Outdoor Photography Canada
I thought I would put a plug in for Outdoor Photography Magazine (OPC). This young magazine (9 issues old) just keeps getting better with each passing issue! The latest edition is no exception with lots of meaty informational articles and lovely imagery. I am also happy to have a feature called “Expose Right“. This article lets photographers know how to get the best possible exposures with digital cameras in a simple two-step process. I find that the majority of photographers do not understand how to get optimal exposure from their digital cameras. I hear far too many complaints about noisy files from the latest batch of digital cameras. If you have noise in your files, then you have exposure problems and the camera is not to blame! Expose right and you will not need to use noise reduction software and you’ll get the best possible files from your camera.
OPC is also a magazine that showcases the work of photographers across Canada. If you are Canadian and shoot outdoor and nature imagery, then submit to OPC and have your work showcased. The magazine pays the highest rates I have seen for photo rags and really showcases photographer’s work nicely. While you checking things out, enter the Spring 2009 photo contest (April 30th deadline) for prize goodies and maybe even subscribe to the magazine. This is a magazine worth supporting. I do have a slight bias though!
Darwin Wiggett 
March 31, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Hi Darwin,
I wonder if we can get Outdoor Photography Canada down here in the US.
Since they are crowding more megapixels into the small, cropped sensors, I would expect more noise from those cameras. When shooting with a higher megapixel, cropped sensor camera, one should shoot at the lowest ISO possible. Cranking up the ISO hurts the image. If you try to lighten underexposed areas in post-processing, that introduces even more noise. Of coarse, there is noise reduction software which works if a small amount of noise needs to be removed, but when taken to extremes, there is a great loss of detail in the image. I now shoot with a Canon 5D (first version). Since it’s full frame, the pixel density is low, allowing for very little noise. I almost always shoot at 50 ISO. I try to get the exposure as close as possible to what it should be. If I need to lighten a slightly underexposed area, there is still no noise as a result because I am starting out with a noise-free image. I think the key is to shoot the image as close to perfection as possible so that little post-processing is needed. I am sure you mention this in Outdoor Photography Canada. If I can find it, it will be a treat to read your article.
Dennis
April 2, 2009 at 1:54 PM
Loved the “Expose Right” article…very clear explanation and good illustrations about how exposing more on the right side of the historgram can really improve the quality of the image…
As always, great job.