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Olympus has updated the firmware for its range-topping PEN E-P3 mirrorless camera. Firmware v1.1 corrects a bug that stopped the buttons working if the touch screen was contacted when an optional electronic viewfinder is used. It also corrects the fault by which the AF points were not shown when the camera is used with an Eye-Fi card. Users must download the Olympus Digital Camera Updater software to apply the update.

A photographer that I’ve long admired is award winning Bob Holmes who is a renowned travel photographer. Bob’s won many awards including Travel Photographer of the Year (3 times), has 46 books and has been featured in many major publications including National Geographic.

In the following video Marc Silber interviews Bob Holmes on the topic of Natural Lighting and travel photography – I hope you find it as insightful as I did.

Some key take away advice from Bob Holmes that I took away:

• Learn to Look at Light – as the camera looks at it
• The important thing about taking good photographs is not to be worried about it
• Cameras get in the way of good photography – if you’re always adjusting your camera you’re not looking intensely enough at your subject
• Even Bob occasionally forgets to check his ISO and shoots at the wrong level
• Research is a big part of Bob’s travel photography. He travels as light as possible with just a few of lenses and DSLRs
• ‘Seeing’ is the most important aspect of photography – most people look but don’t see. Equipment is secondary.
• Composition – always scan the edges of your frame. Be aware of what you’re cropping out and including.
• Photography is deceptively simple – keep shooting!

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

Bob Holmes: Natural Lighting and Travel Photography Tips

The Lastolite Hilite is a really neat, light weight, and portable high key background that can double as a softbox. Oh, did I forget to mention what a bargain it is? It’s not really – it is more than well outside of our reach. Still, I was intrigued by the simplicity of it and the many ways it could be used for still photography and video work. (Look here to see some nifty example videos of the Hilite and high key backgrounds.) I set out to make a DIY version and not break the bank in the process.

The first attempt was to suspend two flat white sheets that were safety pinned together around the periphery over a rectangular frame at the top. Two 45 Watt second slave strobes ($25/ea) were inside on light stands ($21/ea). I have no photos but it was leaning slightly on the positive side of the spectrum between abysmal failure to resounding success. It was at least successful enough to prove out the feasibility of the DIY concept…

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I’m Gonna Get You by Ragoem

Ring flashes (or ring lights) provide some awesome light. They are very common with the fashion industry where they are used to create a glamorous look. However if you want to use one the lights they use on high-end fashion shots, be prepared to say good bye to a couple of Big Ones. The oddly shaped – around the lens – modifier, combined with lots of lighting power does not come cheap.

Luckily new, easy on the pocket, rings lights like the Orbis ($200) and the DIY Ring Flash ($25) provide access to this wonderful tool to the budget minded photographer as long as they own a small hot shoe strobe.

With the wider availability of ring flashes, I thought it would be nice to explore seven ways (both orthodox and unconventional) to use ring flashes.

Use It For Subtle Fill

The most common use for a small ring flash is to use it to create a subtle fill light. Since the light is coming from 100% on-axis, it has very little effect on the scene other than to provide additional light.

Photographer Benjamin Von Wong explains how you create such a photograph:

Use It For Framing

Though it is not trivial, it makes sense to use the ring of light coming from the strobe as a framing element – it provides a perfect white circle of light:

POW! by EJP Photo

The interesting thing, is that using an ultra wide lens (like 8mm wide) you can also use the edges of the ring as framing element while placing the lens behind it. This is demonstrated by photographer Fallon Chan

The “Jarvie” window by Fallon Chan Use It To Expose Details On a Hard Light Shot

David Hobby A.K.A Strobist came up with one of the coolest and interesting ways to use a ring flash. Using several strobes as hard lights he creates a contrasty scene. Then he uses a ring flash as fill to add details to the final photograph. you can learn more about this technique here and here.

Bionic Arm by Bionic Arm

Use If For Interesting Catch lights

One of the most visible signatures of ring lights is the unique shaped catch lights they produce.

Since the light is coming from a bagel shaped source, they catch light it produces is bagelled as well. This is wonderfully illustrated in John Winters photograph.

50″ ringlight by 50″ ringlight

If you are going towards this look, one thing that you need to take care of is the distance between the ring flash and your subject. The closer the ring light, the more prominent the catch light effect will be.

Of course, if you are into catch lights, you may want to try having your subject ware sunglasses. While I am not sure that this would qualify as ring light per se, the effect is well worth trying. And if you want to take this into extremes you can always add some star patterns into the ring light.

DGTL PHTGRPHR – Magic Cyril Johnson by Steven Monteau Use It As Key

Of course it is always an option to use a ring flash as strong key light or even a single light. This is where you can see the “signature” lighting pattern of the ring light at its best. Note the halo of shadow originating around the model as the light hits her exactly from the lens center.

Ray Flash Ring Light by Ian Wedlock Use It For Macro

If you opt to photograph the small things, a ring flash is your perfect companion. Its even illumination is great for macro shots where you need very soft light.

Refraction 001 By LULZ Photography Use it As Softbox

Lastly, you can forget the fact that this is a ring flash at all and simply use it off camera and off axis as a small softbox.

This is exactly what Tomer Jacobson did for Nadia, his model. Using a Lastolite Triflector Speed-Lite as soft glamorous light with a ring flash coming from top left and actually acting as a softbox to add a bit of directional light.

Nadia by Tomer Jacobson Your Turn

Are you using ring flash at all? Got any favorite ring flash image? How will you use (or have you used) a ring flash to take great photographs?

About The Author

Udi Tirosh runs DIYPhotography, and makes great photography products.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

7 Creative Ways to Use A Ring Flash

Lucky Clan today announces Top Camera 2.1 for iOS, an update to their fully featured and high performance Photography app. Version 2.1 introduces Live Adjustments feature, which allows users to adjust exposure, contrast, saturation and color temperature before taking a photo – with live preview. It is the first app on the App Store with [...]

Phase One has released v1.1 of its Media Pro image cataloging application for Mac and Windows. New features including faster importing, the option (in the Mac version) to choose between Phase One's RAW rendering or Apple's, improved integration between Capture One and Media Pro including proper tracking of Capture One adjustments when renaming and moving files within Media Pro, support for the RAW formats of several new Olympus, Panasonic and Sony cameras plus bug fixes.

California based Nexscience today introduces Scan, Print & Fax 1.0, their new business utility for iOS. Designed for individuals and small businesses, Scan, Print & Fax turns your iPhone, iPad or iPod into a handy scanner, fax or an air printer in your pocket. It lets you scan multi-page documents, convert documents to PDF, print [...]

MCP Actions now offers Lightroom Presets and Adobe Camera Raw Presets with the same one-click convenience and eye-catching results as their powerful Photoshop Actions. Both RAW and JPEG shooters will appreciate the time and energy saved by using MCP Quick Clicks Collection presets for processing every photo. West Bloomfield, MI (PRWEB) October 25, 2011 More [...]

GoPro has launched the HD Hero2, an updated version of its sports video camera. The latest version features an 11MP sensor (up from 5MP) and can now shoot 1080p30 video at a choice of 170deg, 127deg or 90deg angles-of-view (the original Hero could only shoot 1080 at 127deg or lower resolutions at 170deg). The redesigned lens is claimed to be twice as sharp as its predecessor. It also gains an external mic port and Mini HDMI socket. The company has also launched the WiFi BacPac accessory allowing live streaming from the camera from the Hero2. It can also be used to control either HD Hero via the included remote or using an App on a smartphone or tablet.

Canon Europe has announced the Pixma Pro-1, a new 13-inch/A3+ professional inkjet printer that uses a new 12-color pigment inkset. The new printer promises an expanded color gamut, increased black density, superior black-and-white prints, and significantly increased speed compared to the Pixma Pro 9500 Mark II, its nearest predecessor.

Apple today updated its Macbook Pro lineup with faster processors and graphics. Design, form factors, and prices remain the same.

Fujifilm has released updated firmware for its X100 premium large-sensor compact camera. Firmware v1.11 improves autofocus performance at close range and corrects a couple of bugs with the camera's operation. Meanwhile, Japanese company Aki-Asahi has begun offering custom coverings for the camera, including wood and leather covers in a variety of colors and textures. (Via PetaPixel)

For Thousands of Dollars Less, Image Mechanics Offers a Product for Safer, Maintenance-free, Off-Line Data Storage Co-Founder and Inventor of F.O.A.M., Michael Grecco, Presents at PhotoPlus Expo SANTA MONICA, Calif. – October 24, 2011 – Image Mechanics is lightening your data load! The company today announced an ingenious alternative to cumbersome, expensive storage technology. F.O.A.M. [...]

