Workflow Friday: Jason Anderson
Today’s workflow comes by way of Friend-of-the-Blog Jason Anderson of Canon Blogger as a result of a recent experience he went, and is still going, through.
One of the things I really appreciate about this post is that even though it’s a REALLY crappy situation, Jason is able to put a twist on it to turn it into a reminder for us all about taking care of our photography gear on the off chance that the unforeseen occurs.
Instead of me rehashing it here, I’ll let Jason tell the story himself…
Write it down!
Sorry for the lack of a post yesterday folks – for those of you that Twitter and have me on follow, you’ll know that we had our cars taken out from under our noses (literally while we slept) early Tuesday morning. By the time I woke up and got dressed for work (at 6) they were gone…
Suffice to say, the wind has kind of been taken out of my sails here, and after an entire day of dealing with police reports, insurance claims, DNA testing (yes, they took DNA from us), finger printing, and pretty much feeling like our private living space was totally disrespected and violated, I didn’t have much of a mood to put anything together for Wednesday. With another weekend looming large and trying to resurrect some excitement for Tracy’s pending birthday, I am afraid today’s post will be no picnic either, as this is more of a lecture on security. To make it photo-related, let’s look at it form an inventory perspective.
Say you were the victim of a crime – all your photo gear was taken from you. Could you produce the records needed to replace everything? With cars it’s easy, as insurance is in place, titles are held, and banks have documents as well that you can fall back on – but what about other items? It took some digging through the Mac, but I was able to find the serial number for my iPod. Do you know your serial numbers? What about that expensive zoom lens? What about your SLR serial number? When was it purchased? What was the purchase price? What about the computers? Software licenses? Think about it – you’ve invested some serious money into this, whether it’s a hobby or a profession. Do you have the records to produce in that worse case scenario? If not, take my experience with the cars and apply it to your gear – write info down! Update your inventories, and keep records of everything! Finally, don’t tempt fate – lock things up. Get a lock box or some kind of safe – and don’t leave things out in the open – it’s just an invitation waiting to be seen and responded to, so take precautions now to avoid lots of heartache and headaches later. Here’s a sample spreadsheet to get you started:
Inventory Spreadsheet (right-click, and select download or Save as and the file name is “inventory.xls”)
That’s it for today folks – so, sorry for the “downer” of a post, but felt there was something there that could be learned by all of us – so enough of the doldrums now – forget the past and move into the future with positivity – so get out shooting, and be careful out there! (Hello Hill Street Blues! ) We’ll see you back here tomorrow, and hopefully the podcast that I’ve been meaning to finish will go up early next week. Until then, keep on shootin’ (photos)!
-Jason Anderson, Canon Blogger
Three More Sponsors for the BIG Photo Contest
I received word yesterday of three new sponsors for my 1000th Post BIG Photo Contest!
The details are still coming together but I am excited to announce that Kelby Training, onOne Software and Mpix have joined our list of official sponsors for the contest, which already includes:
- Photoshop Cafe – “Photoshop CS4 for Digital Photographers” DVD
- What the Duck – What the Duck Plush & Signed Print
- and Unified Color – HDR PhotoStudio
A HUGE thanks goes out to all of our sponsors for your support and generous offerings.
Click here for complete contest details and to start working for your chance to win!
P&P Blogger Profile: Rob Jones
Rob Jones of Towner Jones Photography
Rob Jones and his wife, Rose Jones, own Towner Jones Photography, based out of Gainesville, VA.
Why do you blog?
I blog to help myself grow as a photographer, to become part of a larger community of photographers by sharing techniques and ideas, and as a way to reach my clients.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
Photoshop Insider (www.scottkelby.com)
Lightroom Killer Tips (www.lightroomkillertips.com)
PhotoWalkPro (www.revellphotography.com/blog)
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
I’ve been using Photoshop since version 3.0, and I’ve been a photographer since the mid-90’s when I got my first camera. When digital photography came on the scene the computer nerd and the artist in me both had an outlet – and I haven’t looked back since.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
I currently shoot a Nikon D200.
Mac or PC?
PC. Yes, I’m a hold out for the PC, but I’m certainly not against the Mac. I have a background in computer engineering, so PCs have been close to my heart for quite some time.
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
My Dell 3007WFP-HC 30-inch monitor is one of my favorite toys. It has stunning color and sharpness, and you can’t beat having 30-inches of real estate.
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
Any of Nikon’s long reaching, fast glass… including but not limited to, Nikon’s 400mm f/2.8, 200mm f/2.0, 600mm f/4
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Don’t be afraid to make lots of mistakes. If you’re shooting digital, learning to take better pictures is FREE! No book, seminar, class, video, whatever can replace practice on your camera.
What inspires you to create?
It all depends on the moment. Often it’s people (particularly friends and family), but many times it’s seeing something amazing done by another photographer.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
God has a wonderful plan for us, trusting in that fact, and not allowing the setbacks we face in life to steal our joy is the secret to real happiness.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
I’d love to live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina – for now, I’ll vacation there any chance I get.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
My favorite “spare time” activity is spending time with my wife and daughter. When it comes to hobbies, apart from photography and messing around on the computer, I love to play saxophone and piano. If I’m not doing any of these things you’ll find me hiking, camping, or canoeing.
What talent would you most like to have?
I’d love to be more athletic – I enjoy playing pretty much every sport – but I’ve never been coordinated enough to really hold my own.
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? Sure
What is your least favorite word? Cornucopia (it just irritates me)
What turns you on? My wife, and (though my wife would have liked me to stop with my first answer) the smell of new electronics or photo equipment.
What turns you off? People who are inconsiderate, selfish, or rude.
What sound or noise do you love? My daughter laughing, well played saxophone, the ocean
What sound or noise do you hate? My daughter crying, when it’s caused by pain. (If you don’t have kids, this is a much different cry than that of a temper tantrum… this one tears a daddy’s heart in two)
What is your favorite curse word? It’s not exactly a curse word, but lately I find myself using “douche” as a way to describe someone who’s irritating me.
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? I’d love the opportunity to be a professional musician.
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Any job where I’d have to see people suffering on a regular basis. My heart hurts for people, and I don’t think I could handle it in large doses.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Well done, good and faithful servant. I love you and welcome home.
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
Profile Reflections #5
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
This one is pretty self explanatory. I mean, come on, do I really need to come up with a witty comment for this one? Though I guess you can find some good gift ideas.
- “It has to be Lightroom, no question. It’s a real photographer’s tool.” – Mike Holley
- “70 – 200 L 2.8 IS lens” – Amy Archer
- “Does the Video Ipod count? I LOVE that thing! It’s my portable entertainment system away from home when I travel. I watch my movies and videos, listen to music; I’ve even done impromptu slide presentations on it.” -Clayton Spangler
- “My Expo Disk.” – Mike McHugh
- “My Epson R2400 Printer. I love it.” – Matt Kloskowsksi
- “Nikon SB-26 speedlight.” – David Hobby
- “My tripod.” – Lynda Walldez
- “Duct tape. I always find a use for it on shoots. One time I taped a strobe to a tree because I was frustrated with it’s stand.” – Joey Lawrence
- “It’s a tie between my MacBook Pro and my Wacom Tablet.” – Justin Seeley
- “I would have to say it’s my Tamrac Adventure 9 photo backpack. I was always leaving my SLR behind on business trips because I couldn’t fit it in my computer backpack. Now I have the best of both worlds, It is a great system that let’s me take my laptop, a digital SLR, three to four lenses, and a bunch of accessories with me on the plane. The best part though is that it is slim enough that I can slide it under the seat in front of me so I can access the computer during flights.” – Jeff Revell
- “My off camera flash/lighting equipment (thanks to Strobist)” – Tom Moore
- “The camera manual.” – Chris Orwig
- “Right now it is my camera backpack that I am bringing to market in a few months. I have been working on this product for over two years, and I am so excited to start selling it soon.” – Andy Biggs
- “I love Wacom tablets, though I’m sorry to say that my job keeps me in email far more than it lets me stretch my legs in Photoshop. That said, I find a tablet invaluable for any kind of drawing or retouching work.” – John Nack
- “Spiderlite TD5″ – Terry White
- “I think the iPhone is a great tool for photographers/bloggers on the go. I find that I’m doing a much better job of keeping up with email, monitoring my web sites, and communicating with clients and coworkers. Plus, it’s absolutely great for showing off photos, uploading images directly to Flickr, watching videos, and oh yeah, it’s a good music player too.” – Derrick Story
- “My graphics tablet.” – Jennifer Farley
- “Wow! That’s tough one – it’s like I like the whole gear bag – but I do tend to lean towards wide angle lenses. Computer wise, I like the big screen monitors. I’m currently using a Dell 24” wide screen monitor, but boy, that Dell 30 “incher” looks pretty cool.” – David Ziser
- “Right now it has to be Photomatix Pro. I love HDR, the over done grunge images and the photo realistic, it does not matter. It’s been fun going back to raw images, that were flat and uninteresting, and spicing them up. Now I try to shoot with HDR conversion in mind. My daily routine does not afford me the opportunities to shoot at peak times a lot, so HDR in my opinion is a creative masterpiece.” – Mike Palmer
- “I guess that would have to be my ultra wide angle lens (10-22 mm). At heart I love being out in and photographing the landscape and this is an ideal piece of kit for capturing and showing it off. It can also be used at close quarters to present a unique perspective of common items.” – Stephen Waterfall
- “My Mac, of course. Adobe Lightroom is the coolest, and I’m always trying out new Photoshop actions.” – Doug Stremel
- “I really like my Wacom Intuos3 6”x8” graphics tablet, though, a widescreen version would be nice.” – Jason D. Moore
- “Apple display.” – Andy Smith
- “That is easy: Epson 4800 printer. It is the most important piece of equipment in the house.” – Dave Beckerman
- “My belt-based camera “bag” from Think Tank Photo. I have access to all my lenses and can switch them so fast that it’s amazing.” – Ben Willmore
- “Mac 17-inch PowerBook.” – Aaron Johnson
- “My Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L lens.” – Kathleen Connally
- “My Epson 2200 printer.” – Paul Politis
- “My Expodisc.” – Bruce L. Snell
- “OK, you knew I was going to say Photoshop right? However, right behind that is Lightroom, and behind that is iPhoto (it’s better than you’d think).” – Scott Kelby
- “My printer Epson 2100 with carbon pigment inks.” – Richard Vanek
- “My Mac and Cinema Display. For photo equipment, probably my 80-200 Nikkor zoom. Typically my favorite shots come from it.” – Michael Snell
- “That must be my homemade shift-lens made from an enlarger-lens, a body-cap, some black plastic from a garbage-bag and a rubber band. ” – Martin Andreasen
- “It is not equipment per se but I would have to say Photoshop” – Jim Larimer
- “Public computers are cool.” – Eduardo Angel and Timothy Campbell
- “It’s going to sound strange, but probably the L bracket (Really Right Stuff) that lets me switch from portrait to landscape on my tripod in a flash. It’s great.” – Dave Cross
Click here to view a complete list of profiles.
