PShizzy: The Blog

Remote cameras open up a lot of possibilities for photographers. Whether you want to capture a moment from two different angles, or with two focal lengths, remotes can provide us with images that otherwise wouldn’t be possible for us. But, for the most part, remotes are thought of as a difficult task, and so we think remotes are only for magazines like Sports Illustrated or ESPN the Magazine. They’re not.

While covering a game between the Phoenix Mercury and Detroit Shock, I did a video segment on remote setup basics. It’s easier than you think, so read on, and check out the video. Before you know it, you’ll be able to set up your own remotes. [Read more →]

Tags: equipment, photography by PShizzy
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From Zander, on FredMiranda.com:

Thanks for taking time to do this, I really appreciate it.
Right now I have:

• 20D, nearing the 50k shutter count.
• 28-105 3.5-4.5
• 50 1.8
• 70-200 2.8

My budget is roughly $2200. I could come up with a few extra hundred dollars if needed. I use my 70-200 by far the most, and often it is not long enough. I was thinking that I would pick up the 300 f/4 non-IS to cover the longer focal lengths. [Read more →]

Tags: equipment, photography by PShizzy
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Ok, so we already talked about the commitment to a budget. We talked about the differences between needs and wants. We even talked about where to get the stuff you need or want. But what do you need or want? And how can you tell the difference?

In this article, we’re going to look at some questions you can ask of yourself to really get the appropriate equipment for your needs. key word: Needs. Sure anyone can rationalize a purchase, but those rationalizations are just lies we tell ourselves so we can feel better about the buy. The sad truth is that we often have more money than we think we do. We just spend it wrong. Ever seen someone with a nice car and expensive rims, but is broke and lives with their parents? We all do it, to different degrees.

So, read on to find out more about what you can do to really assess your needs [Read more →]

Tags: equipment by PShizzy
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The Phoenix Mercury finally won after going 0-4 to start the season. The Mercury built a 15 point lead early, but lost that lead, reminiscent of their last home game against the Storm. The Mercury fought back late to pull away for good and ended up with the victory. Diana Taurasi had 29 points, with Cappie Pondexter adding 23.

As the lead slowly dissapeared, Taurasi and the rest of the team looked frustrated. When they fought back to get the win, I expected the players to have some sort of outburst, and after a shot and a foul, I captured the image shown.

More on the game, and the full gallery, in the post. [Read more →]

Tags: photography by PShizzy
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So I got up early, and decided to put together a Flash presentation on curves. To be honest, it’s one of those things that I always sorta understood, but explaining it can be very difficult. I should have tried something easier, like dunking a basketball (I’m 5’5) or finding a cure for some disease.

But it’s there. And in order to explain it, I used Lightroom. Yes, I used Lightroom to explain Photoshop curves. It makes sense if you watch the presentation. I also had to make this more like a video, with full motion captures in order to show the effect of curves on an image.

So, continue on to read about the making of the curves presentation, as well as the link to the presentation. [Read more →]

Tags: photoshop by PShizzy
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So, in our last “Spending Smart” segment (I guess it’s a segment now, since so many people liked it), I discussed the art of budgeting and the very important first step: setting a budget. It’s really easy to get a lot of stuff when you don’t have a limit. This is why people go into credit card debt. They don’t see money disappearing or their pockets emptying. They just dismiss it as something to consider later. A budget is a way to consider now, and work within that construct in order to achieve a goal. Ok enough about that last segment.

Today I’ll go into the process, almost step by step, as to what I do when I want to buy gear. As much as I love photography as an art, I’m also a gadget and gear person. I accepted that I like stuff, but I do my best to be frugal about it. So this is what I do: [Read more →]

Tags: equipment by PShizzy
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I saw this on the Rob Galbraith site so props to him for posting it. It’s a commercial by Canon, entitled Journey, which showcases the Rebel XSi. While it’s a commercial, they took the photos of 10 different photographers in various scenes, and made a large sequence of photos, showing the journey of man (and woman), from a small child in a backyard all the way through to the NFL. It’s a wonderful commercial.

I bring it up because it has to do with photography, but also because videos can be inspiration for still work. While different mediums, a great scene is a great scene, whether it’s captured by video or still. I especially like commercials, because they are condensed. A commercial has 30 seconds to capture your interest, sell you on an idea, and keep itself in your mind enough to transcend the tv screen, because they eventually want you to go buy some item or service. Images are similiar, in my mind. An event may last hours, or even days. We select a limited amount of images, and they need to take you through the gamut of emotion, the spirit, and the feel of the event. [Read more →]

Tags: general by PShizzy
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Yesterday, I spoke about how important proper white balance is. A well balanced image shows very good, true colors. But how do we figure out that proper white balance? There’s a lot of ways, actually, and each method has some positives and negatives to it. Let’s take a look at the image below.

I think I did a fine job with the idea of the image: An expectant bride, recently married, is waiting for her husband. The empty chair sells me on that vibe.

But look at the white balance. It’s this sickly yellow that envelops the entire image in its tint, and to me, it’s especially noticable on the dress, and on the brides skintones.

In this post, we’ll look at different ways to get a good white balance. [Read more →]

Tags: photography by PShizzy
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