In this issue:

Photo Software Discussed

As promised, this newsletter is all about different kinds of photo software, not just image manipulation packages (which I won't deal with here).

Since what we're all interested in is landscapes, light is an important factor in any of our pictures. Shooting at the hour around sunrise and sunset gives the best opportunities. The light is much warmer in tone, which lends it the name "golden hour", and makes the scene more inviting. The low angle of light gives a wonderful relief to detail in your images as well.

So, how do you find out when and where sunrise and sunset occur in your neck of the woods so you can make the most of these opportunities? You can certainly find sunrise/set tables on the web but these are usually for major cities rather than specific locations. And few, if any, will provide the compass directions of the rising and setting sun to aid you in planning a shoot.

Now, before I tell you about the piece of software that will give you this information, let me say that I've written this software so this is a shameless plug by me for it! If you're wondering about the quality of the software check out the reviews for the Pro version or what users have had to say about it and me(!). Ok, the software's called LunarPhase Lite and what it does is give you the current phase of the moon (you can shoot night-time landscapes under a full moon), times of moon rise and set, times of sun rise and set, times of twilight (i.e. the golden hours lie in here), compass directions for the rising and setting sun and images showing those positions. It also shows the positions of the sun and moon throughout the day. An inbuilt calendar (monthly calendars can be printed out) lets you select whatever date you want. All this information is calculated for your exact location, or the location of your shoot. All you need to do is enter your latitude and longitude.

Using this software, I know how long twilght lasts and when it starts and ends so I can factor that into travel time and setup time at a location and know how much time I'll actually have to shoot. It takes the uncertainty out of going on location in the hopes I'll have enough time to take photos with good quality light.

What it won't do is predict the weather! But, while you can check the weather on the web (see the Weather Page for examples and weather resources), there is also software available that can make predictions for you, or at least show you your local weather. WeatherScreen is a free application that provides weather information for several hundred cities around the world, all updated over the web. It provides a selection of weather and forecast maps so you should be able to find out what the weather is like in your part of the world.

If you use a digital camera (I do myself) and that camera is an SLR, then it most likely can record images in RAW format. In general, you should record your images at the highest resolution possible. If you only have a small memory card then buy a bigger one! [They don't cost much these days]. You can always shrink an image after it's taken but you can't enlarge a small one without introducing artifacts. At the very least, you should have your camera record images in Hires JPG format but RAW format is even better.

Any kind of JPG written to your camera's memory card will be processed in some way. JPGs, by their very nature, lose information in an image. If you repeatedly save a JPG, you'll lose more and more detail in it and see more artifacts appearing. Also, if you've set your camera up to do some image manipulation (e.g. contast/brightness adjustments), these will also be applied before your camera writes the image out to the card. In such cases, you could end up with images that have burned out highlights or shadows that are so deep that they contain no detail. Such areas of an image may be irreparable even with the likes of Adobe PhotoShop.

RAW images, on the other hand, are simply that - raw. What the camera sees is dumped (without any image manipulation whatsoever) onto the memory card. RAW images also tend to contain more information and detail and have larger file sizes than similar resolution JPGs. The problem with RAW files is that they've not been the easiest to work with; for example, Windows Explorer cannot show RAW files as thumbnail images so, unless you've renamed your image files with meaningful names, you won't know what the images are when you come back to them a couple of months later.

This is where RAWShooter Essentials (RSE) comes in. This software lets digital photographers of all abilities import, view, edit and convert large batches of RAW files. RSE is currently free - it won't be for too long - so grab a copy now. The only thing you need to do is to register your application. The idea behind this is that as many users as possible give RSE a try and then decide to buy the next version which will add more workflow and imaging features. Having used it, it makes working with RAW files a doddle; much easier than using the software that came with my Canon EOS 300D.

If you're looking for a larger memory card and your camera uses CompactFlash II cards, MagicStor have produced a microdrive CompactFlash II card that offers a massive 2.2Gb storage for only $99.99 (approx. GBP£54). 1Gb cards cost anywhere from about $60 to over $100 so the MagicStor looks like a bargain. I've even ordered one myself. These were available from TigerDirect but are no longer available. TigerDirect also have bargains on other types of memory card. However, the Magicstor microdrive is still available on eBayat even cheaper prices (as little as $50). Just do a search for "MagicStor".

One thing we all like to do is send photos to friends and family and while some of us have high-speed internet connections, many still don't. Downloading a huge image can be a real pain for someone using a dial-up modem. A Smaller Image is free software that reduces the size of digital photos in a snap. All you need to do is select the output size and pick just the right part of a picture to keep and it produces a file that's suitable for emailing or even uploading to a website.

Have you ever seen those photo cubes - the ones with a different photo on each face of a cube? Now you can produce your own with the free Paper PhotoCube software. Just drag your selected images onto the template and click print. Or, save a JPG version for emailing or publishing on the Web.

I received the following question from a reader recently:

"You mention hyperfocal distance and focusing on the 15 Simple Landscape Photography Tips page on your site but don't say what these are. Can you explain them?"

Good Point. I overlooked adding some info on those. Sometimes when shooting a landscape, you want everything sharp from the front to the back of the scene. Setting a small aperture such as f/16, f/22 or even f/32 can help, but if you really want to maximze depth of field, hyperfocal focusing is the technique you need to use.

To do this, you need a camera where you can switch to manual focusing and a lens inscribed with a depth of field scale (not all modern lenses have these markings these days, especially zoom lenses).

Hyperfical focusing is based on the the fact that depth of field typicallly extends 2/3 behind the point focused on and 1/3 in front, but if you focus on infinity, the depth of field behind is completely wasted. You can make use of it if you refocus, putting the infinity mark (an "8" on its side) on the focusing ring against the aperture set on the depth of field scale. If, for example, you set a 28mm lens to f/11 and focus on infinity, everything from about 6 feet (2m) to infinity will be sharp. Align the infinity mark against the f/11 position to give hyperfocal focusing and the depth of field now extends from 2 feet (0.7m) to infinity, which is essential if you want foreground interest to be pin-sharp.

I'll be adding a page on this with illustrations to the website in the next day or so.

Recently launched by UK-based company SmartDisk, FotoChute is a stylish and portable storage device which quickly saves and stores digital images. It has a 20Gb storage capacity, weighs only 150 grams and measures 3.1x2.7x0.9 inches and connects directly to your camera and copies and stores files with just one touch. Connection to a PC is via USB 1.1 or 2.0. The device features a LCD screen which shows menu and navigation options. Looking around the web, I found a similarly specified Fotochute model in the U.S., although this one doesn't seem to have the LCD screen. If you can live without that, the price at $199.99 is almost half the UK price. This device might be something to consider if you shoot a lot of photos, especially away from home, and don't want to carry a load of memory cards around with you.

If you've recently bought a Canon 350D or 20D digital SLR, Canon are giving cash rebates for accessory purchases in Europe, specifically: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom. Cash Back of between €50 and €150 is being offered on selected Canon EF lenses, Speedlites and the Canon A3+ Inkjet printer i9950. The offer is open until 31 December 2005. For more information, go to Canon's Promotion site: http://www.canonextrapromotion.com/intro.aspx

Besides Canon's cashback offer for EOS 350D and 20D owners, Pentax are also providing cashback offers - €100 cash back if you buy a *ist DS with a DA 18-55mm AL lens or €50 cash back on the body only. More info at http://www.pentax.co.uk/photographic/promotion/

Nikon were offering a similar scheme for their D70 digital SLR model but their offer closed on April 30th.

I went to search for something on the Great Landscape Photography site and realized I'd forgotten to add a site-search facility! Expect that to appear in the coming days as well. I'll also be adding a page on Nikon cameras.

Other site news since the last newsletter: I've updated the Photo News page and added two new subpages that provide daily updates on nature/landscape photography and digital camera equipment.

A Photo Articles page has been added. Articles will be added on an ongoing basis; if you've an article, why not send it in?

A PhotoShop Techniques page page has also been added. This provides tutorials on how to correct common problems with images, such as straightening a sloping horizon and removing purple fringing from photos.

A new page on using an Ultraviolet filter has been added.

If you have any thoughts about the things you would like to see in future issues, please let me know by using the feedback form to do this.

In the meantime, visit Great Landscape Photography to catch up with the frequent updates and keep your film dry, your digital sensors spotless and your lenses clean!

Warm Regards,
Gary