Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 28 July 2010
Here is another photo tip. Though it is very tough for you to earn some money through here if you are just starting out on your photography adventure. It might be worth considering becoming a stock photographer. This kind of photographer allows all his or her hard work to be sold on particular websites so that he can earn a big amount of commission on what he made. In stock photography is the supply of photographs licensed for specific uses. Stock Photos is used to fulfill the needs of creative assignments instead of hiring a photographer full time to do it. It is cheaper just to search through a stock photography website as they would be a lot cheaper.
A lot of editors in news magazines & other types of media would spend most of their media searching time through stock photo websites to get the image they require for a particular article, one good reason why is that it is Royalty Free. Which mean that you don’t have to pay each time an image is being used.
Below are a list of Stock Photography Websites that you can be a part of.
- http://www.istockphoto.com/
- http://www.shutterstock.com
- http://www.dreamstime.com/
- http://www.fotolia.com
- http://www.bigstockphoto.com/
- http://www.123rf.com/
- http://www.featurepics.com
- http://www.canstockphoto.com/
- http://www.stockphotomedia.com/
- http://www.scanstockphoto.com/
There are a lot more out there these are just a few of them.
If photography is really your passion you should consider stocking your images & collecting a lot of your work and soon they will very much pay off.
Online microsoft photo agencies allow anyone from the amateur to professional photographer to sell their images easily. It can be provided as an additional source of revenue for you.
Selling Stock Photography is in high demand and will continue to be in the future. Normally companies from around the world are too busy taking care of it’s core business that they simply don’t have the means of taking their own photographs. This is where you as the photographer would come in.
In one article one stock photographer was earning close to $10,000 / month simply selling and uploading his photos using shutterstock.com
Here are some pointers before I get all your hopes up.
- Since stock photography is in high, high demand your photographs that would qualify to be in a stock library should be immaculate. They need to be well taken care of, complete with proper exposure, & the resolution should be high & most importantly what customers are looking for.
- Your Equipment
- The Camera : Because quality is needed in most stock libraries you are going to need a decent camera especially if you are shooting in digital. Nowadays I would recommend a minimum of 10 mega pixels, although you can get away with much lower. It has to be a Digital SLR camera and not a simple point and shoot camera.
- Your Lens : Depending on the type of stock you are going to shoot, you are going to need different types of lens.
- Landscapes – Wide Angle Lens
- Portrait – Standard Telephoto Lens
- Sports – Telephoto Lens
- It might be worth considering getting some teleconverters as it is a cheaper way to increase your range without the need to fork out more cash just to get the type of shots you need.
- Lens & a Good Camera can last a life time without the need of replacing them.
- A computer & the software for photo editing (I have an iMac 27″ Quad Core & Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3)
- Though it might be a good idea to make sure you get that image right the first time fixing & making small adjustments on the computer won’t hurt your chances of your photo being accepted into the stock photo library.
- Remove dusts & blemishes from your shots.
- Straightening your photos might help. For example, holding that extremely heavy Nikon D3S of ours sometimes makes my shots a little slanted. I would simply use lightroom 3 to fix that minor setback.
- Sometimes those pictures that comes straight from a digital SLR or even film cameras can sometimes look very dull. Use your photo editing software to boost the saturations up or the vibrance to give it a little more life.
Ok now that you have read my article & have convinced you to become a Stock Photographer please read the following below:
- If you are an Image Contributor & want to start making money. – CLICK HERE
- If you are a Customer & want to start collecting stock images for your business. – CLICK HERE
- If you are a Video Contributor & want to start making money. – CLICK HERE
You have to start somewhere right? Make It Shutterstock.
Tags: istock, photo edit, photography, stock, stock photography
Posted in On the field, Technic | 1 Comment »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 27 July 2010
The LRT Perspective
When we went to Capital Ex on July 24th 2010, we decided to take the train and I had to have the opportunity of taking this amazing shot. Of course, I had to tweak it a bit to make it look a lot more stunning. Please tell me what you think?!?
