New Dell Frisbee

I just got a brand new Frisbee made by Dell. It's not exactly brand new because I have had the Dell for 3 years. However, it just became the official Dell Frisbee recently.
Three years ago I bought the Dell XPS 1330 laptop. I got it with 4 gigs of Ram and best graphics card and fastest processor. Small enough to fit into my backpack yet powerful to take on large photo files. About 4 months after my extended warranty expired the graphics card had a nervous breakdown. Called up Dell and I find the card is part of the mother board. To fix it cost $500 for the card plus labor. I bought a new Dell Laptop but not the 13 inch as I don't want to see this movie twice.
I really feel I should have gotten another two years of use out of that laptop. For the next two years I will use it as a Frisbee this way I won't feel do bad. I can now boast that I have a $2,400 Frisbee. That's right, it might not be as big as yours but it cost more.

So I call up a friend and see if he wants to play Frisbee. Sure, he says. Not to brag but I used to be the best Frisbee player in the state. I am a little rusty but can hold my own. My friend sucks. I throw the Frisbee and half the times he drops it. When it hits the ground it lights up and plays a song from Boy George and the Culture Club. Cool feature. I new the $2,400 price tag was worth it.
Just as it was getting fun we had to stop playing. He missed one of my throws and it hit him in the head. Stupid. Now I have to listen to another Boy George song. The doctor's say my friend will be alright although his speech is a little slurred.

Manfrotto Carbon Fiber Tripod on Youtube

Manfrotto tripod review on Youtube

The 055CX3

About a month ago I purchased the Manfrotto 055CX3 tripod. This is a carbon fiber tripod with 3 extensions. Rather than trying to write about it we posted a video on Youtube.

Go to Youtube.com and in the search type getthepicturetv. All our video reviews will come up. Just click on the Manfrotto review. If you are thinking about getting a tripod this might be of help. Shown below is the Manfrotto 3265 Head that I have on the tripod.

The carbon fiber tripod is so light that the metal head weighs about the same as the tripod. At least that's what it feels like to me.

Guest Speaker at Florida Camera Clubs

Valencia Shores Camera Club, Highland Lakes Camera Club, Ybor 1701 studios are just some of the places where you can catch my 1 hour seminar entitled "Kicking up your creativity through composition, lighting, and psychology" Some clubs allow you to attend for free others have a nominal charge like 10 or twenty dollars. Always check ahead with the particular club before you go.
On October 26 I spoke at the Highland Lakes Camera Club to about 40 people. This club is located in Palm Harbor Florida. They have print competition and show their work at Tiffany's a restaurant in Palm Harbor.
Monday November 1, I went to Lake Worth Florida at the Valencia Shores Camera Club. An absolutely beautiful place and also with about 40 people in attendance. Many of which purchased the Get The Picture DVDs.
This Thursday night, November 4, I will be speaking at Ybor 1701 studios at 7PM. Jim McDevitt who owns the studio is himself a talented photographer. If you should be in the area stop in and get a great informative lecture on Composition, Lighting, and Psychology.

Camera clubs in Florida

To help promote the upcoming seminars in Atlanta, Tampa, Orlando, and Boca Raton I am guest speaking to different camera clubs in Florida. The topic of the lecture is "Kicking Up Your Creativity Through Composition, Lighting, and Psychology". The PowerPoint lecture lasts about an hour and has been well received. What is most gratifying when giving these lectures is the amount of really good questions I get. Members are really well informed.
So far I have appeared at Chasco Camera Club, South Florida Camera Club, and Kendall Camera Club all in Florida. I have also lectured at B and H in New York City.

Clubs that are scheduled are the Highland Lakes Camera Club, Valencia Shores Camera Club, and Ybor studio 1701.
The response by camera groups has been really great. If you would like me to speak at yours contact ken@getthepicture.tv. If you live near one of the clubs mentioned and would like to attend contact the clubs for guest rules. If you want find out more about our up coming seminars go to www.getthepicture.tv

above photo taken by Ada Lluhi Stevens

Fort Myers photography class

The final stop on our 5 city tour this fall. The Fort Myers photography seminar will be held on Sunday, December 5, 2010.
The day is split into two separate classes. You can sign up for one or both and we have early bird specials. There's also great discounts if you bring a friend. For the exact details go to www.getthepicture.tv.

