TWIP

18 August 2008

TWIP Podcast #43 - Wildlife

Posted by Scott under: Audio Podcast

Episode 43 is in the feed or you can download the MP3 at Pixelcorps.TV.

Hosts: Alex Lindsay - Scott Bourne
Contributors: Steve Simon
Locations: San Francisco, Seattle, New York

Intro Music by Scott Cannizzaro

Producer: Aaron Mahler - Twitter: halfpress

Bandwidth for This Week in Photography is provided by Cachefly.

TWIP is sponsored by Audible. For a free downloadable book visit www.audiblepodcast.com/twip

—
Hey Everybody,
Your hosts for this week include: Alex Lindsay who just returned from New Media Expo in Vegas, Scott Bourne who is in Seattle Washington where it is a billion degrees, and Steve Simon who is in New York where it is also hot, hot, hot. This weekís show is about Wildlife Photography.
TWiP CONTEST
There is a new linking contest. Last time we gave away a Drobo to Tim Street who Alex happened to meet while at the New Media Expo. Currently there are 949 blogs linking to TWIP so your chances are currently around 1 in 1000 of winning a prize pack by linking to the TWiP Blog from either your blog or your website. The next prize includes:
1. Vmware Fusion
2. One copy Adobe Lightroom
3. One paid JBL reference 220 earphones
4. One Adobe ball cap
5. One copy ì88 Secrets to Selling & Publishing Your Photographyî by Scott Bourne
6. One copy ì88 Secrets to Photoshop for Photographersî by Scott Bourne
7. onOne Software Essentials (version 2) for Adobe Photoshop Elements
8. One small Canon Camera gadget bag
9. One RhinoSkin iPod case
Next draw happens Oct 30th. TWiP is currently in the Technoroti 10,000 at number 6811 in rank. Trying to get into the top 1000.

NEWS
-Aperture Nature Photography Workshops Contest is now open at www.aperturenatureworkshops.com
-There is a new Bill being proposed to end the ban on photography bodies of the returning military dead. This will mark the first time since Vietnam that photojournalists can capture images of the bodies of returning soldiers. Steve comments that people have the right to see these images and know whatís happening in the world. Steve mentions a photo by Todd Heisler who won a Pulitzer Prize in 2006 for his behind the scenes look at the funerals for Colorado Marines killed in Iraq. http://www.toddheisler.com/
-Opening up IP via a challenge to the Creative Commons License. Larry Lessig posted on his blog at http://lessig.org/blog/2008/08/huge_and_important_news_free_l.html that the license has been upheld by the Federal Circuit. Scott comments that this case has nothing to do with photography and it would be stretch to get this to apply to photography. Itís an appeals court decision that only affects the Federal Circuit. In the 9th Circuit where he lives it has no effect. Alex comments that it will make it more likely that another appeal court may follow that ruling. Scott mentions that the danger is people will rely on CC and not register their copyrights. If the CC license is invalid then you go back to Copyright protection which is useless if not registered. Alex uses CC for some of his content but not all. Scott and Alex decide to try and get Larry Lessig on along with a Copyright attorney on a future show to discuss copyright and creative commons.
Steve asks Alex to explain Creative Commons. Alex explains that CC is a way to setup a series of agreements or conditions globally so that someone who wants to use your work can do so without having to go through the rights holder provided that they use it under the conditions provided. If these conditions arenít followed then it falls back to the copyright. Scott adds that Copyright is statutory protection whereas Creative Commons relies on common law and contract law. Alex still thinks that the really important stuff that someone wants to make money from should be copyrighted and not to rely on the Creative Commons.
-Ubermind has released a new (free) plug-in for Apple Aperture called Maperture. Steve believes that youíll eventually be able to hook up your GPS device in your car and if it permits you to put photos on it and they are geo-tagged, your car can take you to where the photo was shot. He envisions photo tours or workshops using this kind of technology. Scott warns you to not follow the GPS too closely particularly for photos taken near the edge of the Grand Canyon.
-Touch site camera for the blind. Working concept which displays photos using Braille. http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/13/touch-sight-camera-for-the-blind-displays-photos-using-braille/. Scott admits to having a giant Mr. Magoo eyeglass in his camera bag to read the exposure meter so maybe heíll need one of these cameras soon.
Canon patents a fuel-cell DSLR. http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/11/canon-patents-fuel-cell-dslr-were-ready/. Scott comments that a group at MIT are working on air powered batteries.
-Audible Pick of the Week ñ Aaron Mahler. www.audiblepodcast.com/twip This weekís pick is a follow up from a few weeks ago ñ Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Aaron loves the long audiobooks. This one is 45 hours and 23 minutes so Alex suggests they should start doing pick of the month. Alex also asks Aaron if itís as good as the Spartans
RUMORS
-Nikon D90 showing up on Inventory screens at Circuit City and Best Buy for a rumored price of $1299. Rumored features include a 12 Megapixels Live View sensor, Video, HDMI capabilities and GPS.
Discussion turns to whether or not rumors are a bad thing. Steve thinks that rumors might help drum up excitement and anticipation. Alex feels that if they donít hit all the time they can be good. Scott recalls a story when Compaq let a rumor get out about a new computer that killed existing sales and almost bankrupted the company. Another rumor is that the G9 is running out of stock indicating perhaps something new is coming from Canon.
Alex brings up that the reason for the increase in rumors is because Photokina (http://photokina.en.koelnmesse.info/) is coming up from September 23rd ñ 28th. Photokina is the worldís largest camera show that only happens every two years. Steve went a few years ago and said itís like the Olympics just to try and see everything. Scott points out the hardships of dealing with all the bratwurst and beer at Photokina. It will see 160,000 visitors attend from 140 countries. Alex says that as you get close to PMA or Photokina that the camera manufacturers often release information on new models so itís not the best time to buy a camera. Scott reminds us though that often the manufacturers will announce new products but the drop dates may a few years down the road in some cases. Listen to TWiP as we are on the press lists and will put out information as it becomes available.
Steve suggests that in a future show they talk about digital buying strategies. Alexís strategy is to just lose his cameras on Southwest airlines. Steve talks about selling used cameras and when to get the best price before new models are announced and prices drop. Alex comments that certain ìclassicî cameras like the G9 will keep their value. Scott jokes that only someone of Alexís generation would consider something digital ìclassicî.
FLICKR CHALLENGE UPDATE
The point of the bi-weekly challenge was to get people out and shooting. There has been an unhealthy migration to focusing on the prizes so Scott is going to nip that in the bud in a couple of ways. The first is that the challenge will only be discussed on the show and not on the blog. The second is that the responsibility for picking the winner will shift to the listeners. Photrade has built the first of-its-kind photo contest engine which will allow people to vote directly on the site. The next challenge will move to Photrade. Itís free to sign up and you can upload one image per challenge and the group will vote. This weekís challenge will be extended and the next challenge will happen on Photrade. Itís democracy at work and also Scott wonít have to deal with hundreds of whiny emails from people who werenít happy with the winners he selected. Just a reminder that the point of the challenge is about shooting and not about winning. The critique forum will still exist at Flickr.
TWiP POLL RESULTS
Which focal length do you shoot with? Results were evenly distributed between normal and telephoto. Steve asks what is normal? Scott says 50mm. Steve says 35mm. Alex did some shooting at CGRAF and New Media expo and used his Sigma 8mm which Scott mentions is the super-wide category. Steve thought there was a high percentage of normal shooters because most cameras come with the wide to telephoto zoom. Alex thinks people feel that is normal. Scott mentions that the majority of cameras in play today came with the 50mm lens. Alex says that at the hospital, people should be handed a fast 50mm and a camera to photograph their children. Scott talks about some of amazing photos that Alex took with only $700 worth of gear but was sad that his people from the super telephoto group didnít represent very well on the poll. Steve says itís because they were all in China at the Olympics. The guys mention that they noticed more Nikon lenses in the photo pool in Beijing and joke about Kodak still trying to remain relevant by providing the vests required by all photojournalists at the Olympics.

THIS WEEKíS POLL
-If you make your own prints, what brand of printer do you use? Epson, Brother, Canon, HP, Lexmark, Sony, Brother, Polaroid, Iris, or Other. Alex thinks they should have added LCD to the list. Scott picks on Alexís about the low tech printers he has. Alex sends everything out to the Apple print service.
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY WITH SCOTT BOURNE
-Alex asks Scott how do you get started in Wildlife Photography? You have to have an interest in the subject matter, desire, and patience. Itís different from other photography because there is effort involved. Good wildlife photographers need to know their subject. For example, if you want to get an eagle in flight, you watch for him to poop and then you know they are getting ready to take off.
-What kind of gear do you have to have? Super-telephoto lenses are a must which means lenses 400mm and up. These allow you to keep your distance for safety and allow you to shoot without disturbing the wildlife. A heavy tripod and a gimbal head are also necessary. Typically they run $400 - $500. Scott uses Gitzo carbon-fibre tripods, Wimberley heads and Arca Swiss-style mounting plates to ensure a sturdy rig. Wouldnít want to drop that shiny new D3 and Nikkor lens now.
-Steve asks Scott to talk about what he considers a successful shoot when heís in the field. Scott is happy with one publishable shot of something in the wild but obviously would like to get more if possible. There is no script in wildlife photography. You canít predict perfect weather or even if the animals will appear. He told a story about a group he took to Welcome Washington where there are 20 -30 bald eagles there every year like clockwork. Scott took a group up there one year and there were no eagles. If you work in controlled conditions you can get a higher ratio. After researching for 2 years, Scott is headed up to Alaska to photography bears but is still not certain what they will find.
-Steve asks Scott about his favorite images. Scottís favorite location to shoot is a place called Bosque Del Apache which a national wildlife refuge in Central New Mexico. Every November through January, around Thanksgiving there will be 200,000 - 300,000 Snow Geese and Canada Geese sleeping on the lake. In the morning, at the same instant all of the birds will take off at once and you only have 30 seconds to capture it. Scott has done it for 20 years and still gets goose bumps when it happens. Art Wolfe selected one of Scottís images ìThe Flyoutî as a winner in one of his photography contests and it has been one of Scottís best-selling photos.
-Alex mentions that the reason you start to spend a lot on equipment is due to the opportunity cost. It can be expensive if your equipment fails and doesnít do the job itís supposed to do. Scott is headed to Geographic Harbor in Alaska which is way north of where most people shoot the bears from bear platforms. It will take a couple of days to travel to get there and they will shoot 35 costal Kodiak brown bears so you donít want to get up there and find out you donít have enough gear or get stuck with gear that doesnít work and not have a backup.
-Steve talks about the National Geographic video ìThe Photographersî and the scene with Nick Nichols being swarmed by mosquitoes as evidence that Wildlife photography requires dedication and isnít always as glamorous as it sounds. Scott says his approach is to just inject himself with deet and says that if you go to Alaska without a mosquito net then you arenít very smart. Arty Morris and several others are accompanying Scott but Scott on the trip but Scott figures they are going with him because heíll be slowest one in case the bears attack.
-Alex asks if there are rules Scott follows or a certain composition technique he follows when shooting wildlife? Scott likes to shoot tight. He treats wildlife photography like people photography with the focus on the eyes. Other standard things apply including rules of thirds, give the subject room, try not to shoot them running out of the scene, etc. Use foreground objects to give them scale. Scott will be photographing bears that will be 12-14 ft tall on the hind legs which you wonít be able to tell unless you have something to give them scale. They are going during salmon chum time so that should help with scale issues if they can get shots of the bears with salmon in their mouths. Backgrounds are another important aspect. Scott likes clean backgrounds and actually looks for the background first and waits for the animal to walk through the background.
-Steve asks Scott about shooting in controlled conditions vs. in the wild. Scott is fine with both approaches as certain images can only be captured in controlled conditions. Scott says that he doesnít mind either approach as long as you disclose whether youíre shooting in controlled conditions or not ñ particularly if you are publishing a wildlife photography book.
-Alex asks where Scott sells his images. Scott has 3 categories. The very best shots are sold as fine art. Documentary stuff is sold to schools, etc for use in things like textbooks, etc. The more pedestrian stuff is sold as stock to stock agencies.
-Alex asks Scott if you can you make a living from wildlife photography? Certainly there are some who have made six figures and itís easy to make $25,000 a year at it but if someone is in it for the money there are better options such as wedding or portrait photography. Most people Scott meets tend to have a lot of disposable income as it can be expensive.
-Places to go if youíre interested in wildlife photography? Scottís book ì88 Secrets to Wildlife Photographyî is a good starting point. Another place is to look for local photo opportunities such as zoos, national parks, wildlife refuges, etc to get practice before you go out and spend lots of money on gear and workshops. Once youíve decided itís something youíre interested in, then you can start to invest in the gear and training from professionals with experience.
-Scott felt it was weird to be interviewed on his own show and thinks that everyone on the show should be interviewed at some point.
SITE OF THE WEEK
-Not exactly a site per se, but Scott uses Bloglines as his RSS feeder. Scott subscribes to about 30 different photography blogs. Steve asks Scott to explain what RSS is. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication which is basically a free subscription where information is delivered to your feeds as they are updated. For example, you can subscribe to the RSS feed for TWiP and as soon as a new entry is posted it shows up in the feed.
Q&A TIME
-Jack Sweats is shooting in Tanzania and his question is about model releases while shooting in 3rd world countries. Does he require a model release and if so would the US model release stand up? Steve takes this one and says that you should have a model release particularly if you plan on selling it as stock. As a documentary photographer, Steve doesnít use them but he does get very familiar with his subjects and often gets their information in case he needs it or to share images with them. Steve says you should have one handy. Scott adds that you should have it printed in the local language and you should be safe. Alex mentions that you should check with the stock company you are going to use and try to work with the one they have. Steve thinks that sometimes people have an attitude that the person wonít find out about the image because they are in a developing country but Scott points out that if it becomes famous theyíll find out about it.
-Alex takes a Polaroid camera with him with he visits developing countries and often takes a photo with that and gives it to the people he is photographing. He shares a story about a trip to Zimbabwe when he stopped to take some photos along with the Polaroids when he suddenly realized that all the women were coming down and he was likely taking the only family photo theyíll ever have. He realized the importance of giving back so on his next trip he is going to take a little Epson digital printer with him so he can print out photos when heís there.
-Steve also talked about not letting the cat out of the bag by showing the LCD screen or you wonít get any work done.
-Matthew Ballard asks if one should sharpen before or after the JPEG compression? Scottís opinion is that you should sharpen for output. The best workflow is to sharpen on export but likely if you are outputting to JPEG you arenít printing the image. Steve adds that JPEG is a lossy compression so every time you open and close it you lose pixels so that you should sharpen before you output the image.
NEXT WEEK
David Griffen who is the director of photography for National Geographic.
TIP OF THE WEEK
Scott jumps in and provides a simple tip. If you are using Flash (which Scott doesnít really need now with the new D3), donít leave it on the camera. Buy an off shoe cord that will let you move the flash from the dead centre spot which normally causes red-eye. Alex jokes that he has started to use Flash ñ the software but wished he had one at a dinner party where it was rather dark.
HOW TO REACH US
Scott Bourne is at www.scottbourne.com or ScottBourne on the Twitter
Steve Simon is at http://www.stevesimonphoto.com/
Alex Lindsay is at www.pixelcorps.com and AlexLindsay on the Twitter
Bye everybody

These show notes compiled by: Bruce Clarke

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