JPEGmini has been around for a while now, as a web-interface as well as a standalone app for Mac OS. The clever software that shrinks your JPEG files up to five times from their original size without compromising image quality ist now available as a standalone app for Windows as well. The great thing about JPEGmini is that it creates 100% compatible JPEG files, but uses a special compression algorithm to reduce file size even further, without degrading perceptional image quality. We’re not sure what wizardry they’re using, but you can learn more about it on their website.
JPEGmini can be purchased for US-$ 19.99 via the JPEGmini website or from B&H Photo.
Via SLR lounge
The Apple iPad Mini turned lots of heads, had some people scratching their heads, and sooner or later became quite the hit. Photographers love the iPad. It is an excellent way to show off a portfolio, as it is small and can accomplish many of the tasks we often need to do. But with the release of both the iPad Mini and iPad 4, why would a photographer prefer the Mini over anything else?
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So, this morning, I woke up to a shocking email. SmugMug was increasing its pro accounts by $100 USD for my next renewal. The reason is storage cost. Many are complaining as I type this. I am not happy myself. I was actually attempting to take my photography beyond the hobby phase. I had been building my business model around SmugMug and its pricing. Many photographers find this price increase too drastic and shocking. Hundreds of complaints have flooded in and Smugmug has handled it well so far. For SmugMug they run the risk of alienating a lot of newer photographers due to the fact that there are lower cost options available.
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Models are interesting creatures. They can very picky and complicated or they can be the complete opposite and need coaching and hand holding the whole way. Every once in a while, you’ll hit the jackpot and get that perfect person that knows exactly how to model while taking whatever suggestion you throw at them (within reason of course).
If you’re just starting with shooting actual models, it can be quite intimidating. You want the model to feel comfortable that you know at least a little bit about what you’re doing while at the same time being able to direct the model to get the shot you’re looking for. Also, you have to do all this while building a relationship with the model so they will let down their “photographic guard” for you. This is what I call it when someone is just posing for you instead of emoting, and it comes across in the picture.
Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog posting by Travis Lawton, the Lawtographer
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You’ve heard the bad excuses for not wanting to pay a photographer, but the sad thing is that many aspiring photographers still get caught in traps when they’re first starting out. When you get caught in said traps, it can be tough to get out of them. Unfortunately, they can sometimes lead you into bankruptcy, heavy debt, unemployment, or bad legal issues. As a guy that is a former professional, I’ve seen and experienced much of it.
These are the traps that many get caught in.
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As the blog has grown and evolved over time, it has come for a portfolio page to become necessary. The reason for this is because of the types of people coming into the blog. We’ve got the demographics of usual gear heads, photographers of all ranges, enthusiasts, learners, and clients that are curious. As so without further delay, I present to you the Portfolio page.
