Landscape, Nature And Travel Photography

Easy Release

A month ago quite a bit of buzz started to circulate with in the Twitter photography community about Easy Release (iTunes Link), a program that enables you to create model and property releases on your iPhone incorporating a digital signature of subjects and/or property owners. The potential immediately grabbed my attention and I approached the application publisher for a review copy. The review of the application was the easy part, but my background research on the acceptability of “digital signatures” in the form of an electronic touchscreen signature took much longer. Now that my research is complete here is the review…

Easy Release is just that… easy to configure, easy to use and easy to see its value. I give the team behind Easy Release a lot of credit as creating an application that is simple to use is quite a difficult task. The added perk to Easy Release is that it makes obtaining, logging and sending releases a very cool process. The out of the box thinking to obtain releases digitally is exactly the type of application I’ve been waiting for to maximize the business potential of my iPhone.

The Process (Ex. For a Model):

1. Click the “Plus” sign to create a new model or property release
2. Enter the “Shoot Name” and “Shoot Reference ID”
3. Enter Shoot location information “Shoot Country” and “Shoot Region/State”
4. Enter the Shoot Date
5. Enter the Model’s Name
6. Take a photo with your iPhone of your model
7. Enter the Model’s date of birth, gender and ethnicity.
8. Enter the Model’s address
9. Enter the Model’s Parent’s name if a minor
10. Enter the Model’s Email address and phone number
11. Enter the name of a Witness
12. Review the Release summary
13. Sign your signature (the photographer) with your finger on the screen
14. Let your Model review the agreement. They tap to agree.
15. Model signs the release using their finger on the screen.
16. Click to create a PDF of the signature and send it to your model & yourself via email

Fully written out the process seems long, but it takes only a few short minutes to complete.

Easy Release

Additional Features & Real-World Experience
The application allows you to customize your releases with a logo, specify a default language from 12 translations or add your own custom release text.

Of course it would be easy for me to just idly claim Easy Release is easy to use, but having tested this in the field I can attest that not one subject I asked to use the application had a problem or showed any confusion when reviewing the release or signing it. Logistically using Easy Release was much simpler than dealing with a paper release and fumbling for a pen. The convenience to email the release in PDF form to both the model and the photographer is also a huge time saver. Lastly and most importantly the biggest benefit was speeding up the process to obtain a signature.

Easy Release

What to Be Aware of…
The one weakness of Easy Release is that some stock agencies might not yet accept “digital signatures”. At the time I received my review copy of the application it was unclear to me if Getty accepted “digital signatures” in the form of an electronic touchscreen signature. Right off the bat I was able to confirm with Rasmus Rasmussen (@theprint) that iStock does not yet accept these type of “digital signatures” and prefers pen on paper signatures. I had to wait a few weeks to hear back officially from Getty as to whether “digital signatures” in this form were currently accepted. The response: “…the Getty legal team is reviewing this, but at this time digital signatures are not allowed on releases.” That being said the people behind the application are former Getty employees and are aware of this. If you’re outside of the Getty sphere and/or work independently then this is a non-issue.

Rating:

Easy Release is a solid application that is ultra intuitive to use. Not only did it live up to my expectations, it surpassed them. Whether you’re a semi-professional or full-time working pro photographer this is a must have application to have at your fingertips. For those that have been holding off on upgrading to an iPhone, this app alone might be reason enough to do so.

Technorati Tags: photography, release, iPhone, app, Easy Release, model release, property release

In no short order the iPad has been receiving a ton of hype since its release, but rather than get sucked into the hype echo chamber I postponed my review until I had sometime to use it. Now that 10 days have passed and I’ve used my iPad in almost every way conceivable here is my review.

iPad Impressions
The Apple iPad is a really slick device. It has a great feel to it. It’s balanced, fits well in your hands, is extremely well constructed and looks sharp. The software that powers it runs seamlessly and integrates into Apple’s solution suite perfectly. The application platform is a perfect extension of what has been in place for the iPhone for several years. I received my iPad via UPS and activating it online was a breeze. Apple did a great job in getting the glitches out of the activation process that plagued past iPhone launches. Application management is a breeze and the while the on screen keyboard takes some getting used to its quite usable. If you prefer a traditional keyboard you can still use one as long as its Bluetooth enabled.

