Instagram Tips // Instagram is too much F#$%ing Work!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmbe5vT_4XY

Sometimes it feels like the time I spend posting, hashtagging, captioning is a total time suck. A few tools and tips that can help but really a conversation with you - how are you feeling about Instagram these days?

Auto Publishing

Services like Later.com can help schedule your posts to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Now at least for Instagram, they've finally enabled auto-publishing, saving you from getting the phone out just to post! Check it out at https://later.com/#ref=photorectv

Hashtagging

Hashtags take forever, especially for those wanting to put out 30 for each post. Later.com uses hashtag groups to save time, but you need to change it up. Fortunately, it's hashtag suggestion feature will help a bit, but it needs to be fleshed out more. Instead just stalk your local Instagrammers to see what the popular tags are for your area and try to incorporate some when you can.

Image Tips

Your image quality matters!

• Bright images with a strong white point draw people into the photos
• Level your horizon, that's that little extra to make people think your photo is worth a like
• Clear subjects have to count, get rid of distracting elements so there's a strong focus on your subject

Captions

Connect with your viewer, you need to sell yourself with a good caption for the photo.

• The personal story behind the photo
• How the image was captured
• Or ask a question, just make it a good one!

Instagram Challenge Top Picks – Songtitle

Every week we put your skills to the test in the Photorec.tv Instagram challenge. This is your chance to try something a bit different, maybe learn a new skill, or just get a bit of practice in shooting.

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_songtitle

We get inspiration from many places when it comes to shooting and this week had a musical spin. Thanks to those that entered as you came up with some really clever ideas! Next Week's Challenge: #PRTV_fireworksWe’re changing it up for this next challenge, you have one month to enter! Get all those firework shots out of your system, and you’ve got plenty of time to edit for once. What can you come up with? We’ll be checking out those shots July 25th!

Roy’s Features:

• A really cute idea for "Hungry Like a Wolf"!

• While you may be addicted to that soft lens at this point it did a nice job of putting all the focus on your main subject.

• The inspiration might be "Don't go Chasing Waterfalls" but I think this was a great one for a shot!

For more info on the Instagram Challenges, the schedule, and past top picks go check out photorec.tv/prtv. Try out some of Toby's Instagram Tips. For everything else Instagram, tag those shots #PRTV and #penlive for our daily photo features.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro - Leica branded camera phone with Full Manual!

 [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON7YEv2WM0k[/embed]Huawei's affordable flagship? I try out the Huawei Mate 10 Pro - a Leica branded camera phone with full manual control, RAW capture and is quite affordable! Just $649 for 128GB, cheaper with the current sale, and the best controls I have ever seen! Even better than my daily use Pixel 2!

Pros

Cons

• 128GB is a ton of storage

• No headphone jack, wireless earbuds and usb-c adapter included

• Giant 4,000 mAh battery

• No wireless charging

• Dual Leica f/1.6 cameras

• No microSD

• Shoots DNG RAW

• Camera white balance can be mixed

• 2X lossless zoom

• Shoots a bit overexposed

• Up to 30-second shutter speeds

• Great manual shooting modes

• Nice shooting features such as light trails and portrait modes

• Water resistant

• It's cheap for the specs

Buy from Amazon(SALE ENDS 6/29) $250 OFF!!

Sample Images

Download RAW from MATE 10 Pro[gallery ids="18519,18520,18521,18522,18523,18524,18525"]

Specs

Mate 10 Pro

Galaxy S9

Pixel 2

Price

$649 for 128GB model

$720 for 64GB model

$649 for 64GB model

Network

GSM / HSPA / LTE

GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE

GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE

OS

Android 8.0 (Oreo)

Android 8.0 (Oreo)

Android 8.0 (Oreo)

Storage

128GB (No card slot)

64GB (MicroSD up to 512GB)

64GB (No card slot)

