The Nikon D500 – Reigniting The DX / FX Debate And A Few High ISO Photos

With the introduction of the Nikon D500, I expect the DX/FX debate, which some had considered settled relative to “professional” grade cameras, to reignite. Following are some of my thoughts regarding my photography journey and a perspective on the D500 along with some high ISO photos.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who has the fairest ISO of them all?”

Like many, I had placed an order for the D500, not knowing if I would keep or cancel it. Given the D500 ship date delays, I didn’t put much stock in the latest rumors indicating the camera would ship on April 22nd. I imagined Nikon was furiously going over every aspect of the D500, to ensure a successful launch, and was willing to push the date again. The lack of comprehensive reviews prior to the ship date caused me to question whether Nikon was making some last minute changes to the D500’s firmware or refining the manufacturing line. I was surprised when I received emails indicating my credit card was charged and the camera would arrive on April 25th.

1) DX Comes Back From The Dead?

When Nikon failed to release the D500 (the DSLR formerly known as the D400)a few years ago, Nasim and others eventually declared DX to be all but officially dead, except for the lower-end of the market. And who could blame them? Rarely a day went by when someone somewhere didn’t lament the delay of the D500. Would anyone venture to guess how many words were written and hours wasted on speculation regarding the D500? Think about that one… Nikon certainly seemed to reinforce the notion of customers moving to FX for pro style bodies and lenses. It rapidly expanded the FX line, rounding it out with the D4, D800/800E/810/810a, D600/610, D750, and the stylish Df, along with a host of FX lenses. I thought Nikon’s urging customers to move to cameras requiring lenses with larger price tags, was a move in the wrong direction – particularly as smartphone cameras began to improve rapidly, the point-and-shoot market began to disappear, the seismic, one-time shift from film to digital was quickly tailing off, and photography technology of all types was coming down in both size and price, while improving in capabilities.

On the DX side? Apart from a few iterations of the D7000, customers received the obligatory 3XXX and 5XXX DSLR iterations, and more 18-to-something lenses. But no pro DX body. No pro DX lenses (with the exception of the Nikon 16-80mm VR). “Nikon” and “professional grade” become synonymous with FX over the last few years. Like many others, I made the leap to FX, despite the increased costs, weight, and loss of the crop factor for wildlife and other high focal length needs. And then Nikon caught us all by surprise with the release of the D500, which had been relegated to the same imaginary status as unicorns, the Loch Ness Monster, Sasquatch, and glass-enclosed aliens stored in the bowels of Area 51, by all but the most ardent Nikon disciples. My immediate thought (after thinking this was another hoax) was to wonder how many hours and words had been wasted over the years in pure speculation and debates over the D500 (“The DSLR formerly known as the D400”). Looking over the D500 specifications, I also wondered if the D500 was going to cause people to rethink the DX vs. FX debate, since it appeared that this DSLR might erase some of the traditional differentiators between the two platforms.

2) Would You Still Choose FX?

While I love the quality of the D800 DSLR series, I was always a bit conflicted with my move from DX to FX. Had Nikon announced the D400 when it was expected, I suspect I would have remained in the DX camp. A number of photographer newbies have come to me over the years, asking my advice regarding FX vs. DX. I have yet to steer anyone toward the FX platform, due to the cost, weight, but also in consideration of the practical benefits of FX over DX for most photographers. Why? I always considered FX overkill for all the but the most demanding professionals, particularly as digital photography technology improvements began to rapidly outpace most people’s ability (or interest) to exploit their full potential. When I asked people why they were considering an FX system, they looked at me incredulously, as if it was so obvious as to be beyond question. But when pressed for an answer, most couldn’t articulate their FX desires very well. Those that could claimed FX provided “better performance at high ISOs”(apart from the other answer – “because all the guys over at www.mycamerareview.com said FX is better”). With the introduction of the D500, their answer may technically still be accurate, but to what extent does the difference in high ISO performance matter for practical purposes (taking real pictures under a variety of circumstances – not zooming into photos of brick walls at 400%)?