My biggest complaints about the iPad are minor ones:

1. The  name leaves something to be desired
2. The screen is easily marked up with fingerprints
3. If you have an iPhone headset it won’t work in the standard headphone jack of the iPad.

Complaint #1 sure the iSlate would have been a better choice, but we’re stuck with iPad so if you get one suck it up.

Complaint #2 fingerprints are to be expected as its a touchscreen device. The good news is the screen cleans up easily.

Complaint #3 Apple has used a couple headphone standards in past generation iPhones where the jack has three connections to accommodate a remote. I had hoped the latest standard would carry over to the iPad so I could use existing headphones. No such luck iPhone headphones don’t fit, won’t work and we’re back to using only a standard headphone jack.

I told you… the complaints are minor.

But wait you say….
You use a PC?
In that case yes the cost is pricey by comparison, but easily offset by other benefits (see
5 Reasons Photographers Should Take Note of the iPad).

It’s a computer that lacks multiple ports?
There is nothing you can’t do over WiFI that a port would provide you… after all it’s intended to be a mobile device not hooked up to a ton of wires.

What about it’s lack of Flash support?
Sorry friends at Adobe… it doesn’t matter. The faster you forget about one standard versus another the better off you’ll be. There is ample competition to provide Flash alternatives. Flash isn’t the only game in town, but I’ll admit falling back to a known standard is nice.

Technorati Tags: Review, iPad, Apple

Recently I had an opportunity to spend some time using the Canon 800mm f/5.6 lens via BorrowLenses.com and had a blast capturing some nature and travel photos in the San Francisco bay area. Below is a video review of the lens with some example photos from my limited time with the lens. The review is not tech heavy and deals with the practical use of the lens. Overall the lens was a dream to use. I only wish the weather had cooperated a little more so that I could have photographed a wider variety of subjects with less atmospheric distortion.  Bottom line  I can’t wait to get my hands on this lens again.

Basic Tech Specs

Max Aperture: f/5.6
Min Aperture: f/32
Field of View: 3.1 degrees
Closest Focal Distance: 19.7 ft./6.0m
Weight: 9.9 lbs./4,500g
Diameter: 6.4in.
Length: 1.5 ft.

Technorati Tags: photography, review,

My photography has transformed over the past couple of  years thanks in part to the advent of photography apps on the iPhone.  Reference information, in particular, now available on iPhone apps has made a special impact. My iPhone now is a critical photography tool when I’m in the field. Always on the look out for great apps I thought I’d share a review of an  app series iFotoGuide (iTunes link) put together by fellow nature and landscape photographers Dan Baumbach and Bret Edge.

The iFotoGuide to date is comprised of location guides for Yosemite National Park and Arches National Park. Each offer information resources covering:

• Area Information
• Park Information
• Interactive Map
• Photo Locations
• Photo Gallery
• Sunrise/Sunset Times
• Additional Resources

$4.99 Yosemite National Park iFotoGuide	$2.99 Arches National Park iFotoGuide

Things I Liked and Didn’t Like

These apps have you covered when it comes to making plans to photograph these national parks. With in the “Area Information” section for example you have airport, transportation, lodging, campground, shopping, restaurants weather and important phone numbers at your finger tips. One noted absence that surprised me under “important phone numbers” was the lack of inclusion of regional resources to get road conditions. For example in the Yosemite app the CalTrans Highway Information number was missing to track when mountain pass roads are open/closed through Yosemite.

Weather information for each park is included in their respective app. Note that the “Weather” section will jump you to monthly averages. To get current conditions the app with an additional link will load Yahoo weather. Perhaps a personal preference I think I’d rather get the current weather first and click through to the monthly averages.

