Life's a Bokeh

Photography Benefit for Doctors Without Borders

The following slideshow is made up of images from photographers who have donated the proceeds of their sales to Doctors Without Borders. Click on an image to buy or see additional detail. It's a worthy cause, just doing my part to put the word out. You can follow Images Without Borders on Twitter: @IMAGESwoBORDERS

World Collection - Images by Images Without Borders

Nexus One Photo a Day Project

Juice Bubbles

This is one of those photos that looked much better in the camera/phone. It could use some adjustment to the exposure and there is some pretty obvious noise. Nevertheless, it shows some pretty good ability to focus on close objects. I had to hold the phone at an angle so it would not block all of the light, hence why the bottom portion is progressively more out of focus.

via rickbucich.com

I've been trying to be diligent and take a photo every day with my new Nexus One Android phone to see what I can do with it. Many of the photos are complete rubbish but I'm learning a lot about what the camera is capable of. The one here is my latest and consists of bubbles in a glass of grape juice.

I'm posting the images over on a separate blog called the Nexus One Photo a Day Project so the content doesn't clutter things up over here. Since I've been at it for a couple of weeks, thought I should reveal what I've been up to.

So far, with plenty of light and not too much contrast the camera does a respectable job. Trying to be creative without being able to adjust the aperture is a definite limiting factor.

Through the next few months I am hoping to take a handful of shots I might be proud of. A bit of a stretch however considering I am rarely completely satisfied even with my DSLRs.

Posted via web from Rick Bucich's Posterous

My blog: www.rickbu

This is one of those photos that looked much better in the camera/phone. It could use some adjustment to the exposure and there is some pretty obvious noise. Nevertheless, it shows some pretty good ability to focus on close objects. I had to hold the phone at an angle so it would not block all of the light, hence why the bottom portion is progressively more out of focus.

Camera Lens F-stop & Aperture Explained

F-Stops & Aperture Explained

Because of lots of confusion surrounding what a camera f-stop is and how it works, thought I should write a high level post that explains the concept in an easy (hopefully) to understand way. It's full of generalizations but still a good basis to start from to understand how f-stop & aperture affect your photography.

A f-stop # represents a value assigned to size of opening of the lens aperture. Typical f-stops that you might see on current consumer or professional level camera lenses are as follows but you will see some variation. They may be represented as f/1.2, f/1.8, f/3.5 etc.

Common camera f-stops: 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32

From left to right, camera apertures decrease in size with the biggest (widest) on left letting the most light into the lens.  The smaller the number, the larger the opening, the more light that is let in the camera the faster the shutter speed.  Lenses that let a lot of light in are critical for shooting indoors especially if no flash is used. For every increase in full f stop, the camera shutter speed with double (assuming all other variables stay the same). For instance if I can take a picture at 1/500th of a second at f/2.8, changing to f/2 will result in a 1/1000th of a second shutter speed. 

Smaller apertures (larger numbers) like those to the right allow significantly less light in but allow greater depth of field or DOF.  Depth of field allows for a deeper area of the photograph to be in focus which is desirable in landscape photography which is often done using a tripod and long exposures.

A shallow depth of field (sometimes just millimeters deep) is preferred in portrait photography or any time a single object needs to be the center of attention.  Clutter or distracting elements including fade into a blurred background and facial blemishes become less pronounced.

Here's a good example of a shallow depth of field. Notice that only a narrow section of the image is in focus. It draws your eye to the desired subject and affords lots of creative control.

Photograph taken with Canon XSi and 50mm 1.8 lens set at f/2

Sports photographers often need extremely fast shutter speeds to freeze action so they will often be shooting with their lenses "wide open" or near its fastest/largest aperture (left side of scale). Those big lenses on the sidelines of sporting events are often in excess of 400mm which can cost over $7000. What makes them different from a $300 lens is how much light they can gather.  Similarly, photojournalists will often be shooting at larger apertures due to low lighting conditions indoors.

Here is a photo of my son taken on a busy street, notice how the blur removes the busy background and allows you to focus on the subject.  This is achieved by using the Av or aperture priority mode on your camera.

Photo taken with a Canon 7D and 28-70mm L 2.8 lens set at f/2.8

A general rule of thumb, the larger the maximum aperture (left side of scale) the more expensive and heavy a lens will be. Also, you will probably never see a zoom lens with an aperture faster (wider) than 2.8. Trust me on this...the physics would bore you and I'm not qualified to explain them. Lenses available with apertures greater than 2.8 are fixed focal length lenses, also called "prime" lenses. 