As I looked at my Nikon D500 and D810, and considered what each had to offer, I wondered what advice I would give myself, if I were to honestly (key word here) assess my needs, interests, photos I have printed, and glance through the 55,000 plus images (after a few purges) stored in my Lightroom catalogue. At 53.1 ounces (1505 grams), the D810/24-105mm feels a good bit heavier than the D500/16-85mm, which weighs 36 ounces (1021 grams) – a 17.1 ounce (484 grams) difference. If weight were the primary factor, the D500/16-85mm would win hands down. Would I tell myself to choose D810/FX route or, in consideration of the above, say “The D500 is more than enough camera for you.” I shared these thoughts with friends via email. One thought I was under the control of a hallucinogen (or just hanging out too much in Colorado). After all, are not more megapixels better? And FX megapixels the best of all? Of course. Well, except if you are also considering a medium format DSLR…)

3) Positioning The D500 – “Just” An Action Camera?

The D500 offers DX users an impressive, balanced feature set that should suffice for any type of photography. I have yet to see a comprehensive review, but if the D500’s feature live up to the hype, the D500 will prove to be a veritable workhorse, just as the D300 was. Many are focusing on the frame rate of the D500, attempting to pigeonhole it as wildlife and sports camera. But at just under 21MP, the D500’s megapixel count is just shy of the legendary Canon 5DM II and III models, higher than the Nikon D700, D3, D4, and Df models, and higher than any variation of the Canon 1D Mark series. With respect to the D5, the D500 equals it with respect to megapixels, and is only a step behind in the FPS rate. The other Nikon cameras, such as the D7100, D7200, D600/610, and D750, with an additional 3 megapixels, cannot claim a meaningful increase in resolution beyond the D500.

As such, I think Nikon’s positioning of the D500 as an action camera (and many simply parroting the marketing message) needs to be questioned. Why is the D500 – with more megapixels than many other flagship DSLRS (and slightly less than others) – being classified solely for wildlife and sports photographers? Because it lacks a pop-up flash and has a high FPS rate? It makes more sense to consider the D500 an all-round pro DX body which should, and probably will, cause some to reconsider the practical benefits of FX. It’s plausible Nikon is purposely stressing the action-oriented aspects of the D500 since it doesn’t want photographers to question its strategy of steering them toward the FX line. But if you a serious amateur like many of us, and use your DSLR for a wide variety of purposes – portraits, family functions, kids sporting events, landscapes, wildlife photos, travel, the occasional macro, etc. – the D500 may represent the best all-round pro body across the Nikon DSLR line. And yes, I recognize one could make a similar case for the D7200, save for the frame rate and buffer.

5) The D500/D810 ISO 6400 Comparison

I was eager to see how well the D500’s high ISO shots compared with those of the D810. ISO 6400 was the key number for me. For that elusive (but always imagined) “photo of a lifetime,” obscene ISO levels will suffice. Better to get “a” picture rather than “no” picture. But for almost everything else – ISO 6400 is probably the practical limit for anything I care to showcase or print. I compared the D500/16-85mm and D810/24-105mm combinations shot offhand from the same position and approximate focal length equivalents. I asked my beautiful, but extremely quiet, assistant, Svetlana, to be my model.

I closely examined the RAW files from both DSLRs. Even when zoomed in at a few hundred percent, I struggled to see any meaningful differences. Downsizing the photos for this article didn’t change my opinion. If you can spot a difference in the noise levels between the D500 and D810, you have much better eyesight than I have. I actually thought the D500 RAW images looked slightly better than those from the D810, but your eyes may lead you to a different conclusion. This was pretty impressive.

5.1) RAW Files

D500 6400 RAW

D810 6400 RAW

5.2) Cropped RAW Files

D500 6400 RAW Crop

D810 6400 RAW Crop

5.2) Denoised And Sharpened Files

I used Imagenomic’s Noiseware to reduce noise and Nik’s InFocus sharpen the images. As with the RAW files, I was unable to see any difference between the JPEGs, even after employing my usual processing routine.

D500 6400 Denoised Sharpened

D810 6400 Denoised Sharpened

5.3) Cropped Denoised And Sharpened Files

D500 6400 Denoised Sharpened Crop

D810 6400 Denoised Sharpened Crop

6) The D500/D810 ISO 12800 Comparison

Nasim asked if I would add a similar comparison for ISO 12800. As you can see, both cameras do a pretty solid job. I would avoid shooting this high, but if it were the only option, either camera would produce decent images. Again, pretty remarkable for a DX DSLR.

