Author Archive for Chris Nitz – Page 3

Mac OS App Review – Light Compressor

By Chris Nitz
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

Light Compressor AppThe Mac App Store is finally here. Buying and installing apps is now as simple as one click. If you are a photographer, this can be a very bad thing. After all, programs like Aperture are a staggering $80. Yet, there are some programs so cheap you may over look them. One such app is Light Compressor.

Light Compressor is a minimalistic HDR program. You can load in everything from JPGs to RAW files. This works on everything from a single image to combining a series of brackets into one HDR image. The program quickly, and effortlessly, loads the images and then allows you to begin your adjustments.

The adjustment process is straightforward. You have three sliders available for creating the look you want. The strength slider adjusts how much of an HDR effect your final image has. The radius slider controls the amount of light the image has. Essentially, you are adjusting how much light to fill in on shadow areas, while watching out for halos in the final product. Finally, the saturation slider adjusts how saturated the final product looks. I usually make my saturation adjustment in other programs, but it is nice to have here. Read More→

Categories : Computers & Software, News and Reviews
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Photography 101: How To Break The Fear Of Shooting In Public

By Chris Nitz
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Photography is a splendid vice. So many things in this world are just begging to be the subject of your camera. Yet, some of those shots require you to shoot in public places. This can be quite nerve racking for quite a few new photographers. How does one break free from this fear? Breaking this fear maybe easier than you think.

Size matters
This might come across as trivial at first. The size of your camera can help immensely. What do you do though? First up would be to grab the biggest lens you have. This might not be the proper lens for the job, but it will be the lens to help you conquer your fear. Put the lens hood on for that extra bit of size as well.

The reason this helps is due to how people perceive you when you have a monstrous camera. The reason a big camera helps is people tend to take you from the tourist category and put you into the professional category. You may not be a professional, but it is amazing how people see big camera and instantly think pro.

Second is the camera itself. Those of you lucky enough to have multiple camera bodies should consider using the largest camera you have. This helps to increase the size and perception you will receive on the street. Remember, we are breaking a fear here, so it might be bulky but it will help you get over your fear. Read More→

Categories : Make Better Photographs, Photography 101 - The Basics
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Photography 101: 5 Essential Tools For Better Photos

By Chris Nitz
Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

One of the most common responses for obtaining better photos is often to purchase a better lens. There is a ton of truth to this, but there are items you can add to your camera bag that will also help you achieve great photo results. These are not overly expensive items and deserve a home in your camera bag at some point.

1. Get your white balance in order. Correct white balance is crucial in this new digital age. The subject of white balance is a completely new article (taking note for a future piece), but it is essentially how your digital camera views the lighting of the world. Yup, your reading light gives off a different color light than the sun nicely tucked away behind some clouds. This is where correct white balance comes in.

There are a few items you can use to aid you in setting correct white balance. A tool such as the X-Rite ColorChecker not only gives you a target to set white balance to, but you also have an abundance of options for post processing. However, what if you don’t have $100 to blow on this handy device? Have no fear as you can go cheap here. I walked around for a good year with a gray paint chip in my camera bag. You want something as close to an 18% neutral gray as possible here. A quick Google search will help you narrow your choices down for what ever brand of paint chips are available in your area.

Once you have your white balance device you have two options. If your camera has the ability to set white balance off a target, fill the frame with your gray card and fire off a shot. Those who like to set white balance in post processing can take a photo of the gray card and then use that photo to set white balance in your post processing software of choice. This simple device will help you keep colors as true to what you saw as possible. Read More→

Categories : Make Better Photographs, Photography 101 - The Basics
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Photography 101: Make 2011 Better Than 2010

By Chris Nitz
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

Here we are sitting on the final week of 2010. I hope that 2010 met you with all sorts of personal growth, new experiences, and an ever-increasing love for photography. As 2010 heads to a distant memory, it is now time to look at 2011 and how to make it a better year than 2010. Just how can you do that? It is not so hard!