GoPro has announced a powerful new model in its HERO line of wearable point-of-view (POV) still/video cameras. The HD HERO2 features a new 11MP sensor with improved low light image quality, a revamped lens design that's promised be significantly sharper, a 10fps still frame burst mode that captures at the camera's full resolution, video recording at up to 120fps (at 848 x 480 pixels) plus 1080p/30fps, 720p/60fps and other settings combinations, timelapse intervals as short as 0.5s at 11MP, a 3.5mm stereo mic input, a menu interface that makes it much easier to check and change options, an integrated battery warmer and more.

In this tutorial, Natalie Norton shares 10 great tips that will help you survive shooting your first wedding.

Photo Credit: My good friend, wedding photographer Jonathan Canlas the great.

You were asked to shoot your friend’s wedding? Hmm. Already got suckered into it? Tut, tut, tut. Fear not! By maintaining a good attitude, establishing a strong game plan and setting realistic expectations, you truly can make this lemon into sweet lemonade.

Here are 10 tips to making your first weddings a success.

1. Light Right:

If you haven’t already mastered lighting and proper exposure, I REALLY, TRULY recommend shooting in Aperture Priority. If you struggle with Aperture Priority, well you’ve just got to shoot in plain old Automatic. And hey, that ain’t always such a bad thing if I do say so myself. The bottom line is that you just cannot afford the chance of improper exposures when the dude (or nowadays the chick) says “you may kiss the bride.”

2. Under Promise, Over Deliver:

If you’re going make this work, particularly if this is your very first wedding, you’ve got to set yourself up for success by managing expectations. You recall the adage, “you get what you pay for?” Well friend, that doesn’t really hold true for brides. They generally expect to get what they want. Period. I’m not knocking brides. It’s their WEDDING DAY for Pete’s sake. They should get what they want on this great day of days. But you can’t assume that just because you’re shooting for next to nothing (or in fact nothing) that there won’t be high expectations for you and your work. Under promise, over deliver. You’ve got to set clear expectations that you know beyond a doubt in the Heavens you’ll be able to achieve. If for example you really believe that you will be able to deliver 100 knock out images for each hour of shooting, promise only 50. That way when you show up with 75 awesome images from each hour you shot they’ll be ecstatic!

3. Don’t Go it Alone:

Get an assistant to come shoot with you. Two cameras are always better than one. Particularly if you’re not all that familiar with yours. It’s VERY important to have a back up to make sure you’ve got two chances at each key shot.

4. Request an Infiltrator:

Have the bride/groom assign someone to you to be sure you get shots of all the key players. Its important that you document all the key attendees, especially if you’re familiar enough with the family that you should (but don’t) know them all by name. If every time your bff talks about her favorite Aunt Bessie you’re only half listening and don’t have a clue who she is, you better be sure you’ve got someone there to point her out so you can grab that shot of her wiping her eyes during the ceremony.

5. Click, Click, CLICK:

Take pictures until your trigger finger bleeds. If you’re not totally sure, check that LCD and try, try again. You’ve got to nail it. You only get one chance at this. There isn’t going to be a do-over. Shoot and shoot and then shoot some more. In this new digital age, particularly as of late when storage space is so cheap on memory cards, you really don’t have a single reason I can think of NOT to shoot like a bat out’a hell.

6. Tell the Story:

There are a handful of shots you’ll need to be sure to include. Clearly you’ll need to cover the ceremony in it’s entirety. ie rings, smooch, tears, cake cutting, bouquet toss etc. Beyond that, be sure to get a good establishing shot of the venue, some good detail shots of all the stuff she spent WAY too much money on to decorate said venue, some good detail shots of her dress (don’t forget the shoes . . . oh and the rings!!), bride and groom with their groupies, a zillion pics of the bride alone and with her man, and then any and everything else you can possibly think of.

