Author: Brendan Rahl

Free Saturday Focus Session Schedule – July

Brendan Rahl

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and at our Englewood store from 10:30 – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.  On Focus Sessions marked Westwood only, Englewood will host a general Question and Answer session from 10:30 am – 11:00 am.

Hit the “Like Button” to let your friends know. Have suggestions for future focus sessions? Feel free to leave a comment. (Comments actually work now!)

Here’s our upcoming Focus Sessions:

July 6 – Concerts & Events

July 13 – Wildlife Photography

July 20 – How to Photograph Waterfalls

July 27 – Critique Your Prints

August 3 – Sensor Cleaning

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below. Hope you can join us!

 

Panama Photo Safari – Tranquilo Bay Eco Lodge

Brendan Rahl

Starting this September, Bergen County Camera is embarking on a Panama Photo Safari with award winning nature photographer Franklin Viola.  Here is a great video detailing some of the sights and adventures available around the Tranquilo Bay Eco Lodge. For more information feel free to check out our original blog post or browse our other posts about the trip!

For more information on how to book this photo safari please contact Bergen County Camera.

Free Saturday Focus Session Schedule – June – July

Brendan Rahl

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and at our Englewood store from 10:30 – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.  On Focus Sessions marked Westwood only, Englewood will host a general Question and Answer session from 10:30 am – 11:00 am.

Hit the “Like Button” to let your friends know. Have suggestions for future focus sessions? Feel free to leave a comment. (Comments actually work now!)

 

Here’s our upcoming Focus Sessions:

June 8 – Portrait Photography

June 15 – Fireworks Photography

June 22 – Longwood Gardens Trip Review (Westwood Only)

June 29 – Get Your Camera Ready for Vacation

July 6 – Concerts & Events

July 13 – Wildlife Photography

July 20 – How to Photograph Waterfalls

July 27 – Critique Your Prints

August 3 – Sensor Cleaning

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below. Hope you can join us!

 

Free Saturday Focus Session Schedule – April – June

Brendan Rahl

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and at our Englewood store from 10:30 – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.  On Focus Sessions marked Westwood only, Englewood will host a general Question and Answer session from 10:30 am – 11:00 am.

Hit the “Like Button” to let your friends know. Have suggestions for future focus sessions? Feel free to leave a comment. (Comments actually work now!)

Here’s our upcoming Focus Sessions:

March 30 – Sensor Cleaning

April 6 – Lakota Wolf Trip Review (Westwood Only)

April 13 – Using LensBaby

April 20 – Using Filters

April 27 – Grounds for Sculpture Trip Review (Westwood Only)

May 4 – Sports Photography

May 11 – Manual Controls

May 18 – Flower Photography

May 25 – Rockland Boulder’s Trip Review (Westwood Only)

June 1 – Bronx Zoo Trip Review (Westwood Only)

June 8 – Portrait Photography

June 15 – Fireworks Photography

June 22 – Longwood Gardens Trip Review (Westwood Only)

June 29 – Get Your Camera Ready for Vacation

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below. Hope you can join us!

 

Free Saturday Focus Sessions – January – February

Brendan Rahl

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about. Our Englewood location hosts a “question and answer” session every Saturday from 10:00 – 10:30 am.

Hit the “Like Button” to let your friends know. Have suggestions for future focus sessions? Feel free to leave a comment.

Here’s our upcoming Focus Sessions:

January 5 – Lenses

January 12 – Gigapan

January 19 – Critique Your Images

January 26 – How to Take Better Flash Pictures

February 2 – File Formats

February 9 -Valentine’s Day Photos

February 16 – Note Cards & Thank You Cards

February 23 – Backup Your Stuff

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below. Hope you can join us!

Free Saturday Focus Sessions – November – December

Brendan Rahl

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about. Our Englewood location hosts a “question and answer” every Saturday from 10:00 – 10:30 am.

Hit the “Like Button” to let your friends know. Have suggestions for future focus sessions? Feel free to leave a comment.

Here’s our upcoming Focus Sessions:

November 3 – How to Design Your Holiday Card

November 10 – Lens Babies

November 17 – No Focus Session – NJ Photo Expo Day

November 24 – Whats in Your Camera Bag?

December 1 – Sensor Cleaning

December 8 – Great Gift Ideas

December 15 – Holiday Video with Your DSLR or Video Camera

December 22 – No Focus Session – Happy Holidays!

December 29 – Winter Shooting

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below. Hope you can join us!

Free Saturday Focus Sessions – September – October

Brendan Rahl

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about. Our Englewood location hosts a “question and answer” every Saturday from 10:00 – 10:30 am.

Hit the “Like Button” to let your friends know. Have suggestions for future focus sessions? Feel free to leave a comment.

Here’s our upcoming Focus Sessions:

September 1 – No Focus Session – Labor Day Weekend

September 8 – Video With Your DSLR

September 15 – F. Stops and Shutter Speeds Demystified

September 22 – Pet Photography

September 29 – Football Photography

October 6 – Foliage Photography

October 13 – Halloween Photography

October 20 – Micro 4/3 Photography

October 27 – Collecting Fine Art Photography

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below. Hope you can join us!

HDR with Photomatix Software

Brendan Rahl

Article by Heather Lang – Bergen County Camera

Photomatix software and demo software available from www.hdrsoft.com

The leading software for high dynamic range photography is Photomatix, and for good reason too. It is loved by many photographers, including Trey Ratcliff who specializes in HDR photography. (He’s one of my favorite photographers!) He published a book in 2009 titled, “A World in HDR” which explains and shows you the steps of the Photomatix software.

  

When I first bought and tried out Photomatix, I found it a bit confusing and intimidating with the many options and toolbars. However with some practice, it’s easy to get what you are looking for in your image and the options can really help you find the right look. The tone mapping can turn a dull photo into something truly surreal looking.

I haven’t tried any other HDR programs out there besides Photoshop’s “Merge to HDR Pro”- which in my opinion is anything less than pro. Compared to Photomatix the images look very ‘blah’ and less detailed. The examples I provided below shows the same batch of images processed with Photomatix & Photoshop. You’ll see a major difference.

 

What I like about Photomatix is the ability to make HDR images from batch processing. So instead of just a single HDR, you can do many at a time. Photomatix also isn’t just to give images a ‘dreamy’ effect, it really can help your highlights and shadows. As an example, look at my river shot. The sky was blown out, and Photomatix gave back some life to it. Overall, I really do enjoy using Photomatix and look forward to creating more HDR images with the program for the future.

We’d love to hear you comments and questions – use the comment form, stop in or send us an email!

Free Saturday Focus Sessions – July – August

Brendan Rahl

Focus sessions are free and take place in the Westwood store from 9:30 am – 10 am and our Englewood location from 10:30 am – 11:00 am. All sessions will allow for questions and answers. Please bring your camera and any images along that you have questions about.

Hit the “Like Button” to let your friends know. Have suggestions for future focus sessions? Feel free to leave a comment.

Here’s our upcoming Focus Sessions:

July 7 – Shooting a Baseball Game from the Stands

July 14 – How to Take Great Party Pictures

July 21 – Lightroom 4 in 30 Minutes

July 28 – Sensor Cleaning

August 4 – Critique Your Images

August 11 – Shooting at The Beach

August 18 – “Blue Hour”/Time Exposure – Shooting at Dusk

These are free events – bring a friend along if you’d like. Share with your friends on Facebook – Click the Like button below. Hope you can join us!