6.1) RAW Files

D500 12800 RAW

D810 12800 RAW

6.2) Cropped RAW Files

D500 12800 RAW Crop

D810 12800 RAW Crop

5.2) Denoised And Sharpened Files

D500 12800 Denoised Sharpened

D810 12800 RAW

6.3) Cropped Denoised And Sharpened Files

D500 12800 Denoised Sharpened Crop

D810 12800 Denoised Sharpened Crop

7) Summary

Given the D500’s ability to effectively match the D810 on the noise front up to ISO 6400, and perhaps beyond, some may wish to reconsider their thoughts regarding the traditional DX and FX platform considerations. The weight/size/cost savings of the DX platform, the benefits of being on the same body style for both visible and infrared photography (one set of lenses vs. two), and the 50% crop factor for wildlife, and how often I take full advantage of the D810’s full 36 megapixels certainly have me questioning whether the D500 and the DX platform are a better fit for my needs. That may seem heretical to my FX pals, one of whom is already sending me highly cropped photos saying, “You will miss this…” No doubt there is a bit of truth in what he is saying. I am on the fence as of now, given my investment in the FX platform. If I were moving to a pro body DSLR today? The decision would be much easier, even with the existing set of DX lenses from Nikon and others. If rumors of Nikon revamping and expanding its DX line of lenses turns out to be true, the decision would be a no-brainer for me. Your needs may be different. Periodically questioning what you believe you think you need, and honestly comparing it what you actually use is always a healthy endeavor. Particularly when it comes to expensive photography gear.

As of this article, we know the D500 is having some SnapBridge connection issues. And some third party batteries are apparently not recognized by the DSLR. With the years of anticipation surrounding the D500 product release, and the sagging photography market, I hope Nikon has learned from its previous product launch mistakes, and will promptly address any/all issues as soon as they are found.

Lately I have been attempting to be more realistic regarding the features and capabilities that really matter, rather than paying attention to those that only dazzle and drive up equipment costs, but are rarely used or fail to make a meaningful difference in my photos. One result of this reflection resulted in my selling two of Nikon’s lens “Trinity” (Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8), in favor of the Sigma 24-105mm f/4 and Nikon 70-200mm f/4. I have looked over the comments associated with my photos and realized the popular ones cannot be correlated with their megapixel count or the price tag of the lense used to take them. Then again, you might interpret the very notion that I am considering the D500 as further evidence I my Gear Acquisition Syndrome has got the better of me, and I am looking for some excuse to change equipment. Again. :) Something tells me, however, I won’t be the only one reconsidering the DX/FX decision going forward. I am looking forward to Nasim’s detailed review of the D500. Stay tuned…

The post The Nikon D500 – Reigniting The DX / FX Debate And A Few High ISO Photos appeared first on Photography Life.

from Photography Life https://photographylife.com/the-nikon-d500-reigniting-the-dx-fx-debate-and-a-few-high-iso-photos

Black Tap and the Craziest Milkshakes in New York City

 
A few months ago, a new breed of milkshakes exploded across the internet. Monsters covered in piles of candy. Layers of candy and frosting upon whipped cream and chocolate, eagerly waiting to be slurped through a straw.

They were crazy, they were impractical, and they seemed largely designed for Instagram. Surely no normal person could eat one of those in a sitting, right? Well, that didn’t stop people from waiting for hours just to get a taste.

I had to try them.

So when my bud Cailin came to visit New York for a few days, this was our first order of business: try those epic milkshakes for ourselves!

Waiting in Line to Get In

Black Tap used to be a simple burger, beer, and milkshake bar in SoHo. Then they started doing these crazy milkshakes and their popularity exploded — profiles abounded on sites like Eater and Maxim, and Black Tap’s Instagram skyrocketed in followers.

As a result, there’s an intense line every day, usually snaking around the block.

There are two Black Tap locations in Manhattan: the original in SoHo and one in the Meatpacking District. We originally planned to go to the larger Meatpacking District location, then realized they opened 30 minutes later than SoHo, then decided to chance it and walk down to SoHo, a mile and a half away.

We arrived at the SoHo location five minutes before opening and were ferried to the back of the line. It looked like we would make the second seating.

As Cailin and I waited, we heard the hostess taking calls: “Sir, I can’t tell you how long the wait will be. Sir, the wait could be as long as six hours.”

SIX HOURS! I think we blanched when we heard that. At least we had been told it would be about an hour.

After reading amusing graffiti on the wall (“WAITING THREE HOURS” “WAITING FOUR HOURS” “WAITING ONE YEAR!!!”), we made it inside. The wait had taken 90 minutes after showing up at 11:25 AM.