Posted in Bryan Agoncillo - Portfolio, Portfolio Pictures | No Comments »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 26 July 2010
I never quite understood the meaning of shooting in RAW until I actually tried it myself. However please keep in mind that there are numerous advantages using this format & numerous downsides. I thought it best that we should discuss the positive side first before talking about the negative part of RAW.
What is Raw? : Camera RAW image format contains the image as captured by the camera and then processed minimally to the stage that it can be rendered as a color image by a tool capable of converting RAW images. Camera RAW images have many extensions, depending on the camera with which they are shot. The Camera RAW file is not a standard format, such as TIFF or Jpeg.
Example of RAW image formats of major camera brands:
Pentax : .PEF
Fuji : .RAF
Canon : .CRW
Nikon : .NEF
Because the format depends on the camera, you can open Camera RAW files and save them as other forms, but you can’t convert, say, a JPEG file the other way, into a Camera RAW file.
The Positive Side
The first positive side about shooting in Raw is that you can have your camera set to Auto White Balance & not have to worry about it till after post editing your images. Raw basically represents the unfixed image that you camera has taken.
When you are planning to sell your shots or decorate your walls with or to enter into competitions. Or when you know that you only need to take a few shots to capture that perfect shot the Camera RAW is the best choice of format.
So what’s important to know is that if you only require a few shots to make that million dollar image then I suggest that RAW would be the best format to go for since you will have the ability to edit this using programs like Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.
The Negative Side
RAW is enormous, with the 2 Nikon D90s we have each RAW image would be about 8 to 10megabytes each. With our Nikon D3S, each RAW file would be about 25 megabytes to 30 megabytes.
There was one event where I shot entirely in RAW & it took me 8 hours to transfer all the files over from the COMPACT FLASH disk & onto my Dell XPS 2010 computer. It could be just me, or I was just using a USB 1.0 Card Reader. Unless I have new equipment that will state otherwise, I won’t be using this format for quite sometime. However I would ask my 2nd & 3rd Photographer to use RAW so that I have a chance of taking the same event in a different view.
Credits To : http://www.bloggang.com/data/offway/picture/1240763593.jpg
To the left of this image, is the actual RAW image of a camera & since it was shot in RAW the image was saved after post editing. A reminder of how powerful this format is to photographers.
Processing Power : It takes up a lot of processing power to process an uncompressed version of these images. RAW is a beast when it comes to such situations. However RAW Rejects can be saved because of all the contained internal data still collected in the image. Simply because not a lot of processing is done in the camera giving the Camera RAW its huge file size.
RAW is not a native file to a PC, therefore you cannot traditionally view this file in Explorer. As for my team here in Edmonton, we had to install a RAW NEF CODEC so that my PC can understand it. Still, it is no excuse for being so slow.
I hope, this is helps everyone.
Tags: About Raw, Edmonton Photographers, Jpeg, Kitakits Studio Inc, RAW
Posted in Understanding the terminology | No Comments »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 20 July 2010
Hi there everyone, it has been a while since I have last posted a blog here. Anyway I thought I should add something interesting to the website. About the newest features that you would get with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.
“Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3 software helps you bring out the best in your photographs, whether you’re perfecting one image, searching for ten, processing hundreds, or organizing thousands. Create incredible images that move your audience. Experiment fearlessly with state-of-the-art nondestructive editing tools. Easily manage all your images. And showcase your work in elegant print layouts, slide shows, and web galleries, as well as on popular photo-sharing sites. All from within one fast, intuitive application.” — Click Here
Wow, it was a very painful buy but our company at Kitakits Studio Inc bought it for us for just a little under $300 Canadian Dollars. But now that we have gone out and tested out the software in various occasions, I am confident to say that this is the best photo management software yet, complete with the features of Lightroom 2 & a lot more.
So here are a few features that became a deal breaker for us.
- Flickr Integration: With Lightroom 3′s new plugin feature allows you to add 3rd party plugins that can have you upload pictures directly to websites like Flickr and Facebook. Use Lightroom almost seamlessly with Flickr, a Yahoo! service. Upload your images directly to Flickr from within the Lightroom 3 Library. When friends or clients post comments and ratings on your Flickr galleries, you can immediately see their feedback in the Lightroom 3 Library alongside your images.
