Telescope Basics

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 08:40:46 -0500

Watch as Shawn and Jeff stumble their way through a new arrival at the store. We’ve started carrying telescopes and want to help you learn some more about them. Unfortunately we don’t know much more, well we didn’t, but now we do.

If you need more information check out
www.celestron.com.

There are also a lot of really great websites out there for more advanced information.

How to Take Better Fireworks pictures.

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 23:08:34 -0500

So, here are a few tips on taking fireworks pictures. First off you need a camera that will let you control the shutter speed. You also will NEED a tripod. I really don’t think you can get really good fireworks shots without one. Then, we recommend a shutter release of some sort, whether its a cable or remote, we don’t want any camera shake. You can use the self timer if you do not have the capability to use a release. Ok, here are the magic numbers.

Your shutter speed should be around 2-4 seconds. You can try longer, but 2 sec is about the shortest I would go. Longer will give you some pretty cool effects, and lots more blasts in the shot.

Your aperture should be around f/11 or so, you will have to play with it a bit to see what works well for your show.

Then try to keep your ISO(film speed) as low as you can. I generally shoot about 100 if I can.

Then go take pics. If you pay attention you can see the mortars going up, that is when you want to open the shutter.

Using a Card Reader

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:18:20 -0500

You know, the best way to download a memory card is with a card reader. It’s faster, it saves the battery in your camera, and you don’t have to use your camera, so it’s free to do other things. Also, we have another new feature this week, it’s called a set, and Jeff! Jeff is our new co-host.

New on Flash Tips

Sat, 10 May 2008 10:04:48 -0500

Welcome to the first every video podcast. We are in the process of switching over to video on a weekly basis.

This weeks topic is filters. Just a basic overview of what’s out there. With digital photography, you really don’t need a whole bag of filters like before. But there are some you should still always have.

Here’s my list of filters:

Digital UV
These are a must have for anyone who shoots in the field. They are a cheap way to make sure your lens does not come home with scratches everywhere.

Circular Polarizer
If you like that nice blue sky, you need one of these. It helps get rid of unwanted light. This makes you colors better, and of course the sky a nice deep blue.

ND Filters (Neutral Density)
These allow you to get slower shutter speeds in bright light, or achieve higher f-stops.
I also use a graduated ND filter. I like them because they help you control exposure range. It allows you to get the sky and foreground to have a closer exposure, and a more balanced picture

I also like to use an 812 Warming filter. This helps make the skin tones warmer when using a flash.

Some of the filters you no longer really need are the ones to help correct for color balance. Those would be the 80 and 81 series, as well as the FLD filter. With a digital camera you can easily change a setting and the good news is you don’t lose any light!

April 25th, 2008 - Archiving Pictures

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:14:57 -0500

Digital photography is a fantastic medium, but it does come with a price. Backing up you digital images should be a huge concern on your mind. Choosing the right medium for you is what this podcast is all about. From hard drives to flash drives to CD’s, find out what the best option is.