Imre Z. Balint, BSc, MPM, MBA

Well I thought I would do a video on this, but time has been a little sparse lately so I decided to write up a post instead. Now if you're not familiar with how camera metering works then I'd recommend you check out Episode 6 which is on the topic to get you up to speed; the supplemental post has some good resource links if you'd like to learn even more. The Setup Have you ever looked out at a beautiful snowy landscape thinking what a wonderful photo it would make, then after taking the shot you ponder why it turned out so flat? Well, you can pretty much blame the way the camera's metering system works for this outcome. Let's use a simple example to understand what is happening. Before us is a landscape covered mostly with snow, a cloudy (thus white) sky and some trees also mostly covered with bright white snow. To our adaptive vision, all is well and the snow is a brilliant, almost blinding, white and the shadow areas of the scene (trunks of trees and expose

Well I figure I better finish up the supplemental post to my Camera Maintenance and Care viewer request video I made a few weeks ago, seeing as I'm almost ready to start making the next episode. Overall, I believe that most people take fairly good care of their camera equipment, especially the amateur enthusiasts and pros out there. On the other hand, I do know a novice photographer who used her fingers to wipe the lens clean... I still shudder to this day. This video was the longest I've made since I started my photography series, but it was comprised of many short segments succinctly covering many camera maintenance and care topics. In no particular order they included: Replacing the camera body and lens (front and rear) caps to help prevent dust from collecting on the inner components of the camera and the exposed glass elements, respectively, and from other damage occurring (e.g. scratches on the lens; a finger accidentally entering the mirror box and poking some cri

I know, I know! I'm a tad overdue in writing up that supplemental blog post to my camera maintenance and care video; soon, really, seriously, soon! I've finally posted a couple of photos of my wooden shark, which turned out quite well; the grain is just amazing as it flows along the body. She's essentially done except for a couple of coats of varnish to protect her delicate skin. In total I think I've spent around 17 hours on this project, most of that on sanding, detail work and a little pyrography to etch the eyes, nose, gills and mouth. I'm fairly sure what my next project will be and as soon as my mind makes itself up and I have a bit of that piece going, I'll post a pic of two of it. I'll also have to start using a vice of some sort for future work though, as there were a few moments where one would have come in very handy to free up both of my hands; this was especially apparent when using the rotary tool. Also, I couldn't help but snap a few o

It's been quite a while since my last video, but after receiving another request for camera maintenance and care, I thought I'd quickly whip up this show. In the next week or so I'll also finish off the supplemental post with some links to cleaning products and other websites on this topic. And if I'm not too lazy in the coming days, I'll also post a shot or two of my wooden shark as that project is progressing quite well. L8r!

I had a question submitted to me regarding what advice I could give about photography in cold weather... I mean really cold weather, think -20C (-4F). Even though I'm not very far north, living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada has taught me a thing or two about taking my cameras out in frigid conditions. Let me first begin by saying that you should always consult your camera's manual and find out what the model's operating temperature range is. In general, most digital SLRs (and even many point and shoot cams) have operating temperatures listed between 0C (32F) and +40C (104F). Be warned that if your camera is still under warranty and damage is caused by taking it outside, the warranty may be voided. What could go wrong? Speaking of damage, what could happen? First of all, it's fairly common to hear about batteries loosing their power quite quickly, and having been in situations where I had my camera exposed to cool air for lengthy periods of time, they do die noticeab

I've been so busy lately with various things around the home that I've been neglecting my videos somewhat. The next episode should be a quick Q&A one, but after putting some good though into the answers to the questions, which were submitted through my Binary Graphite profile on Facebook, I came to the conclusion I could better reply to them here. Winging the video would yield short answers with little sustenance, and in the end I'd still end up writing a supplemental blog post. At least with writing I can take my time to better conjure up an adequate response. So let's get started! Oh, but before I do, a quick word of warning. Some of the questions/answers below involve taking photos of the sun. If you do choose to take such shots, be warned that if you're not careful, you might not only cause irreparable damage to your camera, but to your eyes as well. Question 1:  What is the best way to use a lens hood? Once again, I tried to use one for a picture of a s

