Are you addicted to LCD?

Do you always check your image on the LCD after taking a shot? Yes, you do don't you? Every single shot?

I was thinking back, not too far, to when I shot all my images on film. This is 6 years back... not long at all. When shooting, I always made sure my exposure was right and checked how my frame was composed before depressing the shutter release. I wasn't going to waste any more Velvia or Provia than I needed to. Mostly because a roll cost $25. But also because as I was shooting motorsport, I couldn't afford to miss any shots while I was reloading. I didn't really know if I had THE shot until the film was processed.

These days, I find myself checking the screen of my DSLR after a series of shots so I know I can move on to another kind of shot. I don't feel that I check it compulsively, though.

I brought this up in the office last week. I asked a few coworkers, who are also photographers, how often they check. One said he switches his off. He makes sure he has exposure is right before he fires the shutter, and doesn't check till he brings the images up on the computer screen. He's afraid of missing any opportunity of capturing a great moment while he's looking at the LCD.

Another agreed, although said he does check after he's stepped away from the scene.

I have a friend who's very enthusiastic, and quite the emerging photographer. He's guilty of checking his screen after almost each shot. He jokes with me that he has no idea of a world pre-digital as he took up photography well into the digital era.

It makes me think that there are many photographers out there, no matter what level, who have picked up the art form with no experience of touching film, have not positioned a loupe over a film strip on a light box, have not had cracked skin on their fingers from too many splashes of dev, and have certainly not learned to feel their way in the dark while loading a cassette from a bulk loader!

Tell me, how often do check your LCD?

Quality Photobooks. How do you know what to choose?

In my last post, I wrote of the experience I had with my Father's recently made photobook. It looked pretty good, but I could notice the binding was not perfect and the edge of some pages were not fine. He said the software was not as intuitive as he wished, and was difficult to make changes to what he'd done. At one point he decided to start the design again.

So, how do you know what you are getting? Pretty much all of these companies are online and you design your photobook with software obtained from those company's websites. Furthermore, there are a number of them to choose from.

What stands out to me when purchasing anything is awards and recognition - Manfrotto gear with the Red Dot Design Award, Kata with the same award, the workshop I take my car to has many motorsport accolades backed up by word of mouth. So when it comes to a lab that prints my photos, and more specifically phototbooks, I'd choose one that's awarded nationally and even internationally. DRUPA, a print media fair and convention for the industry, is a worthy judgement of quality. Last month, a Melbourne (Australia) company received two awards at DRUPA, which added to their existing collection.

I think their quality output is outstanding, and the comments on their Facebook page are in-line with this.

Growing up on film

I've been taking photos since I was a kid. During the 80's I had an Agfa fixed focus 110 film camera (the ones that you inserted a flash bulb cartridge atop of). I loved snapping away, pointing the camera at the things I was interested in (cars and birds.... yeah real birds. I was a geeky kid who bred budgies, finches and quail). I loved seeing my results after picking up the prints. There wasn't anything technically I could do in camera to improve the images so it was all about composition.

It wasn't too long ago that I developed a roll of film with all frames printed. Six years ago, actually.

I love to share my images on the internet, mainly through social media, with my friends and peers. I love the digital experience.

A few weeks back, my Father showed me a photobook that he had made. A series of images with short descriptions of his and Mum's trip to Europe and Japan last year. As I flipped each page, my senses were aroused. This was different to viewing pictures on a screen. I was not just visually stimulated, but the touch of the pages, the smell of the glue, the sheen on the pages... it reminded me of looking at a photo album. It was inspirational!