Landscape, Nature And Travel Photography

Over the past couple of months I’ve read a few blog posts and Facebook entries from acquaintances expressing concern about Social Media activity in relation to time burned and eventual payoff. I’ve been meaning to write something up on this topic for a while, but had to wait for the right time to squeeze it into my schedule (see tip #3).  I am certainly pro-social media, but at the same time I’m quite the pragmatist in knowing that different folks will manage their social media activity differently based on their comfort level and business needs. Rather than reply here and there online as this concern is aired here is my consolidated list of 10 Tips to Manage Social Media Productivity:

1. Scanning versus Searching for Activity
If you’re not up for scanning for activity through out the day search for updates/topics/people at one set time through Twitter search or set up a listening post for terms relevant to you. A listening post will allow you to scan for activity on your schedule.

2. Activity on Your Terms
While it can certainly help to be active everyday for certain social media strategies, don’t feel you have to manage social media every day. Many social media web sites are a constant flow of data/messages/interactivity that can overwhelm even seasoned social media pros. If you miss something it’s not the end of the world. If you want to catch up see tip #1. You can’t take a sip of water from the bottom of Niagara Falls.

3. Prioritize
Prioritize online activity choices and match it to the time you can allocate to social media work. This tip is particularly true if you have a presence on multiple sites.

4. Fun versus Work
Keep in mind the difference between social media activity with a business purpose and social media activity with a personal/for fun activity. If you’re lucky you’ll have both blur together more times than not. Per tip #2 if you’re working focus on addressing work updates versus personal updates. Being disciplined in this area can save quite a bit of time.

5. Don’t Stretch Yourself Thin
Do what you can when you can. Set a schedule if it helps to have 30 min a day you’re active online or set a day/week that you check online regularly and another day/week you’re offline. Activity on social media sites should be done when convenient for you. You shouldn’t become a slave to it.

6. Don’t Be A Slave to Engagement
Adjust your marketing mindset and don’t get turned upside down.  Social Media while about interaction/engagement is also about publishing. It’s ok to have a bit of old school one sided publishing in the mix. Not every online activity has to be interactive, but to be social you should have a decent of amount of it. Perhaps a 60/40 mix will work for your audience versus a gung-ho 90/10 social to publishing mix. To know what works best for you and your audience may require a bit of experimentation.

7. Responding to Followers & Fans
While its great form to respond to everyone that reaches out to you, as you increase your fan base/followers it becomes unrealistic to do so. Don’t feel beholden to respond to everyone. If you can you’re a rock star, if not its because you’re a working professional and there’s nothing wrong with that.

8. Know When to Scale Back If Necessary
If you’re not having fun being active in your social media marketing or its not adding to your productivity/opportunity… consider scaling back or even cutting out activity on less productive web sites. Social Media marketing is in its early stages and not all services are mature nor are all online marketing techniques optimized. A lot of this is still experimental so consider yourself an early adopter. This being said I would investigate methods of optimizing your activity before you completely pull the plug on taking part on certain web sites or with social media all together.

9. Consolidation & Connectivity
Look for opportunities to consolidate online activity to a central forum (your blog, Facebook, or Twitter) and set expectation with your audience. You don’t have to interact with people on the same post in 3 different locations. If you have yet to read my blog post The Birds and the Bees of Social Media Connectivity be sure to do so.

10. Know Who & What You Are
Remind yourself who you are and act accordingly. Are you a photographer, a blogger or social networking butterfly? (If you’re not a photographer replace it with whatever profession you are a member.) If you’re getting sucked into Social Media and finding your time is disappearing asking yourself this question is a quick way to get yourself back on track. This is one tip that has helped me stay on track over several years of social media activity.

—

You’ve found my blog, but you’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg… follow me on Twitter, Facebook and FriendFeed. I also invite you to listen and subscribe to my podcast “EXIF and Beyond” featuring photographer interviews and the chronicles of creating some of my photography

—

Technorati Tags: Social Media, Productivity, Tips, Best Practices

Spontaneous moments are often the most exciting and most difficult to photograph. Over the years I’ve developed habits that have enabled me to more consistently photograph the unexpected. While out in the field recently I made an effort to note what I now do unconsciously as habit, so that I might share a few tips to help you better photograph the unexpected whether your subject of choice is wildlife, weddings (some might say they’re the same thing as wildlife), children, landscapes or any other subject.

