Irene Keselman Photography

Free On-Line Classes: Photography and more

2010-04-08T16:59:00.001-04:00

Free classes. Learn photography, programming and more.

Free on-line course

http://creativelive.com/

Holiday Cards

2009-12-02T10:34:00.002-05:00

I have once again been neglecting my blog. But this morning I got a nice surprise from PSHero. PSHerlo is a nice site to visit and today he shared 13 psd files for holiday cards, each sized for standard photo printing. Enjoy! You can view and download them here PSHERO.

Jacka & Julie or simply the Feisty girls

2009-09-01T14:03:00.004-04:00

I find the time when the sun begins to set is the BEST time to take pictures with available outdoor light. Generally that is true for all outdoor shots, but I feel that for portraits it is especially so because it gives the pictures a golden look. Everything becomes warm and pleasing.

Both images taken with a Nikon D700 and a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S

f/5.0, 1/80, ISO 400

f/5.0, 1/80, ISO400

Not all Cards & Card Readers are created equal

2009-08-18T13:38:00.004-04:00

A lot of people believe that the speed at which you transfer images from you camera to your computer cannot be any faster. Well, did you know that card readers come in all different sizes, prices and differ in transfer speeds? To speed up the transfer process, use only card readers labeled USB 2.0 as USB 1.0 readers will be much slower. Even within USB 2.0 readers there is a tremendous variance in transfer speeds. Some readers can be twice as fast. The card you are using and even your computer may make a big difference in transfer speed. If you are really looking to improve your transfer times, check out this wonderful resource I came across some time ago for checking out cards, readers and systems as far as transfer speed goes. Unfortunately, Rob Galbraith page has not been updated in a while but still provides plenty of information. Check it out here.

Up Side Down

2009-08-17T11:10:00.001-04:00

Image taken with Nikon D700, AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G

Manual: F/5, 1/320 sec., ISO 200

For more pictures in this series, please visit my fotki page here.

Nun, Cross & Fishnet

2009-08-12T14:22:00.006-04:00

Image of a souvenir we brought back from our trip to Madrid, Spain.

Nikon D70, Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro, Manual: 105.0 mm, F/2.8, 1/30 sec

Nikon D70, Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro, Manual: F/5.3, 1/50 sec

For more images from this series, please visit my Fotki page here.

Narcissus

2009-08-11T14:04:00.005-04:00

A house with daffodils in it is a house lit up, whether or no the sun be shining outside. ~ A.A. Milne

Nikon D700, AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G

F/3.5, 1/60, -0.3, ISO 200, SB800 off camera

"Bloom where you are planted."~ Mary Engelbreit

For more images in this series, please visit my fotki page here.

Sunset

2009-08-07T17:27:00.004-04:00

The best images of sunsets that I take are from our sail boat, this one including. We recently went sailing with our 11 months old for two weeks. The weather cooperated and so did the little one. More details and pictures from the trip to come.

Image taken with Nikon D700, AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G

Manual: F/2.2, 1/25 seconds, ISO 200

For more images from this series, please visit my Fotki page.

the Finger

2009-08-07T17:16:00.003-04:00

Image taken with a Nikon D700, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S

70.0 mm, Maual Mode: F/2.8, 1/1600, + 0.3, ISO 200

For more images in this series, please visit my Fotki page.

Black & White

2009-08-06T17:55:00.003-04:00

There is something special about black & white photography. As for me, not only does it bring on nostalgia about the good old childhood days but it also is more pleasing. There is nothing to distract you from the composition.

This image was taken in Mykonos, Greece with a Nikon D70 and a Nikon 18-200mm.

Beck's Anyone?

2009-08-05T10:00:00.004-04:00

Shot with a Nikon D700, Nikon 50 mm f1.4G,

Aperture: F/7.1
Exposure Time: 0.0062 sec. 1/160

ISO: 200

For more pictures in this series, please visit my fotki page here.

Missing!

2009-08-05T09:58:00.001-04:00

I know some of you must have noticed that I have been missing for some time! Well, let's just say the summer has been keeping me busy. I will try to share one photo from the past few months with you daily going forward. Stay tuned!

Birthdays are always fun!

2009-05-07T09:49:00.006-04:00

This past Sunday, we went to our friend's birthday! It was the first get together of our crew where kids took over the party!

