The Luminous Landscape - What's New

17 March, 2010 - Pentax 645D First Impressions and an Interview

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:53:36 CDT

Are you interested in the Pentax 645D? A lot of photographers are. With a weatherproof body, the ability to take all previous Pentax 645 lenses, and a 40MP Kodak CCD sensor without an AA filter, all at less than US $10,000, there's a lot to potentially like.

And, unlike Mamiya, with their similar but ill-fated ZD camera of several years ago, Pentax at least has some considerable digital expertise of their own because of their DSLRs.

Our colleague Bernard Languillier lives in Tokyo and today gives us his first impressions as well as an exclusive interview with Pentax Product Planning executive Yasuyuki Maekawa who shared some interesting information about the philosophy of the 645D and background behind some key design decisions.

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15 March, 2010 - The Top Two Things You Can't Do On the Internet

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:44:38 CDT

Confused and frustrated by all the claims and counterclaims found on the Net about image quality, DSLR vs Medium Format, this bit of technology vs that bit of technology? Ya. Me too.

Today we have an essay titled The Top Two Things You Can't Do On the Internet written by one of the industry's most knowledgable sales executives.

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The winner of last week's Contest is Spyros Triantos of Richmond, MA. Congratulations Spyros! We'll be sending you a full boxed copy of Adobe Lightroom 3 as soon as it ships.

Who will be next week's winner? It could be you!

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UPDATE

Interested in the new Pentax 645D? This fascinating new cameras was shown in production form last week at the CP-Plus show in Yokohama, Japan, and our intrepid reporter Bernard LANGUILLIER was there. We'll have his observations as well as an exclusive interview about the camera with Pentax's Product Planning executive here tomorrow – and yes, the 645D will be eventually available outside of Japan.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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11 March, 2010 - Composing With Color, Part II

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:35:54 CST

Today's new tutorial, by our regular contributor Alain Briot, is titled Composing With Color, Part II.

"Video Journal 19, one of the best. Interesting and relevant topics, knowledgeable engaging guests, and a host that gently guides the conversation through terrain I want to explore. And more, it's beautifully shot in a clean, no tricks style that keeps the conversation in focus. Well done all! This one is worth twice the price".

– paul b. kramarchyk

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7 March - The Dynamic Range Debate

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 7 Mar 2010 08:13:45 CST

Yesterday's review here by Mark Dubovoy titled Hasselblad H3D 50 II Multishot Versus Phase One P65+ / 645AF generated some considerable discussion on this site's forum, particularly with regard to the issue of dynamic range. Though he found the Hasselblad and the Phase backs to be very similar in dynamic range, he also wrote "The dynamic range of a typical high-end professional 35 mm DSLR is around 7 F/stops. Medium Format cameras are closer to 13 F/stops of dynamic range," and the cat was among the pidgeons.

The issue seems to be contentious because different people use different definitions of dynamic range. As one person put it, "It's like comparing apples with cassaba melons."

I have therefore just added an Editor's Note to Mark's review with my observation on the subject. Hopefully it will clarify a debate that has been murky for some time.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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6 March, 2010 - Hasselblad H3D 50 II Multishot Versus Phase One P65+ / 645AF

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 5 Mar 2010 18:13:28 CST

The air is thin at the top. Whether it's Ferrari vs Lamborghini, or, of interest to photographers – Hasselblad vs Phase One – the two remaining leaders of the medium format world.

Every now and then it's fun to pitch top contenders against each other, and when they are both kings of their respective hills, all the more so.

Today we have an exclusive review by our regular contributor Mark Dubovoy titled Hasselblad H3D 50 II Multishot Versus Phase One P65+ / 645AF.

What makes this particularly interesting is that the 50II back from Hasselblad is a multi-shot, in theory a technology able to produce higher image quality than that from a Bayer array, as used in the Phase One P65+. But the Phase is a higher resolution back, so how will it all work out?

I'll bet you'll be surprised.

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As you may have read previously here I have no field workshops planned during 2010. This is a sabbatical year for me, focusing on other business and personal projects.

But there are some very fine teachers and trips available which I can recommend.

My friend David Burren has an Antarctic Photographic Expedition planned for this coming November. The initerary includes the Falkland Islands as well as South George Island.

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Art Wolfe needs no introduction to anyone interested in nature photography. His work is recognized around the world. What you may not know is that Art is also a very fine teacher, and does a large number of lectures and field workshops world-wide.

Click here for further information, including a list of cities in the U.S. and Canada where Art will be speaking in the next few months.

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3 March, 2010 - Preparation Comes First

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 2 Mar 2010 18:34:13 CST

How do you get ready to do your photography? Jack Graham shares his thoughts in an essay titled Preparation Comes First.

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Sean Reid at Reid Reveiws has just published a thorough review of the Canon 85/1.2 L II (including extensive comparisons with the Canon 85/1.8). He also has a previous review that compares the Zeiss ZE 85/1.4 with the Canon 85/1.8, as well, so the whole trio of fast EOS mount 85s is now covered on the site. Reid Reviews is a subscription site.

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The winner of last week's Contest is Marc McDonald of Boulder, CO. Congratulations Mark! We'll be sending you a full boxed copy of Adobe Lightroom 3 as soon as it ships.