The morning class,
will cover camera functions like Shutter speeds, f/stops, getting the correct exposure, depth of field. What they are, how they work and how they work together.
Why is this important? Why not leave it on AUTO and just snap the picture? Until you are able to control the camera settings your camera will decide what the photo will look like when you snap the shutter. This is why you delete so many photos before getting the photo the way you want. Once you learn how to use the camera on MANUAL every photo you take will be good.
How this class will benefit you;
-Put the camera on MANUAL setting and take control of the outcome.
-Get consistent and predictable results.
-No more deleting half the photos
-use the settings creatively and get outstanding looking photos of ordinary things.
-make every photo a perfect exposure

The afternoon class
This class is all about lighting. I'll explain and show you studio lighting so you can master the techniques that will set you apart from every other photographer. Photography is all about creating your own unique style. Once you learn studio lighting you can apply it outdoors and on location. Turn every photo into a work of art. Unfortunate but true, most photographers today just snap. You will be one of the ones that create!
What you will learn;
-how to control light ratio
-light patterns
-which lights will help you be more creative
-which lights will make you the most money
-what to use on location
I've bought a lot of equipment through the years and will tell you which is worth your investment and which to stay away from.
This class will be in two parts . The lecture/instruction and then the live demo with model.

From a creative stand point this will open up a world of possibilities. From a financial outlook this will enable you to offer what most other photographers cannot. Studio photography is synonymous with professional photography. Get the competitive edge by learning studio lighting. Go to www.getthepicture.tv and check out the details.

Boca Raton Photography Class

Sunday, November 14, 2010 is the date for the Boca Raton Photography Seminar. Last year we held the class indoor and then went out side to take photos. This year we have 2 separate classes depending on what you would like to learn.

The morning class,
will cover camera functions like Shutter speeds, f/stops, getting the correct exposure, depth of field. What they are, how they work and how they work together.
Why is this important? Why not leave it on AUTO and just snap the picture? Until you are able to control the camera settings your camera will decide what the photo will look like when you snap the shutter. This is why you delete so many photos before getting the photo the way you want. Once you learn how to use the camera on MANUAL every photo you take will be good.
How this class will benefit you;
-Put the camera on MANUAL setting and take control of the outcome.
-Get consistent and predictable results.
-No more deleting half the photos
-use the settings creatively and get outstanding looking photos of ordinary things.
-make every photo a perfect exposure

The afternoon class
This class is all about lighting. I'll explain and show you studio lighting so you can master the techniques that will set you apart from every other photographer. Photography is all about creating your own unique style. Once you learn studio lighting you can apply it outdoors and on location. Turn every photo into a work of art. Unfortunate but true, most photographers today just snap. You will be one of the ones that create!
What you will learn;
-how to control light ratio
-light patterns
-which lights will help you be more creative
-which lights will make you the most money
-what to use on location
-which lights will give you more bang for the buck
This class will be in two parts . The lecture/instruction and then the live demo with model.

From a creative stand point this will open up a world of possibilities. From a financial outlook this will enable you to offer what most other photographers cannot. Studio photography is synonymous with professional photography. Get the competitive edge by learning studio lighting. Go to www.getthepicture.tv and check out the details.

Photography Class Tampa

Put down the drink and put out the cigarette. There isn't a minute to waste! Sign up now for the Tampa Photography Seminar on Sunday, November 21, 2010.
Last year we had people attend from as far as Fort Myers and Boca Raton. If you attended last year you know how terrific it was. This year it's going to be bigger and better. Why?

