Four Quick-Take Reviews

Whitewall

There are any number of companies out there that do printing, both large format and on a variety of substrates. One of the oldest and best, is Whitewall.

There are numerous picture framers in cities large and small, but only in the largest metropolitan areas is there likely to be a lab that specializes in photographic printing, especially on a variety of surfaces and with a large range of matting and framing options.

Feet Up. Havana, Cuba. March, 2015

Whitewall is an online company with a world-wide business. Over the past few months I have ordered two prints from them, and I’ve found that their online file uploading and ordering service is second to none. The entire process was smooth and intuitive. I also found that their prices were competitive, and it was less than 10 days later in each instance that my prints arrived. There were extremely well packed and production quality appeared excellent.

If you live in a major city that has a similar printing, mounting and framing company then by all means use them. But if you like the convenience of shopping online, and especially if you live in a city or country where such services aren’t available, then based on my experience I can highly recommend Whitewall.

 PlanIt for Photographers

In the beginning there was The Photographer’s Ephemeris, a brilliant program which allowed photographers to plan their outdoor shooting, taking into account sunrise and sunset times as well as moon phases and positioning. I have been using TPE for more than a decade and have been recommending it to other outdoor photographers without reservation.

But now there is a new kid on the block, and it can only be described as TPE on steroids. PlanIt for Photographers is available for iOS as well as Android devices.

Here are just some of the programs capabilities.

* Where is the Sun or the Moon at the time and the location and to see the animation of the Sun/Moon/Stars/Milky Way movements as in real?
* When and which azimuth is the Sunset or Sunrise today or on any date at any location around the world?
* Where should I go to get a nice view of the scene and possible compositions?
* Do I get a clear view of subject from a certain location where is no mountain blocking the view?
* What lens should I bring in order to capture the whole width or the height of the scene?
* If the scene is too wide, how many shots do I need to take to create a panorama and how many angle should each shot cover and how many angle should I rotate the camera between each shot?
* How do I compose the scene considering the subject’s elevation and the sun or moon location?
* Is tonight a good time for star trail photography? How long can I expose without being affected by the rising moon? Where should I aim at the sky to get Polaris at the center?
* What are the dates and times to have the Milky Way at a certain position on the sky?

I am still in the learning phase with PlanIt for Photographers, but the few times that I’ve used it on location I have found it to be a compelling addition to my collection of image-planning resources.

Being English

Let us pause to consider the English, Who when they pause to consider themselves they get all reticently thrilled and tinglish, because every Englishman is convinced of one thing, viz.: That to be an Englishman is to belong to the most exclusive club there is.

– Ogden Nash

Photographer Patrick Ward has been photographing the weird and wonderful people of his native England for half a century. His photo book, Being English, is a visual celebration of everything that is quirky about the British people. From city to countryside, from mine workers to royalty, the inhabitants pictured in this charming – even wonderful – book remind us of the wry humour and self-deprecation that Brits can exhibit, yet also the unselfconscious haughtiness sometimes present in the English character.

Though I was born in England, I don’t consider myself a Brit. I was too young when I left to have anything of the character of a resident of that damp isle. But every image in Being English made me smile with a small hint of self-recognition and pleasure in being even a tiny bit English myself.

If you buy one photo book this month, Being English by Patrick Ward should be at the top of your shopping list.

 The Madawaska Highlands Observatory

Regular readers know that I’m an avid amateur astronomer. I own a couple of telescopes (one mostly visual, one primarily photographic), and am enamoured of spending summer evenings out under the stars.

But one of the most important ingredients needed for astrophotography, or any form of enjoying the night sky, is clear dark skies.

For residents of north east / central Canada and the U.S. (Ontario, Quebec, New York and nearby states) heavy urbanization has made dark skies more of a childhood memory than a present reality. Without dark skies, the enjoyment and opportunities for amateur astronomy and astrophotography are greatly reduced.

Currently under development is the Madawaska Highlands Observatory,  located in a “dark zone“, a few kilometres south of Griffith, Ontario, by the Madawaska River. It is a 150 Km drive west from Ottawa, and it lies almost exactly midway between Toronto and Montréal, a 3½ hour drive in either direction. Some 20 million people live within a five hour drive of the site.

The Observatory will feature a planetarium, several telescopes for professional use and visitor observing, and also a number of smaller telescopes for use by the visiting public. There will be areas where amateurs traveling with their own scopes can set up and enjoy the dark skies in a safe environment and with available facilities.

As the observatory becomes a reality over the next few years I expect to be involved in working with its developers and in creating programs and opportunities there for photographers.

Michael – April, 2015

Elevate Your Vision

Join our community of passionate photographers.

Access our extensive knowledge archive.

Master the art of landscape and beyond.

Your Email *

Select list(s) to subscribe to

General Interest

Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Luminous Landscape. (You can unsubscribe anytime)

Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.

---

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: The Luminous Landscape Inc. https://luminous-landscape.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the  SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.

By subscribing I agree with Terms and Conditions

Do it later