Today, we’re very happy to announce the first browser-based version of the Jalbum application! That’s right – Online Jalbum brings the power of our desktop version straight into your browser!

The main goal of Online Jalbum is ease of use. We hope that the online version will be an easy way to start with Jalbum, and if you want to have more control you can download the full application for even more flexibility. Here are some of the goodies in the initial version:
• Multi-photo upload
• Arrange photos by drag and drop
• Add captions
• Customize your album with skins
• Publish to: yourname.jalbum.net
• Easy sharing to Facebook, Twitter etc.

Online photo editing by Pixlr.com
This release also includes an exciting new partnership with photo editing extraordinaire Pixlr.com. Pixlr is integrated into Online Jalbum for a smooth experience. You’ll enjoy easy photo editing within the browser application, to make your pictures shine.

A huge THANK YOU to all knights
During the hidden beta-period, Online Jalbum was known as “Camelot” and only open to invited Beta-testers. More than 5000 people (Knights) participated in the beta program, giving us fantastic feedback in the heavy development phase. Online Jalbum would never have been as good as it is, without the tremendous help from our brave Knights. We’d like to forward a big thank you to all of you!

Spread the word!
Help us spread these awesome news by sending this link to friends: http://jalbum.net/create. Are you on Twitter? Retweet this for a chance to win a one year Premium account! We’ll randomly pick 5 RT’s and award them with a Jalbum Premium account each.
Kind regards,
Carl Manneh and the entire Jalbum team
FIND MORE INFO AT : WWW.JALBUM.NET

The EOS-1D Mark IV, EOS 5D Mark II and EOS 7D Cameras Utilize New Canon WFT Units To Help Professionals Deliver “The Shot”

Lake Success, N.Y., January 7, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is announcing a step forward in the digital integration of professional photography workflows with the introduction of three new Wireless File Transmitter units to accompany each of the Company’s three professional Digital SLR Camera models. The new WFT-E2 II A Wireless File Transmitter, WFT-E4 II A Wireless File Transmitter and WFT-E5A Wireless File Transmitter for the EOS-1D Mark IV, EOS 5D Mark II and EOS 7D, respectively, provide professional photographers with a range of innovative wireless connectivity options for all photographic disciplines.
For example, by coupling each compatible camera with one of the new WFT units, professionals can fire up to 10 cameras simultaneously with Canon’s new Camera Linking function, which is perfect for getting that split-second shot from multiple angles. The new WFT units also enable the roaming photojournalist or back-country nature photographer to geotag images easily through hard-wired or Bluetooth-connected GPS devices and append coordinates to the image’s EXIF data. Additionally, reliable file transfer options such as FTP Mode provide wedding and event photographers with the ability to send images in real-time to a computer for instant prints or projection onto event screens while allowing the photographer to operate wirelessly.

It’s been months of writing and rewriting but the end of the tunnel is near.  Site pages at AdobePhoto are near completion and that makes a Merry Christmas! 

The next task will be to continue with current updates so we don’t wrap fish and you will continue to come back to read more.

Remember, submit you photos for the photo gallery.  Submit up to 48 images for all to see on line.

Lastly, those writers out there we’re looking for articles to take the load off our editor for coming up with ideas.  Submit your photography article today.

Until after the Christmas Holiday – Merry Christmas!

The best to you,

Richard

P.S. Check out some of the Great Deals by our online Advertisers.  B&H is running some great low priced holiday specials.  Just click on their ad and tour their site.  Some of their camera prices are lower than WalMart!  They also ship to anywhere is the US for FREE.

