This Week in the Digital Photography School Forums (7-13 Mar ‘10)

Weekly Assignment

This week we repeated an old assignment that we had a lot of fun with the first time around, Jump. We wanted you to get your feet (or someone elses’ feet) off the ground and into the air. We wanted to see people jumping and having fun, and let me say, there’s just something about people jumping that seems to get them to smile! And the sheer joy on the subject’s face in our winner’s shot was one of the things that really stood out to us. unifiedphoto’s picture of the boy sledding down the hill was just spot on. The boy looked thrilled as he (and his sled) were captured in midair. This shot was a single shot HDR shot, which in this case really helped contribute to the clarity and exposure. And the black and white really suited the photo well. Well done! Our first runner up was MatthewBotos‘ “Day in the Park” which was a composite shot of a snow border jumping. The shot was a great use of multiple shots, and there was just enough colour to draw your eye to the snowboarder. And last, but not least was mitchgreen’s “Parkour Chick”. Parkour is the art of moving and skills such as jumping and climbing are often involved. This shot really works well in black and white and almost feels like part of a story as she jumps over the railing. Well done everyone!

For those of you who work, this week’s assignment ought to be an easy one because it’s all about the Commute. Whether you walk, bike, drive, or ride to work we want you to capture your commute or the commute of those around you. Of course, if you do drive, just don’t shoot and drive! As always, a quick reminder of the assignment rules. First, your photo must have been taken between 3 – 17 March 2010. Second, your post must include the words “Assignment: Commute” and the date that the photo was taken. Finally, your EXIF should be intact and ii’s helpful if you can include some of the main points, such as camera, lens, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. Next week’s assignment will be Product Photography. Whether you’re shooting for a catalog, shooting for ebay, or shooting for your own enjoyment, good product photography can be difficult. You have to consider the staging, the composition, the exposure, the lighting, and the overall feel of your shot. And it’s not as easy as it looks! So get out those products and show us how you would sell them with your photos.

Hot Threads

• Hobbyists – what do you do with your photos?: If you are a hobbyist photographer, you’re probably taking a lot of photos. Whether they’re photos of your kids, pets, family, landscapes, macros, or anything else, what do you do with them? Do you let them sit on your hard drive? Do you print them? Order photo books? If you are’t selling your photos to someone, what do you do with them? Come share your suggestions over in the forums.
• Imitate fire with a flash: Creative lighting isn’t always easy, but when it’s done well, it can be really impressive. In this thread, a forum member shows how he used a flash to create the look of a lighter or match being used to light a cigarette. Come see the shot and read how the technique was done.
• What camera strap do you use?: Most of the time, cameras come with straps. But do you use the strap that came with your camera or do you use another strap? If you do use another strap or you’re thinking about getting a strap to replace your old one, you might be interested in the recommendations for camera straps over in this thread in the forum.
• Flickr or Photobucket: When it comes to sharing your images online, you need somewhere to host them. Two of the popular choices are Flickr and Photobucket. But which is best for your needs? Come hear people’s opinions and share your own over in the forum.
• How do you get rid of smokers smell in a camera?: One of the dangers of buying used equipment is that it might come with smells from the previous owner. Smells such as smoke. But how do you get rid of the smell of smoke on electronic equipment? If you have any suggestions, cautions, or experience with getting rid of unwanted smells on electronics, pop over to the forum and share your experience.