- Lens Correction : Quickly and easily perfect your images by automatically reducing lens defects like geometric distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting with single-click profiles. Even images from the best lenses will be improved.
- DSLR Video Files : Take advantage of new support for video files from most digital SLR cameras, which allows you to easily manage and organize both still photographs and video files side by side.
- Image Water Marking : Easily embed your identity or your brand and logo in your images with more options for customizing their look. The new watermarking tool lets you apply text or graphic watermarks to a photo with adjustable size, position, and opacity.
- Perspective Correction : Get more natural-looking results by applying powerful, nondestructive perspective correction to your images. Reduce or eliminate the distortion that can occur, for example, when you take a photograph with the camera pointed upward, causing buildings to appear to be leaning backward in your image.
- Super Noise Reduction : Achieve amazing, natural-looking results from your high ISO images with all-new state-of-the-art noise reduction technology. You won’t need more than what’s built into Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3 to get the cleanest images at any ISO. I use this feature pretty often, I find that it is very useful.
Tags: "lightroom 3", "Super Noise Reduction", Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3
Posted in Its About The Software | No Comments »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 16 February 2010
With the loss of two of my hard drives, my search for a safer way to store your data continues. Of course there is the option for you to burn hundreds of DVDs, & store it in a back room closet or something. Again, a quick store solution would be to get an external hard drive from the nearest computer store in your area. But the question is what if these backups were to degrade or loose their integrity.
So, I researched on ways to store my personal information to an online hard drive that is secure & have the basic software needed to help backup my data securely. My research led me to getting an account with LIVE DRIVE.
Their past reviews have been bumpy, but testing was pretty successful. They offer two basic tools with two affordable prices:
- Live Drive Backup ($6.95 per month or $69.50 per year)
- Live Drive Briefcase ($16.95 per month or $169.50 per year)
The Live Drive Backup, utilizes their Live Drive Desktop Software which enables you to select which drives or folders you would like to backup. The software handles all the syncing in the background so you do you don’t have to. When you turn off your computer & or restart it, the live drive gets to work automatically & continues to backup the data you designated it to backup.
The Live Drive Briefcase though $10.00 more expensive than the backup gives you access to the same live drive desktop software but with a little more feature. It actually gives you access to a DRIVE L: which is visible on your file explorer regardless of your PCs operating system (note: Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7) .
After copy pasting these files onto Drive L or do it the backup way you would be able to access these files via their Live Drive Web Portal.
With the option UNLIMITED, what more could you ask for.
Downside : Currently they don’t have their current desktop software available for the Mac but they are working hard to develop it.
Website: http://www.livedrive.com
Tags: drive l, hard drive, hard drives, live drive, live drive portal, live drive web portal, livedrive, online hard drives
Posted in Data Storage Review, Online, Storage Review | No Comments »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 14 February 2010
The front version of the 2nd Gen Drobo Unit
Alright fine, something I wasn’t expecting. A few weeks ago I lost two valuable hard drives almost 2 weeks apart from each other… and yes with YEARS of valuable data on it. Sounds familiar to anybody? Ok for the more professional people yes, I know you do your daily or weekly backup. I made a mistake & I am learning painfully from it.
What is funny is that this could have been prevented if I gave the hard drives a proper ventilation system to be able to stop all three from overheating. Alas, they are gone and there is no turning back. Of course there are ways to retrieve them but I am honestly not prepared to pay $500++ for each hard drive to retrieve them. It would better to learn from this & invest in getting better hardware for your business. After some exhaustive research, I have finally found something that I am saving up to getting.
Guys & Gals, if you don’t already have one you should aim in getting the DROBO. From the three I was interested in, I found that the DROBO device was the best candidate for me needs.
Pointers on what made me interested on DROBO:
- It is small and slick.
- It is black
- It’s consumer product is only $449.00 here in Canada.
- It has an Exhaust Fan in the back that will expel all the heat generated from the hard drives
- It has 4 bays section for your hard drives.
- It accepts SATA Drives only
Drobo's Insides
- It has “BEYOND RAID” technology
- It can accept any size hard drives
- You don’t have to turn it off to switch the drives.
