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10/31/2017 1 Comment

Camera and Inspiration #7 | PPN | October 30th, 2017

This is episode #7 of the Camera and Inspiration show at “PPN - Photo Podcast Network” for October 2017.

This show is sponsored by B&H: bit.ly/bhphotodeals

Marco invited Valérie Jardin as a guest for this camera & inspiration episode. Valérie Jardin is a wonderful photographer, she is probably best known on social media for her street photography, she teaches photo workshops all over the world, is an author, a speaker, a podcaster and a camera brand ambassador.

Valérie picks this month inspirational photographer: André Kertész (1894 - 1985) was born in Hungary and is known as a groundbreaking contributor to photographic composition and the photo essay. He experimented with new camera angles and styles and that prevented his work from receiving recognition at that time. Today he is considered one of the pioneers of photojournalism. You can see some of his images here: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2014/nov/11/andre-kertesz-hungarian-photographer-in-pictures

In the main part of this episode, Marco and Valeérie discuss the vision, concept, struggles and helpful tips when producing a photo book - or any physical collection from your body of work that is to be displayed as a common project like an exhibition.

Marco’s inspirational photo book of the month is called: “Street Photography - Creative Vision Behind the Lens” by Valerie Jardin.

Amazon Germany: http://amzn.to/2xCsWDW
Amazon US: http://a.co/60BPohV

Here are the links to Valérie’s work and social media accounts:

Web: www.valeriejardin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valeriejardinphotography
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valeriejardin/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/valeriejardin
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hit-streets-valerie-jardin/id1155913704

Please support our show by using our B&H affiliate link (click here) that will not cost you a penny more than when you are buying at B&H without our link. And the more this link will be used to buy at B&H, the more giveaways we’ll be able to give back to our listeners through B&H. It really is a “win-win” situation :)

And please share this podcast with your friends and subscribe via iTunes. We would also love to get your feedback. Is there anything that you want us to cover on the show in the future? And we would appreciate if you could take a short moment to rate or post a quick review about our shows on iTunes.

For more information on Scott Bourne follow him on Twitter: @ScottBourne
For more information on Marco Larousse follow him on Twitter: @HamburgCam

About this show:
On the monthly “Camera and Inspiration” podcast show of the PPN - Photo Podcast Network, Scott and Marco discuss the essence of photography and how to photograph with more intent. Determining the “why” before the “how” in photography is essential to understanding your subject better and create stronger images. In each episode, they introduce you to an inspirational photographer of the month and also share an inspirational photo book of the month.

©Valérie Jardin - Paris Sept. 2017

Author

Marco Larousse is a journalist and a fine art, street and documentary photographer, a educator, speaker, and podcast producer of photography related topics - MarcoLarousse.com. Marco has a background in photography of 30+ years.

Marco's approach to photography is "reduce to the basics and focus on the story and the subject." Growing up with the limitations that film photography has taught him, he still enjoys the basic approach to photography today. For Marco the camera is a tool and a mere extension of his instincts.

Marco is Co-Founder, Host and the Producer at Photo Podcast Network. He also co-hosts the monthly "We Shoot Mirrorless" and "Camera and Inspiration" podcasts episodes.

Contact Marco on Twitter @HamburgCam

1 Comment

10/24/2017 2 Comments

More Gear Show #7 | PPN | October 23rd, 2017

The More Gear Show topic this month is: Prime v. Zoom Lenses

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Email: [email protected] with questions or use the form on our website

You’ll find a visual presentation of these show notes here:
https://spark.adobe.com/page/pNsx6L2onZBBB/

Prime v. Zoom Lenses. It's one of those age-old battles like Mac v. PC, or Xbox v. Playstation. While it's a subject that brings out passionate views from both sides, my goal in this presentation is not to take sides, but to give photographers a basic primer on the two types of lenses so that they can make better informed buying decisions. I do have my own opinions and will share them. At the end of this presentation, I will mention some of the lenses I use.