All images were taken with Nikon D700 and a Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G. For more pictures from the party, please visit my Fotki page.

Julie, Manual Mode F/3.5, 1/25; ISO 200, natural light

Irina, Manual Mode F/2.8, 1/40; ISO 200, natural light
Julie and Dana, Manual Mode F/1.6, 1/100; ISO 200, natural light

Kate, Manual Mode F/2.2, 1/20; ISO 200, natural light

Julie, Manual Mode F/1.8, 1/20; ISO 200, natural light

Nick, Aperture Priority, F/5.6, 1/60, Exposure Compensation +0.3, ISO 200

Flash SB800 on camera, bounced off the ceiling

Dimik, Aperture Priority F/5.6, 1/160, Exposure Compensation 0.7; ISO 200, natural light

2009 New York International Auto Show

2009-05-01T12:25:00.004-04:00

On April 11, 2009 we visited the New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The show was interesting and for us was an actual shopping experience. We went to pick out our next car! I won't actually tell you which car we picked but for now we are still riding the old one. :) Below are a few pictures I took at the show. Due to bad lighting and thousands of unwanted people in the frame, the pictures are mediocre.

All images were taken with Nikon D700 and a Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G. For more pictures from the Auto Show, please visit my Fotki page.

Planes

2009-04-30T14:21:00.006-04:00

We've heard about planes landing right on the beach, we've seen videos (see below). We wanted to see it live, so we visited St. Marteen's Maho Beach. It was a blast, literally! Here are a few images of the landings. All images taken with Nikon D700 and a Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G. For more pictures from St. Marteen, please visit my Fotki page.

More from St. Marteen

2009-04-30T13:43:00.013-04:00

All images taken with Nikon D700 and a Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G. For more pictures from St. Marteen, please visit my Fotki page.

Le Gallion Beach - calmest and warmest beach!

Orient Beach - waviest and funnest beach on the island.

Friars Bay Beach - opposite of the beach there is this small body of water with lots of pelicans.

Sunset at the Friars Bay Beach

Sunset at the Friars Bay Beach

St. Marteen Zoo

Grand Case - see all about our adventures at Grand Case in my other blog post here.

Dawn Beach

Update on the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S lens

2009-04-30T13:23:00.002-04:00

So Nikon has returned my Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S lens slightly over a week later after I sent it to their Melville location for service. I received the now "fixed" lens on April 24, 2009. After some testing, the lens appears to have been fixed. The auto focus is now working and the lens is no longer making the grinding noise I reported. It still appears to have some difficulty focusing in low light which I find a problem. I will do more testing this weekend and let you know if I find the above still a problem. You can read more about the initial problem in my earlier post here.

Butterflies of St. Maarten!

2009-04-16T16:54:00.008-04:00

We visited a Butterfly farm while on the island. Below are some of my favorites! More pictures here. All images taken with Nikon D700 and a Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G.

Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S

2009-04-15T10:04:00.003-04:00

On February 26, 2009 I purchased the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S lens from the B&H store in NY. I used the lens minimally in the last month and on March 22, 2009 I began to have problems. When I was researching the lens I came across bad reviews, not in the actual image quality it produced but rather the built quality of it. You can read some of them on Amazon. Even though I was aware of the potential problem I purchased the lens and was at first very excited and satisified with the results it produced. It is, after all, also known as one of the best Nikon lenses ever made. However, I have found the lens to be somewhat soft and most recently unable to focus. I have also gotten the grinding noise people described and as stated above, worse, the inability to focus on objects when in AF mode. Manual focus works fine. This is somewhat disappointing, to say the least. When you pay $1,800.00+ for a piece of glass, you expect it to work and work flawlessly. This is not the case.

As the lens is under Nikon warranty, I have sent it to Nikon for service. What I am really hoping that they will replace the lens since it is clearly defected. I would really hate for them to just fix the one I sent and send it back. The bottom line is, I just need the lens to work. However, it would still be nice to have a brand new working lens and not a refurbished one.

So, for those of you looking to buy this lens, be careful. The problem is real and can cost you at least two weeks of wait as well as costs involved of sending the lens to Nikon.

I will let you know the outcome of this situation when I receive answer from Nikon and my lens back.