The innovative E-P2 offers more of what photo enthusiasts have been asking for:

A stylish retro black metal body reminiscent of a traditional PEN camera;
Accessory port to accommodate the included detachable VF-2 Electronic View Finder (EVF) or optional external microphone adapter EMA-1;
A newly-developed Continuous Autofocus (C-AF) Tracking System tracks the subject across or back-and-forward through the frame;
Two new art filters: Diorama & Cross Process for greater creative expression in your still images and HD videos;
iEnhance to automatically adjust color and contrast for a more dramatic effect;
Full Manual Control of shutter/aperture in Movie Mode; and
HDMI Control of camera’s playback functions using the TV Remote when the camera is connected to an HDTV.
“The high demand for the E-P1 demonstrates that today’s photo enthusiasts and consumers want the high-quality imaging like that of DSLRs in a compact retro design. The fact that it also offers HD video, creative functions and high-end stereo sound makes it even more desirable,” said John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Digital SLR, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “The new PEN builds on the success of the E-P1 by adding many of the features that were on enthusiasts’ wish list for the second generation: an EVF for composing with your eye close to the camera, the ability to add an external microphone, C-AF tracking, and a black metal body. With each new PEN, Olympus continues to enhance the line, and the future looks very bright.”

The E-P2 comes with either the small and lightweight Olympus M. ZUIKO Micro Four Thirds lenses: 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 (28-84mm equivalent) or 17mm f2.8 (34mm equivalent). The camera adds to the new category created by the E-P1: Not a P&S. Not an SLR. It’s a PEN.

Accessorize: Everything Goes with Basic Black
The E-P2 incorporates a new port for connecting new accessories including an optional EMA-1 Microphone adapter and the VF-2 live-finder, a detachable electronic viewfinder that comes with the E-P2. The live-finder easily slides onto the camera’s accessory port and hot shoe when needed to provide 1.15x magnification, a 100% field of view with amazing resolution, brightness and contrast. The viewfinder refreshes quickly to minimize image ghosting on fast-moving subjects.

The VF-2 rotates up to 90 degrees to enable photographers to look down into it, which is useful when shooting subjects from challenging angles. The built-in diopter adjustment and high magnification offer easy viewing with and without glasses.

For those who want to capture enhanced audio, the new EMA-1 external microphone connector can be plugged into the new camera’s external accessory port. The connector will accept the optional Olympus ME-51S stereo microphone or any microphone of their choice.

Olympus has a variety of other accessories to maximize the functionality of the new PEN, including the previously released 14-42mm and 17mm Micro Four Thirds lenses. The MMF-1 Four Thirds System Lens Adapter makes E-P2 compatible with all Olympus ZUIKO Digital SpecificTM lenses and other Four Thirds System lenses from Sigma, Panasonic and Leica.
Olympus OM film-based lenses can be attached to the E-P2 with the MF-2 OM Lens Adapter. Additionally, an optional FL-14 flash unit, suitably small for the camera, adds more lighting versatility to your shots.

Stay focused on Your Targets Wherever They Roam
Sometimes it can be hard enough to keep up with kids, let alone take pictures of them. The E-P2’s new C-AF Tracking and AF Target Registration locks your subject into focus, and constantly adjusts focus and brightness whether you or your subject is moving. With this mode, a simple push of the shutter release enables you to keep fast-moving and unpredictable subjects in focus – tracking subjects from left to right and from front to back – within the frame, automatically ensuring that even active subjects are captured clearly.

Even More Ways to Create
Olympus pioneered easy-to-use in-camera art filters for still images captured inside its E-System DSLRs. It was the first company to offer the ability to apply art filters to High Definition video recordings captured with the E-P1. Now, the E-P2 continues this tradition of innovation with eight in-camera art filters, including two new filters: the Diorama and Cross Process. The Diorama art filter gives users a miniature model photo feeling by narrowing the depth of focus and enhancing color and contrast. The selective focus that this filter offers lends intimacy to images of even the largest subjects like canyons or cityscapes.

The Cross Process art filter offers an unexpected look to images and videos by changing the color and contrast of subjects on the fly. Using this mode can result in surreal other-worldly images. Whether you’re a videographer, documentarian or established director – or just want to shoot like one – Art Filters set your images and videos apart from the pack. Since they’re built into the camera, you can achieve dramatic results on the go without needing a computer or editing software. These new filters are a welcome addition to the Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale & Light Color, Light Tone, Grainy Film and Pin Hole filters previously available on the E-P1.

Because the PEN is an interchangable lens system camera, you also have more creative options for video capture. You can attach any one of the new super-compact Micro Four Thirds lenses or, because the camera can accept many of the other Four Thirds Format lenses with an available MMF-1 Four Thirds System Lens Adapter, you can add anything from an extreme wide-angle fisheye lens to a super telephoto lens for a wide range of expressive options. All the while you will have more DSLR-like control over depth of field, focus, white balance and ISO. It begs the question, “What will you create?”

iEnhance for Radiant Colors
The E-P2 includes a new picture mode called iEnhance, which analyzes colors and brightness. The new mode mimics what the naked eye sees. For example, a beautiful sunset looks awesome in person and generally seems to fade when captured in an image. With iEnhance, the warm yellow and orange colors are heightened to be brilliant and closer to the actual scene. The result is exceptionally clear imaging with a dramatically lifelike color. iEnhance can be used in any shooting mode – from program to manual – and automatically engages when in iAuto.

HDMI Control from Your HDTV Remote
The new PEN makes sharing your content easier than ever. Just connect the E-P2 to your HDTV with an optional HDMI cable and use your HDTV’s remote to control playback functions and navigate the camera’s menus from the comfort of your favorite couch or chair.

Manual in Movie Mode
The E-P2’s manual movie mode allows for independent control of aperture and shutter for expanded exposure and creative control. Now you can adjust the shutter to control the depth of focus while using the aperture to set the overall brightness of the video. This level of control allows you to express your vision exactly how you want in your HD videos.

Make a Design Statement
The E-P2’s high-end, stainless-steel all-black body is easy to handle and carry, and has the styling and refinement of a precision chronometer. Its retro-chic look turns heads, from tech-aficionados and camera buffs to the style-conscious and everyday point-and-shooter. Built rock solid, it fits comfortably in a jacket pocket or a handbag for impromptu street-shooting or any spontaneous adventure. The E-P2 lets you do more and go more places while capturing your life, thanks to its compact size – 4.74″(W) x 2.75″ (H) x 1.37″ (D) – and light 11.1-ounce body. Attention to detail is visible in every aspect of the PEN’s design, including the currently available small and lightweight 14-42mm and 17mm M. ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses as well as the newly announced 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 (18-36mm equivalent) and 14-150mm f4.0-5.6 (28-300mm equivalent) M. ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses.

Ultra-Compact Body Delivers Superior Image Quality
The E-P2 has everything you need to produce vibrant DSLR-quality images: a large 12.3-megapixel imager, In-body Image Stabilization, fast Imager Autofocus, the proven Olympus Dust Reduction System and the new TruePic™ V Image Processor.

As the second Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus, the E-P2 provides the same image quality as current Four Thirds format E-System cameras because it has the same image sensor size as the E-30 and E-620 DSLR models, but in a much smaller body. This high-performance 12.3-megapixel Live MOS image sensor delivers excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity, and a state-of-the-art amplifier circuit to reduce noise and capture fine image details in both highlight and shadow areas.

The E-P2’s Live MOS image sensor is complemented by Olympus’ TruePic™ V Image Processor, which produces clear and colorful photos using all the pixel information for each image to provide the best digital images possible. The image processor is noted for accurate natural color, true-to-life flesh tones, brilliant blue skies and precise tonal expression; it also lowers image noise in photos shot at higher ISO settings (ISO 100 to ISO 6400), enabling great results in low-light situations.

Be a Mover, Not a Shaker
Any lens attached to the E-P2 will deliver blur-free images thanks to three modes of In-body Image Stabilization that compensate for up to four steps EV (exposure value). Mechanical Image Stabilization automatically compensates for camera shake in low light or when shooting without a tripod. Since the PEN is the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera with In-body Image Stabilization, you’ll feel comfortable taking it on the road with you to capture the action. As an added advantage, the built-in image stabilization works not only with the M. Zuiko lenses but all Four Thirds lenses and even older OM film-based lenses when used with the appropriate adapter for the E-P2.

Small Real Estate with an Amazing 3-Inch LCD View
Consumers accustomed to composing and focusing using a point-and-shoot camera’s LCD will appreciate the E-P2’s 100 percent accurate, 3-inch full color HyperCrystal LCD, which gives them the same easy, seamless experience when shooting still images or videos. The camera’s Live Control function makes it easy to compose, edit and shoot pictures or videos without stopping to access various menus. The E-P2’s fast Imager Autofocus in Live View also enables you to compose, focus and capture the shot quickly and easily without ever taking your eyes off the large LCD.

The LCD displays 230,000 pixels in vivid color and includes HyperCrystal technology, which offers many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors for easier viewing in both preview and playback. It also provides a wide viewing angle of 176 degrees, which ensures that images can be composed from even the most obscure angles.

This Camera Leaves Others in the Dust
You don’t have to waste precious time worrying about dust ruining the perfect image; instead, spend more of that time shooting with the E-P2. The proven Olympus Dust Reduction System produces spot-free photos with the exclusive Supersonic Wave Filter™, a patented ultrasonic technology that vibrates to remove dust and other particles from the front of the image sensor, capturing it on a special adhesive membrane every time the camera is turned on.

What You See Is What You Get
When viewing the LCD in Live View, Art Filter effects and settings like white balance and exposure are viewable right on the LCD, and their impact is seen instantly on the display. Real-time monitoring offers amazing versatility and creative control, and users who apply a setting have instant gratification because what they see on the camera’s LCD is what they’ve captured. For musicians used to applying audio effects like reverb to their instruments before recording them, the concept of setting the E-P2 to capture precisely the kind of image they want before they press the shutter makes perfect sense. For imaging purists who want to shoot without filters, and apply them to images inside the camera later, or just edit images back at their computers, the E-P2 provides these options and opens more in-the-field creative possibilities.

Mix It Up with Multiple Exposure
With the E-P2’s Multiple Exposure function available for still image capture, you are free to tell a visual story your way, whether in a portrait, a landscape or a combination of both. The image capture options allow you to shoot one shot, then another and combine them in real time, or capture both shots separately and combine them in the camera later. Overlay your face on top of your pet’s face. Create an “identical twin” of yourself. Put the moon in the sky at noon. Your ability to manipulate space and time makes this new creative multimedia device a veritable time machine.

Frame Your Works of Art Inside the PEN
You can often achieve greater photographic expression by framing a scene in a unique way. The E-P2 provides four aspect ratios that serve as masks to frame your image to the desired proportions, including: the standard 4:3 aspect ratio that is suited to an 8 x 10-inch enlargement; the 16:9 aspect ratio that will display your images beautifully on a widescreen television; and other popular aspect ratios such as 3:2 and 6:6. The Multi-Aspect Shooting further expresses your creative vision when combined with Art Filters and multiple exposures. What will you create?

Stereo Audio Sounds As Good As the PEN Images Look
Like the innovative Olympus LS-11 portable audio recording device that puts the power of a recording studio in your pocket, the E-P2 features uncompressed CD-quality 16 bit/44.1kHz Linear PCM stereo recording capability to capture the rich sound quality of your scene. When you shoot with the E-P2, it’s like having a sound technician built into your camera to capture the nuances of the audio happening all around you. It has the versatility to record and play back in the WAV format and can record with its built-in stereo microphone. Whether recording audio while shooting a video or adding audio by recording a narration to your still images, the E-P2’s audio sounds as great as its images look. Now, with the new stereo microphone adapter, there is new freedom in audio capture with the PEN.

Create Your Own Multimedia Slideshows with Stills, Video and Audio Inside E-P2
Content is king, and with the E-P2 you have your own portable kingdom of still images, HD video, and audio to remix at your command. In playback mode you can seamlessly mix stills and movies inside the camera to create a multimedia slideshow; dub in one of five built-in dramatic background music options to provide a soundtrack for your cinematic creation. Plug the E-P2 into any HD television with an HDMI cable and show off your masterpieces to your audience before your DVD arrives in stores!

As Easy to Use as a Point-and-Shoot with SLR-Quality Technologies
The E-P2 is equipped with 19 scene-select modes for effortless picture taking. Standard scene modes like Night-Scene, Portrait and Landscape are easy-to-use solutions for everyday shooting. Capturing beautiful portraits is easy with the new ePortrait Mode. It enables you to smooth your subject’s skin – all in the camera and before capture! Additionally, edits can be made post-capture using the ePortrait mode.

Shooting scenes with both highlights and shadows can often be a challenge because of the extreme contrast between dark and bright areas. The E-P2 addresses this challenge with Shadow Adjustment Technology that adjusts for extreme light variations and maintains visible detail in both the shadow and highlight areas of the scene. Now users can see and preview the gradation on the Live View LCD and capture images showing the shadow detail they saw. This feature is also accessible in the Edit menu after the shot has been taken.

The E-P2’s Face Detection reduces the chance of blurred subjects in images by recognizing up to eight people’s faces and the background, tracking the faces within the image area, even if people are moving, and automatically focusing and optimizing exposure for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures (ideal for large family or party group photos).

Don’t like changing camera settings for each shooting situation? The E-P2’s Intelligent Auto Mode automatically identifies what you’re shooting (Portrait, Landscape, Night + Portrait, Macro, Sports) and adjusts settings to capture the best result depending on the situation. First-time users will enjoy this quick and hassle-free feature, which does the thinking for them and produces incredible images like a pro.

The E-P2 offers ease-of-use and flexibility to meet your shooting style. Choose the Live Control technology, an advanced control panel system that incorporates the use of the sub dial and enables you to see the image and the menu controls all at the same time on the LCD. As a result, you can use the main and sub dials to select modes and adjust settings without having to take your eyes off the subject. Or if you prefer, shoot with the Super Control Panel, which is familiar to any serious shooter. These options along with the camera’s intuitive button layout make the camera simple to use. The E-P2 records to SDHC media cards to accommodate large files including videos with In-Camera Creative Features and uncompressed audio.

Digital Leveler
The E-P2 is equipped with an internal Digital Level Sensor that detects the camera’s pitch and roll and indicates it on the control panel. This Digital Leveler is a tremendous benefit when capturing architecture and landscapes. Level the perfect coastline shot on your next tropical vacation without being tethered to a computer and editing software.

Magnified Focus Assist
The E-P2 provides two optional methods to help the user focus: a Magnified Focus (MF) Assist Function and Magnification Display. When using manual focus, the MF Assist feature aids with critical focus by allowing you to zoom in on part of the image by simply turning the focusing ring on the front of the lens. The Magnification Display enables you to selectively enlarge the image on the LCD at the touch of a button. This mode works for both autofocus and manual focus. Both MF Assist methods provide up to a 10x magnification of a single point of the image for critical focus; perfect for macro or still-life photography.

18×18 Metering Modes
This mode divides the image area into an 18 x 18 grid, metering each of the 324 separate cells to obtain optimum exposure. In addition to 324-division ESP metering, center-weighted metering and spot metering modes are also available.

OLYMPUS Master 2 Software
Use the included OLYMPUS Master 2 software (Mac and PC) to easily download images and videos from the camera or other external device, such as a USB drive, and automatically organize them into albums and groups and by date. Develop high-quality RAW images, apply Art Filter effects, edit and print images. Also, apply the most common editing functions to your HD videos. Update camera and lens firmware through the software and download additional menu languages. A direct link makes uploading your images and videos to YouTube™ easier than ever.

OLYMPUS Studio 2 (Trial Edition Included)
Extend the capability of Olympus Master 2 with Olympus Studio 2. In addition to the functions of OLYMPUS Master 2, this software includes a lightbox mode and selection marks for comparing and sorting multiple images. RAW processing is enhanced with additional controls for finer adjustments. The trial edition can be used for 30 days after installation. After the trial period has expired, a license key is required for further use.