For those who are new to all this, a prime lens is merely a fixed focal length lens. It just means that unlike your 70-200mm zoom lens that allows you to use focal lengths between 70mm and 200mm, a prime lens will only shoot at a fixed length. Some common prime lens lengths are 24mm, 35mm 50mm, 85mm, 100mm, 200mm, etc.

Here’s a rundown of the main advantages prime lenses have over zooms…

1. Prime lenses tend to be “faster” than zooms. What I mean by that is that they have a larger aperture (lower f-stop number) and allow more light into the camera.

2. Prime lenses tend to be sharper because they tend to have fewer optical compromises. Zooms require more lens elements and moving parts which could impact sharpness.

3. Prime lenses are typically smaller and lighter than their zoom-lens equals.

4. Prime lenses force you to think more about composition since you can’t just zoom your way out of a problem.

5. Prime lenses (at least the great ones) may offer you more control over your photography. They have features like depth-of-field scales (used for hyper focal distance calculations) or aperture rings.

There are three primary disadvantages to all these features…

a. You have less flexibility.

b. You have to buy and carry more lenses to achieve coverage of the same focal lengths.

c. Good prime lenses can be expensive.

The basics of zoom lenses…

A zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements for which the focal length (and thus angle of view) can be varied, as opposed to a fixed focal length lens.
The main advantage of zoom lenses is flexibility. You can carry just one lens that covers a wide range of focal lengths.

As for which is better, primes or zooms, the answer is (as it always in with photography) IT DEPENDS. It depends on what you want to accomplish, your skill level, the type of photography you practice and your budget.

As for my own preferences, I generally prefer primes. When I have a choice, I shoot with primes, but there are indeed times when I want a zoom lens. They are affordable, flexible, convenient and versatile. The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO Lens is one of my favorite zoom lenses for bird photography. There are times when it is just the best choice. Otherwise, I tend to use my Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm f/4 IS PRO Lens and may use the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital MC-14 1.4x Teleconverter when I need more reach.

I almost photograph birds exclusively using these lenses with one exception. When I am at places in the Alligator Farm or Gatorland and I can get very close, I will use a lightweight zoom lens, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO Lens which is great for hand-held flight shots when the birds are close.

Conclusion
Everything in photography involves a trade off. Zooms typically have more flaws than prime lenses but primes are more expensive and you have to carry more of them. Even though I prefer primes, I am NOT saying you shouldn’t buy a zoom lens. As you can see, I do own two myself. And the good news is that today's zooms are better than ever before.
I do believe (especially for those shooting video or those who need super telephoto lenses) that a very fast prime lens is the best way to go, if budget allows. Your mileage may vary.

If you are unsure of which way to go, my advice is to rent before you buy and put each lens you're considering through its paces. Decide if it's right for you and then pull the trigger.

Please support our show by using our B&H affiliate link (click here) that will not cost you a penny more than when you are buying at B&H without our link. And the more this link will be used to buy at B&H, the more giveaways we’ll be able to give back to our listeners through B&H. It really is a “win-win” situation :)

And please share this podcast with your friends and subscribe via iTunes. We would also love to get your feedback. Is there anything that you want us to cover on the show in the future? And we would appreciate if you could take a short moment to rate or post a quick review about our shows on iTunes.

For more information on Scott Bourne follow him on Twitter: @ScottBourne
For more information on Marco Larousse follow him on Twitter: @HamburgCam

Author

Scott Bourne is an Olympus Visionary and a professional wildlife photographer, author and lecturer who specializes in birds. He was one of the founders of This Week In Photo, Founded Photofocus.com and is co-founder of the new Photo Podcast Network (www.photopodcasts.com.)

Scott is a regular contributor to several photography related blogs and podcasts and is the author of 11 photography books. Scott is available to speak to your birding group, photography group and for both private and small group bird photography workshops.

For more information on engaging Scott as a speaker or workshop leader, or for image licensing and print information, please e-mail [email protected].

