Shutter Mike Photography

Check out the May special over at artscow.com.  Get a free canvas print and free shipping when you buy one canvas print.  Upload your images, select the canvas size you want (I believe they have to be two of the same size) and enter the promo code MAYCANVAS at checkout. The promotion ends on May 25, 2010.

I have been using my new Sony Alpha 850 DSLR for about a week now and I love, love, love it.  This is more than a step up from my Alpha 100.  More like a giant leap forward.  Here are some of my first observations.  These are neither pros nor cons, just some things worth pointing out that you might want to keep in mind if buying one.  And if you are considering buying a Sony Alpha 850 the more you know before buying the better.

• Weight – The Alpha 850 is not a light weight.  Without the accessories it weighs 1 lb. 14 oz (almost 2 lbs).  Add on the lens, flash, and battery and you will get a workout.
• Battery – The battery is the NP-FM500H.  If you are jumping from the Alpha 100 to the 850 like I did you’ll want to keep in mind that they use two different batteries.  The NP-FM500H for the 850 allows for the remaining charge left in the battery to be displayed on the LCD as a percent.
• File Size – At 24.6 mega pixel when you shoot in RAW you end up with a large file (but a very clear image file).  You might need to invest in a larger memory card, but its not a bad trade off for the image quality you get.
• Noise – The sound kind, not the grain.  This has been reported in almost all the reviews, but the shutter sound is louder than I would expect from a camera of this level.  Not  deal breaker by any means however.

Overall one week impression – wow!

If you need a gift for a graduating photography enthusiast or soon to be professional photographer there are a ton of options out there.  Here are a few congratulations gifts in a wide range of prices that would make great gifts to any graduate who has a love of photography.

Gifts On the High End

To get the obvious out of the way first, how about a Digital SLR Camera?  Prices can vary widely as do the quality and features of each camera.  Expect to spend around $500 on the low end all the way up to several thousand dollars for the most feature rich advanced professional cameras.  You generally can’t go wrong if you start with the three top brands, Canon, Nikon or Sony and then get the features best suited to your photographer’s level and ambitions.  Here are a few good choices:

$500 – $1000 Range

Canon EOS Rebel T1i with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Len

Sony Alpha A230 Digital SLR with 18-55mm & 55-200mm Lens

$1000 – $2000 range

Nikon D90 SLR Digital Camera Kit with Nikon 18-105mm VR Lens

Sony Alpha DSLR- A850 Full Frame Digital SLR Camera

$2000 and up

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital Camera Kit with Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM AF Lens

More Middle of the Road Gifts

If the camera itself is out of your budget, there is no need to worry.  The options for photography gifts for graduates are plentiful.  So for those more middle of the road gifts here are a few options:

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 – The essential software for digital photographers.  Help the aspiring photographer give their images a final polish by giving them this software package.

Lenses – The prices of lenses vary significantly but you can almost always find something for at the mid-range budget level.  When lens shopping keep a few things in mind: quality can vary as much as price; know the camera brand you are buying for, there aren’t too many “universal” lenses (if any); if you are in doubt go with the old standby photography gift card.

On Camera Flashes – Even though many DSLRs have built in flashes, a on-camera flash attachment can make a big difference in lighting a subject.  A decent flash unit can be had for reasonable prices.  Be sure check the compatibility of the flash to the camera you are buying it for to make sure the two will work together.

On a Budget

Don’t let money stand in the way of getting your photography enthusiast graduate something they can use as they pursue their photography.  Here are several options that will not cost you much at all.

Magic Lantern Guides – These in depth guides are like a camera manual on steroids.  They go in depth on every aspect of almost all the major digital SLR cameras.  Even if your photographer has had their camera for a while a Magic Lantern Guide can be a valuable resource.  And for under $20 you can’t go wrong.

Batteries – A spare battery is a critical accessory for any photographer.   There is not too much worse than to be out shooting and have your battery die with no fully charge spare in your camera bag.  Find out the make and model of the camera your graduate is using and pick up a spare battery to make sure they never miss a shot.

Camera Bag – They may already have a camera bag, but my philosophy is you can never have too many and if you don’t have a Case Logic SLR Camera Holster Case then you don’t really have a camera bag.  This bag is versatile and extremely functional.  For about $30 your graduate will definitely thank you.

Museum number four on my list of the top 5 museums worth photographing in Phoenix is the Heard Museum in Central Phoenix.  Whereas the museums I featured so far, the ASU Museum of Art, The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Phoenix Art Museum, are much more modern in their architectural styles, the Heard is more what I would call traditional Southwest or Spanish style.

The Heard houses a vast collection of American Indian art and cultural artifacts and has a history in Phoenix since the 1920s.   For photographers the Heard has a lot to offer and it is worth taking some time exploring the museum grounds.  They are dotted with several sculptures by prominent American Indian artists in addition to the architecture and  landscaping.

Lighting in photography plays as critical a roll as the subject itself in many cases.  The orange glow and blue hues of this image are a result of combined light sources; the golden hour ambient light of the setting sun and the tungsten lighting of the parking garage.  The white balance on the Sony Alpha 850 was set to auto and there was no flash used.