Go See This

Living Within Limits: A Collaboration With Nature is a Human Rights Education Institute (HREI) exhibit showcasing the photography of the Camera Corral's own Shawn Gust. The exhibit is a collection of images and time lapse video project that was made as a documentary. The original project was a collaboration of two artists: Rachel Dolezal and Dave Govedare. With cooperation from The Nature Conservancy, the two artists used the grounds of The Cougar Bay Preserve. The 88-acre preserve provided the perfect setting for an amazing project aimed at raising awareness of the fragile state that our planet is in. The artists would seek inspiration from the natural setting and make installations from the materials that mother nature provided, using only tools that mother nature provided, in a way that would be absorbed back into the earth with virtually no impact. With the aid of two assistants, the projects ranged from small to very large and detailed. The exhibit opened yesterday and will run through the end of April. Please check it out, and don't forget to take the 17 minutes to watch the video in the media room. It's worth every minute. There will also be DVDs of the video available for $10. If you can make it, Thursday evening at 6pm is the artists opening reception. Everyone involved with the project will be speaking about their experience and involvement with the collaboration.


© Shawn Gust

The show is being held at The Human Rights Education Center in the Northeast corner of Coeur d'Alene City Park (across from Memorial Field) in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. For more information, call HREI at 208-292-2359.

Friday Tip of the Week: Dreams

Follow your dreams and let nothing get in your way. Just don't hurt anyone along the way.

Friday Tip of the Week: Send in Your Photos

This week is more of a request than a photography tip. We here at the Camera Corral Blog would like to see your photos. We are requesting that you submit photos of the weather, landscapes and wildlife, sports, portraits, or any other great photos that you might want to share. Don't send us all of your photos - just your best ones. Give us a little info about the images also. We would like to know what equipment you used, technical settings, technique and any other info (place, time, story, etc.) that might be of interest. We will then post your pics here. Discussion is welcome in the comments area. We may not be able to post every photo, but we'll do our best.

Send your images to cameracorralblog[at]gmail[dot]com.
Please put 'submission' in the subject line.

Let's get the ball rolling with a photo that customer Rebecca Harlow made while on the ski hill this year.

© Rebecca Harlow




**Copyright belongs to the photographer and we will credit your images as such. By submitting to the above mentioned email address, you grant the Camera Corral and it's employees to post your photographs on this blog. Although we will not share your information or images with any other person or entity without your permission, we cannot be held responsible for other, less respectable persons and their intent regarding your ownership and property.

Polaroid Quits Film

Polaroid to shut down last two manufacturing facilities. (Story Here)


"The Norwood plant is shutting down, and we will soon be winding down activities at the Waltham facility as well," said Kyle MacDonald, senior vice president of Polaroid's instant photography business segment. The closures, set for completion during this quarter, will eliminate about 150 jobs. In the late 1970s, Polaroid employed about 15,000 in Massachusetts.

"We'll continue to have a strong presence in Massachusetts for the next 30 or 40 years," said Beaudoin. But Polaroid will now focus on flat-panel TVs and digital photography gear.


This is sad news for those of you who are using Polaroid. And this just as I was making some nice stuff. I say gather up as much as you can and shoot, shoot, shoot. I plan on getting some large format and making some history.

Sigma DP1

Sigma's new compact DP1 is a photographer's dream. A compact point and shoot with the qualities of an SLR. With a 14 megapixel sensor the same size as entry level and intermediate SLRs using Foveon X3 technology, It's sure to provide excellent image quality. The Sigma 16.6mm f4 lens (28mm equivalent) is a fantastic choice for a compact camera like this allowing a wide range of photographic possibilities. Although, I personally, would like to have seen an aperture of f2.8. With an ISO range of 100-800 it is a little limited in low light situations, but definitely usable. Altogether, it looks like an excellent camera. It is slated to arrive in the spring of 2008. I have not, at this time however, seen any info on pricing. For more info go to Sigma's site or to the nice flash site dedicated to the DP1.



via You Call This Photograph?

News from Sony

"Tokyo, Japan—Sony Corporation today announced the development of a 35mm full size (diagonal: 43.3mm/Type 2.7) 24.81 effective megapixel, ultra-high speed high image quality CMOS image sensor designed to meet the increasing requirement for rapid image capture and advanced picture quality within digital SLR cameras...."

