Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Spider Holster's Black Widow DSLR / camera belt holster review]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/27/spider-holsters-black-widow-dslr-camera-belt-holster-review/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/27/spider-holsters-black-widow-dslr-camera-belt-holster-review/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/27/spider-holsters-black-widow-dslr-camera-belt-holster-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

spider holster
There aren't too many new camera peripherals that do something truly new. Sure, quite a few of them complete a familiar task with more ease and less clutter, but the Black Widow by Spider Holster is an entirely new way to manage your primary or secondary camera. What's unique about this device is that it can be used by both professional photographers as well as vacationers who simply wish to keep a camera at their hip at all times. Those afraid of missing "that moment" can probably relate. The concept here is really simple: it's a belt that's attached around you via a wide Velcro band, and there's a small 'catching' mechanism on the side that sits right beside your leg. You screw in a small, silver knob into the bottom of any camera that accepts a traditional tripod thread screw. The knob then slides down into the socket on your waist, and there it hangs until you need it. A small red thumb switch unlocks the slide, allowing you to easily release the camera with one hand and pull it out for use. When you've got the shots you want, just drop it back in the holster. Read on for my full review, as well as a quick video showing exactly how the system works.

Gallery: Black Widow DSLR / camera belt holster

Continue reading Spider Holster's Black Widow DSLR / camera belt holster review

Spider Holster's Black Widow DSLR / camera belt holster review originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessorybeltbelt holsterBeltHolsterblack widowBlackWidowcameradslrholsterperipheralphotographyphotosreviewreviewedspider holsterSpider Holster Black WidowSpiderHolsterSpiderHolsterBlackWidowtooltravel photographyTravelPhotographySun, 27 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Photo Tips: using a 50mm F1.4 lens to redefine low-light shooting]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/15/travel-photo-tips-using-a-50mm-f1-4-lens-to-redefine-low-light/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/15/travel-photo-tips-using-a-50mm-f1-4-lens-to-redefine-low-light/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/15/travel-photo-tips-using-a-50mm-f1-4-lens-to-redefine-low-light/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

50mm f1.4
If there's one question I'm asked more than any other when it comes to DSLRs, it's usually one dealing with low-light shooting. Being able to effectively capture a scene in dimly lit situations (or at night altogether) is one of the toughest things to do in photography. Even if you have a flash, you have to be careful when firing it if you don't want to simply blow everything out and ruin the "mood" and "feel" of a night shot. The most common problems with night images are this: too much blur, too dark of a shot overall or too much noise in the shot. How do you solve those issues? It obviously depends on the camera and accessories you're using, but one surefire way to make your existing DSLR entirely more capable at night is the purchase of one single lens. The 50mm F1.4 is as close to a magic bullet as there is in the photography world, and if you travel, you can bet you'll end up wanting to take photographs after sunset.

The 50mm F1.4 has a lot of things going for it. For one, it's available for nearly every DSLR out there. You can find dedicated versions (either first-party such as Nikkor or third-party like Sigma) for Nikon, Canon, Sony and Olympus DSLRs, with plenty of aftermarket solutions out there for even more brands. Secondly, it's incredibly small. My D3S camera body dwarfs the 50mm F1.4, and when I'm trying to conceal my camera and get it into concert venues and the like, having a "stub-nose" lens like this makes it much easier to get through. Thirdly, it's relatively cheap by FX (or full-frame) standards. And finally, the shots you can get from this lens are truly amazing, and they can enable you to capture memories of a trip that you'd otherwise never be able to. Read on for a few examples and suggestions on how to best make use of this low-light masterpiece.

