Using a Fuji X-series camera in a studio setting

After almost ten years of using a Canon DSLR for studio portraits, I switched to the Fujifilm X-series for my professional work. Most aspects of studio sessions are the same (lighting, etc.), but there are a few camera settings that need to be in place when you're working with studio lighting after you make the change. I provide them here to save other Fuji portrait photographers time after they make the switch.

1. Be sure you're not in silent mode! I like the silent option offered by Fuji's cameras, and typically have that on. (I remembered one reason why when attending a wedding a few weeks ago where the photographer left on the focus beep throughout the entire ceremony.) Unfortunately, you can't be in silent mode and have the hot shoe fire. So when you attach your trigger, be sure to visit the Set-Up menu and set "Sound & Flash Off" to OFF (yes, that's an unfortunate double negative).
2. The mechanical shutter must be selected. Again, if it's not the hot shoe will not fire your trigger. Go to the Shooting menu and set the "Shutter Type" to MS (manual shutter).
3. Don't preview exposure in manual mode. While this is a nice feature when you're not shooting in a studio setting (or with flash), you don't want it on in a dark studio because it will result in your not being able to see anything through the electronic viewfinder. To turn this off, visit the Set-Up menu, select "Screen Set-Up", and set "Preview Exp./WB in Manual Mode" to OFF.

Why I switched from Canon to Fujifilm

I'm not the first to write about why I've switched from Canon's SLR system to Fujifilm's X-series cameras (see also Mykii and Ivan, among others), but I wanted to share some thoughts for folks who are contemplating such an evolution (or more generally contemplating a move from Canon/Nikon to mirrorless, or getting started with photography).My story begins a few years ago with the Fujifilm X100. I've written about it before, and the popularity of the Fujifilm cameras has grown exponentially since that time. The X100's appearance and controls remind me of the Fuji film SLR I shot with as a kid. I started carrying it for most of my personal photo projects, and it reinvigorated my interest in photography.When Fuji released their X-T1, which uses their X-series lenses, my interest was piqued. I'd made a heavy investment in Canon pro lenses over the years, but my experience with the X100 had been so positive I thought I'd give the X-T1 a try (after reading several positive reviews from pros who'd used test models). I ordered the body and 56mm f/1.2 lens.The switch was not like changing bodies within the Canon system; there was a learning curve involved. Here are some of the difficulties I encountered while adopting the X-T1 for studio portrait photography:

• Exposure preview works differently. The X-T1 uses an electronic viewfinder (EVF) instead of optical viewfinder, which means you're looking through the lens using the camera's exposure settings rather than ambient light. In my case, that meant I saw nothing through the viewfinder since my camera's exposure was set for my studio strobes. It turns out this is a setting that can be modified via a menu setting, but at first I did not understand what was going on.
• The hot shoe didn't work! That's what I thought, anyway, when I couldn't get it to fire an external flash or activate my strobe triggering system. Again, it turned out I just needed to turn off silent mode to make this work, but it caused some confusion until I performed the right Google search.
• No Lightroom tethered shooting. When working in the studio, I like to shoot tethered. This means as I shoot the photos are transferred to Lightroom on my laptop and I can see them on the laptop's large screen. It took a few months for a tethered shooting plug-in to be released.
• Tethered shooting does not write to the SD card. One of the reasons I liked tethered shooting with my Canons is because a copy of the photo was written to the SD card and to my laptop drive. I find this reassuring, as drives sometimes go bad, and having two copies provides a backup. I would like to see Fuji add this capability via a firmware update.

