Tuesday, 31 August 2010

SnapShot #488 - Enroll and Get Early Lesson! Make Money from BetterPhoto! Tony Sweet Interview

Photo of the Day #2175 - Breeze by Christopher P. Sanan

The weekly newsletter on the art of photography from
 
Monday, August 30, 2010
IN THIS ISSUE
Featured Gallery
Welcome Note
This Week's Tip
Updates From BetterPhoto
Q&A 1: Extension Tubes...
Q&A 2: The Best Canon ...


TESTIMONIAL OF THE WEEK
"Not only is John Siskin one of the best instructors teaching at BetterPhoto, but his course content is outstanding. ... His critiques are most helpful and constructive. He is patient and a pleasure to learn from. You cannot go wrong in taking one of his courses!" -George E. Glen, student in Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio



GET CERTIFIED BY BETTERPHOTO!
Awesome news! The BetterPhoto certification program has now launched. Get rewarded for your photography efforts with credit and credentials from the worldwide leader in online photography education! Learn more here...


B&H NOW SPONSORING THE MONTHLY CONTEST!
BetterPhoto's monthly photography contest is one of the many cool benefits of membership!


ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN SNAPSHOT
Get word of your product or service out to a rapidly growing list of over 80805 serious photographers.
Learn More...

THIS WEEK'S TIP
Live View: A Big DSLR Benefit!
Does your DSLR camera have live view? Rob Sheppard is a big fan of this cool feature, particularly models that also have a tilting LCD. Read Rob's BetterPhoto Instructor Insights blog here...


   
Featured Gallery
B O D I E
© - Datha Y. Thompson

Welcome to the 488th issue of SnapShot!
Hello,

Lots of big news as we wrap up a very exciting August! At the top of the list is BetterPhoto's new Ambassador program. It's a fantastic way to reward you for your loyalty and willingness to promote the Web's best photography website. Sign up as a BetterPhoto Ambassador and receive a percentage of the sales that you drive to the site. Also, Jim Miotke has shared 12 ways to get off to a great start. ... Also, the fall school session kicks off next week with an awesome lineup of 8-week courses and 4-week classes. Best yet, if you enroll now, you'll get an early lesson in advance! ... In this issue, don't miss Jim's interview with instructor and top nature pro Tony Sweet, plus Rob Sheppard's interesting - and informational - thoughts on DSLR live view. ... That's it for now. Have fun with your photography!

Kerry Drager
Newsletter Editor

Where is Jim Miotke? Follow BetterPhoto's founder and president on Twitter - BetterPhotoJim - and in his blog: jim.betterphoto.com


Updates From BetterPhoto

Hear what Tony Sweet has to say in a fascinating interview with BetterPhoto founder Jim Miotke. Learn photography in a convenient, inspiring online class. Get feedback, answers, and genuine back-and-forth with famous pro photographers. Take a quick tour to see how it all works Stop by Team BetterPhoto blog, where you'll find lots of thoughts, insights, tips, and tidbits!

Photo Q&A

1: Extension Tubes for Nikon D300

I have a Nikon D300 and a Tokina AT-X 100 PRO D AF 100mm f2.8 macro lens. I am interested in getting even closer to subjects and wondered what other options are there for this camera besides extension tubes. I have heard if bellows, and a reverse mount for a lens. Has anyone had success with any of these methods with the D300?
- Brad Harding

ANSWER 1:
Yes... reversing rings, extension tubes and bellows assemblies work well with the D300, as long as the lens mount is the same. I use all three quite often for my macro work. You will need to rely upon your own ability to use the manual settings on your camera though.

- Bob Cammarata

ANSWER 2:
Thanks Bob, do yo u have specific product recommendations for what you listed?

- Brad Harding

ANSWER 3:
My list includes the following:
Reversing Ring...Nikon BR-2A 52mm thread.
Bellows....Nikon PB-4 (No longer made but still available used on e-bay.)
Extension Tubes...Generic (Kenko, I think) in 12, 20, 36mm.

- Bob Cammarata
Read this Q&A at BetterPhoto.com

Answer this question:



2: The Best Canon 70-200mm Lens?