Rear

Camera

27mm f/1.6 12MP RGB27mm f/1.6 20MP Monochrome

26mm f/1.5 - 2.4 12MP

27mm f/1.7 12.2MP

Video

2160p@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps

2160p@60fps, 1080p@240fps, 720p@960fps

2160p@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@240fps

Front

Camera

26mm f/2.0 8MP, 1080p@60fps

25mm f/1.7 8MP, 1440p@30fps

27mm f/2.7 8MP

Screen

6" 1080x2160 AMOLED

5.8" 1440 x 2960 AMOLED

5" 1080 x 1920 AMOLED

Battery

4000 mAh

3000 mAh

2700 mAh

Weather

Proofing

IP67

IP68

IP67

Locations of In-Flight Photos

So what the heck did you just shoot a photo of out the plane? As we’re back from Joshua Tree here’s a quick tip for traveling if your the type that loves the window seat for photos. It’s not that hard and gives you a rough idea where you took the shot.

• So when you take photos off your phone typically it stays in the time zone that you started in which works out in this case. That gets saved to the photo's metadata which you can get to by hitting info (under … at the top right in android) or pulling it up in Lightroom (bottom of the right panel in the library).

• Go to flightradar24.com or flightaware.com and pull up your flight info. Without paying for a plan Flightradar24 only gives you the last 7 days free, Flightaware is 14 days or 4 months with a free account. I’m including both as you might miss the first one coming back from a trip.

Flightradar24 (www.flightradar24.com)Flightradar, in this case, is the easy one. Simply convert your time to UTC, in my case “5:59pm edt to utc” in google brings up 9:59 PM which is 21:59 in military time. So then hit play, skip to that time, and there we go. Albeit the data is usually off a bit but gets you in the ballpark. I shooting a bit behind the plane so this shot is a bit northeast of what the site says. Making this Bullfrog Bay in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area with Mt Ellsworth and Mt Holmes in the background.FlightAware (flightaware.com)

1. Get your takeoff time off the site.

1. Go to www.calculator.net/time-calculator.html and subtract your shot time by the takeoff time.

1. Hit play and skip ahead to your shot time. In comparison, this map isn’t as helpful but overall you get the area and can find it in google maps. If you click on the three lines at the top right of the map you can switch between map sources to get some city names to find in google maps.

Canon EOS m50 Review - Crippled Camera? Worthless 4k Video?

I took the Canon EOS m50 to Joshua Tree NP for a week of astrophotography. I have some thoughts on this camera and most of them are not good - but there are a few gems in this overhyped 4k camera.https://youtu.be/V5Y2L6sF0RUBuy Canon EOS m50Buy Panasonic G85Panasonic G85 Review (Probably a better value for most)Sample Photos - Canon EOS m50

4k Video footage - coming soonACCESS FULL RAW IMAGES FROM CANON EOS m50

Instagram Challenge Top Picks – Urbex

Every week we put your skills to the test in the Photorec.tv Instagram challenge. This is your chance to try something a bit different, maybe learn a new skill, or just get a bit of practice in shooting.

This Week’s Challenge: Urbex - #PRTV_urbex

A long called for challenge, urbex show’s what we left behind and a good look at something long gone. Your goal for this week and certainly a challenge!

Next Week's Challenge: Song Title - #PRTV_songtitle

We take inspiration while shooting from many places and next week your goal is to use a song title as an idea for a shoot. It should be an interesting challenge so get creative!

Top Picks

• Toby: I like that this one is light and airy showing the decay
• Roy: A really interesting shot showing the aging and abandoned setting

• Toby: A nicely balanced image, the editing really matches the content
• Roy: A piece of history left behind works well with those iconic posters. It's a shame in your caption the building is now demolished.

For more info on the Instagram Challenges, the schedule, and past top picks go check out photorec.tv/prtv. Try out some of Toby's Instagram Tips. For everything else Instagram, tag those shots #PRTV and #penlive for our daily photo features.

Sigma 14-24 f/2.8 ART Review with RAW downloads

🔥🔥🔥LENS ON SALE TODAY 🔥🔥🔥

I review the Sigma 14-24 f/2.8 a fast, wide and MUCH cheaper wide angle lens than Canon 16-35 f/2.8, Nikon 14-24 f/2.8 and Sony 16-35 f2.8 competitors. What's the catch? Watch for my complete review of Sigma's newest ART series Wide Angle lens.

https://youtu.be/mj4syYDu0X0

Buy the Sigma 14-24 f/2.8 from B&H Photo $1199.00

Travel with me on awesome adventures and share your opinion while I test gear!

Sigma 14-24 f/2.8 ART Series Sample Photos

Download FULL RAW Files from Sigma

Sigma 14-24 f/2.8 ART Versus Tamron, Canon, Sony, Nikon Wide Angle Lenses

Tamron 15-30 f/2.8 VC $1099 | Buy from B&H Photo

PRO: Cheaper, Offers Stabilization (VC) and a longer range (30mm)
CON: Not as sharp, starts at 15mm (which is actually closer to 16mm) and has slightly more distortion

Sony 16-35 f/2.8 GM $2198 | Buy from B&H Photo

PRO: Noticeably lighter, accepts regular filters, covers a long range, slightly sharper in corners
CON: Not sharper in the center at f/2.8, COST!

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM $1899 | Buy from B&H Photo

PRO: Noticeably lighter, accepts regular filters, covers a long range, sharper in center
CONS: more vignetting at f/2.8, COST!

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Lens $1896 | Buy from B&H Photo

PROS: I struggle to come up with any compared to the Sigma
Cons: Not as sharp across the range as the Sigma, COST!

What else would you like to know?

Fantastic Photo Deals - June 2018

Some fantastic deals as we roll through June, 2018The Canon Pixma Pro 100 - a professional level wireless printer - Just $59 after rebatesBuy From B&H PhotoIncludes Free Canon Photo Paper Pro Luster (13 x 19", 50 Sheets) - Value: $49.99Pixma Pro 100 Printer Specs:

• 4800 x 2400 dpi
• Print 8 x 10" in 51 Seconds
• Wi-Fi, Ethernet, AirPrint, PictBridge
• Print Sizes up to 13 x 19"
• 8 Ink Cartridges Including 3 Monochrome
• CD, DVD, Blu-ray Printing

Epic Water Drop Photography

https://youtu.be/EwxQlKuIKj8 Make awesome splash photos in your home with the MIOPS Splash Water Drop Kit. Throw in a flash and a colored gel and you can create some EPIC photos with the press of a single button.MIOPS Splash Kit - https://bhpho.to/2LtVwxUSplash Kit Holder - https://bhpho.to/2JgtBooCamera Connection Cord - https://bhpho.to/2JhXp47Cheap flash w/ PC sync - https://bhpho.to/2JnRiaqAlready have a flash? Alternative - https://bhpho.to/2JjCf5mAffordable Flash Gel Kit - https://bhpho.to/2JrcwnyNeed a glass container recommendation: https://amzn.to/2JqgvAQYou can also purchase gear at https://www.miops.com/miops-splash/Camera settingsShutter Speed: BULBISO 100Aperture f/16Flash SettingsManual 1/64 powerMIOPS App SettingsDrop 1: 50msDelay 100mmsDrop 2: 50msDelay: 200ms - Flash ModeFor the purpose of the video you saw me shoot during the daylight hours. The resulting images are ok but I found the best images in a dark room (I just waited until the sun set and turned off all the lights) With the flash on a fairly low power you can get some extremely colorful images.GALLERY of MIOPS Splash Water Drop Kit photos by Toby

Instagram Challenge Top Picks – Walk

Every week we put your skills to the test in the Photorec.tv Instagram challenge. This is your chance to try something a bit different, maybe learn a new skill, or just get a bit of practice in shooting.

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_walk

Whether in the city or in the country this week’s goal was to get out for some photos either by a bit of street photography or nature. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting out and you all grabbed some neat shots this week.Next Week's Challenge: #PRTV_urbexAs I’m relatively near Detroit a popular one for the area is Urban Exploration (Urbex). This week get your explorer on and get some neat shots of some of the more abandoned parts of your area. This was a highly requested subject, so for those that asked, now it's your shot!

Toby’s Features:

• The Position of the horse - off center, framed by the background trees - perfect!

• Including the path leading the viewer to the SF city skyline works so very well

• A lovely scene!

Roy’s Features:

• A great macro shot and the lighting is just perfect for putting the focus on your subject.

• An interesting photo and I like that you had someone in frame to break the pattern

• It’s a nice sunset shot and I like that you cropped it close for the plants in this one.

For more info on the Instagram Challenges, the schedule, and past top picks go check out photorec.tv/prtv. Try out some of Toby's Instagram Tips. For everything else Instagram, tag those shots #PRTV and #penlive for our daily photo features.

Instagram Challenge Top Picks – SOOC

Every week we put your skills to the test in the Photorec.tv Instagram challenge. This is your chance to try something a bit different, maybe learn a new skill, or just get a bit of practice in shooting.

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_sooc

Your challenge this week, if you dared, was to post one shot without ANY editing. Scary for some, but it’s a good challenge this week to really think about the exposure in your photos.Next Week's Challenge: #PRTV_walkIts summer time now so that means its a good time for a walk. This week your challenge is to go on a photo walk in your area and shoot a series of photos then post that one best photo that made your day. It's a good chance to practice your street photography or go for wildlife on a nature hike. 

Toby’s Features:

• I love it when participants try something new to complete a challenge!

• I can feel the chill and damp just looking at this photo

• Bright, crisp and lovely - what a shot!

Roy’s Features:

• I like that the exposure is a bit dark in this and that fade to black in the tunnel.

• Heather was clever with this one! Shooting a double exposure in camera counts this week.

• I’m a wildlife nut and I like this headshot, the biggest thing with birds for me is you need to nail that catchlight in the eyes.

For more info on the Instagram Challenges, the schedule, and past top picks go check out photorec.tv/prtv. Try out some of Toby's Instagram Tips. For everything else Instagram, tag those shots #PRTV and #penlive for our daily photo features.

Hasselblad X1D-50C Review

I spend three weeks with the Hasselblad X1D-50C - One of the best looking, most stylish cameras on the market - But does the quality and performance live up to that style? Watch for a straightforward, honest review of the Hasselblad X1D-50C.https://youtu.be/NeziA_dy6ek

BUY - The best looking camera on the planetHasselblad X1D-50c 4116 Edition - $9,895 (includes 45mm lens)- Buy from B&H PhotoHasselblad X1D-50C Standard Silver - $6,495 - Buy from B&H PhotoHasselblad XCD 120mm f/3.5 Macro Lens - $4,495 - Buy from B&H PhotoHasselblad XCD 90mm f/3.2 Lens - $3,195- Buy from B&H PhotoHasselblad XCD 45mm f/3.5 Lens - $2,695- Buy from B&H PhotoHasselblad XCD 30mm f/3.5 Lens - $3,995- Buy from B&H PhotoJUST ANNOUNCED - Hasselblad XCD 21mm f/4 lens $3,750 - Buy from B&H PhotoUPDATE: I brought the Hasselblad along on a recent south-west workshop and while my review may be less than positive two other instructors - Steve Scurich(Professional Fine Art Photographer) and David McKay(Professional Fine Art Photographer and leader of Photography workshops worldwide) have decided that this is their next camera. I will be back with more hands-on and an interview with both about why they are making this their next camera. Download Full Resolution RAWS - They are lovely to edit!

Gearing Up for Summer Photography With Clients

 Summer is an ideal time for outdoor photography sessions with clients. With long daylight hours and numerous options for beautiful settings, the possibilities to create stunning photography are endless. However, without careful planning, you may find yourself or your clients crabby and overheated in stifling shooting conditions. Take the extra time to brush up on gearing up for summer photography with clients and prepare appropriately for your client sessions to beat the heat and make beautiful images.