Wild Arctic Gray Wolf (Canis lupus), Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

1. Never Fill A CF Card to Capacity
It’s of course a best practice to have extra CF cards with you, but to photograph the unexpected you have to have space on a card in camera ready to go. It is very easy to go crazy with digital photography taking photographs to the point of filling ones compact flash cards to capacity.  If you have your camera in hand you should always have the storage capacity to take more photos.  At a minimum you should always be aware of how many more photos you can capture before filling your card. Plan or take an educated guess as to when there might be a lull to quickly replace a full card with an empty one so as to not miss any action. If you’re like me when in the field and get to a point where you’ve exhausted all free space on your compact flash cards and have yet to back them up…  at a minimum always leave space for 3 to 12 more images for surprise encounters. This tactic has worked exceptionally well for me enabling me to head off Murphy’s Law to capture subjects I’d otherwise have missed. Read more…

Since my Twitter post 5 Tips to Get The Most Out of Twitter was received so well I wanted to make the most of my recent 4 hour flight and write down and share some additional Twitter tips. Just because I’m unplugged (or supposed to be) doesn’t mean you can’t be optimizing your use of Twitter. I guarantee that if you take into account these 5 tips you’ll see an improvement in response from others you interact with on Twitter. Enjoy and feel free to post questions or tips of your own. I’ll be replying as I can during my travels across the Northwest.

1. Fill out your Bio
While this may seem obvious taking the time to thoughtfully do this will quickly enable others to assess who you are and the common interests or expertise you might share with others. I would argue that it is essential to include a URL to your web site so people can look beyond the brief description to learn more about you. In the short space provided give a concise overview of who you are and what you’re interested in (i.e. share your interests). This area of your Twitter page is equivalent to your 30 second pitch.

2. Tweet your interests
Do you walk the walk or just talk the talk. If your tweets don’t match your bio’s stated interests or area of expertise people will likely be less inclined to follow you. Twitter unlike other online communities makes it easy for others to see if your online persona matches your online activities. If the two do not match you’re likely to confuse those evaluating whether to follow you or not. While your recent past tweets may vary day to day be sure to stay on subject for your area of stated interest or expertise. This will ensure that as people find you they’ll see that you have varied interests, but are staying true on some level to your stated interests.

3. Follow & Be Followed
Once you follow someone on Twitter they receive a notification email with a snapshot of how many people are following you and how many people you’re following. If that person sees that you’re disproportionately following people to the number of those following you it will be a red flag that you’re a potential spammer. Following thousands of people while two dozen follow you will make others think you’re either a spammer or desperate for attention. It’s best to avoid either of those perceptions. Start slow and build a following as you follow others. Others will certainly be more apt to follow you when they see what you’re tweeting and how many others are interacting with you on your Twitter-stream

4. Don’t wait for someone to follow you
Twitter is a great medium to make contact and converse with people that might otherwise be out of reach to you. Take advantage of that and talk with others you find interesting even if they’re not yet following you… in moderation of course. A witty comment or a a brief conversation is enough to give others an introduction to who you are and spur them to follow you. In this sense be pro-active rather than passive in your use of Twitter. Don’t assume others will magically find you. To interact with others direct a comment at specific person by using the @ designation (Ex. @ashtonkutcher what tips do you have in meeting and marrying a sugar mama?).

5. Custom Background Images
An image is worth a 1000 words and in the land of 140 characters a background image can provide an enhanced view of who you are providing a window to your personality and interests. Many people now create custom background images with extended bio information on the left edge, inclusive of their web site, social media sites/accounts and standard contact information. This is a creative way for you to express yourself all while giving others a fast view of where else they can find you online.