I am torn between the Canon 70-20mm IS f/2.8 or the IS f/4. I have talked to people who have shot with both and, of course, the answers vary. Just yesterday, one person told me that he felt the f/4 took sharper images than the f/2.8. I mainly shoot portraits and nature/travel photos. Needless to say, I do not want to buy one of the lenses and regret not getting the other. Your opinions would be most appreciated!
Thank you.
- Mikelin Van Dyck

ANSWER 1:
Hello Mikelin,
I had the 70-200 f/4 (non-IS version), and it is a sharp lens and one of the best bargains around for $600. The f/4 IS and the f/2.8 non-IS are in the $1200 range, and the 2.8 with IS is about $1900. I bought the 2.8 IS when I sold my f/4 version and do not regret that decision as the 2.8 IS is highly regarded and many pros who shoot portraits for a living use this lens. They now have a newer 2.8 IS II for about $2500. I have not tried this lens and doubt that I will upgrade as I am very happy with my lens.
My opinion is that you can't beat fast glass (lenses with a wide maximum aperture), and 2.8 is faster than f/4. Plus, you get better performance in low light and a shallower DOF when you want it. I just shot a bunch of low light and portrait photos at a music festival and used the 70-200 f/2.8 IS for 80% of my shots.
Good Luck.

- Carlton Ward


ANSWER 2:
I have the f4 version and the 100-400mm which I really like. The f4's quality is fine and it's lighter weight than the f2.8. If you think you'll be shooting in low light, then the 2.8 would help. It really comes down to money. If money isn't an issue, then get the 2.8. But you might double-check the 100-400mm L lens, especially if you shoot wildlife. Or get them both ... the cheaper f4 70-200 (portraits) and the 100-400mm. :-)

- Ken Smith

ANSWER 3:
First of all, unless there is a defect from the factory, all of the Canon 70-200 lenses are great. The "plain Jane" version, f4 USM, is one of the best deals in the lens world.
I had the f2.8 IS and, although a great lens, it is better suited for the full frame cameras than it is with the cropped cameras - i.e., Rebel series, xxD and 7D, because it balances better. There is a lot of weight up front and it can become awkward to use especially for car racing where panning is involved.
The f2.8 versions are heavy.
According to one review, the f4 IS is the sharpest of the four lenses. That is, until the MarkII version came o ut. I saw a photo taken with that lens with a 1DS MarkIII and it was amazing. With a cropped camera, I doubt if you would be able to tell much difference.
I no longer own a 5D but am using a 40D with the f4 IS and I can carry this around all day without getting tired. It balances very nicely on this camera. The f2.8 versions will focus a bit faster in very dim light. If the light is that dim, I will usually manual focus my camera and have it on a tripod anyway.
I do the same type shooting as you do and when I checked the EXIF data I had only used f3.5 four times in a year with the f2.8 version with the remaining being at a smaller f stop. However, if you have a full frame camera and the money, I would recommend the MarkII version.

- Lynn R. Powers

ANSWER 4:
I would like to second Ken's recommendation for the Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS lens - it is one of my very favorites and even though a bit of a light hog, I have captured some incredible & tack sharp images. After 6 years it is still one of the lenses I never leave home without.
Cheers,
Carlton

- Carlton Ward

ANSWER 5:
I agree that the 100-400mm lens is very versatile but apparently some models of this lens are better than others.
My friend Ellen Anon has one for bird photography, and she is nowhere near as satisfied as Carlton is with his 100-400mm lens.
According to www.PhotoZone.de

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 USM L IS is a very good performer with few weaknesses … that's assuming you get a good sample – the first tested sample was mediocre whereas the second one performed very fine.

- Peter K. Burian

See Peter Burian's instructor bio:
http://www.betterphoto.com/photography-classes-instructors-details.asp?instructorID=69365

Take an Online PhotoCourse™ with Peter Burian:
4-Week Short Course: Mastering the Canon EOS Digital Rebels
Mastering the Digital Camera and Photography
Read this Q&A at BetterPhoto.com

Answer this question:


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#2175

August, 31, 2010 
PHOTO OF THE DAY



Jim Miotke
President, BetterPhoto.com, Inc. ®
BetterphotoJim.com   Twitter   Blog

BetterPhoto.com
HAVE A PRO AT YOUR SIDE - ONLINE, ANYTIME!
Business owners: What’s more attractive when you meet someone at a workshop or other s ocial event? a) When they talk about themselves? Or b) when they listen to what you say for a bit and then respond in a helpful, attentive way? More on this soon...