I'll bet you wondered why anyone would ever buy a fixed focal length 50mm lens when they could buy a 24mm-70mm zoom lens right? Well, the fastest that zoom is f/2.8 while there are some 50mm lenses that are even wider than f1.4. Even the cheapest sub $100 50mm lens will generally be faster than 2.8. As an example, when you need a fast shutter speed shooting in-doors, perhaps when no flash can be used, the 50mm lens set at f/1.4 may be able to shoot at a reasonable 100th of a second where on the other hand, the 24-70mm zoom would only be able to shoot at 25th of a second which I would venture to say is too slow to hand-hold and even if you could, any movement by people would cause the image to be severely blurred.

Now, to take it a step further, most inexpensive consumer zoom lenses will have a maximum aperture of f/3.5 which turn out to be 2/3 of a stop slower than f/2.8.  So that kit lens that came with your camera will shoot at a maximum shutter speed of a little faster than 1/16th of a second.  Ever wonder why your shots are blurry indoors?  The lens can't give you a fast enough shutter speed to stop any motion.  That kit also has a variable maximum aperture which means if you try to zoom in on your subject the shutter speed will get even slower!  A person with an affordable 50mm f/1.4 lens can keep snapping away with much better results.

OK, but that kit lens I have has Image Stabilization or Vibration Reduction or other brand name shake reducing technology...that makes up the difference right?  The answer is "sorta" because while the stabilization reduces the shake from you holding your camera, it can do nothing to freeze your subject matter so the people in the room (unless stationary) are still blurry.

I talked a friend of mine into purchasing a 50mm f/1.4 lens for his camera so he could capture great shots of his kids. He loved the "bokeh" or blur background that it produced but he was dismayed with the results outdoors on a very sunny day.  As it turns out, a lens can take in too much light and over-expose the image so there are situations where shooting "wide open" may not work without making additional adjustments to the camera.

I'm going to be adding more example photos to this post but thought I'd toss it out there to hopefully start generating questions you might have so I can make the post better and more informative.

Mavericks Surf Contest GPS Tour Using Tracks

For my first time as a spectator for the Mavericks Surf Contest I experimented using a new Android app called Tracks from Google. I have never used it before but thought the idea of having GPS to track all my movement on the day sounded intriguing considering I'd be off-shore on a spectator boat. I was able to embed several of the photos taken during the surf competition on the different points on the map, nice touch. The map below is of Half Moon Bay and the surf break is due south west off shore from Princeton, CA (green marker). Visit MavericksSurf.com to purchase tickets for next year's surf contest.

Zoom in and click on points on the map for more details

View Mavericks Surf Contest 2010 in a larger map

I can see where the Tracks Android app could have lots of potential additional uses. Considering this was the first time I ever used it, I found it pretty intuitive.

My Favorite Mavericks Surf Contest Photos

Mavericks Surf Photographs

Two weeks have passed since the Mavericks Surf Competition. This is a simple image heavy post showing off some of my favorites now that I have had a chance to go through all the photos and identified most of the surfers.

The winners of the February 13 contest were:

1. Chris Bertish - South Africa
2. Shane Desmond - Santa Cruz
3. Anthony Tashnick - Santa Cruz (won Mavericks in 2005)
4. Dave Wassell - Hawaii
5. Carlos Burle - Brazil
6. Kenny "Skindog" Collins - Santa Cruz

Zach Wormhoudt taking off on a steep wave in the first heat. Probably my signature photo for the entire event. Special thanks to Zack for pointing out my error of identifying the surfer as Ion Banner. Apologies Zack!

Evan Slater takes off on a monster Mavericks wave with a flotilla of rescue watercraft in foreground.

I believe this is Peter Mel in heat two being cheered on by Zack Wormhoudt. I like this photo because it captures the camaraderie between the surfers.

Anthony Tashnick (I think) in heat two coming down a big Mavericks wave with other contestants and rescue watercraft in foreground.

Still trying to identify this surfer emerging from being completely obscured by a wave. He was almost completely lost in the spray twice on this ride yet stayed up the entire time.

