Professional Photographer Magazine Web Exclusives

How To: Large File Transfer

2010-03-04T20:16:12Z

As typical image file sizes increase, many photographers are finding it harder to move, share or deliver their files digitally. Whether delivering the final edit to a commercial client, submitting a print-resolution image to a magazine, or wanting to send work to your home computer from the studio, there are simple solutions available. We’ll cover just a few of the more popular services here including Dropbox.com, Box.net, YouSendit.com and Me.com. These services allow you to send large files as easily as you send an e-mail and access your files from multiple computers whether you’re on Windows or Mac.

Dropbox.com works nearly seamlessly on Windows because it appears as a folder inside your computer. Anything inside this folder is automatically sent to the Dropbox servers, which allow instant online access on any Windows or Mac computer. Dropbox also has a complimentary iPhone app that allows you to access and edit your folders on the go.

If you’re using Dropbox and sharing a folder with other people, you’ll be instantly notified when a new file is added or modified as well. This is great if you often find yourself sending files to a few people over a chat program like Yahoo Instant Messenger.

]]> Dropbox offers 2GB of free storage, and has paid subscriptions ranging from $9.99 to $19.99 per month. Setup is fast and simple; the learning curve is minimal. Additionally files can be uploaded on the Dropbox website if you are away from your computer. I’d recommend playing with the free 2GB version and upgrading to the paid subscription only if you find yourself needing more space.

YouSendit.com stands out from its competition because it offers a variety of ways to send a file. If you have a single file you want to send to a recipient you can select to use their Outlook plug-in or their software called YouSendIt Express. You can choose to password-protect your file for delivery, ask for a return receipt and get certified delivery with tracking. Depending on the type of account you select these services may be free or be available for a fee. YouSendIt also gives you control over the shared files, including how long they can be downloaded. I would compare YouSendIt to a 21st century postal service. YouSendIt also lets you receive files from others via a personal YouSendIt Dropbox (not to be confused with Dropbox.com), which is great if you need someone to return changes, updates, or anything else.

Of all the services I looked at, Box.net seems to bring the most to the game. Their Open Box program allows their service to integrate into just about any computer program, smart phone and even other online services. Not only is Box compatible with iPhone and coming soon to Blackberry, it also is easily accessible from any smart phone via a mobile-only version of their site for Android, Palm and Nokia users. Of course their service is both Windows and Mac compatible. File collaborators can discuss edits via comment boxes right below the folder that contains the file. And you still don’t lose the simplicity of sending a file to someone via Outlook, fax machine, and many more additional programs and add-on’s. What pushes Box.net’s service above the rest is that they have the collaboration of Dropbox, the sharing ease offered by YouSendIt and a website that is amazingly simple to use. Box.net prices start at $9.95 for a 10GB single user account and $15 each for multi-user accounts.

Me.com, or MobileMe from Apple, is definitely different from the other services but in good ways for iPhone and Mac users. It’s perfect for any iPhone user who wants access to, and to share, files on the go. The Me.com user can have a folder in online storage that’s public (shared with others) and another that’s private (only he can see what’s inside). To access your Me.com account from your Mac, you set up your MobileMe account in system preferences, and once that's done, you can easily access your Me.com folders through Go > iDisk > My iDisk from the Finder. From any computer you can go to the Me.com site and log in to access your files. It does lack some of the collaboration abilities provided by the other services as well as other features.

That said, if you’re an iPhone, iPod Touch or Mac laptop owner and want to share files, access to your e-mail, calendar, bookmarks and contacts while on the go Me.com might be your perfect fit. The great thing is, you don’t have to own a Mac to use the software; MobileMe is compatible with Mac and Windows. Pricing is on par with Box.net, another plus at just $99 a year for 10GB of data storage. Oh, and perhaps the best part of Me.com is the Find My iPhone feature! I have needed this myself more than once.

Some people or businesses elect to exchange files using FTP, file transfer protocol, which behaves somewhat similarly to the way you upload files to labs. But this process is more complicated and involved than the options above. Sending files via FTP requires that the computer you are sending the files to, or downloading from, is set to run as an FTP server. You direct your browser (Windows) or FTP client (Mac) to the FTP server address (e.g. ftp.serveraddress.com, and possibly with log-in information, too) provided by the company with the FTP server. Instead of typing the familiar www, you use ftp so the server knows where to send you. PC users can use a Web browser to send and receive files from an FTP server, and programs such as FileZilla are available and free. Mac users cannot use a browser, but there are free programs available like Fetch, or Transmit for $29.95. FileZilla (free) is compatible with Mac, which makes it great for users who have both Mac and Windows systems but do not want to learn multiple programs.

Review: "Photo Video Fusion" ProShow Workshop DVD

2010-03-04T17:23:41Z

By Betsy Finn, Cr.Photog., CPP

While already familiar with Photodex Proshow Gold, after getting to review Proshow Producer for Professional Photographer (review scheduled for April issue), I have to admit I felt a little out of my element. Creating slideshows is easy for me, but integrating still images with video? That’s another thing.

Fortunately, I was also able to get my hands on one of Photodex’s training videos: Photo Video Fusion. The DVD contains 1.5 hours of video tutorials (split into 11 chapters). The average video is about 15 minutes long, so you’ll be able to squeeze your learning sessions in when you have a spare moment.

The training sessions begin by explaining the concept of “fusion”—the blending of video and images to create a complete slideshow production. The DVD does a thorough job of explaining concepts, and I’m pretty sure you’ll find it easy to understand.

If you’re someone who learns best by doing, rather than just hearing or watching things, you will love this workshop DVD. Photodex has included video and image files so that you can follow along with the tutorial and actually do the exercises yourself.

After you learn about fusion, the DVD will help you get a good foundation in editing videos with Photodex. You’ll learn how to work with video, how to trim video files and create video clips, and most important—that videos behave pretty much like individual images (so far as layers, masks, and styles go).

Images ©Peter Atherton

]]> You’ll get a good idea of how to use masking on a video, how to alter the mood of your show, and how to apply complex motion framesets to video layers. Finally, you’ll get to practice with a “real world” example of fusion, and learn about your options for video output.