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No part of this newsletter may be copied or published without prior permission. BetterPhoto is a trademark of BetterPhoto.com, Inc. If you use a Challenge-Response system for email, please make certain that you can receive our email by adding www.betterphoto.com to your Allow List.
The sender of this email is the BetterPhoto.com®, Inc., 16544 NE 79th St., Redmond, WA 98052

Monday, 30 August 2010

WOW - we're gonna need a new welcome mat!

BetterPhoto.com
We are going to need a new welcome mat!

Hi ,

Recently, I discovered what I could have been doing all along with my business development and marketing efforts. It is really amazing. I gained an insight about how focusing on my name and brand is so much less effective than focusing on customer needs and how I can meet needs in the most efficient ways possible.

This is what led me to start the BetterPhoto Ambassador Program. I want you to benefit from your loyalty to BetterPhoto.com, and your willingness to actively promote our site. You deserve a cut, and I appreciate your efforts!

I am overwhelmed with the amazing response to our new BetterPhoto Ambassador Program! It's wonderful to hear your feedback on a program that we know will be very rewarding. The income stream is limitless as you share the great news about our BetterPhoto community and get 10% back on sales that you drive to our site!

What I've learned is that people are very different in the way they receive information. Sharing your love of BetterPhoto in a variety of ways is the most most effective method to help achieve more interest, which will lead to more sales.

I recently blogged about some tips you can use, and I'll share more insight here as well, to encourage your participation:

Some people are spontaneous and just need eye catching banner ads to draw their attention. Others need testimonials from real people to support their decisions. For many, lists of benefits are extremely helpful and some people actually prefer to read lots of information. We make it easy for you by creating banner ads and text links that you can build into your correspondence to create excitement!

I encourage you to consider the person, or group of people that you are trying to reach, and tailor your correspondence to appeal to their needs. Don't be shy about trying different approaches, and be sure to rotate your banners and text links often, in order to keep it fresh.

I could go on and on! You have your marching orders, now Sign up today and become one of the first BetterPhoto Ambassadors... and start seeing some return on your investment of sharing and referring friends to BetterPhoto.

We're here to support your success!

See you in the Ambassador Program!
https://www.betterphoto.com/affiliatewiz/join.aspx



Thanks,

Jim Miotke
President, Betterphoto.com

Betterphoto Ambassador Program

BetterPhoto.com is the worldwide leader in online photography education, offering an approachable resource for photographers who want to improve their skills, share their photos, and learn more about the art and technique of photography.

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Photo of the Day #2174 - Lost in thoughts... by Rajasekar Alamanda

#2174

August, 30, 2010 
PHOTO OF THE DAY



Jim Miotke
President, BetterPhoto.com, Inc. ®
BetterphotoJim.com   Twitter   Blog

BetterPhoto.com
HAVE A PRO AT YOUR SIDE - ONLINE, ANYTIME!
Receive credit and credentials from the worldwide leader in online photography education!
certified photographer program


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The sender of this email is the BetterPhoto.com®, Inc., 16544 NE 79th St., Redmond, WA 98052

Sunday, 29 August 2010

Photo of the Day #2173 - Old Town Kayak by Shannon Kunkle

#2173

August, 29, 2010 
PHOTO OF THE DAY
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Jim Miotke
President, BetterPhoto.com, Inc. ®
BetterphotoJim.com   Twitter   Blog

BetterPhoto.com
HAVE A PRO AT YOUR SIDE - ONLINE, ANYTIME!
Jim Miotke discovered "what I should have been doing all along with my business deve lopment and marketing efforts. It is really amazing. I gained an insight about how focusing on my name and brand is so much less effective than focusing on customer needs and how I can meet needs in the most efficient ways possible." More on this soon...


Unsubscribe | Change your email address

Copyright © 2010 BetterPhoto.com® - All Rights Reserved.
No part of this newsletter may be copied or published without prior permission. BetterPhoto is a trademark of BetterPhoto.com, Inc. If you use a Challenge-Response system for email, please make certain that you can receive our email by adding www.betterphoto.com to your Allow List.
The sender of this email is the BetterPhoto.com®, Inc., 16544 NE 79th St., Redmond, WA 98052