Who will be next week's winner? It could be you!

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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26 February, 2010 - What is it About? - Deconstructing an Image

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:17:02 CST

When I do portfolio reviews with students and I discuss an image of theirs that I don't feel has been successful, the question that I ask is – What is it about? This seemingly innocent question is, in my experience, one which causes any photographer to reflect on their own work in a way that is necessarily part of the creative process.

A new essay titled What is it About? – Deconstructing an Image uses today's Home Page photograph as an example of how this process is done.

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Phase One has just announced the continuation of PODAS – the Phase One Digital Artist Series, workshops to be held around the world this year that you will want to learn more about. I'll have more to discuss about these in the weeks ahead.

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Leica Camera has announced that it will bring the latest and newest Leica products to major North American cities as part of the first-ever Leica North American Road Show. Leica’s product specialists will visit 26 cities over the course of 14 weeks; the road show will commence on March 18, 2010 in Miami, Florida and conclude on June 23, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. The series is designed to enhance participants’ knowledge of and familiarity with the M and S Systems.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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22 February, 2010 - PMA / Ho Hum : Capture One 5.1 Released

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:26:09 CST

Well, the PMA show opened yesterday, what few new products that were not announced earlier in the month were introduced, and life goes on.

Since the photographic industry has become indistinguishable from the consumer electronics industry we have come to expect a rush of new products even six months, or less. But the world-wide recession of the past year combined with a slowing in the rate of change in the digital revolution, means that recent developments are more cosmetic and superficial than significant. In any event, it's also a Photokina year (Sept., 2010) and so we're likely to see the next round of significant product announcements then.

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Phase One has announced the release of Version 5.1 of their Capture One software. Though it would appear to be a dot release, it's much more than that, with significant new features, capabilities and camera support. Current C1 users can download a free update, and everyone else can download a free, fully functional, 30 day trial copy.

I am currently preparing a major multi-hour video tutorial on Capture One 5.1 along with Walter Borchenko, the world's leading expert on C1 software and training. Watch for it here this Spring.

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I have been spending most of the month of February, 2010 in San Miguel Allende, Mexico. I have now started a new page containing a few of the photographs resulting from this trip. These are also appearing on the Home Page from time to time. The San Miguel portfolio page will be updated periodically during February and March.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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20 February, 2010 - Winners and Workshops

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:05:52 CST

Today's winner in our Lightroom 3 Winter Cheer-Up Contest is Karin De Winter of Antwerp, Belgium. Congratulations Karin, and I must say a most appropriate name for this particular contest.

Who will be next week's winner? You can be if you purchase any of our download video tutorials or Video Journals. Each purchase made is another entry in the competition. There are a total of 10 prizes to be won. A new winner is announced approximately every week.

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Have you ever taken a photographic workshop? If you are passionate about photography this can be one of the best ways of improving your craft, inspiring your art and extending your community.

Our Workshops listing page contains a small group of some of the world's finest photographic educators. I can unreservedly recommend each of them because I have taught and worked with them each over the years. Two of them, Jay Maisel and Alain Briot, have also just announced new programs.

And, in response to many requests, I'll simply reiterate that I am taking 2010 off from tours and workshops, devoting my time to personal travel and projects. I still though am doing One-On-One sessions at my gallery / studio in Toronto.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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17 February, 2010 - Composing With Color

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:27:18 CST

It's been far too long since we've had an essay by our regular columnist Alain Briot. The fault is mine.

Alain's latest is Part One of a new series titled Composing With Color.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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13 February, 2010 - Olympus Pen E-P2 Field Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:47:53 CST

The Micro Four-Thirds format continues to strengthen. Olympus is now shipping its updated E-P2, and I have just finished several weeks of field testing, including on a recent shoot in Joshua Tree National Park. My Olympus E-P2 Field Review is now online.

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Ironically, while Olympus decided to tone down the cosmetics of their MFT cameras, with the E-P2 styled in a more subdued black finish rather than the E-P1's white, Panasonic this week announced that their GF1, a direct competitor to the new E-P2, will be available in pink in certain markets. Yes, my friends, pink. I will say no more.

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I will be in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, for the next two weeks. If any regular readers live there and would like to say "Hi," drop me a line.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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10 February, 2010 - The Light Fantastic - Capturing the Inner Sense of the Scottish Landscape

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 9 Feb 2010 16:02:39 CST

Photography can be about literal record making or it can be about interpretation and emotion. In The Light Fantastic – Capturing the Inner Sense of the Scottish Landscape by Ted Leeming & Morag Paterson, we find a sophisticated visual and written examination of how and why to make images that stir the imagination.

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The past couple of days have seen the introduction of a number of new high-end products, including Version 3 of Apple's Aperture, a new Canon Rebel, and new lenses from Nikon. Since I don't usually publish press releases you may want to visit one of the major camera review sites that does to find out more about these.

More announcements are due over the next few days, leading up to the PMA show later this month.

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Photojournalist Peter Turnley has just returned from Haiti with a powerful photo essay, which is being hosted by The Online Photographer. Congratulations to publisher Mike Johnston for placing this online and especially to Peter for his excellent work.

If you have not already made a contribution to Haiti relief may I suggest that you do so though any of your local relief agencies, or via The American Red Cross.

