Buying into the Apple's Ipad

Well I am continued to be amazed and disappointed by the Ipad simultaneously; which is an amazing feat for any product.

For example, thinking that I would type up this blog on my Ipad using my usb camera connector and a usb keyboard which amazingly does work, but once I got into the blogger's edit mode, the IPad doesn't allow me to enter any text!!

The reason is that http://www.blogger.com/ uses Flash!! and hence once again the limitations of the Ipad surfaces.

It is a beautifully crafted device. Although it only has a 1ghz processor, the GPU allows fast rendering of all Jpeg photos which is instantaneous unlike my netbook that trudges painfully from one photo display to the next. For most graphics games, the device doesn't miss a heartbeat. This is also true for movies and any other graphic displays.

The interface is always quick and responsive, unlike my aged HTC touch phone that seems to acquired a two to ten second delay when opening or closing applications.

Starting up MSN Messenger on the Ipad means that you are stuck in MSN for the whole duration of the conversation; meaning you cannot multitask like websurfing which most of us likes to do when chatting with our friends. I heard that IOS 4 will solve this problem when it comes out for the IPad, but we wonder how well this multitasking will work with only 256mb of memory.

As you encountered disappointments, you are also caught up in all the glitz of Apple. Applications just simply snaps open, restoring your game at the last save, or the last opened page on the internet. If you need an app, just open the Apple store and do a search. Within seconds, you can either click on a pay application or even download a multitude of free apps to try out. Most of the apps cost only 99 cents. It is all there... a shopper spree environment.

As you learn more and more about what you bought, it is a device that sells you and you begin to buy into it.

I cannot help it but I have to admit that I might be switching from Oranges to Apples despite some of the limitations; at the worst I can always make apple sauce.

note: Apple wants me to buy a new computer since my USB doesn't output the necessary 1.21 Gigawatts needed for Apple to charge from my USB connection. The solution is simply a usb Y cable that combines the power of two usb ports into one. You can order this Y cable from ebay here.

Also another toy that I have bought for my IPad, is the mini bluetooth keyboard that purports to work with the Ipad from China here.

http://www.rtomstudios.com/

IPad with the USB Camera Connector & Lexar CF Card Reader

So after one day of owning the 16GB IPad with Wifi, I became addicted to Apple's products. From playing with sudoku, reading the Vancouver Sun, viewing my photos and surfing the web, my whole life style changed from just this one simple product.

No longer was I chained to my desktop doing my daily emailing and research. I was now able to lounge around on the couch doing all my normal work.

However, I figure if I can do all this on my couch, wouldn't it be better if I could do it on the road? Thus digging deeper into my shallow artist account, I returned my 16GB Wifi IPad and went whole hog for the 64GB 3G version and activated my Rogers 5GB data plan.

Having the internet on the road was a mixed blessing. Although I love the fact that I could access the internet sitting at Mcdonalds, I was constantly checking the amount of data that I was consuming. It was disconcerning to find that after browsing my facebook account and a few photo pages, my internet consumption was already 10MB. Until someone can offer unlimited internet, working on the IPad with a limited data plan is not an enjoyable experience. The option is there.

Now lets get back to the original topic of the USB Camera Connector.

One of the reason for the 64GB Ipad version was the thought of using a camera connector to upload the intermediate photos like the wedding ceremony to the IPad for viewing during the reception. It is a $40 investment which opens a lot of doors for other USB attachments.

I am happy to say that my Lexar CF card reader does in fact work in standalone mode with the connector allowing the import of the photos while my camera and I continue shooting with a new card. Also the Nikon D700 does in fact connect directly to the IPad as well without any problems.

With the photos imported into the IPad, you have a choice to delete all the photos from the card (as a photographer, this is a dangerous option). All imported photos are now found under Event and of course as you upload other photos, newer event folders are created for you automatically. The only problem is that you cannot delete the imported photos from your IPad; however after connecting your IPad to your PC as a USB device, you can actually see the imported photo folder under DCIM and actually delete the photos. I know of no other way of deleting the photos.

A nice VGA pocket projector and a VGA IPad connector might provide a nice complementry service to my wedding package; however as mentioned before that this Artist has very shallow pockets.

www.rtomstudios.com

Apple IPad as a Professional Photographer Tool

As a photographer, one of the most important aspect to being a good photographer is to learn to use the tools effectively; from my digital SLR to a whole range of lenses, to computers, photoshop and more. Adding another tool to the arsenal changes the set of established procedures. It is a never ending game of learning, but it is all in the name of art.

Recently and a bit reluctantly, I bought an IPad. The relunctantly comes from the fact that it is in-fact an expensive and huge ipod touch. The decision to buy the IPad was not for the ability to play music as I don't have pockets that will fit the IPad, but rather the ability to display photos much like an expensive digital photo frame.