So to summarize the bad points of my transition, there was a learning curve involved, and tethered shooting does not result in two copies of each photo (although Lightroom can be configured to create a second copy on the fly to compensate).Another issue that some have cited as a struggle with the transition to Fuji from Canon or Nikon is that the autofocus wasn't as fast. For me, it was a wash (and in fact the Canons fell behind once Fuji introduced a major autofocus firmware upgrade last year). My last two Canon cameras were the 5D Mark II (aka 5D2) and 6D. I had been using the 5D2 for video, but purchased a dedicated video camera system and no longer required the capability on my SLR. So when it was time to upgrade from the 5D Mk II, I opted for the 6D, which allegedly had the still photo capabilities of the 5D Mk III. I found it to be a disappointment. The autofocus was no better than the 5D2, there were only nine focus points, and Canon had cut corners in design such as eliminating the "joystick" selector control on the back of the camera.Now on to the good points of my transition:

• Price - Fujifilm's body and lens offerings are significantly less expensive than Canon's equivalents
• Footprint - Fujifilm bodies and lenses are smaller and lighter than their Canon equivalents
• Intrusiveness - Due to their smaller size, Fujifilm cameras do not come between me and my subjects to as great an extent as my Canons; in addition, I am less conspicuous when using the camera for street, travel, and event photography (Fuji cameras also offer silent mode, which makes them less noisy)
• Controls - Fujifilm camera controls are largely external, which reminds me of my film SLR; there are dedicated dials for speed, aperture, and ISO, and I spend less time digging through menus
• Features - From their film simulations (some of which imitate the leading films they used to sell) to panoramic capabilities to the ability to shoot multiple images simultaneously, the X-T1 just does more than my 6D
• Firmware upgrades - This is huge: Rather than having to wait for the next generation of a camera body (and its associated cost), Fuji frequently introduces new capabilities to their cameras via free firmware updates
• More focal points - It should be embarrassing to Canon that the less expensive X-T1 has more (and more flexible) focus points than the 6D
• More consistent tethered shooting performance - While I miss how Canon tethered shooting wrote to both the card and computer, I don't miss how the 5D and 6D occasionally lost its mind when tethered shooting (which required various reconnection efforts and introduced delays during shoots)
• Better build quality - Fujis cameras and lenses are made of metal and assembled in Japan
• Image quality - Great skin tones are frequently cited as a strength of Fujifilm cameras, as Harlie's photo above can attest
• Usable jpegs - I always shot in raw format when using my Canons, but the image quality of the jpegs that come from the X-T1 is so good I often use what comes from the camera rather than depending on the raw conversion in Lightroom
• Lenses - Fujinon lenses are arguably the best in the industry, and can be found in endoscopes, satellites, and Hasselblads

After a few months of using both the 6D and X-T1, I chose to sell the 6D and all of my Canon lenses, and I haven't missed them since.The mirrorless vs SLR debate reminds me of the film vs digital debate that took place last decade. There are reasonable arguments to be made supporting conventional SLRs (especially for wildlife and sports photographers), but the tide toward mirrorless suggests that ten years from now the SLR holdouts will be a small minority.I've created a gallery of photos taken both my Canon 6D and Fujifilm X-T1 for those interested in comparing image quality.If you're looking to get started with serious digital photography, or tired of lugging around oversized equipment, check out the mirrorless cameras and interchangeable lens systems offered by Fuji, Olympus, and Sony. I don't think you'll regret it.

A trading card workflow using Adobe Lightroom and the Canon Pro-100 printer

I recently tasked myself with creating dancer trading cards for The Studio's spring recitals. This involved producing 2.5" x 3.5" (baseball card-sized) cards of over 700 dance portraits.First I needed media. I ordered some 2.5" x 3.5" artist cards, but found that none of my printers could print on media that small (and those cards are not ideal for printing anyway). Then, with the assistance of math and the Googles, I realized that photo printer-friendly 5x7 paper would perfectly accommodate four trading cards. I ordered three different brands of glossy 5x7 paper that had received good ratings, and they all proved to be of good quality.Next I went about creating the design in Photoshop. Lightroom permits you to print a watermark on a given photo, but that watermark can be any collection of graphics. Mine included the Studio logo, the year, and the recital logo. I created it as a transparent png and pointed to it from Lightroom's print module. My test of superimposing it on a dance photo was successful, although I noticed a full-length portrait on a 2.5x3.5 card would result in a very small dancer.That meant I had a lot of cropping to do. Since Lightroom Mobile is quick when it comes to cropping, I synced the dance portrait collection to the Adobe cloud so it would be available on the iPad. Cropping 700+ portraits to fit the trading card format still wasn't fast, but took less time than it would have on the computer.With the cropped collection back in Lightroom, I worked in the print module to place four watermarked cards on a 5x7 sheet. That done, I printed the entire collection to jpg files. Then I imported those files into Lightroom as a new collection.Why print to files first instead of 5x7s? That's where the Canon Pro-100 became a factor. There are issues with that model of printer and Lightroom. (I can certainly attest to this after numerous frustrating failed attempts to print borderless 13x19s from Lightroom.) Thankfully, Canon produces a Lightroom plugin called Print Studio Pro that makes everything work (once the watermark is already applied).From that point, the challenge was reloading paper and depleted ink cartridges (and making several ink cartridge orders from B&H), then sorting the photos into age groups.