First, we split the day into 2 separate classes.
The morning class,
will cover camera functions like Shutter speeds, f/stops, getting the correct exposure, depth of field. What they are, how they work and how they work together.
Why is this important? Why not leave it on AUTO and just snap the picture? Until you are able to control the camera settings your camera will decide what the photo will look like when you snap the shutter. This is why you delete so many photos before getting the photo the way you want. Once you learn how to use the camera on MANUAL every photo you take will be good.
How this class will benefit you;
-Put the camera on MANUAL setting and take control of the outcome.
-Get consistent and predictable results.
-No more deleting half the photos
-use the settings creatively and get outstanding looking photos of ordinary things.
-make every photo a perfect exposure

The afternoon class
This class is all about lighting. I'll explain and show you studio lighting so you can master the techniques that will set you apart from every other photographer. Photography is all about creating your own unique style. Once you learn studio lighting you can apply it outdoors and on location. Turn every photo into a work of art. Unfortunate but true, most photographers today just snap. You will be one of the ones that create!
What you will learn;
-how to control light ratio
-light patterns
-which lights will help you be more creative
-which lights will make you the most money
-what to use on location
-which lights will give you more bang for the buck
Second,
This year we will also have the Folks from North Tampa Photo to show you the latest equipment. If you are curious about some of the equipment that's out there these are the folks to ask.
Come by yourself or bring a friend at half price (limited to the first 50). Go to our website and sign up and/or learn more. www.getthepicture.tv

Just in!
Bill Sanders of Manfrotto Distribution will be there to answer any questions you may have on Manfrotto (Bogen) tripods, Elinchrom lights, Metz flashes, Gossen light meters, the list goes on and on.

North Tampa Photo will be there to show you the latest and greatest in equipment.

Atlanta Photography class

Sunday, November 7, is the date for our Atlanta photography seminar. This is the second stop in our 5 city tour. What's really cool about this one is it is being sponsored by Showcase camera store in Atlanta. They will be there to show and answer your questions about specific equipment.
There will be 2 seminars, a morning class on camera functions and afternoon class on lighting. So why should you attend?
If you are doing photography for fun these 2 classes will open up new worlds of creative possibilities.
If you are deriving an income from photography these classes are mandatory for your financial success! When it was film there were hundreds of photographers competing for the same job. With digital there are thousands! So what will set you apart from this huge crowd? The ability to use studio lighting both indoor and on location. The ability to put the camera on MANUAL and make every shot count.

The morning class,
will cover technical things like Shutter speeds, f/stops, getting the correct exposure, depth of field. What they are, how they work and how they work together.
Why is this important? Why not leave it on AUTO and just snap the picture? Until you are able to control the camera settings your camera will decide what the photo will look like when you snap the shutter. This is why you delete so many photos before getting the photo the way you want. Once you learn how to use the camera on MANUAL every photo you take will be good.
How this class will benefit you;
-Put the camera on MANUAL setting and take control of the outcome.
-Get consistent and predictable results.
-No more deleting half the photos
-use the settings creatively and get outstanding looking photos of ordinary things.
-make every photo a perfect exposure

The afternoon class
This class is all about lighting. I'll explain and show you studio lighting so you can master the techniques that will set you apart from every other photographer. Photography is all about creating your own unique style. Once you learn studio lighting you can apply it outdoors and on location. Turn every photo into a work of art. Unfortunate but true, most photographers today just snap. You will be one of the ones that create!
What you will learn;
-how to control light ratio
-light patterns
-which lights will help you be more creative
-which lights will make you the most money
-what to use on location
-which lights will give you more bang for the buck
If you care about your photography don't miss this one. If you rely on your photography for income you can't afford to miss it! Sign up now at www.getthepicture.tv

BONUS........... The folks from Showcase camera in Atlanta will be there to show you the latest and best in equipment.

Orlando Photography class

There are a lot of photography seminar in Florida so what makes Get the Picture unique? This fall we are planning a 5 city tour. Starting with the Orlando photography seminar on Sunday, October 24. Each day will consist of 2 separate photography classes. The morning session and the afternoon session.
The morning class,
will cover technical things like Shutter speeds, f/stops, getting the correct exposure, depth of field. What they are, how they work and how they work together.
Why is this important? Why not leave it on AUTO and just snap the picture? Until you are able to control the camera settings your camera will decide what the photo will look like when you snap the shutter. This is why you delete so many photos before getting the photo the way you want. Once you learn how to use the camera on MANUAL every photo you take will be good.
How this class will benefit you;
-Put the camera on MANUAL setting and take control of the outcome.
-Get consistent and predictable results.
-No more deleting half the photos
-use the settings creatively and get outstanding looking photos of ordinary things.
-make every photo a perfect exposure

