Jack Neubart

DSLR Reviews
First Look Review: Nikon’s 36.3MP D810 Full-Frame Pro DSLR
Jack Neubart  |  Sep 14, 2014

(Editor’s Note: Shutterbug contributor Jack Neubart has been testing the new Nikon D810 pro digital SLR. Here’s his hands-on “first look” at the camera. His full review of the D810 will appear in an upcoming issue of Shutterbug magazine.)

I became a Nikon convert back when the D300 was first introduced in 2007. I appreciated the camera’s handling, but mostly they got me with the Creative Lighting System, or CLS. Specifically, on the D300 it was the fully integrated wireless Commander mode via the built-in flash that grabbed my attention.

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Photographer ProfilesPro Techniques
Pro's Choice: Markku’s Take: Wry Humor, High Style
Jack Neubart  |  Sep 02, 2014

Some photographers develop a trademark style over time. Markku Lahdesmaki had a feel for what he was doing early on. Shooting tongue-in-cheek came naturally, as did making his subjects feel comfortable with his vision for the shot. And clients loved it, enough so that they beckoned him to return to his native Finland from England, where he was living and working with his wife.

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Software Reviews
HDR Expose 3 Software Review: Is Handheld HDR Ready For Prime Time?
Jack Neubart  |  Aug 08, 2014

The goal in HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging is to recapture the full tonal range that you saw in the scene, despite dynamic range limitations of the camera sensor. Previously, HDR technique generally involved use of a tripod: now, while it is still advisable, it may become an option. It also required a static scene totally devoid of movement. Any movement resulted in misalignment and ghosting, or secondary images, caused by a shift in camera position or of moving objects from frame to frame.

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Photo Bag NewsPhoto Bag Reviews
A Photo Backpack Sampler: Evaluations & Recommendations
Jack Neubart  |  Jul 25, 2014  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2014

Whether hiking in the wilderness or traveling to foreign shores, my bag of choice is a photo backpack, leaving me little worse for wear at the end of the day. Unlike a shoulder bag or sling bag, which puts all the stress, respectively, on one shoulder or your neck, the backpack distributes the weight evenly across both shoulders.

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Outdoor Photography How ToPhotographer ProfilesPro Techniques
Pro's Choice: Brian Bailey Enjoys The Challenge: “Whatever It Takes” Could Be His Motto
Jack Neubart  |  Jul 08, 2014  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2014

“I don’t have a favorite location. I just like the challenge of where I go and what I’m presented with on any given assignment,” advertising photographer Brian Bailey declares. One assignment lasting 10 days took Bailey to the Galapagos Islands, for a sunglasses company. But many assignments involve anything but sun-drenched conditions. In fact, the road to this point was a rocky one—of sorts…

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Software NewsSoftware Reviews
Fighting Digital Noise: DxO Optics Pro 9
Jack Neubart  |  May 30, 2014  |  First Published: May 01, 2014

DxO Optics Pro is a Raw converter that keeps pace with the ever-growing, ever-changing world of digital photography. The newest version—DxO Optics Pro 9 (for Mac or Windows)—focuses on one of digital imaging’s most troubling artifacts: digital noise. Whether you’re shooting at high ISOs or bringing out blocked shadow detail in a seriously underexposed image or an HDR photo, digital noise (luminance and chrominance) can rear its ugly head. And now we can finally deliver a knockout punch to this culprit. But before you get in the ring, there are a few things you should know.

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Photographer ProfilesPro Techniques
Pro's Choice: John Bellenis’s Hospitality Photography: Capturing Resorts, Hotels, And Destinations In The Best Light
Jack Neubart  |  May 30, 2014  |  First Published: Apr 01, 2014

Architectural photography normally involves shooting exteriors and interiors, ranging from residential to corporate and industrial. Hospitality photography moves in a different direction. John Bellenis explains: “I would define hospitality photography as shooting hotels, resorts, cruise lines, spas, and destinations. It’s a niche market that encompasses a range of photographic disciplines: architectural exteriors, interiors, lifestyle, food, and travel. I enjoy it because it keeps things fresh and the demands are varied photographically.

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NewsPhoto Accessory NewsPhoto Accessory Reviews
External Backup Storage Under $2500: Desktop, Portable, RAID, NAS, WI-FI & Cloud
Jack Neubart  |  May 23, 2014  |  First Published: Apr 01, 2014

I’ve had to replace a failing computer hard drive more often than I’d care to remember. Fortunately, I’ve learned my lesson: my workstation now includes external drives as both backup and primary storage. I routinely move content from the computer onto one external drive and back up to a second drive. (I usually prefer to transfer memory card files first to the computer, so that my backups will include these; then I move those files to the external drive when a project is completed, making sure that they are synced to Lightroom.) Unfortunately, the cost of all this may amount to the price of a second camera body or new lens, but it’s money well spent, as you’ll realize the first time a drive goes down.

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Lighting NewsLighting Reviews
Sekonic LiteMaster Pro L-478DR: Outdoor Lighting Control
Jack Neubart  |  Apr 29, 2014  |  First Published: Mar 01, 2014

A handheld meter is not just for studio work. Tricky lighting situations, high contrast, and unusual subject tonalities can often pose problems for camera metering systems, as advanced as they are. Beyond that, the camera meter can’t help with studio flash.
The first step toward taking tighter control with a broader range of lighting situations is to use a handheld meter. Enter the new Sekonic LiteMaster Pro L-478DR (PocketWizard version). Out of the box, it measures incident light. This exposure meter will also prove valuable when working with studio (or any manual) flash or a mix of ambient light and flash.

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Lighting NewsLighting Reviews
Portable Power For Flash: Energize Your Lighting Anywhere And Everywhere
Jack Neubart  |  Apr 25, 2014  |  First Published: Mar 01, 2014

For the studio photographer on location or shooting environmental portraits, connecting a studio strobe to a battery pack, battery-driven power pack, or pure sine wave inverter frees one of the constraints of plugging into an AC outlet and worrying about tripping circuit breakers or blowing a fuse, and it removes wires that could prove hazardous (combined with wireless syncing of the flash, I might add). And wedding and event photographers who rely on portable strobes that run entirely on external battery power are well familiar with the benefits—power that lasts and keeps pace with the event. There are countless choices, whether you’re just starting out or looking to upgrade or expand your lighting system.

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