Episode #14: How to Make Your Spring Pictures Sing

On today's show, Michael and I talk about how to take great spring pictures. Whether it's capturing the right light, putting the focus on your subject, or taking advantage of spring backgrounds to beautify your portraits, we have you covered.

We also talk about Olympus's calling an end to the megapixel wars (hooray!), the new book by Joe McNally "The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes" and Canon's recent upgrade of an existing digital camera to shoot RAW - pretty cool, Canon.

Michael also raves about the iPhone software "Focalware," which calculates the position of the sun and moon from rise to set anywhere in the world, at anytime of the year by utilizing your location and date information.

SmugMug is our favorite site for sharing and - should you chose to accept this assignment - selling your photos. SmugMug has two fantastic offers just for our listeners:

• 50% off your SmugMug service at any level (enter code "Flickr" at checkout). This is a fantastic discount and you should take advantage of it in time to share your holiday photos!
• A free camera strap to any listener of Digital Photography Life: This one is just crazy. A high-quality camera strap that replaces the neck-slicing piece of canvas that your camera's manufacturer condescended to include with your DSLR. Get your freebie here.

Remember, when the bill collectors call, we don't pick up the phone, but you can find us everywhere, including:

• Digital Photography Life on Twitter
• Digital Photography Life Email
• Digital Photography Life listener group on Flickr
• Digital Photography Life on Facebook
• Digital Photography Life on SmugMug 
• Michael on Facebook
• Scott on Facebook
• Scott on MySpace

For those of you who have been supportive of my OTHER life, as a mystery writer, I hope you'll be glad to know that my first novel, First You Fall, received a prestigious Lambda Literary Award Nomination for "Best Men's Mystery of the Year."

 

You can find the show on Personal Life Media or on iTunes.

Thanks as always to SmugMug and Lensbaby for their support of this free resource. And thanks to you  for listening!

Scott

 

Comments

[Michael Smith]

Hey Guys,

Enjoyed the show, and it was worth the wait. Just an FYI on the SmugMug camera strap. I got mine a while ago, and I love it. Much better than the stock straps that I have been using. According to the SmugMug site, they are out of the straps for now. They are not currently taking orders for the straps, but they have ordered more, but it takes them almost 3 months to get another shipment.

[Stephen Andert]

Just catching up on things. Enjoyed the episode and wanted to echo the comments about the smugmug strap, it is GREAT.

Also, since I have started carrying my camera with me at all times. People at work were curious, but thanks to always having it with me, I have captured wild horses, a coyote and about a week ago, a roadrunner in the wild.

[Jake]

I got my strap too. I love it. I went to Hawaii last month, shot my 30D, with a rented 100-400 lens and can say I love the smug mug strap.

Keep up the good work guys.

[Steve D]

You guys doing okay? It's been a while since the last episode. Hope all is well.

[Alex Chaney]

Thinking the same thing as Steve. Anything new coming soon???

[digital camera reviews]

this is a great show. i am glad to see your great tips.

[Bill C]

Yea, what the h&$! is going on? No podcasts. No responses. I don't even think they ever named a contest winner for the pixs. Thanks to DoJo for filling the empty space.

[Roger Madsen]

I miss your show! What's going on?

[Joe (Interested in Photography)]

Hi. I am totally new about Internet and blogging. I just serve around to see what other people have. I am professional photograpf by my self and first discorvery now the possibilities here.

[Mike Smith]

The guys were planning on recording a show on the 7th according to Scott's Twitter. Hopefully there will be something new posted soon.

[Frank A]

Anyboddy know what ever happened to the contest in which pictures were posted?

[CD]

Nice photos and good blog! Lot's of very good advices!

[Alex Chaney]

OK Scott & Michael, according to the Urban Dictionay:
Podfade: When a podcast begins putting out episodes more and more sporadically and at greater intervals. Typically begins with only one episode missed, but if a podcast isn't careful, it can compound, sometimes as severe as one podcast every other month. Podfade often leads to podcast death.

Throw us a bone, even if it is a short update. Heck, even if it is an update here on this blog.

[Scott Stafford]

My suspicion is that Scott Sherman is continuing to deal with an illness with his parent(s) that he briefly mentioned in an earlier podcast. As someone who has now lost both parents, and is Mr. Sherman's age, I know that avocations and ordinary things get put on the back burner when there's this kind of trouble afoot.

Let's give Scott and Michael a pass on this, and stop back in a month or so. How hard is it to hit the "update podcast" button?

[Jake]

As much as I want my episodes Alex is right, its not cool to hassle him when hes going through this, Michael verified this was the issue on the flicker forum for the show.

[Jami G]

I have missed Scott and Michael and have trying to find some information on why it's been so long since an episode. I've been a fan since their first podcast as The Digital Photography Show.

Scott.. hope to see you back soon, but will certainly be keeping you in my thoughts as spend time with your family.

[Alex Chaney]

I really wasn't trying to be hard on Scott. I've been through something very much similar over the past year with my parents so I can understand his situation, how much that drains a person, and how that can cause a person to try and simplify their life.

However, it has been over three months since the last podcast and about the best information we have is that someone said that Scott said they'd have a new show soon on his Facebook page. Meanwhile Scott has posted numerous product reviews on Amazon. Would it really take more time to update the status here than it did to write a review about some ear buds? When the show went from being The Digital Photography Show to its current name Scott made an issue of the folks that controled the old show not allowing them to make a fairwell podcast. Well, what about now?

FWIW, Scott's & Michael's podcast is still one of my favorites. I have tried to find others to fill the void but nothing quite fills that niche. I've listened to Photofocus but I hear Scott on other shows and don't really like the pro shooter approach. I've listened to 7 Photography Questions and like the quirkness of the interviewer and the topics but it is a little too Saturday Night Live skit over-the-top interview for me. I would truly love to see Scott & Michael make a comeback.

If the show is gone then my hats off to Scott and Micheal for a top notch show. I wish them the best.

[Sara]

You can find the most amazing and unique photos from google earth
http://caughtfromabove.com

I hope you enjoy

[Chris]

Please, let us know if you are coming back or not. Your podcast was my favorite and not knowing is killing me.

[Trevor]

While I wish Scott the best in dealing with family, a 30 second break to post an update wouldn't be difficult.

I'm assuming this podcast is dead and taking it off my iTunes. Bummer - it was a fun podcast way back when.

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[Peggyklosinski@yahoo.com]

I am so happy, you guys are back!!! I have learned alot from your podcast. I was thrilled to get my free wide angle lens from the "Director of Happyness" at Lensbaby. It came just in time for my vacation. Thanks again your podcast is the BEST!

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