Lenz N the Hood

A trend I've seen with some new photographers (especially pros), is to forego the use of a neck or hand strap. While nobody will accuse someone doing so of storing up treasures on earth, I suspect the motivation behind it is to exhibit a carefree attitude. Or maybe they don't like neck straps and don't know hand straps are available. Regardless, it's a questionable practice when you're handling a camera-lens combination that would cost over $2000 (and probably more) to replace.I'm a risk-averse person, but I still had a camera hit the floor a few years ago. I had (unwisely) hung it on a hook by its strap, so the lens was facing down. It came off the hook and fell a couple feet, and I heard glass break as it hit the ground. My heart sank, but when I looked at the lens I was relieved to find that the only damage incurred was a broken UV filter. The filter had taken the brunt of the impact, saving the lens.The same could be true of a lens hood, which could act as a "crumple zone" for a lens in the event a tripod toppled or some other unfortunate event occurred. So I always keep a lens hood on, even when shooting in the dark!  

Be careful who you dance with

I learned when I purchased my first digital SLR that it's best to buy your camera from a reputable dealer. I saved a few dollars when I bought my Canon Rebel from one of those distributors who shaves a little bit off the price and includes some low-value extras (like a tiny tabletop tripod that wouldn't bear the weight of the camera), but they neglected to include the lens, which required follow-up (and some missed photo opportunities).Following that, my camera supplier of choice has been B&H. They are not the only great camera store, but I've always had good experiences with them. Their customer service is great, as is their section. If you are ever in NYC, take the opportunity to visit their Superstore.A few years later I forgot that lesson. I was eager to get my hands on the new Fujifilm X100 (for good reason!), and rather than wait for B&H to get it in stock, I purchased from an Amazon reseller called Big Value Inc. All seemed well until I needed to have the camera repaired. When I sent it to Fujifilm for repair, they informed me that it was not under warranty because I had been sold an overseas model of the camera (what's sometimes referred to as a "grey market" camera).Big Value referred to exchange the overseas model for a model intended to be sold in America. Amazon refused to help since I'd had the camera longer than their exchange period permitted. Luckily, I was able to get in contact with a member of the fraud team at American Express, and they backed me up and reversed the charge.I've purchased all of my cameras from B&H since then, and they recently helped me out in a big way. I was upgrading to a new SLR body, and there was a rebate being offered at the time. I'm not a fan of rebates, but it was worth over $100 and didn't require the purchase of anything I didn't want. I followed the submission guidelines to the letter and sent in the form. A few weeks later, I received a letter from Canon stating that my camera's serial number had already been used for that rebate and I was not eligible. I contacted B&H, they got in touch with Canon, and everything was soon straightened out.