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When you're ready to really learn Lightroom, here's the most painless way to do so. Purchase and download our Lightroom 2 video tutorial and automatically receive a discount on our Lightroom 3 tutorial when it becomes available.

You will also be automatically entered in our latest contest and win one of 10 weekly prizes.

"If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a thousand pictures.

Just to let you know that I found your Lightroom Tutorial most helpful in understanding, not only which buttons to push, but the gestalt behind the program. Especially helpful was the orgainzation.

All in all the best $40.00 I have spent recently".

– Jim Cassatt

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6 February, 2010 - A Question of White Balance

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 5 Feb 2010 17:05:09 CST

Many photographers obsess over proper white balance. But what is more important – accuracy or looking good? My take on this is found in our latest essay – A Question of White Balance.

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We're pleased to announce the first of ten winners in our Winter 2010 Cheer-Up Contest. This week's winner is Mirek Elsner, of Bellevue, WA. Congratulations Mirek.

There will be nine more winners in the weeks ahead. You could be one of them. Any purchase of one of our video tutorials or Video Journals is a qualifying entry. Find out more.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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3 February, 2010 - New Cameras - Prices Drop

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 3 Feb 2010 09:24:24 CST

One good thing about the lousy economy, it's leading to reduced prices on cameras. Two that were just announced in anticipation of the PMA show later this month are the Hasselblad H4D-40 at some U.S. $20,000 and the Olympus E-PL2 at about $600 – both very aggressively priced in their respective catagories.

I had preview comments (under NDA) on each of these in preparation, but since both products were leaked well in advance by other sites I've decided to save my breath. In any event, I am hoping to review them when they become available for testing. For the time being you can read about them on the major camera review sites.

What I am shooting with and field testing at the moment is the Olympus E-P2, which is turning out to be a much more enjoyable camera than I had anticipated. Look for a review soon.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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2 February, 2010 - Air Rage. Toronto Airport Is Broken

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 2 Feb 2010 04:10:08 CST

Toronto Pearson International Airport is broken and the fault lies with the GTAA. This may not be of interest to you unless you live in Canada's largest city and fly to the U.S., but if you do you need to read my latest essay titled Toronto / U.S. Travel Outrage.

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UPDATE

In the half day since Toronto / U.S. Travel Outrage was first published I have received more e-mail about it than anything else that I have ever written on this site in the past 11 years.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, support and suggestions. Unfortunately because I am traveling in the U.S this week on a shoot (which is why this was all reported on in the first place), I am constrained in my ability to reply as I would like. So please accept this as my thanks for the communications.

I would also like to point out that I received a call from a senior representative of the GTAA and we spoke for about a half hour. He was very concerned as well as understanding, and indicated that he would be investigating all of the issues that were raised, and also would reply to them in due course. I believe that the GTAA is well aware of the problems that exists but in large measure finding solutions is difficult because the airport is subject to at least a half dozen government and administrative jurisdictions, and they don't all play nicely together, even in the face of consumer outrage.

That being the case, I have decided that I will not be flying to the U.S. out of Toronto Pearson until the current situation is fixed. Porter from the Island airport is one solution, as is driving to Buffalo, which also has less expensive air fares. And, there's always simply accepting the fact that air travel has become a major pain in the butt, and simply isn't worth the hassle anymore except when absolutely necessary.

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1 February, 2010 - Learning From The Best Images

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:36:01 CST

How can we become better photographers? Craft and equipment have their roles, but seeing trumps everything else.

Today's new essay is by author and regular contributor George Barr, and is titled Learning From The Best Images – Yours, Mine, and History’s.

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Today's Home Page photograph is the last from a series shot on the island of La Gomera, Spain last month. I have now collected these on this page for those that might be interested, since several of them don't appear anywhere else on this site once they disappear from the Home Page.

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I am now on a private shoot for a few days in the desert in Southern California, with Chris Sanderson and Jeff Schewe. We are working on our next video tutorials, and this trip will provide both fresh images to work on and location discussions.

I'll be working with my Phase One DF camera and P65+ back, and also field testing the just-released Olympus E-P2. My report on this new small Micro-Four-Thirds Olympus will appear here later in the month.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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29 January, 2010 - Winter 2010 Cheer-Up Contest Announced

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:20:10 CST

It's contest time again. Every once in a while we run a promotional contest to remind people that we publish several unique training videos, including The Luminous Landscape Guide to Camera Raw, From Camera to Print, our Guide to Asset Management, our Adobe Lightroom Tutorial, and nineteen different issues of our unique video magazine, The Luminous Landscape Video Journal.

The prices are reasonable, the content is terrific, and your purchases help support the existence of this site.

Our new contest offers ten chances to win a full boxed version of Adobe Lightroom 3, compliments of Adobe. Every purchase of one of our products, any product, is another chance to win. Purchases made thus far in January already count toward the contest.

There will be a new winner announced roughly every week for the next few months. One of them could be you.

Thanks for your support.

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27 January, 2010 - What Will The Apple iPad Mean For Photographers?

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:36:28 CST

What will it all mean? Clearly the Apple iPad will be a game-changing device for the publishing industry as well as consumers. For many it will be all the computer that they need, offering small size, low price, and simplicity of operation.