The afternoon class
This class is all about lighting. I'll explain and show you studio lighting so you can master the techniques that will set you apart from every other photographer. Photography is all about creating your own unique style. Once you learn studio lighting you can apply it outdoors and on location. Turn every photo into a work of art. Unfortunate but true, most photographers today just snap. You will be one of the ones that create!
What you will learn;
-how to control light ratio
-light patterns
-which lights will help you be more creative
-which lights will make you the most money
-what to use on location
-which lights will give you more bang for the buck

Last year we had quiet a few people that came from the Orlando meetup groups and Orlando camera club. We welcome them and other photographers.
Whether you do photography for pleasure or profit this class will open up a whole new world of creativity and possibilities. Sign up now at www.getthepicture.tv

Always keep a camera with you when traveling

I always keep a camera in the trunk of my car. Not an expensive one but an older model that works.The reason for this is you never know what you are going to see when you go somewhere. Even if the somewhere is 15 minutes away.

On a recent trip to Orlando, Florida, which is almost 2 hours away, we saw a burning truck. It looked like a fairly new Ford truck. The heavy duty one. We were in North Tampa on Interstate 75 and this truck was on the side of the road burning. Every so often you would here a small explosion.
Probably different pockets of gas in the line or whatever.

I had an appointment in Orlando and we had to leave otherwise we would have stayed for the grand finale of the gas tank blowing up. As far as we could see the truck was not in any accident and thankfully no one was hurt. The truck just caught fire and the driver got out safely and was watching it as well.

I always leave my cameras set to ISO 100 at f/5.6 at 60th of a second. Knowing that, I changed the settings to 200th of a second at f/8 and started taking photos. For a bright sunny day with some clouds I know that is a good exposure. I got my shots and left.

Always keep a camera with you when you travel more than 15 minutes from your house. You never know what you will see.

Food photography

Making food look appetizing



Ever been asked to photograph food? Restaurants that offer foods that might not be as familiar to Americans can be more appetizing as a photo than a list. If you have walked into a restaurant that offers dishes that you can't pronounce you can probably relate. We all like to try something different but what is it? Taking photos of the different entrees for the customer to see is crucial and breaks the barrier that the foreign words create. I was asked by the owner of The Spice Cafe in the Dr. Phillips area of Orlando to photograph some of the dishes he serves in his restaurant. Many of which I have eaten but still do not know the names. The good thing is I can easily point to the picture.
So, how do you take photos of food? In two words, close-up. You want to see the food close up as if you are holding it close enough to take a bite. This is how you make someones mouth water when looking at it.
If you have a macro lens your life is a little easier or put on the close-up filter like I did. The close-up filter on the 70 to 200mm zoom lens. For these photos I used my Novatron portable light kit. I bought this 4 light kit 27 years ago for about $1,100.00. It has payed for itself a couple of hundred times or more. The photos were taken at the restaurant and not my studio. The flashes were set at low power and I shot at f/8 at 1/60th of a second. Although I like the outcome, next time I will shoot some at f/22 to get a greater Depth of Field. I used a lot of Diagonal Composition to make the food more exciting.
One major word of advice when photographing food. Make sure you eat well before you start your session. Yes this sounds like silly advice but but smelling the the food on on empty stomach will cause you to think of only one thing. "When will this end so I can get something to eat?" Sorry to end this article abruptly but I am going to get something to eat.

Photo Convention in Orlando Aug. 8, 9

The Florida Professional Photographers are having the yearly convention in Orlando. Held at the Rosen Hotel on International Drive. August 8 and 9. Admission is 20 dollars. Camera and photo related manufacturers will be their to display and sell the latest ware. Here is the link
http://fpponline.org/members/?page_id=4882

The Skilled Photographer 3DVD set

We are getting closer to the release date of August 1, for The Skilled Photographer 3 DVD set.
All new material, all new demonstrations, this picks up where Jump Start Your Photography ends.
Ken has been working continuously on the editing. It looks like all three DVDs are full to capacity or close to it. Lots of instruction and live demonstrations.

We wanted to out do ourselves with this and make it even better than the Jump Start. That's a pretty tall order because Jump Start Your Photography has been getting nothing but 5 star reviews. Whether on Amazon or emails or at the seminars people are telling us how Jump Start has dramatically improved their understanding of photography.

