Alexander White’s new book, Photographer’s Guide to the Leica D-Lux 4: Getting the Most from Leica’s Compact Digital Camera, is now available.  Apparently, it sold out rather quickly on Amazon; however, it has some early praise from reviewers.

Before digging in the book, my initial concern was that it would be one of these books that just paraphrase manuals, and don’t provide any added value apart their weight of paper. Starting from the first chapter and on, I quickly realized that this wasn’t the case with this book. You can sense that the author is communicating with you his experience and enthusiasm about that camera, and photography in general. The book goes to the essential of each feature, and the author doesn’t forget to share a few tips and insights. -via Amazon reviews

The book carries a retail price of $19.95, but it can currently be had on Amazon.com for $13.46.

Alexander tells me that a new batch is already on its way to Amazon, so you can get in line at Amazon for the next shipment.  If you just can’t wait, you can order the book directly from whiteknightpress.com for immmediate shipment.

Sponsor: Now at Amazon.com – Canon 5D Mark II – Sony A900 – Canon 50D – Nikon D90 – Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS – Nikon D700 – Nikon D300

Shape Collage is one of those programs that makes you go: “Cool!”  I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this program before I received an email today from the Shape Collage creator.

You can watch the above video or read Vincent’s explanation of the program below.

Shape Collage (www.shapecollage.com) is an automatic photo collage maker that creates collages in different shapes in just a couple of seconds.

Shape Collage can take hundreds of photos and, using a patent pending algorithm, automatically arrange them in a collage in any user-defined shape, such as a rectangle, heart, word, or logo. These collage images can be used in any digital setting, such as on blogs or as desktop wallpapers, or be printed for posters and scrapbook uses.

The Shape Collage desktop software makes creating collages effortless, but at the same time it is a very powerful program, as it has a number of advanced features, such as using custom shapes and being able to save collage images in Adobe Photoshop PSD file format with each photo in its own layer. The desktop software is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, and has been downloaded over 600,000 times since February 2009.

Shape Collage Online (www.shapecollage.com/online) is a web application that uses the Shape Collage technology to create unique collages using photos on the web. These collages also serve as an image browsing tool because the individual photos in the online collages can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Shape Collage Inc. was founded in 2009 by Vincent Cheung, who did his PhD in Computer Engineering and is an alumni of Google and Microsoft Research, to make it easy to share, display, organize, and browse large collections of digital media in creative ways.

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B&H asked me to pass along these deals on point and shoot cameras, all of which include free shipping in the US.  Some of the deals are only good through Saturday, November 21.  Hit up the links for more details:

PowerShot SD780 IS Digital Camera – $50 off @ $199.99

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Digital Camera – $20 off @ $179.99

Canon PowerShot A1100 IS Digital Camera – $20 off @ $129.99

Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Digital Camera – $50 off @ $199.99

Casio Exilim EX-FH20 Digital Camera – $50 off @ Price shows up when added to cart (It’s around $311)

Casio Exilim EX-S5 Digital Camera – $10 off @ Price shows up when added to cart (It’s around $105)

Sponsor: Now at Amazon.com – Canon 5D Mark II – Sony A900 – Canon 50D – Nikon D90 – Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS – Nikon D700 – Nikon D300

Adorama has several refurbished Canon cameras lenses and flashes in stock – the inventory has just been replenished.  This might be a good opportunity to save a few bucks on Canon gear.

Adorama’s listings for Canon cameras and lenses are here.  Canon 50D for $929.95, etc.

Nikon users, you can find your Nikon refurbished gear here.

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Canon EOS 7D
Canon PowerShot G11
Canon PowerShot S90
Leaf Aptus II 5
Mamiya DM22, DM28, DM33, DM56, M18, M22, M31
Nikon D3s
Olympus E-P2
Pentax K-x
Panasonic FZ38
Sigma DP1s
Sony A500
Sony A550
Sony A850

Remember, these are release candidates, which means they’ve been pretty well tested and Adobe thinks they are ready for full release; however, it’s recommended that you keep production work to prior versions until the official releases drop.  Expect those to come soon though.  Release candidates mean that the final versions are just around the corner.

Lightroom 2.6 release candidate can be downloaded here.

Camera Raw 5.6 release candidate can be downloaded here.

Lightroom 3 Beta has not been updated yet.

Don’t get scammed by a deal that sounds too good to be true. Photography Bay recommends purchasing your photography equipment from Amazon, B&H Photo and Adorama.

Ah, kids.  When you get a great shot of your child, you feel like you’ve accomplished something.  It shouldn’t be just an “every now and then” type of thing though.  Below, you’ll find a few things we can all do to help improve the keeper ratio when snapping shots of our kids.

