This next picture I was told to take. Well I was told “go take a picture of that swing.” I took the picture of the swing and I became really fascinated about it. I took several different pictures of this swing at various angles and depth of fields to produce different results and feels. I personally chose this shot because I like the angles and the shadows. The swing was probably about 4ft high and you can tell that this swing was made and not one of those prebuilt/premade swings you can buy at the stores. I was tempted to give this swing a shot, but was too worried that I would break it and figured it would make a better eye catcher as a single piece.

The house that we rented has a view that over looks the Volcan Mountains and it provided great sunset and sunrise images. This image is a sunset image and yes it has been modified. The original colors of the sky look just like that of the sunrise images, so I had to make them more entertaining and the reds just make this image happen. This image has a warm, peaceful vibe to it and looks amazing with the red sky. I took various compositional shots of the sunset and out of the images I still prefer the red night sky.

5:30AM: I was woken up at 5:30 in the morning to take a picture of the sunrise and this is what I got. The sunrise has some amazing colors to it and the silhouette gives the whole image a relaxing feel to it. I don’t know what to say here, except that the sunrise was amazing.

Lastly we visited Smith Ranch and took their Train Ride and Mine Tour.

View more images of our Julian Trip at http://flickr.com/worlddrknss

The compact 10.2-MP D60 delivers breathtaking picture quality and the versatile handling of a D-SLR, yet is incredibly compact, easy and fun to use.Nikon’s high-performance, 10.2-megapixel DX-format CCD imaging sensor and exclusive EXPEED image processing concept provide added cropping freedom and the ability to make larger prints.With fast startup and split-second shutter response, the D60 eliminates the frustration of shutter delay, capturing moments that other cameras miss.Capture sports action, precious moments and fleeting expressions at up to 3 frames per second, for as many as 100 consecutive JPEG images.Nikon’s Active Dust Reduction System activates automatically, along with Airflow Control technology to reduce the amount of dust that reaches the sensor.Intuitive controls and an onboard HELP Menu System with Assist Images make the D60 truly easy to use, enabling everyone to capture beautiful memories perfectly.Nikon’s original digital image processing concept, EXPEED, comprehensively optimizes pictures, shot after shot.Beautifully styled, the D60 makes high-performance digital SLR photography easier and more convenient than ever. You’ll be amazed at the power packed into a camera that weighs just over 16 ounces.Playback images are easy to see and function menus are easier to use with a larger and brighter color LCD monitor. The large 2.5-inch LCD monitor enables image preview at up to 19 times magnification and has large type fonts with easy-to-view menus. Auto rotating LCD display provides automatic horizontal and vertical graphic display orientation.The D60′s Assist Images help you select the appropriate settings for many camera features by showing an example image typical of that setting, as well as an advanced HELP Menu for the current item selected. The D60′s Question Mark icon (?) indicates that help is available for the currently selected item; just press the HELP button beside the LCD monitor to see a context-sensitive HELP page.The D60′s 3D Color Matrix Metering II evaluates each scene for brightness, color, contrast, size and position of shadows and highlights, selected focus area and camera-to-subject distance, comparing that information against an onboard database of more than 30,000 actual photographic scenes. The result delivers instantly and precisely determined exposures for each scene, even in challenging lighting conditions.The D60′s Optimize Image setting lets photographers adjust color, contrast and sharpening, as well as other image settings, according to the type of scene or output desired. Settings include: Normal, Softer, Vivid, More Vivid, Portrait, Custom and Black and White, each of which are automatically adjusted based on sophisticated Nikon algorithms or user-selected settings for optimum results.Nikon’s innovative i-TTL flash control evaluates flash exposure with incredible precision to achieve better automatic flash balance and deliver outstanding results. The built-in Speedlight is always ready to bring beautiful exposures to darkened conditions, as well as add sparkle for fill flash in outdoor situations for enhanced twilight shots or an added impact to daylight images. In low-light or back-light situations, added illumination from the built-in Speedlight can make the difference between an average snapshot and a dazzling picture.The D60′s advanced 3-Area AF system and the refined algorithms inherited from more advanced Nikon digital SLR cameras deliver fast, efficient and precise Autofocus. AF refinements deliver greater precision with fast, more consistent subject acquisition and improved focus tracking for consistently sharper pictures