5th place finisher Carlos Burle in a thick frothy milkshake wave at Mavericks. I like the contrast of the bright orange jersey against the sea of white foam.

If you're still with me, I leave you with a black & white photo of Pillar Point Harbor that I took right before dawn the day of the Mavericks contest.

I am really looking forward to next year's competition and already have my spectator boat tickets. I'll be better prepared for the motion sickness however!

Here's an album containing a few other favorite photos from Mavericks 2010

A Great Time For Used Digital Camera Gear - Canon 1Ds Edition

Canon 1Ds Full Frame DSLR Camera

The recent advances in digital photography have made it possible for amazing new features on even the most entry level DSLR. It is almost a prerequisite for a camera to shoot in HD video now and pixel counts far exceed what the average user will ever need.  New camera models come out every eight months or so with intriguing new gadgets that make us want to upgrade regularly.  This frequent churning of new hardware puts pressure on the used market however and there are steals to be had.

For someone looking to take professional grade photographs, there are numerous models that cater to market that have been passed over technology wise but more than able of capturing photos better than the photographer is capable of.  For instance, for a little more than the price of an entry level Canon Digital Rebel, you could be the proud owner of the former flagship of the Canon professional line circa 2002, the Canon 1Ds which originally retailed for around $8,000 can be had now in the $900 range. It is the original Canon full frame DSLR packed with a tons of useful features you'll never find on a lesser camera such as 45 selectable auto-focus points and the only thing you'll ever have to worry about is whether you're good enough to take advantage of what it can offer. At "only" 11 mega-pixels it might be taken lightly but very few of us will ever need more and this camera was the staple of many a professional fashion photographer.  Visit this Canon 1Ds gallery containing nearly 50,000 photographs and see for yourself.

What do you get with an old workhorse like the Canon 1Ds? The downside: A limited buffer, meaning you won't be able to take as many photos in rapid succession. Lower maximum ISO range, it maxes out at 1250 which means it won't do well in low light situations. It won't shoot video naturally and isn't exactly compact, it weighs as much as it looks, the body only is almost 45 ounces without a lens. It also won't write to some of the newer flash memory card specifications like UDMA but if I have to explain that last acronym, you probably won't miss it. Lastly, the LCD does not have enough resolution for critical in-camera editing which means you'll want to check sharpness on your computer monitor prior to deleting photos in the camera.  If you don't own or don't like using a tripod, this is probably not the right camera for you.

Who is this an ideal camera for? Probably landscape, nature and portrait photographers, it definitely isn't well suited for sports or fast moving subjects but either are the entry level DSLRs in the same price range. And lastly, since much of the original cost has already been depreciated, it should hold it's value relatively well for a few more years and last much longer due to its heavy duty construction and weather sealing.  In this price point, there really is only one other camera to consider if you want full frame and that is the Canon 5D.

Where to buy used camera gear: The local camera shop that caters to professionals is a good start but if you're looking online, I have purchased from and can recommend BH Photo & Adorama both in NYC and KEH Cameras based in Atlanta.  Since their stock of popular items turns over often, check in frequently. What about eBay? I still buy and sell on eBay on occasion but you have to be careful of hijacked accounts and too low prices.  If you know exactly what you're looking for and savvy on how to spot trouble, it can still be a viable place to purchase. If someone is selling a $4000 camera for $1500 and all of their other auction items are antique china dolls, be very wary. If someone publishes their e-mail address in the description area of an auction, don't bite, it usually means trouble.

Maverick Surf Contest Photos

The surf contest at Maverick in Half Moon Bay, CA just wrapped up and I wanted to quickly post a few of my favorite photos.  These are just a few hours old so they haven't been properly edited or cropped.  The photos were taken from a boat located right off where the waves were breaking. It doesn't take a trained eye to tell that these were massive waves, although the break is known for getting even bigger! A special thank you to our captain Dennis Baxter aboard the New Captain Pete Sport Fishing boat for keeping us right in the action.

Needless to say it was extremely rough and many on the boat became sick (including myself).

The contest was won by South Africa's Chris Bertish, congratulations Chris!!!

I have a few more quickly edited photos in my Mavericks photo album on Flickr.  If you have any photos of your own from this year's competition, consider adding them to the Mavericks 2010 Flickr Group.

