This news may come as a surprise to some of you, but I am no longer working full time as a photographer.  I have discreetly made the transition from a full time photographer to a full time day jobber as an instructor at a private security training academy where my main focus will be on firearms safety and training.  For those that do not know or recall, I have a law enforcement background and work experience that made this job a good fit for me.  Don’t worry, I have not given up photography completely.  I still remain plugged into the industry by remaining connected and relevant as possible to my network of professionals and friends.  The ever-changing and increasingly challenging photography industry is now something I can enjoy without the long hours, financial challenges, and… hate to say it… drama.  I may take on a few photo-related jobs though, such as second shooting for my wedding photography friends, or covering an Indy race like the Baltimore Grand Prix.  But I am excited about moving forward into a new beginning as another chapter ends.  I am happy with my decision and doing what’s best for me and my family.

I hope to share a little bit about what I do now in the future, but the information will be limited due to my non-disclosure/non-compete agreement with my employer.  Plus, this still IS a photo blog so more photos of my personal adventures and second shooting photos will be coming so stay tuned!  I just shot a Charleston, SC wedding with my friends Moshe, Noah and Becca and will get some samples here soon.

If you’re looking to buy a roller, now is a great time!

My friends at Think Tank Photo just announced new additions to its best-selling Retrospective shoulder bag line.

The Retrospective® 7, scheduled for release in May, is designed for standard DSLR systems.  Its classic design along with modern improvements create the perfect shooter’s bag.  This lightweight shoulder bag comes in fabrics that offer a sense of “retro” style that appeals to many.  A rear pocket has been designed to hold an iPad or an 11” MacBook Air.

Sign up here to be notified when it’s in stock: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e5sve35yh0to23zt/start

Retrospective® 7 features include:

• iPad/MacBook pocket
• cushioned and padded nonslip shoulder strap for all day comfort.
• Sound Silencers™ to turn off the front flap hook and loop for silent operation.
• Organizational and zippered pockets for accessories.
• Removable divider set for custom layouts.
• Convenient carrying handle for grab and go.
• Seam sealed rain cover.
• Expandable front pocket for DSLR body or accessories.
• Business card slot under the front flap for identification.
• High quality YKK zippers.

In addition, in May ThinkTank will release its Retrospective® 5, Retrospective® 7, Retrospective® 10, Retrospective® 20, and Retrospective® 30 in a new color, Blue-Slate.

Sign up to be notified when the Blue Slate bags are in stock: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e5sve35yh0to23zt/start

My friends at Think Tank Photo just announced the impending release of four new pocket storage devices for your DSLR Batteries, Strobist Gels, and SD Cards.

Leave your info in the link below so Think Tank Photo can notify you when these items are in stock!

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e5sve35yh0to23zt/start

DSLR Battery Holders – The number one sin in photography is running out of power.  To help prevent that from happening, in May, Think Tank Photo will release the DSLR Battery Holder 2 and the DSLR Battery Holder 4. These slim, collapsible, compact designs secure two or four standard size camera batteries. Features include: Compact carrier for two or four standard DSLR batteries; compresses flat when not in use, easily stored hook and loop closure with top fold design.  http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/dslrbatteryholder2.aspx?code=AP-470  and http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/dslrbatteryholder4.aspx?code=AP-470

Strobe Gel Wallet – For all the Strobists out there, Think Tank Photo announces that in May it will release the Strobe Gel Wallet.   This wallet stores photography gels in a neat and organized manner and keeps them protected. The wallet minimizes clutter by folding up and stashing away in your bags, cases, or backpacks.  The five pockets have a large capacity.  This enhances the ability to store and locate gels easily instead of having them mound into one big stack.   Features include:  Clear pockets for gels make identification easy;  folds flat when not in use;  business card slot; can be tethered to any Think Tank product, clothing, or belt; hook and loop closure with fold-up design; includes tether with clips for security. http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/strobegelwallet.aspx?code=AP-470

