18 Nov 08 Fantastic Family Holiday Photos

When it comes to family photo opportunities, few events can top the holiday season. These special moments were meant to be cherished and to grace fireplace mantels and scrapbook pages for years to come. Here are a few tips to help you capture the essence of your subjects and the authenticity of the moment.

Stake Your Claim: If you’ve ever watched a wedding photographer at work, you’ll realize there is often a very specific plan in place, and this includes knowing which photos will happen in which locations. Even if your entire family will remain in one place for the day, decide which setting(s) will be most appropriate for photography.

For example, you may decide to take photos in front of the family fireplace or near the Christmas tree. Are there items that need to be removed that would prove distracting in the background? Will you need to set up chairs, and if so, who will sit where? Feel free to grab a pen and jot down a few ideas. This forethought will greatly assist you in getting those fantastic photos because your subjects realize that you have a plan and will get the job done efficiently. Little ones will more likely cooperate as well because the process will flow quickly. You don’t need to be a drill sergeant, but being deliberate and having a vision will help tremendously.

Elevate Your Status: When it comes to shooting large groups, it helps to be creative. One inside trick used by professional photographers involves a chair. Grab one and stand on it! You’ll be able to accommodate larger groups and create a portrait that’s more visually interesting using this technique. The novelty of this approach may also keep your subjects captivated long enough to ensure everyone is smiling when the shutter snaps!

Take a Tripod… Here’s a chance to pick up a present for yourself! A tripod is one of the most valuable and affordable accessories you can have in your photo toolkit. A tripod will instantly improve your photographs by stabilizing your camera and eliminating ‘camera shake.’ In addition, having your camera attached to a tripod allows you to better focus on getting smiles from your subjects as your attentions won’t be so divided between balancing the camera and posing your subjects.
You can learn more about the quality tripods we offer here: http://tinyurl.com/68l85t

…And a Remote Trigger: Make the most of your tripod by adding a remote trigger, which will free your hands and allow you to interact with your subjects while shooting. Imagine how much easier it will be to recognize those perfect moments with a remote trigger in hand; your focus can remain on your subjects, and you’ll be in perfect position to record that one image when all eyes are open and on you! Here are some we recommend: http://tinyurl.com/55kxa5

Perfect Timing: Make sure you understand how to use the timer on your digital camera. Toss your camera’s manual in your bag and review it before setting up your photo shoot. If you can’t find your manual, don’t worry. Just do an online search for your camera model and add the words ‘delay timer’ to the search. You should be able to retrieve instructions to use immediately.
Take a couple of test shots to make sure you’re comfortable with the process. Delayed timers are actually quite simple to use in most cameras.

So much effort and love have gone into getting your family together during this very special holiday. By taking a few minutes to prepare, you’ll ensure that your photographs reflect that very sentiment and serve as a continued reminder long after you ring in the New Year.

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08 Nov 08 Today on Twitter: 2008-11-08

Filters Aren’t Dead http://tinyurl.com/6roolt #
Check out Roberts Imaging Online Card Capaticy Calculator http://robertsimaging.com/cardcapacity.jsp #
RT @photowalklist: New blog post: Welcome to Photowalklist.com http://tinyurl.com/6gpnp4 #

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30 Oct 08 I Didn’t Mean to Delete Those Photos!

If you’ve found yourself the victim of an itchy trigger finger which caused you to delete all the latest photos off your digital camera card, don’t fret just yet. We have a few tips that may help you recover those images. And if it makes you feel better, plenty of people who are considered ‘computer experts,’ have made the same blunder, so don’t berate yourself too much! You may also lose images due to your media card becoming corrupted through no fault of your own; technology doesn’t always behave as it should. These things sometimes happen; here’s what to do if it does:

• Stop Everything! As soon as you realize what happened, DO NOT attempt to do anything further to the camera card. If you continue to take pictures, it will begin overwriting the files on the card. Deleted images may still be on the card (although you won’t see them listed) but taking more pictures will write the new images over that older data.

• Get to the Computer: There are many companies that offer inexpensive ‘digital photo recovery’ software and you can use this phrase as a search term online to identify the best solution.

• Choose Wisely: Before choosing a software recovery program, check to make sure that the company’s website is current and that they have positive reviews from industry magazines or associations. Make sure that the software program doesn’t write any data to the memory card as this altering can hinder recovering your photos. Most companies explain (on their website) how their product works to retrieve digital photos.

Stop by the Store: Come by our store and bring your digital camera with you. We’d be happy to take a look at the digital camera card to see if we can get those precious photos back for you.

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22 Oct 08 Today on Twitter: 2008-10-22

New ‘Help’ section for Lens Reviews http://tinyurl.com/5u5spg #
Adobe updates Camera Raw for Photoshop CS4 http://tinyurl.com/5l3xd3 #
Did you know that you can order your photos online from us and pick them up within minutes! https://mackcamera.lifepics.com #
Mack Camera Warranty for the Win! http://tinyurl.com/6l3xno #
RT @macgroup: Leaf booth is looking great. Come see the AFi II at booth 918. http://twitpic.com/hkz2 #
RT @grader: Twitter Grader now has a new search feature. This allows you to find other interesting users to follow. #
RT @macgroup: Profoto Pro-8 Air on display at booth 718 http://twitpic.com/hl0d #
RT @macgroup: Tenba has a brand new booth! Come see us at 618 during Photo Plus. http://twitpic.com/hl0w #
RT @macgroup: Induro tripods are being shown at booth 518. http://twitpic.com/hl14 #