- It is fire wire capable
- It can handle all your data without you having to worry about it
I’m pretty sure there are more to talk about the DROBO, but most of these pointers are pretty much what sold me into getting it. If you are currently in Edmonton Alberta, the company selling it at the moment would be http://www.memoryexpress.com
For some strange reason companies such as bestbuy, staples or futureshop doesn’t have them at their stores.
The reviews I found online has convinced me that it is the best solution to my issues with data protection & data integrity. However you still have to consider looking into getting offline backup alternatives just in case the DROBO fails nothing is perfect.
Things to remember if you decide to purchase this device with me…
Drobo's Back View
- This device doesn’t include any hard drive in it as it is just an enclosure.
- It is plug and playable so you don’t need to install any software even though it might be necessary so you can take advantage of their software tools & visual GUI.
- One of your hard drives (preferably the bigger one) will be used as protected space so DROBO can do its magic when any of your hard drives fail.
- Make sure you get the 2nd Gen Drobo & not 1st Gen Drobo. I have heard a lot of BAD Review about it.
- Don’t get the DROBO SHARE (for $200+ there are cheaper alternatives to network your DROBO over your internet…. take FREE ALTERNATIVES for example).
I honestly can’t give you a review of this product as I don’t have this equipment yet, but rest assure I’ll give you one as soon as I do.
Website : http://www.drobo.com
Tags: drobo, RAW, review, storage, storage device, tips on drobo, tips to get it
Posted in Data Storage Review | No Comments »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 12 February 2010
We can begin this article with the question “What is Shutter Speed?” So far during my study of DSLR Photography Shutter Speed has always been a blur to me because you really have to blend your knowledge of what a Shutter Speed does, Aperture & the camera’s ISO settings. It has been a few month now and it is getting pretty clear to me on its uses. Shutter Speed is really the amount of time the shutter remains open.
Shutter Speed is one of the most important controls on a camera that is basic. It generally controls the amount of time that your digital sensor is exposed to light. This also determines what type of image is captured on your DSLR.
The shutter is opened when you press the button on our camera when taking a photo.
Faster Shutter Speed can produce effects such as this one
Shutter Speeds are measured in seconds, but in all actuality you will see this in your screen as fraction of a second. (Example : 1/60th of a second will be too slow if you are shooting on a bright day where as compared to shooting with 1/1250th of a second where your exposure will show a better a result. Vice Versa if your lighting situation is in a room or especially at night.)
Take this image of my sister for example, we were at Niagara Falls when we took this picture. I took advantage of the bright sunny day there at brought up my shutter speed to 1/4000th of a second which seems to give the effect of her frozen in mid air while she attempts to climb up these invisible stairs. This picture was taken when I was still new to the Nikon D90 that me and my wife have just purchased but here at an early stage of our purchase, you can see the effects that we can make with having equipments such as this one.
I believe I had the the this setting dialed on 1/4000 with an aperture setting of f9.0 where you can see my depth of field was clear all through the background. To a few people they may say that was a digitally imposed imaged in front of a background of a bright sunny day. If you don’t believe me, you are welcome to view the other photos I have made of this on my flickr account. CLICK HERE
If you slower your shutter speed, you can experience a different effect.
Here is another photo that I took when I was back in Edmonton Alberta. This setting was set to 15 seconds shutter speeds and with an aperture setting of F3.5. That night was very dark, but with the available light in my surroundings you would be able to make your surroundings seems like it is day as the increased exposure of the camera’s sensor to light will enable you to get better and brighter photos during a dark night such as this one.
One thing I forgot to mention is that I was not holding this camera when I took this photo. Since the shutter speed was set to 15 seconds at the time, I am pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to hold this camera long enough to produce a clear photo. What I got was a tripod and set it in front of me at our backyard & pointed it up to the skies.
Again this is personal choices, if you don’t have a tripod you may have to improvise and lay it on the floor with a couple of books so that the camera can point to the subject you want to focus on.