Overall, I enjoyed this training DVD from Photodex. Before going through the workshop tutorials, I was apprehensive about adding video to my slideshow repertoire, but now I’m fully confident I can handle the adventure.

One caveat—the installation process was difficult for me, due to a computer glitch (likely my anti-virus software). Instead of relying on the DVD to auto-install, I had to manually copy and paste the “installer.exe” file on my desktop, and run it from there. According to Photodex’s talented support team, this issue was certainly not widespread, so I would expect most installations to run smoothly.

Fusion Workshop DVD retails for $24.95. For more information, visit Photodex.com.

Betsy Finn, Cr.Photog., CPP, has a portrait studio in Dexter, Michigan, BetsysPhotography.com. She shares tips and ideas for photographers at LearnWithBetsy.com.

Sneak Peek: DigiLabs Pro, Import to Order Fulfillment Photo Platform

2010-03-04T16:55:45Z

DigiLabs, the company that was first to bring press-printed products combined with online ordering to the market, is scheduled to announce a new all-in-one photo platform, DigiLabs Pro, on March 8 at WPPI. The company’s goal, according to CEO and one of DigiLabs’ founders Chanan Steinhart, is to get back to full service for professionals. Professional Photographer magazine was given a sneak peek at the new products and broad spectrum of service and options that DigiLabs plans to offer in the new platform.

DigiLabs Pro aims to be a completely integrated combination of a new generation of DigiLabs software that uses Athentech’s Perfectly Clear image enhancement technology and allows for a unified workflow from image editing to web gallery creation to album design to product ordering and fulfillment. DigiLabs creators say they’ve incorporated easy-to-use wizards throughout to make the process simple and smooth.

DigiLabs also stresses that they will provide a number of cost-effective product options for photographers targeting more economically conservative clientele. The new Anza flush-mount album with black leather cover is offered as an affordable, yet high quality, album that “can meet the needs of customers at virtually any price point.” While the premium Marina album offers more flexibility with 20 to 80 sides and seven covers, including luxury leathers and an animal-friendly vegan option.

Along with the launch of the new platform, DigiLabs is also launching their new StudioShare iPhone application, which allows clients to view and order from a photographer's studio-branded web gallery. It will be the first professional photo proofing and sales app for the iPhone. All DigiLabs Pro users can use and share the app, which then allows clients to view photos and securely place orders from their iPhone.

Images ©Ben Chrisman; iPhone interface from beta version of StudioShare.

]]> Updated features in DigiLabs software include:

• Centralized location to create all DigiLabs offerings including web galleries, flush mount albums, photo books, gallery wraps, cards and personalized calendars
• Ability to toggle between multiple open projects simultaneously
• Access to Athentech’s Perfectly Clear image enhancement technology
• Easy-to-use wizards make creating products, from albums to proof books, as straightforward as a few clicks of a button

The new DigiLabs software is currently in beta testing and is scheduled for public release in April.

The screen grabs above show a preview of the album design and ordering process in DigiLabs Pro software. Images ©Ben Chrisman; from beta version of DigiLabs Pro.

If you would like to learn more about DigiLabs’ new offerings, there is a webinar scheduled for March 24, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. PT. For more information, visit the DigiLabs Webinar site.

Uploading Videos to the Internet: Six Easy-to-Follow Steps

2010-03-04T16:28:07Z

By Philip Bloom

In general, uploading videos to websites is a fairly easy process but there are a few steps you should take to ensure your videos are uploaded properly and offer the best quality possible. Personally, I use Vimeo for sharing my video content and their process for uploading videos is quite easy.

There are many formats you can use to upload your videos, but it is always a good idea to compress your videos before uploading them to the web. Uploading raw, uncompressed files will take a long time and eat up a lot of bandwidth, and the quality will not be that much better than a wel-compressed file. For me, the ideal combination of quality and speed are .MP4 or .MOV files using the h.264 codec. Although Flash streaming is a good compromise of quality and speed, H.264 QuickTime MP4s is a great alternative for great quality.

I have outlined a video upload workflow based on the Mac computer platform, but you can easily apply it to a PC as well. While my own personal workflow is based around Final Cut Pro— and that process is very specific— the following steps will work with most systems.

STEP 1: Secure a free piece of software called MPEG Streamclip from Squared5.com. Once you’ve downloaded it to your computer, open the software and drag-and-drop your finished edit into its main window.

STEP 2: From the top menu of the software, choose Export as MP4 and click.

STEP 3: The next step is to determine which file format and resolution you’d like to use for your video. This depends on whether your video footage is in SD (standard definition), 720p (720 pixels vertical resolution) or 1080p HD (high definition).

My suggestion when using MPEG Streamclip is:
• Go to File, then Export to mp4.
• Select the codec you want the MP4 to be. MP4 is purely a “wrapper” for the video, allowing it to be compressed in all sorts of ways. Personally, I recommend you select H.264.

]]> STEP 4: Select the resolution size you want the video to be. You can select Current if you want to keep the resolution at its current size, or select a lower resolution if you want to upload a smaller file size.

For example, if the finished film is 1080p, but you want to upload a smaller, 720p version, select 1280x720. I highly recommend unchecking the "interlaced scaling option" for all videos. Interlaced video looks awful on the web, so always deselect this. For audio, I normally select AAC 160kbps, but you can choose whatever you’d like.

STEP 5: Video Quality is where we determine the right balance of size versus quality. For most applications, 75% is fine. You can select “multi-pass” for a slightly higher quality video, but it will add some time to the process. If you have the time, this will further enhance the quality of your video online.

STEP 6: Simply click Make Movie, and away you go! Take a look at the finished conversion and if the file is too big for you or the quality isn't good enough, adjust the quality percentage (75% in our example here) to whatever suits you.

This is a pretty simple way to create a version of your video to upload to the Internet. If you upload your video to Vimeo, you don't have to worry about converting the video to Flash. Vimeo will automatically take care of that for you.