The sales pitch at the Apple website drew me in with the beautifuly crafted video showing the ability of the IPad to display photos much like an artist would turn his pages of his portfolio. With a leather case, this tool would be indispensible as a carry-all portfolio as well as it being impressive as a thin notebook that has great potentials to be a contact and email manager and more.

With a wedding client meeting on Saturday, I bought the IPad on Friday and spent the whole night formatting all my presentation photos.

As a PC user, I hate Itunes for its non intuitive user interface and even registering for the Apple site was annoying as it requested that I generate a user password that was 8 characters long, at least one character has to be a capital, with non-repeating numbers. Of course I failed several times in generating a password that I could remember after hitting each and every requirement at least once. However once everything was settled and a new photo folder was created, it was a snap to sync the IPad with the pc everytime I added more photos to the folder.

Soon the IPad was full of wonderful and beautiful photos. The screen was simply breath taking as many of my photos has shadows and highlights that almost created a 3d effect on the glowing tiny screen. I was ready for my wedding client meeting on Saturday.

Confirming my appointment on Saturday, my client, before hanging up, asked "oh can you bring some samples of your work!" Beaming with pride that I had bought the IPad for this very question, I told him this story that I am now blogging about.

Of course the meeting went very well with the Bride scanning through all my photos with a critical eye and the males simply talked; letting the Bride decide whether or not my work was acceptable of which it was.

There were a lot of comments about my work which is now easily acessible on the IPad. I even had a chance to show off my baby photos, which of course brought out the motherly instinct in the bride to be.

After closing the deal, arriving home and having a chance to relax and blog, I thought about my new tool that I added to my photographer profession. Apple did a great job in delivering an excellent product that seems to fit in all niches.

The IPad allowed the client to interact with my photos in a more personal and warmer level. By giving them the IPad to view the photos, they controlled the speed of browsing as well as skipping to another album at their leisure. The photos were brilliant in colors and at times they almost seem to pop out from the screen; it was a thrilling way to view my photos.

Although a bit expensive, the IPad has now found a home in my camera bag. It will be passed around at the banquet table for those who have babies for booking future family photos as well as new wedding engagements.

For an expensive digital photo frame, the IPad will earn its keep.

www.rtomstudios.com

Quality versus Quantity

I have had customers that only wanted only five photos of themselves for various reasons whether it is to post on facebook or to build a portfolio for acting or modeling.

If you only need a handful of photos, I can do that for you but it still requires at least 60 photos so that you will have a choice.

However to build a proper portfolio of 10 to 20 photos with different change of clothing for variation, it takes hundreds or even a thousand photos just to get it right. The general rule of thumb is to expect one great photo from twenty to forty similar photos.


The quantity of photos is not the fault of composition but rather a problem of the subject as I have observed throuh countless session, such as a single expression that prevades through all the photos that creates a very monotonous portfolio. As with one subject she had a fixed smile and she kept her angle of her head the same in all the photos no matter the pose. My solution was to keep her distracted while I walk around her rather then having her move, I did the moving.


A good portfolio must capture the subject naturally without the feeling of awkwardness or trite.


Although a good subject will inspire the photographer, it is also the job of the photographer to inspire the subject to be themselves during the session; it is a synergistic relationship. Keeping them distracted or even laughing during a casual conversation is essential to a good candid photo session.

In this day and age of photography where a single memory card can hold up to several thousands of photos, there is no reason why a photographer should only take a handful of photos.

If a photographer quotes quality over quantity then they are missing out on a lot of beautiful candid photos of you as you relax between grimaces. It is the natural "you" after the un-said count of 4 that you want, not the photo of "you" at the count of 3.

No Checklist!!

Anyone who has hired me has always marveled at the paparazzi type of photography that I do. All you hear is the constant clicking of the shutter before, during and after the ceremony; I do this without blocking anyone's view or stepping on anyone's toes.

I am passion driven, constantly searching for the right angles, the flirting moments such as your dad with tears down his cheeks; photography has never been a list of things to shoot.


I've been asked on many occasion whether I use a check list as well as I've been given a check list, by many, on what photos they would like. Although I'll accept your checklist and make a mental note on the shots that you would like, to an old verteran photographer all of this is second nature like photos of the church, ring fingers, bride peeking out with anticipation, groom wiping his forehead and so much more; it is a given that these photos are takened whenever possible.


Recently I had the opportunity to view a check list created by another photographer on what photos the family would like him to take; it had more then a hundred photo items. I cannot even fanthom how this would work. Does the photographer take a photo then pauses to check off the photo from the list? I've heard horror stories that a photographer had walked past the grandma on a swing while she was waiting for the reception to start and didn't bother to take a photo since it wasn't on his list. What kind of photographer would miss this kind of photo moment?