For others it will become their main tool for web surfing, email, as well as reading newspapers, books and magazines. It also looks to be a pretty decent game machine.

But what about for photographers? Are there features there for us? And more importantly, will the changes that the iPad makes to the publishing industry be as seismic as those created by the iPod and the iTunes Store?

I have just published a brief essay titled The Apple iPad – What it Means for Photographers. Some food for thought and hopefully some constructive debate, which I invite you to join on this site's discussion forum.

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26 January, 2010 - Thom Hogan Considers - What's Next For Leica?

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:06:55 CST

Clearly Leica is a company whose products are well loved and respected by many. This is the only way to explain the large number of people that have written to me over the past few days with comments and suggestions on my recent Open Letter to Leica. We don't all agree on what we'd like to see next, but the fact that we care speaks volumes for the brand.

I was pleased to receive one yesterday from Thom Hogan, one of the most respected technical writers in the industry, and the leading independant authority on Nikon cameras.

With his permission I have now published his letter as an essay titled Thom Hogan Considers – What's Next For Leica?

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24 January, 2010 - Another Perspective on the M Leica's Future

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 14:32:58 CST

My Open Letter to Leica, published this past week, has as I expected it might, generated quite a bit of comment both on this site's forum and elsewhere online. A bit of browsing the discussions shows about an equal mix of those that think I'm apostate and those that agree with my suggestions. Fine. As long as Leica knows what some of us are looking for – mission accomplished.

My friend Mark Dubovoy, a well known photographer, teacher, and industry pundit, has also written some thoughts on the changes that he would like to see Leica consider for a next-generation camera, and his new essay is now online.

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Speaking of things Leica, Sean Reid has written Part 2 of his Leica S2 review, based on some weeks of using the new system in a Vermont winter. Sean was one of the other journalists invited by Leica to Germany last fall for a preview of the S2 and M9. Sean brings a different perspective than mine to the S2, as he is not normally a medium format digital user. Yet, I found his conclusions to be quit similar to mine in terms of that camera's strengths and weaknesses. Reid Reviews is a subscription web site.

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Wednesday will see the announcement of the much-anticipated Apple Tablet (iPad?). Few doubt that it will be a game-changing product in the way that the iPod and iPhone have been. But will it be a device that offers capabilities of use and interest to photographers? We'll know in a few days, and I expect to have some comments about it here not long afterward.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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21 January, 2010 - An Open Letter to Leica Regarding a Future M10

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:52:30 CST

After nearly 60 years, has the Leica M series camera finally reached its best before date? Is an optical rangefinder camera a valid holdover or an anachronism?

There's no doubt in my mind that with the Leica M9 that company has produced a digital version of the M that finally is what Leica afficionados have been waiting for. Image quality is nothing short of superb, and with full frame and no need for IR filters what more can we want?

In my Open Letter to Leica, published today for the first time, I look at the question of whether the Leica M9 is the end of that particular road, and if so what can be done to move it to the next generation of technology while not abandoning those things that make it unique among cameras.

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– Jim Cassatt

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20 January, 2010 - Sanity (a bit) Returns For Photographers Flying from Canada to U.S.

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:11:24 CST

There's good news today for photographers and others that fly from Canada to the U.S. with carry-on on bags. As reported by the site Flying With Fish, Transport Canada and CATSA have removed their onerous and arbitrary restrictions on carry-on bags, in effect since the fortunately aborted Dec 25 incident.

You can read more about it here. This means that photographers can once again travel with their photographic equipment in approriate bags, such as the Think Airport Security; Pelican 1514; Mountainsmith Parallax; and Gura Gear Kiboko Bag. Weight, of course, is still an issue, but that's always been the case.

Maybe the efforts of sites such as this in recent days, as well as industry associations and individuals who have been putting pressure on the bureacrats in Ottawa, had some small effect.

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18 January, 2010 - The Photographer Excludes

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:30:55 CST

Photographic composition and the process that we go through in deciding how to frame and crop our images is endless fascinating. Our newest essay by Peter Cox is entitled The Photographer Excludes.

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IMPORTANT CANADIAN AIR TRAVEL UPDATE

Following last week's article on air travel for photographers I have been receiving regular updates from readers and government agencies about changing regulations regarding air travel, especially from Canada to the U.S.

Be aware that Transport Canada has just issued a new advisory in the form of a consumer awareness video which I urge everyone to view, as it contains vital information on the way in which you will be treated when you travel by air in Canada.

I urge all travelers to watch it immediately.

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Regular readers will have noted that I've been shooting extensively with the Leica M9 since its introduction some months ago. I continue to be impressed by its overall image quality.

But I have also been thinking a lot about the rangefinder camera's relevance in today's environment. Later this week I will publish an Open Letter to Leica, with my thoughts on the future of the M Series camera. Watch for it.

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The Photocrati Fund offers a $5,000 grants to non-professional photographers to undertake important humanitarian and environmental photography projects. Their stated goal is to identify outstanding, up-and-coming photographers and give them the resources necessary to pursue projects that will have a tangible and positive effect on the world.

I have no association with Photocrati but because this seems legit and worthwhile and this fund is similar to the Endowment Fund which we offered here a few years ago, I thought it worth drawing to your attention.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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14 January, 2010 - Flying With Camera Gear Post 25 Dec, '09. What's Changed?