I host most of my videos on Vimeo.com because the quality is outstanding and it saves me a fortune on additional bandwidth costs on my website, especially when many of my videos are viewed thousands of times each month. I also registered for Vimeo's Plus option ($59.95 per year), which provides me with 5GB of storage space each week and allows me to embed HD videos. Vimeo also has free memberships with limited video storage, but it will give you a sense of Vimeo’s offerings and help you determine if it’s right for you.

About Phil Bloom
I consider myself as one of the new breed of cinematographers. Over the past 3 years I have embraced the 35mm film adaptor market, shooting on HD video but making it look close to 35mm film. I also have recently embraced the video DSLR cameras, in particular the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Canon EOS 7D. Please visit my DSLR films section to see just how beautiful they look. I have used these DSLRs on all sorts of projects including recently some work for Lucasfilm. I am also director of “Some Like It Shot Productions” and co-founder of online training resource, F-Stop Academy.

Search Engine Optimization: Getting Started

2010-03-03T17:01:57Z

By Ellis Vener

SEO is Search Engine Optimization. After either working long and hard designing, coding, debugging, and selecting images for your website, or spending a lot of money for someone else to do the design and coding work, you want your website to be easily found and that means making sure it ranks high, preferably on the first page, on a search engine’s list for photographers with your specialty in your town and in your region. An effective SEO strategy can be a powerful and cost effective marketing tool as the investments you have to make are merely ones of intellectual capital and time. SEO is only one component of your marketing strategy, of course, and all marketing is about building awareness. The fundamental point of marketing is to let potential clients know you exist and then to show off what you can do. Even if you are the most talented and sensitive photographer within 100 miles, if potential clients can’t find you, how will they know you even exist?

After researching and examining a lot of available SEO expertise, Professional Photographer turned to two photographers who successfully use SEO marketing to consistently rank high in different specialties. J Sandifer of emilie inc., a location wedding photography studio based in Portland, Maine, who is also the wedding development manager at liveBooks, and Jon Cornforth, a nature photographer and teacher.

]]> liveBooks has a deep pool of general marketing wisdom under the Events and Community tab on the home page menu. There are webinars—both live and archived—live seminar events in different locations, and once you have started building your site, two resource SEO pages complete with easy-to-follow tips for get your site ranking up.

The SEO for Photography Websites toolkit from PhotoShelter also proved to be a valuable reference. PhotoShelter users also have access to an SEO Grader that scans your website and photos, looking at factors that are within your control to improve your SEO, then gives specific recommendations.

As Sandifer points out, there are several components to an SEO strategy. The most important steps are figuring out how your SEO strategy fits into your overall marketing goals, how to implement, and having a way to measure the results. As with any marketing effort you should not expect immediate results, he said SEO is a marathon not a sprint. It may take at least three months before you start to see your efforts bear fruit, so be patient. There is also a constant battle everyone fights when trying to get a higher web search ranking: the search engine companies constantly update the criteria they use when ranking a page.

This stuff can drive you crazy, but there are some consistent basics that make a good foundation for SEO.

For instance, Google rules. According to PC World (“Search Engine Usage Soared in 2009,” Jan. 23, 2010), worldwide there were approximately 131 billion Web searches in December 2009 (22.7 billion in the USA alone), and 87.8 billion of those were made on Google. To update the old saying: those who have the searches make the rules. Google Analytics is one of the best tools you can adopt to start evaluating the Web traffic that comes to your site.

As of late January 2010, Google searches are primarily text based. You must describe your images if you want them to be found. What is important for photographers to know is that, for now, search engines primarily analyze text, not images, and like words for each page. If you’ve created your website using Flash, it is important to note that Google, Bing, Yahoo!, (or iPhones for that matter) and other search engines can’t search a Flash-only site, so it’s important to have a parallel html-coded site. This is a feature of liveBooks created sites and differs from so-called ghost sites.

So what does Google like? Primarily off-page factors like good trusted content, lots of inbound links and relevancy, but also on-page factors like site and page titles, descriptions, and good keywording.

PhotoShelter estimates that 75-percent of the qualities that search engines weigh when ranking sites are off-page factors like inbound links (by far the greatest factor), trust and authority of the domain, and usage data.

Build inbound links by posting useful blog material that may be picked up and linked to. If you are going to blog or write articles, make an effort to be interesting and topically relevant not only to the kind of people who use your services but also to those in related fields. If you are a wedding photographer, this includes event locations, caterers, wedding planners, florists, deejays, and bands that regularly play weddings. Don’t forget to reciprocate with links to their relevant posts.

One overlooked factor in creating trust is longevity. Although he has had an active website since 2001, one thing that Jon Cornforth discovered recently was that by having his domain name set to expire at the end of every annual billing cycle, he was unintentionally hurting his rankings. By registering and paying for several years at once you are telling the search engine algorithms that you intend to be around for a while.

While the off-page factors will take time to develop, there are some things you can do right away by working on the on-page factors: site title, description and keywords—remember search engines like well chosen words—and these are all forms of meta-tagging.

When meta tagging, keep it tight. liveBooks suggests 150-character limit for descriptions (what Google displays when your site comes up in a search). PhotoShelter recommends 70 characters or less for page titles and a 150 characters for descriptions, and Cornforth recommends a 160-character limit. If in doubt keep it within 140 characters.

Conciseness applies to keywords, too. In the infancy of the World Wide Web, more used to be better, but that’s no longer the case. PhotoShelter’s research from 2009 leads them to believe that 50 keywords is a good upper limit. In general, when formulating your list of keywords or keyword phrases, think like a potential customer. What would they be searching for? For example, if you just got engaged, which would you be most likely to search for: “Wedding photographer,” “Wedding Photographers,” or “Wedding Photography”?

As it happens Google has a very useful tool to see which ranks higher, the free Google AdWords Keywording Tool. There are other tools like Wordtracker and Keyword Discovery, but they aren’t free.

Start with the overall description and keywords for your site, but description meta-tags and keywords for each individual page might (depending on Google’s whims) be significant too. According to J Sandifer, if you shot a wedding or reception at a popular location, the names of those places might prove to be very useful in image names or titles. The images’ file names are actually searchable with an effective website, so try changing file names like dcs6435.jpeg to something potentially more useful like laudholmfarmwedding_435.jpeg.