I was shocked at how small a place Black Tap is — it seats around 14 people, with room for a few to stand.

But what shocked me further was how slow and terrible the service was. Honestly, we were sitting for 15 minutes before our bartender even acknowledged us. And he had been standing right in front of us and didn’t appear too busy. I felt like I was intruding when I finally asked for a glass of water.

As a former server, I always give restaurant employees the benefit of the doubt (you never know what’s going on behind the scenes) — so if I say the service is bad, it’s bad. Maybe someone called out and the restaurant was having a rough day, but if this is how their service usually is, they are squandering an unbelievable amount of potential revenue.

The burgers, however, were great.

Black Tap Milkshakes

There are currently four milkshakes from which to choose and they each cost $15.

Sweet N’ Salty: Peanut butter shake with a chocolate frosted rim with chocolate gems (a.k.a. M&Ms) and peanut butter cups, topped with a Sugar Daddy, pretzel rods, chocolate-covered pretzel, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle.

I chose this one.

The Cookie Shake: Vanilla cookie shake with a vanilla frosted rim with cookie crumbles, topped with a “cookiewich,” crumbled cookies, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle.

Cailin chose this one.

Sour Power: Black cherry shake with a vanilla frosted rim with sour gummy poppers (a.k.a. gumdrops), topped with a giant Pixy Stix, rainbow pop, sour skewer, whipped cream, and Nerds.

I have no idea how anyone could drink that, but the older ladies sitting next to us seemed very excited.

Cotton Candy: Strawberry shake with a vanilla-frosted rim with blue, pink, and pearl chocolates, topped with a pink lollipop, rock candy, whipped cream, and cotton candy.

A little girl next to us was very excited when she was delivered.

So How Were the Milkshakes?

Oh my God. They were delicious.

I think peanut butter and chocolate is one of the most sacred flavor combinations of the world, and this shake was a beautiful melding of sweet and savory. If only there were more peanut butter cups! Could you imagine a rim of peanut butter cups instead of M&Ms?

I consumed as much of it as I could, reveling in its sweetness. And it was fine, at first…but as we left the bar, I was hit with the ugly aftermath.

Do you remember that episode of Dinosaurs when the baby goes crazy on sugar?

That was basically me. As soon as we left, I was hopped up, vibrating, and couldn’t focus on anything as my stomach churned! And then it ran its course and I just felt sick to my stomach.

I don’t consume much refined sugar to begin with (I literally haven’t touched my sugar bowl once since I moved here three months ago) so it was a big shock to the system!

The Verdict

I’m glad I went — but I don’t think I’ll be returning. For me this falls under the category of “one and done.” Still, I’m very happy to have had the experience.

Cailin: “If the lines went away and they suddenly became cheaper, hell yeah I’d have them again! But we all know that won’t be happening anytime soon.”

Were they good?

Yes, they were delicious, though it was definitely too much sugar and I felt ill afterwards.

Cailin: “They could have been a tad less messy. I don’t like being sticky. These made me sticky. I tried Kate’s and hers was peanut butter and sweetness overload, no wonder she felt ill. The vanilla chocolate chip was way less intense, but still tasty.”

Were they worth the wait?

Well, that’s highly subjective. For us, two travelers who are used to having our patience tested in various developing countries, waiting 90 minutes wasn’t that bad. We had our phones and were able to amuse ourselves, even calling our friend Steph while waiting. Your mileage may vary depending on your patience level.

But if the wait were three, four, six hours? No way. I wouldn’t wait that long.

Cailin: “Definitely. It was a fun experience, we got to catch up with each other, we of course had our phones to distract us and the time flew by. It also helped knowing about how long we would have to wait as the girl managing the line was quite good at her job and kept us updated. However my feet were killing me from standing on the sidewalk that long. If the wait would have been more than two hours I’d pass.”

See Essential Info below for tips on getting a shorter wait.

Were they worth the price?

$15 for crazy novelty shakes and $15 for burgers are fairly standard prices for Manhattan, so I thought it was reasonable.

Cailin: “I’m from Canada so no. There wasn’t even any gold leaf on them! I think $8 max would have been more reasonable. The burger price was standard.”

Were they worth the Instagram shots?

Hell yes! (Though I have yet to post any milkshake shots on Instagram. Soon.) This is where I thought the value was the highest. Cailin and I both love taking photos, goofing off on Snapchat, and making our friends and followers laugh so for us, it was a ton of fun.