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:26:16 CST

First we had to take laptops out of their bags. Then we took our shoes off. Then liquids needed to be in little plastic baggies. Now, after the Dec 25 aborted attack do we need to remove our underwear before boarding a plane and also refrain from peeing during the last hour of our flights? Will the indignities never end?

Not quite, but also things are a lot more stringent than they were just a few weeks ago.

I've just returned from a three week trip to Spain, and over the past few days have flown within Europe, from Europe to the U.S. and from the U.S. to Canada – all with camera gear.

Knowing I was traveling, a number of people have written asking about my experience and what if anything has changed.

You can read about this experience and also enjoy some of the images shot earlier this month in the Canary Islands in my latest essay – Flying with Camera Gear Post Dec 25, 2009 : What's Changed – What Hasn't?

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UPDATE:

If you live in Canada, and travel to the U.S. by air, read the following update to today's article on flying with camera gear.

This is simply outrageous, unnecessary, and unacceptable! What's next? Pre-boarding enemas?

UPDATE #2:

There is now some additional information available from CATSA on what items are permissable on Canada to U.S. flights. It can be found linked here.

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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.

Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.

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12 January, 2010 - Heresy - Handholding the Tilt / Shift Lens

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:12:03 CST

Can one effectively hand hold a T/S lens? Common wisdom says not, but in a tutorial by Rob Porter, titled Heresy, we find out how.

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I have now begun my long treck back from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Toronto. It's going to take two full days, first via a ferry to Tenerife, then planes to Madrid, then Newark, and finally Toronto.

I hear that there's snow at home, and a lot of it. Also that much of Europe has been blanketed.

Coming from two weeks in what may be the world's most benign climate it's hard to imagine it, but I guess I'll be shoveling it again soon enough – snow that is.

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"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".

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8 January, 2010 - Thoughts on Ansel

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 7 Jan 2010 10:13:53 CST

Ansel Adams is an ikon for some, and an inspiration for others. Many people studied with him, either directly through his seminars, indirectly through his seminal training books, or simply though a close study and appreciation of his work.

Our newest columnist, the very fine photographer and teacher William Neill, had the good fortune of working with Ansel, and in his first column for us shares some thoughts on this best known of 20th Century photographers.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

Watch Free Video Previews of Each
Major Feature in This Issue

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4 January, 2010 - Using QuadTone RIP (PC version) to Create Digital Negatives

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 4 Jan 2010 09:54:29 CST

There is a lot of interest among photographers exploring traditional as well as historic chemical printing processes in producing digital negatives.

Tim Gray, who does Platinum printing and who reported on this here last year, now provides us with a tutorial on Using QuadTone RIP (PC version) to Create Digital Negatives.

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If you wern't too deep in your cups early on New Years eve you may have noticed that there was a full moon. From the deck of our rental house on the island of Gomera we watched a remarkable moonrise behind a massive cliff, with wind-raked clouds racing by. My last photograph (literally) of 2009 is now on the site's Home Page.

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2 January, 2010 - A Tale of Two Papers

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 2 Jan 2010 07:00:19 CST

Most would agree that this is the Golden Age of printing papers. We have more types of papers than ever in history and most are quite excellent. A few – not so much!

The first article of this new year is titled A Tale of Two Papers. In it I review two brand new papers, both just becoming available this month – Canson Infinity Baryta Photographique and Hahnemuhle Baryta FB.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

Watch Free Video Previews of Each
Major Feature in This Issue

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1 January, 2010 - Happy New Year

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 2 Jan 2010 06:58:24 CST

I am currently on a vacation / shoot in Spain (The Canary Islands) until mid-January, with limited internet access. Updates and new articles will therefore appear here only intermittently over the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, our best wishes to all readers for a healthy and prosperous 2010.

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26 December, 2009 - The Sony A900 - One Year Later

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:59:05 CST

It's now been a year since Sony shook up the DSLR world with its 24MP A900, priced at less than $3,000. We've offered extensive coverage of this model here, including its use by me on my last Antarctic expedition.

Contributor Bill Caulfeild-Browne today provides us with his experiences and thoughts on this camera system in The Sony A900 – One Year Later.

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23 December, 2009 - Scanning with SilverFast - The Old World Joins the New

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:50:58 CST

There are a great many photographers scanning film, either because they still shoot film or because they have a large slide and negative collections requiring digitizing.

SilverFast is widely acknowledged as the leading scanning software, and is found bundled with a number of top scanner models.

Mark Segal is an expert in both scanning technique and the use of SilverFast, and today provides us with a tutorial titled Scanning with SilverFast – The Old World Joins the New. In it Mark explores calibration, scanning with the new Epson V750 Pro, and techniques for an integrated workflow between SilverFast and Adobe's Lightroom.

This tutorial is in two part. The web page contains an introduction while because of its length and layout complexity the main tutorial is in the form of a free downloadable PDF, which can be read onscreen or printed out for reference. The PDF link is found at the bottom of the article.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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A Plea For HDR - Love it or Hate it, But Understand it

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:38:09 CST

HDR has been "big" this past year, but as many photographers as there are who love it, there seem to be an equal number who hate it.

In today's essay by Alexandre Buisse titled A Plea For HDR, we look at the esthetic dimension of HDR rather than simply providing another "How-To" tutorial.