Finally, there is one fundamental to always keep in mind: there is value in who you know and who knows you. Reciprocal linking is like the word-of-mouth recommendation in SEO credibility and is the most powerful form of promoting yourself to the most meaningful audience. As J Sandifer proclaimed, “brides come and go, but the industry will always be there.”

Review: The Orbis and Orbis Arm, Ring Flash On a Budget

2010-03-01T08:23:25Z

By Curtis Joe Walker

The orbis ring flash from Enlight Photo is a modifier for hot shoe flashes that allows them to emulate the functionality of a studio ring flash. Fitting onto the end of a hot shoe flash, it takes the light and bounces it through a highly reflective inner chamber, outputting diffused, characteristic light through its ring.

The high-impact-plastic unit has been expertly designed for maximum efficiency, using the brightest chrome finished plastic available. By adding translucent material to the bottom of the ring and a series of baffles inside, the light output from the ring is evenly distributed and creates flawless specular highlights. Inside, a series of spring hinges ensure a snug fit on the end of your flash. It isn’t designed to permanently marry the two devices, though. In other words, take care to hold the device in a way that protects both units from an unintended free fall.

So, how does it hold up in use? Pretty good, within its limitations. For one thing, it’s limited by the output of the flash that’s going into it, and it loses about 4 stops of light in the translation. That means there’s no way this light is going to light a whole set, but for portraits and very carefully composed full body shots, it’ll work. The instructions suggest bumping the ISO setting to 400, so depending on the camera and lens, it could be possible to get more out of the flash. With the ring flash, portraits show the characteristic wraparound shadow and the highlights are perfect donut shapes. Despite the limited efficiency, it is possible to overpower daylight if you’re able to shoot your subject from a few inches away.

]]>
©Curtis Joe Walker

Originally intended to be a hand-held unit triggered optically or with an off-camera TTL connection, the introduction of their sturdy new orbis arm makes one-handed shooting possible.
Unlike other designs that mount the flash on the hot shoe, hanging the ring down in front of the camera from above, the arm mounts everything to the tripod mount on the bottom of the camera.

The arm is outstandingly rigid and sturdy, but all of the weight of the ringlflash unit is placed on the foot of the flash. This shouldn't be a problem for those with metal feet, but could end in tragedy for those with an all-plastic design. Having a way to attach the ring flash to the arm itself would be handy. The design makes portrait-oriented shots awkward and shooting straight down definitely feels like something would eventually break. The arm doesn't so much free up a hand while shooting as it helps keep the photographer from accidentally dropping everything.

Even with the lightweight construction of the orbis and the arm, once a flash is added the weight can add up to a couple of extra pounds attached to a camera. The benefit, of course, is having an arm free for holding an additional flash, for instance. The weight and bulk won't be unfamiliar to shooters who've used a flash bracket. Unfortunately, the customer has to provide their own shoe to mount the flash to, as orbis assumes people will be using a wired link to their camera. Adding a simple cold shoe to the orbis kit would be an inexpensive and welcome addition for Nikon shooters who rely on the Creative Lighting System, and for people shooting with a camera or flash that relies on simple PC sync.

The combination of the orbis and the arm allow for inexpensive entry into the world of ringflash lighting. While cumbersome, it is smaller and lighter than studio models. It is also infinitely more portable than larger units because it uses battery powered flashes. It doesn't have the raw power of a bigger unit, but for the portrait, wedding or event photographer, this isn't critical. The ability to shoot with a ring flash in TTL mode allows for a much faster learning curve and makes the orbis an ideal starter model.

The orbis is manufactured by enlight photo and distributed in the U.S. by Omega Satter.
The orbis arm is available now for $59 or $249 bundled with the Orbis ring flash.

NOTES: For this article, Walker tested light output with a Sekonic L-558 at a distance of 30 inches with the flash bare, zoomed to 24mm and with the ring flash. He used a Nikon SB-80DX as the light source. Photos were taken with a Nikon D80, Nikkor 12-24mm lens and Nikon SB-800 Speedlight using CLS mode.

Review: Album DS Design Software

2010-03-01T07:52:27Z

By Betsy Finn, Cr.Photog., CPP

If you’re looking for an album design solution that integrates with Photoshop, then you need to give Album DS Design Software a shot. Let’s just say there’s a reason that Professional Photographer's Hot One Award judges picked Album DS (version 6.1.1) as the winner for Album Design/Layout. Before trying out Album DS, I hadn’t found a program that would fit my needs. I tried various programs, but resorted to Photoshop since the programs couldn’t render my envisioned design properly. After giving Album DS a shot, I think I finally found a program with enough flexibility for me.

Image ©Betsy Finn

When you first install Album DS, the installer will ask you which of the templates (700+), masks (200), frames (570+), backgrounds (326) and clipart you want to install. You can install a sampling of the resources, or install everything at once. Despite the large resource library, you’re not limited to the included templates. Album DS lets you convert templates you already have, or even make your own on the fly.

]]> Album DS operates within Photoshop, much like a palette or panel. From the Album DS interface, you can manage images, view already designed spreads and browse templates. In addition to the basic interface shown below, you can enable or dock large mouse-over preview panels for template designs, images, clip-art, backgrounds, masks and designed pages.

A common limitation of some third-party templates is that you can only design a single size album. With Album DS, you will be free of this—it automatically resizes the designs to fit whatever size album you choose. When you start a new album design, you can use one of the existing presets, or make a new preset to match your lab’s specifications.

As you work on your design, Album DS maintains a link to your images so you can edit and resize the various components of your design without worrying about image quality degradation. Your source images will never be cropped or edited in any way; Album DS creates a working copy, which it accesses during the design phase and that can be edited as you go.

If you know which images you want to include in a particular spread, and want to see which templates you can use, Album DS has a wonderful template filtering tool. Simply select the total number of images, designate how many are horizontal and how many vertical, and then let Album DS find the templates that will fit your needs. I found this to be a huge timesaver.

