First Attempt At Star Photography

There is supposed to be a meteor shower tonight, the Gemenids to be exact. So I went outside to mess around photographing some stars to see what settings were working the best. I took a pretty terrible picture of Orion's belt and enhanced it a little. I zoomed in on one particular star and I was astounded it. I think this might be one of my favorite photographs ever.

Having Fun

This past weekend I went on a photo shoot to a local state park with some friends of mine. One of which is a photographer Austin Hodges who is extremely talented. Much of what I have learned has been from him. Anyways, one thing that I learned when I went on this shoot was that making it fun is good for both you and the people you are photographing. Now, I know there are some of you that may be shy or like to keep things "strictly business" with clients but, a little laughter never killed anyone and you already want them to smile don't you? So then put them in a good mood. Not only will this make things run smoothly for you but it will leave a lasting impression. Repeat business?

I took this picture in between shots and as you can see they are having a blast! Keeping it lively will keep from making your photo shoots just a service and the clients will definitely feel that they have got their money's worth from you. Just remember, have fun!

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM

Anyone that owns a DSLR camera that they can mount a Canon EF lens on should definitely look into this lens.  The 75-300mm comes in both IS and regular. For those of you that don't know what IS means when talking about a Canon lens, it means Image Stabilization. This is a feature that reduces the amount of camera shake that is produced by your hands moving while taking photographs. The clarity of the picture is usually significantly better when you are using a lens that is IS. Now, for those of you that are new to photography, like me, I recommend saving a few hundred dollars and going with the non-IS 75-300mm lens. The pictures I get from mine are still very nice. Why would you want this lens? Well, it is a telephoto lens with a very nice range of zoom. It is perfect for capturing sports, wildlife, and shooting from long distances. I bought mine to photograph my high school's Crew team (rowing team). The pictures I got were fantastic. It does have the Auto Focus capability which is very nice for when you are taking fast paced pictures. I have used mine quite a bit in the short time that I have owned it and have to say that without it I would have much more room on my computers hard drive! It opened up quite a few doors for me.

The non- IS is the lens on the left and the IS is the lens on the right.

                 

Canon EOS Rebel T2i

The very first DSLR camera that I ever bought was the Canon EOS Rebel T2i. It was one of the best purchases that I have ever made. I absolutely love this camera. The T2i features a high sensitivity, high resolution CMOS sensor. It is 18 MP and produces stunning photos. It maxes out at 3-4 pictures per second depending on the lens that you use and the lighting but for a first time DSLR that's perfect. Everything about this camera is amazing. It shoots fantastic HD video, has a very long battery life, the built in flash is great, and it comes with a great multipurpose lens. I would recommend this camera to anyone that is looking for a first time DSLR. Stay tuned as I find out more great things about this camera!!

The TrekPak

Whilst surfing the web I stumbled upon a very interesting product. I found it on Kickstarter. For those of you that don't know what Kickstarter is, it is a website where people post product ideas and if people are interested in it then they donate money towards its production. It's an easy way to get your product started.  Anyway, this product is for photographers that like to keep organized. It is an insert design for your camera bags and pelican cases that keeps everything nice and neat and organized. It is not the traditional velcro adjustable walls that we are all familiar with  but instead it is tightly woven walls that are held together with metal pins.

Here is what TrekPak has to say about their product:

"TrekPak is an innovative padded insert for protecting your gear in your favorite backpack or hard case. It uses a unique, patent-pending pin system that makes it easy to adjust dividers as your gear needs change! The system is easily customizable, durable, and water repellent. It is the ideal solution to satisfy both your comfort and gear organization needs while giving you back full power over customization!"

They have been recognized by several magazines and popular blogging sites such as Digg.

It is still in production and they hope to have their website up and running soon. However, you can check them out on Facebook! Stay tuned!