Macro photography can open up a whole new world that is often either overlooked or simply missed due to its small size. To start with, I'll quickly discuss the topics covered in episode 29 on the many ways one can accomplish close-up and macro work, and then I'll finish off with the techniques portion which relates to episode 30 . And there's a dirty little secret I'll like to get off my chest too; keep reading. Close-Up and Macro Definitions The definition of macro photography seems somewhat illusive and unless I'm missing something or haven't poked around enough, I haven't yet found a single and universal one. But that said, most sources I have seen say that if the lens (or combination of lenses) is capable of projecting a one to one ratio or life size image on the focal plane (sensor or film) then you have a true macro lens and are able to take such photos. Some sources also include magnifications up to about 10 to 15 times, beyond which you enter the

I'm very happy to announce that the second part, and conclusion, to the macro photography series is done. I liked the way it turned out and hopefully in a few days I'll finish up the supplemental blog post. Enjoy!

I know, I know! It's been a while since my last video and by the end of the week I should be done part 2 to macro photography. But for now, I thought I'd share a couple of new photos from my wooden fighter plane project I've been working on. For about one to two hours before I head off to bed, and for the last week or so, I've been carving away at this model and it's finally starting to look quite plane-like; not meant to be any specific aircraft by-the-way. Now I can appreciate why such finely hand-crafted wooden art pieces cost so much! In all honesty, when I started on this jet I thought I'd be done within a week. However, the more I got into it and as I'm starting to become more accustomed to carving, it's far more delicate work than I'd ever imagined. This is seriously going to become an addiction though. I'm already starting to think about the next carving.

Olympus E-5 Press Release As a long time Olympus camera user, I was quite looking forward to the release of the company's next flagship dSLR. When I bought my C-5050 back in mid-2004, I thought it was an amazing little camera with its f/1.8 lens, crisp 5MP CCD (well... crisp at ISO 100), and the many options it offered. A short while after the E-500 was released, I picked one up and found it to be a worthwhile investment and a wonderful step up from the advanced point and shoot model. By the time Olympus came out with the E-3, I could hardly stay in my skin. I wanted a better, faster dSLR, and Olympus delivered. The E-3 was a monster; weatherproof, faster and more accurate AF, improved image quality, more megapixels, and many controls to keep even the most avid of photographers happy. I was also very pleased to add the E-P2 to my collection at the beginning of this year. Even though the little stainless steel beast sits in a different class, it manages to capture higher quality p

Lately I've been braver in applying various image effects to my photographs in order to make them more interesting, which has also infused them with different stories to tell versus their original nonchalant versions. Sepia tones and black and white conversions focus attention on subjects in images where color was distracting or simply didn't add any value to the photo. In addition, such versions can age a scene or add a gritty feel, especially when combined with other effects like pinhole and noise. In fact, I'm particularly becoming quite fond of noise to make it appear as if the shot was taken with a fast film and to remove that digital crispness. For my next outing I think I'll deliberately set my ISO to 1600 on some shots to see what that yields. So much for having a camera that handles high sensitivity levels well. Image effects aside, I wanted to add a little about unusual compositions. Breaking rules can often be difficult as it both puts us beyond our comfy z

The long (very long) wait is over! The macro photography episode is live on YouTube and happily awaits your attentive gaze. When I started to write the script, I realized I could provide more value by first showing off some of the many methods that can be used to take macro photographs, and then following up this show with another where I'll cover shooting tips. I've been working on this show all day long, so it's time to take a break and have a little chow. Do enjoy!