New York Botanical Garden

2009-04-15T09:41:00.009-04:00

We recently visited the Bronx Botanical Garden also called the New York Botanical Garden and here are a few pictures from there. Some of people, some of flowers.

All images taken with Nikon D700 and a Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G. For more pictures from the Garden, please visit my fotki page.

News

2009-04-09T17:17:00.002-04:00

I also forgot to mention that my website is up and running. It is still work in progress but it's out there. Check it out. Your comments are welcome! www.keselmanphotography.com

Alex @ Krystal's

2009-04-09T17:10:00.004-04:00

Few images from a photoshoot I did in mid January. Click on the images to see a larger picture. More images here. Unfortunately, there were issues with lights or lack thereof. Consequently, I had to work with what I had which is my Nikon SB800. :(

Chiaroscuro Lighting Tutorial

2009-04-09T12:35:00.002-04:00

I stumbled upon a wonderful step by step tutorial on fotki and wanted to share it with you. You can see it here.

St. Maarten

2009-03-31T12:20:00.002-04:00

I am back from St. Maarten and will upload my favorites here soon. Hope everyone is doing well. A small preview here.

Beautiful Greece

2009-03-20T15:04:00.009-04:00

And my beautiful friend Julie in Greece!

Updates

2009-03-20T14:36:00.007-04:00

So I've been missing for some time and wanted to tell you why that is. Well, first the IP Legal world has been keeping me very busy with lots of copyright issues. Second, I've been busy working with Funtasia. And, finally, I've been doing a lot of research, shopping and putting together a studio which I hope to have ready before the end of the summer. Items that I have recently acquired and hope to write further reviews of in the next month:

- Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S Wide Angle-Telephoto Zoom Nikkor Lens
- Elinchrom D-Lite2 Monolight - 200 Watt/Seconds (110-220VAC)
- Savage Background Port-A-Stand System
- Nikon SJ-1 Color Filter Set
- Nikon MC-30 Remote Cord
- Nikon 58mm Clear NC Glass Filter
- Savage 107" x 12yds Background Paper
- Photoflex 45" White Satin Umbrella
- Photoflex Umbrella with Adjustable Frame-45"
- Photoflex 45 Inch Convertible Umbrella
- Impact Two Section Back Light Stand - 3' (90cm)
- 2 Impact Umbrella Bracket
- Impact Air-Cushioned Heavy Duty Light Stand
- Nikon SC-15 Coiled Sync Cord
- Photoflex 32" 5-in-1 Multidisc Reflector
- Impact Multiboom Light Stand/Reflector Holder - 13' (4m)
- Giottos Air Cushioned Light Stand - 10.6' (32.m)
- Tamrac 5586 Expedition 6x Backpack (Black)
- Perfect-Pixs Digital Focusing Target Gray Card
and several books: Photo Idea Index, The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters (Voices That Matter), The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2

Still need/want to get the following items:
- Impact VA903 Five Lamp Fluorescent Cool Light
- Nikon 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Lens
- Elinchrom Umbrella - Varistar - 41"
- 2 Pocket-Wizard Plus II Auto Sensing Smart Transceiver with a Range of up to 1600 Feet
- Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor ED-IF Lens with Hood
- Nikon SB-900 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight
- Gitzo GT-2540G Mountaineer CF Tripod w/G2180 Head
- Nikon MB-D10 Multi-Power Battery Grip
- and a few muslins

I am going to shoot in St. Martin this coming up week. So see you in April already!

More favorites from Mykonos, Greece

2009-03-11T17:10:00.007-04:00

All images captured with Nikon D70, Nikon 18-200mm

Click on the image to see a larger picture.

1/400, f10, 200mm

1/250, f9, 120mm

1/10, f4.8, 48mm

Greece

2009-02-24T15:30:00.003-05:00

I am working on some images from a trip to Greece in 2007. Thought I'd share a few.

My favorite model who hates her pictures!

2009-02-11T10:41:00.002-05:00

Another Birthday, More Pictures!

2009-02-09T16:30:00.002-05:00

The winter for me is always full of birthdays. Here are a few of my favorite shots from recent events.

The Real "Threat" of Photography

2009-02-04T10:04:00.001-05:00

Check out the Colbert Nation Video which Shows the True "Threat" of Photography. Really great video, watch it.