Today Sony announced a new 24.81 megapixel full frame 35mm CMOS sensor. Sony manufactures the sensors used in Sony Alpha cameras as well as Nikon digital SLRs. They're aiming to begin production sometime this year.


via The Online Photographer

Friday Tip of the Week: White Balance

Have you ever wondered what the white balance (WB) button on your digital camera is and how to use it? White balance control is important for keeping your photos consistently color correct.

Different light sources provide a different temperature of light. This results in different colors when recorded on film or digital sensors. The white balance function is designed to give a neutral gray mid tone when exposing under these various light sources, providing precise color control from frame to frame. The chart below shows the various light sources and their color temperatures.


White balance modes are designated by a set of standard symbols. The following chart matches the symbol with the light source.


To achieve a neutral tone under various light sources, you must set the WB to the type of lighting that you are shooting in. When shooting in mixed light sources such as tungsten and daylight, you must choose the WB setting that will give you the result you are looking for. Combining mixed lighting, however, can create dramatic images. There will be times when you may need to compromise. Of course, you can also use these settings for effect and mood.

© Shawn Gust 2007

The above digital image was made inside a vehicle in the middle of a sunny day. I used the Tungsten WB setting and slight underexposure for the cool, blue mood.

Bernadette, bartender . Coeur d'Alene, ID . 2007
© Shawn Gust 2007

The above image was made on daylight balanced film. There was a small window at the end of the bar that provided enough daylight to keep her skin tones correct. The various lighting surrounding the subject provided a colorful, interesting environment. How many and what types of light sources can you identify in this image?


Charts courtesy of Cambridge in Colour © Sean T. McHugh

We Want Your Input

The aim of this blog is to discuss all aspects of photography. It is meant to aid in our customers' knowledge of photography and what's happening in the industry. If you have any ideas for topics or concerns or questions, please feel free to contact us at camerac[at]imbris[dot]net with "blog" in the subject line. We will answer your questions and post your ideas just as soon as we can. Please include links to your photography if you're on the web. We look forward to hearing from you.


A big thank you from Shawn and all the gang at The Camera Corral.

Lithium Batteries and Airlines

Traveling on America's airlines is less than convenient these days. As photographers we've always had concerns while traveling. Loss or damage to expensive gear, x-rays and film, heavy and over-sized gear to check in, etc. But now there are regulations on lithium batteries. Most digital devices are powered by these batteries. This is an issue for any DSLR user, anyone using lighting, a laptop, or many other non-photo related devices that have rechargeable batteries. Please check out the links for more information and plan ahead when traveling with your camera gear. Official press release here.

Friday Tip of the Week: Camera Care Tips

Camera care is essential in today's digital world. The following tips will help all photographers with maintenance and care of their delicate and sensitive camera gear.


CAMERA BODIES

The modern digital body is very sensitive to dust and moisture. First of all, it is wise to know that changing lenses in dusty circumstances is a major cause of a dirty sensor and spots on your images. This common problem can be reduced by not taking off your lenses unless you need to change from one lens to another. If you find yourself in a dusty situation, move upwind from the dust to both shoot and change lenses. You may also need to go inside a building or a car to find an area that is less dusty. Do whatever it takes to keep your equipment clean. I often tell
customers that if you can't keep your camera surgically clean, you will pay for a professional cleaning. Cleaning the sensor yourself is a way of solving the problem only on a short term basis. When our camera repairman cleans a sensor, he removes the outer covers and cleans all the ports (openings around each button, command dial(s), and other openings) so dust and dirt is not waiting to fall on the sensor. A quick self cleaning is okay but don't rely on it as a cure all. Also, if you attempt to clean your sensor and do it incorrectly, it can result in more costly and complicated repair for the camera repairman. Another thing I tell customers, is to put their cameras in a heavy duty plastic bag (not a regular ziplock or vegetable bag), they are too flimsy and will abrade easily. I prefer the donut bags from Safeway, because they are ballistic plastic bags. DO NOT put your camera in a used donut bag for obvious reasons.
We use an artist one inch stiff paint brush to clean the outer parts of a body and lenses. When the lens is off the body, DO NOT attempt a cleaning of anything inside the front lens mount. DO NOT touch the mirror or the focusing screen. These are very delicate items and can not be touched for any reason.
Moisture is always a problem with any camera. Digital cameras are even more susceptible to moisture because they contain way more circuit boards than their film companions. DO NOT LET THEM GET WET, PERIOD. We sell an Op/tech Rain cover for just under $10 that is a good aid to keep your camera dry and dust free.
Your camera case is also a major cause for dirt in the camera. Every time you come back from a photo day, clean all your equipment thoroughly. If you don't clean your case, the dust and dirt left in the case will work into the camera. Use a clean wet well rung out cloth to clean the inside of your case.
LCD screens will scratch if rubbed on. If you get nose prints, finger prints, or other non abrasive smudges on your screen, use Scotch Tape to clean them off. You might put a tape dispenser in one of the camera bag pockets for when the need arises
Most importantly, DO NOT let other people use your equipment. They will not take the care necessary to keep it clean and out of harms way. We see many cameras a year that were borrowed and broken.
Be particular about your equipment and it's care and cleaning.


