of 6 to 10 people to each place at its most photogenic time. From there, photographic potential is truly unlimited. To keep the pace under control, there will be some free time in areas of diversity and the opportunity to improvise as we soak in the surroundings. We may even have the incredible opportunity to see an active volcano from an adjacent mountain as we visit a valley famous for thermal waters and waterfalls.

For more information and to sign up for this amazing photographic journey, visit neovoyage.com. More such tours are in the works, all centered around delivering unique photographic journeys filled with wonderful opportunities in amazing places. Questions, comments and suggestions should be directed to info@neovoyage.com.

Neocamera Blog Neocamera.com © Cybernium

The New Neoluminance

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Chinese Lantern Festival

Neoluminance – my online photo gallery and portfolio – just had its first redesign since it launched almost 4 years ago. While the initial version was quite bare with only one gallery and minimal information, the new Neoluminance provides a more visually engaging experience. Photography remains the core of the site with a more rounded coverage and a quicker path to buying fine art prints.

The new presentation takes into account Neoluminance’s role within a growing family of websites related to photography. Digital camera discussions are obviously deferred to Neocamera and photography tours to Neovoyage.

Neocamera Blog Neocamera.com © Cybernium