1. Get Down

Getting down on the child’s level gives you a great perspective and puts you in their world.  We don’t walk around snapping shots of other adults from over their heads.  Why do we do that with kids?

Don’t be lazy.  Get down on the ground.  Heck, lay down on your belly if you want.  You’ll also get the added benefit of being less intimidating than a giant adult towering over them with a camera and lens.

2. Pick a Single Focus Point

A lot of cameras do a pretty good job at automatically choosing the focus points; however, you can do better.  Tell the camera which focus point you are going to use and frame it up accordingly.

Most point and shoot cameras will let you do this as well.  So, pull out your camera manual or go digging in the menu to put the point of focus where you want it.

3. Choose the Right Focusing Mode for Your Needs

If you are doing a lot of stationary shots while the child is in one place, you can select single-AF and reframe as needed.  If your child is moving around, you need to switch to continuous-AF and hold that focus point you chose on your target as he or she moves.

4. Go For the Eyes

This general rule applies to most portraits.  There are times when you should focus on other things; however, that means you have a specific artistic vision in mind.

When your default is getting a good shot of your kid, put the focus point on the eyes and make’em sharp.

5. Catch Them Napping

What better time to work your magic behind the lens than with a completely still and spontaneously-posed subject.

6. Let’em Do Their Thing

Observe them doing their own thing away from you.  Once they’ve forgotten about your and your pesky camera that makes them produce the cheesy smile, ease in for the shot.

Let your child continue to play or explore.  If she spots you, lower the camera and have a little conversation while encouraging her to go about her business.

7. Work the Angles

We already talked about getting low down on the child’s level above.  While you’re down there, think like a boxer – stick and move.  Rotate around the child from a distance to capture different angles while they are doing their thing.  Even if you’re having the child pose or semi-pose, don’t be static with the same background for a hundred shots.  Change it up, and you might find something you like better than you did when you framed it up for your first shot.

8.  Watch the Background

This goes hand-in-hand with working the angles.  As you and your kid move about, watch what you’ve got in the background.  If you’re at home, it could be the stack of laundry that’s not been put away that you want to avoid.  If you’re at your kid’s favorite park, watch out for other people or the parking lot filled with cars as part of you background.

9.  Shoot Fast

I’ve got two sub-tips that this applies to.

First, get your shutter speed up to stop the action.  Kids play at their own pace.  You don’t want to miss the shot because your shutter speed was too slow to capture that expression while he was moving his head.  As a rule of thumb, I like to shoot at 1/250s or faster for kids.  If you’re indoors, you may have to back this down in available light.  The key here though, is to keep your shutter speed in mind.  If you’ve got Flash Gordon, Jr. on your hands, you’re going to have to use a faster speed than, say, Little Bo Peep.

Second, move the shutter drive over to continuous.  If you are snapping frames in the single drive mode, you’re going to miss the moments in between.  It never fails that one of those moments will be when the smile bends just the right way, and you’ll thank yourself for getting the maximum frames per second.

10. Forget the Smile, Go for the Emotion

Now, this young girl is just working the camera; however, sometimes kids just won’t smile for you.  Or, if they do, it comes across as fake or cheesy.  There are a lot of great emotions that kids will wear on their faces if we’ll just let them.  Capture those when you can’t get a smile out of them.

11.  Talk to Them About Their World

With my kids, I know that Mario, Transformers, Star Wars, puppie dogs, and baby dolls are good conversation topics.  This gets their minds off taking pictures and gets them in a more natural mood.  You can get your own kids more involved with their photographic memories by incorporating their world into your photography.  Years later, these photos of your kid dressed up as Mario or fighting the dark side with a light saber will bring those memories back to you – and you’ll be glad you did it.

If you’re shooting someone else’s kid, take the time to get to know their world and be ready to discuss Sponge Bob, Phineas and Ferb, or Monsters and Aliens.  If you’ve never heard of the characters at hand, let them explain it to you, and they’ll bring you right into their world as you earn their trust along the way.

12. Tell a Silly Joke or Make a Funny Sound

Sometimes, nothing’s better than a simple fart noise.  My 7-year-old won’t produce a genuine smile on command for anything.  Throw out a PPBBTTHHHDD with the tongue and you get a big toothy grin every time.

If you know their weaknesses, go that route instead of the sometimes ill-suited “Say cheese!” command.

13. Show Them the Results

I’ve never been around a kid that doesn’t want to see themselves on the back of the camera.  They eat this stuff up.