What You Will Get:
Nikon D60 Body
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:2.5-5.6G VR Lens
Nikon DX AD-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1:4.5-5.6ED Lens with Lens Hood
Sigma DG 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 Macro Lens with Lens Hood
Nikon Wireless Remote
Nikon Hotshoe to PC Sync Adapter
Extra Nikon Battery
Nikon Battery Charger
USB Cable
Nikon Software
Nikon Manual
Nikon School: Understanding Digital Photography
Nikon School: Fast, Fun & Easy
SanDisk 4GB SDHC Extreme III Memory Card
SanDisk SDHC Memory Card Reader
How To Photography Absolutely Everything Book

I am asking $500 OBO. Cash & Pickup Only.
Serious Buyers Only.
If interested please contact me at charles[at]charlesshowalter[dot]com

Nikon D60 Review

—– No More Studio —–

To begin with my studio has been done all summer long, because I keep going through pc sync cables. Not sure if this is because of bad build quality or my strobes just giving them to much power and they are shorting out. Either way, it has become problematic and has influence my decision to step up from entry level strobes to more reliable, professional strobes that I hope to purchase in the near future. If you plan to purchase any products from Impact, make your decisions carefully. I have gone through 3 sync cables already and one of my strobe switches has failed.

—– New Lens —–

After that I decided that it would be time to practice more on-location shooting and it couldn’t happen at the perfect time. I finally got the opportunity to purchase the Canon 70-200L IS USM lens. The quality of this lens is nothing more then spectacular, which it should be considering that its a professional lens and the amount of money that had to be forked over to purchase it. Here is just one example of the quality this one produces:

—– Kristy & Nik’s Wedding —–

June 12th, 2010 Kristy Younker and Nik Taylor were officially Married at 3:01PM. The wedding was beautiful and the colors were fabulous, but it wouldn’t make for a special day without any mishaps. The flower girl ended up having a vey tough task. First the ring bearer threw the rings so she had to go back, pick them up and carry them down the isle, second she had to make sure the ring bearer got down the isle, third she had to give the rings back to the bearer and lastly finally got to throw her flowers. Following the ceremony people began to get seated, get their drinks and appetizers while food was being prepared by the catering service.

—– Morro Bay —–

Every time I go to Morro Bay I have a blast. This past summer probably was the best trips of them all. Firstly we went on one of the new tours that they were having, and the owners were only charging $10 for Adults and $5 for Children. The tour consisted of going to the Dunes for the kids to do a treasure hunt then doing a short harbor tour. The total tour was suppose to last for a hour. We were lucky and we ended up getting a private tour that lasted for roughly 3 hours, and we even got to take the treasure hunt and got some candy. The boat owner was from Fallbrook, California so we immediately had a connection and just chattered away. We even got a special drop off at one of the docks that our family was relaxing at. And on top of all that, the house we rented had the most spectacular view thus far, the only downside that it didn’t have A/C and it was unusually hot for Morro Bay. This is what Morro Bay looks like at night from the view of the house we rented.

—– Palomar Observatory Campground —–

We went camping at Palomar Observatory Campground for a night, but the week that led up to that weekend was very busy. Not only did we have to go to Hemet twice, once to get a hitch installed and then to get a transmission cooler installed, but there was much needed work that still needed to get done with the camper. So that took a few days, then we took the camper down to get new tires installed. Great! Everything was ready to go. We get to the campground and a whole lot of trouble started to arise. 1.) The camper did not want to level, there I eventually lifted all the jacks and brought out the tap measure to get the frame level. 2) The auxiliary power decided that it didn’t want to work, so had to spend several minutes under the camper tracing the wires and making sure all ground contact where still intact. Eventually got the power working. 3) The door did not want to fit properly and left huge gaps between the door and frame. So I had to fix that issue, which took a while. Eventually got all that done and was able to relax for the remainder of the day. It was nice just being able to do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day. We were taking it so easy, that we actually went to the vegetarian restaurant twice for breakfast and dinner. It was a fantastic day, despite all the work during the first part of the day and being attacked my mosquitoes. Unfortunately I did not take any pictures. I was extremely tired and exhausted to do anything.

—– MacBook Dies —–

I finally got the money to get started on purchasing some new strobes. I was very excited that I finally get to purchase my first professional studio strobe and guess what….my MacBook died. Ugh! I know that it was aging, but couldn’t it just have waited a little longer, preferably another year. So I had to purchase a new laptop with the money that I was going to use to the new strobe. No, I did not buy another Mac. So now that is going to have to wait, but hopefully I have at least one by the end of the year. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

I bought one of these for a couple reasons. 1.) Didn’t have enough to buy another MacBook 2.) Their chargers suck. I gone threw three of them and was not willing to put out $95 for a new charger every couple months. 3.) Windows 7 offers similar performance compared to Snow Leopard. 4.) Performance vs. Price

We have a nice size background and plenty of objects to photograph or use. We have flowers, roses, lanterns, lights, cacti, bird houses, two canopies, a large table, two chair swings, two grills, a shed and of course the fencing. Each area of the our background presents some sort of challenge, such as lighting and /or composition. The goal when backyard shooting is to not move anything, and use your brain instead. For example, if you want to photograph a flower, but you keep getting an ugly backdrop try moving five steps to the left and then five steps to the right. This changes your composition which may help you avoid that ugly backdrop. Another example, if want to photograph a flower, but half of that flower is in shadow and the other half is in direct sunlight what do you do? At this point you can begin to learn how to modify light in your favor. You can use a flash to fill in the shadows, you can use a reflector to fill in the shadows, or you can use an object to block or diffuse the direct sunlight. All are possibilities.

I do encourage everyone who has a backyard or a local park to get out there and photograph anything and everything and put use some of the examples I listed above. You will be amazed at the results you can achieve. Still to this day, I use my own background as a practice ground and I still continue to learn new things. After all, we are in an industry that is always changing and evolving, which means we must also do the same.

I know of some photographers that do not have a color controlled workflow and viewing their images can sometimes be painful. If you do not have a controlled workflow you risk many issues. The biggest issue when editing in a non-colored controlled workflow is skin tones. I have seen many images where people are very yellow, when they shouldn’t be. I have also printed out some of these photos for a second opinion. I use a high quality Epson Stylus Photo printer that is also color controlled. In the end it is extremely important to have a color controlled workflow so that prints match what they look like on screen.

Second, what is my style. I am going to be honest and say that I am still learning. I have not come to terms on a particularly style as I am a college student, so I am constantly trying out new techniques and styles. For the majority of my images at this moment I keep them as real as possible to the scene in which they were taken in. I do occasionally deviate from that and try out new exciting techniques and styles.

Third, consistency. If you have checked out my portfolios page, or my flickr page you will noticed that all my images are consistent and share a similar style. This way there are no shockers when it comes to final printing, displaying online or to the client. The image must feel right, and this is something that every photographer has to deal with. I am very critical when it comes to my images and I am often told to let others judge my work.

Following the rehearsal the invitees went to Journey’s End at Pechanga Resort and Casino for the rehearsal dinner. Unfortunately I was not an invitee. The following information was provided by one of the bridesmaid, Tonya. The dinner started with happy hour where everyone was talking, drinking, winding down, and having a great time. The dinner was self served and the food consisted of lasagna, pasta and garlic bread.

June 12th, 2010 Kristy Younker and Nik Taylor were officially Married at 3:01PM. The wedding was beautiful and the colors were fabulous, but it wouldn’t make for a special day without any mishaps. The flower girl ended up having a tough task and she handled it very well. First the ring bearer threw the rings so she had to go back, pick them up and carry them down the isle, second she had to make sure the ring bearer got down the isle, third she had to give the rings back to the bearer and lastly finally got to throw her flowers. Following the ceremony people began to get seated, get their drinks and appetizers while food was being prepared by the catering service. Everyone who stayed got their choice of carne asada or chicken tacos for dinner. I can’t further comment of the rest of the day, since I left immediately following the ceremony.

I was not one of the paid photographers. Kristy is my cousin and I only shot the wedding ceremony because I was asked personally by several people to take some images. Some of the information was provided by Tonya.

Shooting the event was a major challenge being limited to where I was allowed to go, battling against the hundreds possibly thousand of people and other photographers jumping in the way. Towards the end I eventually disregarded the rules and walked next the mats before I was eventually told to leave, along with the other hundred people who were standing around taking pictures of the kids.

Escalate Live 2010 had eight inspiring speakers all bringing their personal experiences to the table and sharing them with everyone.These eight speakers are: Dane Sanders, Becker, Jasmine Star, Julieanne Kost, Jerry Ghionis, Jessica Claire, David Jay and Jeremy Cowart. Each and everyone had something to offer to help you become a better person at running your photography business.

Dane Sanders: Kicked the whole event off with a speech on collaboration. When Dane talks about collaboration what he is referring to is that fact that photographers “should be for each other” or “being for each other”. Another key note in Dane presentation is that there are many benefits to photographers coming together in a community and sharing their ideas, techniques, and collaborating with one another.

Becker: Talked about the ABC’s of Success: Attitude, Branding, and Connecting. Becker motivated people to have a better attitude and shared a bit on power of a positive attitude. One of Becker’s keynotes is that a photographers attitude can make or break a client. If you go into a shoot with a positive attitude that client is more likely to refer you and remember you. Becker also explains all the hype around “branding” and what branding really is about. Branding is all about feelings. Good, bad or indifferent. Becker’s goal for everyone is to connect with your clients and other vendors and provide a positive experience for everyone.

Jasmine Star: Talked about the power of social media and how she uses it to her advantage. She also shared examples of how other companies are using social media to gain presence. An example she used was “Pink” by Victoria Secrets facebook page and how the two girls who maintain that page are real. One of J* most important points in her presentation is to be yourself. She stressed this over and over again.

Julieanne Kost: closed day one talking about Adobe Photoshop CS5. She talked about how there are two versions of bridge which she called “little bridge” and “big bridge”. She also noted that Bridge is now part of Photoshop again instead of being its own application like is was back in CS3/4. She also talked about the new content aware fill, which is absolutely amazing and she talked about the new Adobe Camera Raw 2010 and compared it with the older 2009 version. When she was talking about Lightroom 3 and how CS5 uses the same Raw Engine, I was hoping she would have dropped a release date, but teased us all and said “it will be out soon”.

Jerry Ghionis: Kicked off day two. (I missed most of Jerry’s speech because I had an important final project that I needed to get completed. From the last bits that I got, Jerry is a great speaker, and has the ability to inspire others.) Jerry flew all the way from Australia to partake in Escalate Live.

Jessica Claire: She laid it all out on the line and was real. She was direct, honest and even went beyond and shared some of her not so great images to prove a point. It doesn’t matter what you as the photographer wants, what matters is what the client wants. It’s okay to shoot some images for yourself, but ask the client what they want and connect with them.

David Jay: What an amazing speech. DJ brought everything together and put it in simple terms for everyone. Collaboration and Attitude will get you everywhere.

Jemery Cowart: Ended Escalate Live. Jeremy told some stories, shared some techniques and shared the importants of Vision. He also shared that photography is always a learning experience and that a photographer must always be willing to learn. He was honest and authentic in his speech. He’s a commercial photographer from Nashville and his work is amazing. You have to check out his Voice of Haiti project and his Help Portrait project this coming December. I have been following Jeremy and Help Portrait months before he really pushed the concept, and last December Help Portrait was a huge success.

Sorry if day two sounded a little bland. I was only listening to Escalate Live this day while I worked on finals.

If you missed the conference and would like to watch it, it will be available through a video on demand service in just a couple of weeks. The low resolution rough cut will be available June 7th and the HD fully edited version will be available June 7th. Sign up here: http://escalatelive.com/vod/

This morning we hit up old town during the beginning hours of the Farmers Market because there is less people walking Old Town. This allowed us to quickly get from one destination to the next and take shots without much distractions from people. We accomplished to reach several different destinations and take all the shots that we had planned the day earlier in just about an hour. To check out more images from this session, check out my flickr page.

PS, Do not be surprised if there is a take III, IV or V. I am determined to improve in this area.