April 21, 2009 by admin.

****URGENT UPDATE ***** Event ID is all lowercase. Please use powaysoftball. I am very sorry for the inconvenience. If you are having problems with the website, you can view a contact sheet here.2009powaysoftball.pdf

I had the pleasure of photographing the Poway High Freshmen Softball team on April 15 in Old Poway Park. Great group of young women. The photos are now up for ordering at Allin Photography Events. Event ID is powaysoftball. If you need a password, please e-mail, text or call me or your coach, Lindsey. It’s the same password that is listed on your price sheet. Thanks again girls!

 Need help ordering? Click on photo for guide to icons. 

–EMA

Posted in Photography | Print | No Comments »

October 9, 2008 by admin.

A friend of mine is taking some photography classes and we had only a few minutes to discuss filters as she left for her class and I went to my second job. I then realized it’s hard to sum up filters, what they can do and the pros and cons of different construction — gel, polyester, plastic, glass, screw-in, cokin, DIY or software on the computer — in just a few minutes.

In brief, filters can be as simple or as technical as you desire. (Just like lenses.) My favorite filters are ones I’ve paid little or nothing for: saran wrap, plastic bag, pantyhose, gauze, tulle, etc. (all held on by a rubber or tape,) for softening or vignetting effects. Vaseline or nose grease (yes nose grease) added if more softening was needed.

When I’m buying a new filter, I run down a list of questions before deciding what type to purchase:

1) What’s its purpose? Protection, polarizing, color correction, effect, infrared, etc. For protection only, I try to buy a high quality glass screw in filter, one with optics equal to or better than my lens, depending on my budget.
2) Do I want to filter on the camera or after the exposure on the computer? What is going to give me the best effect for my budget?
3) What lenses will I use it on? Can I get only one and then use step rings to fit other lenses?

In my general photography, I don’t always use a polarizing filter, so I can swap it from lens to lens.

If I shot a lot of watersports, I’d want a polarizing filter for each lens I’ll be using. Taking the time to swap the filter among the lenses might mean a) missing the shot; b) dropping the filter in the water; c) salt or sand damage to the lens; or d) worst of all, dropping the lens or the camera in the water.

4) What conditions will I use it in? Indoors, outdoors, beach, park, rain, around salt water? Will it have to be cleaned? Gel filters, while optically great, are very flimsy. They are easy to damage and require a special cleaner. Using them around salt, sand and wind is not recommended.

5) How much does it cost? Is it reasonable to replace it if it gets scratched or water, sand or salt damage? Price is a huge consideratios. I’ve chosen not to filter for warming, cooling or color balance on the lens. I either make the changes in my camera’s color temperature settings, or I change it afterwards on the computer in Camera Raw, Photoshop or Lightroom. But I would rather have infrared effects through the lens, then emulate the effect after the fact in the computer.

6) How easy can I get it? Is it available at the local camera store or do I have to mail order it from New York or internationally? Or is it out of production or only made by one guy in his cellar in Boondock, USA and takes 12 weeks to receive?

Now that I’m technically savvy, I’m personally partial for infrared and neutral density to Kodak Wratten filters (distributed now by Tiffen; so visit tiffen.com and not Kodak for info) and Lee filters (leefilters.com). These were the best optically when I started in photography 21 years ago. But gel and polyester are usually the most expensive and most fragile types. And gel is harder to take care of and may not last as long.

In my infrared work, I expect to get anywhere from 3 to 10 shoots from an infrared gel filter before I need to replace it. Because, although I don’t recommend it, I will use infrared gel filters at the beach, on the water, and in windy conditions to get my photograph. The new Kodak Wratten 2 line of filters is described as more durable and easier to hold although I’ve not yet used them.

Polyester is a little more durable and can be cleaned easier.

Gel, polyester and Cokin are available in a flat format. Both gel and polyester filters are similar in weight to a piece of regular paper. They can be cut into shapes and stuck in filter holders or just taped on a lens. They are also available in larger sheets to fit over lights (http://www.rosco.com/us/filters/roscolux.asp#colors). (Note: in a pinch, if optics weren’t critical, I’ve used Rosco gels over the lens.)

It’s also easy to combine these filters. For example, in landscape photography, if you need 2 stops less light on the foreground and 3 stops less for the sky to balance the exposure, you could stack one -2 stops neutral density filter with one -1 stop graduated neutral density filter.

<>

Posted in Tips, Photography | Print | No Comments »

September 22, 2008 by admin.

Visit

I was looking for cases for my inagural desktop photo calendar for 2009. This is the best supplier I have found. And FREE Samples!

If you would like a copy of my new calendar, just drop me an e-mail at calendar@allinphotography.com. Limited free ones availalbe. Supplies limited by my moola.

Posted in Tips, Photography | Print | No Comments »

September 17, 2008 by admin.

I hate waiting. Webcast is at 9 a.m. next Tuesday.  I wonder if I have to work at Starbucks …….

Posted in Photography | Print | No Comments »

July 29, 2008 by admin.

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen my byline. But I have a photo on Schmap.com. It’s cute. You have to wait through the slide show to see it. I think I’ll save the champagne for when I get a byline on National Geo.

http://www.schmap.com/sandiego/sights_water/#r=none&mapview=Map&tab=Places&p=99419&topleft=32.90842,-117.3048&bottomright=32.62665,-117.11185&i=99419_10.jpg

Posted in Photography | Print | No Comments »

July 10, 2008 by admin.

Am I the last PC user to find out that F5 refreshes the screen in any program? Internet Explorer, Lightroom, you name it. The revelation occurred two weeks ago. It’s fab!

Posted in Tips, Photography | Print | No Comments »

July 10, 2008 by admin.

The Photoshop CS/CS2 Wow! book is incredible. I marked a dozen things I didn’t know about Photoshop, in just the introduction. If you don’t have it, get it. I have CS3 and still found this extremely helpful. There was no Photoshop CS3 Wow! book in production when I bought it (last week).You can get your’s from Amazon here: Photoshop CS/CS2 Wow!

Posted in Recommended Books, Photography | Print | No Comments »

June 26, 2008 by admin.

A major DON’T (yes in caps) for women: don’t use sparkly makeup when you are going to get your photograph taken. Especially outside. In the sun. At sunset or with fill flash. Chances are it will come out looking like a “dead pixel” on the image. And it’s a pain to retouch them all out.

 Beach sand can do the same thing … but what are you going to do in San Diego? Not go to the beach? Yeah right.

Posted in Tips, Photography | Print | No Comments »

June 22, 2008 by admin.

I retouch photos. I’m good at it. It pays well. And so far, the hardest thing I find to fix is the Five O’Clock Shadow. There’s ways to minimize it. But to truly remove it, is painstakingly slow and detailed . . . and I charge $100 per face. 

 Since, hunching over a computer for two hours with a pen and tablet, the screen zoomed to 400%, is not my idea of fun, let’s solve the problem up front.

 Remind your client to shave prior to the shoot. I’m paranoid, so I carry a Bic and shaving cream in my Mary Poppins kit and hand it to them before I click the first frame.

Posted in Tips, Photography | Print | No Comments »