Gallery: Photography using 50mm F1.4 prime lens

Continue reading Travel Photo Tips: using a 50mm F1.4 lens to redefine low-light shooting

Travel Photo Tips: using a 50mm F1.4 lens to redefine low-light shooting originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>50mm f1.450mm lens50mmF1.450mmLensaperturecameracanondslrfujifilmlenslightlightinglow lightlow light photographylow-light photographyLow-lightPhotographyLowLightLowLightPhotographynight photographyNightPhotographynikkornikonolympusphotographyphotosprime lensPrimeLenssonytravel photo tipsTravelPhotoTipsTue, 15 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Geotagging your travels: why you should, and how to do it]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/29/geotagging-your-travels-why-you-should-and-how-to-do-it/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/29/geotagging-your-travels-why-you-should-and-how-to-do-it/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/29/geotagging-your-travels-why-you-should-and-how-to-do-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

geotagging your travels

Even casual travelers know the wonders of GPS. It's hard to imagine how we functioned on the road just a few years back without a satnav at our disposal, and now that our smartphones are also well equipped to guide us from point A to point Z (and everywhere in between), having a true sense of direction isn't quite as necessary as it once was. But GPS satellites are useful for quite a bit more than just routing us. In the photography world, geotagging is becoming an increasingly attractive way to effectively track ones travels in a unique, refreshing visual fashion.

If you aren't familiar with the term, geotagging refers to embedded GPS data on each image, which can then be read by various photo applications and mapping software. When you take a photo using any existing DSLR, a great deal of "metadata" is embedded onto each image; this data enables individuals to see what aperture, shutter speed, white balance setting and focal length (among other things) were used when a particular shot was composed. These pieces of information are remarkably useful when comparing shots after the fact, and geotagging adds one more vital bit of data to the mix: coordinates. Read on to find out how you can start adding GPS data to your images, and why you should make the effort to do so.

Gallery: Geotagging your travels: a lesson from Montana

Continue reading Geotagging your travels: why you should, and how to do it

Geotagging your travels: why you should, and how to do it originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameracasiogeotaggeotaggedgeotagginggpsphotographytipstraveltravel photo tipstravel photographyTravelPhotographyTravelPhotoTipswinterSat, 29 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Photo Tips: Taking photos while skiing / snowmobiling, and keeping your camera dry]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/28/travel-photo-tips-taking-photos-while-skiing-snowmobiling-an/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/28/travel-photo-tips-taking-photos-while-skiing-snowmobiling-an/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/28/travel-photo-tips-taking-photos-while-skiing-snowmobiling-an/#commentsFiled under: , ,

photos while skiing

I recently embarked on a trip to Montana's northwestern corner, primarily concerned with a couple of things: enjoying a few days of skiing and snowmobiling, and keeping my shutter going all the while. Truth be told, it's harder than you might think. Managing to capture photos -- let alone ones that you'd be proud to show off -- in wintry conditions is certainly a challenge, but it's not completely impossible if you prepare well and allow a bit of extra composing time out on the hill.

Being the family photographer while out on the slopes (or on the trails) requires extra effort, but I've got a few tips to make things as painless as possible. If you've splurged on a winter vacation, you won't want to return home without any images to prove it. Read on to see how I pulled off a few clutch shots while skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort and covering the trails in nearby Olney, MT.

Gallery: Skiing / snowboarding at Whitefish Mountain Resort

Continue reading Travel Photo Tips: Taking photos while skiing / snowmobiling, and keeping your camera dry

Travel Photo Tips: Taking photos while skiing / snowmobiling, and keeping your camera dry originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameradryextreme sportsExtremeSportsmontanaskiskiingsnowboardsnowboardingsportsportstipstravel photo tripstravel photographyTravelPhotographyTravelPhotoTripsweatherwhitefishwhitefish mountain resortWhitefishMountainResortwinterwinter sportsWinterSportsFri, 28 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Photo Tips: What is metering, and how does it affect my pictures?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/21/travel-photo-tips-what-is-metering-and-how-does-it-affect-my-p/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/21/travel-photo-tips-what-is-metering-and-how-does-it-affect-my-p/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/21/travel-photo-tips-what-is-metering-and-how-does-it-affect-my-p/#commentsFiled under: , ,

what is metering

Up until now, we've covered three of the more basic, essential aspects of understanding the minutiae that goes into composing a photograph. While traveling, it's easy to run into vastly different scenes from hour to hour, making it all the more important to understand how and why your camera reacts the way it does. The goal here is to get you more comfortable with manually controlling your camera so you can accurately capture whatever it is you've traveled to see, and while it's not nearly as simple to grasp as ISO, aperture or shutter speed, getting a basic understanding of metering is essential to understanding how exposure works.