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If you have read my recent review of Bill Atkinson's Photocard, a fantastic new App for the iPhone, you might be interested in this new hint from Bill on maximizing image quality.

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One of the top nature and landscape photographers working today is Art Wolfe, who, due to his books and TV shows, needs little introduction. But you may not be aware that Art also does travel workshops, and he has two coming up in February – one in Vietnam and Cambodia, and the other in Myanmar. I have also linked to them from my Workshops page.

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CMYK 2.0 - A Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:12:29 CST

Many photographers want to prepare their own files for commercial four colour printing. This seems a deep mystery, but is actually quite manageable. When we do, as the image's creator we have much more control over final output quality than was possible in the bad old days.

A new book titled CMYK 2.0 removes much of the mystery, and we have just published a review by Ray Maxwell.

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UPDATE:

Lightroom 2.6 is now available as a free download for existing Lightroom 2 customers, and Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6 is available as a free download for existing customers of Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 8 (Win/Mac) and Premiere Elements 8. DNG Converter 5.6 is also available as a free download for all customers. Click here for more information and to download the updates.

This update includes additional camera support for several new camera models including the Canon EOS 7D and Nikon D3s.

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PLUG:

My good friend Andy Biggs is an African Wildlife photographer, expedition leader, and educator. He also is the designer of the Kiboko camera bag from Gura Gear. I reviewed the Kiboko on these pages a year ago.

Andy has just put online a brief video pitching the features of the Kiboko, so if you're looking for a new lightweight yet rugged camera backpack you might want to check it out.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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15 December, 2009 - On the Trail With the Leica M9

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:14:21 CST

Is it possible to do landscape photography with a rangefinder camera? Of course. But what are the compromises?

In A Landscape Photography Experiment – On the Trail With the Leica M9 I explore the question of whether the new Leica M9 is a suitable camera for serious landscape and nature work.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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11 December, 2009 - Video Journal #19 Now Available

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:16:56 CST

The Luminous Landscape Video Journal #19 is now available for immediate purchase and download. This issue features three hours of HD video content, and includes...

– A photographic expedition to Namibia

– An interview with imaging scientist Norman Koren

– An interview with stock photographer and educator Seth Resnick

– An interview with photographer and canvas printer Andrew Collett

– A field report on the Xrite ColorChecker Passport

Watch Free Video Previews of Each
Major Feature in This Issue

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9 December, 2009 - Hartblei Cam Review - Medium Format with 35mm Canon Lenses

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 8 Dec 2009 16:45:32 CST

How about a 645 camera that takes medium format digital backs along with 35mm lenses? Would you believe putting a Canon EF 24mm or 17mm T/S lens on a Phase One P65+ – with movements?

Get ready for the Hartblei Cam – designed in Germany; made in Italy, and becoming available in just a few weeks. My world-exclusive review is now online.

– – –

If you live in or near Manchester in the UK you can see the Hartblei Cam and meet the company's CEO Stefan Steib at the Peartree UK Leaf Roadshow tomorrow, December 10.

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6 December, 2009 - Bill Atkinson's PhotoCard

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 5 Dec 2009 22:15:13 CST

Bill Atkinson is someone known both within the computer and the photographic community. He's a brilliant programmer as well as a very fine photographer and teacher.

Bill has now published Bill Atkinson's PhotoCard, a must-have iPhone app. My review is now online.

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3 December, 2009 - Four New Fine Art Papers From Epson for 2010

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 2 Dec 2009 16:17:04 CST

Epson has just started to ship four new fine art matte papers that are worth your attention. Mark Dubovoy has been working with early samples of these papers and today provides us with his exclusive review.

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DxO Optics Pro 5.36 is now available in a version for Macs OSX. Still a generation behind the Windows version, but with support for Snow Leopard and all the latest cameras.

Capture One 5.0.1 was also just announced and adds support for the Panasonic G1, GH1, and GF1, and also the Olympus E-P1.

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1 December, 2009 - Scarlet Inches a Bit Closer to Reality

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:01:13 CST

Of possibly greater interest at this time to those into video (raw video in particular) then stills, RED Scarlet inched a bit closer to reality today with an announcement of features and pricing, and for the first time an actual photo of the camera rather than a rendering.

The 2/3" model with fixed 8X zoom will be $4,750 with body, lens, CF card module, LCD screen and battery, while the interchangable lens version – body only – will be $2,750; all other modular components extra. A line of new "mini-prime" lenses will cost $950 each.

The Scarlet S35 has (last we heard) a 30X15mm sensor (bigger than APS-C), will have a 13.8 Megapixel sensor, shoot 30FPS stills and video in raw mode, and has been priced at $7,000 – body only, but no other details are given. Delivery date on the two first Scarlet models is given as May/June, 2010 and for the S35 as "summer".

Glean what you can from the announcement page. There just isn't enough information on the still photo side of the ledger at this time, though the video aspects are surely enticing.

Frankly, being able to shoot 3K raw video for under $5,000 is an astonishing price breakthrough. Sleep well tonight Canon, Sony and Panasonic, particularly because it appears that the entire modular Red / Epic / Scarlet product line will consist of completely interchangable modules and components.

