Here are 10 tips that you'll want to keep in your back pocket the next time you wander into the great outdoors. I've been using these tips for years, but had a chance to refine them a bit on my recent adventure to Iceland. The goal of field photography is to capture great images, enjoy nature, and do no harm to yourself and others. This list will help you accomplish the first goal.

1. Chase the light.
2. Photograph where you are.
3. Get out of the car.
4. Know where your equipment is.
5. Walk around the subject.
6. Take food and water.
7. Shoot high quality.
8. Isolate your subjects.
9. Take a polarizer.
10. Learn from what you've shot, then shoot it again.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity about these tips, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "10 Tips for Great Field Photography." You can download the podcast here (26 minutes).

Until recently, no photographer in his right mind would consider taking snapshots with a cameraphone. But the recent wave of high-tech handsets are featuring 2-3 megapixel sensors with autofocus lenses and sometimes even flash.

In this podcast I explore one of the latest cameraphones, the Sony Ericsson W810i, and discuss tips and tricks for using these devices. Yes, they are now legitimate snapshot machines, especially when paired up with Bluetooth enabled printers that make output a cincch.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Getting Serious with Cameraphones." You can download the podcast here (28 minutes).

Members of the Iceland Adventure Team - Photo by Richard Morgenstein

On July 27 I board a plane for Iceland as part of a team of photographers aiming to capture the beauty of this land and process the images using Adobe Lightroom. This project is really two adventures in one. The first is to work in the stunning but challenging Iceland landscape where the days are 22 hours long and weather is unpredictable. The second is to use a new workflow based on Adobe Lightroom loaded on to laptops for field use. There are many variables surrounding this project, and I don't think anyone knows how it's going to go.

We've created a page that will cover the Adventure before, during, and after we return from Iceland. So you if want to find out more details, take a look at the official Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop Adventure 2006 site.

In this podcast I talk about preparing for the trip to Iceland, provide some tips for traveling photographers, and interview members of the Adventure team. In the photo above, I'm on the left (with my portable recorder and mic), then Martin Sundberg, Angela Drury, and Addy Roff. The photo was taken by Adventure photographer Richard Morgenstein (shown on the right). The team interview included in this show is informative, and I think will give you a good taste of the type of shooters going on this trip.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Iceland Adventure" You can download the podcast here (27 minutes).

Technorati Tags: equipment, digital photography, podcast, Iceland

Film can be an important part of your digital workflow. Even though you're starting out the process capturing "analog," it can be scanned at the time of processing and those images can be uploaded to your photo application just like original digital source files.

In some situations, film can even be advantageous. For example, print film has a wide exposure latitude, broader than most digital cameras for sure. So in tricky lighting conditions, you can capture your highlights and shadows on film, then continue to "work" the scene later using the high resolution scan of the image.

Your negatives also provide an excellent archive of your photos that's immune to hard drive crashes and optical disc deterioration. Plus, you can use camera gear you already have instead of having to invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars for the latest digital bodies.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "What About Film?" You can download the podcast here (28 minutes).

Technorati Tags: equipment, digital photography, podcast, film

Lenses are to a photographer what brushes are to a painter. In this podcast I discuss some of the attributes that you might want to keep in mind when researching your next lens. Features such as maximum aperture, zooming range, construction, and focusing speed can be the difference between loving your lens or owning an expensive dust collector.

Keep in mind that a protection filter and lens hoods are more than just accessories, I consider them essentials. And if your lens is wide angle, you may want to investigate those special "thin" filters that don't cause vignetting around the edges.

I've also launched a new feature on The Digital Story called My Favorite Lens. This is your opportunity to tell others in the TDS community about your "go to glass" and why you like it so.

All of this and more in this week's podcast...

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Great Glass." You can download the podcast here (24 minutes).

Technorati Tags: equipment, digital photography, podcast, my favorite lens

Serious cameras should have serious features. Many advanced amateur cameras can fill the shoes of DSLRs, but in more compact packages. But not all advanced amateur cameras are created equal. Here are five features that I require on my serious cameras.

1) Hot Shoe
2) RAW format
3) Fast lens - maximum aperture of f-2.4 or brighter. I prefer f-2.0
4) Filter ring
5) Remote release

Two "serious" advanced amateur cameras that meet these requirements are the Canon PowerShot Pro 1 and the Sony Cybershot DSC-R1. These are examples only and certainly not the only two advanced cameras that fit these requirements. At the moment, the Sony is the higher rated of the two cameras and has better customer feedback on Amazon.com.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Five Must-Have Camera Features." You can download the podcast here (24 minutes).

Technorati Tags: review, digital photography, product review

The techniques used to create 30 Miles East of LA are very simple using basic software. The movie has 3 tracks: video (created in FotoMagico), music, and voiceover (both tracks added in iMovie HD). In this podcast, I talk about how the project began 2 years ago when I digitized the 20 year-old tapes of the band's music. I then began collecting and scanning the visuals, and even returned to Southern California to photograph the locations where the band performed 2 decades ago.

If you're interested in saving some of your old cassette tapes, you may want to read the article, Five Fun Ways to Play with Audio Hijack Pro. It describes how to use Audio Hijack to convert analog tapes to digital files.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "The Making of 30 Miles East of LA." You can download the podcast here (29 minutes).

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, software

How do you build a basic image processing workflow with the tools you already have? It's quite easy and involves only a few steps. This workflow might not be as convenient as what you'd enjoy in a contained environment, such as with Aperture, Lightzone or Adobe's Lightroom, but you don't have to spend the dollars either.

This podcast covers the following steps:

• Upload your images
• Crop to improve composition
• Adjust exposure using levels command (see illustration above for example of good levels settings)
• Correct the white balance
• Sharpen using Unsharp Mask

You don't have to spend more time managing your images on your computer than you did capturing them in the first place. I'll show you how to work more efficiently.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Image Editing Workflow." You can download the podcast here (32 minutes).

Technorati Tags: digital photography, technique, podcast, software

Shutter Priority mode is often overlooked in favor or Program and Aperture Priority. But there are many situations where this forgotten mode comes in handy. Today, I discuss using shutter priority to control the appearance of water, freeze action in sports photography, create unique effects with panning, and for controlling the background when using the flash.

In the shot above, I used a fast shutter speed (1/500th) to freeze the action of the breaking wave and capture the mist in the air. If I had wanted a different effect, such as a more ethereal look, then I could mount the camera on the tripod and set the shutter to 1/15th or longer (1/10 or even 1/4). This is a good situation where using Shutter Priority can help you capture the shot you want -- whether it's frozen motion or soft flowing textures.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Shutter Priority." You can download the podcast here (29 minutes).

Technorati Tags: digital photography, tips, podcast, technique

Exploration is in the air. It's vacation time! All of the techniques we've been thinking about, equipment we've been accumulating, and plans we've been making are about to be put in motion. I'm one of those strange people who actually enjoy packing for a trip. In this podcast, I talk about camera choices, bag selection, accessories, and tips for on the road.

Here are a few links to supplement the conversation:
Review: Lowepro Rolling CompuTrekker AW
Manfrotto Digi Compact Tripod a Winner
Tamrac Expedition 4: More Features, but Higher Price
Sigma 55-200mm F4-5.6 DC Lens Perfect Complement for Canon Rebel
Connecting your iPod video to the TV... Wow!

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Vacation Packing." You can download the podcast here (32 minutes).

Technorati Tags: equipment, digital photography, tips, podcast