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NYC – Kamil Needs Some Help
2009 – Looking Forward – Looking Back
Happy 2009 everyone. I wish everyone a happy, health, and productive new year. As most do around this time of year, I not only reflect on last year but also try to take a breath and layout some broad plans for the comming year as well. On that note I was thinking about this site, where it’s been, and where it’s going. I started posting a few articles on Aperture last year in April. I started doing it as an exercise on MobileMe (aka iTools, aka .Mac) using iWeb. I did it mostly to get a little experience with the Apple service as well as iWeb considering friends, family, and clients were asking me about it.
As usual before rendering opinions and judgement I gave it a try – iWeb/.Mac that is. I will not go into what I say when people ask me about it at this point but I became extremely frustrated with maintaining a simple blog type site. As I messed with it for a couple of months I noticed that there were a lot of photographers out there that really wanted and appriciated information on Aperture and work-flow topics. There is not a whole lot out there – most sites are about equipment – or shutter speeds – or Photoshop – or how to make your photographs look like cartoons. I decided to continue to publish information about Aperture and to a lesser extent about Lightroom and lighting stuff here and there – I just swithed to a more reasonable platform – WordPress.
Publishing the site has really turned into a labor of love – I really enjoy interacting with the photographic imaging community in general and now I do it on-line as well, something that I really never did much of before last year. I don’t really know why I didn’t – I am tech savy, extremely familiar with internet commerce and technology, etc. I guess I looked at it as a fairly silly endeavor. I see things differently now and see that all internet communities are not just a bunch of silly teenagers with way too much time on their hands.
In preparation for the comming year I put up a poll that some of you have participated in. A couple of things really surprised me about not only the poll but the site as a whole. The first thing is that far less than 1% of people that read the site interact, comment, or for that matter fill out polls. Amazing. In fact I usually receive more private emails with questions and comments on each post than the total comments ever posted on the site in it’s entirety. Again – Amazing.
I just wanted anyone that visits the site that I will most likely be going forward exactly as the poll results indicated I should – Mostly Aperture with a little Lightroom and a little lighting here and there. I will also be bothering the crap out of you with some addtional polls of the next month or so in order to best serve the community that uses the site. If you have a moment take a look and give your imput – I really do care. As always don’t hestiate to leave a comment or a question.
On a slightly different note I also thought I would share some emails that I received over the last couple of weeks with you as well. Not quotes of the emails, just an aggregate impression of a segment of emails that started with the post on NEF processing in Aperture. Most of the emails I get are full of praise and appriciation with some questions thrown in here and there. After publishing the NEF articles I received a bunch of natsy-gramsâ„¢ regarding my choice of example images. Specifically the use of images that – heaven forbid – showed females in various states of undress. I heard everything from people that couldn’t believe that they googled for Nikon and Aperture and saw breasts – how could I – to words of warning about posting warning messages.
So to close out 2008 and open up 2009 here is an emergency special poll for readers to influence images that I use to illustrate articles and posts in the future.
Loading ...Again – Wishing all a happy, healthy, and productive New Year.
RB
Don’t let “em get to you! If the female form is best suited to make your point, so be it. Evidently it’s what you shoot and it would be unreasonable for you to specifically wander out to garner images you don’t need! Thanks for providing a much needed service!
Last year i was buying a DSLR photo mag from my market every now and again. They had a feature on something or other that included a photo a a bunch of guys with guns looking real cool. They got bombed with letters. I leave this mag on my coffee table where my kid can see it, how could you! My grandma comes over on fridays and might see it, how could you! Those people are everywhere ( hell, bush was voted in twice, right? ) The editor pretty much told them to piss off. Don’t let them get to you.
About the emails as I have almost sent you a few
Maybe you could start a section where people could ask you photo questions and you could answer. Or maybe you could post your favorites you get via mail. I didn’t send my question ( what lens and focal length did you shoot the girl with ) because i felt like i might be taking unfair advantage of your time, or maybe beneath the skill of the site. But I have a feeling people would love it.
Just vote for breasts.
You are doing an amazing job, RB.