Cailin: “Mine was melting so quickly and it’s a tight place and it was busy. I got some great snaps for my Snapchat. Some good video. However Instagram-worthy pics for me? Debatable. There was too much excitement for me to be crafty! It was definitely worth it for the Snapchat and amusing pictures of the two of us with them.”

Looking for More Foodie Fun?

If these milkshakes aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other wacky, colorful foodie adventures to go on in New York City. Here are three places I like:

Whimsical teaware at T2 in SoHo. T2 is a short walk from Black Tap’s SoHo location and I recommend dropping in if you’re in the neighborhood. Like Black Tap, I think this place was designed for Instagram.

They’ve got lots of tea to try and the teapots are SO beautiful. There’s one with red poppies on it that I would love to have if only I had room for it in my apartment…

Rainbow bagels at The Bagel Store in Williamsburg. This was the top thing Cailin’s list for her time in New York!

When we got there, they were sadly out of rainbow bagels, but Cailin chose a purple-orange-white swirly bagel and I chose a pink and purple bagel.

We toasted them at my place the next morning. They were both on the small side and tasted vaguely fruity — Cailin’s had a coconut taste and mine almost had a berry-like essence.

If you’re looking for an authentic New York bagel, this is NOT the place (you’d be better off at H&H, Ess-a-Bagel, Russ & Daughters, Absolute Bagels, oh god New Yorkers please don’t kill me, I’m just rattling off the popular names). But in terms of the fun factor, they’re awesome!

Big Gay Ice Cream in Greenwich Village. This place is awesome. Fun and unpretentious ice cream concoctions, most of them with soft serve, with names like the Bea Arthur and the Mermaid. If I’m in the Village and craving something sweet, this is where I come. And my sister has been known to go more than once in a single day…

My favorite: the Salty Pimp. Vanilla soft serve dipped in chocolate shell, topped with dulce de leche and sea salt. (And while the line can stretch around the block on hot summer days, Big Gay is a million times more efficient than Black Tap and the line moves quickly.)

Essential Info: Black Tap has two locations: the original in SoHo and a second in the Meatpacking District. See their website for opening hours and information.

There are always lines at Black Tap. If you want to minimize your wait, I recommend going on a weekday if you can, on a rainy or cold day if possible, and getting in line an hour before opening. I’d recommend the Meatpacking location because it’s larger and doesn’t have the fame of the original.

Remember — you don’t have to finish the whole thing!

What do you think? Would you wait in line for these milkshakes?

from Adventurous Kate http://www.adventurouskate.com/black-tap-and-the-craziest-milkshakes-in-new-york-city/

How Was This Picture Made #9

We are continuing our “how was this picture taken?” series of articles and this time I present an image of the Sokullu Mehmet Pasha mosque, which I captured at sunrise from a rooftop of a hotel in Istanbul:

This will hopefully be an interesting choice for the series, because I was challenged with a few issues when capturing the mosque. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose what the issues were, as it will give away the answer. So, how was this image captured and with what specific techniques? What is the approximate exposure time, aperture and ISO? Was the image captured hand-held or off a tripod? How was the image post-processed?

Let the fun begin! Please post your analysis / guess in the comments section below!

The post How Was This Picture Made #9 appeared first on Photography Life.

from Photography Life https://photographylife.com/how-was-this-picture-made-9

Celebrating #100 with Readers

It seems like it was just yesterday when Nasim called and asked me to join the Photography Life team. Here we are some two and a half years later, with this being my 100th posting. A celebration of sorts.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 @ 83.2mm, ISO 3200, 1/250, f/5.6

It has been a wonderful experience being a part of the Photography Life community and I’ve certainly learned a lot from the readers here since my first article was published back in October 2013. I’d like to share a few insights I’ve gained over the past little while. I’ve added a few of my favourite images to this article to provide some visual breaks…my apologies if they include photographs that you may have already seen.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 201.1mm, ISO 720, 1/2500, f/5.6

The power of inquisitiveness.
I have always had a notion that people were inquisitive and wanted to learn new things. I had underestimated how powerful this need was until I started writing at Photography Life. Over the past few years you folks have responded to articles with many questions, some of which had me initially stumped. Doing some additional research and experimentation in order to answer as many reader questions as I could has added to my knowledge base significantly.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 6.7-13mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 6.7mm, ISO 400, 1/25, f/8.0

The importance of human connection.
Even though the vast majority of Photography Life contributors and readers have never met each other face-to-face there is a human connection that happens when articles and related comments are posted. The magic of dialogue ensues.