LENSES

Although lenses can become dirty inside, they are less likely to get dirty than camera bodies. Simply by keeping your equipment in donut bags, you can keep them safe and clean. There will be a time that you need to clean the front element. If you buy UV filters for your lenses, it will be less likely that you harm the front elements. If you clean the lens front element too much, or poorly, they can be damaged. For proper lens cleaning, come in and let us show you.


MEDIA CARDS

The most common cards are Compact Flash and Secure Digital.
The Compact Flash cards have two lines of holes that match two rows of pins in the camera body. Be sure, when not using the card, to put it in the supplied case. A grain of sand in one of the holes will render the card unusable. Also, these pins have to be lined up carefully and properly so as not to bend the pins. When you put the card into the slot, run your finger along the card so it centers the card before pushing the card into the slot. This can be a $180 repair if done in a way that damages the card slot, so be gentle.
The Secure Digital cards are less of an issue than Compact Flash cards are, because they do not have the pins to worry about. These cards have touch pad leads that are protected from fingers.
It is our suggestion not to delete a picture that you do not want one by one. When you push the delete button, the title in the camera's directory for that picture is erased, but all the data stays on the card. When enough data builds up the card can become corrupted and is unusable. We offer a service to recover your images for $20. By simply leaving the unwanted images on the card and downloading all the images to your computer for safe keeping, you can reinsert the card into the camera and go to the Tool Bar in the camera's menu. Here you will find a "Format" section to erase all images. BE SURE you do not want any of the images, because they are gone. See us if you are unsure about formating.


Chic

Friday Tip of the Week: Shooting in Snow

Winter is an amazing time to be making images. The atmosphere of snow and temperature can be very beautiful and magical. Whether you are shooting film or digital, there are a couple of things you should know about shooting in winter conditions.

Technology has allowed camera manufacturers to make amazing cameras with many tools yielding great photographs. One of these features is the cameras built-in light meter. Although very accurate in most situations, snow can fool the meter. Light meters are designed to measure light and give an exposure value for 18% gray. This is a problem with snow because we want our snow to be white, not gray. The below image was made by metering directly on the snow in the foreground.


The meter reading rendered the snow this medium gray tone. Too dark! The blacks are lost with no detail, and the image is flat. Overall, a poor exposure. To compensate in these conditions we need to expose 1.0-2.0 stops over the meter reading. The amount of overexposure depends on your preference, film being used, and the way you work your digital images with software such as Photoshop. The next image was manually exposed 1.5 stops over the meter reading. Take some time and test out what works for you and your way of shooting. I prefer to expose as not to loose hight lights.


Now that we have a good exposure, our Photoshop or printing time will decrease. It is always better to expose properly rather than to try to "save" an image with software after the fact. The next image is the above picture after a quick levels adjustment for color, and a curves adjustment for contrast. This was done using Photoshop. I like to think of a digital file like a negative. It's just a guide. You can bring the potential out of an image with just a couple of small adjustments, whether it be in an enlarger or in a computer.


For those of you shooting digital point-and-shoot cameras, there is a shooting mode that is called Sand & Snow. This tells the camera that you are shooting in these conditions and it will make the exposure compensation for you. Now that you have the information for shooting in winter conditions, get out there and make some images!


All Images © Shawn Gust 2007

Check out our new website

We're trying to join the new century by updating our Camera Corral website. There are going to be some new activities and information there about store events. We are in the process of setting up a webstore and online print ordering to make shopping at the Camera Corral more convenient.

Thanks,
Mike