The new schedule is set for this fall and a new series of seminars. As soon as we are done with the DVDs we will start to give all the details. For the next week we are focused on getting the DVDs out.

Making Tomato Sauce for the Year

It's that time of the year when the Italians' biological clock clicks in and we are compelled to make the tomato sauce for the year. This genetic trait is predominantly Italian although some other races have been known to carry a less potent trace of this gene. Others are infected with the gene when married to an Italian.
In centuries gone by it was thought that tomatoes were poisonous. In England tomatoes were thrown at actors performing Shakespeare by the audience when the actors forgot their lines.
This practice soon stopped when the audience realized that Italian actors would screw up the lines on purpose while performing Romeo and Juliet so they could get their tomatoes for free. Which brings up a common misconception that people have about how Juliet died. No she did not drink poison. She ate canned tomato paste. Poor Juliet,what a horrible way to go.
The Italians' addiction to tomato sauce goes back even further. Julius Caesar was quoted as saying, " Right about now I would die for a plate of spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce, et tu Brute?"

Here is the secret to making really fantastic tomato sauce. First you have to start with really ripe tomato's. About 12 cases of red Plum tomatoes will yield enough sauce to last a family of 4 the whole year. Unless you invite the relatives over one too many times.

Next you throw them in water and let them cook. When they start to split open they are cooked. Take them out and pass them through a strainer. Take the strained sauce and put it in Jars with a couple of basil leaves and close the lid tightly. Some people, like my wife, will add a pinch of salt before closing the lid so it will last longer. She says that unfortunately the same technique does not work on people. Hey! what's that supposed to mean?

Lastly you put the jars in a pot with water and you count 1 hour from the time when the water starts to boil. After which you let the jars and water cool together. If you take the jars out the cold air will crack them and your Italian wife will crack both your legs for letting that happen after all that work.

There is an old Italian wives' tail that if you have sex the night before making tomato sauce the jars will all go bad. Fortunatly this is not true otherwise you would see a lot of Italian men walking around with crutches and eating their pasta with a little olive oil.

In conclusion, when your Italian wife says to you, "Honey, it's time to make the sauce." She really means it's time to make the tomato sauce and you better listen to her. Things can get ugly if you miss the yearly cycle because tomato season is over.

And you thought I only know photography.

All filming complete

Just finished all filming for the new DVD set The Skilled Photographer. Besides 3 great lectures on Composition, Camera Functions, and Lighting there are tons of live demonstrations. We photographed dogs, horses, people, motorcycles, flowers, you name it. Of course we picked the hottest days to do this so not only did we have to pack up all the gear but lots of bottled water and towels.

I got to walk the horse while his owner got her riding gear on. You don't realize how powerful a horse is till you stand next to one.

Ken says he'll have the whole thing edited by mid July. I say the 1st of August. We should bet on it. If he wins I buy him a pizza. If I win he buys me one of those motorcycles I photographed.

Anyway, we shot way more material than Jump Start Your Photography and that has been getting stellar reviews on Amazon. So we are aiming to out do ourselves for this one.

Here are preliminary dates for the new seminars we are having in Florida

Sunday, October 17 Tampa

Sunday, October 24 Orlando

Sunday, November 7 Boca Raton

Sunday, November 14 Fort Meyers

We will know 100% in the next 2 weeks. Untill then keep taking photographs.

Posing techniques DVD

What's Going On? A new posing DVD !

I have been getting emails asking what I am up to. Am I still on planet Earth?

I have not sent out a Newsletter in over a month and also not posted any blogs in about the same time. The reason for this is Ken and I have been busy producing the "Posing with Attitude" DVD.

It is almost 2 hours long (116 minutes) and is split up in 2 parts. The lecture and the live sessions.

There are examples of men, women, couples, children, and families. We had a pet segment (dog) but had to cut it out as it did not fit.

It is on sale on http://www.amazon.com/ for $29.95. Search for "posing with attitude".

Many are also asking when is the next installment of "Jump Start Your Photography" DVD coming out? I just finished the Powerpoint presentation and am practicing the presentation so it flows smoothly when we film it.