Video workflow notes

Why a post on video by a photographer? This year, I updated my video rig and workflow. Putting it all together was a struggle; while there are some helpful blog posts and articles online, I didn't find a good and complete HD to Blu Ray workflow (especially not using my collection of tools). I'm hoping my notes here might save a colleague from having to repeat my research.This year, we implemented some new technology into our production of The Studio's recital video. We started with the camera. The goal was to capture a quality of video that would lend itself to Blu Ray disc production. Being a photographer, I already have a collection of good quality EF-mount lenses on hand, so we capitalized on that by choosing the BlackMagic Cinema Camera from BlackMagic Design.I was extremely pleased with the video capture (29.97fps; Tungsten WB). The controls on the BlackMagic are easy to use, it has a great interface option with my MacBook, the dynamic range is impressive, and the included DaVinci software really helped the final product pop.The sound was captured via a Rode VideoMic. It was recommended by another photographer. I used a Tube MP Studio V3 preamp to boost the sound signal. I wish I had also plugged one of the camera's audio channels into the sound board to get a cleaner soundtrack signal that could later be mixed with ambient audio. I wound up mixing in the tracks manually in post-production, which was time-consuming (to say the least).What follows is the collection of random notes I took for each step of post-production. By no means is this a full tutorial on DaVinci, Premiere, or Encore; it's simply the notes I kept as I worked through the project so I'd be more streamlined next year. I hope it proves of some benefit to folks out there facing similar technical challenges.

 

DaVinci (adapted from the basic workflow in the user manual)

Create a new project and set your video resolution and frame rate to match your RAW video clips.Import your CinemaDNG RAW (or ProRes) clips into the Media Pool.Go to Project Settings/Image Scaling (gear in bottom-left) and set your Input Settings to Scale Entire Image to Fit.Go to Project Settings/Camera Raw and select CinemaDNG from the dropdown menu. 

Select Decode Using to Project.Select the White Balance setting most suitable for your material.Set Color Space to BMD Film and likewise set Gamma to BMD Film.To apply the LUT, go to Project Settings/Look Up Tables, and set 3D Output Look Up Table to Blackmagic Cinema Camera Film to Rec709.This will apply the LUT to every shot in the timeline (even though nothing appears to happen). 

Create new timeline in Edit - not empty - 00:00:00 (will automatically include clips).

Click on the Color tab and check the results. The images should exhibit improved color and contrast.

If color is oversaturated, effect was applied twice.

Click Deliver tab.

Mark in both clips (right-click).

Go to Output; choose Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) if that is not already the format.

Set Render Timeline As: to Individual Source Clips.Ensure Render Each Clip With a Unique Filename is deselected.Enable the Render Audio checkbox, select your audio channels and set to a bit depth of 24. 

Enter File Name settings.

Under Render Job To: click Browse. Choose a new folder for your converted clips.

Be sure all clips are included in timeline so entire project renders.Click Add Job.Click Start Render.

 

Premiere

Make default video transition 30 frames (for title friendliness; 120 frames is general split)

Default audio transition 4 seconds; manually change scene transitions to 4 seconds/120 frames

Import clips in bottom-left window, then drag to timeline bottom-right

Click clip in bottom left and mark in and out in top left before dragging to timeline

/ shows all clips

Up/down arrows jump to beginning/end of clip (use when setting markers)

M to set marker (or To set an Encore Chapter Marker, choose Marker ]]> Set [Encore?] Chapter Marker)

R/L arrow keys move frame-by-frame

V for selection tool; C for cut tool

[Be sure audio waveform is visible - easier to find cut points]

Cut at point applause starts to diminish

Red arrow is trim tool (appears when you hover on timeline)

Move yellow marker to spot in clip, then drag trim tool to spot (jumps)

To close gaps, right-click in gap - ripple delete

Audio Transitions -> Crossfade -> Constant Power

Video Transitions -> Dissolve -> Cross Dissolve (create additional video track after track 1 for titles)

Right-click fx box to bring up yellow line

Fade in/out - Click Effect Controls tab in upper-left window

     Expand timeline in upper-left window

     Open Opacity (or Audio Level, etc.) and command-click on timelines to create multiple keyframes (cmd-click line)

     Drag levels between keyframes

     Once lines appear in main timeline, can set keyframes and drag in main timeline

     If keyframe drags jump too much, use main timeline marker for more granular positioning

Cmd-T to add title

Titles go to Project tab - drag in as separate track

Cmd-D loads default transition

Effects for titles (e.g., cross dissolve) can be dragged to beginning and end of title tracks

Click in effect to bring up Effect Control in top left - drag to change duration

To bring up waveform for audio, drag to expand in timeline (left end)

Can take stills by using button under top-right monitor window or shift-E (use for DVD menu)

Zoom out on timeline to be sure entire video is marked in

[Be sure saved as ProRes or other high quality]

Export

     Source Range: Entire Sequence

     Format: H.264 Blu-ray

     Output Name: [Be sure saving to correct media destination]

     Queue button

Jumps to Adobe Media Encoder

[Reuse second audio track and transition/title video track for subsequent projects (duplicate original)]

 

Adobe Media Encoder

 

Encore

Create project

File -> Import as timeline (import video)

File -> Import as asset (import sound)

Drag missing audio or video to timeline

Right-click on timeline to bring in chapter markers (should come in automatically)

If necessary, add chapters by moving marker in timeline and clicking add chapter button (under video window)

Menu -> New menu

Click menu to edit in Photoshop

Be sure any text uses smooth anti-aliasing

Save - return to Encore

Right-click menu in Project tab list and set menu as first play

Motion tab - set title screen to last 10 seconds

     Uncheck “Hold Forever”

     Loop # - select None

Basic tab - End action and Override both direct to movie timeline

     Drag swirl to asset in top left window

Click timeline in top left window and verify settings in Properties tab

Check Preview button in toolbar

For Disc title, click Build tab in top-left and name in top-right

Check aspect ratio

Click Build tab and check

Click Build button to create ISO (can burn in Disk Utility)

When making other version of disc (e.g., DVD from Blu Ray), right-click on video file in top-left and choose “replace asset” - will maintain chapter markers and links

Must do a save as; duplicating and renaming won’t work due to mapping to folder

#saucermagnoliaproject - the whole picture

(Pardon the pun.)You can see the entire collection of photos in the Saucer Magnolia Project gallery.It's been a long time since I've taken on such a large photo project (that didn't involve portraits). It was a great opportunity to involve several of the tools I have at my disposal:

• wide-angle
• macro photography
• LensBaby
• high dynamic range (HDR)
• iPhone photography
• digital painting

Sometimes using such applications feels or appears forced, but in this case each offered a different perspective on the subject. I hope you enjoyed it.

#saucermagnoliaproject - painting

Sometimes I like to run a photo through Corel's Painter application to see the effect.  For this photo, I thought an Impressionist painting treatment would look good. I like the results, and I hope to order a print of this one soon.

#saucermagnoliaproject - the camera you have with you

Chase Jarvis famously defined the best camera as the one you have with you. That definition proved true for me the morning after I took most of the photos in this series of posts. After parking for church, I discovered a saucer magnolia that I had not noticed before. Having no other camera with me, I snapped some photos with my iPhone.The advantages of smartphone photography are attractive. You almost always have a good-quality camera with you, and the editing and sharing tools are built in! The combination I use is Camera Awesome for photographing, Snapseed for editing, and Instagram for sharing.

#saucermagnoliaproject - High Dynamic Range

High Dynamic Range pictures are combinations of frames taken at different exposure settings. Software is used to choose the portions of each exposure that provide the most detail. I use my camera's bracketing option to take the three frames (one at standard exposure, one at two f-stops below that, and one at two f-stops above the first). Then I use Photomatix Pro to combine the frames and yield the final result.

#saucermagnoliaproject - LensBaby

The LensBaby is a lens that requires manual focus and manual manipulation of its angle and aperture. You place a disk into the lens to determines the f-stop (aperture), angle the lens to determine the focus point, and then focus using the focus ring. This creates a nice bokeh effect in the image, with much of the frame out of focus, so the viewer naturally gravitates to the subject.Some would argue that the same effect can be gained using software, but the LensBaby is fun and has its place.

#saucermagnoliaproject - macro lens work

I wrote a few years ago about shooting close up with a macro lens. I used the same lens to capture some detail on the saucer magnolias and their bloom petals.We planted a saucer magnolia ourselves this year. One of the blooms appears in this gallery. Sadly, the tree did not survive the summer.

#saucermagnoliaproject - wide angle

One of the lenses I used for the #saucermagnoliaproject was a wide angle, which I needed to capture the entirety of the saucer magnolia in Prairie Heights Cemetery. The Tokina 12-24mm wide angle zoom lens is no longer available, but there are alternatives.Wide angle lenses offer a unique perspective, and every mm counts when you're working below 16. They're especially handy when you're in the city and can't put much distance between you and the buildings you're shooting.

#saucermagnoliaproject - perspective

Ever since I moved to Pennsylvania, I've been enamored with the saucer magnolia trees (Latin name Magnolia x soulangiana) that blossom each April. This year, I indulged my love of those trees and photography and created what I call the Saucer Magnolia Project.I located several saucer magnolia trees in the tri-county area (Perry - Cumberland - Dauphin) where I reside, and kept an eye on some particularly interesting ones so I could catch their blossoms when they peaked.When those days came, I set out with a full arsenal of tools (Canon 5D, tripod, and several lenses) to capture them from different perspectives. This encouraged me to become familiar with the trees from a variety of angles, and to capture them in a way that allows the viewer to come away with an appreciation and familiarity of the subject that a single lens might not allow.In this series of posts, I'll share photos taken with a few different lenses and techniques. I'll begin with some taken with a Sigma 28-70mm zoom lens.

Which camera should I buy? (2013 version)

A few years ago, I wrote a couple posts in response to folks who asked what kind of camera to buy. One suggested a good point-and-shoot option, and the other was about SLR options. The camera landscape has changed a great deal since then, so I thought I would offer an update, including my current favorite.I won't mention many specific point-and-shoot models in this post. The latest iteration of the Canon G-series is the G15, but that seems to change quickly. And I'm not sure I'd recommend a point-and-shoot camera of that size anymore with the other more flexible cameras available near that price point.If you have a smartphone, you may already have a very capable camera with you all the time. As Chase Jarvis and others have demonstrated, you can take some very good photos with your phone's camera, especially when you use an app like Camera Awesome. In fact, Camera Awesome has some features that I wish my SLR did! And my phone's camera has the immediate gratification factor of being able to edit and upload with Instagram right after taking a photo.If you're looking for something more than what your smartphone has to offer, but don't want to carry around a bulky SLR, there is another class of camera that may interest you.Mirrorless cameras offer high-quality optics (many have the same size sensor as SLRs) in a smaller package than an SLR, and often at a lower price. Some, like those that use the Micro Four Thirds system, have interchangeable lenses. But my new desert island camera is the Fujifilm X100S.A couple years ago, Fuji came out with the X100. I was first attracted to it because its design reminded me of my first SLR. I was also interested in carrying a smaller camera body than my 5D around with me on a daily basis. I wound up ordering one, and despite its quirks, I found myself using it for most non-professional work. It is compact, almost silent, and its jpegs are so good I almost never shot in RAW. I ordered a white balance cap for it as I typically prefer to set my white balance manually, but its auto white balance is so good I ceded control to the camera. In fact, almost all of its automatic controls were too good to bother with Lightroom tweaks.The X100S is better yet. The focusing issues are fixed; I can even focus manually, which means macro photography is almost as fun as with my Tamron 1:1 macro lens. The fast lens means flash is rarely required, and the camera offers both an optical and electronic viewfinder. The X100S is just a lot of fun.Downsides: It's not cheap, and the fixed lens means you have to exercise legwork to get up close (not an option for bird photographers and paparazzo). You also don't have the immediate shutter release you do in an SLR, so it won't work for sports photographers or those chasing hyperactive children.For everyone else, it's at least worth consideration. You don't need to take my word for it: Both Zack Arias and David Hobby posted very positive reviews of the X100S. So positive, in fact, that I sold my X100 to preorder the X100S. The X100S is such a good all-around camera that even a career photographer like David Hobby is no longer carrying an SLR in his standard kit.So ditch the extra camera bag. Don't worry about which lenses to pack. Force yourself to forget about gear and just enjoy taking pictures. 

Vacation photos: Choose a unique point of view

It's the height of vacation season, and DSLR owners are struggling to determine how many lenses they can take on trips without angering their spouses. The wide-angle lens is nice—especially for cities and vistas—but what if you want to zoom in close on an object? And how can you leave behind your current favorite lens, the 24-70mm f/2.8?! You know you'll miss that speed.When making such vital decisions, you need to think in advance about where you'll be taking photos. If you're going to New York City, by all means take the 12-24mm (even though it doesn't come with a case—shame on you, @tokinalens). On the other hand, if you're headed to Yellowstone to photograph wildlife, you'll probably want to take your 400mm f/4. (Although if you own that lens, you may not have a spouse to anger, perhaps because of your purchase of that lens.) And if you're going to be indoors in low-light situations, you should grab your Fast 50.The situation isn't always that clear, however. If you find yourself reaching for your "walking around lens" (not that there's anything wrong with that), consider first the challenge of restricting yourself to one lens. With the limited range one of your better lenses offers, you may be forced to take photos that differ from those being taken by those around you. With a walking around lens, the tendency is to zoom in tight on a scene; this temptation is caused by the small size of the display on your camera. When you do that, though, you may be robbing the photo of perspective, which will appear more favorably when your photo is presented on a computer display or in print. Alternatively, zooming in on fine details in a scene where most others are shooting at 50mm may also result in a unique perspective.Finally, if nothing else has helped you capture an out-of-the-ordinary photo, try going back at night (as in the photo above). You'll need to use a tripod or an available stationary object, but the result could be a collection of photos that stand out from those of your fellow travelers. 

A flash-free Christmas morning

You'll do your loved ones and your photos a favor if you can avoid the use of flash on Christmas morning. Using flash will drown out your Christmas tree lights and flatten the faces of your subjects, so whether you're using a point-and-shoot camera or an SLR, keep that strobe from firing.If you're using a point-and-shoot camera, look for the button with the little lightning bolt arrow and press it until a slash appears over the flash icon in your display. If you're using an SLR, your camera probably won't raise the flash on its own unless you have it set to full auto. You don't have to set the camera to manual to avoid full auto; even setting it to P (program) mode will give you control over the flash.What if, like in the room where I took the photos below, there isn't enough light to hold the camera steady enough to get a clear photo? Steady the camera on a tripod, end table, or the arm of a sofa and you can shoot long exposures without camera shake. Those of you using "fast 50" prime lenses probably won't have that problem, though, and you'll enjoy a shallow depth of focus in your pictures (where your subject is in focus but the background is blurred).The photos below were shot at ISO 400 and f/2.8 aperture. In the first, the flash did not fire and the speed was 1/6 second. In the second, the flash did fire and the speed was 1/60 second. I performed no post-production on the images.A reminder: When you're taking pictures of your kids, remember to get the camera down to their eye level. That perspective makes for a more appealing photo.Lastly, have a Merry Christmas!

Fast 50 - more on prime lenses

In last week's post on choosing an SLR, I recommended that you pair your new camera with a 50mm prime lens. A prime lens can be differentiated from a zoom lens in that its focal length is not variable. If you have a 90mm prime lens, all of your shots will be taken at 90mm; if you have an 18-200mm lens, you can shoot at 18mm (wide angle), 200mm (telephoto), and anywhere in between.Why would you want a prime lens when it so severely limits your versatility? For one, good image quality is much more affordable in a prime lens. It's difficult to make a lens that has good image quality (IQ) across a wide range of focal lengths, and that's reflected in the price. Along with that, a prime lens is typically the easiest way to gain the ability to shoot fast. A Nikon D3S will allow you to shoot at ISO 102,400 (you read that right!), but it won't throw the background behind your subject out of focus like a 50mm f/1.8 lens on a Rebel XSi.How can you overcome the limitations introduced by a prime lens? Often, you can do it on foot. If you want to zoom in, take a few steps forward; to zoom out, step back (but watch where you're going!). Your mileage may vary. If you're in tight quarters, you won't be able to photograph a group; conversely, if you're trying to shoot a deer on a hill, you won't get much detail.[note]It's more difficult to make a lens that has good image quality (IQ) across a wide range of focal lengths[/note]Note that on most SLRs (with a 1.6x crop factor), the 50mm acts like an 80mm lens, which is more of a telephoto. For that reason, it's especially good for taking pictures of children (active or not) without requiring a flash.Shortly after I wrote Saturday's post, Phototuts+ put up a great series of images taken with what they call "Nifty Fifty" lenses. I've included several in this post as well. Enjoy!For more on prime lenses, check out this article at PhotographyTalk.