Choose locations and session times to minimize exposure to sun and heat

Landscape often impacts temperature significantly, particularly during the warmer months of the year. When you’re preparing for outdoor photography sessions, consider locations to create cool backdrops, such as low lying and wooded areas. When clients request hotter locations, such as the top of a hill or on a rooftop patio, plan your timing carefully to keep everyone comfortable. Book summer sessions earlier in the day or later in the evening to avoid the hottest hours of the day and take advantage of optimal lighting. When the timing it out of your control, such as during a wedding, limit the wedding party’s exposure to direct sunlight, so no one overheats.

Expand your session location offerings

There are so many fun activities and events in the summer that lend themselves naturally to creative photography shoots. Offer to meet a family or engaged couple at the local fair, outdoor concert venue, art festival, or circus for a quick session. You’ll have one of a kind backdrops and props right at your fingertips. Use the new location to highlight a couple or family’s favorite summer activity, creating memories and photos they’ll cherish for years to come.

Keep water bottles and cool treats on hand

Staying hydrated is critical for optimal health and well-being during the summer. On warm days, always have a few water bottles on hand and give clients frequent water breaks during longer shoots. When you’ll be on location for a while or you’re working with young children, consider bringing some cool treats, such as Popsicles, as well. The clients will appreciate the refreshing snack, and you may get a few cute photos out of the treat break.

Bring battery-powered fans and other supplies for quick comfort

Battery-powered fans and water misters are inexpensive and go a long way toward providing relief during steamy summer photography sessions. Cold, wet towels are another great option. Store them in a small cooler or large Ziploc bag to avoid getting your car wet. If you’re bringing a cooler, store your water bottles in it for increased comfort. In addition to drinking the water, give clients periodic opportunities to wet down their wrists with water to stay cool.

Provide essential summer items

While you’re stocking your car and photography bag for summer sessions with clients, grab a few extra summer essentials. At a minimum, bring sunscreen and bug spray, especially when you’re photographing clients on the beach or in the woods. Select varieties that are not greasy and do not have strong scents. Think about storing a basic first aid kit in the car and keeping a few perfumes and deodorants in your bag as well.

Don’t forget about your own comfort

It’s easy to get so caught up in planning for your clients that you’re not thinking about yourself and how you’ll stay comfortable during summer sessions. Build a small collection of outfits for client sessions that look professional and keep you cool. If you have long hair, stash a few hairbands in your bag. Keeping some spare clothes in your car for quick changes in between sessions or on exceptionally hot days isn’t a bad idea either.

Put together a style guide for your clients

Planning what to wear to a photo shoot is stressful for many couples and families. Your clients want to look their best while staying cool and feeling like themselves. Creating a style guide with outfit planning tips, such as sticking to coordinating neutrals, and other recommendations to help a photo shoot go smoothly, such as getting your hair and makeup done professionally, takes a lot of the guesswork out for clients. Don’t forget about the little details as well, such as urging women and girls who want to wear flip-flops or open-toed shoes to get a pedicure that week. They’ll feel more confident about their appearances when they arrive, ensuring they’re relaxed and ready for a great session.Encourage clients to bring their own warm weather supplies and photo shoot essentials as well. While it’s always great to be prepared and have extras on hand for clients, many people feel most comfortable using a familiar hairspray or sunscreen.

Reassure your clients that you’ll keep them cool

When you meet or speak with clients prior to a session, give them every assurance that you are experienced shooting in the heat and will take steps to keep them comfortable during their session. Reviewing the precautions that you’ll take, such as bringing cold water bottles and taking frequent breaks in the shade, will put them at ease.

Do you have any tips for gearing up for summer photography with clients?

We’d love to hear your input!

Travel Adapters and Charging on the Go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBsy4J4U39gWhen traveling you still need to keep everything charged and ready to go. From camera batteries to your phone there are a few items out there that will make your next trip a bit easier. 