There are certainly more examples that I would be able to show you but in time. I personally would prefer that these images would come from my own camera rather than taking something off the web. I’m pretty sure that other people won’t appreciate their work being posted on another site. Alright the next image again is about my sister in front of the Niagara Falls with that in mind I took advantage of the daylight again. Something we don’t presently have in Edmonton at the moment. But with the light on my side, my sister asked if I could take another photo of her jumping and so I did.
Shutter Speeds up again
Keep in mind that this was during the time I was unaware of what I was doing with my camera and I was still experimenting with its features. Something that every new DSLR owner should be doing. Because of my experimentation I was able to achieve this effect again. Ok, it may seem like an amateur shot to everyone but at least it serves the purpose of this article SHUTTER SPEED. This one I believe I had cranked up 1/4000 again the fastest shutter speed the camera can give me
Alright your homework guys & gals. Go around your neighborhood or if you are lucky have a small river running around your area please take images and effects of your surroundings including nearby wildlife if any and see if you can experiment with the shutter speeds settings of your camera, tell me what kind of images you can get with your new toy.
If it is a bright day, try going down a river and point your camera towards the running water & tell me the difference between a slower shutter speed vs a faster shutter speed & again tell me what kind of effects can you get with your camera. Any interesting pictures will be posted on my next article all with credits and name praising you for the attempt.
Remember we all joined photography to help capture the moments of your friends, families & clients alike to help them keep their memories intact & with your own individual styles giving everyone a piece of your art work. With a further understanding of this effect you are now a step further on your journey as a photographer.
Tags: Shutter, shutter speed, shutterspeed, Speed
Posted in Understanding the terminology | No Comments »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 11 February 2010
Ok where do we begin? Now that you own a DSLR camera it wouldn’t hurt to know anything about what a DSLR really is. A Digital Single-Lens Reflex Camera is a camera that uses a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera.
DSLRs are often preferred by professional still photographers because they give an accurate preview of framing close to the moment of exposure, and because DSLRs allow the user to choose from a variety of interchangeable lenses (I like this part about the lenses.).
Most DSLRs also have a function that allows accurate preview of depth of field.
DSLR generally refers to cameras that resemble the 35mm format cameras, although some medium format cameras are also DSLRs.
So if you don’t already know this (Shame On You), DSLR means Digital Single Lens Reflex.
It took a while for me to decide on what type of camera I was going to get for our wedding business but we decided on the Nikon simply because of its clicking sound when we are taking photos from it (Feel a little embarrassed now). I strongly debated on getting the DX format cameras of Nikon called the D90 vs Canon’s Rebel Series T1i. For starters I believed we needed a mid ranged camera, a middle ground in the DSLR world where we don’t have to start all the way from the bottom & so we don’t have to be overwhelmed by the power of a higher end camera.
Again these are personal preferences when choosing cameras. Another friend of mine decided that he would stick to Sony’s DSLRs which I assume are also very good with the plus factor that their LCD screens are movable.
One of the benefits of having a DSLR Camera is your ability to control its outcome. You have complete control over your camera’s ISO / Aperture / Shutter Speed etc.
Tags: dslr, introduction, nikon d90
Posted in Understanding the terminology | No Comments »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 08 February 2010
On One Software DSLR Camera Remote
We last spoke about tethering your DSLR to your computer, now let’s dive into to further details as to what this software is all about.
The On One Software is a company that makes award-winning plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom & Apple Aperture that make digital photography easier, faster and better.
If you are into photography one of your better arsenals would know that you have a company like this to provide you with top quality plugins for programs like Photoshop or Lightroom.
One of the softwares that they have created is the On One DSLR Camera Remote which has a similar setup to tethering a camera but it’s applications are priceless especially if you are a photographer who needs to take angles way out of your reach.
One example is setting up the camera behind an Altar of a Church where when service is in session no one would be allowed behind this area to take a shot during key moments of the event. (ex: Weddings)
During my days off work, I can actually go around & give you practical field applications on these theories but for now this article is simply about the software & its way to make you a better photographer.
Ok, if you haven’t gotten it yet, please get your iPhone & hit the Apps Store Icon. Once you have done that hit search and look for the “DSLR Camera Remote Professional Edition”
There is a lite version of this for $1.99 but please don’t bother, you will appreciate this one better. For $19.99 it will be worth every penny & installation is extremely simple.
