Category Archives: Gear

Canon tip of the day

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Michael Willems

If your images come out of the camera named something like this: _MG_4037.CR2 What does that underscore mean? Why not “IMG”instead of “_MG”? It’s Canon’s way of telling you that you have set your colour space to AdobeRGB instead if … Continue reading →

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A tip for fast focus

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Michael Willems

Often, I shoot with manual focus. I do this when either of these are the case: I want more personal control; I use a lens that only allows manual focus, like my tilt-shift lens; It is too dark to focus … Continue reading →

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Power Tip

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Michael Willems

And I mean: a tip about power. A photographer on a forum I attend corrupted some photos due to her turning off the camera power after every shoot segment before the image had saved fully to the card. Bad idea. … Continue reading →

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Studio is simple

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Michael Willems

Studio shooting is very simple. This, today at my Vistek flash course, took but a moment or two to set up: a studio, using just ordinary speedlights and a few accessories: Two speedlights, fired by pocketwizards. One on a lightstand, … Continue reading →

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Butbutbutbutbutbut

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Michael Willems

As a photographer who does it for a living, and a teacher who does that for a living, I get a lot of questions, and I love them – keep them coming. There is no such thing as a stupid … Continue reading →

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Camera Setting II

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Michael Willems

Today, part two of my “always do camera settings. Many cameras bias their metering toward the focus point when spot metering. Some only allow centre point for metering. And mine allows me to choose. I choose “meter off my focus … Continue reading →

Posted in Digital Darkroom, Gear | 1 Comment

Get your camera settings right.

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Michael Willems

Your camera has many standard and custom settings, and getting them right is important. In the next few posts, let me take you through the settings I always make sure are set on my Canon 1Dx and similar cameras. The … Continue reading →

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Hidden worlds

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Michael Willems

Look at my business card: No, really look: No, I mean really look: No, I mean really look: I had no idea. And that is why you use a macro (or as Nikon calls, it, “micro”) lens. To get close, really … Continue reading →

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Tiger Direct, II

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Michael Willems

Worse: remember my to-be-returned hard drive from Tiger Direct, a local/US “cheap” electronics retailer? After the broken English and vague promises from the Philippines yesterday, today, contrary to what the agent said, I get this: WHOA. Jump though hoops: Contact manufacturer? Ship … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Gear | 6 Comments

I have seen the enemy, and he is…

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Michael Willems

…dust! Dust is the enemy of photos. Sensor dust, to be precise. Tiny pieces of dust that stick on your sensor. Look at this image of model Danielle on the beach yesterday: Now look at a small section, with slightly enhanced … Continue reading →

Posted in Digital Darkroom, Gear | Tagged | 2 Comments