—

You’ve found my blog, but you’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg… follow me on Twitter and FriendFeed. I also invite you to listen and subscribe to my podcast “EXIF and Beyond” featuring photographer interviews and the chronicles of creating some of my photography

—

Technorati Tags: Social Media, Twitter, Best Practices

For those of us that live in dryer climates humidity can be a mysterious factor to account for when traveling. Significant moisture in the air around us can impact equipment in a variety of ways in some instances quite drastically. Not all cameras have the same level of weather protection. Many professional bodies are weather/water resistant, but not water proof thanks to the presence of rubber gaskets. Most cameras lack this type of protection increasing the risk of catastrophic equipment failure if exposed to too much moisture. With that in mind the following 10 tips should be considered when using a digital SLR in high humidity environments.

1. Use Desiccant Packets
Desiccant packets are often found in new product shipments to absorb moisture. As I can, I save these packets to reuse in my camera bag when traveling. If you’re not the saving type it is possible to order new desiccant packets online. While its impossible for these packets to absorb all the moisture in a camera bag that you’re in and out of often, they can make a difference on segments of trips where a camera bag is not opened or opened infrequently.

2. Minimize Lens Changes
In an ideal world having one lens per camera body would the best solution for high humidity environments. In this situation you’d have one lens on your camera body the entire length of your trip so that humid air never enters your camera. Few people outside of the professional circle have this luxury, so it is important to minimze the number of times you change lenses when in the field.

3. Keep Moisture Out of the Camera Body
If keeping one lens on your camera is not possible think about keeping a teleconverter / tele-extender on your camera body at all times ensuring that no moisture enters your body when changing lenses. Teleconverters / tele-extenders are often used with longer focal length lenses and seldom with other shorter focal length lenses. If you’re shooting wide this tactic may not be very practical.

4. Change Lenses At Night
If Tip #2 or #3 is not a possibility reduce the introduction of moisture into your camera body by changing lenses when atmospheric moisture is at its lowest point. This happens when the temperature is coolest often late at night or early in the morning.

5. Avoid Fogged Lenses
Keep your camera gear at the same temperature as the ambient temperature of your shooting environment to avoid fogging. Fog can appear on the front of your lens and in less than ideal cases on the rear element of your lens if your gear is cold and brought into a warm and moist environment. If keeping your gear with you is a necessity (such as being brought into an air conditioned hotel room as opposed to being left in a car) wait for your camera gear to warm up before use.

6. Regularly Wipe Down Your Equipment
The most common ways moisture accumulates on ones gear is from high atmospheric humidity, rain or your own breath as you use your camera. Regularly wipe down your gear in order to minimize long standing moisture on your camera that might seep into unsealed openings of your camera body. Keeping on hand and using a super absorbent camp hand towel can help a great deal.

7. Keep Sensitive Equipment in Ziploc Bags
While not perfect, keeping sensitive equipment in Ziploc bags can also reduce the negative effects of high humidity. Ziploc bags do wear out if opened and closed often, so this tactic might be best for equipment that is used less frequently. Combining the use of desiccant packets and Ziploc bags could be a great hybrid approach.

8. Carry Multiple Lens Cloth
Even with the best of planning fogged lenses happen. If you’re in the field for an extended time lens clothes quickly become damp. For this reason its a great idea to have multiple lens clothes on hand, using one while the other dries out in the sun

9. Don’t Let Your dSLR Slip From Your Grip
Use a wrist or neck strap to keep slick cameras from working loose of your grip. In hot and humid environments the human body will release a great deal of moisture in the form of sweat. With sweaty hands it will be very easy to accidentily drop a lens, camera body or camera body with a lens on it.

10. Dry Your Hands
Dry your hands before changing batteries and CF cards. This will minimize introduction of moisture, inside the camera, that might later condense upon returning home. Keep in mind this will be particularly true the sweatier you are.

Bonus Tip
Toward the end of your trip utilize a hotel room air conditioners to dehumidify your gear. No need to place your gear too close. Having your equipment out and your camera bag open can be enough to help pull away a build up of moisture.

Do you use your digital SLR in high humidity? Have additional tips? Be sure to add them in the comments and thanks for reading.