From stills, to commercials, to indy shoots, to Holywood feature productions, all with one interchangable component system. 2010 should be an interesting year.

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30 November, 2009 - Leica S2 Field and Studio Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:58:30 CST

It isn't often that a major camera maker introduces a totally new camera system. The Leica S2 is that company's entry into the larger-than-35mm market (call it medium format if you will) and it has now been some 15 months since the S2 system was first announced.

Shipments of the S2 body and its first two lenses will begin in early January. During November I have been fortunate to have had a full production Leica S2 with both the 70mm and 180mm lenses for testing, both on location and in the studio. Leica is still tweaking the camera's firmware, but the camera that I've been using is essentially production final.

What is it like? In a word – Wow! You can read my full review here.

This review also contains a 14 minute long HD video report produced by Chris Sanderson that shows a seven hour long studio testing session which took place at Toronto's Studio One last week. Enjoy.

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25 November, 2009 - A Call For Support

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:02:17 CST

It's easy to take someone or something for granted. They're there. They've been there for a while, and they'll likely be there in the future.

We'll maybe not. I'm referring, of course, to this site – The Luminous Landscape.

With nearly 4,000 pages of content, many terabytes of traffic, and more than a million unique visitors each month, just the cost of our servers and bandwidth is considerable. Add to that the time and effort of our staff and contributors, including programers and customer service, and our costs are significant.

What do we charge? Nothing. This site is free to anyone to read and enjoy. But we do ask from time to time for your support in the form of a purchase of one of our unique educational video products. We don't want contributions or gifts – just that you consider the purchase of one of our modestly priced products.

Thank you.

To find out more, check our online store for our Guide to Raw Processing Photoshop, Guide to Asset Management, Guide to Lightroom, Tutorial on Fine Art Printing, or one of our 18 different Video Journals.

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23 November, 2009 - Phase One 645DF Camera Field Report

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:41:07 CST

Most medium format users know by now that Phase One is the controlling shareholder at Mamiya, and for some time now has assumed responsibility for new product development, including camera bodies and lenses. These are marketed under both the Mamiya brand name as well as Phase One.

Their latest camera is the Phase One 645DF, and it will begin to become available to photographers world-wide beginning next month.

A couple of weeks ago, along with some 25 other photographers and instructors at the Phase One Digital Artist Series in Death Valley, I had the opportunity to spend a week working with the 645DF, and have been doing additional testing since my return.

Continuing to provide the web's most comprehensive coverage of medium format equipment, my field report on the 645DF is now online.

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19 November, 2009 - ALPA Field Report

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:51:04 CST

UPDATE – 10:30am EST

It was announced today that Christian Poulsen has decided to resign from his position as CEO of Hasselblad. Chairman of the Board, Dr. Larry Hansen will now also serve as Chief Executive Officer.

This follows the recent replacement of Hasselblad USA's President Jack Showalter by Tom Olesen.

I have no editorial stance on these announcements at the moment, but one has to wonder as to the nature of the changes taking place within Hasselblad and their underlaying motivations.

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When it comes to technical cameras for use with digital backs few would argue that ALPA makes some of the most functional and beautifully design cameras on the market.

Mark Dubovoy is an ALPA user, and today he reports on his field use and testing of some new ALPA lenses, cameras and software.

Ps: If you notice a similarlity between my new Home Page shot of the so-called Devil's Golf Course and the one Mark has in his article, it's because we were shooting together that afternoon. (And if you're curious, yes, I like Mark's better then mine.)

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The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) along with the United States Library of Congress has produced the Digital Photography Best Practices and Workflow project.

This is the result of two years of extensive research led by prominent ASMP members Richard Anderson and Peter Krogh, who are photographers, authors and industry experts. You can find out more on ths ite but might particularly want to download this free PDF.

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Adobe today announced the Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6, Lightroom 2.6 and DNG Converter 5.6 Release Candidates, available for immediate download on Adobe Labs. The term 'release candidate' means this update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing to provide the highest quality experience for customers working on a variety of hardware and software configurations.

The updates add raw file support for 19 new popular camera models, including the Canon EOS 7D and Nikon D3s, with additional DNG support added for the Leica M9 camera model.

The Lightroom 2.6 Release Candidate is available as a free download for existing Lightroom 2 customers, and the Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6 Release Candidate is available as a free download for existing customers of Photoshop CS4. The DNG Converter 5.6 Release Candidate is also available as a free download for all customers.

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16 Nov, 2009 - Leaf Aptus II 10, The First Week

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:24:22 CST

Buying a medium format back is a serious financial committment for a pro, and the thought process involved and a photographer's initial experience with it makes for an informative and interesting read.

Today's new article by Robb Williamson is on the Leaf Aptus II 10. It details his purchase decision process and his first week's shooting experience.

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I don't often hand out endorsements, however, when I see something
unique, entertaining, educational and very reasonably priced
I must say something.
Your interviews with Jay Maisel and Jeff Schewe really helped me
understand the business ... and Antarctica ....
Worth every penny and more, especially the HD version!

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15 November, 2009 - Leica X1 Update

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:07:23 CST

I'm now back from my workshop / shoot in Death Valley. We had a great time. What a terrific group of participants, and Phase One did a fantastic job with the preparations and logistics.