SD Pixel Pocket Rocket – In May, with the release of Think Tank Photo’s SD Pixel Pocket Rocket, you will be able to keep your most important photography storage device, your SD cards, secure and organized. The SD Pixel Pocket Rocket keeps those very small but valuable SD cards safely stored in one place.  No more lost SD cards, and no more found SD cards in the bottom of the washing machine.  Additionally, it can be tethered to bags, clothing, briefcases, and backpacks for additional security.  Features include:  Compact carrier for nine SD cards; clear pockets make identification easy, folds flat when not in use; business card slot; hook and loop closure with fold-up design; tether with clips for secure attachment. http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/sdpixelpocketrocket.aspx?code=AP-470

I found this article and thought it would be great to share. http://photoprofessionals.wordpress.com/ 

If you’re a professional photographer or an aspiring one, I believe this is a very important article to read to enhance your current photography business acumen or establish the foundation of a new one.

The photography industry is in the midst of an exciting yet turbulent shift, especially for those whose livelihood depends on the value of their work. The article below explains many of the factors influencing the direction the industry is headed. Whether you shoot sports, commercial, weddings or concerts, I hope you find this article eye-opening.

Dear potential photo buyer,

If you have been directed to this page, it is likely that you have requested the use of an image or images for free or minimal compensation.

As professional photographers, we receive requests for free images on a regular basis. In a perfect world, each of us would love to be able to respond in a positive manner and assist, especially with projects or efforts related to areas such as education, social issues, and conservation of natural resources. It is fair to say that in many cases, we wish we had the time and resources to do more to assist than just send photographs.

Unfortunately, such are the practicalities of life that we are often unable to respond, or that when we do, our replies are brief and do not convey an adequate sense of the reasons underlying our response.

Circumstances vary for each situation, but we have found that there are a number of recurring themes, which we have set out below with the objective of communicating more clearly with you, and hopefully avoiding misunderstandings or unintentionally engendering ill will. Please take the following points in the constructive manner in which they are intended. We certainly hope that after you have had a chance to read this, we will be able to talk again and establish a mutually beneficial working relationship.

Photographs Are Our Livelihood
Creating compelling images is the way we make our living. If we give away our images for free, or spend too much time responding to requests for free images, we cannot make a living.

We Do Support Worthy Causes With Images
Most of us do contribute photographs, sometimes more, to support certain causes. In many cases, we may have participated directly in projects that we support with images, or we may have a pre-existing personal relationship with key people involved with the efforts concerned. In other words, each of us can and does provide images without compensation on a selective basis.

We Have Time Constraints
Making a leap from such selective support to responding positively to every request we get for free photographs, however, is impractical, if for no other reason than the substantial amount of time required to respond to requests, exchange correspondence, prepare and send files, and then follow-up to find out how our images were used and what objectives, if any, were achieved. It takes a lot of time to respond to requests, and time is always in short supply.

Pleas of “We Have No Money” Are Often Difficult to Fathom
The primary rationale provided in nearly all requests for free photographs is budgetary constraint, meaning that the requestor pleads a lack of funds. Such requests frequently originate from organisations with a lot of cash on hand, whether they be publicly listed companies, government or quasi-government agencies, or even NGOs. Often, it is a simple matter of taking a look at a public filing or other similar disclosure document to see that the entity concerned has access to significant funding, certainly more than enough to pay photographers a reasonable fee should they choose to do so. To make matters worse, it is apparent that all too often, of all the parties involved in a project or particular effort, photographers are the only ones being asked to work for free. Everyone else gets paid. Given considerations like this, you can perhaps understand why we frequently feel slighted when we are told that: “We have no money.” Such claims can come across as a cynical ploy intended to take advantage of gullible individuals.

We Have Real Budget Constraints
With some exceptions, photography is not a highly remunerative profession. We have chosen this path in large part due to the passion we have for visual communication, visual art, and the subject matters in which we specialise. The substantial increase in photographs available via the internet in recent years, coupled with reduced budgets of many photo buyers, means that our already meager incomes have come under additional strain. Moreover, being a professional photographer involves significant monetary investment. Our profession is by nature equipment-intensive. We need to buy cameras, lenses, computers, software, storage devices, and more on a regular basis. Things break and need to be repaired. We need back-ups of all our data, as one ill-placed cup of coffee could literally erase years of work. For all of us, investment in essential hardware and software entails thousands of dollars a year, as we need to stay current with new technology and best practices. In addition, travel is a big part of many of our businesses. We must spend a lot of money on transportation, lodging and other travel-related costs. And of course, perhaps most importantly, there is a substantial sum associated with the time and experience we have invested to become proficient at what we do, as well as the personal risks we often take. Taking snapshots may only involve pressing the camera shutter release, but creating images requires skill, experience and judgement. So the bottom line is that although we certainly understand and can sympathise with budget constraints, from a practical point of view, we simply cannot afford to subsidise everyone who asks.