Once you have installed it into your iPhone, please make your way to their website & download the DSLR Remote Server. Please note this end of the process is free, so you can download this Remote Server on either your Mac or PC.
Once you have downloaded the software plug in your camera via USB & start up the server. The program will automatically detect the camera & point the software to a folder of your choice.
Load up the software on your iPhone & select the server that you have created on the PC end start taking your photos.
Please note that this software will completely bypass your camera’s memory card and will download it to your computer instead.
Some photographers don’t like that, for me well I don’t seem to mind it. The software on your iPhone will tell you the capacity left on the hard drive where the folder is located from which you made the server software point to.
Website : http://www.ononesoftware.com/
Information about the software : http://www.ononesoftware.com/detail.php?prodLine_id=38#cameras
Cameras Compatible to the Software : The information below has been copied directly from their website.
DSLR Camera Remote supports the following Canon EOS digital SLR cameras. Please note that the available features vary from camera to camera. These are limitations of the physical hardware or the SDK from the manufacturer.
| Camera |
Connection Type |
LiveView |
Bulb |
Burst Mode |
| EOS 1D Mark II |
Firewire |
No |
No |
No |
| EOS 1Ds Mark II |
Firewire |
No |
No |
No |
| EOS 1D Mark IIn |
Firewire |
No |
No |
No |
| EOS Rebel XT/350D/Kiss Digital N |
USB – PC Connection |
No |
No |
No |
| EOS 20D |
USB – PC Connection |
No |
No |
No |
| EOS 5D |
USB – PC Connection |
No |
No |
No |
| EOS Rebel XTi/400D/Kiss Digital X |
USB – Automatic |
No |
No |
No |
| EOS Rebel XSi/450D/Kiss X2 |
USB – Automatic |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| EOS Rebel XS/1000D/Kiss F |
USB – Automatic |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| EOS Rebel T1i/500D/Kiss X3 |
USB – Automatic |
Yes with AF |
Yes |
Yes |
| EOS 30D |
USB – Print/PC |
No |
No |
No |
| EOS 40D |
USB – Automatic |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| EOS 50D |
USB – Automatic |
Yes with AF |
Yes |
Yes |
| EOS 5D Mark II |
USB – Automatic |
Yes with AF |
Yes |
Yes |
| EOS 1D Mark III |
USB – Automatic |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| EOS 1Ds Mark III |
USB – Automatic |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
DSLR Camera Remote supports the following Nikon DSLR cameras. Please note that the available features vary from camera to camera. These are limitations of the physical hardware or the SDK from the manufacturer.
| Camera |
Connection Type |
LiveView |
Bulb |
Burst Mode |
| D40 |
USB – PTP |
No |
No |
Yes |
| D40x |
USB – PTP |
No |
No |
Yes |
| D60 |
USB – Automatic |
No |
No |
Yes |
| D80 |
USB – PTP |
No |
No |
Yes |
| D90 |
USB – Automatic |
Yes with AF |
No |
Yes |
| D5000 |
USB – Automatic |
Yes with AF |
No |
Yes |
| D200 |
USB – PTP |
No |
No |
Yes |
| D300 |
USB – MTP/PTP |
Yes with AF |
No |
Yes |
| D300s |
USB – Automatic |
Yes with AF |
No |
Yes |
| D700 |
USB – Automatic |
Yes with AF |
No |
Yes |
| D3 |
USB – MTP/PTP |
Yes with AF |
No |
Yes |
| D3x |
USB – MTP/PTP |
Yes with AF |
No |
Yes |
Note: Nikon cameras do not support Bulb shooting via DSLR Camera Remote. Bulb images must be triggered via the camera.
Tip: Burst mode on Nikon cameras shoot a series of images quickly. You set the number of images, up to the buffer size of the camera.
If you have download this & realized that you have Windows XP or Windows Vista you may need access to the Nikon Transfer software located on this site : http://support.nikontech.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16048
Tags: dslr, On One, Software, tethering
Posted in Its About The Software | 2 Comments »
Written by Bryan Agoncillo on 05 February 2010
So, since being a fan of the DSLR, Nikon brand & now playing around with our new Nikon D90s we realize how important it is to tether your camera to your computer especially when the situation is a fashion photo shoot, or your situation requires you to view the images in a bigger screen rather than relying on what you see on a 3 inch screen.