All of the members of this workshop were given the new Phase One 645DF camera to use, along with a P65+ or P40+ back. These were the first twenty five production 645DF cameras off the assembly line, and with the exception of a few little bugs, worked flawlessly.

I am now preparing my Phase One 645DF camera review and expect it to publish here within the next 10 days. The new Home Page photograph was taken with the 645DF and my P65+ at Zabriskie Point.

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While I was away I received a production Leica S2 camera system for testing. Firmware still isn't final, but the hardware is, and I've already started putting it through its paces. My review should appear here before the end of the month.

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I published my Leica X1 field report a few days ago while I was in Death Valley, but it wasn't until I returned on Saturday that I was able to catch up on reader comments. I have also spoken with Sean Reid who has also been reviewing the X1, and I now have an update to my review online.

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12 November, 2009 - Leica X1 Field Report

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:54:21 CST

I have now been shooting with the upcoming Leica X1 for the past few weeks, including this week on a workshop / shoot in Death Valley.

How is the image quality, and handling? Find out in my X1 Field Report, which is now online. You can also read Sean Reid's observations at Reid Reviews (a subscription site).

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8 November, 2009 - On The Road With Phase One in Death Valley

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 18:57:28 CST

Today begins a five-day workshop in Death Valley, CA, run by Phase One at the famous Furnace Creek Inn. I am among the group of teachers that includes Bill Atkinson, Claus Molgaard, Jeff Schewe, and Mark Dubovoy.

Kevin Raber, Phase One's US Vice President, is blogging the workshop this week and you can follow his blog, which will be updated daily, here.

The new Home Page photograph, taken with the Leica X1 (hey – I'm ecumenical), was taken on Saturday evening on the way to the park.

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6 November, 2009 - xrite ColorChecker Passport Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 05:29:33 CST

Adobe's raw processing programs; Camera Raw in Photoshop, and Lightroom 2 as well as Lightroom 3 Beta, all now allow users to create their own camera profiles using the free DNG Profile Editor. This program came out in the summer of 2008 and was reviewed here at the time.

Now xrite has introduced the ColorChecker Passport, a simple and inexpensive device and accompanying software, that allows us to create custom camera profiles quickly and easily in the field for any light conditions. My review is now online.

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There are still two seats available for An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at The Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, to be presented by Mark Segal in a couple of weeks.

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Please note that for administrate reasons no new forum registrations will be accepted from today until November 16. We apologize for the inconvenience.

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Many people are looking forward to my Leica X1 review, which is now schedule to be published here late next week. I spoke with Sean Reid at Reid Reviews, and he tells me that he will likely be publishing his report at the end of next week as well. Watch for both of these.

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3 November, 2009 - Mac / Photoshop / Epson Profiling Problems Solved

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:45:07 CST

If you have a Mac running Snow Leopard, run Photoshop CS4, and use the latest Epson printer drivers, you may have a problem creating proper printer profiles. In fact, it may be impossible to do so.

This problem has been driving people nuts for many weeks, and the Net is full of complaints, finger pointing, and half-baked solutions.

Last week Mark Dubovoy encountered the problem, and being a very fussy fine art printer as well as a scientist by profession, he set out to find the source of the problem and also a solution if possible.

He polled a wide number of the industry's top printing and colour management gurus, and a very intense round-robin email discussion ensued.

Adobe computer scientist, and avid photographer, Eric Chan, researched the issue, discovered the cause, and came up with a work-around which Mark and others have tested. It works.

The nature of the problem and how to deal with it is now detailed in a new exclusive tutorial titled Solving Recent Profiling Issues With Apple Computers, Epson Printers and Photoshop.

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UPDATE

DxO Labs has today announced DxO Optics Pro 6, a major new revision which includes higher ISO noise performance, new manual distortion controls for non-supported lenses, a simpler user interface, and support for a number of new cameras and lenses, now totaling more than 1,600. My preview is now online.

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I have been field testing a production Leica X1 camera for the past week and am currently working on my report. I expect to publish it here next week. The new Home Page photograph was taken with the X1.

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2 November, 2009 - Canon S90 Field Report

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 1 Nov 2009 13:58:15 CST

Panasonic knocked one out of the park last year with the Lumix LX3.

This camera combined small size, raw capability, a fast high-quality zoom lens, and fine image quality, all in a shirt pocket sized package.

Now Canon has issued its challenger in the form of the Powershot S90. This is the smallest and lightest pocket camera yet with a zoom lens and that shoots raw, and it's a worthy competitor. The S90 uses the same sensor and processing engine as the new G11, all in a much smaller and more convenient size.

What's not to like? Find out in my just published S90 Field Report.

UPDATE: It appears that some folks are upset that I used Lightroom 3 Beta rather than Canon's DPP when doing my review, thus supposedly not showing the S90's raw files at their best.

Not wanting to have disadvantaged the S90 in any way, I subsequently spent some time confirming what I had already seen: when default noise reduction and sharpening are zeroed out in both programs they perform quite similarly. It appears that some Canon users have simply become used to high default levels of noise reduction in DPP.

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Another small sensor pocket camera that you might find of interest is the Ricoh GRIII. Sean Reid at Reid Reviews has just published his review. Reid Reviews is a paid subscription site, but if you're an afictionado of fine cameras and a lens lover, it's well worth the price of admission.

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