When you think about exposure in general, you think about how brightly lit or how dark an image is. We've all seen the wedding rehearsal pictures that were so underexposed that everyone looks like a silhouette, and we've all seen the sunrise shot from the beach where everything looks white -- a telltale sign of overexposure. In this guide, we'll provide you with the knowledge you need to know in order to grasp metering and how it affects the exposure (darkness / brightness) of your travel shots. And we'll also refrain from drowning you in technical knowledge that you have no time to ingest. Read on to get one step closer to mastering metering.

Continue reading Travel Photo Tips: What is metering, and how does it affect my pictures?

Travel Photo Tips: What is metering, and how does it affect my pictures? originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brightnesscamerasDSLRexposurematrix meteringMatrixMeteringmeteringphotographyphotosspot meteringSpotMeteringtipstravel photo tipstravel photographtravel photosTravelPhotographTravelPhotosTravelPhotoTipstricksFri, 21 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Photo Tips: What is aperture, and how does it affect my pictures?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/14/travel-photo-tips-what-is-aperture-and-how-does-it-affect-my-p/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/14/travel-photo-tips-what-is-aperture-and-how-does-it-affect-my-p/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/14/travel-photo-tips-what-is-aperture-and-how-does-it-affect-my-p/#commentsFiled under: , ,

what is aperture

You've schooled yourself on ISO, and you're starting to get a handle on shutter speed. Next stop? Aperture. This particular setting is exceedingly important when trying to wrap your head around the basics of manually controlling a camera, but it's also one of the more confusing. For starters, not every camera and lens can achieve the same f/stops (in case you couldn't guess, aperture levels are measured as f/[number]), and similar to shutter speed, changing the f/stop does more than just one thing.

Tweaking the aperture can change the outcome of your photo in a drastic way. But before you go cranking that number beside the "f" on your camera screen, let's break down the basics on what aperture is, what it affects and why you should care. Read on for a few pointers that every shooter should know.

Continue reading Travel Photo Tips: What is aperture, and how does it affect my pictures?

Travel Photo Tips: What is aperture, and how does it affect my pictures? originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apertureblurbokehcameradslrphotophotographphotographsphotographyphotosstyletipstravel photo tipstravel photographyTravelPhotographyTravelPhotoTipstricksFri, 14 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Photo Tips: What is shutter speed, and how does it affect my pictures?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/06/travel-photo-tips-what-is-shutter-speed-and-how-does-it-affect/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/06/travel-photo-tips-what-is-shutter-speed-and-how-does-it-affect/http://www.gadling.com/2011/01/06/travel-photo-tips-what-is-shutter-speed-and-how-does-it-affect/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

what is shutter speed

Now that you've got a grip on ISO, it's time to talk about shutter speed as it relates to light. What is it, and how can it be tweaked to better the photographs that you'll take on the run? A great question, and we're glad you asked. Simply put, shutter speed refers to the length of time that the shutter stays open while snapping a photograph. In general, the longer a shutter remains open, the more light is allowed in. And the more light that is allowed in, the brighter a picture becomes.

There's a fine line that is walked with shutter speed. If you don't leave the shutter open long enough, your images will turn out too dark to be useful. Having a shot that's too dark can spoil an otherwise great vacation memory, and it's nearly impossible to brighten an overly dark photograph using Photoshop (or a similar editing application) without adding a lot of noise and grain. On the flip side, leaving the shutter open too long can result in a couple of negative outcomes.

We'll discuss these and walk you through an example after the break, so grab your advanced point-and-shoot, interchangeable lens camera or DSLR and read on get a better feel of how changing the shutter speed can change the outcome of your snapshots.

Continue reading Travel Photo Tips: What is shutter speed, and how does it affect my pictures?