Passport: First Fail-Safe Global Travel Adapter

• Univeral adapter good for traveling in multiple countries
• Includes four USB ports to charge devices
• Built-in circuit breaker to protect devices

Zendure 26800mAh Quick Charge 3.0 Portable Charger

• Capable of charging your devices multiple times
• Supports quick charging to charge your devices quickly and recharging the battery itself
• Pass-through charging to act as a hub

Zendure 10000mAH Portable Charger

• A smaller size and cheaper version to charge devices

UPWADE 2 Outlet Travel Power Strip 

• A long winding cord to give you room from the outlet
• Includes two power ports and four USB ports to charge devices

Check out more gear!➨ My Recommended Gear: https://kit.com/photorectoby➨ Recommended Travel Gear: https://kit.com/photorectoby/travel-gear

Photography Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring is an ideal time to do a little photography spring cleaning. Spending time with your gear, organizing your images, and establishing some new habits ensures you’re ready for a fabulous season of shooting ahead. The following photography spring cleaning tips will walk you through the essential steps to take for a thorough cleaning.

Clean all of your camera bodies, lenses, and filters

First, use a rocket air blaster to clean visible dust and debris off the outside of your camera bodies and lenses, taking care to clean every crevice. Please don’t use canned air, as the chemicals it emits damages lens coatings and other elements of photography gear. Second, with the lens caps on, apply a keyboard cleaning product to the outside of your camera body and lenses to get in the tiny cracks in your gear an air blower can’t access. Finally, finish your gear cleaning by taking a microfiber lens cleaning cloth, lens pen, or moistened lens cleaning wipes to clean lens glass, lens caps, filters, and camera body LCD screens.

Assess the condition of your sensors

Many photographers are afraid to clean their own camera sensors because there are so many warnings from camera manufacturers and local camera shops. If you’re new to the process of sensor cleaning, take your camera to the local shop, so you can watch how it’s done right. Once you know how to clean a camera sensor, you can complete the process at home. Make sure to get the right size sensor cleaning kit from Visible Dust or VSGO, which will include a cleaning substance and specially sized swabs.

Check your metadata and copyright data

If you live in an area that follows daylight savings time, update the time in your camera after daylight savings time. Don’t forget to update your copyright data once a year as well. You can update your copyright data in camera or in Lightroom.

Do a photography gear inventory check

Take all of your photography gear off the shelves and out of your camera bag. If there are spare items lying around your house, such as memory cards and chargers, round them up as well. Make a master list of your photography gear, so you know exactly what you have and can avoid buying duplicates or searching for items you don’t remember if you own.Once you’ve inventoried your gear, consider selling gear that you no longer need or use. While it’s nice to have a spare camera body and an extra lens or two, keeping a lot of extra gear on hand that you never use doesn’t make sense. If you’re in the market for new gear, selling older items will help fund those purchases. If there isn’t anything you want to sell right away, start taking note of how often you use each piece of gear. When spring cleaning rolls around next year, and there’s gear you haven’t touched since the last cleaning, it may be time to let it go.

Organize your hard drive and external drive(s)

Creating and sticking to a hard drive photo organization system ensures you can find images when you need them quickly and easily. For most people, the simplest way to organize photos is by date. Create a folder for each year and then within it, a folder for each month. File all of your photos in their corresponding month folders with clear titles, such as “3.29.18 Alex’s Birthday Party” or “Grand Canyon Vacation May 2018.” Once you’ve organized your hard drive, take a look at your external drives as well, cleaning them up as needed.

Implement an image backup system

The best photo backup system is the rule of three, which is as follows: three copies of anything you care about, two different formats, and one off-site backup. I know that many people are reluctant to pay for off-site backup. However, it’s well worth every penny and will save your butt if anything happens to your computer, or worse, your home. Personally, I think that the easiest way to follow this backup system is to use a hard drive, external drive, and automatic cloud backup service, such as Carbonite. When you’ve finished editing images, save them to your hard drive and external drive. The cloud backup service will pick up these images automatically.

Clean up your Lightroom catalog

Opening up Lightroom and seeing a messy catalog every time is stressful and overwhelming. Start by clearing out folders you’ve finished editing and no longer need in Lightroom. Then assess the remaining folders. Organize anything that isn’t well labeled. Work through your Lightroom folders one at a time, culling the images you want to edit and deleting files you won’t ever touch for various reasons (i.e. blurry, too dark, poorly framed, etc.).

