Upcoming Camera Store Seminars

Samantha and I are doing three seminars for The Camera Store in Calgary, Alberta. Below are the dates and the topics we are covering – click on the titles for more information:

The Complete Photo – Sat April 16, 1-3 PM

In this 2-hour seminar, Darwin and Samantha will show you how they approach a scene, distill the scene to the essence of the subject matter, and finally edit and process the resulting images. Darwin and Samantha will explain how to develop your personal style and creativity and will explain how to determine what images are worth keeping. Learn how personal vision affects how they choose their subject and how they portray and present that subject to their viewers.

Basic & Advanced Filters for Creative Digital Nature Photography – May 28, 2011, 1:30-3:30 PM

Think there’s no place for filters with digital nature photography? Think again! Discover which four filters are an essential component of every nature shooter’s photographic arsenal.

Capitalize on the benefits of filters and learn how to create evocative imagery while saving time in post-production. You will also find out which filters deliver effects that can’t be replicated in software no matter how talented you are behind the computer. Learn advanced techniques using multiple filters and add polish to your in-camera captures. And finally, learn how to build a filter system that will grow with you, no matter what gear you use.

There will be filters and filter systems on hand for you test out for yourself. Come and see why filters are critical tools even in the age of HDR and complex software processing.

The Tilt-Shift Lens Advantage for Outdoor and Nature Photographers – June 11, 1-4 PM

Discover why Tilt-Shift Lenses are the hottest lenses in nature and landscape photography. With Tilt-Shift lenses, dSLR photographers gain all the advantages of lens movements so important in large format landscape photography. Learn the benefits of tilting for precise control over depth-of-field and shifting for awesome perspective correction. See how Tilt-Shift lenses can open up the world of panoramic and stitched image photography without need for specialized accessories. Darwin and Samantha explore how Tilt-Shift lenses can be used creatively in the quest for the perfect nature photograph. Spend one hour in the classroom learning the theory and practical applications and two hours in the streets of Calgary exploring the use of Tilt-Shift lenses in real word scenarios. A limited number of Canon and Nikon Tilt-Shift lenses will be on hand to try out. Sign up early; space is limited.

 

©Darwin Wiggett

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B+H has the Cokin Z-Holder in Stock

Many people have asked me where to get the Cokin Z-Pro holder to use on full-frame cameras to hold filters. In Canada I usually send people to The Camera Store but they are presently out of stock. I just found out that B+H photo in New York has gotten a fresh shipment of Z-Pro holders in ($60) so head over there if you want one for Christmas.  Don’t forget to buy the correct adapter ring for all your lenses. And if you want to know exactly what filters we use and recommend for digital nature photography be sure to check out our new eBook on Essential Filters for Digital Nature Photography.

Cokin Z-Pro holder on the left, Cokin P-series holder on the right

 

The Daily Snap- November 2

Check out the differences between these two shots taken on a recent trip to Moncton, New Brunswick. The first shot was made with no polarizer. In the second image I used a polarizer and it interacted with the glass in the window to give some crazy rainbow colours. As I spun the polarizer around I got a kaleidoscope of alternating colours. Hey this was more fun than a bag of BC mushrooms! Either way, I was flying high.

©Darwin Wiggett - no polarizer

©Darwin Wiggett - polarizer

The Daily Snap – September 28

Many photographers do not bother with filters on point-n-shoot camera, but I am a firm believer in filters, especially the polarizing filter which has an effect that can not be replicated exactly in software (especially the polarizer’s effect of removing reflective highlights). Compare the two photos taken below with the Canon G11. The top one was taken with a Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer. Notice the increased colour saturation and especially how reflective glare was eliminated from the path and the yellow leaves in the left foreground. The un-polarized bottom shot is drab by comparison.

©Darwin Wiggett - polarized version

©Darwin Wiggett - no polarizer

The Daily Snap – August 4

©Darwin Wiggett

All the storms passing through Alberta lately have given photographers great opportunities. I went out the other day after supper looking for some storm light and I got it close to home and I even had a willing subject for a foreground! I used a Singh-Ray LB warming polarizer  (to enhance the rainbow) and a Singh-Ray 2-stop hard-step grad (to darken the sky) using my set-up for filters on the Canon G11.

Weekly Photo – July 30

©Darwin Wiggett - Canon EOS-1ds Mark III, 24mm Tilt-Shift Lens

I used my standard ‘prairie’ filtering technique (a Singh-Ray Cokin Z-pro sprocket mount LB warming polarizer plus a 4×6 Singh-Ray Two-Stop hard-Edge Grad in a Cokin Z-Pro Holder) to even out the exposure between the sky and the foreground in this scene. I also used the shift feature on my Canon 24mm TSE lens to make a big square image (click on the photo to see a larger version). If you are interested in exactly how I made this photo, check out the video below. The only thing the video does not show is my post-processing procedure which is simply using Photo Merge in Photoshop CS-5 to merge the two component images. Finally I used a strong s-curve on the photo to punch up the contrast in the scene. As you will see the video is ‘on the fly’ (or mosquito in this case) and anything can happen.

New Article, New Gear

Singh-Ray now has a larger version of its sprocketed LB Polarizer that will drop into either a Lee holder or a Cokin Z-Pro holder. If you are using one of these larger filter holders this means that you now have more choices in polarizers beyond the Cokin Z-164 Circular Polarizer or the Lee Polarizer. I find the Cokin polarizer to be very dark and it has a stong blue cast. I find the Lee polarizer to be a pain to use with the Lee holder. The Singh-Ray LB Warming Polarizer solves both problems (it is bright and warm) and slips easily into the Cokin Z-Pro holder. This larger filter works great with the large holders to use with lenses that have a large front filter thread (e.g. 77mm or larger) and to use with ultra wide angle zoom lenses like a 16-35mm lens on a full frame camera or a 10-22mm lens on an APS-sized camera. To learn more about my thoughts on this new filter and to see the latest images I made with the filter go here.

Also related to super wide angle lenses, if you have a Canon 17mm TS-E or a Nikon 14-24mm (both with bulging front lens elements), Lee has announced plans to make a filter holder that might work with these lenses – check it out here – hmmm looks interesting but would involve buying another size of grads – my wallet is already thin enough! Some other filter holder inventions for these lenses include this one for Nikon, this one for Canon… and I am sure there are lots more out there… heck I am messing around with my own MacGyver rig for the 17mm TS-E. Stay tuned.

Cokin Z-Pro Holder on left with LB Polarizer and Grad (P-holder on right)

Seven Rules for Effectively Using a Polarizer

I am surprised by how little most nature and landscape photographers use a polarizer. I use one on almost every image I make. Not everyone knows how many uses a polarizer has and how effective the filter can be to give you better digital captures. To help make things easier for people to remember when to use a polarizer I put together a little instructional piece called “Seven Rules for Effectively Using a Polarizer” that has just been published over on the Singh-Ray Filter Blog.

no polarizer - top image: with polarizer - bottom image