Once you find the template you want to use, simply double-click, and Album DS will load the template, resized to fit your current album design. Adding images to the design is a simple matter of selecting the image area on the template, and then double-clicking on an image to have it fill that opening.

To make the design process run more smoothly, I’d recommend setting your selection tool to Auto-Select and Show Transform Controls.

If the templates don’t seem to be quite what you need, you can modify any layout as you work on the design (and save your designs as templates to use later). Some album design programs are restricted to rectilinear mat openings, but Album DS can drop an image into whatever shape you want: squares, circles, even irregular shapes.

Obviously, Album DS does a great job of allowing you to create unique designs manually, but if you’re looking for automation, there is an auto-design feature. Album DS can auto-design an entire album for you; you can also use Album DS to create proofs and picture packages.

Since Album DS has such versatility, it can take a little while to get the hang of things. If you’re used to simply opening a new program and catching on as you go, you’ll probably feel a little lost at first. In retrospect, I’d recommend watching a tutorial or signing up for their free webinars before getting started. To shorten the learning curve, Album DS has a Live Help feature in the interface. When enabled, it will provide an explanation for whichever tool or feature you are using in Album DS.

My one complaint: The window Stay On Top mode, when enabled, literally stays on top of all active programs (even if you’re not in Photoshop). The developer explained to me that Album DS doesn’t monitor which programs are active because that would eat up considerably more CPU resources (i.e., slow down the computer). Makes sense…right? A quick workaround is to use the hotkey to turn off Stay On Top (Windows: F2). Cmd+M will hide the window on a Mac.

To sum things up, I think Album DS gives you the freedom and flexibility of Photoshop, but the convenience and automated options you need to help your studio run efficiently.

Album DS is compatible with both Mac and Windows, and works with Adobe Photoshop versions CS to CS4. Pricing for Album DS starts at $349 for a single seat license; additional seat licenses are $125 each and users can get one free by attending a free DS webinar. Application DVDs are shipped to download purchasers in the U.S. and Canada at no additional cost. For more information, visit AlbumDS.com; a free demo version is also available for download.

Betsy Finn, Cr.Photog., CPP, has a portrait studio in Dexter, Michigan (BetsysPhotography.com); she shares tips and ideas for photographers at LearnWithBetsy.com.

Recreating the Varga Look

2010-02-08T21:51:35Z

By Joan Sherwood, Senior Editor

Photographer Christopher Gabello was drawn to the Varga look after doing food photography for Philadelphia’s Varga Bar, themed around the distinct Esquire magazine pin-up girl illustrations of painter Alberto Vargas in the 1940s.

“I thought it would be thrilling to recreate the calendar he tried to put out in 1948,” says Gabello. “Vargas left Esquire, but he’d signed over the [the rights to the brand] name Varga to the magazine. They put a cease and desist order on the calendar and pulled it from the newsstands.

Gabello spent hours retouching in Photoshop to recreate the Varga look. “Studying the original paintings, I struggled to mimic his style, but it was the old darkroom technique dodge and burn that helped me achieve the look. Once I established a decent rendering, I was ecstatic to continue the project, one of the most substantial I’ve taken on. This giant undertaking, though, yielded one of the proudest pieces of work I’ve ever completed.”

Caption: To get the soft painted look of an original Varga, Gabello applied techniques of the traditional darkroom in the digital environment of Photoshop. Photo ©Christopher Gabello

]]> The process is actually rather basic, says Gabello, but it’s the proper combination of styling, photography and image editing that accomplishes the Varga look. Below, the finished treatment is on the left, and the original photo is on the right. [Click image for larger view.] Photos ©Christopher Gabello

First, Gabello credits the team of creative contributors who helped achieve the look. “We have an amazing hair and makeup salon transforming the girls into the Varga look— Ettore Salon. No matter how good I am in photoshop, I’m nobody without good hair and makeup,” says Gabello. Next is the importance of period wardrobe. If the clothes had looked too modern, or from the wrong era, the look would have been thrown off and not as recognizable as a tribute to Vargas. Finally, posing achieved far more in contributing to the look than would be reasonable in image editing software.

“I would like to do everything in camera,” says Gabello. “Most of these women have never been in a professional photo shoot, so it’s a challenge to get these natural looks and poses. It’s so important to make them feel comfortable and to warm them up. I like to run through a couple outfits fast, which gets them acquainted with the shooting process. Then I had them review their photos on the monitors and compare them with Varga Girls. I called it the ‘Varga look’ constantly. It's at this point they are 100-percent committed to the process and motivated to achieve that look.”

Lighting helped Gabello get as close to the look he wanted in-camera as possible. “I was shooting with a five-strobe set up. I used two to blow out the seamless, two softboxes on the model and one bare strobe with a 9-inch reflector above her. It really gives you a shiny gloss on the hair, but more importantly gives the model some harsher shadowing, which comes in handy later.”

Post processing took about five hours on each model, with the majority of that time spent using the Photoshop Dodge and Burn tools to effectively repaint the skin tones.

“When painting on a canvas,” Gabello explains, “your subject is made up of lights and darks. Keeping that in mind, you can achieve this look with dodge and burn. I certainly do some shaping in post, using either the Warp or Liquify tool. It’s only done to enhance the curves of the model, or to make her look more flattering.

“I enlarge the eyes on almost every occasion,” Gabello continues, “Then I do a combination of layer styles—a vivid light, and a soft light overlay. I add some grain and then some tinting.”

The results are stunning. The calendar pages are finished with an antiqued wash look, and each month features a flirtatious rhyme.

Event Profile: After Dark Education

2010-02-08T20:12:48Z

The next session from After Dark Education is scheduled for Miami on March 28-31, but what is After Dark anyway? One of the mentors of Austin's hugely successful 3-day education session describes the experience.

By Don Chick, M.Photog.Cr., CPP

[SPECIAL NOTE: Become a Facebook Fan of After Dark Education. If the number of fans reaches 2,500 by Feb. 14, Valentine's Day, After Dark will contribute $1,000 to Operation Smile through PPA Charities!]

