Tag Archives: photography

The Sensor Plane, Videos

The Sensor Plane Photography Podcast: Episode 7

3 Comments

In this episode of The Sensor Plane, I sat down with Mike Hagen, a professional photographer from Washington state, USA. Mike and I have both published books on Nikon’s Capture NX2, and were avid Capture NX2 users. We discussed the current state of Nikon NEF processing in light of the recent announcement that Nikon was dropping support for Capture NX2 and releasing a new product, Capture NX-D.

Mike and I discussed some options for current Capture NX2 users looking to move forward as Nikon transitions to the new Capture NX-D software.

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/ed2XsmvzkRk” title=”The%20Sensor%20Plane%20Photography%20Podcast%20#7″ autohide=”1″]

Download an audio-only version of this episode here (MP3 format).

The Sensor Plane, Videos

The Sensor Plane Photography Podcast #6

Leave a comment

Episode #6: What to do when the light ain’t right

As photographers, we quickly learn to recognize the differences in lighting conditions. We all seek to shoot things in what we call “good light.” But what is good light, anyway? We’ve certainly heard of golden hour and blue hour, and you probably know that overcast skies and midday light aren’t always ideal. In today’s segment of The Sensor Plane, I’ll discuss some common lighting challenges and how to deal with them in the field.

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/TXjjbaUzO18″ playlist=”drjay32″ title=”The%20Sensor%20Plane%20Photography%20Podcast%20Episode%20#6″ autohide=”1″]

For an audio-only version of this podcast, click here.

The Sensor Plane, Videos

The Sensor Plane Photography Podcast: Episode #4

Leave a comment

I had a chance to sit down with Tony Sweet for this episode of The Sensor Plane podcast. Tony and I discuss the recent advances in mirrorless camera systems; he’s started using the Fujifilm X Pro-1 and he recently took it on a photo workshop he led in Havana, Cuba.

Check out the interview here:

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/q1oJ4Al_B-Y” title=”The%20Sensor%20Plane%20Photography%20Podcast%20with%20Jason%20P.%20Odell” autohide=”1″]

Download an audio-only version of the podcast here (mp3 format)

 

The Sensor Plane, Videos

The Sensor Plane Photography Podcast: Episode #1

7 Comments

Sensor-Plane-logo

Welcome to my latest project, a video blog called The Sensor Plane. In digital photography, the sensor plane is where light rays interact with technology. Starting today, I’ll be hosting a regular segment where I’ll talk about the technical and creative sides of digital photography.

In today’s episode, I’ll start off with a review of the two Nikon 70-200mm zoom lenses:

Here my thoughts on the practical aspects of these lenses in the video episode below. If you have suggestions for future topics, please feel free to leave a comment!

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/L2CZRKiuJHI” title=”The%20Sensor%20Plane%20photography%20podcast%20with%20Jason%20P.%20Odell” autohide=”1″ fs=”1″]

Update Jan. 7, 2014

Some viewers have requested an audio-only version of the episode. I’ve posted a MP3 version here: Sensor Plane #1 (Audio Only) 

Gear, Tips and Tricks

Landscapes with Longer Focal Lengths

2 Comments
Daybreak in the Rockies, Cottonwood Pass, Colorado. Image captured with a Nikon D800e and 70-200mm f/2.8 AFS G VRII zoom Nikkor lens.
Daybreak in the Rockies, Cottonwood Pass, Colorado. Image captured with a Nikon D800e and 70-200mm f/2.8 AFS G VRII zoom Nikkor lens.

When you go out to photograph landscapes, what’s the first lens you reach for? For many of us, it’s a midrange (24-70mm) or wide (16-35mm) zoom lens. Those lenses are great, but there are lots of times when a longer focal length is ideal, even in wide-open spaces. By using something like a 70-200mm zoom, you can make some really compelling images.

Why should you use a telephoto zoom for landscape photography?

  • Telephoto lenses help you isolate the subject and cut out distracting elements from the scene, especially empty foreground space.
  • Telephoto lenses create subject isolation by softening backgrounds, especially when used with wide apertures.
  • Telephoto lenses compress the scene, enhancing the look of layers in a landscape and adding depth.

With all these creative benefits, it’s no wonder that my 70-200mm lens is something I find very enjoyable to use on my landscape photography trips.

Here are some more landscape images I captured with my 70-200mm lens: Continue reading Landscapes with Longer Focal Lengths →