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10/13/2017 0 Comments

We Shoot Mirrorless #7 | PPN | October 13th, 2017

On this episode #7 “We Shoot Mirrorless” podcast episode for October 2017, Scott and Marco discuss these new products and mirrorless topics:

This show is sponsored by B&H: bit.ly/bhphotodeals

Scott has bought the iPhone 8 Plus and tells us what he thinks about the camera and features. https://bhpho.to/2ziapxR

After using the Olympus TG-5 for a month, Scott shares how he likes using this camera. https://bhpho.to/2hrPQLi

GoPro announced the new Hero 6 Black camera. The action camera now features 4K 60P video, 12MP Photos at 30 fps, has enhanced dynamic range, improved image stabilization and better low light performance. https://bhpho.to/2AxUmvA

GoPro also added a cool new 360° action camera to their setup. The GoPto 5.2K 360° Fusion camera captures 18MP still images with a 360° field of view. It has a gimbal-like image stabilization and 360° microphone built in. And the overcapture mode creates some really cool effects. https://shop.gopro.com/cameras/fusion/CHDHZ-101.html

Fuji adds two new lenses to their GFX medium format camera lens lineup. The GF 45mm f2.8 R WR and GF 80mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro lens both feature Dust & Weather sealing and have Nano GI coating. The 80mm Macro has a 1:1 magnification and also features a Fluorine coating on the front element to make it less prone to smudging - a feature that we would like to see on all lenses in the future. GF 45mm f2.8 R WR: https://bhpho.to/2hqvhPp and GF 80mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro: https://bhpho.to/2AvEidR

Fuji is running a GFX promotion in Europe. Save up to EUR 1.300 if you purchase a GFX plus lens between October 1st, 2017 and January 15th, 2018. And this time you don’t have to trade in a qualifying camera. https://bhpho.to/2hrPK6B

Fujifilm will soon offer a software called Fujifilm X Raw Studio that will enable you to use the nice in-camera Raw to jpg engine from your Mac or PC when you attach the camera via USB to your computer. The software should be available in late November, 2017. http://www.fujifilm.com/news/n170907_08.html

Profoto is expanding their Air Remote TTL and HSS capable wireless flash transmitters to work with many mirrorless cameras. They now offer versions for mirrorless Olympus, Sony and are about to release a version that works with Fuji cameras. https://bhpho.to/2AwwKI0

Sony has released a FW update for their a9 mirrorless camera. FW version 1.10 improves image quality and fixes some problems like disappearing RAW images when transferring images to certain smart phones. https://www.sony.com.au/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce9-series/ilce-9

Marco shares a feature from the Nikon D850 that he would like to see incorporated in future mirrorless cameras, too. Nikon offers a film scan adapter that not only allows you to scan your film negatives in high quality with a single exposure, it also converts the negative image into a positive straight inside the camera. Two thumbs up from Marco for this feature. https://bhpho.to/2htT3u3

Mirrorless question of the month:
Hi Scott and Marco, I am a long time listener of your podcasts and have made the full switch from Nikon DSLR’s to Fuji mirrorless cameras (sorry Scott) ;) last year. I’m currently using a Fuji X-T2 and X-T 20 and have the XF 50-140mm f2.8 lens for my zoom work. Inspired by Scott’s recent PPN - More Gear Show episode about TC’s, I am now considering the purchase of a 1.4x or 2x TC. But a photographer friend has told me, that TC are not a good idea on crop sensor cameras, as there is already an artificial crop happening on the sensor. And the IQ will degrade drastically stronger than on a cropped FF camera. He suggests that I’d rather invest in the Fuji XF 100-400mm f4.5 - 5.6 lens. What do you think?

Thanks so much for all of the great shows each month!
Johan from Uppsala, Sweden

We have a PPN Photo Podcast Network group at Flickr (click link) that is open to our listeners and photos taken with all mirrorless camera brands. If you want to join just let us know through the "request invitation" button on the group and drop us a quick line there. We'll add you to the group then. And please ask for the invite via the web browser and not via the Flickr App. The invite process via the app has not been working reliably.