Travel Photo Tips: What is shutter speed, and how does it affect my pictures? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameradslrhow tohow-toHowTolightphotophotographyphotosshutter speedShutterSpeedtipstravel photo tipstravel photographytravel photos tipsTravelPhotographyTravelPhotosTipsTravelPhotoTipsThu, 06 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Photo Tips: What is ISO, and how does it affect my pictures?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/30/travel-photo-tips-what-is-iso-and-how-does-it-affect-my-pictur/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/30/travel-photo-tips-what-is-iso-and-how-does-it-affect-my-pictur/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/30/travel-photo-tips-what-is-iso-and-how-does-it-affect-my-pictur/#commentsFiled under: , ,

what is iso

ISO. Three little letters which stand for International Organization for Standardization (not exactly thrilling) and make a monumental difference in the outcome of images, particularly in low-light scenarios. It's one of the most prominently featured specifications of any modern digital camera, and it's one single aspect that can make a night-and-day difference in the outcome of your shots. If you're on the road, on vacation or just galavanting about with your new camera, there are a few key pointers you need to know about how ISO works, and how it can affect the snapshots your take. We'll spare you the behind-the-scenes, science-y explanation on ISO though and get right to the heart of the matter.

While film and photography purists may balk at the assumption, the average photographer really only needs to know a couple of things about ISO -- particularly the novice who simply needs their vacation photos to look at least somewhat like how they remember the scene looking.

FIn general, if a camera has a wide ISO range then it can capture faster moving action in low-light settings. Also, higher ISO ranges enable handheld shots to be taken further into the evening (and without blur). The gallery below highlights every single ISO stop between 200 and 104,200 on a Nikon D3s. Few cameras will offer an ISO range similar to this, but walking through it shot-by-shot gives you a great view of how a boosted ISO alters the outcome of a shot. Pictures are worth a thousand words, as they say. All of the other settings were kept constant for these shots (Shutter Speed: 1/8 of a second; f/5.0; 50mm focal length, no flash fired; auto white balance; tripod-mounted shot). Click the 'Read More' link here for a deeper dive into ISO, along with loads of pointers on how and when to tweak the value when shooting.

Gallery: ISO comparison gallery: 200 through 102,400

Continue reading Travel Photo Tips: What is ISO, and how does it affect my pictures?

Travel Photo Tips: What is ISO, and how does it affect my pictures? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brightnesscameracamerascanondigicamdigital cameraDigitalCameraDSLRISOnikonphotographyphotosTravel Photo Tipstravel photographytravel photosTravelPhotographyTravelPhotosTravelPhotoTipsThu, 30 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: inspiration, courtesy of the Gadlingers]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/12/through-the-gadling-lens-inspiration-courtesy-of-the-gadlinger/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/12/through-the-gadling-lens-inspiration-courtesy-of-the-gadlinger/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/12/through-the-gadling-lens-inspiration-courtesy-of-the-gadlinger/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

It occurred to me the other day that we've officially been together for a year here at Through the Gadling Lens -- how great is that? So it seems a little bit of a retrospective on the past year is in order, because seriously, we have talked about a lot here on the column. And so, with the help of my fellow writers here at Gadling (as well as some of the amazing photographers who share their craft with us in the Gadling Flickr pool), I thought we could multitask: I asked some of the Gadlingers what they like to photograph when they're traveling, and as a bit of inspiration, I thought I would feature some of the best our Gadling Flickr pool has to offer to illustrate their points. And while we're at it, I'll provide some links to some of the more popular posts of the past year.

So, ready? Then on with the show.

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: inspiration, courtesy of the Gadlingers

Through the Gadling Lens: inspiration, courtesy of the Gadlingers originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geo:41.883823+-87.632469Through the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensWhere:Chicago-ILThu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: 7 tips for photographs around the meal]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/29/through-the-gadling-lens-7-tips-for-photographs-around-the-mea/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/29/through-the-gadling-lens-7-tips-for-photographs-around-the-mea/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/29/through-the-gadling-lens-7-tips-for-photographs-around-the-mea/#commentsFiled under: ,

I've mentioned before that one of my favourite pastimes while traveling is eating. Oh my heavens, how I love to eat. There's just nothing like being in a completely foreign land, trying a whole new cuisine. It's like an adventure in every little bite.

For this reason, it sort of stuns me that while I've mentioned that food is one of those great iconic subjects for photography purposes, I haven't written yet about how to shoot images in a restaurant, or at the table where your hosts are sharing their meal with you. (And besides, here in the west, we're pretty much heading into prime gather-round-the-table-holiday mode, so the time has come, methinks.) So this week, I thought we'd take a look at ways to capture your culinary travel experience as effectively as possible.