NIKON D800 + Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 @ 15mm, ISO 400, 1/500, f/8.0

I’ve lost count of the number of readers that have reached out to me via email or have called me at the office. Each one has shared important traits with the others. They are genuine, caring folks and passionate about what they do…and about their love of photography.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 31.9mm, ISO 3200, 1/60, f/5.6

These experiences have reinforced the understanding that each of our lives is enriched by the folks we touch, and those that touch us in return.

NIKON 1 J5 + 1 Nikon 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 @ 110mm, ISO 720, 10/10000, f/5.6

After he and I spoke in June of 2015, Nasim let readers know that I would be taking a sabbatical from Photography Life. At the time I honestly didn’t think I could continue with any further editorial contributions given a host of competing priorities.

NIKON D600 + NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4 @ 22mm, ISO 800, 1/250, f/13.0

Regardless of how hectic my life had become human connections here at Photography Life kept drawing me back on a periodic basis to write another article…and I’m glad they did.

NIKON D800 + NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 @ 24mm, ISO 800, 1/2500, f/6.3

Loyalty can be a double-edged sword.
At times discussing photography-related subjects is akin to politics and religion. Beliefs and loyalties run deep…sometimes bringing out the worse in people…and sometimes tapping into the best of them.

NIKON D800 + Sigma Sport 150-600mm f/5-6.3 @ 600mm, ISO 6400, 1/15, f/6.3

I’ve enjoyed observing how helpful Photography Life readers can be with each other as they share their experiences, different approaches and options. Supportive behavior that transcends personal loyalties to brands of cameras, lenses and software…and our own beliefs… is a gift we can give each other.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 64.3mm, ISO 4500, 1/50, f/5.6

On occasion personal loyalties and opinions can be carved in stone and defended with a vengeance – at times with some venom thrown in. In these situations the actual importance of the subject matter is dwarfed by the amount of aggression expressed.

NIKON D800 + NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 @ 24mm, ISO 100, 1/200, f/8.0

It is always perplexing for me to observe such behavior, and even more so when subjected personally to the vitriol. Fortunately I’ve had very rare experiences of this nature here at Photography Life…a testament to the overall quality and professionalism of the vast majority of readers that frequent this site.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 @ 69mm, ISO 800, 1/60, f/7.1

Tigers are at their best when they accept their stripes.
Each of us has a unique bucket of talents and abilities. We are individually at our best when we come to learn and appreciate our strengths, and leverage them as best we can.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 183.3mm, ISO 3200, 1/60, f/6.3

I knew from years of working with clients and doing executive coaching with them, that pouring untold effort into trying to mitigate weaknesses will never help a person reach their potential. Leveraging strengths is always a more fruitful path. Being a part of the Photography Life team, and especially interacting with readers, has helped me more fully appreciate my stripes.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 @ 89.9mm, ISO 2800, 1/400, f/5.6

I’m just not a technically-oriented guy when it comes to photography and I never will be. Nasim and many of the other team members are simply outstanding when it comes to the technical aspects of photography – and all of them create wonderful photographs too!

When I read their reviews on cameras, lenses, post processing approaches or photographic techniques I was, and still am, left amazed by the extent of their knowledge.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 12.1mm, ISO 160, 1/320, f/5.6

I soon realized that I could never provide value for readers by trying to take a highly technical approach to my articles the way other team members are able to do with such amazing fluidity of thought on these complex subjects. By comparison I’ve just bumbled along and experimented with gear, sharing the results of those crude experiments with readers.

NIKON D7000 + NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 70mm, ISO 400, 1/800, f/7.1

If nothing else I think the experimentation process has allowed me to push my gear further than I would have normally tried to do in the past, and helped make me a better photographer.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 @ 110mm, ISO 160, 1/250, f/5.6

Invest in knowing your gear, not new gear.
Like many photographers I have gotten bitten by the GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) bug a few times, usually with the erroneous thought that ‘better’ gear would make me a better photographer. It never did. Over the past few years many readers have shared their experiences with GAS and their thoughts about the importance of learning how to use the gear they currently own fully, before buying something new. My brain is old and porous but eventually that key concept sunk in and I’m now happily shooting with far less gear than I used to own and enjoying it exponentially more.