Don’t forget about the photos on your phone, too!

When I think about cleaning up my photos, I always think about my DSLR photos. However, like many people, even though I own a DSLR camera, I shoot quite a bit with my phone, too. I recommend periodically downloading all of your phone photos onto your computer, deleting the ones you don’t need, and organizing the ones that you do need. If you use an automatic phone photo backup service (which is a good idea if you take pictures on your phone you wouldn’t want to lose), such as Google Photos, go ahead and delete all of the original images off your phone. Then clean up your Google Photos account instead.

Do you have any additional photography spring cleaning tips?

Feel free to share them in the comments!

Instagram Challenge Top Picks - Long Exposure

Every week we put your skills to the test in the Photorec.tv Instagram challenge. This is your chance to try something a bit different, maybe learn a new skill, or just get a bit of practice in shooting.

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_longexposure

When you need more light, you make it! With this week’s flash challenge it was your chance to show off those skills when you get away from all natural lighting.Next Week's Challenge: #PRTV_soocNo excuses for editing this go around as we want you to shoot straight out of the camera. Think of this week like going back to film so that means you’ve got to nail that exposure.

Toby’s Features:

• Creatively setup and captured!

• Love the black and white and smooth water vs tree trunks

• Lovely sunset tones!

Roy’s Features:

Long exposures let you capture the motion and energy of an area and I think this shot fits the challenge to a T.

A classic long exposure and it’s a neat shot with the water almost looking like a fog.

Pulling focus is one I didn’t think of when coming up with this challenge and it's a neat way to pull focus to a subject with a creative flair.

For more info on the Instagram Challenges, the schedule, and past top picks go check out photorec.tv/prtv. Try out some of Toby's Instagram Tips. For everything else Instagram, tag those shots #PRTV and #penlive for our daily photo features.

Instagram Challenge Top Picks - Flash 2

Every week we put your skills to the test in the Photorec.tv Instagram challenge. This is your chance to try something a bit different, maybe learn a new skill, or just get a bit of practice in shooting.

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_flash2

When you need more light, you make it! With this week’s flash challenge it was your chance to show off those skills when you get away from all natural lighting.Next Week's Challenge: #PRTV_longexposureNext week it’s time to shoot a bit longer. Slowing your shutter speed down just a bit can be a great tool for showing motion, a bit more for blurry waterfalls. At the longest times letting enough light in to catch a milky way and stars.

Roy’s Features:

• A clever idea and the black and white almost gives it a metallic effect with that more contrasted side lighting.

• Just a great portrait with nice even lighting that looks great!

• While I’d suggest a colored gel next time this is a nice go at balancing out a flash with the ambient lighting of a sunset.

For more info on the Instagram Challenges, the schedule, and past top picks go check out photorec.tv/prtv. Try out some of Toby's Instagram Tips. For everything else Instagram, tag those shots #PRTV and #penlive for our daily photo features.

Instagram Challenge Top Picks - Black or White

Every week we put your skills to the test in the Photorec.tv Instagram challenge. This is your chance to try something a bit different, maybe learn a new skill, or just get a bit of practice in shooting.

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_blackorwhite

With May 4th as the official star wars holiday did you go for the light or slip to the dark side? While the theme might be a bit silly it’s all about thinking about the color in your images and how it affects the photos. We’ve got a few neat shots this week and certainly, some that stand out for thinking outside the box.Next Week's Challenge: #PRTV_flash2Next week you need to flash your subject. It’s a lighting challenge so you need to add a bit of artificial lighting to your subject whether it’s from a cheap flashlight or an expensive strobe.

Toby’s Features:

Perfectly framed and thoughtfully composed - love the B&W treatment here

Black and white with a hint of golden color - nicely captured

The shadows on the walkway really complete this for me!

Roy’s Features:

Black and white lets you really push the look of an image and this architecture shot really fits the bill for this week’s challenge

Considering the challenge I'd have to say going for a high key shot of Yoda wasn't something I thought of this week but really fits the theme.