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: 7 tips for photographs around the meal

Through the Gadling Lens: 7 tips for photographs around the meal originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mealsrestaurantsThrough the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensThu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: Look for the light]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/22/through-the-gadling-lens-look-for-the-light/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/22/through-the-gadling-lens-look-for-the-light/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/22/through-the-gadling-lens-look-for-the-light/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I just got back this week from a quick trip to a spa.

It sounds luxurious, doesn't it? Well, actually, it wasn't. Don't get me wrong -- the facilities were lovely; however, I didn't actually go to relax. I went along with a friend, Beth, who was giving a talk there, and while she was working I planned on working on several book projects that have looming deadlines ahead. When I wasn't writing, I was taking as many photos as possible for these same projects.

Beth has been a very kind fan of my work, and has flatteringly used the word "soulful" to describe my images. One afternoon, she asked if she could follow me around with her camera, to have an impromptu photo lesson. As we set off, she said, "Okay, so show me how to take photographs like you do."

"You want to know the trick?" I asked, smiling.

"Absolutely."

"Okay. The trick that every good photographer knows: before you take the photograph, look for the light."

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: Look for the light

Through the Gadling Lens: Look for the light originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geo:30.266899 -97.742798Through the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensWhere:Austin-TXThu, 22 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: inspirational nature shots from our Gadling Flickr pool]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/through-the-gadling-lens-inspirational-nature-shots-from-our-ga/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/through-the-gadling-lens-inspirational-nature-shots-from-our-ga/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/through-the-gadling-lens-inspirational-nature-shots-from-our-ga/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

As you know by now, today we're bringing attention to climate change and ecotravel here on Gadling. Personally, climate change and taking care of the environment is an issue that I've thought about a whole lot since becoming a parent -- and to be honest, my daughter has become pretty passionate about it herself ("Mom, you forgot to turn off your computer! You have to save the environment!" is not an uncommon admonishment from her 5-year-old mouth). While I'm not perfect, we do try to do what we can in our home to help reduce our carbon footprint, and when we travel, I'm careful to be mindful of making eco-friendly choices -- still, I figure we could all do with a bit of inspiration. And so today, I thought I'd post some of the finest shots I've found in our Gadling Flickr pool that feature this big blue marble we call home. Because this is a seriously beautiful planet that we get to live on.

On with the show.

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: inspirational nature shots from our Gadling Flickr pool

Through the Gadling Lens: inspirational nature shots from our Gadling Flickr pool originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>floraflowersHawaiiNew MexicoNewMexicoplumeriaTaosThrough the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensWaikikiWashingtonThu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: shooting cities at twilight]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/08/through-the-gadling-lens-shooting-cities-at-twilight/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/08/through-the-gadling-lens-shooting-cities-at-twilight/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/08/through-the-gadling-lens-shooting-cities-at-twilight/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This week, I received the following rather detailed email from reader Jason:

I love your columns and have learned so much from them, thank you! I do have a couple of questions that I hope you may be able to help me with please. I am bouncing-off-the-walls excited to be traveling to New York City for my first (and likely only) visit next week. Unfortunately my only free time will be one late afternoon / evening in Midtown. I am most interested in capturing the details of well known landmarks, especially the art deco skyscrapers and Rockefeller Center, with what little natural sunlight I will have (i.e. low angle between full sunlight and when street lights start coming on with darkness), especially if clouds are present. I have my gorilla tripod already packed but expect the crowded sidewalks to make set-up difficult and time consuming and want to try and cover as much ground as possible. I have read and re-read your columns on night and cave photography and will be putting those tips to work of course, but wonder if there is anything more I can do to give myself a better chance at capturing the unique, but distant, details of these structures during twilight.

Secondly, can you tell me how to both achieve and avoid the "starburst" effect of individual lights at night while using a tripod, specifically skyscrapers at night (i.e. Empire State Building) and neon lights (i.e. Radio City Music Hall, Times Square). Is it more a function of aperture or exposure? I am practicing with available lights but the tallest building in my hometown is all of three stories and there's not much neon to practice on unfortunately.

Thank you again for your kind reply and best wishes.