Getting “Credit” Doesn’t Mean Much
Part and parcel with requests for free images premised on budgetary constraints is often the promise of providing “credit” and “exposure”, in the form or a watermark, link, or perhaps even a specific mention, as a form of compensation in lieu of commercial remuneration. There are two major problems with this. First, getting credit isn’t compensation. We did, after all, create the images concerned, so credit is automatic. It is not something that we hope a third party will be kind enough to grant us. Second, credit doesn’t pay bills. As we hopefully made clear above, we work hard to make the money required to reinvest in our photographic equipment and to cover related business expenses. On top of that, we need to make enough to pay for basic necessities like food, housing, transportation, etc. In short, receiving credit for an image we created is a given, not compensation, and credit is not a substitute for payment.

“You Are The Only Photographer Being Unreasonable”
When we do have time to engage in correspondence with people and entities who request free photos, the dialogue sometimes degenerates into an agitated statement directed toward us, asserting in essence that all other photographers the person or entity has contacted are more than delighted to provide photos for free, and that somehow, we are “the only photographer being unreasonable”. We know that is not true. We also know that no reasonable and competent photographer would agree to unreasonable conditions. We do allow for the fact that some inexperienced photographers or people who happen to own cameras may indeed agree to work for free, but as the folk wisdom goes: “You get what you pay for.”

Please Follow-Up
One other experience we have in common is that when we do provide photographs for free, we often do not receive updates, feedback or any other form of follow-up letting us know how the event or project unfolded, what goals (if any) were achieved, and what good (if any) our photos did. All too often, we don’t even get responses to emails we send to follow-up, until, of course, the next time that someone wants free photographs. In instances where we do agree to work for free, please have the courtesy to follow-up and let us know how things went. A little consideration will go a long way in making us feel more inclined to take time to provide additional images in the future.

Wrap Up
We hope that the above points help elucidate why the relevant photographer listed below has sent you to this link. All of us are dedicated professionals, and we would be happy to work with you to move forward in a mutually beneficial manner.

Okay camera bag gear heads, just in time for Spring, Think Tank Photo announces a special offer on their popular StreetWalker™ backpacks.  When you buy one of Think Tank’s spacious and comfortable StreetWalker® Pro or StreetWalker® HardDrive backpacks by April 30, 2012, you will receive a padded Pro Speed Belt™ for free! I have been using the Pro Speed Belt for several months and it’s one of the best pieces of operational gear I have.

Our over-the-range microwave went kaput a few weeks ago. While it’s a pain in the butt to remove the old one and reinstall a new one, it is certainly doable. So, you would think we’d go right out and buy a replacement. No siree… we procrastinated and lived with cooking or reheating food on the stove until we just couldn’t take it anymore. We were too busy with life and work, but I really think we just wanted to put off a home appliance project as long as possible. To be honest it wasn’t as inconvenient as I expected, I kinda got used to not having a working microwave oven. But alas, that bulky over-the-range microwave with the busted heating element always stared me in the face. Repair and replacement costs for the heating element itself is around $200, so I’ve read. That’s the price of an inexpensive OTR microwave oven! So we bought a replacement and had to dispose of the old one. Since our neighborhood trash removal service does not include appliances, I took a trip to the county landfill. I wasn’t expecting anything special from this trip, just to see a vast expanse of land and waste removal trucks and disposal sites. But after I unloaded the old microwave and left it in the huge pile of appliances that looked like they’ve been there since the beginning of time, I got back into my truck and slowly drove off.  Then I saw the row of refrigerators perfectly lined up from a vantage point that screamed “rule of thirds and photo composition” time! LOL. As the old saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you, in this case it was my iPhone 4. Procrastination lead to inspiration.

