a Photography Accessory Every Photographer Should Own

If you have any screw on filters, one day, one of them will get stuck on your lens. It’s a sad but true fact of filter use. Filters often get stuck because the pressure from your fingers bends the filter a little when you try to unscrew them. Gripping harder to un-stick a stuck-on filter just makes it worse. A filter wrench distributes the pressure of your grip around the entire edge, gripping the filter tight without bending it. Get a filter wrench before you need one so you’re not tempted to force off a stuck-on filter and make it permanently stuck in the process. A set of two wrenches costs about $5.

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Video Tutorial on Creating Realistic HDR Images using Photomatix Pro

Tom Baker has created our latest Photographers Lounge video tutorial on creating realistic HDR images using Photomatix.

how does the elimination of the penny affect your photography business

The 2012 federal budget states: "The government expects that businesses will apply rounding for cash transactions in a fair and transparent manner."

The rounding will not be done on single items but on the total bill of sale. If the price ends in a one, two, six, or seven it gets rounded down to 0 or 5; and rounded up if it ends in three, four, eight or nine.

Rounding

Amounts ending in 1 cent and 2 cents are rounded down to the nearest 10 cents.
Amounts ending in 3 cents and 4 cents are rounded up to the nearest 5 cents.
Amounts ending in 6 cents and 7 cents are rounded down to the nearest 5 cents.
Amounts ending in 8 cents and 9 cents are rounded up to the nearest 10 cents.
Amounts ending in 0 cent and 5 cents remain unchanged.

Example

A 1 dollar and 83 cent coffee and a 2 dollar and 86 cent sandwich would be 4 dollars and 92 cents after the 5 percent Goods and Services Tax.

A tax rate of 5 per cent has been provided for the purposes of illustration. Any taxes (e.g., the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax), as well as any fees or duties, should be tabulated prior to rounding.

If the customer chooses to pay by cheque, credit card or debit card, no rounding is applied and the final payment is 4 dollars and 92 cents. However, if the customer pays with cash, the final total is rounded down 2 cents to a final payment of 4 dollars and 90 cents.

Businesses will not need to adjust their cash registers.

What about the sales tax and the GST/HST?

They won't make a difference. The government wants the rounding done on cash transactions only after the taxes have been added to the sub-total.

 

Here is a graphic to better explain

 

 

How did the photographer take that photo? Today's post by Glenn Taylor

Over the past two years I have met some great photographers... and today's photographer is as talented as they come. Please allow me to introduce you to Glenn Taylor, a friend and fellow photographer that hails from Georgia. Take it away Glenn...

Telling the Story in Details

Anytime I get the opportunity to visit a location or take a photowalk, I cover the main shots most people would take at these location, but I always look for the shots that tell the rest of the story.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Cumberland Island over a long holiday weekend and stay at one of the few homes permitted on the island. The owner is a great guy and wonderful host. I captured some nice sunsets and sunrises over the marsh with a wild horse grazing in the tall grass. I would consider this a classic Cumberland Island image and one most every photographer going there would want to capture.

Canon 5D with 24-70mm L, ISO 100, f 5.0, 24mm at 1/25 second on tripod

While we were staying there, I noticed his riding gear on the landing by the stairway.

The owner was an avid rider and fox hunter in his younger days and I wanted to capture it and give an insight into that detail of the story. He has a “bigger than life” personality and this unusual item gave that sense of past adventures and historical charm. I waited until the next morning, after shooting some sunrise images with everyone still sleeping, and photographed the set up with wonderful window light from the left side. That light helped bring texture and great tones to the final image. The owner liked it so much he has a copy of it hanging in his office because it was a major part of who he was.

The most enjoyable part of any shoot for me are the details. Just finding those little scenes in the location that often go unnoticed. I look for them. Just remember to slow down a little and you’ll begin to see the pictures within the picture on your next shoot.

Canon 5D with 24-70mm L, ISO 100, f 5.6, 34mm at 1 second on tripod

You can find my images posted at the following locations:

Flicker: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gtaylor57/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/glenn.taylor.338
Pintrest: http://pinterest.com/gtaylor57/glenn-taylor-photography/
Google+: +Glenn Taylor

 

Also, there are still a few spots left to join Rick Sammon and myself for our HDR Heavy Metal in Hot’lanta Workshop this March, if you hurry. Get all the details and sign up at http://ricksammon.com/2013-workshops/

Turn Your Dreams Into Personal and Professional Success

After you watch this video ask yourself one question... "What do i desire?"

a message worth sharing I think...

South of France Photography Worshop - Carmague Stallions and the Luberon valley

Courtesy of Patrice Aguilar

I will start by saying that I am going on some exciting trips and workshops in 2013... and while I was already extremely excited about returing to France in June of 2013, when I received these photos from our French guide, Patrice Aguilar, I gasped... what a fantastic trip this is going to be...

Courtesy of Patrice Aguilar

 

 

To start the tour we will bring the white ranch horses to different properties, allowing for a wide range of photogenic backdrops and behaviours. We photograph the white horses running through the shallow water of salt marshes and along the beach in the waves and salt spray. With shots of fighting stallions, mares with their dark foals in the fields or at the ranches, and detailed portrait head shots and guardian riders in their gear. We’ll have many opportunities to capture this time-honoured breed in a variety of environments unique to this seaside estuary.

We will also take advantage of the sweet light at sunrise and sunset to silhouette horses with or without riders. Schedule permitting, we shoot a traditional celebration where riders lead black bulls through the town.

During our first few days we will also shoot greater flamingos feeding, displaying and in flight at the Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau. Located in the middle of the Parc naturel régional de Camargue, the bird park’s natural habitats primarily include marsh and ponds with remarkable proximity to migratory and resident birds, such as flamingos, herons, storks, ducks, raptors and other small waders.

 

  

 Courtesy of Patrice Aguilar

 

During our second half of the trip you will stay three nights in the Parc Naturel du Luberon, a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. The Luberon valley is a picturesque landscape of vineyards, lavender fields flanking country roads, quaint delightful villages with local artisans shops, winding alleys and beautiful vistas

The true essense of Provence will be presented to you so that you can interpret through your lens.

If you would like to learn more about this workshop with Rick Sammon, Denise Ippolito and Kevin Pepper please visit http://www.photographers-lounge.com/photo-tours/our-2013-photo-tours/south-of-france/ for more information.

Photography idea to try this weekend - single shutter speed challenge

This can be challenging, but spending some time either looking to capture subjects with long or very fast shutter speeds will teach you a lot about the exposure triangle. The camera will adjust the aperture for you and the only other setting you should allow yourself to adjust is the ISO to slow down or quicken your shutter speeds..

To do this shoot in shutter priority mode.