I have done the first week and so far so good.  Only 51 more weeks or about 359 more photos to go.  Please follow along with my images on Flickr in my 7 Day Photography set.

So here is what I did.  First I called the airline I was flying and asked.  This might be specific to each airline, so be sure to call your airline for their policies.  Southwest Airlines said without a doubt I could bring a tripod in a  bag on board as a carry on.  The also confirmed that it would not be a problem going through security.  Great.  But just in case someone was extra cranky at the security screening and made me check it I took a few further precautions.  I removed the head and put it in my carry-on bag so I would not have to check the more expensive head.  Then I wrapped the tripod up in a blanket and put it in its bag, put a business card inside the bag and a luggage tag outside.  If I did have to check the tripod I would be able to do it quickly without any reconfiguring.

I was able to carry it on for both legs of my trip with no problems, no questions.  But I suspect this is going to vary by airport, screening agent and even day of the week.  Where there are no set rules it is best to prepare for anything.  You should be able to carry a tripod onto a plane without any issues.  But just in case, have it ready to be checked and make the trip safely down below.

For the photography enthusiast who loves to shoot nature, landscapes and wildlife there are countless gadgets to make them a happy photographer.  Here are just a few.

1) The Green Pod - Think of this like a go anywhere tripod.  It attaches to the bottom of the camera in the tripod mount but instead of three extending legs it has a bean bag sack.  This allows the outdoor photographer to steady their camera on any surface (think rocks and logs) in order to get the stability of a tripod without having to lug one around the great outdoors.  It is also great for steadying those long telephoto lenses often used for wildlife and nature photography.  Not bad for only $22.

2) Camera Sling System – A camera sling system is so much more than a camera strap.  It’s like a super strap.  A typical camera strap has the bulky DSLR hanging around your neck.  On a hike or trek through the jungle the camera is bouncing in every direction.  So you may put it diagonally across your chest.  But then when a surprise shot jumps in front of you there is a lot of fumbling to get the camera into shooting position.  Here is where a Camera Sling System saves the day.  The camera slides along the strap to your eye when needed and then back down to your hip so you can continue on your hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon or the top of Mt. Everest.

3) Binoculars – Wait? Binocualrs? They may have a telephoto lens on their camera but that is not good for scouting ahead for the next great subject to shoot.  A small pair of binoculars like the BARSKA 12×26 WP Naturescape Binocular is light weight and compact which makes throwing them in the camera bag a breeze.  Plus these are water and fog proof which makes them ideal for the outdoor photographer.

4) Rain Protection – One thing that can put a damper on an outdoor photo safari is rain. The Op/Tech Rainsleeve is the perfect solution.  Its like one of those plastic disposable ponchos, but for your camera.  It takes up no room in the camera bag and fits most DSLR camera set ups even with a flash unit on.  There is even an opening for the eye piece so you are not looking through plastic when you compose your shot.  A pack of 2 is under $7.

5) Not sure about going the equipment route for a gift for your outdoor photographer?  No problem.  A subscription to Outdoor Photographermagazine  is a gift that reminds them once a year of how thoughtful you are.  What could be better? Well it does get better. Outdoor Photographer is also packed full of tips, gear reviews and of course photographs aimed specifically at the outdoor photography enthusiast.

1) Hot Shoe Level – The “hot shoe” is the part on the top of the camera where you attach a flash.  But you can also attach other accessories.  And a level is one such gadget that attaches to the hot shoe.  I have one of these and love it.  For any photographer that shoots architecture or landscapes this little gadget that sells for $10 or less in most cases can be a valuable asset to insure your photos are nice and straight.

2)White Balance Lens Cap – This is no ordinary lens cap.  The serious photographers on your Christmas shopping list are probably not shooting with their camera on automatic.  That includes their white balance settings.  For advanced DSLR cameras today the photographer can set a custom white balance for the specific subject they are shooting. In simple terms that means they can make sure they are setting the camera up for the lighting situation they are in.  This special lens cap allows them to get the white balance customized to whatever lighting conditions they may be shooting under.  These run about $25.

