Digital archiving – how safe are your pictures?

It hasn't been long now since digital photography has been the standard for both professional and casual photographers. Digital files have replaced celluloid negatives and raised a whole new discussion of archiving

techniques.

There have been pros and cons to the transition to 'digital negatives' and I've gathered the following tips to share some responsible practices for archiving your digital files. It would be a catastrophe to my business for me to lose a clients work before delivering it, and equally as devastating to lose sentimental family photographs. These basic principles apply to pros and amateurs alike.

Fun fact: Ansel Adams lost up to a third of his early work to a fire in his San Francisco studio in 1937. Film stock used to have a nitrate base which was extremely flammable and could auto-ignite from exposure to heat or even static. At least today our storage media are not spontaneously combustible.

To begin with lets address a few risky practices. The absolutely most irresponsible way to store your pictures is on your cameras flash media card. I've seen far too many people who still have snapshots from last Christmas on their camera. Those images could be gone as easy as the camera being lost or stolen or deleted as a group with just a few button strokes. Please don't let me catch you doing this or you'll be in for a lecture. Get into the practice of regularly downloading the images to a hard drive or taking your flash card into a photo lab to have them transferred to disc or printed.

Now speaking of hard drives... they have a list of problems of their own. As a

general rule try to store your images on a separate drive or partition than your system drive ( where your operating system is installed ). This way if something goes wrong with your computer it's much easier to recover your files. ( I don't keep anything besides OS and program files on my C:\ drive )

Hard drives cannot be trusted. None of them. It doesn't matter how much you pay or what kind of guarantee they carry because when they break you're left with very few options. Professional data recovery rates are profane and often have no correlation to the difficulty of the job at hand. It's best to just plan ahead and cover your own bases by keeping redundant copies of your images on at least two hard drives. This can be set up with RAID mirroring ( the simultaneous writing of everything to two identical drives ), or automated with a variety of backup programs. A free and easy solution I've used in the past is SyncBack by 2BrightSparks - a free version is available. The biggest advantage of the digital negative is that it can be copied with no loss of quality, so take advantage of that fact.

What if your computer is stolen or destroyed by fire? Well it's likely that all of

your hard drives will be too, including your copies. To protect yourself against these situations you'll need to employ a form of off-site backup using an internet connection. There are several paid services which make setting up off-site backup simple, like Mozy.com Firesafe, bolt-down hard drives are also an affordable option. They're even waterproof so they'll survive the fire department hosing down your house. ( IoSafe makes a good one )

( I should point out here that I'm never compensated in any way to make product endorsements. I'm just offering a starting point if you're interested. )

If this is all starting to seem excessive its probably because you're hearing it from me. I'm absolutely paranoid about losing the work I've put so much time into. It's also probably why I have over three terabytes of hard drives hooked up to my computer and redundant copies hidden in various places to avoid total theft.

If you don't feel the need to take your photo archiving to the extreme a solution might be as simple as regularly making some prints of your favorite images. In many ways a photographic print is more permanent than a digital negative.

With a little planning most of your digital archiving can be automated using free or affordable solutions. The day something goes wrong you'll be glad you did.

Reflections on Jewelry photography

I had a jewelry shoot yesterday and I was quite pleased with the results. With jewelry you never know what kinds of materials you're going to be working with; shiny, opaque, transparent, or any combination of those in the same piece.

Aside from making the piece look good, communicating both the design and function are the priorities.

Working with such small subjects is a test of my patience, as well as the amount of 'styling' involved. Food is worse though.

A good macro lens is critical for getting as close to the subject as you'll need to be. The trade off of course is going to be your depth of field. I was using my Speedotron strobes to get enough exposure to use f22 and still having to work very cautiously with focus.

Patience is a requirement. 30 pieces took me 5 1/2 hours.

Almost forgot about Kalalau

I somehow forgot to share my slides from this year's trip to Kalalau valley on Kauai. The full set of 100 images or so is available here:

Kalalau Slides 2009

Without captions it might be a little hard to tell what you're looking at, so watch carefully for the Polynesian archeological sites and secret jungle gardens.

This portrait is of Biff, the self proclaimed tour guide of the valley. The bluff we're on for this photo has to be the best vista point for watching the sun set and it's not bad for photo ops.

Speaking of Kalalau sunsets, here is one of my favorites from this trip:

I've collected a lot of images over my five trips to Kalalau but somehow I never come away feeling like I've gotten the whole story on film. I guess the obvious lesson here is that it just isn't possible. One day I'm going to compile some photos and stories into a short book but there is still more to be learned.

Another San Felipe Thanksgiving

My family enjoyed another Thanksgiving in San Felipe this year with a lot of margaritas and guacamole. It was a pretty quiet holiday and the weather was surprisingly warm for November.

I caught this dog taking a nap outside a gas station. I'm not quite clear about the pink jacket.

There were fewer Americans than ever and the local economy isn't doing very well without the tourism. A lot of businesses have closed up or cut their hours.

Cerveza Sol, indisputably the best Mexican beer:


I found this bike while taking a walk in the desert with my sister. Sometimes you come across the weirdest stuff. I really like how colors in this image are all so similar.

Chicago - a big, cold city

I spent last Tuesday through Friday in Chicago at the Mobilize.org 'Millennial ROI' summit. The city has got to be the biggest thing I've ever seen in my life ( I guess I don't get around much ) and we had a great time exploring.

I took along my Voighlander 35mm SLR to shoot some black and white images which I've yet to develop.

This shot was taken by my friend Ryan ( pictured above ) on his Canon Powershot G10. I was really impressed with the low light shooting capabilities which came in handy for evening exteriors. The rain soaked streets and breaking storm clouds made for great images of the city.

A little post processing here too using Topaz Adjust 3.

Composition Lesson 1: The Rule of Thirds

One of the easiest rules of composition, the rule of thirds, is also one of the most universally applicable. (Whenever I talk about ‘rules’ I get uncomfortable and feel like I should remind everyone that these are conventions. Conventions are great most of the time. When they aren’t applicable, they can be effectively reversed or parodied.) Back to the topic…

The rule of thirds states that most subjects can be comfortably composed within a frame by having its most interesting parts fall along imaginary lines that divide the frame into thirds. (Just look at the picture) The four intersections of these thirds show particularly powerful areas of the frame. There are many ways to put this guideline into action but let’s talk about the most straightforward.

Once you’ve identified your subject try to determine what it’s most attractive (attention worthy) traits are. In your viewfinder imagine the lines of the thirds dividing your frame and try to place the most interesting parts of your subject along the lines and especially on their intersecting points.

Here is an alternative approach, using the thirds to divide the frame:

Most of the time when your subject is a person their face is going to be your only real concern. You’ll notice that almost no pictures of people are shot ‘dead-centered’ because it produces a feeling of ambiguity. By instead placing the subject in one of the thirds we get a more dynamic feeling about them, like they’re going somewhere.

This simple rule can transform the way you compose your pictures. Just be careful not to think about it too much. Most teachers stress that this is a good guideline. You don’t get any points for cluttering up all of the thirds in your composition, sometimes leaving them vacant can be just as

important.

Dance in OB with Sarah, Amanda, and Kelly

I headed out to Ocean Beach yesterday to help some friends shoot their class assignment and had the chance to shoot these great silhouettes.

I shot these all with a 50mm, so this isn't a wide angle lens that makes these look crazy. These girls are flying.


It was too dark to get exposure on the girls faces so I figured I would just expose for the sunset and get a nice sharp aperture and shutter speed to stop the motion.

Most of these were shot at around an f5.6 at 1/500 or faster. ISO was cranked to 1000 which produced some noise that needed to be worked out.


This was one of those nice spontaneous shoots that produces something unexpected. I have to remind myself how easy it is to work with good dancers. I've only learned when to press the button. I've found few recipes for success as reliable as getting great dancers and enough light to shoot them.

Canon vs. Nikon ?

I get asked this question so often it’s annoying. I’m just not the type of photographer who enjoys debating the specs of equipment. I think it’s a ‘guy thing’ to talk about gear, and some guys do it endlessly. Sorry, back to the topic.

It makes no difference whether you choose to use Canon or Nikon. I’m a Canon guy, my dad was a Nikon guy. The only real factor that should influence your decision is if you’ve already invested in quality lenses of one brand.

I don’t know why there is even a debate over which brand is better because there are virtually no differences between the products. One company comes out with a feature, the other copies it. That’s it. Nikon was a little earlier with the low-noise, high ISO technology while I believe it was Canon who integrated HD video shooting into their DLSRs first. Now you can get both on either brand. How many more features do we need?

So in conclusion… don’t try to sound cool asking a photog this question, especially this one.

Turn your Photographs into Christmas Presents

If you’re feeling the pinch this season and thinking about scaling-down your gift giving, consider turning your pictures into presents. There are several great websites that specialize in photo products and can help you get an image onto almost anything you can imagine. I personally recommend either Zazzle.com or Shutterfly.com

I got a great response from the calendars I made for my family two years ago. They were easy to layout online and relatively affordable. ( about $17 each ) Last year I just got a picture of my mom printed on a coffee cup and she thought it was hilarious. Mouse pads and photo postage are some other funny ideas. Maybe I’ll put her face on a stamp this year.

If you get your act together soon, the internet is also a convenient way to get Christmas cards made. Be sure to get your orders placed early though, some of these sites don’t have a great turnaround time.

If you’re feeling the DIY angle and want to spend less I’ve got a few ideas for you:

Refrigerator frames – These cool little magnetic frames are available at CVS for both 4x6

and 5x7 prints. They hold your prints down flat and actually look pretty classy. Give a friend several of your favorite BFF images in one frame and they can rotate them.

Bookmarks – This is the ultimately affordable route. I like to make them by printing a lot of 4x6s and cutting them in half lengthwise. A 5x7 cut into three strips works equally well. Prints without people in them generally work best. These can actually be personalized and thoughtful gifts with a little planning.

DazlMe Hats shoot

I had a quick shoot on Thursday in Escondido for DazzlMe Hats. This unique line of womens head wear is designed by Camille Wood and is sold in boutiques in both Arizona and California.

To see the rest of her current collection, visit: DazzlMe.com

Pettel Maternity - Winter 2009 collection

I had another great shoot with Shimi and Keren of Pettel Maternity, this time for their winter 2009 collection.

Their entire line of stylish and affordable maternity clothing is available online at: PettelMaternity.com

CA road trip

Here are a few shots from my recent road trip north. I decided to drive to the Bay Area without using highway 5 and I picked a few historic destinations along the way.

First stop was the remains of a socialist commune called Llano del Rio which existed from 1913-1917. The site is just off highway 138 near Palmdale.

At it's peak, 1000 residents occupied this self-proclaimed utopia but a lack of water resources forced them to relocate to Louisiana.
It is considered to be the most important socialist experiment in the western US but currently is not recognized as California historical site.

Next stop was an abandoned gold mine outside of Mojave. ( Special point of interest here: Mojave has branded itself 'The Gateway to Space' due to the Rotary Rocket project which was conducted at the Mojave airport, discontinued in 2001. Now it's an air and space port. )

The mine wasn't as old or interesting as I expected, but these abandoned houses on the property were creepy and awesome.

I drove up through the Tehachapi pass and North into the Sequoia National Forest where I camped for a night. I didn't get rained on nearly as much as I expected, but the breakup of the storm made for some great clouds.

These are possible Native American grinding holes along the Kern River, but sometimes you just get rocks with holes in them....

Product Site Launched!

Check out my new product photography site:
You guessed it.... ProductsByAnthony.com

The site will showcase all my tabletop, clothing, and lifestyle product photography.

If you're thinking of launching a clothing line or have a new product to market lets get in touch.

ProductsByAnthony.com

Wedding Portfolio Update

Catch up on the awesome weddings I had an opportunity to shoot this summer on my weddings site:

Jeff & Carla's Wedding

A beautiful event for a beautiful couple. Enough said:

Watches for Hawk & Hunt

Some lifestyle shots in Pacific Beach for Hawk & Hunt's sports watch, available on their website in 5 colors:

Swimwear under the Stars with SGMM

I helped out my friend Whitney Bond this weekend with her three-day event "Swimwear Under the Stars," which featured the girls of her new company SG Model Management:

Friday night was a live photo shoot at Stingaree
( photos coming soon ).

Saturday was the swimwear runway show at the Hard Rock hotel, and Sunday was a fundraiser for It's All About the Kids at the hotel Ivy.
(where I got this shot of Gina)

I really never knew that downtown partied this hard.

Check out SGMM

Pettel Maternity Clothes

I did a shoot Saturday morning for Pettel Maternity, a new company offering high quality, affordable maternity clothing online.

My work will soon be featured on their site at:

PettelMaternity.com

Hawk and Hunt Clothing Co.

I worked with the guys over at Hawk & Hunt Clothing Co. this week to shoot these images for their online catalog:

Their website will be up and running shortly at:
HawkandHunt.com

Sarah and Michael Taylor's Wedding

I had a blast yesterday shooting the Taylor's wedding at the Hotel Del Coronado.

Their tasteful planning and beautiful families made it impossible to take bad pictures.

Even the weather cooperated by not raining, yet still giving me this soft light to work with. I wish they could all be this easy.

BenJamminFulton.com

6/12/09 - BenJamminFulton.com

I just helped my friend Ben Fulton launch a new website at BenJamminFulton.com .

The site will showcase his guitar performance and teaching services as well as his talents as a fine art painter.

Riviera Magazine ! ( last Dec... )

5/11/09 - Riviera Magazine ! ( last Dec... )

One of my pictures got used in the Dec 2008 issue of Riviera magazine! ( Nobody bothers to tell me these

things ) This shot of Jennifer Capaci was from a shoot promoting her line of eco-friendly shirts: The Terra Collection

Dragon Rojo Kenpo in Chula Vista

On Friday night I had the chance to help out the Dragon Rojo Kenpo dojo down in Chula Vista with some promotional photos.

I can certainly say I learned a few things but I'm still working on perfecting this kick:

Whitney at Cedar Creek Falls

Whitney and I set up another shoot, this time at Cedar Creek Falls near Julian, Ca.

It was a killer hike in 100 degree weather but somehow Whitney pulled off some beautiful hair and makeup work!

More info on Whitney's model management company:
Simple Glam Girls

4/24/09 - Dirty Dirt McGurt - album art

I've also been designing a lot of album artwork for some recording artist friends of mine. Hear tracks off Dirty Dirt's myspace page at: myspace.com/dirtydirtmcgurt

Punjammies Spring collection

I had another shoot with my friends at the International Princess Project, this time for the Spring line of Punjammies pajama pants.

Take a minute to learn about their awesome organization:

International Princess Project

Erika for the Patriot Girls

I finally finished the images of Erika for Patriot Girls.

More of my shots as well as other patriot girls and info is all on their MySpace

This beautiful location was out in Corona. You would be amazed at how much beautiful land is private and fenced off. It's really a shame.

More Fashion work

I had another shoot with the lovely Ashley Fulton the other day. I've been having bad luck with scheduling shoots on overcast days, but I always make the most of it. Here are two of my favorites:

I also had a third shoot with Sea J, and this time it wasn't a maternity shoot! We had a great time stomping around in the woods and I still have some poison oak to remember it by.

Smiley face on a bad day

There is a tagger that lives somewhere in my neighborhood who keeps tagging these frowny faces everywhere.

I continue to believe that it's just a smiley face having a bad day.