First of all to those who don’t understand what Tethering means:
In the world of photography tethering means to connect your camera to your computer & at the same time. The beauty about this is that while you can take your photos of your subject your images are instantly downloaded to your computer & automatically opened in full on your screen. The advantage to this is you would be able to appreciate the shot better in a full screen computer rather than the screen in the back of your DSLR.
Since I have discovered this ability of any camera to tether, it has come to my disappointment that Nikon would require you to purchase another program called Camera Control Pro 2. Currently the software requires you to fork out $180.00, something which I can’t afford at the moment. If you still wish to purchase such, I have provided the link for you below this article.
Disclaimer : Please don’t attempt to CRACK this software, it is pointless & illegal!!! Plus there are a lot of pit holes along that route should you choose to do it. You may experience viruses that will crash your computers, so please don’t do it…. Plus we are not responsible for any damages your computer may have incurred during your attempt should you be silly enough to do it.
Anyway this lead me to take an internet adventure in search for an alternative software that you can use in order to tether your Nikon. Please keep in mind that my Nikon D90 may be different to your DSLR, so you have to consider possible compatibility issues should you go this route. Often times these softwares offer you a compatibility list where you can check your camera if this software may work.
The first one I discovered is DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control 4.1. This is my first time experiencing tethering, and the feeling of accomplishment was extremely happy. Now this software is very basic & the buttons seems to be everywhere. One thing you have to be sure of is if your camera will work with this software.
Currently the Nikon D90 would work with this software but is very buggy. I have to reload the software twice every time because it simply just wouldn’t load the first time.
Now a tethering software is no good without a photo software that will accept it. With the Nikon may I suggest Adobe Light Room.
Ok to make the connection you need the tethering software + adobe light room.
Watching the instructions may be better for some people. I found this link on the Internet that may interest you.
One other tethering software the I found extremely interesting was the On One Software version, they call it the DSLR Remote Control. You first have to download the DSLR Remote Server & install it onto your Mac / PC. After you have done so, you can set the folder for your photos to download into & set your Lightroom accordingly. Please note that this software doesn’t leave a copy on your memory card & downloads these pictures directly into the hard drive you have designated. After you have installed the DSLR Server all you have to do now is plug in your camera via USB & turn on your camera. Now that this end is ready, go on your Iphone & open up the software. It will first search for the server that is active, click on it & you will instantly be given access to all the stuffs that you are used to playing around on your dslr on your iPhone or iPod Touch. With that in mind you can switch your ISO instantly & change your images from JPG to RAW in no time at all. Once you are satisfied, hit FIRE & your camera will remotely shoot the subject.
You can go to setting and set the camera further, one interesting feature of this software is the ability for you to see your camera in live mode through your iPhone which is a first.
Another interesting feature is that you can tilt your iPhone to landscape and you can then see the image a lot bigger. With your lightroom watching this folder your computer can instantly forward you to the latest image on the folder so that you can appreciate your shoot a lot better.
With this ability in hand you can have yourself a lot more mobile to move your studio lights & have the ability to handle the model properly so that you can take your shoots professionally.
You may ask, well I have a remote control for the Nikon, how does that differ from this setup. Well one you need a tethering software & secondly the remote only works on a line of site to the camera. which can sometimes be annoying especially when you have to worry about other things.
Click here to see the On One Software In Action : >
I hope this information is useful to who ever needs to know about it.
Website
Camera Control Pro 2 (Needs $$$)
http://www.nikonmall.com/detail/NIK+VSA56405
DIYPhotobits.com Camera Control 4.1 (Free)
http://www.diyphotobits.com/2009/10/02/diyphotobits-com-camera-control-4-1-dog-food/
DSLR Remote Control Server (Free)
http://www.ononesoftware.com/downloads/
DSLR Remote ($19.99)
(You have to go onto iTunes or your iPhone to download this software)
Tags: adobe light room, d90, nikon, tethering
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