Keep the good work
As i use to say: don’t like it, don’t eat it.
Happy New Year.
Pedro
Brunyan,
Thanks for the encouragement and patronage. I will keep a stiff upper lip. I just thought readers may enjoy seeing some some of the trials and tribulations of running a blog site.
RB
Richard,
Thanks for sharing the story – I feel you man. Also thanks for the suggestion regarding the Q&A section – I will think about a decent way to implement that, until then feel free to email me – I get back when I can but usually not more than a few days and most of the email I get I enjoy responding to rather than doing real work or dealing with deadlines and clients that are not quite as polite as people requesting information or a favor.
As for the focal length – I will give you a general answer, then a more general answer and if you wish a very specific answer. First, with a very few exceptions (that I am not even aware of at this point) all of the photos here should have full EXIF data including the exact shooting parameters (lens and focal length as well) so all you need to do is download the image in question then look at the EXIF in your favorite application. Second – If I shot it with a Nikon DX camera the answer is almost always going to be my 28-70/2.8 AFS – I love this lens on DX bodies when I shoot people (normalish to short tele). Third and lastly – let me know what image you are talking about and I will tell you anything you want to know – if it’s one of the NEF images absolutely all of the image data is in the file. Anything else feel free to ask – email or comments.
RB
Pedro,
Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your kind words. I will keep it going and hopefully take all of your suggestions for better info in 2009.
RB
One little edit based on the early voting – An illustration image – the site was looking a little dull with the last two posts having no thumbnail on the post excerpt. And… before anyone asks yes it was an NEF from the horrible of horrible encrypted WB era of Nikon NEF files processed entirely in Aperture using the settings explained in one of my previous posts.
RB
Note to Richard – The EXIF should definitely be in this one.
Rob,
I only discoverd your site a couple hours ago and I think what you’ve got here is brilliant. I’ve recently gotten a bit more serious with photography and have been playing around with Aperture, but wondering whether I should stump up the $$$ for it or Lightroom – I think the choice is becoming a lot clearer for me now.
For me, the biggest value is the way you’ve reviewed the usability aspects of software (as a pro). Even as an amateur/hobbyist I take a crapload of shots and understanding more about repetitive but necessary tasks like keywording will help me choose the right product and save the thing that unfortunately I don’t get paid for — my personal time.
Kudos.
Jason
P.S. I think the pictures are lovely, but I can understand how others might not see it that way. However, as the other poster indicated, we don’t expect you to be taking random photos simply for the point of illustration on the website. The most useful tips/gripes will spring to mind when you’re in the midst of your normal workflow, so it’s obviously most efficient to capture the screenshots then and there.
Jason,
Welcome aboard and good luck making the choice between two really nice pieces of software. An investment in either one is well worth the money. You probably are aware the both Lightroom and Aperture offer a trial version. You may want to use that to see what software you are most comfortable with.
RB
Robert,
It’s YOUR site,
you put a great deal of work into it, and readers take away a great deal of helpful information, free. I don’t think folks have much ground for complaint.
You showcase your work, that is totally reasonable, and more people see your work because you also provide useful information. I, for one , am grateful.
That having been said, If I saw the subject matter first I probably would have passed the site by, not because I am a prude, but because that is not where my photographic interest is. I’m glad I didn’t.
Additionally, given the amount of work that you put into the site, I’m sure you’ve thought about advertising or sponsorship revenue. Your site is already better than many that generate considerable revenue for their authors. In that context, sponsorship or advertising would undoubtedly be easier to obtain with more balanced mainstream content.
But as I said, it’ YOUR site. Whatever you do is fine with me.
Thanks for a terrific resource.
Michael
I’m not really into nudes, but if you shoot them and they illustrate your points, just do so and don’t agonize about it. And certainly don’t give warnings – the pictures you post are antiseptic, not gynaecological.
I’d add that I prefer the layout you had before, as there are now fewer visual clues that it’s essentially a blog with a continuing series of posts. If one doesn’t want to read the most recent two, it’s a few drags and clicks before one can scan other posts.