After Dark is not just another photography seminar, it’s an educational experience encompassing the art, craft and business of professional photography. As stated on the After Dark Education website “it’s an evolution in photographic education.” Dave Junion, the driving force behind After Dark, has combined his talents with Kevin Jordan and others to bring together several days of high-energy education. All attendees will have one-on-one access to some of the biggest names in the industry in order to get answers to their most pressing questions. The upcoming session is planned for March 28-31 in Miami.

I was fortunate to participate as a mentor at the first After Dark, held last October in Austin, Texas. The event provided hands-on experience and opportunities for attendees. Multiple lighting bays were set up with an extensive array of lighting equipment from Photogenic as well as soft boxes and other light modifiers from Larson Enterprises. Denny Manufacturing provided an assortment of backgrounds and props from which Mentors and students alike could choose to use in each studio lighting setup.

Each bay also had an LCD panel for those watching to view the images captured by the mentor. Students were encouraged to ask questions as well as photograph the setting and models. With multiple studio lighting bays, students could rove the room to find the one bay that best fit their specific lighting needs.

]]> After Dark also set up multiple learning pods with comfortable couches arranged in a circle and a large LCD panel where the mentor could plug in a laptop. These sessions were intimate discussions where each student, in a low student/teacher-ratio group, could watch the presentation on a large monitor and ask questions throughout.

Numerous outdoor presentations and demonstrations were organized as well. I personally spent an entire afternoon watching classical portrait artists Fuzzy and Shirley Duenkel of West Bend, Wis., work their magic with environmental portraiture. Also leading the group with a more avant-garde style was Dan Davis of Burnsville, Minn. Both styles blended wonderfully to demonstrate to participants the range of possibilities at the same location.

One consistent comment I heard throughout the event regarded the high level of energy exerted by everyone involved. Attendees and mentors alike were encouraged to step outside their comfort zone and experiment with lighting, posing, composition, anything that would stretch their usual boundaries and cause them to grow.

Junion has already assembled a group of 35 mentors for the Miami After Dark in March. The mentor photographic talent is again extensive, ranging from classic and traditional to contemporary and everywhere in between! Not limited to the art of photography, mentors will again offer their marketing and sales experience to anyone and everyone at the event.

To successfully attend an After Dark event, each student is encouraged to create a list of specific questions that they would like to have answered at After Dark as well as which mentor(s) they will seek out in order to find the answer. There is such a spirit of giving and sharing knowledge that no one should go home empty handed.

For more information on the After Dark Miami event check out the website at www.AfterDarkedu.com or the After Dark fan page on Facebook.

Review: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens

2010-02-03T18:29:15Z

By Don Chick, M.Photog.Cr., CPP

Canon’s new EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens (MSRP $1,049) is quite a lens! Even though it has a fixed focal length, the image stabilization, speed (f/2.8) and life-size close-up capabilities without an adapter, (1:1 maximum magnification) make it a very desirable lens to own. Quoting from Canon’s website, “the lens was developed to expand users' photographing range and allow a wider range of users to easily enjoy macro photography.” I recently had the opportunity to evaluate this new lens from while photographing a wedding as well as creating macro images at my leisure.

Of all the features and capabilities, the feature that impressed me most is the life-size, 1:1 maximum magnification factor. With the 100mm mounted on a Canon EOS 40D, I borrowed the bride’s bouquet as well as the newlyweds’ rings. Using only afternoon window light and the bouquet, I proceeded to capture images to see just what this lens was capable of doing. The first few images were captured from a more “normal” distance (Figure 1).

My initial idea for the image was to incorporate flowers and rings into a “vignette” image. Images like these are important for recording wedding day details for the bride and groom, as well as to increase the variety of images in their final album. After several images at a lower magnification factor, I began to move closer and closer to the rings until I was at the lens’s minimum focusing distance and maximum magnification factor (Figure 2).

I was very impressed with the lens stabilization feature—none of these images were taken with a tripod-mounted camera. It is worth noting, however, that in order to minimize camera shake, I had my elbows propped on the table and held the camera tightly while releasing the shutter. Because I was using the camera’s TTL metering capability when photographing the subject from such a close distance, I didn’t have to make any exposure compensation.

Figure 1

Figure 2

]]> Please bear in mind, however, that if one meters the scene manually, there is an exposure factor that must be added to the reading in order to obtain proper exposure. Canon documents the exposure factor for the various magnification amounts in the manual. From my own experience I found the image stabilization feature to provide impressive results, especially at the slower shutter speeds.

According to Canon documentation, “This is the first lens on the market to incorporate Canon's new Hybrid Image Stabilization Technology. Hybrid IS effectively compensates for both angular and shift camera shake during close-up shooting.”

I found the weight of the lens at 22 ounces to provide the feeling of quality without being overly heavy or causing fatigue while doing a lot of hand-held shooting. Also, being an “L” series lens there is extra sealing to prevent dust and moisture from penetrating into the camera.

The images I created at my leisure were for the pure pleasure of macro photography. You can see from Figure 3 the range of magnification capability of this lens.

When creating macro images it’s important to know that the minimum focusing distance (distance from subject to focal plane) for 1:1 magnification is 11.8 inches, while the working distance (from the front of the lens, not the hood) is 5.5 inches. These are comfortable working distances, especially for live subjects. You can bring the lens in close to the subject but not so close that the subject recoils in abject horror.

Figure 3

Having spent time using the new Canon 100mm 2.8L lens in professional “real life” situations, I am very impressed. With image stabilization the lens produced images that were sharp. Also, at f2.8 the lens is fast, and at 22 ounces it’s easy to use for extended periods of time. In addition to those benefits, the 1:1 life size macro benefit enabled me to create a greater variety of images for my client, which could potentially increase my income.

Truthfully, I fell in love with this lens. If you’re looking for macro capability, seriously consider the Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS lens. It provides an exciting way to see the world from a different perspective and more opportunities to be creative in your craft.

Wrap it up: Options for Eco-Friendly Packaging

2010-02-01T21:07:38Z

Dawn Tacker and Thea Dodds, co-founders of Greener Photography

Packaging is an important part of your studio's brand identity. What you wrap your product in tells your client more about who you are and adds value to your products. Using environmentally-friendly packaging and educating your clients about it will help brand you as an eco-aware photographer.