Which SLR camera should I buy?

If you've decided that an SLR is the thing for you, you're still in good shape. You really can't go wrong getting an SLR right now; they're all a good buy and packed with features. I generally recommend Nikons or Canons as they're the most widely-used; that means there are more accessories and used lenses available. That said, you'll find plenty of recommendations for Olympus, Sony, Sigma, Pentax, and the other brands.

Which model should you buy? I generally recommend the least expensive. Right now, that means the Canon Rebel XSi or the Nikon D3000. (The Canon link is for body only; the Nikon link includes a "kit lens" that I would recommend replacing.)

You can spend more money on a camera, but your lens investment is far more important. Cameras are replaced every few years, but people hold onto their lenses. And the quality of your images has more to do with the lens than with the camera. I recommend the 50mm f/1.8 for Canon users. For Nikon users, there's a 35mm f/1.8 available (see the comments from Matt Speicher below for more information about Nikon lenses). Fast prime (fixed focal length) lenses like these are great for a few reasons.

- they're inexpensive

- they're very fast, allowing you to shoot indoors without a flash

- they're small and light, making the camera more portable

- their image quality is superior to almost any other lens under $500 and many lenses under $1000

- the single focal length eliminates a decision from every shot you take (zooming is not an option)

[note]You can spend more money on a camera, but your lens investment is far more important.[/note]

Zoom lenses like the Canon 28-200 are nice in terms of their range, but there are trade-offs.

- they cost more

- they're heavier

- image quality is not as good

- they are slower, which will require flash in more situations (image stabilization (aka vibration reduction) helps, but still doesn't bridge the gap)

That said, at some point you'll want to buy a zoom lens. That's when friends with SLRs come in handy so you can borrow their lenses and try them out. I use pro lenses for portrait shoots, but my "walking around" lens is the Tamron 28-300. They make a Nikon version, too. The image quality is not as good as that offered by the 50mm f/1.8, but it's very versatile (if a bit slow).

Eventually, you may want to pick up a macro lens for close-up photography, or a wide-angle lens (which was used in the photo above) for a different perspective. I'd avoid getting wrapped up in the hardware, though; there are a lot of good pictures waiting to be taken with your new SLR and 50mm lens. I just created two galleries in which all of the photos were taken with a 50mm lens. I enjoyed taking the photos and, though at first I thought not having my zoom lens along would be a problem, I was very happy with the results.

Which camera should I buy? (2010 version)

(There is a newer answer to this question.)I'm often asked that question, and I have a short answer. The Canon G11. It gets good reviews (at a site where you can trust the reviewers), it has great optics, it takes video, it shoots RAW, and it allows the user creative control but can still function effectively on full auto. And you get all that in a portable unit that doesn't require any accessories.While I consider the G11 a sweet spot when it comes to price, performance, and portability, I understand that there are numerous other factors that go into choosing a camera. The G11 gives us a place to start, but it may not be the right choice. There are many great cameras available for less than $400, if price is an issue. There are also many point-and-shoot cameras that are smaller.On the other hand, maybe the delay when you press the shutter release on your point-and-shoot has resulted in too many lost shots. Or perhaps you're looking to take even more creative control of your photos. In that case, it may be time to consider a digital SLR.