March 2018 – Welcom again to HDR News! – Photography is changing in a big way. Established pros are switching camera brands and mirrorless cameras will eventually elbow out the top pro cameras. Yet, what remains the same is the ever-progressing creativity of you, the photographers. In this issue of HDR News we touch on all those issues along with early results in the revered Sony World Photography Awards, a look at new, invisible watermarking technology and a jaw-dropping video. Let’s get going!

 

Sony World Photography Awards – Great Images

The grand behemoth of the photography contest world is the Sony World Photography Awards. If you want to measure your own photography against these selections or you just want to enjoy an excellent image collection, check out this selection of contenders. The final awards will be announced on April 19. We recommend that you use the full-screen options noted in the article’s intro to really enjoy the work.

See the World Photography Awards selections HERE.

 

The Canon Full Frame Mirrorless Camera Is On The Way

You knew the day was coming. It was just a matter of time before Canon and Nikon delivered a pro-level mirrorless camera. For Canon lovers, that day is here, sort of. This article reports of Canon admitting the camera is in development and that a few are out there in photographers’ hands for testing.

Get a peek at Canon’s pro mirrorless camera HERE.

 

David Burnett Switches to Sony

Of course, all the great photographers shoot Canon or Nikon: not really. Photojournalist legend David Burnett just made the switch to the Sony a7RIII and a9. ““I had been using Canon gear which met pro standards (6D bodies, a large variety of glass) but I felt they were making small improvements on adequate gear for the last few years,” says Burnett. “The 1D X was very capable but too big for me.” This is a harbinger for where camera technology is going. Dive into this article further to learn all the reasons Burnett made the switch.

Learn about Burnett’s decision HERE.

 

The Art Of Flying

If you click on only one link in this email, this is the one to click. This video is about when you’re happy that your DSLR does video. In the winter of 2014-2015 Dutch photographer and filmmaker Jan van IJken noticed that starlings were staying in the Netherlands instead of flying south. Thankfully he made this stunning example of “starling murmuration”.

See the starling murmuration HERE.

 

Great, Lucky Street Images

Every now and then you create an image out of pure serendipity. A set of rabbit ears shoot out of your subject’s head, skinny legs appear below Santa’s rotund body and more. This is the best collection of lucky images we’re come across. For sure, you’ll get a good belly laugh if you click through to this article.

Get a laugh HERE.

 

Invisible Watermarks To Protect Your Images

If you’re a pro or semi-pro photographer you’ve no doubt had your work stolen off the Internet more than once. AI programs are now incredible in being able to remove your watermark from the image. Now there’s a fix: invisible watermarks.

Learn about invisible watermarks HERE.

 

Behind the Scenes: Photographing Mountain Hares In Scotland

We’re still scratching out heads about the tenacity and imperviousness to bad weather this dedicated pro demonstrates when he captures images of Mountain Hares. “(His) name is Morten Hilmer and (he’s) a full time professional wildlife photographer and former special force soldier in the Arctic Dogsled unit – the Sirius Dogsled Patrol. He writes this article in the first person and has two well-made videos to show you on his quest for photos of the white critters.

Go on a “hare” raising journey HERE.

February 2018 – Welcome again to HDR News. We’ve got a wide ranging set of content for you to discover this
month. The collection spans the Olympics, camera comparisons, a great new “walking around” lens, the dark side of landscape
photography and a look at classic portraiture. Let’s get right to it.

 

The Best Of 2018 The Winter Olympics

We know you love landscapes and HDR but you have to marvel at the fusion of athletic photographic skill and sheer artistry in the Olympic competition photographs that came out of PyeongChang over the last two weeks. When you’re stuck in a designated shooting pen next to a dozen other world-class shooters what do you do to tell the story you’re assigned to cover and still offer creativity? Look no further than the collections we found on CNN, Time, USA Today and The NY Times.

Click on the publication name to see their Olympic spread.

CNN, TIME, USA-Today, NY Times

 

Full-frame Shootout: Nikon D850 s Canon 5D vs. Sony a7R III

The Nikon D850, Canon 5D and the Sony a7R III are punching it out at the top end of the DSLR universe. This article is for you folks that love high-end equipment and will consult chat boards and photo website reviews before you even think of making a purchase. What’s most difficult to find in online reviews is a little real-life funk. In other words, the reactions of in-the-trenches photographers actually using the equipment in the field who provide their gut level reactions. Read this piece if you’re thinking of upgrading your current camera or making a switch to another brand. Do you have the nerve?

See the shootout HERE

 

The Walking Around Lens – Sony Gets It Right

If you shoot a bunch then you may have struggled with deciding on the gear you should take with you when “walking around”. By walking around we mean those situations when you know you’re in the zone to make a great photograph but you just don’t know when or where in your walk you’re going to find that shot. You need to travel light so; do you take a wide-angle zoom? Do you take a mid-range prime lens? Do you take a medium to long zoom? You’re conflicted because a gear bag in tow won’t make you nimble and ready for the ephemeral “moment”. For this very purpose Canon makes the 24-105 and Nikon makes the 24-120 f4. Now Sony has introduced the 24-105 f4, wide to medium zoom lens. Let’s take a look at the review.

Read the review HERE

 

The Dark Side Of Landscape Photography – Where Do You Stand?

This is a tough article to digest, especially if you’re on the fence about truth in photography. Is that wonderful shot of a bright, saturated Milky Way positioned over a well lit desert rock formation really what the photographer saw? Do you think, maybe, elements from different image files were stitched together like a photo Frankenstein? Is the final image “art” or a “photograph” or what? It’s an argument that will only intensify as imaging software and photo equipment continues to improve.</p>

Read this extensive look at the dark side HERE

 

 

 

 

Ugly Locations – It’s All About The Skill

A creative photographer will be open to photographic genres outside their comfort zones. Indeed, if you’re known in your circles as a “photographer” then you’ll be enlisted to make portraits from time to time. The Old Dutch masters are indeed masters because they harnessed the light that was available to them in the 17th and 18th centuries. Enter Dutch photographer Gemmy Woud-Binnendikk who, after graduating as a Goldsmith and later as a multimedia designer found her true passion in photography. You can learn from absorbing her photographs.

See the images HERE

 

 

Classic Dutch Master Paintings or…

A creative photographer will be open to photographic genres outside their comfort zones. Indeed, if you’re known in your circles as a “photographer” then you’ll be enlisted to make portraits from time to time. The Old Dutch masters are indeed masters because they harnessed the light that was available to them in the 17th and 18th centuries. Enter Dutch photographer Gemmy Woud-Binnendikk who, after graduating as a Goldsmith and later as a multimedia designer found her true passion in photography. You can learn from absorbing her photographs.

See the images HERE

 

 

 

How Apple Created Portrait Lighting

The enchanting photographs of Dutch photographer Woud-Binnendikk may be a stretch to replicate for many of us but Apple appears to have made the entire exercise of making a classic portrait as simple as lifting your iPhone to your eye.</p>

See how Apple did it HERE

 

 

 

 

Lens Culture Portrait Awards

As long as we’re on the subject of portraits,
if you’re into making portraits and you want to see how you measure up with your contemporaries then you should consider entering the Lens Culture Portrait Awards. The promotional web page for the contest contains a collection of entries that will be informative, if not transformative in your own work. If you want to enter the contest you have to move fast because they stop taking entries on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

Then, if you think portraiture is in your future you should read an interview with Jennifer Pastore, the Director of Photography at the
Wall Street Journal which will give you a behind-the-scene look at what the purchasers of your portrait photography require.

The Lens Culture Portrait Awards web page is HERE

Read the Pastore interview HERE

 

 

We hope you’re getting outside to photograph winter’s gorgeous scenes. You may even be breaking in some new equipment acquired over the holidays (we’re envious!). Many of you are hunkering down duringthe heavy weather to plan your spring and summer travels to visually compellling locations. This issue of HDR News will help you make some decisions. We start off with a collection of travel images that inspire. To see how the pros travel we take look into the gear bag of a an intrepid polar photographer. To help keep you creatively fresh we look at how a Danish photographer photographed the exact same scene multiple times. You’ll be amazed at the results. And, there’s more.

 

Photos That Will Activate Your Travel Bug

 

Travel blogger Dan (he just goes as “ Dan” ) obsesses about travel and he has an incredibly good eye for photography.
Dan’s collection of his favorite travel photos will be new to you and will impress. Dan is based in Minneapolis
which is all about cold this time of year. Maybe this is why he’s so dedicated to move around the world. For
sure, he’s driven by culture and people. In Dan’s words “I always prefer to tell someone else’s story vs trying
to make myself sound interesting.”

See the collection HERE.

 

Seven Photos In The Same Location

This is how to make a great “travel photo”, just look around you. Dutch photographer Albert Dros presents seven
photographs of the same location, a location that is only five minutes from his home. He says, “Throughout the years, I noticed that I visit the same locations around my house many times to see how they look during different seasons and different times of the day. Sometimes the area where you live may not motivate you very much to photograph because you see the same things every day. However, when I started photography, I began to see the world (and my home area) in a different way.” The photographs Dros provides take you through the seasons and prove that the world is constantly changing.

See the photos HERE.

 

Single Image HDR

Travel photographers spend much of their time in the field searching for interesting scenes that tell the story of the culture they’re experiencing. “The Moment” can happen at any time and it rarely gives the photographer optimum lighting conditions. Even more rarely can the photographer shoot multiple, bracketed exposures for optimal HDR processing. But, you can use HDR applications to beautifully edit single images. Check out this short but valuable video on single image HDR processing in HDR Express with Pinnacle VP of Marketing John Omvik to see how it’s done.

This LINK takes you to our video tutorial page. Choose the video “Single Image HDR with HDR Express 3”

 

Essential Gear Of An Antarctic Expedition Photographer

Are you planning to photograph in some severe weather conditions? Having the right gear could mean the difference between capturing winning images or returning empty handed. In this short, informative article, New Zealand-based polar expedition photographer John Bozinov details the gear he uses on his excursions.

Check out the gear HERE.

 

 

 

Seventeen Of The World’s Most Wild And Beautiful Places

Ever heard of the Faroe Islands? We didn’t either. Thanks to National Geographic’s article “Seventeen of the World’s Most Wild And Beautiful Places” we not only discovered they’re in Denmark, we also discovered plenty of new destinations to consider for this year’s travels. If you’re looking for travel ideas this feature will help.

See the locations HERE.

 

 

The Flight Stuff: Bird Photography Goes Digital

Are you a birder (bird watcher)? There are 47 million birders in the U.S. and they’re constantly on the move to get the
next sighting. It could be the thrill of finding a rare species or just being in the great outdoors but something keeps these folks returning for more. This article takes you into the birder’s world and shows you some of the photo gear being used and, more importantly, shows you the new apps that help you identify birds using image recognition and even a birds song.

Get more info HERE.

Everyone here at Pinnacle sends you the warmest Holiday greetings!

It’s been a fantastic photographic year in terms of great images and great new equipment. In 2018 we’ll continue
to dig and keep you abreast of the most important and sometimes off-beat photo industry news. In this issue we highlight
an impressive new landscape photography book, two important articles on photo technique, a tiny surprise about the new
iMac Pro and more. Let’s get going.

 

Masters Of Landscape Photography: Stunning Images By 16 Leading Exponents Of The Genre

The images in this book are so impressive we immediately tried to buy it. The title Masters Of Landscape Photography does the
book justice if the photographs in this article that ran in the International Business Times is any indication. Take
the time to view the images and don’t miss the short video book trailer at the bottom. Oh, unfortunately Barnes and
Nobel won’t have the book until April 1, 2018.

See the master landscape photographs HERE

 

Got $13,199 For An iMac Pro?

Really? No, Really? Come on. Believe it. The folks at PetaPixel were elated when the iMac Pro was introduced and dashed to get one. They conjured up their dream machine with the most powerful processor, maxed out memory, maxed out storage and more. The end price is “about the same base price as a 2018 Chevrolet Spark LS”. </p>

Read about the maxed out iMac Pro HERE

 

Nature Photographer Of The Year

The winners of National Geographic’s 2017 Nature Photographer Of The Year competition have been announced and the winning images are beyond noteworthy. We highlight many competition winners in this newsletter and we think this is
an amazing collection of images by talented photographers both amateur and pro.

See the winning images HERE

 

20 Composition Techniques

You’ve exhausted the Rule Of Thirds in your photographic compositions. Then, you moved on to tight cropping. Then, you ask yourself the question “what now”. This article gives you composition ideas that are beyond the tried and true and are actually useful. While it starts off with the Rule Of Thirds it quickly moves on to more imaginative suggestions. Even experienced photographers will find this a nice refresher and compilation.

Get the info HERE

 

Top Ten Photography Tips You Need To Master

If you’re new to photography or just made the resolution to dedicate yourself to the craft then this concise collection of tips is for you. From blurry backgrounds to eliminating camera shake, all the photo technique basics are covered and more. This one read will give you enough skills to work on for the whole of 2018. If you think you’re an advanced photographer then you should make sure that you already master these skills.

Get more info HERE

 

Top News Photos Of 2017

This set of impactful and wide-ranging news images from 2017 as chosen by The Atlantic magazine provokes your emotions whether you think they’re “Top” photos or not. The Holiday season is a perfect time to be viewing these images as they can’t help but make you feel grateful for what you have. Caution, this photo set can be upsetting in places.

See the news photos HERE

 

 

No, You Definitely Did Not Sleep There

You’ve seen the images of healthy trekkers standing on the edge of an epic cliff, gazing at the purple band of light in the early evening horizon while their tents, beaming with lantern light, are fixed behind them. This is where they’ll settle for the night: not. “Fake” appears to have entered the world of adventure photography. Read about Luisa Jeffreys who created the Instagram account @youdidnotsleepthere and get a dose of reality.

Read the article HERE

 

 

Those Soviets, They’re Not So Different From Us

Take a Jewish, fine art photographer who was raised in the Adirondack village of Lake Placid (think Olympics) and send him to the Soviet Union in the 1970s as a cultural ambassador and what do you get? Great photographs. Farb says of his childhood, “I grew up in a town where there was enormous wealth, and enormous poverty. It was painful, because I went to school with children who did not have socks to put on inside their galoshes in the winter.” No wonder Farb communicated beautifully with the people of Novosibirsk which Farb describes as half way between Europe and Asia. His photos from that period are now on display in a show titled “The Russians” at the Wende Museum in Culver City, Calif., as a part of its mission to focus on the Cold War.

Read more about Farb’s project and see his photographs HERE

 

 

Milky Way Over The Dolomites

Here is a head scratching photographh that makes you wonder “How did the photographer get into position at this time of day?” This short interview with San Francisco based photographer Michael Shainblum gives a glimpse into the process. The image is of the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo peaks in the Dolomite moutains in northeastern Italy. It was shot using eight vertical images with a Sony a7S camera and Canon 16-35 lens and merging them into a panorama.</p>

See the story and image HERE

Thanksgiving is behind us and it’s time to get going on Christmas gifts and, this year, we think you should consider giving yourself a nice gift. We have some suggestions for you. We also take a look at two interesting cameras, one of which is a first hand field test at the edge of the European continent. Then, we take a look at some impressive winning contest images and a collection of the most influential images of all time. Let’s get going!

 

What You Want For Christmas

You’ve been putting it off long enough. This Christmas, you need to up the quality of your images with a great walking around zoom that delivers professional quality. You’ve been good this year and taken care of your responsibilities so we’ve collected reviews that will give you the info you need to make the gift request or, at least, buy one for yourself. Here are representative reviews for zooms by five top manufacturers.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM

Nikon 24-120 f4 ED VR

Olympus M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO

Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 ZA SSM II Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* Lens

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16-55mm f/2.8 LM WR

 

How To Get That Blurry, Action Background

You’ve seen those photos. You know, the ones with the blurred background and a sharp auto or such that convey lots of speed. How do they do that? You know that too; slow shutter speed and panning. But, it can get more complicated than that and here’s a nice article that will give you the tips needed to pull of that shot on a more regular basis.

Get the tips HERE

 

 

 

Leica M10 In The Wild

This is for all of you who live vicariously from time to time when dreaming about photo equipment. The Leica M10 goes for around $6500 and just one Summicron lens adds another $3K to $4K to the kit ($7k if you want the APO-Summicaron-M 50mm f2). If you’re interested in the M10 you’ve probably read a few technical reviews already. This review of the camera is different. It’s written in the voice of a real user who spent a week of quality time with his camera near the edge of known civilization in the northwest corner of Scotland.

Read about it HERE.

 

Image Of Determined 16-year-old Migrant Wins Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize

As the planet continues to warm and the Sahara grows south to steal agricultural land necessary for survival, a constant flow of young men makes it way up the west African coast and on through Libya to the Mediterranean. From there they take their chances on a sea crossing to Europe and what writer Tom Friedman calls “the world of order”. These conditions are the story behind the haunting winning photograph that won the Taylor Wessing portrait prize. The winning photographs and those chosen for inclusion in the annual Taylor Wessing exhibition were chosen from 5,717 submissions entered by 2,423 photographers from 66 countries. This was the first year in which digital entries were allowed for the initial sift.

See the haunting image, larger HERE.

 

VUK Landscape Photographer Of The Year

Landscape Photographer of the Year was founded in 2006 by Charlie Waite and the competition has steadily risen in stature. The total prize purse is over $25000 and entries are welcome from everyone, whether resident in Britain or simply visiting. Awards are presented to both the adult and young Landscape Photographer of the Year and there are four main categories that have both adult and youth sections, with additional prizes offered within each category. </p>

We highlighted the competition in HDR News last year and this year’s collection of photographs impresses. They inspire you in a contemplative way because you can mentally jump inside most of the winning images. It also inspires you to run outside with your camera a capture the world in a new way.

See the winners HERE.

 

Sony a7R III – 42mp At 10fps In A Light, Mirrorless Camera

Sony is on a roll with it’s pro-sports targeted a9 and now it’s upgrade to the a7RII, the a7RIII. The most impressive feature of the camera to us was the autofocus’ uncanny ability to “tenaciously” track the forward eye of your subject as it moves around the frame. The autofocus system resists the tendency to jump to another person in your frame as your primary subject continues to move. Add a 42 megapixel sensor, high burst rates and excellent image quality to the mix and you may have the camera that will push you to go mirrorless.

Check out the dpReview HERE.

 

 

In Case You Missed It: The 100 Most Influential Images Of All Time

If you’re a serious photographeryou’re likely to draw inspiration from the great photographs of the past. Indeed, there are likely a few photos that are imprinted in your mind whichoften guide you in your photography efforts. We believe the most influential photos are the ones that influence <i>you</i>. Time magazine compiled a wonderful set of 100 images which you can explore as a homage to the great photographers that have come before. Dive into the article as there are compelling descriptions and supplementary photos and videos that embellish the featured photograph.

Explore the collection HERE.

 

 

October 2017 – In this issue we want to challenge your assumptions about lens sharpness and depth of field. Many of us believe simply setting our camerasto a high f-stop will cure all evils. It can cure evils but it can produce others. Then,we take a look at newly introduced third generation camera from Canon that may make you leave your heavy DSLR gear at home. For your more advanced shooters out there we pointyou to a good article in PDN about using printed promotions to advance your career. And,there are a few more useful pieces for you as well.

 

Think Your Lenses Are Sharpest at f16 or f22? – Think Again!

Most photographers and especially landscape photographers strive for maximum sharpness and depth of field. Almost instinctively, developing photographers stop down their cameras to f16-f22 or thereabouts assuming the tiny aperture will do the trick (we’re guilty too!). But there’s a demon hidden in your camera’s lens and it’s called diffraction, which can rob your images of sharpness. Also, you can only focus on one spot in your image so if your image has strong near and distant elements, where do you focus for maximum sharpness throughout the image? You need to know about hyperfocal focusing.

These are somewhat technical articles that take you through focusing and aperture selection. The good news is the articles also provide simple rules that you can take into the field and avoid the heavier math. If you’re into maximizing the quality of your images these articles are a must-read. Start with the article on Hyperfocal Distance and don’t skip the article on choosing the sharpest aperture. You’ll be thanking us later!

Read about Hyperfocal Distance HERE.
Read about choosing the right aperture HERE.

Entries In The Nature Photographer Of The Year Competition

Last month we alerted you to National Geographic’s 2017 Nature Photographer Of The Year Contest. Entries are still being accepted and early entries are on display with a number of interesting takes on nature itself. And, every shooting angle possible is being explored including shooting from in a stream through Plexiglas to catch a bear’s foot as well as wonderful drone images. It’s interesting work.

See a collection of entries HERE.

You can still submit entries into the contest HERE.

 

White House Photographer Breaks The Mold

If you’re a White House photographer and you’re a woman, you’re breaking ground. The photojournalists covering the comings and goings at the center of our government are most likely male and just a bit jaded. Amanda Lucidon, at age 38, punctured that world with a freshness that so impressed the White House staff that she was assigned to cover First Lady Michelle Obama.

Lucidon’s first rule, don’t be late: “The motorcade only waits for one person and it’s not you,”which she shares in her book Chasing Light. Get Lucidon’s back-story and some interesting anecdotes about the First Family in this interesting piece.

Read the article HERE.

 

Tired Of Lugging a 4lb DSLR camera? – New 24mp, 9fps Canon Powershot G1 X Mark III

It’s been three years since Canon introduced the 9fps Powershot G1 X Mark II that was praised for it’s image quality but dinged a bit for usability. Said dpReview in 2014, “The… G1 X Mark II… whose fast lens and large sensor allow it to produce impressive photos in both bright and low light.” Now Canon has released the Mark III version with a 24mp APS-C sensor, a fixed 24-72mm equivalent f2.8-f5.6 zoom and a built-in three stop neutral density filter. The unit weights just 14oz. and fits in the palm of your hand. This
may be the camera you want with you at all times.

See dpReview’s initial reactions HERE.

 

NIKON D850: “… and we’re comfortable saying the D850 is the ??????? DSLR on the market today.”

Camera reviewers have now had the Nikon D850 in their hands long enough to have developed a solid opinion on the camera. See what Photography Life and dpReview have to say about image quality and usability in the field.

 

Read my most trusted reviewer Nasim Mansurov’s review in Photography Life HERE.

Read the dpReview article HERE.

Promote Yourself With A Printed Mailer

If you’re an advanced photographer you’re probably thinking about promoting yourself and your work. All the online articles about self promotion insist you need a presence on Facebook, Instagram and your own blog. But, there’s so much competition on those platforms that the probability of your messages getting drowned and unseen is huge. It’s time to think outside the bun (or box if you will). How about a good old fashioned printed promotion. The tactile experience of your images in the hands of a target editor may be just the thing to get you noticed and hired. At the very least, there will be far less on the editor’s desk to compete against as compared to online.

Here’s an article on four travel photographers who made the investment in a printed promotion and their results.

Check it out HERE.

September 2017  –  Welcome again to HDR News. In our last issue we focused on preparing to photograph
this year’s fall foliage. The fall foliage is happening right now and there’s nothing like looking at great autumn
images to get your mind racing and your body out there shooting. We have two inspiring collections for you. Also,
being rabid photogrpahers and lovers of technology we here at Pinnacle appreciate it when the Internet and photography
come together in way that creates community and communication while maintaining high artistic standards. That’s what
we’ve found in National Geographic’s Your Shot community which we’ll highlight in this issue. Let’s get going.

 

Shoot Fall Leaves Before Fall Leaves

No matter where in the U.S. you want to shoot fall colors Weather.com has you oovered. Their fall foliage page gives you up to date conditions for the entire country. They break up the country into four region maps and place icons showing the exact conditions on that day.

Foliage Map

 

 

 

The Autumn Equinox – Pictures To Celebrate the Arrival of Fall

The autumn equinox happens on September 21st each year and marks one of the two days of the year where day and night are the same duration. The autumn equinox also serves as reminder that disiduous trees are about to give up their leaves and go dormant in order to survive the coming winter. This collection of photos by Michael Melford perfectly captures the languid feelings of this time of year.

See the Melford collection HERE

 

 

Your Shot – National Geographic

Online communities like Facebook and Instagram have changed the way we enjoy and share photographs. Your images are right there, right now for your friends. Yet, these environments are not about the photography itself. Imagine if you could have all the interaction of these sites with the added bonus of knowing your community loves and practices photography with the same enthusiasm you do. It’s right there in National Geographic’s Your Shot community.

Your Shot is a community with the respect for photography that you would expect from National Geographic. There you’ll have trending photos, editors choices, photo assignments and contests that you can participate in. This all revolves around the My Photos feature where you upload your favorite images for the community to view and appreciate. You can be followed by other members and you can follow them yourself with the love of photography as the glue which binds it all together.

Learn about Your Shot HERE

Explore Your Shot HERE

 

Your Foliage Shots

This collection will show you that any photographer can upload their favorite images and be selected by National Geographic editors for sharing with the Your Shot community.

See the foliage collection from photographers like you HERE

 

 

 

 

Enter National Geographic’s Nature Photographer Of The Year Contest

While you’re in the mood, plan on entering National Geographic’s Nature Photographer Of The Year Contest. The Grand Prize winner will receive $7,500 and have their winning photo published in the magazine. Each category winner will receive $2,500 in the categories
of Wildlife, Landscapes, Aerials and Underwater. You have plenty of time to incorporate your fall foliage images into your submission as submissions are being taken until noon, November 17, 2017.

Read all about the contest HERE

 

Vertical pano technique in Italy

On a visit to Italy you’llquickly notice that artistic masterpieces reside on the high ceilings of churches and other iconic buildings. Italian photographerAndrea Facco was searching for a technique that would convey the full majesty of Italy’s and Eurpoe’s architecture. He settledon a common technique but used in an uncommon way. Using panorama stitching techniques usually reserved for landscapes Facco created vertical panoramas. The results are impressive. Think about it. You may be able to use the same technique in your fall foliage images; just thinking out loud.

See the vertical panoramas HERE

 

 

 

August 2017 – Summer is almost over with the fall foliage season a few short weeks away. To get you started with
your trip planning we’ve discovered some good location ideas. To get you thinking about images that go beyond the typical landscape we point you to a great tips collection. And, so you don’t arrive in your location before or after peak color, we found a great interactive foliage map for you.

Also in this issue is a first look at a camera that’s created a huge buzz and a shootout with the flagship cameras from Sony, Canon and Nikon

 

Planning For Your Fall Foliage Trip

Photographers naturally get excited about the abundant, saturated natural colors of autumn. But, there’s more to great fall photography than shooting stands of orange/red trees. At this time of year there are timeless images all around you that can be turned into treasured prints by paying attention to a
scene’s details, getting creative about composition and even adding a human element. Make the most of your fall shooting by knowing good locations and having a few new shooting ideas ready to try out.

Tips For Better Fall Foliage Photos

Interactive Fall Foliage Map

Seven awesome places for fall foliage

 

It’s Finally Here

One of the most anticipated cameras in recent memory has finally arrived. It’s the Nikon D850 which is the replacement for the venerated, 36mp D810. The new D850 has some stunning improvements that make it an almost must-have camera for Nikon shooters, not the least of which is its 45.7 megapixel sensor. That’s a lot of pixels that will produce a lot of data. The D850 uses the same auto focus system as the flagship D5 which, combined with an increased shooting rate that maxes out at 9 fps makes it a camera that excels in almost any situation.

If you want to download some higher res D850 image files check out Photography Life HERE.

Even more interesting is photographer Andrew Hancock’s shooting experience featured on DPReview HERE.

 

Flagship Epic Shootout Review: Sony A9 vs Canon 1Dxii vs Nikon D5

Most of us dream about shooting with the flagship camera in a manufacturer’s lineup. Yet, we often hear the cliché “It’s not the camera, it’s the photographer” which implies that your photo equipment doesn’t really matter. Whoa! equipment matters. While you can make great photographs with most any camera, great equipment will increase the probability of you getting the image that’s in your head. Wielding a camera with lightning auto focus, high frame rates and a top-of-the-line color engine could change everything for you. With an entry point above $5000, if you’re considering taking the plunge it’s best you do all the info gathering that you can. Here is a great comparison you can just sit back and watch.

You can watch the video HERE.

 

Inspiring Collection Of Travel Photos

We see a lot of images here at Pinnacle but it’s rare that we see a photo collection this good. Take a moment to see the editor’s choice photos in the National Geographic Travel Photographer Of The Year competition. It’s well worth the time.

<p>Check it out HERE.

 

 

 

Solar Eclipse Selection

Did your images of the great, North American eclipse look like all of the other images you’ve seen? Check out this collection of images to see what thinking a bit outside the bun and do for your photography HERE.

We think this image is the most creative eclipse photo out there. See it HERE.

July 2017 – Would you like to be a professional photographer or are you just starting out as a pro? Going pro in the age of ubiquitous cell phone imagery is a risky endeavor, much more risky than in the days of film. In this issue we take a look at one photographerwho worked his way into his dream photojournalist position. We also take a look at an alpinist photographer working his first gig for National Geographic who realized that incorporating drones and 360 video could make his work stand out.

But first we’d like to point you toward a valuable, free HDR how-to pdf that will show you exactly how to set your camera to make bracketed exposures of your scene titled 5 Steps To Great HDR Photography. You can find the link on the Pinnacle homepage or go directly to the download page HERE

 

The Last Defying Honey Hunter Of Nepal

What do you do on your first assignment for National Geographic? Your only alternative is to dig deep inside and use every bit of talent and
experience you have. That’s just what alpinist and photographer Renan Ozturk did to cover this compelling story of a small community of Himaliyans who withstand a vibrating mass of thousands of giant honey bees to harvest the honey that sells on the black market for $60 to $80 per pound. All this is done while dangling 300 feet in the air from a bamboo rope ladder. Despite the pressure of a first gig Ozturk delivered with stills, video, drone video and 360 immersive video all while dangling off the side of a super-scary cliff. If you need a bar to hit for your dream first gig, here it is.

 

Making A Living As A Photographer

Many of us who love photography dream of making our living as a shooter. Now everyone with a smart phone is a photographer which exponentially raises the supply of photographs in the market, driving down prices and making it virtually impossible to make enough money to pay the bills. But, is that really the case? Is photography about supply and demand or is it about the supply and demand for great photography. Find out in this video highlighting how Andrew Harnik broke through to become a high level photojournalist. His advice applies to all genres of photography.

See this interesting video HERE.

 

The Magic Of Long Exposure

If you’re looking to add drama to your landscapes then using long exposures can give you the pop you’re looking for. Photographer Adam West is a master at using long, multi-minute exposures to inject a smooth look to clouds, water and celestial movement in his photos. This article takes you through shooting skys, lakes, seascapes and more. Up your knowledge by checking this out.

 

Timelapse – July 4th Over L.A.

Light pollution? Indeed. “Los Angeles” is an expansive entity. It spreads from the Angeles Mountains in the north to Santa Monica in the west, Pasadena in the east and beyond. All those locations get really into July 4th and its festivities. “Creative director and photographer Dylan Schwartz posted up at the Mount Wilson Observatory on July 4 and waited for the sky to light up. From that vantage point, altitude: 5,715 feet, he could see the entire L.A. basin.” The resulting time-lapse video is impressive. Check it out.

 

Just Becasue It’s Cool – Hummingbirds Like You’ve Never Seen Them

If you’ve seen a hummingbird at work you won’t be seeing their wings because they flap at up to 100 times per second! They are the only birds that can hover in one place for 30 seconds or more. Photographer Anand Varma using a high-speed, high-resolution camera captures what the eye can’t see in this remarkable set of videos.

Enjoy the article and video HERE.

 

How To Photograph Forests And Trees

Grand vistas are the life blood of nature and landscape photography. But, we can’t always find the time or resources to make the trip to a national park or the sea shore. The next best option is to look around your own area for a forest environment. Forest photography is not easy but this article by Norwegian photographer Dag Ole Nordhaug is a sophisticated look at the techniques required.

Learn about forest technique HERE.

June 2017 – Welcome again to HDR News!  Something very rare is going to happen over the United States this summer. It’s a total solar eclipse that will start in Oregon, traverse the country and exit land on the coast of South Carolina. Eclipse fanatics will travel half-way around the world and into the remotest locations to maximize their viewing and photographing of a full solar eclipse. This issue of HDR News is dedicated to celestial photography, starting with a valuable eclipse shooting guide followed by tips on how to find the exact right location to be when it all happens on August 21, 2017. For starters check out NASA’s eclipse website HERE.

 

How To Shoot a Solar Eclipse And Not Go Blind

You surely know that a solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks the light of the sun from hitting certain areas of the earth. But, there’s a truck load of information about solar eclipses that you probably don’t know: annular eclipses, hybrid eclipses and more. All of them except the total eclipse at its max will fry your retinas. This great page on the Nikon website lays out for you everything you need to get the shot and see your loved ones after.

Check out this comprehensive article HERE.

 

Find Your Exact Eclipse Location And See The Shadow Snakes!

The next total solar eclipse in August 2017 will make it’s path across the United States, perhaps for the last time in our lifetimes. But did you know that you won’t see the maximum total eclipse unless you are standing in EXACTLY in the right position. Want to find out how to find that position with satellite accuracy? This is your video.

See this valuable video HERE.

 

Shoot The Moon

If shooting the su isn’t your thing, shooting the moon effectively just may be a good way to get started with photographing the sky. This article covers placing the moon in your photo using a composite workflow but it also shows you purists how to shoot the moon naturally so it doesn’t look like a tiny dot in your image.

Check it out HERE.

 

Where To Find The Darkest Skies In The U.S. For Serious Stargazing

Did you ever want to ride a spacecraft into space and see planets like Jupiter up close and personal? This is the next best thing. It’s NASA’s Eyes On The Solar System. It’s an interactive visualization app that you download from the NASA website that takes you on a ride along with the Juno spacecraft in real-time at any time during the entire mission. This is incredible.

Get the app and a great experience HERE.

 

Images From The Juno Mission – NASA’s Eyes On The Solar System

Did you ever want to ride a spacecraft into space and see planets like Jupiter up close and personal? This is the next best thing. It’s NASA’s Eyes On The Solar System. It’s an interactive visualization app that you download from the NASA website that takes you on a ride along with the Juno spacecraft in real-time at any time during the entire mission. This is incredible.

Get the app and a great experience HERE.