Availability
The Olympus E-P2 will be available in December 2009. It includes E-P2 Body, VF-2 Electronic View Finder, ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens or 17mm f2.8 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLS-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCS-1), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master 2 Software CD-ROM, Manuals and Registration card.

U.S. Pricing / Product Configurations
E-P2 Body with ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder
Estimated Street Price: $1099.99

E-P2 Body with 17mm f2.8 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder
Estimated Street Price: $1099.99

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., November 10, 2009 – Olympus today announced that it has been named an International CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for its first Micro Four Thirds camera: the Olympus PEN E-P1. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products across 36 product categories.

The Olympus E-P1 is the world’s smallest 12.3-megapixel image stabilized interchangeable lens system camera. It’s a revolutionary product, blending the high-quality still images like that of a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera with High Definition (HD) video, stereo Linear PCM audio recording and In-Camera Creativity within an ultra-portable body. The easy-to-use E-P1 expands your creative horizons and its diverse multimedia features offer something for everyone. Built for today’s visual generation who lead active lives online and offline, the E-P1 will make you rethink what you can do with a camera.

“We are honored that the digital PEN has been named a CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Award Honoree,” said John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Digital SLR, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “The E-P1’s beautiful retro design pays homage to the original PEN cameras of 1959 and the later PEN F cameras. The E-P1’s revolutionary functionality creates a new camera category that defies the traditional boundaries. Neither a P&S nor an SLR, it’s a PEN.”

The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards have been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976. It is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the producer of the International CES, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow, and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the voice of industrial design, committed to advancing the profession through education, information, community and advocacy.

The Olympus E-P1 will be displayed at the 2010 International CES, which runs January 7-10, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase will feature honorees by product category in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center and will also be featured at CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES on Tuesday, January 5.

A Maximum of 48 of your best creative images.  These images should be carefully selected as if they will be displayed at a local art gallery.  Actually, you are being displayed in every country in the world, so put on your best show.

Image specifications:
Maximum Image size: 510 pixels X 510 pixels
Resolution:  72dpi
Maximum file size: 100kb
Include meta-data if available: Camera, Lens, f-stop, shutter speed, ISO setting. If shot with a digital camera this data may already be stored with the image.
Image Title: Where taken and date (mm/yy), is good for this and will be shown below image.
Image Caption: Short description, 60 characters including spaces max and will be shown below image.

Mandatory Contact information for AdobePhoto
Needed in the event we have questions (strictly for our private records and will not be published):
    First and Last Name:   
    E-mail address:
    Website if available:
    Contact Telephone Number:
    Physical Mailing address (No P.O. boxes):

E-mail images to:
Images@AdobePhoto.Net 

In the email also Include the following for viewers:
Personal Name: Name you want to be displayed as the Album Title (20 Characters max, Ex: Frankie Barkowitz)
Gender: Male / Female
Age range: 10-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71+
Skill Level: Newbie, Amateur, Advanced Amateur, Professional Skills, Working Professional.
Interest Level: Snap shooter, Hobbyist, Advanced hobbyist, Part time professional (<50% of gross income), Full time Professional (>50% or 100% of gross income from photography).
Favorite Subjects:  What are one or two subjects you like shooting most.
Optionally, tell us about yourself and your “photography interests.”    In a few short paragraphs and 500 words or less, tell us: What -you shoot, when -you shoot, where -you shoot, why -you shoot and how -you shoot.
This information will be used for a future Biographic card displayed with or linked to the album.

For Example:

If possible, a  couple of times a week and especially on week-ends I like to  trek around the local Sandia Mountains  that are just minutes from my house. In the Spring I look for wild flowers and in the winter for snow scenes after a good storm has rolled through.