1. Don’t leave home without a camera! Yeah, I have said this a lot! It still applies no matter the day, month, or year. Never leave your home without a camera of some sort. You never know when a photo opportunity is going to creep up. Even a simple cell phone picture can tell a novel of a story. Do not end the day wishing you had caught just that one image. Besides, it is a great way to keep your photography skills up to snuff!

2. Network, network, and network some more. It does not matter how experienced or inexperienced you are, networking is the best way to grow your skills, business, and pool of peers. Even if you are just learning the ropes, there are people out there willing to share their knowledge and help you on this fantastic path. Networking also gives you people to just go out to coffee with and discuss why one lens is far superior to another one, or gripe about how cold it is. You know, whatever suits your fancy. The important part is meeting new people, building great friendships, and continuing to learn. Start simple and talk to people on Twitter if that is what it takes!

3. Get critiqued at least once a quarter. If you are honestly looking to get great photos, get a photo critique once every three months. Do not just settle for a “this is a great shot” kind of critique either. Ask what makes it great. Find out how to make it better. If you are told it is a terrible shot, do not get down on yourself. Ask question on why it is bad, how to improve it, what to do differently, or even examples of similar shots. Honest critiques are good for the photographer soul burning inside you. Read More→

Categories : Make Better Photographs, Photography 101 - The Basics
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iOS App Review: Filterstorm

By Chris Nitz
Friday, December 17th, 2010

There are times when lugging a laptop around with you is just not going to happen. This is where great devices like the iPhone and iPad come in. They are easy to transport, and can even help you process photos without the need of a laptop. Thanks to apps like Filterstorm, the need to stay tethered to a computer is growing ever thinner.

Filterstorm takes programs like Lightroom, or Aperture, and brings them right onto your iOS device of choice. Filterstorm contains all the goodness of tonal curves, noise reduction, saturation, cloning, and so much more. It can even bypass size limitations that Apple imposed with a simple copy and paste technique.

Filterstorm’s interface is easy on the eye while maintaining simplicity in navigation. Firing up the app will have the basic controls on the left side of the screen. Loading up a photo is as easy as choosing it from your photo library. Those with a camera connection kit and iPad can even bring in photos straight off a memory card. Navigating around the app is rather intuitive and makes your mobile workflow a breeze. Even the adjustment boxes can be moved around the screen to help keep them out of your way.

Once the photo is in the app, the real work begins. All edits happen without destroying your original photo. There is even an apply button you have to hit before each change becomes final. This makes it simple to test out various changes without running for the undo option. There is even a masking option so you can paint in the changes you want, right where you want them. Read More→

Categories : iOS Apps, Mobile Devices and Apps, News and Reviews
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Photography 101: Five Tips For Dealing With The Cold Weather

By Chris Nitz
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

As much as it may pain many of us who live in northern climates, the cold weather is finally settling in for the long haul. This time often comes with great opportunities to capture gorgeous snow and ice photos. It also means a little extra care needs to be taken with your camera while you are out in these freezing temperatures. Before you embark on trudging through giant snowdrifts for that perfect pine tree photo, follow a few items to help keep your camera happy.

1. Batteries despise the cold. Batteries may provide you power, but they tend to go on strike in the cold. If you do not have extra batteries for your camera, now is the perfect time to invest in one spare at the minimum. The cold is hard on batteries. You can loose as much as 50% of your normal shooting life while shooting in the frigid temperatures.

There are a few things you can do to help extend battery life while out in the cold. The first is to keep your spare batteries close to your body. This at least keeps them close to body temperature. The second thing you can do is use those hand warming packs and wrap them around your batter compartment. This has a side benefit of helping to keep your camera warm. You are not looking to get things sweltering hot, but any bit of warmth is going to be beneficial when it is -10 outside.

2. LCD screens also despise the cold. As the temperatures drop, so does the functionality of your LCD. Your LCD screens can become extremely slow, inaccurate in color, or just not function all together when you are out in the cold. This means you have to account for a few things. Know approximately what setting you will be shooting with, and then set them before you leave the warmth of your car/home. LCDs going on strike in the cold also mean they may not show colors correctly. Read More→

Categories : Gear & Software, Make Better Photographs, Photography 101 - The Basics
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