If you riffle through my thousands of shots, it almost become an animated movie of your wedding. Every expression from the time I start shooting until you relax at the completion of the ceremony are all captured forever as photo snapshots; even candid shots of your grandma on a swing included.


Even with family group shots, I never use the 1,2,3 method where everyone grimaces at the prospect of being shot or holds their breath before the flash. From the time the family gathers for the group photo and organizes themselves, at least several photos have already been takened; the expression just before the grimace and the moment of relaxing are usually the best photos.

It is a passion as well as hard work as I shoot at the oddest angles above your head and sometimes at floor level for spur of the moment creativity. I take shots that no list can ever imagine and if it is on the list you can be sure that I will have at least six variations of that photo and if it is not on the list, you can be sure that I have it too...

Obsession with Equipment

I'm a fan of Ken Rockwell site as with most amateur or professional photographer alike would agree that his insights into lenses are usually spot on.

As a professional, I really cannot spend a lot on frivilous lenses and photography toys as I make a living out of being a photographer and rent and food comes first. I may spend a lot on a single lens, but I expect that lens to earn its keep. Although I may be tempted into buying a unique lens, I hold off on its purchase until I am absolutely sure that I can find at least several uses like portraiture + landscape combine.

Recently I found myself wanting on a lens reach as I zoomed to my current max of 120mm and barely reaching the bride and groom; although I could crop their kiss in photoshop, that extra zoom would have been nice.

So my search through Craigs list lead me to a seller that was selling a 28-200mm zoom. His return call reminded me of someone that woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Although his demeanor changed after meeting him, I pushed his patience by examining the lens for the next 15 minutes; all the while chatting with him on what equipment he owned, why he is selling etc, while I took various photos with the lens.

The lens was an old lens; meaning no VR. With scratches on the front element (more then one scratch), no lens cap, no back cap, no lens hood and of course no case, no box or other paraphernalias like manual, warranty card etc., the lens reminded me of a war veteran lens that is seeing its last days.

It wasn't so much as the cost of $160 but it was the fact that I was reluctant to use or trust this lens for a wedding. Although I can always set the shutter at a higher shutter speed, the fact remains that, without VR, any drop below 60th a second can mean another blurry photo and already there are so many factors such as the people moving, my own haste to take a photo and more, that since I already have the 24-120mm VR lens that I realize that my mind has already been made up that even though my 24-120mm lens is not as sharp (according to Ken Rockwell), it is still a lens that I trust more then any of my lens for weddings.

The seller snapped at me "well if you don't want the lens" his voice sudden grew cold as I was voicing all my thoughts out loud, made the decision easier to make. I thanked him for his time but I doubt he had heard it as he literally stomped out my vehicle after I handed back his war-veteran lens.

Although I am still in the market for the nice 80-200 old plastic lens which should sell for $75, I doubt that I would be buying any other older lens that don't have VR. This includes the 14-24mm, the 14mm and most non VR lens.

The fact remains that VR is needed; just in case. You don't need a fast lens, you don't need a sharp lens because if you cannot focus on your subject and if your hand shakes it defeats the purpose of paying $2k for a fast sharp lens.

Although this lens was under $200, it is time that I stop making a collection hobby out of my profession; Get the lenses you need and use them.

Studio Strobes VS Continuous Lights

Since the late 70's I've always shot with studio strobes (lights that flashes). With a meter in hand, I would carefully move and measure the lights around the subject before even taking the first shot; subject movement was very limited. Every time we reposition the subject such as sitting, standing, lying down we had to re-measure the lights and adjust the distance.

Average time, in the late 70's, per headshot session was several hours; this did not include the photo development time which is usually a week.


With digital, we could see the photo immediately and we could move the lights freely and adjust the camera as needed; thus eliminating the need for meter. However the need to constantly checking the shot is still a hit and miss process; color balance is a task usually reserved for photoshop.


Recently with the purchase of a continuous light system, all this has changed. Basically setting up the lights is a snap as it is "what you see is what you get". In fact, you can also use the camera WB pre setting to set the exact WB thus no post process color correction is needed.

With aperture priority, auto-iso set to a max of 1600 iso and a 50mm lens, it takes less then 10 minutes to shoot a 150 headshots; all color perfect.

The post processing was a pleasure too as since every photo is already color corrected, the only work that needed to be done in photoshop was re-centering and cropping.

Total time from start to finish took less then half hour.

If you are still using strobes, it is time to change over to continuous; you will thank me for it if you are reading this.