The Yosemite app includes a link to the Yosemite Cam page that loads with in the application. It’s just not possible to get enough of the Yosemite cams (unless you’re checking at night).

The Park information section covers the basics with wildlife, wildflowers, backpacking info and safety info. While the wildlife and wildflower sections are more than adequate it would be great to see in future versions more detail to fauna and plants species in each area.

The Interactive Map is a great feature allowing you to see example photos taken from various park locations. Small camera icons have been transposed to National Park maps so with a touch of your finger you can load photos to get an idea of what is possible. Each image on the Interactive Map loads with additional links to more detailed information and maps.  The downside to the Interactive Map is  that it’s impossible to do each park justice with the number of locations to photograph, but it does cover the major locations.

The Photo Gallery section also allows you to easily navigate additional information and maps. One thing that was mildly disorienting is that this section is a mixture of photos referencing subject and location. For example in the Yosemite app you might click a photo of Half Dome to read about a particular meadow and another photo of the same subject might tell you about Half Dome itself. Perhaps in future versions they’ll tighten this up to easily search of a quick means of seeing one or the other with in the gallery section.

The Photo Locations section does a great job of identifying photo subjects that are ideal to photograph  at sunrise, sunset or all day.  If you don’t have time to adequately scout these parks in advance this feature will prove to be a huge time saver.

The Sunrise/Sunset section of each app will give you a quick look at approximate times for sunrise and sunset for the 1st and 15th of each month. Helpful for general information it would be nice if the apps provided links that took you to a site that relayed specific information for a particular day. To be fair though this chart is more than enough if you lack connectivity in the field.

Rating:

iFotoGuide is well worthy of picking up for the price. For a version 1.0.x app it’s very well done. Easy to navigate, intuitive and full of great information. Some portions of the app aren’t as strong as others, but that’s normal. One app can’t do it all. On that note I’ll likely continue to use other applications that specialize in sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset calculations. I’m hopeful that in future releases more detailed information is added about wildlife and plant species. I’m eagerly awaiting to see what National Parks they add to the series next. For updates and additional information visit the iFotoGuide blog.

Few places in my travels have made as lasting an impression on me as those I’ve visited along Highway 89. There is not a week that goes by that my mind doesn’t wander to places I’ve visited on Highway 89. The landscapes, people and small towns that make up this portion of the United States are amazing. One of the few people I’ve come to know that appreciates this stretch of highway and the U.S. National Parks it travels through even more is Ann Torrence.

Ann Torrence just recently released an excellent book titled, “U.S Highway 89: The Scenic Route to Seven National Parks”. Having traveled 15,000 miles in her documentation of this amazing route she has captured not only the beauty of the scenery, but the soul of the highway comprised of by the many small towns, down to earth people that call this area home and the awe inspiring U.S. National Parks found along it. Highway 89 stretches from Nogales, Arizona to Piegan, Montana intersecting Saguaro, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.  If Ann’s writing doesn’t transport you as you read her book, her photography most certainly will. “U.S. Highway 89″ strikes a balance between well-written prose and solid travel, wildlife and landscape photography. What I found most refreshing about Ann’s book is that it highlights the communities along Highway 89 as much as it documents the iconic National Parks found along it.

If you’re looking to explore new territory or revisit familiar ground covered on past trips you’ll find great satisfaction in “U.S. Highway 89″

Where to Buy It
“U.S. Highway 89: The Scenic Route to Seven National Parks”  can be found at Pictureline.com, Amazon.com and signed copies from Sagebrush Press.

Learn More about Highway 89 Online

• U.S. Highway 89: The Greatest Road Trip in America
• http://www.anntorrence.com/hwy89/

Technorati Tags: photography, book, review, Hwy 89, Highway 89, Ann Torrence

I consider myself lucky to have been include in a select group of folks randomly selected at the Adobe Photoshop 20th Anniversary celebration to receive a copy of Photoshop 1.0.7 for the iPhone. Thanks to Adobe’s Russell Brown for the creation of this retro application for the iPhone (or at least announcing the news of it… seeing as it was actually made by development firm named Corona).  So what’s the fuss about this app?