3) Gloves for photographers – Even in mildly cold climates the fingers can be the first to go numb.  That makes it hard to operate a camera.  Mittens are definitely out, they are worse than numb fingers for clicking the shutter.  Regular gloves are often too bulky to manage the small dials and buttons of a camera.  There are of course fingerless gloves available, but that still means cold finger.  But fear not, there is a solution, the Freehands Ragg Wool Knit/Thinsulate Glove.  This glove has “grip dots” on the palm and finger tips that allow you to hold your camera securely as well as manage the controls.  It also has the option of only exposing the thumb and index finger to the cold for better camera control and more protection from the cold.  For only about $22 this can be a great photography gadget for the amateur or professional photographer on your Christmas list.

4) Cleaning supplies – Cleanliness is next to Godliness, especially when it comes to expensive (and even not so expensive) camera equipment.  One of the best gadgets I have ever spend $10 on is the Lens Pen.  This is a dual sided “pen” with a retractable brush on one side and a fancy patented cleaning tip on the other end.  Use the brush end for removing surface dirt and dust that if it were to get to the sensor could ruin your photographs and be much more costly to have professionally cleaned.  Use the other end for removing the oils and finger prints from the lens glass.  This little gadget does a much better job than microfiber clothes that often get dirty themselves being carried around in a camera bag and then don’t do much to remove dirt.  Every photographer should have one in their bag and at only about $10 you can be the great friend or family member that puts it in their stocking this year. (Have a cleaning theme going on with this year’s Christmas gifts?  Here is another good small gift idea in that category: Rocket Air Blaster

5)  Lego Camera – Does the photographer on your list already have every gadget known to photography?  How about something just for fun then?  Lego has a camera that looks like a toy but is a real working digital camera.  Granted it is only 3 MP, but the real appeal is the novelty.  And it was not that long ago that 3 MP was top of the line.  So for only $39.99 you can give the photographer who has everything a little camera fun in their stocking.

We are all very familiar with Google image search where you put in your word or phrase, hit search and find page after page of images on the internet that match what you are looking for.  But what do you do when you have the image and need to see where it may be located on the web?  A reverse image search engine of course.  Reverse image search engines allow you to upload or drag-and-drop an image and it scans the web looking for matches.  The results returned are web sites where that particular image is displayed.

But if you already have the image what value is this?  There are a few reasons you might want to search backwards from the image:

• You have an image and need to know its original source.
• You need a higher resolution version of an image.
• Curiosity about how an image is being used on the internet.
• You own the image and want to see if it is being used against copyrights elsewhere on the web.

Before Google got in the reverse image search game there was one big player on the field, TinEye.

TinEye is very simple to use.  Upload an image from your computer and the search begins.  If a match is found the sites where that image is located are displayed.

A few drawbacks of TinEye:

• It is a bit slow for a search engine.
• It comes back with zero matches more often than I would expect.  TinEye is searching images that have been added to its database.  Granted that is 2 billion + images, but still if the image you are searching is not in their database, you’re out of luck.  I had to do about 6 searched before I found one of my images that was indexed in TinEye (and I used widely published images).
• If you want more robust search results other than the location(s) of the image on the web they do not offer much.

I love the concept of TinEye and think it can be a good tool for photographers keeping track of how their work is being used (and stolen) on the web.  Unfortunately when Google got into the reverse image search game I think TinEye started to look a little weak.  And as much as I hate to put all my eggs in the Google basket they know how to do search and do it well.  They have transferred that to reverse image search very well making their tool almost all you really need.

With Google’s tool you go to their standard image search page and drag-and-drop an image from your computer into the search box.  The Google algorithms do their magic and the search results page brings back the pages on the web where that image is found in various sizes as well as something called “Visually Similar Images” which are close to your image in coloring.