Sometimes, with kids that are being difficult, this is a nice carrot and stick to use.  Show them the shots after you get a handful of shots.  Then, you can encourage more poses with the reward of another peek at the back of the camera.

14. Capture the Crazy and Silly Poses Too

Some kids love to be goofballs in front of the camera.  While you don’t want every frame of your kid to be a goofy shot, these poses can often turn out to be endearing to us parents.  You can sometimes use these goofy poses as a carrot and stick as well – do x-number of real pictures and I’ll take some of you being crazy again.

15. Get Someone Away from the Camera to Engage Them

While you don’t want every shot to be of your kid looking away from the camera, you can get some creative expressions and angles if someone other than the photographer has their attention.

16. Blur the Background

This is another good, general portrait tip.  If you are using a DSLR, you can turn the mode dial to “A” for aperture priority and turn the aperture number (called an “f-stop”) down to a low number.  If your lens goes to f/2.8 or lower, you can get a real buttery smooth background.  If it’s a kit lens, just turn in down as low as it will go.

Conclusion

That’s what I’ve got for now. I hope these tips help you get better images of your kids or your client’s kids the next time you are on a photo shoot with them.

If you have additional tips or helpful advice that’s worked for you in getting great photos of kids (whether snapshots of your kids or professionally when working with clients), please feel take a minute and leave a comment below.

The Casio EX-G1 is a 12.1 megapixel point and shoot camera designed to take a licking and keep on ticking. It is shock-resistant, waterproof, dustproof, freezeproof and deathproof.

The EX-G1 should be available in December 2009 and carries an initial retail price of $300.  Check availability on Amazon.com.

More details in the press release below.

Casio EX-G1 Press Release

DOVER, NJ, November 18, 2009 — Casio America, Inc. and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today the release of the EX-G1 shock-resistant, waterproof, dustproof digital camera—the first in the company’s new EXILIM® G brand of digital cameras. With its smart design featuring functional beauty, the EX-G1 embodies Casio’s endurance-minded features and specifications in a sleek 0.78-inch*2 low-profile camera.

Casio first introduced the shock-resistant G-SHOCK® timepiece to the world in 1983. The G-SHOCK brand remains extremely popular among consumers and adventure enthusiasts around the globe thanks to its distinctive, unique design, rugged toughness and practicality, even under severe environmental conditions. In 2000, Casio launched the G’zOne®, a durable, water-resistant mobile phone.

Casio is positioning the EXILIM G brand in an “endurance” category, which demonstrates its determination to create digital cameras suitable for top athletes and adventurers. The endurance category caters to those who never quit challenging both extreme conditions and their own limits. The new model was developed to embody this brand concept, using Casio’s years of experience creating technologies for shock resistance, waterproofing and slim-line design.

The EX-G1 is designed with shock-resistant elements throughout the camera, both inside and out, creating a smart look in a slim-line camera with functional beauty. In addition to capturing high-resolution 12.1 effective megapixel images, the EX-G1 also features modes such as interval shooting and multi-image capture which utilize the camera’s endurance qualities. The interval shooting function can automatically take still photos or movies at fixed intervals, enabling users to capture great shots while engaged in active sports such as snowboarding or cycling*3.

“Whether it is the lifestyle that you have chosen or your career path that requires you to carry a camera tough enough to endure life’s elements, the EXILIM G EX-G1 offers an endurance level that will withstand the demands of your daily routine,” says Toshi Iguchi, senior general manager of Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “The EX-G1, Casio’s toughest camera to date, is a prime example of Casio’s constant devotion to creating cameras to accommodate all levels of photographers.”

Through rigorous testing, the EX-G1 has been designed and created with a shock-resistant shell which passes drop tests including multiple falls from seven feet.*4 Featuring a two-layer construction with a stainless steel outer-casing, the EX-G1 inner body withstands shock and water damage. The camera’s intelligent design is constructed with a resin cover to protect the body side near the shutter and a resin lens ring to protect the lens.

The technologically-advanced design features waterproof performance and corresponds to IEC/JIS Protection Class 8 (IPX8) waterproofing. The EX-G1 can be used at depths at 10 feet for 60 continuous minutes*5. Water will not penetrate the camera even when directly sprayed with jets of water from every direction corresponding to Protection Class 6 (IPX6). Capable of withstanding temperatures as low as 14°F*6, Casio’s EX-G1 boldly captures images where any adventurer goes.

The EX-G1 will hit shelves in December 2009 with an MSRP of $299.99 and will be available in black and red.

