Staff

Picture This
Made In The Shade
Staff  |  Jan 08, 2013  |  First Published: Dec 01, 2012
This month’s assignment for Picture This! was “Made in the Shade,” photographs made solely in the shadow thrown by tree canopy or roof or even under overcast sky. While light levels might be lower, there’s nothing quite like the soft, diffuse light of shade to bring out every nuance of color and detail in a subject or scene. Using appropriate white balance and exposure settings, shade cast shots can look as if they were made using a large diffusion tent, all using natural light. And while HDR can help with excessive contrast, shade shots have the advantage in that they work entirely with one exposure and the most natural sense of light. Readers sent in a wide range of images covering nature, urban, and portraiture, all of which have a quality of light that bright, contrasty sunlit shots could never display.
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Newsletter
January 2013 Table Of Contents
Staff  |  Dec 11, 2012  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2013
On The Cover
This month’s issue features the first in our series of reports from photokina, the worldwide imaging show, and features the new cameras of 2013. We’re also thrilled to bring you portfolios from Al Satterwhite, Michael Somoroff, Craig Blacklock, and Daryl and Justin Hawk, as well as a self-publishing saga by Jim Lynch and J. David Gray. Plus we have a lab test and pro essay on the exciting Nikon D4.

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Newsletter
December 2012 Table Of Contents
Staff  |  Nov 18, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 01, 2012
On The Cover
In this issue we present lab and field tests on a variety of digital cameras, including the Nikon D800, Pentax K-01, Sony A57 SLT, Olympus OM-D, and Canon Rebel T4i. We also have studio tests of two light modifiers, plus a fascinating look at some user collectible panoramic cameras. And, be sure to read this month’s Business Trends feature on marketing your images!

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Talking Pictures
Preparing For Takeoff
Staff  |  Nov 14, 2012  |  First Published: Oct 01, 2012
At the Goodyear Blimp hangar in Pompano Beach, Florida, I was struck by the stark geometry of the common site of the blimp. The preparation platform makes a distinct linear comparison to the round shape of the blimp seen nose on. I must say, too, that the sheer size of the hangar and blimp are quite remarkable. The blimp took off within 15 minutes of this photo and it was quite a sight.
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Picture This
Deep Depth Of Field
Staff  |  Nov 06, 2012  |  First Published: Oct 01, 2012
Our Picture This! assignment this month was “Deep Depth of Field,” creating compositions that rely on focus being sharp from near to far using all the tools of the deep focus kit—wide-angle lenses, closeness of camera to foreground subject, and as narrow an aperture as the lens and light could support. Readers responded with nature, scenic, urban, and abstract images, all made using some or all of the techniques described. There is something that is completely “photographic” about this technique, as the eye cannot “see” this without the aid of photography—it flicks around the real world from point to point quickly enough, of course, but there’s no set moment—except the photographic one—that makes all sharp from the nearest blade of grass to the farthest mountain.
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Newsletter
November 2012 Table Of Contents
Staff  |  Oct 18, 2012  |  First Published: Nov 01, 2012
On The Cover
In this month’s issue we explore the travel photography market with a candid conversation with pros who earn their living from it. We also look at the gear side of travel with two handy guides to roller cases and “compact folder” tripods. We also have reviews on a nice macro flash setup, an affordable printer, and a dynamic matte surface printing paper. Our cover photo was taken by Karen I. Hirsch. You can see more of her work at: www.karenihirsch.com.

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By Way Of These Eyes: The Hyland Collection Of American Photography: At The American Museum In Britain Jul. 14-Oct. 28, 2012
Staff  |  Oct 17, 2012  |  First Published: Sep 01, 2012
From 14 July to 28 October 2012, the American Museum in Britain, Claverton Manor, Bath, will stage an exhibition evocatively entitled By Way of These Eyes that will present treasures from textile designer Christopher Hyland’s comprehensive collection of American photography. Hyland, president of one of the world’s leading firms specializing in luxury fabrics and founder of the acclaimed HYLAND lifestyle magazine, describes collecting photography as one of the greatest adventures of his life.
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Talking Pictures
Old Engine At The Borax Works
Staff  |  Oct 11, 2012  |  First Published: Sep 01, 2012
After a long morning shoot throughout Death Valley National Park my wife and I found ourselves at Furnace Creek at the Borax Museum. She was intent on going inside the museum but I spotted old equipment outside that previously had been used in mining operations. Being a strict nature photographer I am normally not attracted to architectural venues or mechanical subjects. But on further examination I found the afternoon light to be pleasing, casting interesting contrasts between the illuminated equipment and shadows. I was particularly attracted to this old rusty train locomotive, one of two engines previously used in Death Valley on the narrow-gauge railroad extant during the borax mining era.

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Picture This
Stacking & Tele-Compression
Staff  |  Oct 08, 2012  |  First Published: Sep 01, 2012
There are a couple of things about telephoto lenses that make them unique. First, and most obvious, is the ability to bring distant objects closer than working with a “normal” lens. Second, and the subject of this month’s Picture This! assignment, is a visual effect known as “stacking,” making subjects that sit at a distance from one another appear closer together, sometimes in an almost surreal way. We asked readers this month to send us examples of this effect, and responses ranged from nature to crowds to perhaps the most popular topic, architecture in urban centers. As you can see, there’s more to working with long teles than at first meets the eye.
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Shows To See: Behind The Wheel: Third Exhibition In The Santa Barbara Museum Of Art Vantage Point Photography Series: May 5 – August 12, 2012
Staff  |  Sep 20, 2012  |  First Published: Aug 01, 2012
On December 12, 1925, the world’s first motel opened just north of Santa Barbara. At that time, the Milestone Mo-Tel in San Luis Obispo sat along the nascent two-lane highway, the “101,” and charged $1.25 a night for a bungalow with an attached garage. The era of automobiles as status symbol had begun; for it was only those with cruise-worthy cars that would stop at the Motel Inn on their way between LA and San Francisco.
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