We got so many outstanding reviews for "Jump Start" that we don't want to dissappoint anyone by rushing the next set. Our goal is to exceed everyones expectations with "The Skilled Photographer". More composition, more lighting, more camera functions, more live photo sessions. More but all new material. The Skilled Photographer simply picks up where Jump Start left off.

Photos by Missy at the 2 Day Workshop

Missy got some great shots in Orlando and Tampa. The one on the left was in Tampa at USF.

Using the Diagonal line in Composition within a horizontal format makes for an interesting composition.

Using no flash or reflectors the lighting on the model is also excellent. Not to mention the relaxed expression. Whether we took the photos in the day or at night you can see we all used a tripod for accuracy. Some of the photos were taken at a shutter speed as low as 1/4 of a second. After editing the photos she made the photo below into a black and white. This is one of the photos taken on the porch of the place we stayed at. The lighting is natural light without flash or reflectors. Directional light coming from the left and causing slight shadows on the right. I say slight because you can still see detail in the shadows. They are not black. The use of the Dominant Subject Rule and Informal Composition make this a Professional Portrait to be proud of.

Although a little cool in the shade the day in Tampa was a lot warmer than Orlando. Every now and then we got that little gust of wind to help out with the hair. Again, I really like the expressions. They are very natural and not forced or fake. Good rapport with the model is key. The more confident you are with the technique the more energy you can put to establishing a connection or rapport with the model. Lighting and Composition are important but it's the expression that sells the photo.

If you are wondering which camera she used or what lens I purposely left that out. Everyone at the workshop had Canon, Nikon, and Sony cameras. Lenses ranged from the expensive to economical. Yet everyone walked away with terrific photos. That's because Missy and the rest of the photographers invested in themselves and learned technique.

All the equipment in the world can't save you but a little equipment with the right technique will yield amazing results.

Great job Missy!

Tammie Workshop photos

Orlando and USF Photos by Tammie

Cable release in one hand giving directions with the other. Tammie has it under control. Really that's what professional photography is about. Having control so things turn out as you planned. If someone is paying for the photos they (photos) should turn out to their expectations. The only way that will happen is if you have control over what you are doing.

Tammie has some really good Photoshop skills to enhance the photos. Vignetting (darkening of edges) and converting to black and white as well as retouching. However, she "enhances" the photos not "fixes" them. Her composition is on the money and so is the lighting. Excellent studio portrait. Except these were taken on a porch with ambient light and not studio lights. Look at how accurate the 45 degree lighting is (Short 45 to be exact). Detail in the highlights and detail in the shadows. A perfect exposure.

Same holds true of the photo to the left of the young man. The hat is cut off. That's because she placed the eyes on the top third where they belong. It's a photo of him not the hat. I really think she nailed the expressions as well. Honest, real expressions and not fake or forced smiles. Looking at their eyes they are focused and full of expression.

The nighttime photo of the young lady on the right is very impressive. This was taken with just one flash on camera and a slow shutter speed to pick up the ambient light in the background. Photo was taken on a tripod. Not a lot of equipment but a lot of results.

The 2 days in Orlando were freezing (for Florida anyway). Everyone did a great job. A lot of credit has to be given to the models who were wearing light clothes. Tammie, Missy and Paula got sick and had to leave the second day. We met in Tampa at USF a week ago to finish things up and it was still cold. Sometimes you just can't get a break.

These next set of photos were taken at USF. I could write a book with all the photos that everyone took. When one of our models got cold we let her take a break and wear her coat. So everyone started taking photos of her in her coat.

Terrific use of the Diagonal line in these next set of photos not to mention the lighting. Exposure is also exact. Again, note the expressions. This means there was a good rapport with the model.
In all the photos so far the choice of background has been terrific. The backgrounds are very simple and not busy. Choosing a backdrop that does not take away from the subject is key. It's very easy as a photographer to get caught up with the pretty flowers or so many other things that will take away from the subject. There are so many other photos I would like to put on this blog. I could go on and on.

Great job Tammie!

But wait! One last thing.

A quick thanks to Ken Cherry for all the great photos of us in action. This is a shot of Ken I took a few months ago with his video camera. We were all so busy taking photos of the models and he was busy taking photos of us that no one took photos of Ken.