The image I searched is on at least 5 sites per Google’s results, but since it is not in TinEye’s database yet their results brought back zero results.  However, being very familiar with this particular image, I also know that the Google results are not capturing everything.  Other than that when you compare the two, Google just offers a better tool.

Whether you want keep track of your work on the internet or have an image that you need to know the original source of reverse image search engines can be a great (although not perfect yet) tool to track down the location of specific images on the web.  With time I have no doubt both Google and TinEye will expand their search engines and get them caught up with the billions and billions of images that are floating around the web now.

I am not talking about the one where an up and coming model is seeking an up and coming photographer to work with so they both can get some practice in and end up with images for their portfolios.  Instead, I am talking about the businesses, and sometimes individuals, looking to get their photography needs met for free.  The requests include everything from product photography to corporate head shots to wedding photography.  And it is not just limited to photographers, but you see similar ads for graphic designers and other creative fields.  The advertisers often make statements about “no money in the budget this time, ” or “there may be more work down the road.”  But the bottom line is they want something for nothing.

The question that is often debated in regards to these postings is “Are these businesses and the photographers who accept non-paid jobs hurting the photography industry as a whole?”

The heated debates that have been going back and forth in the craigslist postings have centered around taking advantage of creative professionals and expecting it to be for free.  One post snarkily requested free surgery in exchange for mentioning this surgery to help get future surgery jobs and the potential for more surgeries in the future if the patient liked your work.  The point being of course, that you would not request a freebie from other professionals, why from creative professionals?

The argument among professional photographers is that when others take these jobs for no pay they are diminishing the photography industry and lowering the standards and pricing for photography as a whole.  Not to mention devaluing themselves and their skills as a photographer.  In addition, it puts the photographer at a lower status in the mind of the consuming public, be it businesses or individual consumers, compared to other professionals they deal with who would never give their services away for free.  But as long as someone is willing to work for free someone is going to take advantage of it.

But for many of these up and coming photographers they are in a bit of a catch 22.  They want to build a professional portfolio in order to be hired for paying gigs, but they need the gig to build the portfolio and the portfolio to get the gig.  So what do they do?  They often turn to working for free without even realizing the potential consequences thinking that getting the images for their portfolio is payment enough.  What many photographers, and especially these advertisers, may not understand is that as soon as you take the photograph you own the copyright to it.  You are free to use it in your portfolio regardless.  You do need a model release to use someone’s likeness for advertising or commercial purposes, but you still own the rights to that image.  So they are not really giving you anything in exchange for your work other than maybe the subject to shoot.

There are some alternatives to working for free to build up a portfolio however.  Alternatives that can serve both your needs and keep the photography profession at the same level as other (paid) professional services.

1)  Volunteer your photography services to a non-profit that you support and believe in.  This can be a a win-win for both; the non-profit gets their photography needs met and you get images for your portfolio.

2) Ask your friends, family, neighbors to be your subjects.  For the aspiring portrait photographer you probably have an abundance of subjects all around you.

3) Go out on your own and shoot.  If your interest is product photography, look around your house.  Photograph the milk, the laundry detergent, your iPod, anything.  Want to photograph architecture?  It is all around us, jsut head out and shoot it.  You can build a good portfolio of images just by shooting for yourself.

4) Try charging.  Not every potential job is going to require a portfolio (although some idea of your photography skills is going to help).  Put your own ad up for your photography services and see who bites.  You might be surprised.

I featured just the bike in yesterday’s motorcycle photo collection post and today’s photo collection is the same bike but with a model featured as well.  I had to travel far out of my comfort zone for this photo shoot. The intimidation factor of shooting a live model, in front of a group, for a grade, with a five minute time limit made for an intense situation.  However, even though I do not see any potential photography career going down the portrait road (at least exclusively), I think it is a very good thing to be forced outside of your comfort zone.  To have the ability to shoot people, models or everyday people, in my back pocket is a good thing.  Plus the lighting and composition skills can be applied to much more than people.  So I started this shoot being adamant about having no interest in shooting people.  But after reviewing and editing my images I think I need to explore this area a bit more.  Architecture photography will always be my first passion, but photography like this can be fun and definitely worth exploring more.