I shoot the wild flowers with my Canon EOS Rebel and an EF 100mm  macro lens mounted on a small tri-pod. The camera’s live view LCD really helps when composing my shots. I also take along a couple of small umbrellas; one white and one black.  With the white translucent umbrella, I shade the flower to give it a soft wrapping glow light.  The black umbrella I can use as a background or drape some colored fabric over it for a background color.  Buying umbrellas I just get the small 24-30″ diameter folding portable ones from Wal-mart or K-mart. When all folded down they are about 12-14″ long and come with a nylon bag to store them in.  They also do double duty keeping me and my camera gear dry if it suddenly starts to rain. I enjoy shooting the wild flowers as I see and feel Mother Nature growing and displaying her beauty all around me. 

During the winter months, even though we don’t get a lot of snow in Albuquerque, NM, the mountains above 7-8,000 ft to the 10,000 foot level may get several feet.  Once the road is open, after a good snow fall and especially a wet one, I love capturing those images of the pines drooping with heavy snow and the sun glistening off the ice.  I use a 24-70mm zoom for my landscapes and I learned quickly when shooting a bright snow scene to overexpose by about 2 to 3 f-stops so I don’t get 18% gray snow.  Because it’s sometimes a guess for the correct exposure, I find it easier to use an incident meter instead of the cameras built in reflective meter.  This way, I meter the light falling on the subject instead of the light being reflected off the snow and adjusted to 18% gray by the camera’s meter.

I’ve been seriously shooting pictures for more than 5 years.  Recently I began using Photoshop Lightroom.  Lightroom is a great program for cataloging and its editing features are getting more powerful with each new version. Version 3.0 is now in beta testing.   I only use Photoshop CS4 for more heavy editing as Lightroom editing gets the job done more than 90% of the time. 

Speaking of editing, I have also  tried Corel’s Painter XI and  a Wacom 12″ tablet to have some of my images look like paintings.  It’s really fun to see what you can do with all the different options. When printed on special art paper the images can be really beautiful.  The program is real powerful and there is a lot to learn, but trying something new with each image, the learning curve is just playtime fun!

Total word count: 480

The gallery link is located on the site menu as “Gallery.”  View the gallery to see a sample album.  Currently, you can post 48 images and your album will look similar to  Dickie’s album.  Your name will be below the album for your family and friends to see.

Below is an offer I received today.  I don’t think there is end date on this one, but check it out.
$100 Instant Savings on the PowerShot E1 Camera in any color.

Now, here is a Sneak Preview!  Remember, this is NOT Valid until Black Friday or Cyber Monday so don’t try to get them sooner or later because you can’t.  So you don’t get caught by a, “Sold Out” I’m going to post it here so you can be ready to click and buy on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.  Also, note that the first offer says, “Refurb” meaning refurbished.  Well, not straight off the production line it may be better. These are usually open box returns that Canon will take back then, “individually” inspect, test and calibrate, to be sure everything is up to spec. Check out their warranty at Canon USA or in the ad.

HERE IS CANON’S EMAIL TO US:

Our Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions are here! DO NOT publish these one-day-promotions until their lives dates. If any sales take place prior to the publish date, these orders will not be honored.

BLACK FRIDAY ONLY! Save 39% on Refurb REBEL XT Camera (Silver) 18-55 with Bag, Memory Card, Battery, and Filter! Expires 11/27.

BLACK FRIDAY ONLY! Save 39% on Refurb REBEL XT Camera (Silver) 18-55 with Bag, Memory Card, Battery, and Filter! Expires 11/27.

CYBER MONDAY ONLY! Save 42% on PIXMA MP990 Photo All-in-One Printer Bundle! Expires 11/30.

CYBER MONDAY ONLY! Save 46% on PIXMA MP990 Photo All-in-One Printer Bundle! Expires 11/30.

Nikon D300s body

Simply…they’re not plastic!  Shown is the Nikon D300s body casting.  It’s tough Magnesium and takes the beating of everyday use and sometimes abuse!

For full details click this link:

http://www.video.bhphotovideo.com/?skin=oneclip&autoplay=true&fr_story=697119a800d57f6b9bca018e3e4fe04b4e8f8b07 

When finished, click your browser ”Back” button to return here,
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