Eco-friendly packaging options include:

• Reduce your packaging.

~ Re-use the original packaging in which your prints arrived.
—TIP: A hot iron can remove the unsightly labels from a re-used shipping box.
—TIP: Make a stamp that says: reused is better then recycled. Turn your box into a message.
~ When hand-delivering, use protective but minimal wrapping instead of boxes.

• Provide something useful and re-usable.

~ Dual purpose—protective and in line with your branding
~ Branded canvas totes
~ Branded reusable folders, boxes or tins
~ Wrap your product in a gift for the client, such as a scarf, baby blanket, or company t-shirt, something branded and in-line with how you want to be identified.

• When new packaging is necessary use something recycled, recyclable and/or compostable and sustainable produced from domestic sources if possible.

~ Nashville Wraps for branded packaging
~ Biodegradable bags for your prints
~ Recycled packaging from Rice Studio Supplies
~ FSC-certified paper products
~ Handmade paper
~ Look for natural materials such as cotton, hemp, or silk.

Remember that packaging adds value; consider adding your values into the equation. If the planet is important to you and your business, wrap it up in a eco-friendly way. Do you have other ideas for eco-friendly packaging? Please share them in the comments!

Checkout: RedCart, Photo Cart, Lightbox

2010-02-01T14:58:03Z

Supplement

By Betsy Finn, Cr.Photog., CPP

In this month’s print edition of Professional Photographer magazine, I discussed my experiences with three web cart systems for photographers: RedCart, Photo Cart, and Lightbox Photo Gallery. While each cart system is different, they do all accomplish the same end goal—that is, to allow you to sell your images and products online.

To help you get an idea of what each cart will (and will not) do, I’ve compiled features into categories: investment, interface, pricing, products, and setup. With that being said, let’s take a closer look at the features these web carts have to offer.

Investment: With a one-time investment upfront for a single domain license, all three carts allow you to benefit from commission-free sales. Depending on which interface you choose, you’ll end up investing anywhere from $329 to $1,099 (see end of article). Photo Cart includes lifetime free upgrades, Lightbox includes free upgrades for one year, and RedCart includes minor upgrades unless you spring for their monthly investment … and then you’ll receive all upgrades.

Interface: All three carts have the capability to display public galleries (or keep them private), e-mail invoices, save client favorites, and even display images in a slideshow. RedCart is the only cart to operate on a Flash-based front end—the other two are HTML-based. Photo Cart and Lightbox both have integrated batch uploading, watermarking, and auto thumbnail generation; the upcoming version of RedCart (soon to be released) relies on a desktop application to accomplish these tasks. Since Lightbox is geared to commercial/stock photography, it has several unique features, including SEO URLs, a multi-photographer manager, and even a keyword search log. Both Photo Cart and Lightbox can display IPTC metadata if that information is present in your image files.

Above: Lightbox Photo Gallery configuration interface and the gallery view for clients. (Click for large view.)

Above: Photo Cart's client gallery. (Click for large view.)

Above: RedCart's client gallery. (Click for large view.)

]]> Pricing: RedCart’s pricing is set up so that you first enter your lab cost for each print size, and then apply a percentage markup (which you can then override). Lightbox and Photo Cart allow you to manually enter pricing for each item directly. Lightbox is the only cart to offer subscription options, and a license pricing calculator (i.e. commercial usage terms). For coupons, gift certificates, and the like, each cart is set up to handle promotions in different ways. RedCart has separate gift certificate codes and discount/coupon code sections, whereas Lightbox and Photo Cart have a discount/coupon code section that could be used to create gift certificate “codes.” Photo Cart has a nice built-in feature—an early-bird-special date that you can set to have your early-bird sale automatically expire. With RedCart, you can set sales pricing, but you do have to manually turn it on and off. Photo Cart and RedCart both have a registry system (think baby or wedding registry). All three carts have sales tax + VAT tax options.

Above: Lightbox Photo Gallery pricing interface. (Click for large view)

Above: Photo Cart pricing interface. (Click for large view)

Above: Photo Cart registry setup. (Click for large view)

Above: RedCart print price and size interface. (Click for large view)

Products: Both RedCart and Photo Cart allow you to offer quantity discounts and B&W preview for your clients. If you want to offer different paper types or finishing options, RedCart has the most detailed setup for this, but both Photo Cart and Lightbox allow you to create custom options on a per-product basis. All three carts let you add additional shipping and handling charges on a per-item basis (on top of the “standard S&H options). You can also sell instant downloads and non-print products using any of the carts (I’ve been told that Lightbox has even been used to sell bathroom fixtures!). In order to sell non-print products in Photo Cart, though, you’ll need to have purchased the Accessory Store.

Above: Lightbox Photo Gallery shopping cart interface. (Click for large view)

Above: Photo Cart order confirmation. (Click for large view)

Above: RedCart's My Cart interface. (Click for large view)

Photo Cart and Lightbox allow you to “sell” digital files for instant download (this will be included in RedCart v4), and both Photo Cart and Lightbox have the option to enable free image file downloads (called “sample download” in Lightbox), as well as upload miscellaneous files, such as PDFs. Additionally, Lightbox allows you to offer clients expiring download links, and designate the model and property release status of a particular image.

Setup: As far as setup goes, you really can’t go wrong with any of these carts. Both RedCart and Lightbox include free installation, and you can have Photo Cart installed for a small fee ($35). All three carts allow you to customize the front-end look of the shopping cart to include your logo, color scheme, etc. If you’re curious how credit cards get processed, all three carts work with a variety of payment gateways.

A few notes about RedCart—some of the gallery “setup” must be done on your own computer. At the time I tested the software, it was done via a Photoshop droplet, but when RC Desktop is released, the image resizing, watermarking, and thumbnail generation will be done via an Adobe AIR desktop application. RedCart also includes an image-fulfillment script (Photoshop) to help you process orders once they’ve been placed.

