Notes to Self

Probably like the rest of you, I don’t really like spending my down time reading technical manuals of any sort. Well, maybe cookbooks if I’m looking for something new to make, but otherwise? Nope. So I’m not sure why I said yes when I got an email asking me if I’d like to review the new release of The Basic Book Of Digital Photography. Other than the fact that I might learn something new and that would be cool.

When I got the book in the mail I thought, crap this thing is huge. It’s about the size of Lonely Planet Mexico. I thought it would be a book that I might want to pack in my bag with me on a trip, but no. This is a manual to study and use at home or in the studio.

So I have to admit that I haven’t read this book cover to cover. But I do pick it up and refer to it quite often. And you know what? It always has the answer to my question.

This book thoroughly guides both newbie, as well as advanced film photographer who is moving into digital, through the basics of both digital “point & shoot” and single lens reflex (dSLR) cameras. It’s not a bible. It’s a guidebook to get you started. In that respect it’s a pretty good one. Besides talking about differences in cameras, the authors, Tom and Michele Grimm, give hands-on advice about basic equipment like tripods, lenses, and other accessories as well as exposure settings, white balance, sensors, memory cards, basic composition and printing techniques. They illustrate their information with photo examples, screenshots, and diagrams. In the back of the book is a nice glossary of photography terms to get you up to speed and a few pages of urls for finding more information on the web.

I’m finding it to be a handy resource.

The Basic Book of Digital Photography: How to Shoot, Enhance, and Share Your Digital Pictures

Tom and Michele Grimm are a husband and wife photography team.

August 12, 1923: At last we are Mexico bound, after months of preparation, after such endless delays that the proposed adventure seemed but a conceit of the imagination never actually to materialize. Each postponement became a joke to our friends and source of mortification to us. But money had to be raised, and with rumors of my departure many last moment sittings came in, each one helping to secure our future. … — Edward Weston, photographer, from The Daybooks of Edward Weston, I. Mexico

Yes, I know very well how Mr. Weston must have felt, but I’m sure he understood in the end that these things happen in their own time. There really is no control over where, how, or when someone might travel. It happens when all things that are needed come together at once. And then poof! we’re off.

There is still time to shop online for that special someone (or even for yourself :) and get your stuff before Christmas. Although you should act fast! With the weather not cooperating all over the country, why not let UPS or FedEx do your last minute shopping for you?!

I had so much fun putting together this year’s Holiday Shopping Guide! I’ve even added more sale items this morning – like SpaFinder gift certificates, Barnes & Noble books, and lots of items on sale at Sur la Table.

There are also a few artists in The Artist Directory who are having holiday sales of their work, and are even offering a holiday discount. You can find them listed in the latest post.

So, if your still stuck for a present, go check out our gift ideas for the artist, traveler, photographer, and/or foodie in your life.

On one of the discussion boards that I participate on, there was a question as to how to make sure that a service will back up photos taken with a high resolution in high resolution. If you don’t want to lug a photo studio around with you but want photos from your trip that are worthy of printing here are a few tips:

Take several CF cards so that you don’t have to use non-professional services to transfer your photos. I take about 6 cards with me – but I usually create my backups each night before going to sleep so I can start with fresh cards in the morning. Having more than one card will buy you some time in finding a professional photo service.

Tell the photo person that you want full-res images on your CD, and to use as many CDs as needed to do so. The person at the desk probably assumed you wanted all the photos on one CD.

Take a wallet of blank CDs with you and backup the photos from a computer at an Internet Cafe.

If you decide to use a service for creating your CD, check the CD before reformatting your CF card.

How I do it, but it entails lugging crap around:

I travel with my cameras, CF cards, a large wallet of blank CDs, and my laptop.

Each night after shooting I download all of the photos onto my laptop (1st copy). Then, if there were a large number of photos from that day, or I wait a day until there are enough to fill a disc, I create a backup CD and store it in the wallet (copy 2).

When I travel I have one copy of the photographs on the laptop in my daypack, and the CD wallet goes in the suitcase (or duffel or whatever I’m using on that particular trip). This keeps the 2 copies of photos separate in case something happens to one of the bags.

Sometimes if the trip is short and I have a free internet connection, I’ll also load the most important photos into the home directory of my website. I rarely do this though because it’s time consuming and redundant. (backup 3)

I am currently researching the idea of using those little portable USB drives to backup photos rather than CDs. They make wallets for multiple USB drives that take up less space in the suitcase than a CD wallet.

From June 23 – 30, 2008, a team of art educators and photographers from the US will live within the community and work with teenagers of the city of Nezahualcóyotl, a sprawling dusty expanse of low-income housing, and the second most populous municipality in the state of México.

Ciudad Neza is also considered among one of the most dangerous places in Mexico, due to rampant crime in the area.

Photographers will teach students, ages 13-17, photojournalism and story-telling skills, while creating awareness about social issues present in their lives.

As always, Project Luz needs the support of their friends and art community to succeed. They are currently seeking donations of old or new digital cameras to provide for their students. If you feel you can donate or assist them in obtaining camera donations, please contact:

Jasmin@ProjectLuz.org
or call
55 3051 6097 (Mexico)
415.335.4631 (US)

For further information: www.ProjectLuz.org

Participating Photographers In This Project:
Dante Busquets, Oscar Castillo, Livia Corona, Brian Frank, Nikola Okin Frioli, Darcy Holdorf, Russell Monk, David Paul Morris, Michael Mullady, Jessica Pons, Marcela Taboada, Holly Wilmeth.