If you’re a shooter like me that needs to take the weight of your gear off your shoulders, Think Tank Photo has a great solution for you –– their Modular Component and Skin Set V2 systems. These allow you to distribute the weight around your hips instead of your shoulder or back. You also get quick access to your gear. Want to give it a try? Read on!

Test Drive one of Think Tank Photo’s new Modular Rotation Systems free for 28 days.  If you like it, keep it and your credit card will be charged.  If not, return it to Think Tank no charge. The Modular Rotation System is the choice of working professionals who shoot sports, weddings, nature or any situation where the need to stay mobile and rapid gear changes are essential.

The Modular Component Set™ V2.0 consists of two individual lens changer pouches, a flash pouch and an accessory pouch that lock to or slide around any Think Tank Photo belt. Since the pouches are modular, the carrying system can be reconfigured to match any assignment, under any condition.

The Modular Skin Set V2.0 consists of two individual lens changer pouches, a flash pouch and an accessory pouch that lock to or slide around a Think Tank Photo belt. Components are lightweight, compressible and easily collapsible. Perfect for traveling.The “Sound Silencer” feature adds stealth by eliminating hook-and-loop tearing noises.

This offer ends on March 31, 2012 or when100 of each modular set has been reserved for the Test Drive program.

* This offer is only available within the United States because of the shipping costs of delivering the product from and to the U.S.

Prime lenses, also known as fixed lenses, are a favorite among photographers like the Canon 135mm f/2.0L telephoto lens. Prime lenses are generally sharper than most zoom lenses depending on certain factors. But the most common characteristic is that they are usually faster than a zoom with apertures as wide as f/1.2 which let in more light. Some popular focal lengths for prime or fixed lenses are the 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm and 200mm. There are also longer telephotos such as 300mm all the way to 800mm which are popular with sports and wildlife photographers. However, since they are not zoom lenses that let you adjust the focal length from a stationary position you’ll have to move your feet to compose and frame a shot. The image quality and sharpness is worth the effort.

One of my favorite examples of a prime lens is the Canon Telephoto EF 135mm f/2.0L USM Autofocus Lens. I absolutely love the compression, fast AF (auto focus) and inherent sharpness from this lens, even at f/2. It’s also lightweight with the consistent build quality from Canon’s L series lenses. If there’s anything to get used to it would be the fact that you really have to stand far away from your subject for a full length shot of them head to toe. But if you own a 70-200mm lens and like shooting at 200mm this will be no big deal. Either way, the results are worth it. The fantastic and sharp image quality combined with a fast aperture makes this an incredible prime lens to have in your bag. And at around $1000 it’s a bargain compared to the popular Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L (+/- $1500) or the coveted Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L (+/- $2000).

I tend to favor longer focal lengths between 85mm and 300mm for landscapes and portraits since they compress the foreground, subject and background and minimize distortion. I feel that focal lengths at 50mm or shorter put you at risk for subject distortion and are more noticeable the closer you are to your subject. While the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L or Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L are awesome lenses, I reserve those for wide angle shots that capture a scene instead of a flattering head shot. With wide lenses and short focal lengths, you must be mindful of the distance between your lens and subject depending on the desired result.

Here are some examples shot with the Canon Telephoto EF 135mm f/2.0L USM Autofocus Lens and the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III SLR Digital Camera. My daughter turned 5 years old today and is still quite the ham in front of the camera – she poses on her own lol! None of these were edited except for resizing for the web. These images were straight out of the camera shot wide open at f/2.

Exposures for all of these are ISO 100, f/2.0, 1/640.

The popular Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L is finally getting an upgrade. The Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II is now available for pre-order:

Product Highlights

• Large f/2.8 Aperture Through Zoom Range
• UD Lenses Minimize Chromatic Aberrations
• Reduced Spherical Aberrations
• Highly Resistant to Dust and Water
• 9-Blade Diaphragm For Beautiful Bokeh
• Lens Coatings Minimizes Ghosting
• Fluorine Coating Reduces Fingerprints
• Zoom Lock Lever For Safe Transporting

There are also several Canon rebates so be sure to check those out!