*1. As of November 18, 2009, based on a Casio survey of shock resistant digital cameras (excluding protruding parts).
*2. Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards.
*3. A commercially available mount is required to support the camera.
*4. In accordance with Casio’s own standard with reference to the US MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5-Shock, the camera passed a test in which it was dropped from a height of 2.13 meters (7 feet) onto lauan plywood at 26 different angles. However, the camera is not guaranteed to withstand all shocks in terms of damage, malfunction and performance. Moreover, camera shock may result in inability to retain waterproof performance.
*5. Based on testing conditions established by Casio.
*6. Battery life will be shorter than under normal temperature conditions.

EXILIM G EX-G1

Shock-Resistant, Waterproof, Dustproof, Slim-line Digital Camera

Slim-line Design with Toughness Construction

Shock Resistance

The EXILIM G EX-G1 offers the world’s thinnest profile*1 of .78 inch (excluding protruding parts) in a shock-resistant digital camera. The camera passed multiple drop tests of seven feet based on Casio’s own standard*2.

Waterproof/Dustproof

The EX-G1 offers waterproof performance corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 8 (IPX8) waterproofing, and can be used for 60 continuous minutes at a water depth of 10 feet*3. It also withstands water jets corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 6 “IPX6” waterproofing, and can be directly rinsed under running water. The EX-G1 is also impervious to dust, with performance corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 6 “IP6X” dustproofing.

Freezeproof

Withstanding ever the coldest of temperatures, the EX-G1 endures through temperatures as low as 14 °F*4.

Shock resistant/waterproof construction and design

Exterior

The outer body of the EX-G1 is made from stainless steel to withstand external shocks while a polycarbonate cover absorbs shocks to the body side near the shutter. The camera’s wrist-strap holder is made of die-cast zinc to withstand drops while a rotating lock secures the external memory slot cover. For additional protection, the EX-G1 comes with two types of detachable protectors to absorb shocks.

Internal construction

The waterproof inner body of the camera is made from polycarbonate reinforced with fiberglass while a buckle-lock construction is added to absorb impact, using fewer screws to secure the inner body. Additionally, the camera’s frame comes equipped with speaker and microphone filters to prevent water from penetrating the camera.

Lens

To prevent damage to the camera’s lens, a resin ring as been added around the glass casing to ease shocks to the lens area. With the addition of a reinforced, glass lens cover, the EX-G1 is tooled with a multi coating that is water-repellent and prevents light reflection from ruining pictures. To further protect the camera from impact, high-performance damping material has been added to protect the lens unit from external shocks.

LCD panel

The acrylic plate to protect the LCD from water pressure and shocks is 1.5 times thicker than conventional point-and-shoot cameras. The LCD panel features a resin mount to ease shocks to the LCD panel area.

BEST SHOT® functions befitting a waterproof, shock-resistant camera

Interval shooting

The interval shooting function allows users to automatically take still photos or movies at fixed intervals while engaged in action sports such as cycling, snowboarding, and wind surfing*5. With the EX-G1, users can take powerful photos from inside the action, the kind which are usually almost impossible to capture. The shooting interval can be set at 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, or 3 minutes, and the capture time for movies may be set at 3, 10, 20, or 30 minutes.

Great for a variety of outdoor photography scenes

The BEST SHOT function enables users to take beautiful photos just by selecting the desired subject scene. The EX-G1 includes additional BEST SHOT settings suitable for various outdoor situations, such as “snow” and “beach” scene settings, which automatically adjust to prevent subject underexposure due to the brightness of snow or sun. There is also an “underwater” setting to control the tendency of underwater photos to come out looking too blue.

12.1 effective megapixels

This thin stylish model features a large 2.5-inch monitor with 230,400 dots of high resolution and a non-extending 3X zoom lens ranging from 38-114mm (35 mm film camera equivalent).

Intelligent AF

When the camera is pointed at a desired shot, the Intelligent AF function automatically detects the photo subject even if it is not a human face and determines the focus and exposure area accordingly.

Advanced Dynamic Photo function

Casio’s original Dynamic Photo function, which creates composite moving images using the camera’s own high-speed image processing technology, now does even more. When a moving subject is cut out of a number of images and combined with a different still shot that forms the background, the size of the subject can be changed to suit the background image. Additionally, the Dynamic Photo video can easily be converted in-camera into a motion JPEG movie file. Moving graphics such as hearts and bouquets of flowers are included so that users can have fun decorating their still images using the Dynamic Photo function. Casio not only allows users to have fun taking and viewing photos, but also provides innovative new ways for them to create original images, right on the camera.

Wide Screen Movies

The camera also features a wide format (16:9) Movie function. Just press the dedicated Movie button to take beautiful movies at 848×480 pixels.