This weekend is Fleet Week here in San Francisco and given numerous emails I’ve received about photographing the event I thought I would consolidate my tips to photographing the Blue Angels. Following these tips should put you on the fast track to walking away with some great photos.

Logistics – Be Prepared
In San Francisco that means get to the show very early. Parking is always a challenge and will test your patience. Don’t let the search for parking ruin your day. If you want to avoid that aggravation then take public transportation and/or park far away.

Bring a lunch or a snack. Get the nutrients and fluids you need in your system ahead of time so you can keep your eye on the show and not your bag of chips.

Finding an unobstructed view can be a challenge. Arriving early will not only enable you to find the best location possible but will give you the time to scout out various spots to set up.

Know Where Center-Point Is
Center-point is the physical location that all Blue Angels maneuvers are centered around. This is the mark they aim to criss cross over and navigate around. For Fleet Week here in San Francisco that point is in front of Aquatic Park. Knowing this location is critical if you plan to capture the Blue Angels Criss-Cross maneuver.

Location, Location, Location!
As with realestate location is everything. In San Francisco for Fleet Week there really isn’t a bad spot. I have taken photos of the Blue Angels from a variety of locations over the years including Aquatic Park, Fort Mason, Pier 39, Crissy Field,  Angel Island, and around the Golden Gate Bridge. Depending on what type of photo you want, what background subjects you’d like to have and the amount of hiking or crowds you’ll have to deal with choose appropriately. Honestly there isn’t a bad spot.

Focal Length
It is possible to get great photos of the Blue Angels here in San Francisco with virtually any focal length. Most air show photographs that you’ll see are taken with longer focal lengths to zoom in on the planes.  What focal length you’ll need for such shots depends on your location and the magnification factor of your dSLR. Its possible to get great tight photos using a focal length of anywhere from 200 to 400mm. Unless you’re very far away a longer focal length is over kill. In addition super long focal lengths make it challenging to track the planes. With that being said it is possible to get phenomenal photos of the Blue Angels with a shorter and even wide focal length. Shorter focal lengths enable you to capture not just the planes flying overhead, but the crowd around you.

Normal Autofocus or Servo Mode
You’ll have to experiment with this. For those that are unfamiliar with the difference… Autofocus requires you to half click the Shutter Release Button to focus on your subject.  Servo enables you to focus your subject in or near the center point of the frame and as the subject moves closer or farther the camera automatically focuses for you. The upside to Servo is that you can pan with a subject with minimal work to keep it in focus… in theory. If for any reason your camera confuses your point of focus your camera will keep your subject, the plane(s), blurred. If this happens enough you’ll be ripping your hair out. To avoid this you can stick with the normal Autofocus and half click and shoot quickly as you pan. This can take some practice.

Capture the Action with a Fast Shutter Speed
Greater than 1/800 sec for slower maneuvers
Over 1/1200 sec for faster maneuvers
>1/2000 sec for speed demonstrations
To attain such fast shutter speeds you’ll need to pay attention to what ISO your camera is set to. 400 ISO is a good starting point, but if weather conditions are cloudy you may need to bump your ISO up.

Don’t Use A Polarizer
If you do minimize the polarization to get the fastest shutter speed possible and to minimize over darkening the sky.

Include Your Surroundings
Clouds add a heightened sense of … altitude. Landmarks and people provide a needed sense of scale.

Be Considerate
Fleet Week brings out tons of people. Sure you may cross paths with someone having a bad day, but its in your best interest to take the high road with most any confrontation. Remember that this is a family event and there will be many kids in attendance. If you’re in a location where you might obstruct the view of a child or shorter person do what you can to move and clear the way for them to see the show.

Have Fun
These tips should put you on track to get some great photos and have an even better time at the event.

If you take photos of this weekends Fleet Week airshow add a link in the comments. I’d love to see what you come away with.

Prints
Like the photos displayed here? My Blue Angels photos can be seen and purchased directly via my photo archive Blue Angels 2007 and Blue Angels 2006

Technorati Tags: Photography, Photo, Tip, Blue Angels, Fleet Week, airshow, San Francisco, California