7. Know Where to Go:

Check out your venue before hand. Make sure that you know EXACTLY where it is, even where you’re to park. It would not be a happy day for you to come out from your pro bono wedding only to have to fork out $200 to get your car off the impound lot. It’s also a helpful rule of thumb to know what you’re getting yourself into for a shoot. Try to visit during the same time of day the wedding will be held. Check out the lighting situation. Ask about the seating and be sure you’re going to be able to photograph from the proper angles without obstructing the guest’s view.

8. Get the 411:

Talk to the individual who will be performing the ceremony. There may be rules about photographing in a certain cathedral or religious reasons you can’t photograph certain parts of the ceremony. It’s your responsibility as the photographer to make sure that these concerns are addressed with the Priest etc before you show up on the wedding day.

9. Cover Your Bases:

It just may be a good idea to have a contract. I know it seems like an awful formality, particularly between friends. It’s a wise step however to solidify expectations (an extension of what we discussed earlier about managing expectations) in order to preserve the relationship. You really love this friend of yours, as evidenced by your willingness to shoot his/her wedding, protect that relationship by insisting on a contract.

10. Go for it!

You’ve made the commitment already, now jump in with both feet. Don’t let your fear and anxiety plug up your creativity. You’re going to be great!

A QUICK NOTE IN CLOSING: I’m really upbeat by nature. I generally err on the side of complete and absolute optimism. I really do believe in YOU and your remarkable ability to be a fantastic xxxx (fill in the blank: photographer, singer, dancer, plumber, pastor, whatever). I am 100% of the opinion that if you want it, it can be yours. Faith, hope and a sane amount of persistence and the world is your oyster. Truly. That said, photographing a wedding is not to be taken lightly. It is arguably the single most important day in a couple’s life. If you want experience shooting a wedding ask to shadow a pro. Shadowing is the perfect way to gain experience, there’s no pressure, no expectations, just you, your camera and a wedding you’re not responsible to document. Ah, beautiful. Not so beautiful however is your under-experienced self, a camera you don’t understand, a thousand overexposed images from the wedding day and Bridezilla, Queen Kong (mother of the bride) and the mother-in-law from you know where all in cardiac arrest when you break the news. Ugly. Ugly. UG-LY. Particularly if Bridezilla used to be your bff. I’m not saying this to discourage you. I merely want to ensure that you prepare amply before you plunge into an event as paramount in someone’s life as a wedding!

Happy Shooting and Good luck!

Natalie lives and shoots on the North Shore of Oahu with her wonderful husband Richie and her 3 crazy boys. You can view more of her photography and enjoy a selection of her writing by visiting her at natalienortonphoto.com.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

Photographing Your Best Friend’s Wedding – 10 Tips

Canon has announced the Pixma Pro-1, the first A3+ (13") printer to use 12 separate inks. The Pro-1 uses remote, tube-fed ink tanks to provide 12 inks plus a 'Chroma Optimizer' that coats the print to give an even finish and improved black density. The printer features a new, 12,288 nozzle print head (up from the 7,680 used on the 5200 II), and can produce an A3+ print in 2 minutes, 55 seconds at standard quality. The 'Pro' designation indicates it is the first Canon printer whose purchase counts towards Canon Professional Service (CPS) membership. The MSRP is £799.

The Atlantic features Population Seven Billion, an interesting gallery showing what it takes to sustain the ever-increasing population.

The new version of award winning photo app for iPhone – FX Photo Studio – brings major performance upgrades, enhanced masking feature and the new color splash tool with image processing possibilities no other iPhone app can offer. With over 190 high quality photo effects and filters, which iPhone users can mix and apply on [...]

Sigma Pro David FitzSimmons shares close-up images of wildlife in “Curious Critters” BELLVILLE, OHIO, Oct. 24 – Photographer David FitzSimmons is teaching kids to appreciate macro photography – and nature – one tiny creature at a time. In his new, award-winning children’s picture book called “Curious Critters,” which will be released Nov. 7, FitzSimmons, one [...]

Two New Bundle Kits Offer iPhone Shooters a Steady Platform for Crisp Photos and Stable Video Chat New York, NY – OCTOBER 24, 2011 – Gary Fong, Inc. (www.garyfongestore.com), developer and manufacturer of cutting-edge photography equipment designed to help photographers experience new levels of creativity, today introduced two new value-packed bundles containingits popular iPhone Tripod [...]