The jury is still out but so far very satisfied with how my Canon 7D handled.  I coupled it with a Canon 70-200 2.8 IS and 1.4 TC so you have an idea on the range I was dealing with.  A longer lens would have been nice but it was difficult to steady what I had as it was.  Planned on shooting some video...but considering how my stomach felt, that was a little too ambitious.

It's All About Jack

Three year old Jack was a busy kid today

First thing this morning he was drawing on his easel which usually results in something he describes as "train tracks" -  his default description for the random jumble of weaving lines.  Today was distinctly different however and I ran to get my camera to document an image that I could clearly distinguish as "balloons." It helps this this was also what he was trying to draw.

He later drew an image that took a bit more explaining, in this case a balloon that he popped. Notice that it has deflated somewhat, the horizontal line is air escaping from where he punctured it.

Since we're preparing to move, our office is a bit of a mess.  Jack found some headphones with built in microphone and was pretending to be a pilot.  Makes you wonder where he learns about such things...he's never seen me imitate being a pilot but he has flown a few times, he must have caught a glimpse into the cockpit.

Disclaimer: The headset and microphone was adjusted by him, not staged by the proud parents

Nice video comparison between the Canon 1D MKIV, 5D MKII and 7D

See the comparison video between the Canon 5D mark II, 7D & 1D mark IV at bottom

via stillmotionblog.com (thought worth sharing)

ever since the MKII revolution within our industry, we have been patiently awaiting what canon would follow up with. all of our traditional 3ccd video cameras were replaced with these DSLRs and a pile of lenses. not only did our imagery improve tenfold as we transitioned over, but our understanding and appreciation of optics did as well.

when the 7d was launched, with it’s improved auto focus, aps-c sized sensor, and 24P/60P options (all in a sub $2000 price point) we brought in six of those and they became our workhorse. some felt the crop was a drawback – we loved the opportunity to get in tighter with less light loss (as compared to a longer lens on the MKII). the aesthetic of 24P was certainly not easy for us to give up, and that alone was enough reason for us to bring in the 7d.

now it’s time for the 1d MKIV to launch and our first question, of course, was how will it stack up against the others?

mark was kind enough to put in some extra hours around our rather grueling holiday schedule and put together this comparison of the three different cameras. we looked at high iso performance, the crop factor, and rolling shutter.

practically speaking, the rolling shutter felt significantly reduced on the MKIV. if you pair that with the increased weight and the different form factor that the integrated battery grip provides, it almost feels like you could shoot handheld. it has never been our style to shoot completely hand held (we often use a monopod or shoulder rig) but for those who do shoot that way, it feels much more natural with this camera. being a pro series camera, it certainly has a super solid feel to it. as we all gave it a test, the consensus seemed to be that the form factor of the MKIV was very conducive to video.

being a pro series body means you also get features like super fast auto focus, many more AF points (45 points), and it can shoot up to 10 photos per second in burst mode. while that may not interest those out there who are looking mainly to this camera for video, it certainly piqued my interest as a way of incorporating a time lapse of stills with other video segments.

the camera is is also ‘weather resistant’ so you can get away with much more in tough outdoor conditions. with our shooting style, that certainly means a lot.

the MKIV certainly triumphed in low light, and it is crazy what these cameras are able to do, but in comparison to the others it wasn’t as striking of a difference as i was expecting from reading vincent laforet’s blog. at higher iso settings the MKIV certainly looks cleaner, but the MKII and 7d both perform so well that it is tough to be significantly better than that.

as for the crop factor, the 1.3 factor of the MKIV is right in between that of the MKII (full frame, 1.0) and the 7d (1.6). while it doesn’t sound like much, when you see them side by side you realize just how much of a difference that actually translates into. i am of the mind that a crop factor always has it ups and downs. as good as it is to get wider when you have a full frame sensor, getting in tighter is also great in many situations. as you get longer lenses, they are generally slower and heavier as well, so keeping small fast primes that get in super tight is quite the tool to have. the 1.3 crop factor of the MKIV feels like a great balance between the MKII and the 7d. i think many who weren’t happy with the 1.6 of the 7d will feel much more comfortable with the MKIV.

so what camera would we choose? depending on what country your in, the prices will vary, but here we are looking at about $2500 for the MKII, $1600 for the 7d, and $4900 for the MKIV.

is the MKIV twice as good as the MKII? currently, with no 24P on the MKII my answer would be absolutely yes. if and when the 24P firmware update happens, we would need to see if the rolling shutter was corrected (or potentially even worsened with a slower frame rate).

