Stormy Weather All May Not Be Lost

September, 2011
Stormy Weather
All May Not Be Lost
Here in New Jersey we recently have had so much
water from Hurricane Irene that there weren’t quite
enough potholes to hold it all. Kidding aside, some
areas are experiencing catastrophic flooding and
some families and businesses are wiped out. Not
far from here is a major shopping mall that should
be renamed Atlantis and a hospital which became
an island.
As an example, wrap a piece of cardboard with
aluminum foil and hold it at an angle so that it reflects light onto the subject. It could be reflecting
and redirecting the camera’s flash, or light from
any other source.
Include something of a known size in the
photo to indicate scale. The viewer has no concept of size without such help. It could be ruler, a
baseball, a glove or whatever else is around that
is easily recognizable.
By all means use a tripod or some other
support to hold the camera motionless. A picture
taken with a tripod mounted camera is ALWAYS
sharper than hand holding the same camera.
Take the camera off Auto ISO and use the
lowest ISO the camera offers. This will give the
highest resolution the camera can offer. Also be
certain that the cameras set to highest resolution
and lowest compression.
When satisfactory images are obtained,
make at least one print and 2 or more backup
copies on CDs as proof of the damage. Rename
the file instead of trying to memorize the file number the camera used - looking for picture “tree
fell on Audi - aug2011.jpg” is easier than finding
“img0023501.jpg”.
On this morning’s CBS newscast several homeowners were interviewed regarding losses caused
by the storm and flooding. The first thing 2 of the
homeowners mentioned were photographs. Another person said carpeting, furniture and photos.
In all, 60% (3 of 5) of those interviewed said photos! Photos are our links between past and future,
as strong as the written word. Our photos are our
legacy. YOUR photos are YOUR legacy! Treat
them with the care and respect they deserve.
Establish your
Proof NOW
Many of our readers have suffered personal or
property damage due to the recent weather, and
everyone has had or will have some in the future.
Here are a few ideas to help document the damages ...
Bigger is Better
Yeah, Sometimes
In order to maximize detail in photographs,
there must be sufficient light to cause shadows
coming from a direction other than directly from
the camera. To achieve this, take more than one
picture from different angles as points of reference. Use something reflective to add light from
an angle to create a shadow.
A new category of camera has just been released
and demands to be considered newsworthy. As
was previously reported in this newsletter, the SLR
camera is going through some drastic redesigns.
Without much fanfare, Pentax began shipping the
new “Q” camera system on September 1.
1
September, 2011
Almost everything about this camera is revolutionary, beginning with its size, as shown below. It
boasts interchangeable lenses, flashes, accepts
filters, records still photos, full HD video with complete or partial automation as well as completely
manual use. Oh, yes, it’s metal!
Nine Eleven
As we near the tenth anniversary of the attack,
there are a few photo shows in New York City
worth the mention:
Aftermath
Joel Meyerowitz
NYU Open House, 528 LaGuardia Place
August 20 – October 13
http://www.nyu.edu/life/events-traditions/10th-anniversary-of-911.html
Remembering 9/11
Organized by ICP Curator Carol Squiers and ICP
Associate Curator Kristen Lubben
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street
September 9, 2011 – January 8, 2012
Although it looks great on paper (or monitor), it
cannot be believed until it is picked up in one’s
hand! Click on the camera to learn more.
http://www.icp.org/museum/exhibitions/upcoming
Faces of Ground Zero
Joe McNally
Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle
August 24, 2011 – September 12, 2011
Time to Learn
Our Better Imaging Photo School starts classes
later this month. A complete schedule is included
in this issue. We’re hoping a couple of sessions
will enlighten you.
http://events.nydailynews.com/new-york-ny/
events/show/201140605-faces-of-ground-zeroon-display-at-time-warner-center-824-912-innew-york-city
Snap Shots
During the recent stretch of hot humid days and
cool, air conditioned nights many people have had
annoyances with their cameras and flashes not
working consistently. If this happens to you, take
the battery(s) out and wipe all the contacts with
a soft cloth and then reinsert the battery(s). This
often is all that is needed.
2
September, 2011
Madison PhotoPlus
More than a few Nikon DSLR owners experienced
a similar event brought about by the same causes.
If this happens to you, carefully remove the lens
and clean the gold contacts on the rear of the
lens and the matching contacts on the body’s lens
mount. Again, a soft lintless dry cloth (such as a
microfiber cloth) is all that’s needed. Do not use
old style paper lens tissue.
40 Main St., Madison, NJ 07940
v.973.966.2900; f.973.377.1458
www.madisonphoto.com
Jerry, Joy, Marie, Rachelle, Rob ,
Sybil & Vincent
the PhotoSummit
Enjoy the (hopefully) cooler weather and keep
taking pictures. It’s fun, you know!
383 Springfield Ave., Summit, NJ 07901
v. 908.273.7427; f.908.277.0218
www.photosummit.com
Bret, Josh, Larry & Lynne
3