More from the Fashion Shoot

2009-01-31T01:01:00.005-05:00

Fashion Shoot - Hawk

2009-01-30T01:36:00.004-05:00

A preview of the pictures from the fashion shoot I did two weeks ago.

White Balance

2009-01-29T15:12:00.005-05:00

I, like many other photographers, struggled to understand White Balance. I read and experimented and slowly began to understand, mostly on how it effects the image and not always in a good way. :)

White Balance is a part of digital photography that is often misunderstood and not set up properly. White Balance, also called Color Balance, is something well worth learning about as it has an enormous impact on the images you take.

One of the best ways to avoid unnecessary image manipulation at the computer is to make proper use of the white balance controls. Here is what each of the white balance settings do:

Auto - The camera will pick a color balance based on scene content. It has an approximate range of 3000K to 7000K. Most of the time Auto does surprisingly well, even into fluorescent light. In tungsten, however, it tends to be too warm. And, more importantly, it can change the color temperature adjustment it makes for every frame, leaving you with not only a possible color cast but a different one in every image. Auto is a sure way to avoid consistent color and therefore, is rarely a good choice.

Tungsten - sets the color temperature at 3200 Kelvin.

Fluorescent - 4000 Kelvin

Daylight - 5200 Kelvin

Flash - 6000 Kelvin, perfect match for the 550EX and 580EX

Cloudy - 6000 Kelvin

Shade - 7000 Kelvin

Kelvin - allows settings from 2800 to 10,000 in 100K increments.

Custom White Balance - allows you to adjust for the existing light to produce neutral color in your photos. It offers the greatest range, from 2000 to 10,000 Kelvin. Custom White Balance is by far the most powerful of the options and is the simplest way to get the color right. Do remember though, that the right color isn't necessarily the prettiest.

In order to create a good Custom White Balance you need to keep in mind the following:

Custom White Balance must be created in the light your subject will be in.
A proper gray card should be used. You should shoot a "neutral target," which means something that doesn't have any color in it. Any photo gray card will do (can be an 18% or a 70% gray card.)
The card does not need to fill the frame but it does need to fill the center spot metering circle.
After shooting the card, go back to your camera Custom White Balance menus and select the frame you just shot with the gray card.
Make sure you are shooting with your white balance setting to Custom White Balance.

Read a good tutorial on White Balance here.

My fave of us!

2009-01-23T16:11:00.004-05:00

This image is obviously not done by me but is of me and my husband instead. It was taken by our wedding photographer and slightly edited by me. It happens to be one of my favorite ones, at least for this week so I wanted to share it with you.

Nikon D3 and 14-24mm f/2.8 lens -- half off!

2009-01-22T15:55:00.003-05:00

This is freaky and interesting at the same time! Check it out.
Considering that I just paid close to $2,000 for my own 14-24mm, seeing the D3 and the 14-24mm half off hurts!

Birthday's are fun, especially when it's your best friend's!

2009-01-21T12:39:00.010-05:00

So, my best friend Angela has finally caught up to me! She hit 30 on January 19th! I have to say, that it has been many fun and memorable years since we first met back in 1993 (if I got the year right). Angela and I met in a strange kind of way, not your usual hi my name is... I am not even sure we really were supposed to become friends when a late friend of ours, Brendon, introduced us. Despite all that has happened, and believe me, lots has in 16 years, we've been friends ever since and have been through hell and back together. Here is a picture of us 10 years ago.

Well, we celebrated Angela's birthday at Paradise Garden and had a lot of fun. Here are a few pictures (which she hates by the way) from the party!

The Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama @ Times Square!

2009-01-20T13:58:00.016-05:00

It is a cold day in New York today, yet hundreds of people crowded Times Square to watch the swearing-in of President-elect Barack Obama which took place at noon at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. People were very cheerful and extremely emotional. Even though it was frigid cold, it was great to be able to capture the moment. For more coverage check out my fotki page. All images taken with a Nikon D700 and AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G.

Israel Archive

2009-01-16T20:55:00.005-05:00

My girlfriends and I took a birthright trip to Israel provided by Ezra back in January 2005. I found these pictures today in my archives as I reorganize my computer. These particular images were taken off a boat in Holland Heights. For the full albums visit my fotki page.

All images taken with a Nikon D70 and Nikon 18-70mm lens.

USAir Plane Crash in Hudson River

2009-01-15T19:29:00.006-05:00

United Airlines Flight 1549 crashed in the Hudson River earlier today. I took these few images with my small Canon off the building where I work on 33rd Street. The miracle outcome is amazing. I am very happy for all those that made it off the plane safely.

Preview from DJ Pushkin's B-day Party!

2009-01-15T11:12:00.008-05:00

Over the weekend, we went to the unique Rasputin Restaurant and Night Club in Brooklyn for DJ Pushkin's Birthday Party. Alex (aka DJ Pushkin) and I have been friends since we were little kids. One of these days I will post pictures of us running around back in Ukrainian woods while camping with our parents.

It has been some time since we went to the Restaurant for the night club experience. Usually we visit the Russian restaurants for a sit down, drink and dance birthday parties organized by our friends and family. The last time we were at Rasputin was for a friends wedding in October. DJ Pushkin's birthday party was a lot of fun, it was great catching up with everyone and we even caught the Miss RussianNY contest. More on this later!

Here are a few pictures from the party. For the full album visit my fotki page.

All pictures captured with a Nikon D700 and Nikon 50mm f1.4G

Another New Year's shot!

2009-01-06T17:05:00.003-05:00

Holidays are over, work begins!

2009-01-05T17:08:00.004-05:00

So I've been blog missing for some time. Time off was really good but short, as I am sure it was for all of us. We had, what some call, a staycation! It was nice to be home, now back to reality. Here are a few shots I took on New Year's eve. I hope to post the whole album on my fotki page later today or tomorrow.

All images taken with the Nikon D700, AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2008-12-24T13:15:00.004-05:00

50mm f1.4G Sample Images

2008-12-22T23:16:00.005-05:00

WOW! I love this lens. Haven't really had time to test it out much or be very creative but here are the first few shots I took. No editing.

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE A LARGER IMAGE.

Nikon D700, Nikon 50mm f1.4G, F1.4 ~ 1/60 ~ ISO200

Nikon D700, Nikon 50mm f1.4G, F1.4 ~ 1/60 ~ ISO200

I got it and you can too...

2008-12-22T17:34:00.004-05:00

On December 5, 2008 I wrote of how impatient I am and how desperately I wanted the Nikon 50mm 1.4G lens. Well, I finally have it. :)

Last weekend, a Nikon representative at the Nikon School of Photography, told me that the 50mm 1.4G lens shipped to Nikon dealers on December 6, 2008. Sick of waiting on B&H to wake up and finally start selling the lens, I decided to try my luck with other Nikon dealers. I must have called more than 30 places this morning, including B&H (only because they are around the corner and it is below freezing in NYC today) who still claim not to have received the lens.

After an hour and a half on the phone, I am happy to announce that three places I called had the lens in stock. They are:

17th Street Photo Supply Inc. 34 West 17 Street, NY, NY 10011 212-366-9870
Price quoted: $439.00

Calumet Photographic Inc. 20 West 22nd Street, NY, NY 10010 212-989-8500
Price quoted: $429.99

Foto-Care Ltd. 136 West 21st Street, NY, NY 10011 212-741-2990
Price quoted: $440.00

Needless to say, I walked in freezing cold from 33rd & 10th to Calumet during my lunch break and got my 50mm 1.4G. Will try to test it out later today and post some sample shots.

From the latest job I did

2008-12-19T16:51:00.002-05:00

Here is an image from the latest job I did. Something about it I just like. :)

Photography Books I am currently reading

2008-12-18T16:46:00.002-05:00

I am currently reading two photography books. Well, I am actually reading more but these two stand out of from the rest.

Composition - Photo Workshop by Blue Fier is an excellent book about composition. There are probably hundreds of books on this topic, yet, this one is special. it is very thorough and has great image examples. There is an abundance of information on its website and the best part is that it actually has Homework / Assignment sections. These are meant to encourage you to go out and shoot when you are done reading each section and then share your results on a designated webpage. It's great and I strongly recommend it.

Digital Retouching for Fashion, Beauty & Portrait Photography in Photoshop CS3 by Gry Garness This book is awesome. You don't generally find inside information in books and especially on the internet. I have seen very mixed reviews on the Internet and have to say that those that bash the book, obviously have not read it. It provides step by step tutorials with screen shots from photoshop. It also covers retouching techniques not found anywhere else. This book is certainly meant for the more advance kind, but can be followed by a complete novice in the field. I am learning a whole lot from it.

San Fransisco

2008-12-16T11:42:00.007-05:00

My previous job often required me to travel to the Palo Alto and San Fransisco areas. I have to say that I always enjoyed those trips for the beauty of SF and of course for the laid back attitude in our PA office. I never went to SF without my camera and always tried to get at least a few hours of sightseeing and photography in. Here are some pictures from my archives.

Undecided on how I should feel about this...

2008-12-15T12:29:00.003-05:00

I think I am beginning to get disappointed as I find FREE and publicly available instructional manuals with pictures and text identical to those from yesterdays "Light, Color, Technology" class on Nikon's website. I am disappointed because I just paid $159 for exactly the same thing. The difference is that I also got a presentation as well from Bill Durrence and Nick Didlick. However, as I find more material, I may change my recommendation and just suggest you look these materials up and save $159 on the class towards better use.

Nikon School of Photography - Color, Light, Technology

2008-12-14T19:33:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I wrote about my experience at the Nikon School of Photography.Today I attended a more advanced class about Color, Light and Technology. As promised, here is my take on the class. WOW! You get so much information, all for just $159.00. The instructors were Nick Didlick and Bill Durrence. Both were once again brilliant. They made the class entertaining and very informative. In addition to the class, they made themselves available to answer questions in between breaks and shared lots of information. The number of people attending was also half of those who attended yesterday. This contributed to the "I got my moneys worth" feeling you walked away with today. A lot of people who attended yesterdays introduction class returned for more. There were also quite a few professional photographers in the group. I would definitely recommend this class to those really interested in photography, the intermediate and perhaps even the pros.

Topics included:

Planning and packing for a photo trip
Importance of subject placement (spatial relationships)
DX and FX sensors
Speciality lenses and usage
File format choices, focusing on RAW (NEF)
Bit depth
Image processing menus and advanced choices
Color management (strong focus on White Balance): from camera to print
Light: how to control and create with multiple live demos which included studio set up, filters, gels and use of reflectors
Live demo of Nikon Capture NX 2 focusing on advanced editing features
Resizing, sharpening and soft proofing for output
Backup, Archiving and Cataloging
Building a slideshow
When to upgrade your camera and lenses
Tripods and Monopods
Overview of other Photography Workshops and Seminars

There were quite a few giveaways which included various training DVDs, one set of a monitor color calibration program by X-rite and two lucky attendees took home a full version of Nikon Capture NX 2. As always though, I didn't get anything. :(

Nikon School - Introduction to Digital SLR Photography

2008-12-13T17:05:00.010-05:00

In one of my earlier posts I wrote that I will be attending the Nikon School of Photography. Well, today I completed the "Introduction to Digital SLR Photography" class at the Pennsylvania Hotel in New York. Are you ready? What did I really get for my hard earned $119.00? Here it comes... An Introduction to Digital Photography.

The class is exactly how Nikon describes it - "an ideal starting point". You sit through 7 hours of an overview to Digital Photography. To my surprise, 248 people attended. I would not recommend the class to the intermediate and certainly not to the pro photographers. However, if you are a beginner who has never dealt with a Digital SLR and are not the type to read through manuals, I strongly recommend sitting through the class. If you are slow and are only now switching from film to digital, it is probably a good idea to check them out. The instructors, Nick Didlick and Bill Durrence were brilliant and both highly recognized photographers. Bill is an excellent speaker as well, and has been teaching for over 30 years. He managed to turn the 7 hour class (there were two breaks and lunch, which was provided) into an entertaining and informative session. He also does private lessons and workshops. Check out his upcoming photo adventure - Tanzania Photo Safari.

I won't go into details but will say that the class covers basic techniques, shutter speeds, aperture, Nikon menu options, Nikon lenses, light, composition, framing, cropping, Nikon editing software as well as browsers, and backup solutions.

10 things I walked away with?
1. Composition pointers.
2. A better understanding of White Balance options.
3. A better understanding of the VR option on Nikkor lenses.
4. A stronger understanding of shutter speeds.
5. Importance of shooting RAW images.
6. Panning techniques.
7. Auto mode is actually an Auto PhD mode where PhD stands for "push here dummy".
8. A Nikon Calendar and study materials.
9. A Nikon School of Photography class completion certificate.
10. The satisfaction of having to pick a brain of Nikon Pros and having tested the best of Nikon cameras: D3, D3x, D700 (which I own), D90 and my favorite lenses: 50mm, 70-200mm and the 70-300mm.

See you all tomorrow after the Advance class of "Color, Light, Technology".

Will you be attending Photoshop World in Boston?

2008-12-12T16:50:00.002-05:00

Top Ten Reasons to Attend Photoshop World!
# 10 Portfolio Reviews and Help Desk LIVE!
# 9 The Guru Awards
# 8 The Art of Digital Photography
# 7 The Keynote Speech
# 6 Midnight Madness
# 5 Pre-Con Workshops

stay tuned for more!

Icons of Glamour & Style: The Constantiner Collection

2008-12-11T14:37:00.003-05:00

Christie's announced the sale of celebrity photos in NY which will take place on December 16 - 17, 2008. The auction was assembled by Leon & Michaela Constantiner featuring the work of Andy Warhol, Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Herb Ritts, Robert Mapplethorpe & Peter Lindbergh. The sale will include photos of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Kate Moss, Stephanie Seymour, Monica Bellucci & Madonna. More info here...

Trans Atlantic Regatta...or not!

2008-12-11T11:17:00.005-05:00

This one is also from my 2005 archives. We went out to see the Trans Atlantic Regatta, however, due to unforeseen circumstance (the tragic crash of a small sight seeing plane on Brooklyn's Coney Island) we end up not seeing any sail boats and instead did some fishing and then sailing around the Jamaica Bay area.

Google To Add Magazines To Online Database...

2008-12-11T11:08:00.003-05:00

December 10, 2008 - Undaunted by a $125 million copyright settlement over its efforts to build an online library, leading search engine company Google Inc. has announced that it will add magazines to its controversial online book database. The magazines to be added to the company's Google Book Search are New York Magazine, Popular Mechanics, Ebony, Popular Science and the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. Read more...

Have I become the ultimate procrastinator?

2008-12-10T16:04:00.002-05:00

How often do you use the word procrastinator? I can’t say with certainty, but I think I use it at least once a month. For the sake of privacy and anonymity I won’t go into details of why I use it or whom I often call procrastinators. :) (Yes, I absolutely love the smiley faces, so what?)

Well the time has come, and I have recently been called a procrastinator myself. At first I didn't give it much thought but then I began to think about it a bit further. I began asking myself questions such as "What does it really mean to be a procrastinator? Is a procrastinator someone who deliberately delays everything until the last minute or someone who simply secretly hopes that if he/she waits just a bit longer, they won't have to deal with anything? Or is it simply someone who does not have the time to accomplish all that is expected of them in a timely fashion? Or do all of the above mean the same thing? Regardless of the answers, I believe that most of us deferred a task to a later time at one point or another. Let’s admit it, we are all human.

The bottom line is that I believe myself to have procrastinated reviewing, processing and posting many of my images online. Yes, guilty as charged. I am still to upload pictures from my trip to Israel (Dec. 2004), London (May 2005), Italy (June 2006), Spain (Aug. 2007), Portugal (Aug. 2007), Greece (Sept. 2007) and countless other images from the past 4 years, especially those of my 4 months old son. Some of my friends are loosing hope of ever seeing pictures of our endeavors together. My parents, the in-laws and my husband have already lost hope to ever seeing all of our wedding pictures.

Now that I started this blog, I ask myself "Am I procrastinating by finding other things to do instead of processing my pictures or am I being proactive by finally sharing my thoughts and images in a more meaningful way?" I am not yet sure of what the answer is. One thing for certain, every minute spent working on this blog is a minute spent away from photoshop and processing the images. Remember, I am also a mom and have a full time job.

Are you a procrastinator?

Yet another flashback from 2005

2008-12-10T14:43:00.004-05:00

We love to sail in the summer, so I've found a few pictures from 2005 which I haven't posted before. Here they are...

Picture Flashback

2008-12-09T13:08:00.005-05:00

I have been organizing my pictures at home and have found hundreds of photos that I have not processed or posted to my fotki page. Here is one of Feisty Julie from her 2005 Engagement party.

Alien Skin Software - Bokeh Lens Simulation Plug-in for Photoshop

2008-12-08T16:18:00.006-05:00

Don't have the expensive lens you've been wanting? Did not use the correct apperture or shutter speed? Finally, a sofware which quickly and realistically manipulates image's focus just like fast expensive lenses. Alien Skin Software announced on December 1, 2008 the immediate availability of Bokeh™, its new lens simulation plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® and Photoshop Elements. Bokeh is used to draw attention to their subject by manipulating focus and depth of field after the shot has been taken. From changing the depth of field to placing a radial sweet spot and adding a vignette, Bokeh has many tools for realistic blurring and altering the mood of a scene. Bokeh is the first software based on mathematics sophisticated enough to produce distinctive natural blurring and creamy highlights of real lenses. Examples...

Nikon School of Photography

2008-12-08T15:49:00.008-05:00

I've been thinking of taking up some formal photography classes since the last time I took a class was way before digital. This upcoming weekend I will take two classes at the Nikon School of Photography. Introduction to Digital SLR Photography and Color, Light, Technology. I will provide a review of the classes early next week, so make sure to come back and read it.

NIKON UNVEILS A DIGITAL MASTERPIECE: THE D3X DIGITAL SLR

2008-12-08T15:15:00.007-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnwf2RShNV0

MELVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 30, 2008) – Nikon Inc. announced the D3X, an FX-format digital SLR featuring extreme 24.5 mp resolution, superb low-noise capabilities, ISO 100 ~ 1,600, 5 FPS (7 FPS in DX crop) and an Eight Thousand dollar price tag! The problem is in deciding, is it really a masterpiece? Some say it's the same as the D3, with an extra "x" painted on with more pixels and much slower frame rates and ISOs. D3X image quality is about the same as the $2,700 Canon 5D Mark II. In my opinion, Nikon D3 is far better than Canon. But that's just because I love Nikon. Well, not just but... See my favorite comparison between Canon and Nikon here (comparison).

Making Plov

2008-12-08T14:45:00.011-05:00

We had a few people come over yesterday for dinner, so Mike, my husband, decided to make plov. Plov by the way is the traditional dish of Central Asia. Depending on the recipe, plov is made of onions, carrots, lamb meat, cumin, coriander, peppercorns, salt to taste, olive oil, a few garlic heads and rice all in a very heavy pot. I personally love plov and can eat it all day, every day. :) The first time Mike made plov, the meat got a bit burned. Unfortunately, this time he forgot to salt it. Oh well, it was still very good and we all enjoyed it very much. Best of all, I had another cooking lesson.

Who said I am angry?

2008-12-06T09:23:00.003-05:00

Many people ask me what I did to get my son to strike the pose above. Nothing I tell you, except take one too many pictures. :)

Top on my list this holiday season - AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G

2008-12-05T11:57:00.010-05:00

On September 22, 2008 at Germany's Photokina trade show Nikon finally announced an update to the 50mm f/1.4 AF-D. The updated lens 50mm f/1.4G is just perfect and can be used for just about anything. It is also compatible with FX and DX digital, as well as film.

The announcement said the lenses will be available in December. Back in September when the announcement came out I decided to wait to purchase the updated version. And those of you who know me, know that "waiting" is a very difficult task. I am a very impatient person. December 1st, I contacted B&H to see if the lens is available - the disappointing and unexpected answer - "no". The lens will not be available until January. The store does not have it, not even for display. I checked with a friend who works for B&H. Adorama has it listed as "not in stock"with no scheduled date for delivery. Bummer.

Here are some more pictures!

2008-12-04T21:33:00.001-05:00

Image Search Engine

2008-12-04T20:40:00.002-05:00

TinEye Image Search Engine by Idee Inc. searches the internet for your images with your images. It's like google but for photographers. Check it out and try it for free.

http://ideeinc.com/products/tineye/

Today's favorite

2008-12-04T16:24:00.003-05:00

This image is from one of the parties that I shot in November.

Welcome to Irene Keselman's Photography Blog!

2008-12-03T09:57:00.002-05:00

You will find some of my images on this blog. Comments are welcome!