MooseNewsBlog

What did you do this summer? I hope is was something truly grand and you photographed so you can share it with others. I’m going to be sharing three of our summer adventures this coming week in Las Vegas.

I’ll talk about chasing tornadoes in the midwest to the high speed thrill of the Reno Air Race school

And of course, my passion with Grizzly Bears

I’ll be doing a couple of presentations in the Nikon Theater which includes these stories as well as NX2 demos. You can hear these stories by stopping my the Nikon Theater at Photoshop World. What’s so cool, it’s FREE! That’s right, click here to get your free pass into the trade show floor where the Nikon Theater will be set up.Then just sit yourself down and I’ll do my best to entertain, enthrall and of course, tug at your heartstrings.

Look forward to seeing you there!

I don’t know if you noticed, but Vincent posted on his blog these cools images that make the subject appear to be a “minature” model scene. I’d seen some of his other images along with those taken by others with the same look in the past and enjoyed them but never tried it myself.

Out shooting with Luke today, I was able to play a little as I start to explore this new technique (new to my camera) for some shooting coming up this fall. Since there is nothing easily found on the web on this technique, I was starting from scratch (what I found involved PS and I wanted an “all in camera technique”).

While I got a couple of photos today that I like, the vast majority, well, ain’t fit for the public. I did learn a number of things that don’t work and two things that do. I hope to start changing that percentage and when I do, I’ll share what I’ve learned.

One thing is for sure, this technique which is all done in camera, could easily become a gimmick like always shooting with a fisheye if it’s not explored for it own unique potential in very specialized situations.

Photos captured by D700, 24PC on Lexar UDMA digital film

As you probably know by now, Nikon introduced the D90. What you might not be aware of that it can do GeoTagging. Adding GPS to a camera is nothing new to the Mooster. What you might not be aware of that Nikon is now in the GPS business. What you see above is the GP-1. It works on the D3, D700, D300, D200 and D90. I ain’t got one yet, but I’m going to real soon. When I do, I’ll let you know all about it.

This guy is hot! I’m not talking about the D90 because I’ve not seen one, but rather Chase and his video machine. He sure makes you want one; looks like one helluva a lot of fun!

While Chase Jarvis isn’t on the radar screen for most wildlife / landscape photographers, he should be because the guy is good, real good! I personally don’t know him but I am a big fan of his work and bigger fan of his videos. Check em out like this one or this one,  you’ll enjoy.

Update: Something many shooters don’t think about since they are not in the business Vincent talks about in regards to the D90. Give it a gander!

When it comes to charging the ol’ creative batteries, I don’t know of a better event then Photoshop World. This will be my 11th PSW and I get more and more excited each and every time I go (I won’t mention the butterflies from presenting).

Now there’s one hell of a lot of things to do, see and learn at PSW. I’m lucky, I have Sharon, Kathy, Julie, Kristen and oh yeah Scott planning my time for me. You’re probably not as fortunate so that gracious Canadian Dave Cross has created this very simple PDF planner. You use it prior to PSW and it helps you be in the right place and the right time to learn the right thing.

Now of course being MooseNewsBlog fans, the first classes you’ll look for are those from your’s truly. Please come by the the NAPP Photo Safari (with my good friend Joe McNally), classes, Art of Digital, Nikon Theater or just passing by on the floor and say hello. Because truly, that is the best part of PSW.

CYA THERE!

OK, I’ve been delving more and more into the SB-900 because it’s just too cool a toy tool not to speed up the mastering program. I’ve come up with a couple pieces of trivia to pass along.

*When in the Center-weighted lighting pattern, the maximum zoom is 135mm and not 200mm.

*The SB-900 has a Thermal Cut-out that prevents the SB-900 from blowing a tube from overheating. If turned on, the thermometer on the back LCD will actually raise as the temperature of the tube rises. Now interesting enough, I learned about this feature via my good friend Joe McNally (check out his latest blog). How would he know about that feature already..hum?

*The SB-900 is not gentle on batteries but does work with the SD-8a which is good since you can’t find the SB-9 yet. It does recycle mighty fast on its own.

*The SB-900 has a My Menu and it works just like the My Menu on the D3/D700. This is really cool. I have Illumination Pattern, M Zoom, AF Illuminator, Stby, Sound, in My Menu so far.

*The SB-900 has a low battery indicator that works and when it comes on, the flash goes off.

As more trivia flashes (get it?), I’ll be sure to pass it along.

I know, I wasn’t a big iPhone fan when they were first introduced but when my cellphone battery died, I was in the market. Brad seeing a weakness taunted me with his iPhone and all the cool things, business cool things it can do. From the planes I’ve NOT missed to finding Cold Stone ice cream, I find the iPhone an essential tool that I can’t live without.

I’m always on the lookout for new apps for the iPhone that will just make it better. I’m always on Terry’s blog because he’s a bigger gadgethead then me. I also cruise the App Store and I just found this app, PhotoCalc that I wanted to pass along to you. You can see just a couple of screens above, the Sunrise & Sunset is killer. If you have an iPhone, head to the app store and check it out.

With Fay safely moving away and hurricane season coming to an end, we think it’s safe to set our spring Base Camp. It will be based out of Ft Myers, FL (16-20, Feb ‘09) and its photographic focus will be birds like those on Sanibel Island, Ft Myers Beach, Venice Rookery and Corkscrew Swamp. Some folks were so excited to join us, they registered before we even had a confirmed location or dates so there are only 5 spots available.

The photo above of a Roseatte Spoonbill was taken earlier this spring in FL, St Pete to be exact and is an example of the great bird photography Florida offers. You can see more examples in the current issue of the BT Journal (as well as a 12pg article on the subject) and if that wasn’t enough, you can watch the photography unfold in our newly posted Bird Photography video. Dang, all this bird photography talk gets me all hot to shoot and right now. Gotta go!

Photo captured by D3, 600VR on Lexar UDMA digital film