You will need a few tools for this, but nothing too fancy is required.

1) A notepad.  If you want to get high tech a tablet device such as an iPad works great.

2) A point and shoot camera.  Again, nothing fancy required.  Just a basic point and shoot or even your cell phone camera will do.

The “process”:

You can either do this deliberately or just keep track as you go about your daily life.  Or, better yet, do both.

This is really simple.  Take an hour or two on a weekend and just head out with the above tools in hand.  Where you head will depend on what you like to shoot.  Architecture?  Head to your city’s downtown or try something different like and industrial area of town.  Portraits?  Just about anywhere will do.  Landscapes?  Pick a direction and take a drive.

Then just keep an eye out for anything that strikes your interest and take notes. For each location or potential subject that you think you might want to come back to write down the following:

1. Location.  Make sure you are specific enough that you will be able to find it again later.
2. Angles and potential compositions.  Where were you standing when it looked best? How might you frame it?  What surrounding elements will you want to include in the image?
3. Lighting.  What direction does the subject face?  Will sunrise lighting or sunset lighting be optimal for photographing it?  What are the shadows like?
4. Challenges.  What potential problems might you encounter when you come back to photograph?  Are there crowds? Will the leaves have lost all their leaves?  Is there construction now that may be gone later?
5. All the rest.  If you think it will matter to your photograph make a note of it.
6. Finally, take a few quick shots with the point and shoot just to give yourself something visual to come back to.

Now you have a documentation of someplace you can come back to either when the mood to photograph strikes or when you have a client looking for a unique location.  And as you build your list you will have a catalog of shoot locations to go to whenever the need arises.

I think there are few people that will argue the inclusion of photography in the arts.  But photography also stands apart from most other art forms in that is often seen as a business transaction, a commodity and a commercial endeavor.  To some it serves a very utilitarian purpose and is an art form as a very distant second, if at all.  But I would argue that it is always an art form, albeit not every artist is successful.  Whether we as photographers are photographing a fashion spread, a piece of real estate, a cookie for a cookbook or the new packaging for a toilet bowl cleaner, each takes an artist’s eye and creativity as well as knowledge.  We use our knowledge and experience with lighting, composition, color and form to compose the perfect image regardless of the subject or its intended final use.  The art is in the creative process not just the end purpose of the photograph.

Since photography so readily and so often crosses over from art to commercial it is classified differently than a painting or sculpture by most.  It is a common everyday thing that is often seen as either a snapshot or a commercial work for marketing or advertising.  Art tends to get forgotten.  Maybe that is because it is a newer art form, relatively speaking.  Painting, sculpture and architecture have been in existence for centuries while photography is barely over 100 years old.  So we are conditioned to see a painting as art first and consider its commercial value second.  Photography also has the disadvantage, or advantage depending on your viewpoint, of being much easier to use for commercial purposes, especially in the age of digital.  Few illustrators or painters are commissioned to do works for advertising anymore causing the two medias to be separated.

I think the person who made the comment about the lack of commercial value and therefore the lack of value in general for this one photographer’s work was short sighted in his view.  Being a working photographer he relies on his work having commercial value and was not thinking beyond that.  A photographer who works strictly for the artistic value of his work may see things completely opposite and not understand why another photographer would “sell out” to the ad man.  But both end purposes can coexist in photography.  In fact, some photographs can have both commercial and artistic value.  The great ad shot that becomes iconic and winds up in a museum and the artistic photograph that sells for millions on the auction block.  One does not need to be sacrificed for the other.

I think as a photographer I should approach each shot I take as art, regardless of whether I am shooting it for a client or to hang in a gallery.  If I strive to make each shot a potential gallery shot I feel that I will put that extra ounce of effort in to it thereby making each end photograph my absolute best.  Photography is an art form that has tremendous commercial potential.  It can easily cross the boundary between art and commodity which makes it a bit unique in the art world.