*1. As of November 18, 2009, based on a Casio survey; *2. Established with reference to the US standard, MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5-Shock; *3. Based on test conditions set by Casio; *4. Battery life will be shorter than under normal temperature conditions; *5. A commercially available mount is required to support the camera.

Sponsor: Now at Amazon.com – Canon 5D Mark II – Sony A900 – Canon 50D – Nikon D90 – Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS – Nikon D700 – Nikon D300

Michael Stern’s new book, Build a Better Photograph, has just been released by Rocky Nook through O’Reilly Media.  Build a Better Photograph focuses on the creative process of photography.  Stern has been a professional photographer for 30 years and has worked with Disney, Warner Brothers and Universal Studies among others.

Build a Better Photograph carries a retail price tag of $34.95; however, it can be found on Amazon.com for $23.07.

More details in the press release below.

Santa Barbara, CA—Build a Better Photograph (Rocky Nook, $34.95 USD) is an excursion into the creative process of an experienced professional photographer. While many books address the equipment, techniques, and compositional approaches to image creation, few describe the steps involved in the development of the picture idea. Michael Stern demystifies the creative process he has successfully employed for over two decades in the fields of environmental portraiture, product photography, 3D scanning, and compositing techniques.

How do artists conceptualize? Where do they get their ideas? How do they incorporate those ideas into their work? These questions and others are explored during actual assignments, along with discussions about the technical and business skills needed to succeed in commercial photography.

The accompanying DVD contains additional images, Virtual Reality panoramas and short videos of photographic sessions, reference tutorials, and much more.

About the Author
Michael Stern, a professional photographer since graduating from Art Center College of Design in 1979, has been working in the entertainment industry with The Walt Disney Co., Warner Brothers Studios, Universal Studios, and Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures among others. He has photographed executives, celebrities, products, architecture and created special visual effects. In 1995, he added digital imaging solutions to his repertoire. In 2000 while working on a project for Disney’s California Adventure he honed his skill set as a digital restoration expert and continues working today on a variety of other projects.

In addition to beta testing hardware and software for several companies, Michael is also adjunct faculty at Brooks Institute of Photography in Ventura, CA as an instructor in digital imaging, reflective metering techniques and location lighting for budding photojournalists. Finally he has produced customized Photoshop tutorials for working professionals who need precise, clear information, presented in an innovative way.

Don’t get scammed by a deal that sounds too good to be true. Photography Bay recommends purchasing your photography equipment from Amazon, B&H Photo and Adorama.

Buy.com has some pretty good deals this week on some cameras and accessories.  Most of the stuff ships free.  Prices are good through Saturday, November 21.

Samsung DualView TL225 12 Megapixel Digital Camera
4.6x / 27mm Schneider lens, 3.5″ Touch Screen, 1.5″ front LCD, Smart Auto, Dual Image Stabilization, HD Movies & HDMI Connection, Orange/Black
List Price: $349.99
Buy.com Price: $329.99
Final Price at Checkout: $269.99
Click here for more

Samsung DualView TL220 12 Megapixel Digital Camera
4.6x / 27mm Schneider lens, 3″ Touch Screen, 1.5″ front LCD, Smart Auto, Dual Image Stabilization, Blue/Black
List Price: $299.99
Buy.com Price: $279.99
Final Price at Checkout: $239.99
Click here for more

Samsung DualView TL220 12 Megapixel Digital Camera
4.6x / 27mm Schneider lens, 3″ Touch Screen, 1.5″ front LCD, Smart Auto, Dual Image Stabilization, Red/Black
List Price: $299.99
Buy.com Price: $279.99
Click here for more

Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 Windows Bundle w/Digital Camera
Buy.com price: $49.99
List price: $99.99
Click here for more

Kingston Twin Pack: 2 x 2GB microSD Card w/SD Adapter
(The above Samsung TL225 and TL220 use these microSD cards instead of the normal sized cards)
Buy.com price: $15.95
Click here for more

Urban Gear Street-Smart Camera Bag/Backpack
Rip-Stop 600D Nylon, Fits 17″ Laptops, 7.15lbs (Black)
Buy.com price: $74.95
List price: $249.99
Click here for more

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I saw this over on John Nack’s Adobe blog today.  Very cool stuff from National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen (you can get lost in the images on his site).

In case you gear heads are wondering, Paul shoots with Canon DSLRs (1Ds Mark III and 1D Mark III, along with the predecessors).  Some of his underwater gear includes Seacam housings and Ikelite strobes.  A more complete list of his gear can be found here.

The book you see pitched at the end of the clip, Polar Obsession, is on Amazon.com here.

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