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Geographically Meaningful Photos
It took Mike Matas’ stunning website with Google Map integration to ultimately convince me to purchase new gear for the D90 which I had initial reservations on picking up because I was unsure of how much use it would get when traveling was nowhere in sight.
I’m a huge metadata freak. I’m very meticulous in applying tags, description and appropriate titles to each photo in Lightroom before uploading to Flickr but one field I often neglected was the Location Field which is where you would insert GPS-derived info(longitude and latitude coordinates). Luckily now I have the Solmeta N2 to automatically embed all that data goodness directly into each shot taken.
Broken Down: Geotaged photograph from Mike Matas’ travels through India.Last few days prior to vacation have been hectic so I’ve managed to only squeeze very few photos with the N2 attached but the one underlining feature of the device I admire already is its internal 10hr-lasting battery and the option for it to use the camera battery as a backup source. I planning for a more thorough review on the device once I put more use to it during our upcoming trip.
Why would you care for all this data you ask? Well, if you’re the kind of traveler who believes getting there is half the fun, geotagging your photos is just another excuse you need to explore places that you might not otherwise think to visit especially in knowing that you’ll be able to acquire the exact position of where each photo was taken.
To me the photos will become more geographically meaningful. Content will no longer just be about “what”, but “where”. It’s part of human nature to want to know more about things that interest you and now more than ever there’s a strong move towards utilizing that mentality at the social level.
Regardless of the type of privacy issues that can be brought up with this type of transparency, I think today’s culture lends itself to a new form of exhibitionism that has changed the way we interact with others. The massive popularity of Twitter itself is the perfect example of how much we relish sharing information about ourselves with others.
At times on Flickr, it’s not enough for me to be fulfilled reading the caption of where a photo was taken but with it comes this innate inquisitiveness of wanting to knowing where specifically and not because I want replicate the shot but because I’m more mesmerized that sharing this type of detailed information is possible.
With the few geotagged photos I dumped into the iPad, it’s incredible sharing them with friends and seeing a beautifully displayed map of where each photo was taken. I’ve mentioned a couple geotagging options in the past but this will be by far the most entertaining.
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iLounge's iPad Case Gallery →
I’ve always flocked to iLounge to find cool gear to accessorize the iPod, the iPhone and now they’ve made it equally enjoyable to do the same with the iPad.
If you’re not a fan of the case Apple sells, the case gallery on iLounge has a stockpile of amazing gear from sleeves to folios, to rubber skins, to screen shields. My personal favorite include: The Cloak, the Wood Case and the iFolio. I can only see the list of manufactures wanting to cater to the iPad growing.
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Camera Hand Strap for the G11
Generic camera straps for some reason rarely feel right for me and I always resort to buying aftermarket alternatives. For the Canon G11 I completely overlooked straps in itself and opted for this high quality leather camera grip for $13 (including S&H) and it’s made photographing more comfortable and stable.
This model is specifically designed to fit the majority of point-and-shoot cameras and it’s been a great addition to the photographic kit. I’ve come across other versions where I wasn’t too sure if it was going to fit the G11 properly but seeing that they used a G10 to demonstrate how the strap works, I went for it.
The plastic attachment screws neatly into the base of the camera where you would normally attach a tripod while providing an extra screw that will still enable you to use a tripod.
The large padded grip has a non-slip surface and provides extra security, comfort and above all, better handling. An absolute indispensable tool that will come in handy when traveling and it gives you that extra peace of mind in taking care of an expensive equipment.
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Loose Thoughts on Photography
With photography being a very gear oriented craft, I really try not to get caught up in the notion that having the most equipment will in truth make me a better photographer.
The real skills come from habitual practice, reviewing the material, making notes on what worked and what didn’t and equally important sifting through endless photographs on Flickr to gain inspiration. There’s nothing more encourging to me in doing all these things or a combination of some.
Buying anything is addicting but the downside to photography is that it’s a costly hobby that can sometimes lead you to spend more than you can afford and need. But if expense wasn’t an issue, in a heartbeat I would splurge on expanding my gear with some impressive lenses and among other knick knacks but that’s more driven on what I “want” than what I “need”.
Define you Intentions
I’ve mentioned the gear and tapped on the process but eventually it’s the combination of what you do with both that matters. The real difficult part of photography isn’t knowing how to make the picture but in determing what picture to make and with that comes deciding what your real commitment to becoming a better photographer is.
I still consider myself a complete amateur when it comes to ability, so I take any and every feedback I get in seeing what else I can do to gain a different reaction from people with my photos.
Perhaps not every shot you take will have that innate condition to stimulate someone but it’s acknowledging those intentions that will greatly enhance that chances that you will.
Frame the Picture
When we travel, even though she may not verbalize it, my wife’s experessions says it all in how irritated she gets sometimes when all I think about is photographing everything.
She loves reading the inscriptions to artwork in museums while I worry more about how to avoid reflections through the glass, or how to gain the best possible perspective or in making sure to adjust the White Balance from place to place. It’s a thrill to photograph and visualize what the end resuls of each shot will look like already framed in our living room and that pretty much outlines what I think about before I shoot.
Finding the Story
The photographs that draw me in are generally always the ones accompanied with a good story. These are the ones that have subtle and surprising details throughout it that lead your eyes in new directions with every glance.
Photos that have this element makes you want to keep searching and imagining more of what you don’t necesssarily see and trying to envision what else was around that wasn’t captured.
Honestly, the most important things to remember is that you feel that you have to take pictures and that you have a camera you’re content with in using and with that, great photographs will come.
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Gift Ideas for the Photography & Apple/iPhone Enthusiast
Buying a gift for anyone can prove to be quite stressful around the holiday season and if you’re talking about a person who’s into gadgets and tech toys, then the task can become even more daunting.
Generally what happens with us tech geeks is that when we want something, we buy it ourselves, which in the end limits the amount of options friends or family have in buying us something they deem special because we already have it.
Inspired by Shawn’s gift guide, for me it’s about photography and Apple gear and every year the process of making a wish list is fun and minimizes the headache my wife may having in buying me anything. Some of the products I personally own and others I just fantasize in having.
For the Photography Enthusiast
- QuikPod
- JOBO PhotoGPS
- Griffin Simplifi
- Kata DR-467 Camera Bag
- Eye-Fi Pro 4 GB Wi-Fi SDHC
- Borrowlenses.com Gift Certificate
- Nikon AH-4 SLR Leather Hand Strap
For the Apple/iPhone Enthusiast