I've had this shot on my Flickr photostream for a few days now, but I couldn't help post it here along with a quick tip on freezing motion (click pic for larger versions): I doubt one can tell that I was casually drifting on a lake a few meters from the shore in my little inflatable boat when I took this. In hand was my E-P2 with the 70-300mm lens (of course using the four thirds adapter ring as that lens mount is not micro). Auto-focus was on and set to the center dot, which I generally prefer, and since Daisy was ecstatic to be outdoors and swimming in the lake, slow shutter speeds were not going to cut it as she was moving about quite quickly. According to the EXIF data, I shot this at a focal length of 70mm and my aperture was set to f/7.1. Funny thing is I actually meant the aperture to be f/8 as I find this lens is tack sharp there, but close enough as they say; I'm certainly pleased with the result. I addition, using a small aperture here also meant getting a larg

Let's get right into this, shall we? We'll start off with a quick discussion about where the resolution value comes from for those who aren't sure, then a segment on what you should keep in mind when shooting photos for print, ending off with suggestions in regard to what resolution could be used for particular print sizes. Resolution Value So how does Photoshop (and most other image editing software) come up with the resolution value for your image? It's actually quite simple; divide the pixel width by the document's width (or use the height values, the result is the same). So if your photo is 4032 pixels wide and the document width is set to 12.841, then you get: 4032 / 12.841 = 313.99423720894011369831010045947 to be exact, but you can't realistically have .994... of a pixel, thus the program rounds to 314 (these values are what you see in the episode ). By the way, pixels per inch and dots per inch are generally used interchangeably but there is a differe

I changed my workflow to create Episode 28 on image size, resolution, and cropping , and the idea worked well even though I needed a couple of takes to get it just right. Instead of winging it like I did for the other Photoshop tutorials, I wrote the script for the whole show, recorded the narration, and then played back the audio while I recorded the screen video. Certainly sounds more professional and I got in the information I wanted versus "umm-ing" my way through. There are lots of things I'd like to say in the supplemental post for this episode, especially in regard to resolution of printed images. As usual, keep your eyes peeled for that in the next few days. Right now I'm off to devour some burgers! L8r!

Originally, my intentions at the Calgary International Airport were to capture shots of a fully restored Avro Lancaster . Pitty I arrived just in time to whip out of the car and take some shots of the lovely craft through a horrid chain link fence. Oh well, at least I snagged a few other pics of which, for whatever reason as I can't quite put my finger on it, I really like the first one displayed below. Click on the pics to view larger sizes in Flickr.

Landscape photography is a significant topic as a whole, but even its parts are nothing short of substantial. Not only can specific topics be expanded to include more detail, but various types of landscapes lend themselves to be captured better in a certain way; techniques for shooting prairies may not work as well in mountainous areas. That being said, we all have to start somewhere and I've almost always found that understanding the basics inside-out not only allows one to produce better imagery, but those basics after a little time will start transforming into more complex techniques being explored; think unusual angles, compositions that follow no rules but look fantastic, and use of various filters to enhance certain aspects of the scenery. Now I covered quite a lot in the video , but there are a couple of details I didn't mention. Before doing so, here's a list of some of those basic rules and techniques: Level Horizon: If you're new to this sport, try to k

Woohoo! I'm really happy with the way the landscape photography episode turned out. I'll have a fair bit to add in the supplemental post, so stay tune for that in the next day or so. L8r!

Well there are supposed to be thunder storms later this afternoon so I better get writing! I prefer to unplug my computer from the wall outlet to ensure any electrical spikes won't fry the system, even though I do have a battery backup in place. The last storm a day ago made the lights flicker; first time in recent memory. I think I already said this, but I have to admit that I really enjoyed making these High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography episodes ( 25 , 25A , and 26 ); I'm especially glad that I added episode 25A , as that clip demonstrated quite nicely how the camera can be setup to capture the multiple exposures needed to create an HDR image. Remember, even if you're using a different camera than the Olympus E-3 (as seen in the video), most have similar functionality, so I suggest checking your manual in order to discover how you can adjust those settings as well or use such features. Now it is in those multiple exposures where the proverbial secret to creating gr