NIKON 1 V2 + 1 Nikon 10-100mm f/4-5.6 @ 100mm, ISO 2800, 1/30, f/8.0

Goals always drive behaviour.
After officially joining the team in February 2014 I immediately set a personal goal to write 100 postings on Photography Life. Along the way I’ve had a wheelbarrow full of doubts that I would ever reach this milestone. At times when I thought I was completely tapped out that goal would pop back into my head again and spark some energy. Then, the human connections here at Photography Life would successfully draw me back to pen another piece.

NIKON D800 + NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4 @ 17mm, ISO 800, 1/1000, f/8.0

None of us ever knows what the future will bring. We all face twists and turns yet unseen. What we all can do is look back from where we have ventured forth, and take satisfaction in our respective journeys. To every one of you who has been following my Photography Life articles over the past few years please accept my sincere thank you for all of your comments, questions and support! Reaching 100 would not have been possible without you.

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Article and images are Copyright Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, duplication or adaptation is allowed without written consent. Photography Life is the only approved user of this article. If you see this article reproduced anywhere else it is an unauthorized and illegal use.

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Why Travel Boycotts are a Waste of Time

Recently, Mississippi and North Carolina both passed anti-LGBT laws, and many tourists, bloggers, and celebrities promptly said, “Well, as a sign of protest, I won’t go there because I don’t want to support a state whose laws I disagree with!” This reminded me of when people refused to go to Burma because of the junta, declined to visit the United States when George Bush was president, or refused to visit to Cuba because of Fidel Castro. (There are really dozens of examples that could be listed.)

While people have the right to do whatever they want and if you want to take a personal stance, do so but I think tourism-based economic protests are a mistake because they hit the wrong target; they aren’t effective; and, travel and human interaction brings about more change than a reflective boycott. Moreover, governments can and do change: laws are passed and repealed, voters eject politicians and vote in new ones, and revolutions and sanctions topple dictators.

Point #1: Boycotts hit the wrong people.
We might not agree with certain laws or a current government, but if traveling abroad and defending the United States during the Bush years has taught me anything, it is that people are not always their governments, lumping everyone together is misguided, and you end up hurting the people who you agree with.

Like, for example, one of the bookstores I spoke at during my book tour!

This North Carolina store is suffering because authors are canceling the events this place needs to survive. Small independent bookstores are already suffering, and this is just another nail in the coffin. They are collateral damage to a law they do not agree with.

Governments don’t always reflect the will of all their people (or even a majority). Behind boycotts are real people and businesses who suffer. People struggling to put food on the table and meet payroll. They might not support their government or certain controversial laws, yet we lump them all together and these people become the collateral damage of our economic boycotts. We create pain for the people at the bottom – those with the most to lose and usually the least say in things.

And, though the shouts of travel boycotters sometimes add to the pressure on elected officials, I’ve yet to see one country or state reverse course simply because of this reason no matter how strong the plea. (In fact, the governor of Mississippi has come out saying growth is up and everything is fine!)

I used to say, “I’m never going to Burma because I hate the government” and because I wanted to take a stand. But I also found it silly that people said, “I don’t like Bush, so I refuse to go to the United States,” as if this was enough to pressure Bush to change or as if we were all die-hard Bushites. In the end, this made me realize that most citizens of Burma didn’t choose to live under a military dictatorship any more than I chose Bush as president.

And all my protest was doing was denying people the money they needed to survive and the global perspective that could have added fuel to their desire for change.

Point #2: They are not enough.
What caused Burma to change, Iran to open up, or South Africa to end apartheid? It wasn’t a drop in tourist numbers. It was governmental, domestic, and corporate sanctions.

Indiana softened its anti-LGBT law when corporations and conferences pulled out en masse. South Africa’s apartheid government collapsed when governments and major banks and other corporations stopped doing business with it and lending it money. Iran finally yielded under the weight of sanctions that drove it toward bankruptcy.

Those changes were a combination of domestic activism and international pressure not tourist boycotts.

I think it’s foolish to think that somewhere there’s a government official watching reports of tourist boycotts and declaring, “Tourist numbers are down 10%! We must change!” If they cared about that, they would have done something different in the first place.

Governments care about big business, tax revenue and those at the top? When you cause pain there, you cause change.