Mirrorless cameras are starting to garner attention.

The Panasonic Lumix GX1:

Product Highlights

• 16Mp Resolution
• 3.0″ Touch Enabled LCD
• Micro 4/3 Camera
• Built-In Flash, Hot Shoe and Mode Dial
• Lumix LightSpeed Focusing
• 1080/60i HD Video Capture
• Movie iA and Creative Movie
• High Grade Designed Body
• Ultra High Speed 0.09 Second AF
• Super O.I.S.

And the Pentax K-01:

Product Highlights

• 16MP APS-C-Sized CMOS Sensor
• High Res 921000-Dot LCD Monitor
• Full HD 1080p Video
• ISO Range from 100 to 25600
• Full Control Using PASM + Full Auto
• Capture JPG and RAW Files
• In-Camera HDR and Focus Peaking Modes
• Custom Color Functions–Infrared, Sepia
• Built-In Flash + Hotshoe
• Sensor Shake Image Stabilization

If you haven’t heard, the Nikon D4 is an amazing pro DSLR available for pre-order:

Product Highlights

• 16.2Mp 36.0 x 23.9mm CMOS Sensor
• Nikon FX-format
• EXPEED3 Image Processor
• 3.2″ LCD Screen w/ Live View
• AF-S & AF-I NIKKOR Lens Compatible
• RAW, TIFF, JPEG, RAW+JPEG Files
• 100-12800 ISO
• Matrix, Center-Weighted, Spot Metering
• CompactFlash Type 1 & XQD Compatible
• 1080p HD Broadcast Quality Video

Also available for pre-order is the exciting new Nikon D800!

Product Highlights

• 35.9 x 24.0mm CMOS FX Format Sensor
• 36.3Mp Resolution
• EXPEED 3 Image-Processing Engine
• 3.2″ LCD Monitor
• Nikon F Mount Lens Mount
• Optical Low-Pass Filter
• Eye-Level Pentaprism Viewfinder
• 1920 x 1080/30/25/24p HD Video Capture
• Built-In Flash + i-TTL Flash Control
• Matrix/Center-Weighted/Spot Metering

And for the professional video production houses and filmmakers, the new Canon C300 is available for pre-order. It’s only $16,000:

Product Highlights

• Super 35mm-Size CMOS Sensor
• EF Lens Mount for Broad Compatibility
• Canon XF Codec – 4:2:2 50 Mb/s MPEG-2
• 1920 x 1080i60 & True 24p Recording
• Rotating 4″, 1.23 Mp LCD Monitor
• HD-SDI Output, XLR Inputs
• Dual CF Card Slots
• Timecode I/O, Genlock In & Sync Out
• Canon Log Gamma
• Modular Design: Removable Grip & Monitor

I have my iPhone with me all the time. From mobile communications, to social media, to photography, it’s become an important part of my daily life. Therefore, it makes sense for me to use the best protective case I can find. For over a year I was using the Otterbox Commuter case

I decided to pick up the Belkin Essential 050 Case for Apple iPhone 4 or 4s

The Belkin Essential 050

Product Features––

• Shock-absorbent and impact-resistant with a grippable, flexible TPU construction
• Bright candy-colored hues for a colorful twist on a classic design (I chose the simple clear/black one)
• Two-tone translucent palette
• Grippable, flexible TPU material
• Impact and scratch protection (not the front)

I am pleasantly surprised how much I like this case because I wasn’t expecting much. The simple installation and ease of operability makes me want to recommend this to anyone. There is not a lot of bulk, it has enough grip for comfort, but not too much to snag your pockets. I really like the look and feel of this case as well. The one small caveat I have is that the long sides of my case feel a slightly loose in play, while the short sides (top and bottom) are nice and snug. It’s a very minor annoyance and it could just be my copy.

NOTE: I do not have a screen protector on my iPhone 4 so I cannot advise whether or not it’ll work with one. However, since it’s flexible I imagine it would work just fine with most on the market. Just a guess though.

So if you’re looking for a good TPU case for your iPhone 4/4S, put this at the top of your list – the Belkin Essential 050 case for your iPhone 4/4S