Well, Jason, congrats on your first trip to NYC! You've certainly given me some tough questions -- I did a bit of research to try to answer them, and with a little help from the Gadling Flickr pool (not to mention a good friend), I thought I'd share what I came up with. Hope this helps, Jason.

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: shooting cities at twilight

Through the Gadling Lens: shooting cities at twilight originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geo:40.720409 -73.994637Through the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensWhere:new-york-cityThu, 08 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: photographing skies]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/01/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-skies/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/01/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-skies/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/01/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-skies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Oh, how I'd love to regale you with my brilliant photographic skills in capturing the sky's majesty!

I'd love to, but I can't.

For some reason, I'm really, really horrid when it comes to shooting skies. Oh, I can manage to get a good sunset photo here and there, and occasionally my blue skies appear shockingly blue, but the truth is that for the most part, I get by with a little help from Photoshop -- bump up the contrast here, deepen a hue there, you know how it goes. My husband, on the other hand, is masterful at shooting sky shots -- the image you see to the left was taken by him this past weekend. And that image, by the way, is completely unretouched, straight out of the camera.

He kills me with his sky-capturing ways.

Anyway, I thought this week we could drool over the sky photo porn that currently graces our Gadling Flickr pool, for some inspiration as to how to shoot. This time, however, I'm sitting where you are -- looking for any clues as to how to make my sky photographs that much better.

So, on with the show.

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: photographing skies

Through the Gadling Lens: photographing skies originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Coloradogeo:geo:33.426899 -117.611099geo:39.527596 -99.141968geo:40.720409 -73.994637HoustonSwedenThrough the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensWhere:Grand-TetonsWhere:Houston-TXWhere:New-York-CityWhere:San-ClementeWhere:seattleThu, 01 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: water, water everywhere]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/24/through-the-gadling-lens-water-water-everywhere/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/24/through-the-gadling-lens-water-water-everywhere/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/24/through-the-gadling-lens-water-water-everywhere/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Over the last year or so, I've become really intrigued with photographing water -- I love how organically it moves, I love all the different forms it takes. And since almost 71% of our planet is covered in the stuff, it makes sense that it would sometimes find its way into our travel photographs.

So this week, with some help from the amazing shots in the Gadling Flickr pool (with a few of my own images tossed in for good measure), I thought we could talk about some of the ways that water can be the focal point of our photographs. I suspect we're not even going to make a dent in all the ways there are to photograph water, but let's give it a go, shall we?

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Through the Gadling Lens: water, water everywhere originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geo:33.426899 -117.611099geo:42.798302 -89.970299MelbourneThrough the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensTorontoWhere:San-ClementeWhere:Yellowstone-WIThu, 24 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: photographing the children of the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/17/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-the-children-of-the-wor/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/17/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-the-children-of-the-wor/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/17/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-the-children-of-the-wor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

I was recently instant-messaging a friend of mine, asking him if he had any suggestions for what we could talk about this week here on Through the Gadling Lens.

"Why don't you talk about taking photographs of kids?" he asked.

I demurred.

"Umm, I really try to keep this column about travel," I explained gently.

He looked at me like I was stupid. Well, as much as one can look at someone else on instant-messaging.

"Karen," he said patiently, "people travel with their kids. Besides, there are children all over the world. Children make great subjects. You should share how you capture kids on camera."

Well, duh. He's right, of course. So this week, with the additional help of some fantastic images in our Gadling Flickr pool, we'll talk about how to capture the essence and innocence of childhood while traveling. A couple of points to remember, before we begin:

1. Be sure to ask permission before you snap any photos, particularly if the children are with their parents or other adults; and

2. Remember the rules about shooting strangers in general (you can see some general guidelines here).

And so now, let's get to it:

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: photographing the children of the world

Through the Gadling Lens: photographing the children of the world originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BorneoBurmaBurmanGibraltarMabul IslandMabulIslandMyanmarRangoonThrough the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensThu, 17 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: photographing autumn]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/10/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-autumn/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/10/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-autumn/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/10/through-the-gadling-lens-photographing-autumn/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Here in the United States, Labor Day is now over, and all of the kids are back in school -- sure signs that, despite the actual calendar date, summer is gone and fall is right around the corner. This makes me happy: while spring has those beautiful blue skies, winter is certainly pretty with all its whiteness and, let's face it, summer gets all the really great press, in my opinion, autumn is really the most photogenic season of the year. There are just so many moods of autumn, you know? And so, this week, I thought I'd share some inspiration, with thanks to the people who have shared their images in the Gadling Flickr pool, on how to capture this beautiful season.