A bit of work in post but all the focus on this bird for an interesting shot

For more info on the Instagram Challenges, the schedule, and past top picks go check out photorec.tv/prtv. Try out some of Toby's Instagram Tips. For everything else Instagram, tag those shots #PRTV and #penlive for our daily photo features.

Sigma 24-70 ART OS HSM REVIEW

Showing the Versatility of the 24-70 range on a full frame cameraThere is a reason every major Manufacturer has a version or two of the 24-70 f/2.8 lens.  24-70 is an incredibly useful focal length on full frame cameras. Wide enough to capture beautiful landscapes, starry night skies, cliche shots and everything in between. Above 50mm and at f/2.8 it becomes a fantastic portrait lens where you can really separate your subject from the background. If you want an incredibly versatile lens the 24-70 f/2.8 is one of the best options on a full frame camera- but they are typically expensive - Nikon and Canon offer options that cost around $1700-$1800. If you want a stabilized lens - Nikon’s lens is $2400 and Canon offers nothing at f/2.8 and stabilized.Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM ArtTamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USMNikon 24-70 f/2.8 VRSony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GMThis is the Sigma 24-70 ART it offers a 24-70 with a constant f/2.8 and OS, sigmas version of image stabilization. You have an AF, MF switch with MO Manual override and it's currently on sale at B&H and includes the USB dock used for fine tuning and adjustments. The front filter is 82mm.  Overall build quality continues that ART line - it feels excellent in the hand with a nice finish. PROS

But what about that Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2?  It offers everything the sigma does and is $1199 (same price but you do not get the Tamron TAP USB dock). I have not shot with the Tamron 24-70 yet, but based on my research the two are extremely similar - I think the Sigma offers slightly better bokeh and better quality control - you are more likely to get a sharp copy - this is something that Tamron has struggled with in the past on some of their lenses but the Tamron is lighter and some claim offers better VC. So while I can recommend the Sigma you should think long and hard - the Tamron may be just as good for you and a little lighter in your bag. Canon owners, if you don't care about image stabilization, the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 IS II is currently just $400 more, noticeably lighter and a bit sharper. The weight and sharpness of the Canon is hard to beat.Download RAWS to compare Sigma 24-70 OS HSM ART vs Canon 24-70 f/2.8 USM IIIf you would like to have in-depth discussions with me about which gear is right for you - consider joining the Photo Enthusiast Network - free 10 day trial at http://photorec.tv/PEN and not only can we have those discussions but you get access to HOURS of photography training videos, lightroom and photoshop tutorials and an awesome community of supportive individuals.  

Get 2x more zoom with ANY LENS with the Sony a7RIII

Super Zoom Video with the Sony a7RIII

https://youtu.be/1-slnohI_csWhen shooting video with the Sony a7RIII you have two modes you can make use of to more than double your zoom.

• I have on the 100-400 and at 400 I can turn on aps-c crop which gives me an additional 1.5x crop 400 x 1.5 = 600mm

• Turn on Clear Image Zoom and you can zoom in an additional 1.5x for a 900mm reach.

There is no quality loss - this is still beautiful 4k footage! 

I mentioned this in my review of the lens - if you have the 1.4x teleconverter you can get some ridiculous reach while still shooting beautiful 4k footage. (1260mm!) Your noise does start to increase and stabilizing your camera at these longer distances can be difficult.What I really like about the a7Riii - you can assign custom buttons for each mode of the camera (stills, video, playback) During video I have assigned C4 to turn on APS-C mode and the AEL button to turn on clear zoom.  Once clear zoom is active you can adjust the amount of zoom with the joystick or the control wheel. There are two modes of clear zoom - stay away from the Digital zoom THAT WILL degrade quality.

Buy Sony a7RIII: B&H | Amazon

Sony 100-400 Review: B&H | AmazonSony 1.4x TeleConverter: B&H | AmazonMeFoto Tripod: B&H | Amazon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw2l6sd-3oI