is the MKIV over three times as good as a 7d? for me, the answer would again be yes, but for many it may not be so straightforward. the form factor, the crop factor, as well as the weather resistance would all lead this to be my main camera (not to mention all of the awesome photo features). if i were a smaller studio starting out, i would probably look to the 7d first, as that camera offers an unbelievable value. a perfrect combination for many will likely be a MKIV as the workhorse with the MKII or the 7d rounding out the team as B,C, and D cameras.

we should, of course, never lose sight of the fact that this is just gear after all and being such, should always come secondary to our vision and approach. i hope we demonstrated with our JC + Esther film that it doesn’t have to take a ton of gear, cameras, or lenses – but simply the right gear, with the right understanding and vision.

thanks again to mark for putting this together. we have something else shot with the MKIV that we are hoping to debut in the coming weeks. amina and justin are also planning a follow up with some images to give you their take on the MKIV which, from what i here, will quickly become our main photo camera. any questions about the MKIV, please feel free to comment and we will do our best to keep up.

P.

via stillmotionblog.com

I'm new to video and own the Canon 7D and before this the 1D MKIII so I found this review and video incredibly interesting.

Posted via web from Rick Bucich's Posterous

My blog: www.rickbu

New Eye-Fi Pro X2 video from @eyeficard

via youtube.com

Here I go again, talking up my favorite tech gadget - the Eye-Fi wireless memory card. I'm crushed I can't use it in my Canon 7D (CF only). Looks like I'm going to have to find myself a new SD compatible camera that takes video now that I have a Mifi card.

Posted via web from Rick Bucich's Posterous

My blog: www.rickbu

Canon 7D with LCDVF Loupe Eyepiece

Updated 3/5/2010 - The LCDVF comes with two metal mounts with adhesive back that attach directly to the camera. The loupe them attaches to them magnetically I'm finding that the second mount will likely come in handy since the adhesive is starting to get weak on the first one. If you leave the loupe attached for an extended period of time, gravity seems to take its toll and eventually pull the mount away from the camera. The good news...you know it will come off if you care to do so. I'll probably be more diligent about cleaning my LCD screen ahead of time when I apply the next mount.

Updated 2/18/2010 - I had a chance to really push the LCDVF over this past weekend while aboard a spectator boat at the Mavericks Surf Competition.  I found that it was indispensable for stability, especially on such an unstable platform.  Despite this, it still requires two hands and I had to stop shooting when the boat hit very big swells so I could hold on.  Also, initially I did not use the included tether which was a mistake as the loupe got knocked off the camera at one point as you can see in this video of the boat ride out to the Mavericks break. I was able to retrieve it quickly but could have fallen overboard. The one thing I find myself missing is a protective case.  The LCDVF doesn't fit into any of my camera bags very well without they eye-piece getting smashed.

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The LCDVF - best accessory purchased for my Canon 7D

One of the most difficult skills to master when it comes to shooting video on a DSLR is how to stabilize the camera when hand-held because the LCD screen must be used rather than the viewfinder so it must be held away from your body which is awkward.  When I acquired the Canon 7D, I explored several options that emerged for adding a LCD loupe to the camera so it could be used as an eye piece. By bringing the camera up against the face, it acts to stabilize the image and eliminate glare in the LCD.

There are several viable options on the market including the Hoodman HoodLoupe 3.0, Zacuto Z-Finder and a new entry from Estonia called the LCDVF.  I opted for the latter because it was easily removable and relatively affordable.  It attaches by way of magnets which seems unlikely but works well.  A rectangular metal strip with an adhesive backing is attached to the outer edge of the camera LCD and the loupe is easily mounted by merely aligning it with the screen (see below). 

Canon 7D and LCDVF detached - (see black metal strip around LCD)

Canon 7D and LCDVF loupe side view

Canon 7D and LCDVF loupe rear view

If you have one of the new DSLRs with video capability and plan on hand holding the camera, I highly recommend the LCDVF.  The primary negative point with puts it at a disadvantage with regard to the Zacuto product is its lack of diopter adjustment so if you wear glasses it may not work well for you. 

Let me know what questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them.

Nature Photography

This post was an experiment in posting through Pixelpipe

Examples of some plants I photographed last time I was in Arizona. I like to experiment with very shallow depth of field so common items can be seen in an entirely new way.

Desert Perspective

Examples of some plants I photographed last time I was in Arizona. I like to experiment with very shallow depth of field so common items can be seen in an entirely new way.

Front Yard Flowers

Some photographs of flowers from my mother's front yard one morning. Technically unspectacular and won't win any prizes but worth sharing.

Front Yard Flowers

Some photographs of flowers from my mother's front yard one morning. Technically unspectacular and won't win any prizes but worth sharing.

Front Yard Flowers

Some photographs of flowers from my mother's front yard one morning. Technically unspectacular and won't win any prizes but worth sharing.

Front Yard Flowers

Some photographs of flowers from my mother's front yard one morning. Technically unspectacular and won't win any prizes but worth sharing.

Pixelpipe Lightroom Plugin Test Post

Photo uploaded to TypePad from the Pixelpipe Lightroom plugin. I had to add this text as well as the post title after the fact which limits the possibilities somewhat.

Test Subjects For Android Apps

Today I was trying out my new Android phone and experimenting with some of the apps available for it. Being a camera nut but very unenthusiastic about camera phones in general, I wanted to see whether there were any new features that would catch my interest. I ended downloading Pixelpipe and I'm very impressed by the features, so much so I've already upgraded to the paid version. You can download it from the Android Market on the handset.

After taking a single photo or video, I can easily send it simultaneously to Flickr, TwitPic, WordPress, TypePad, Picasa, YouTube, Facebook or a huge number of other social media sites.

Here's a snapshot of my colleagues Danny, Megan and Van from Wedding Paper Divas that was automatically uploaded to my TypePad blog as well as a bunch of other locations. 

Another feature I'm looking forward to trying out is the Pixelpipe Adobe Lightroom plugin but it appears to be fairly limited.  I don't see an option for selecting which sites to upload to or to add any captioning/descriptive text.

RAW Conversion on the Canon 7D

Update: 11/19/2009: Less than 24 hours after publishing this post, it is now obsolete with the release of Lightroom 2.6 and Adobe Camera RAW 5.6 for Photoshop each offering RAW support for the Canon 7D.  Since this is a recent development I have not had a chance to try either yet.

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I'm fielding a lot of questions about the Canon 7D and image quality (or lack there of) which I am largely attributing it to the lack of a compatible 3rd party RAW converter from Adobe or one of the other similar image manipulation software companies.

Thought it may be useful to post two images side-by-side so you can see for yourself the differences between RAW run through Lightroom 2.5 and a high quality .jpg from the camera.  At first glance the flaws in the RAW photo may not be too obvious but click on the photo to see the full resolution version (converted to .jpg to conserve file size) which you can inspect on your own hard drive.  If you zoom in you'll see considerable noise and lack of sharpness. 

First the Canon 7D RAW file from Lightroom:

Next up a Canon 7D .jpg file from Lightroom:

Experimenting with Motion Blur in San Francisco

Motion blur photos taken with Canon 7D

This past weekend the three of us traveled up to San Francisco to get away briefly. I had a chance to do some experimenting on the streets trying to capture interesting motion blur shots.

Streetcar on Market Street, San Francisco, CA

A neutral density or ND filter is useful for capturing motion blur during the daytime because the long exposure will over expose the image. It's purpose is simple, don't let as much light into the lens by placing a dark piece of glass in front of it.  I didn't have one with me so I made the most with what the camera setting offered me, lowered the ISO to 100, set a manual shutter speed of around a second and stopped down the lens to f/22 to let in as little light as possible.

Next time I'll have a ND filter with me but here are a couple examples of what I came up with.  Not spectacular by any means but fun nonetheless.

Cable Car on California Street, San Francisco, CA

View from the Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco

This is the view from our room at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco taken and published via my camera phone. We had to get out of town briefly and it is less than a hour away.