Conclusion: If you’d like to review these comparison points in more detail, I’ve compiled a PDF of the things I’ve discussed in this article (click on the image below to download the PDF). Please keep in mind that some of the carts will have additional features not mentioned here, but should serve as a good starting point.

Before deciding on the “perfect” shopping cart for you, I would recommend testing out your potential web carts from both the perspective of your customer, and from the administrative back end as well. You want to make sure to choose a cart that is easy for you, your staff, and your clients to understand.

Lightbox Photo Gallery: $399 - $1,099 (standard, professional, or enterprise versions)

RedCart: $999 (monthly hosted option also available, $89/mo)

Photo Cart: $329 - $442 (add-ons include installation, accessory store, and flash slideshow)

Imaging USA Nashville: Look Who's Coming Back!

2010-01-04T16:20:40Z

For some of our wonderful tradeshow exhibitors, signing up for the next Imaging USA is a no-brainer. They bring a unique product to a highly desirable market—you!—and they're eager to please.

Professional Photographer’s Senior Editor, Joan Sherwood, interviewed several of the tradeshow vendors in Phoenix at the 2009 show. Here to serve as a sneak peek are just a few of those vendors who'll be back with us again in Nashville, Jan. 10-12.

Wild Sorbet: The Original Shabby Chic Frame Company
Tana LeMay of Wild Sorbet brings a new line of frames for canvases to Imaging USA this year. It's inspired by our January cover photographer, Kimberly Wylie, and called The Gallery Frame. They've also got a new frame with attention-grabbing curved edges—the Parisian.

Triple Scoop Music
Triple Scoop Music is offering their biggest show special ever at our show! Come by booth #239 on DAY 1 (Sunday, Jan. 10) and get a custom music collection for 50% off, plus an additional $120 in FREE music. Triple Scoop Music has well over 5,000 hand-picked songs and more every month by award-winning artists, including Grammy & Emmy winners. In Phoenix we interviewed Jennifer Herbig, one of the company founders—all musicians themselves.

Drop It Modern
Drop It Modern will bring new classic damask designs to Nashville, and you'll get a preview of new modern looks that will be available later in January. Here owner and founder Breane Schapp discusses the origin of the bold, beautiful look of her lush, original designs. In January 2009, her company was only six months old, now it's a big hit with a track record of success.

We’ll see you there!

Sneak Peek: AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

2010-01-04T15:06:23Z

By Betsy Finn

When I heard about Nikon’s new VR II lens, my first thought was, “how much better could it really be?” You see, I own the VR version of this lens, which has what I would consider a great vibration reduction system. After getting a chance to shoot with the VR II system, I get it. As efficient as my VR lens is, the VR II lens blows it out of the water. If you don’t want to talk yourself into buying this lens, I wouldn’t even recommend testing it. OK, I know you aren’t going to take my advice, but at least now you’re forewarned!

Here’s a brief sneak peek to keep you happy until you can get your hands on the full review in the February issue of Professional Photographer. I was able to capture this handheld exposure using the VR II feature:

]]>

Review: Zenfolio

2009-12-31T16:09:48Z

By Curtis Joe Walker

Zenfolio has been offering easy, affordable, attractive online galleries for photographers for the last four years. Previously, photographers would have to build and host their own website elsewhere, linking externally to Zenfolio galleries to handle sales and client proofing. With their new release, to be launched at Imaging USA (Jan. 10-12), sites can be hosted entirely with Zenfolio. This eliminates the cost of two hosting accounts and greatly improves the visual presentation of the site thanks to comprehensive and customizable theme packages.

We recently had a chance to sit down with Zenfolio CEO Alex Peyzner to walk us through the upcoming features.

With the new release comes a whole new set of options for building pages. Foremost of these is theming. At launch, 10-15 themes will be available, but because the themes are customizable and downloadable, many more will quickly appear once the Zenfolio community gets their feet wet. Themes control the look and feel of the entire site from the main page to the individual galleries.The pages are Flash-free except for gallery slideshows. This move will satisfy mobile users, but at the cost of a completely designer-controlled viewing experience. Also included with Premium accounts is the ability to upload PDF files natively—a handy feature for publishing printable price/service menus.

]]> A website is only worthwhile if people can find it, to that end Zenfolio has created a handy page with direct access to the Google, Bing and Yahoo webmaster tools. Sitemaps are created on the fly in the background, providing the search engines with an easy way to index the entire site. Advanced control over META data isn't offered yet, but input for the “description” field is. Because photographers’ sites can be fairly sparse on words, and search engines currently only index sites based on text, populating the description field allows for a hidden bit of verbiage to help get viewers to the site. Tracking visitors is made easy with built-in Google Analytics integration (below).

Customized URL icons (left) can be created automatically by uploading any image to the server. This gives bookmarks a customized and easily recognizable look. It also helps viewers who use tabbed browsing. It’s a small detail, but a subtly important one. Similarly, having a custom designed logo on your site helps branding immensely. Unfortunately, like PDFs, logos are only able to be uploaded with the Premium subscription.

Populating galleries on Zenfolio is easy with plug-ins for Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture, and other image management applications. Uploading directly from either app saves at least a couple of steps and greatly reduces the time it takes to update images. It’s also great for uploading wedding/event galleries and client proofs.

Pricing remains the same as before the new release with three annual subscription levels: $25 for Basic, $40 for Unlimited and $100 for Premium.

One of Zenfolio's greatest strengths has always been the ability to monetize photography painlessly. This remains unchanged. Watermarking images automatically and locking them down in password-protected galleries allows for a good degree of protection for images that are being sold. The unlimited bandwidth and unlimited storage of images up to 24MB for Unlimited and Premium accounts makes Zenfolio a great value.

Overall, the learning curve isn't too bad. Like any new interface it will pose some challenges and require some getting used to. Everything about the process is logical, but unique to Zenfolio. That said, it’s possible to get a fully functional site up and running in a couple of hours.

For photographers on a budget, Zenfolio’s combination of design, control and features can’t be beat, and existing customers get a whole new set of tools to work with.

www.Zenfolio.com

(Note: screenshots were taking during the pre-release stage and may not reflect the final design)