First let me burst most people’s bubble…

• This app is not a full version of Adobe Photoshop 1.0.7 and only provides basic levels adjustments. (No cropping, no image rotation, no resizing, no curves, etc.)
• Touch screen controls on the iPhone are quite clumsy to use
• It’s not being distributed beyond the select pool of people who were given the opportunity to receive it at the 20th anniversary celebration
• The app is not being further supported
• The app is tied to specific iPhones ID’s.

Now that I’ve laid the ground work as to why you shouldn’t be upset Photoshop 1.0.7 is not widely available let me tell you why it’s cool.

• For those who used the first or early versions of Photoshop the user interface is a real flashback
• The startup sound is another great flashback and reminds Apple/Adobe fan of Pavlov’s theory of conditioning.
• Adjusting levels by color channel (red, green and blue), in addition to a master adjustment is nice be able to do.

Really? That’s it?

Yup that’s it. This app highlights one function of the original Photoshop app. Nothing more and nothing less. Other photo apps that are currently available do tons more. This app hardly will become a part of my standard iPhone photo editing workflow. But if you’re a tech geek… meaning you grew up using Photoshop & old macs and still hoard old equipement and software (please don’t tell my wife) then you’d love this app. How long I’ll be inclined to show my buddies this app at bar-b-q’s and various tech events I don’t know. The shelf life might be quite short, but the inner geek in me loves it.

Technorati Tags: Adobe, Photoshop, Photoshop 1.0.7, iPhone app, iPhone, app, technology, photography, geekery, review

Click to Enlarge

I’ve been itching to test out the Canon 17mm f/4 tilt-shift lens for a long time and thanks to BorrowLenses as a courtesy this lens was made available to me for testing. I am far from being a camera gear tech-head, so if you want to get MTF chart info and other technical minutia I have provided links below to other reviews of this lens that I think are great & include greater tech info. The purpose of my time with this lens was to write up a practical review… in other words share with you how this lens held up in real-world conditions. Read more…

This week PBS is airing the Ken Burns: National Parks – America’s Best Idea
series and two days in I can’t say enough about it.  The history and archival footage (inclusive of early photography) intermixed with modern video footage is spellbinding. The quality of this documentary is as good as it gets.

I have been visiting National Parks and inspired by them all my life. It is the beauty of the land & animals that inspired and attracted me to photography. Each story with in this documentary covering the philosophy of park evangelists, naturalists and protectors fuels my passion for these amazing places all the more. The magnificence of Ken Burns work is that it captures the timeless appreciation of our natural world by the great men and women who raised awareness and created the laws forming our National Parks… and aligns it to the philosophies & believes held by viewers like myself. This timeless philosophy of appreciation and protection of our natural world is both an inspiration to further document it and protect it.

National parks… It’s not the story of the place, but the people who devoted themselves to preserving them.

I cannot help but beam with pride as I watch these programs, seeing National Parks I’ve visited and photographed, feeling a deep connection with those that made each park possible. This sense of pride… valuing the struggle of those before me to protect these great lands is what lies beneath the surface of each of my photographs. As most photographers can relate seeing a viewer gasp in awe or become transfixed on a photo is the feedback telling us our moment of inspiration has been transferred to another who could not see it first hand. Ken Burns work elicits this very reaction in me with his documentary story telling and no doubt will impact my future work and the appreciation of those that view it.

The text of the Organic Act of 1872 could not have said it more eloquently, as quoted on Roosevelt Arch, commemorating the creation of our first National Park – Yellowstone National Park:

For The Benefit and Enjoyment of the People

Let us hope that our National Parks continue to to be a source of benefit and enjoyment for the years to come. I cannot wait to see the remaining episodes of National Parks: America’s Best Idea later this week.

Roosevelt Arch, Yellowstone National Park

Technorati Tags: National Parks: America’s Best Idea, Ken Burns, documentary, PBS