Looking forward to a nice dinner out. Leaning toward the Tadich Grill but the Top of the Mark is tempting with its spectacular views...and the convenience factor since it is in the hotel. (Update 11/16/09 the Top of the Mark couldn't accommodate us so we used room service which was excellent)

Daytime view from the Mark Hopkins Hotel using my camera phone

Nighttime view from the Mark Hopkins Hotel using my Canon 7D (added 11/16)

Mavericks Surf Contest To Take Place February 13, 2010

Updated 2/11/2010 -

Today a vote was held by the 24 surfing contestants and the Mavericks Surf Contest will be held
February 13, 2010 in Half Moon Bay, CA

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The Mavericks Surf Contest is quickly becoming one of the better known and prestigious surfing competitions in the world...and it happens practically in my back yard.  A number of things set it apart, it is one of the largest waves in the world that can be ridden by surfboard, it takes place a half mile off shore, it is only called when the conditions are perfect with only 24 hours notice and only 24 surfers are invited total.  It gained extra notoriety in 1994 when famous big wave rider Mark Foo was killed surfing Mavericks. When the invited get the call, they drop whatever they're doing and head to Half Moon Bay California.

Because it takes place so far from shore, it isn't exactly an easy spectator event so people pay good money to get out on boats near the action (and presumably out of harms way) to see it up-close.  Last year I was lucky enough to be granted a press pass to be on the photo boat all day.  (notice there aren't any of my pictures in this post)  The conditions weren't right and the contest was not held last year.

We're back in the official waiting period again this year and I am hoping to get that golden press pass again.  I have been anxiously awaiting for well over a year for the season to roll in and I can't wait to get some shots.  Fortunately they have already had some big waves roll through this year and I have my bug-out-bag loaded with batteries, granola bars, sea-sickness pills, warm hat, extra memory cards etc...

Since this post is dull without some picks, here's a couple I can't take credit for to whet your appetite:

With any luck, I'll have a few of my own to display in the coming months. If they're anything like these photos I'll be stoked!

Tiny Prints Photo Contest

I wanted to let everyone know that Tiny Prints just launched a new photo contest called Talent Search 2009.  Photographs may be submitted to one of three categories, Family, Couple & Baby and will be judged by one of my photographer friends, Mishelle Lane, Critsey Rowe, Casey Mullins or Karen Walrond.

The winner will be featured in our 2010 advertising campaign.  Visit the site for more information on prizes.  Looking forward to seeing your photos!

My son as a baby is featured frequently on our site and I get a kick our of discovering new photos of him. Now is your chance to do have the same fun.

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What Fluid Head for my Canon 7D with HD Video?

Now that I own a Canon 7D with HD video capability, I find myself obsessing over how I can actually take decent videos with it.  Stability is they key and it has become immediately apparent that my current carbon fiber tripod and Kirk ball head are completely inadequate for video so I put them up for sale on Craigslist and found an immediate buyer. Now I'm in search for a compromise solution for both stills & video.

There's no shortage of fluid heads available but they are by nature designed to only hold a camera in the horizontal position so stills in portrait orientation aren't possible.  I'm a big fan of Arca style lens and body plates so I've been looking for a hybrid solution for stills and video.  From cruising numerous forums on the matter, I'm not alone. 

The most reasonable answer I've found is the use a Kirk or RRS (Really Right Stuff) L plate on the camera to switch the orientation and then use an Arca clamp adapter on the head of choice. Head to head, the RRS L plate seems to have an advantage because the dovetail work by sliding fore/aft or side to side. Still unsure whether I will get the Canon WFT-E5a wifi grip or not, it is pretty expensive with a $699 MSRP.  OK, so this part of the equation is partially solved, next step what video head to buy?  I think I might have found a possible solution with the new Feisol VH-40 video head which has an integrated Arca clamp.

On paper the Feisol head looks like a nice solution but there are a couple catches...

1. The Arca clamp is front to back oriented so the plate on my camera would be aligned incorrectly necessitating another adapter of some sort for shooting stills.  It would work just fine with the RRS L Plate and lens plate on my Canon 70-200 2.8 however.  Vertical stills are more of a challenge.
2. It is so new there are now reviews available and it comes from a family of products not known for making video heads. Is it fluid dampened?  Friction or spring tensioned?

The alternate popular choices right now appears to be the Bogen 701 HDV (pictured) and the Gitzo G2180, they of course will require adapters as well.

There does not appear to be a clear consensus from users as to the best tripod/video head combination for DSLRs shooting both video and stills. I really wish Kirk or RRS would come out with an integrated solution with their existing clamp system, their quality is top notch and I'd likely but their offering immediately. Unfortunately neither appears to be embracing video which is clearly going to be integrated into most or all upcoming DSLR cameras moving forward.

If you have an ideas on the matter, I would love to hear from you.