“Assignment Earth” and Becoming a Green Photographer
“take only pictures, leave only footprints”
Yesterday, while finishing a major project at work I needed a little break so over lunch I started looking at the latest from State of the Art, the blog written by the folks over at AmericanPHOTO magazine. In the sidebar I saw an ad for their Nikon sponsored Assignment Earth project.
The project aims to highlight the effects of humanity on the planet and how photographers are shedding light on the beauty of the world and the damage we are inflicting upon it. Upon reviewing the site, I was sent to a section from the latest issue of the magazine that talked about ways to become a green photographer. Some of the tips include the more well-known practices like conserving energy, recylcling, unplugging things when not using them, etc. But some of the other tips were for things like simply trying to shoot closer to home, choosing alternative sources with your energy provider, or making sure your suppliers are using environmentally friendly products. One of the more interesting approaches I saw was simply taking care of your photo equipment because camera production uses more energy and produces more waste than regular maintenance. Also, instead of shooting with a lot of lights, try and use more natural light and reflectors for fills to save on energy.
Another option was buying recycled paper from places like Red River Paper. According to the article:
Printing on recycled paper is one way to go green, but for inkjet output it’s problematic. Recycled papers have more surface imperfections than papers made straight from pulverized trees — and they just aren’t very white. Red River’s GreenPix paper is made from 100 percent post-consumer content yet has a high brightness rating of 97. That and a proprietary coating produce rich color and tone on a recycled stock. About $35 (100 sheets).
So, take a look at the article and see some great photography and some great ways to become more eco-friendly in your work and, perhaps, a more marketable photographer!
P&P Blogger Profile: Michael Snell
Michael Snell of eyes on the road
Why do you blog?To supplement a web site my brother and I started to provides digital photography tips and tools called thatsmymonkey.com. We each have a blog on our particular specialty — mine being travel and his being weddings and portraits. The blogs allow us to put information out to our readers much more quickly than updating the core website.
My brother’s blog – http://blsphoto.blogspot.com/
John Nack – http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/
Strobist – http://strobist.blogspot.com/
I think I’ve always been a photographer, starting with box cameras and Kodak Instamatics as a kid, graduating to 35mm when I was around 12. I began using a Mac in 1986 and used Digital Darkroom software before switching to Photoshop – possibly even with version 1.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
Currently a Nikon D200 but I keep a Panasonic LX-1 in my pocket most of the time, too.
Definitely Mac although I do also own a Sony Vaio (don’t tell anyone!)
My Mac and Cinema Display. For photo equipment, probably my 80-200 Nikkor zoom. Typically my favorite shots come from it.
A sub-compact Mac laptop for on the road… but, sadly, they don’t make one. Until then, maybe an Epson P-5000? Or two.
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
If you want to go pro, take some business classes.
It’s pretty much something I just have to do. Just about anything can inspire me.
Travel. See the world and realize that there are many ways to live a good life. We don’t all need to be the same.
I really like both Canadian coasts. Maybe somewhere around Vancouver? With a vacation home in the Cyclades?
Travel is my favorite thing to do. Period. For work or pleasure — and it’s often hard to separate the two. I also read a lot.
I’d like to be able to fly. Is that a talent? Maybe that’s an ability…
What is your favorite word? Yes
What is your least favorite word? Can’t
What turns you on? A cold beer on a warm veranda overlooking something scenic.
What turns you off? Anger
What sound or noise do you hate? The sound of my car not starting.
What is your favorite curse word? Shliznat (any Farscape fans out there?)
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? Architect
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Prison guard
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? You’re late.