Point #3: Travel brings change
If you really want to do good, you can’t shut off people from the world — you must embrace them and show them a better way. The way we effect change is by traveling and educating people about the wider world to change their mind.

Staying home isn’t going to effect change. It simply hurts those who might not have control over their government. Travel opens people to new ideas, cultures, and ways of thinking. If you really want to bring about change, go there and kill them with kindness.

I mean, don’t we travel to see the world, learn, and help foster cultural understanding? You can’t do that by staying home. You can only do that by going to the destination.

****

I don’t support the laws passed by these two states. I don’t support the Castro regime. I certainly didn’t support Bush. Nor do I support the current governments in Thailand or Egypt or censorship laws in China.

Do I agree with the treatment of women in many Arab countries, or Japan’s policy of “forgetting” its genocide in China during WWII? No, of course not!

But I believe boycotting travel to countries because of one law or its current choice of leader is misguided. If we were to compile a list of places with one policy or leader that we don’t agree with, we would never go anywhere. There would always be a red line keeping us home. If you feel the need to “take a stand”, do so but remember people are not always their current government’s policy. I think it’s much better to engage people on the ground, change opinions, and pressure your own government or companies to take action.

We’ll greater change than if we just sit at home.

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Return of the Cormorants

The return of the cormorants to Southern Ontario is in full swing and over the weekend I spent a couple of hours at Hamilton harbor photographing them.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 234.5mm, ISO 800, 1/2000, f/6.3

Sometimes I wonder why I make the trek down to the harbor since I already have captured thousands of images of these birds over the past few years.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 208mm, ISO 250, 1/2000, f/5.6

All it takes is a couple of minutes with a camera in my hands before I appreciate, once again, how much fun it is to capture images of these large birds in flight, or of them taking off from the surface of the water.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 167.5mm, ISO 640, 1/2500, f/6.3

There is a large nesting colony of cormorants adjacent to Eastport Drive which makes them very accessible, although one needs to be mindful of the traffic on the 4-lane road. For many photographers a 300mm zoom lens is long enough to capture some decent images. This makes the location ideal for amateur photographers who don’t have the money to invest in expensive, long telephoto prime lenses.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 170.1mm, ISO 720, 1/2500, f/6.3

Many bird enthusiasts like cormorants because of their somewhat prehistoric appearance.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 228.9mm, ISO 720, 1/2500, f/5.6

Since the birds are plentiful this time of year, Hamilton harbor is one of my favourite places to do some photo coaching with folks. The location affords them lots of opportunities to photograph the birds at their nests, in flight, and on occasion taking off from the water.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 228.9mm, ISO 640, 1/2500, f/5.6

Cormorants use a ‘double leg pump’ as they try to build up sufficient speed to propel themselves off the surface of the water.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 191.8mm, ISO 800, 1/2500, f/5.6

Some interesting wing and leg positions can be captured, especially when using continuous auto-focus with subject tracking at a fast frame rate.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 215.5mm, ISO 280, 1/3200, f/5.6

Visiting during the morning on a sunny day is ideal since the sun will be at your back. This provides good lighting on the birds which helps capture some of their feather detail.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 215.5mm, ISO 720, 1/2500, f/5.6

At the present time the birds are busy with nest building and repair so the opportunities to capture images of them carrying nesting material in their beaks abounds.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 126.4mm, ISO 280, 1/2500, f/5.6

On the weekends there are usually a number of photographers staking out their turf along the guardrail so arriving early can provide the best sightlines.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300mm, ISO 360, 1/2000, f/5.6

The birds were very active during the morning I was there and I filled a few 16GB cards during my two hour visit.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 180.6mm, ISO 250, 1/2000, f/5.6

I used a Nikon 1 V2 along with a 1 Nikon CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 zoom lens to capture all of the images in this article. I shot hand-held using centre-weighted average metering, AF-C at 15fps with subject tracking, Manual settings and Auto-ISO 160-3200.

NIKON 1 V2 + CX 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 201.1mm, ISO 450, 1/2500, f/5.6

The period from mid-April to late June is typically the best time to photograph cormorants at Hamilton harbor. Once the chicks are fully fledged the colony begins to dissipate.

If you’d like to see more cormorant images you can click on the following YouTube video:

Article and all images are Copyright Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, adaptation or reproduction of any kind is allowed without written permission. Photography Life is the only approved user of this article and if you see it reproduced anywhere else it is an unauthorized and illegal use.

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