You can also submit an image using the Instagram hashtag #WeShootMirrorless

We have picked our monthly featured photographer and image from our Flickr groups. Our monthly We Shoot Mirrorless feature photo and photographer of the month is: Jose Matutina - “Fisherman by the Angry Sea” (click here)

Please support our show by using our B&H affiliate link (click here) that will not cost you a penny more than when you are buying at B&H without our link. And the more this link will be used to buy at B&H, the more giveaways we’ll be able to give back to our listeners through B&H. It really is a “win-win” situation :)

And please share this podcast with your friends and subscribe via iTunes. We would also love to get your feedback. Is there anything that you want us to cover on the show in the future? And we would appreciate if you could take a short moment to rate or post a quick review about our shows on iTunes.

For more information on Scott Bourne follow him on Twitter: @ScottBourne
For more information on Marco Larousse follow him on Twitter: @HamburgCam

About this show:
On the monthly #WeShootMirrorless episode of the “PPN - Photo Podcast Network” show, Scott and Marco will discuss news from the mirrorless camera world related to innovations, trends, gear and accessories. And they will introduce mirrorless camera brands by interviewing the respective managers of those manufacturers. They will also invite pro photographers who make their living working with mirrorless cameras to share some tips and tricks on their workflow.

This month's PPN mirrorless photo & photographer pick: "Fisherman by the Sea" by Jose Matutina

Author

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10/6/2017 0 Comments

Q&A #5 | PPN | October 6th, 2017

Please submit your photography related questions to us here: http://www.photopodcasts.com/contact.html

Host Scott Bourne: @ScottBourne
Co-Host Rick Sammon: @ricksammon
Rick’s website: www.ricksammon.com

This episode is sponsored by B&H - Please use our B&H affiliate link: bit.ly/bhphotodeals

Here are the questions that Scott and Rick answer on this episode:

1. Would like to ask, how do you get better at composition? Seems like such a talent I don’t have.
From Carlos Rivera‏ On Twitter

2. What’s the biggest mistake that people moving from film to digital photography make?
From Dave in Tulsa, OK

3. Do you shoot JPEG or RAW and Lightroom or ???
From Aaron‏ on Twitter

4. How do you avoid getting red-eye? I saw some on the forums saying use the red eye reduction mode but my camera doesn’t have that.
From Susan in Evansville, IN

5. How do you go about shooting in harsh sunlight?
From Stephanie Rodham on Twitter

6. Why do some portrait photographers choose continuous (hot)lights v. strobe?
From Alex in San Francisco, CA

7. Have any tips for shooting fast moving objects/ sports?
From Ryan Simonovich‏ on Twitter

8. How do you get your portrait subjects to relax?
From Phil in Edmonton, Alberta

9. Why can I not get the same picture in my camera as in my head?
From Russ Scullen‏ on Twitter

10. What motivates you to continue taking pictures economically, politically, intellectually or emotionally?
From Edward in Boise, ID

11. Why don’t camera manufacturers built camera bases with the Area Swiss plate built into the base? I see lots of questions on forums asking “what plate to buy”- why not build it into the camera, save the extra bulk/weight/cost? And many m43 cameras are not deemed worthy of a custom plate, leading to problems accessing batteries//cards when using generic plates.
From Rick Fee

Please support our show by using our B&H affiliate link (click here) that will not cost you a penny more than when you are buying at B&H without our link. And the more this link will be used to buy at B&H, the more giveaways we’ll be able to give back to our listeners through B&H. It really is a “win-win” situation :)

And please share this podcast with your friends and subscribe via iTunes. We would also love to get your feedback. Is there anything that you want us to cover on the show in the future? And we would appreciate if you could take a short moment to rate or post a quick review about our shows on iTunes.