All you need is a hot shoe, $50, and 3 AAA batteries to shed new light on your macro photography. The Sunpak LED Macro Ring Light slides into any hot shoe and fits lenses up to 67mm filter size diameter. The 12 LEDs are daylight balanced and are bright enough to illuminate subjects up to 2' away.

The three-position switch offers settings for off, low, and high. The flexible arm makes it easy to position the light around the lens, or from an off-axis angle if your prefer. Weighing in at just a few ounces, this accessory packs easily and can make close-up photography on the go a real breeze.

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The 5th generation iPod nano has terrific new functions such as an intelligent FM radio receiver and a video camera that can record hours of SD movie capture. One challenge that I encountered while recording video, however, was finding an easy way to steady the camera for scenes where the subjects were stationary, such as during a speech or a musical recital.

By modifying two parts of the packaging for the nano, you can quickly create a stand that works on any horizontal surface, allowing you to record super-steady movies. When not in use, the stand folds up so it's nearly as compact as the nano itself.

All you have to do is drill a hole in the flexible holder that your iPod ships in. I simply put the nano in the holder, marked on the clear plastic where the camera lens is with a Sharpie, removed the nano, drilled the hole, then reattached the iPod. When you're ready to record, stand it up in the open lid. You'll find that you have a number of adjustments that you can make just by moving the iPod around in the open lid. This allows you to get just the right recording angle.

When you're done recording, place the holder in the lid and secure with a rubber band. You can leave the nano in the holder if you know you're going to record more video soon, or put it back in its regular case.

A couple of additional tips: 1) drill a largish hole because the microphone is next to the lens and you'll get better audio pickup. 2) if you drill a second hole on the side of your stand, you can plug in the headphones also and use the stand for hands-free movie viewing.

One thing that I always mention to people who purchase Apple devices is to hang on to the packaging. There are always components that they can repurpose later for accessories such as this DIY nano stand.

More DIY Projects

You can find more do it yourself projects in the DIY section of The Digital Story, including:

DIY Copy Stand for the iPhone 3GS

Convert Your Roller Suitcase into a Tripod or Mic Stand

DigiScoping with a Compact Camera

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Do you need to send a last-minute greeting card via email because it's too late for it to get there via regular postal mail? And of course, you want it to be spectacular!

Click on the image to open up a full screen version of Michel Bricteux's animated card. It may take a minute to load, but once it does, the lights will go on and off. Thanks Michel!

We have a technique that might save the day. TDS member Michel Bricteux sent me this wonderful animated card of Calle Alcala, Madrid, that was created using Photoshop. Here's what Michel wrote:

"Attached you'll find a 'fun' project meant to serve as animated Season's Greetings. The background picture is a HDR composite made of 9 pictures (+/- 0.3EV, Nikon D3X) using Photomatix Pro. The animation was created using Photoshop CS4's very cool and simple-to-use Animation tool."

Once you've created the individual images that comprise the animation, it's a cinch to build the final GIF in Photoshop. Here's a short tutorial on eHow. Then attach the animated file to an email and send it off. It conveys the message that you care, and it shows off your artistic talent too.

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There are two rules in cold weather photography: 1) Protect you, 2) Protect your gear. Make sure you have layers of clothing that can go on and off as you work in the field. Be prepared for moisture so that you can stay dry. You never want to mix being wet and cold at the same time. It can lead to disastrous results. And be sure you have protection for your hands. Metal tripods become icy uncomfortable to hold.

As for your gear, your bags should be weather proof. If you use Lowepro bags, the "AW" models have an outer cover that's a terrific extra layer of protection. Keep spare batteries in your pocket, not your bag, so they stay warm. And finally, let your gear warm up in cases or Ziploc bags before exposing it to indoor temperatures. Otherwise condensation will form on your camera and lens.

Here's a good article by Laura Charon titled, Cold Weather Photography that provides additional insights (and some great photos!).

Photo of Boulder Creek in the Snow by Mark Castleman.

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How do you get great shots and still have fun? This week's podcast provides you with five tips for easy, beautiful party photos. I've also written an article for Macworld Magazine titled, The secrets of photographing a party that spells out everything I discuss in this podcast. If you're interested in this subject, you might want to read it.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (22 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Embrace is the Dec. 2009 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is Dec. 31, 2009.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

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SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

On a recent trip to Ventura, I had lunch with Megan O. Read, and she snapped some "polaroids" with her new Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S. The Mini 7S is a super-simple instant film camera that weighs less than a pound and is about 5" tall. It uses a fixed-focus 60mm Fujinon Lens, has a built-in electronic flash with exposure compensation, and produces 2.13" x 3.4" prints on Fujifilm Instax Mini Film.

Megan snapped a half dozen photos indoors, and they looked like what you would expect from flash shots on instant film: fun, nostalgic, but certainly not beautiful. When we were driving back from lunch, she asked me to grab the camera and shoot a picture out the car window. I did so, but when the photo developed, you could hardly see the image because it was so overexposed. I did a little research on this and found out that I wasn't the only one who experienced overexposures in bright sunlight.

So if you do decide to pony up the $100 or so for the Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S, keep in mind that this is more of an indoor party camera than an outdoor snap-shooter -- something to keep in mind because the Mini 7S costs you a buck every time you press the shutter button.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S photos by Megan O. Read. You can check out more of Megan's work on her Flickr page. Click on image to enlarge.

Adobe has released the final version of Adobe Camera Raw 5.6 that supports 20 new cameras including the Canon 7D, G11, S90; Nikon D3s; Olympus E-P2, and Sony A500, A550, and A850.

I think the easiest way to install the update is to use the Adobe Updater. Just open Bridge, go to Help > Updates, then choose Photoshop Camera Raw from the list. Updater will download about 50 MBs of new Raw profiles, ask you to quit Bridge, then finish the installation. It works great and is easy.

Apple released Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 2.7 for Snow Leopard and Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 2.7 for Leopard. The release updates Raw support (Aperture, iPhoto) for these cameras, and is available via your Software Update feature (7.3 MBs):

• Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon PowerShot G11
• Nikon D3S
• Nikon D300S
• Nikon D3000

That's the good news. And believe me, we're so glad to have this release.

But all is not cheery in Rawville. There's no support listed for the Canon S90 (will the G11 profile work for it?), the Olympus E-P1 or E-P2, or the Panasonic GF1, just to name a few. In my case, nearly a third of the photos I currently shoot is with the S90 and E-P1.

Sigh...

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If you've ever made the pilgrimage from Southern California to the northern part of the state on I-5, you know that it combines the quietness of wide open space, endurance, and if you're lucky, stunning twilight landscapes. I always have a camera on the front seat when I make this journey. When the sky lights up, I hold my lens against the window, compose out of the corner of my eye, and make photographs.

On this last trip, I used the Canon PowerShot S90, my current compact of choice. The first shot, Two Cars at Twilight was captured at ISO 400, f/4 at 1/320th of a second. The shot was composed so that the first thing you notice is the striking sunset, then after a few moments, two lonely cars become visible as they drive south on the Interstate.

The next image, Twilight Truck was recorded at ISO 800. We've had a lot of discussion about high ISO and image noise, and this shot displays plenty of grain. For some, such as myself, I think it adds another interesting element to the composition. Others might not care for it. In a way it doesn't matter because I needed the high ISO to get the 1/200th shutter speed.

The final shot, Power Lines, has that cock-eyed composition that often happens photographing landscapes while driving a car. I could have straightened the image. But for me, this better conveys the surreal sensation of driving a car down a lonely interstate as night begins to fall.

Photos by Derrick Story. Click on images to enlarge.

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Are protection filters a way to help protect your investment, or simply a compromise to image quality? This week I tell the story of my Canon 70-200 f/4 L lens and its sudden introduction to hard pavement. The photo here is what's left of my Hoya HMC Sky 1A filter that I keep on the lens. Click on the photo to see how my zoom lens looks after the crash, and with a little dusting off with the Rocket Blaster. You can probably guess how I feel about protection filters at this moment. If you want to hear more, listen to this week's podcast.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (24 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Tips on How You Can Help Support This Podcast

In addition to our fabulous sponsors, we have affiliate agreements with Lynda.com, Amazon, and B&H Photo. If you plan on doing any shopping with these retailers, please enter their stores through the advertising boxes on this page. You'll find them in the right side columns. It doesn't cost you anything, but it can really help support this show.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Embrace is the Dec. 2009 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is Dec. 31, 2009.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips