Ready for some hiking and shooting

Just finished packing for tomorrow's Second Annual PhotoWalk, where I and 30,000+ of my closest photographer friends will be out and about shooting millions of pictures across the world. It's not too late to join us.

You notice I packed the night before....and there's a good reason. Try as I will to take everything I think I might need, and leave everything behind that I probably wouldn't use, I'll still think of something else before I go. That way I've still got time to pack it before I walk out the door in the morning.

In the old days I packed right before leaving and invariably a couple hours later I would think of something I should have added. Back then though, I was already on the road. This works so much better.  Try it.

Hot new iPhone app

Just released, from onOne Software, an app to allow remote triggering of your Canon SLR. (Nikon shooters, hold on a little longer, that app is coming.)

From the onOne site: "DSLR Camera Remote is the next-generation cable release for your Canon EOS DSLR camera. Just connect your camera to a WiFi enabled computer and the DSLR Camera Remote software enables you to use your Apple iPhone or iPod touch to wirelessly adjust cameras settings, fire the shutter, review images, even get a live viewfinder preview. DSLR Camera Remote is a must-have for remote shooting applications like high or low angles, self portraits and children. With its advanced timers it makes remote monitoring a snap. No internet connection required!"

The app even lets you review the shot you just took, to confirm you got what you wanted.

Two versions are available - lite for $1.99 and professional for $19.99. Both are available through the iTunes Store.

Goodbye Kodachrome

All good things must come to an end. This one just took 74 years. Later this year, Kodak is discontinuing production of its original color film - Kodachrome. bit.ly/wl074 At EI 25, it was the slowest and best slide film I ever shot. Unfortunately, there were few places to get it processed. Right now it's down to just one.

I can still see work shot by my dad in the forties and fifties that looks great and still has great color. It's hard to say that about most other films.

Nice to know that our digital files will still look just as good 75 years from now. I just wonder what they will be stored on by then - probably something the size of a pin head.

New Nikons coming???

According to the Nikon Rumors blog, there's a new version of my favorite, the Nikon D300 due out sometime soon. It will be the D300S. A screen shot of the new LCD screen seems to suggest it will have dual card support, for SD cards as well as the present Compact Flash. In another article on the site, it also suggests that there will be selectable histograms, for user selected parts of the image. That would certainly be most helpful. Can't wait to see it.

Parade the Circle 2009

CLEVELAND, OH -- Each year the Cleveland Art Museum sponsors a celebration of performing art called Parade the Circle. Performers start at the museum and parade around University Circle. This years event was a feast for the photographic eye and I have added some of my favorite performers here for your viewing pleasure. (Click on SLIDESHOW in the upper right of the page for easiest viewing.)

When shooting parades, I like to get down low and shoot up at the performers, or get a high vantage point and shoot down. I noticed the official Cleveland Art Museum photographer brought out a 10' foot step ladder and got all his shots from this comfortable "above-the-crowd" perch.

Free three-part webinar

liveBooks Inc. announced a free, three-part webinar series about composition with nature photographer Art Wolfe. In the "Art on Art" series, Wolfe will share insights from his 30-year career as a photographer and discuss points of view, focal lengths and lighting on June 10 at 11 a.m. PT, July 6 at 3 p.m. PT and Aug. 4 at 11 a.m. PT, respectively. There is no fee associated with the webinars; participants are asked to register by visiting liveBooks' webinar calendar and selecting the session they would like to attend.

Add a point of interest

CLEVELAND, OH -- I was recently in the Arcade with my point and shoot camera in my pocket. Realizing I didn't have any current pictures of this historic building, I decided to spend a couple minutes taking some shots. On looking at the shoot later on, I realized that my first shot was so typical of what many beginners would likely do....walk in the front door, pull out a camera and try to take as much in as possible with one shot.

Unfortunately, from my point of view, while it's a good shot from the point of symmetry, it doesn't tell much about the building's abundant use of brass everywhere. For that, you need a closeup.

By moving off to the side, and recomposing the shot, I was able to feature one of the beautiful brass light posts. You'll also notice that I'm up close enough where you can actually see much of the detail in the post.

From my perspective, I think this tells a much more compelling story of what this historic building is all about.