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Through the Gadling Lens: photographing autumn originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autumncolorcolourenglandfallgeo:40.720409 -73.994637londonNew York CityNewYorkCityparisthrough the gadling lensThroughTheGadlingLensWhere:New-York-CityThu, 10 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: 5 photography items I'm glad I blew money on]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/03/through-the-gadling-lens-5-photography-items-im-glad-i-blew-m/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/03/through-the-gadling-lens-5-photography-items-im-glad-i-blew-m/http://www.gadling.com/2009/09/03/through-the-gadling-lens-5-photography-items-im-glad-i-blew-m/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In my family, I'm definitely the saver, while my husband is definitely the spender. I'm always the one who can "make do" with what I have, whereas my husband is always looking to purchase the latest and greatest gadget available. So back when I was doing photography solely as a hobby, I could always count on him to buy me the coolest photography-related gadgets on the market. I'd complain how much money he spent, but secretly, I loved it.

Now that my profession, in great part, involves photography, I tend to buy all of my equipment myself, and I always find myself torn: should I succumb to my generally frugal nature, and look for the great deal? Or should I instead follow my husband's footsteps, go all out and splurge on the best? My struggle with this is constant; however, I thought this week I would share a few items on which I'm thrilled that either I or my husband went ahead and spent the money. A couple of these items are wildly expensive; others, not so much -- however, I suspect I'll be using all of them for many years to come.

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: 5 photography items I'm glad I blew money on

Through the Gadling Lens: 5 photography items I'm glad I blew money on originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Through the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensThu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: 5 photography subjects that are the same and different everywhere]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/27/through-the-gadling-lens-5-photography-subjects-that-are-the-sa/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/27/through-the-gadling-lens-5-photography-subjects-that-are-the-sa/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/27/through-the-gadling-lens-5-photography-subjects-that-are-the-sa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Do you remember those Where the hell is Matt? videos that were taking the internet by storm in recent years? I was thinking about those videos the other day, and wondering why they affected so many people, causing the videos to go so wildly viral. And then it dawned on me: the reason we love that video so much is because as different as all of the people featured in the video are, from all over the world, they all held something in common: they loved to dance.

This, of course, is true for more than just dancing: despite how different we all are, we all share or do or having things in common: we all eat, we all wash, we all hope, we all live. And so this week, I thought I'd share some of my favourite subjects that I like to shoot when I'm traveling -- things which are so different from place to place, but really, are so often the same.

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: 5 photography subjects that are the same and different everywhere

Through the Gadling Lens: 5 photography subjects that are the same and different everywhere originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BarcelonaBorneogeo:39.527596 -99.141968Through the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLensWhere:HyderabadWhere:KeralaThu, 27 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Gadling Lens: Photography tips I learned on my summer vacation]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/through-the-gadling-lens-photography-tips-i-learned-on-my-summe/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/through-the-gadling-lens-photography-tips-i-learned-on-my-summe/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/20/through-the-gadling-lens-photography-tips-i-learned-on-my-summe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I just got back from a long weekend in Oregon. This was the second year that I joined 13 friends in a beautiful coastal town, where we rented this huge rustic beach house, and spent the entire time resting, relaxing, and generally making art. As it happens, all of us make all or most of our living being creative, and many of us are professional photographers. And even though we all pretty much know our way around a camera, having all of us together resulted in us learning and sharing various tips and tricks to creating cool images. And so, since the experience is particularly fresh in my mind, I thought I'd share with you my very favourite vacation photography ideas that I picked up this week.

On with the show.

Continue reading Through the Gadling Lens: Photography tips I learned on my summer vacation

Through the Gadling Lens: Photography tips I learned on my summer vacation originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geo:45.718601 -123.933899landscapeOregonportraitportraitsThrough the Gadling LensThroughTheGadlingLenstipstips and trickstips-and-tricksTipsAndTricksWhere:Manzanita-ORThu, 20 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST