Donald Scarinci

Software Is Aurora HDR the Ultimate HDR Software for Mac?

December 28, 2015 Donald Scarinci

In November, Trey Ratcliff and Macphun introduced Aurora HDR Pro software. After a few short weeks, photographers are already calling the app the “ultimate” HDR software for Mac users. So what’s all the hype about? The app is designed to help photographers combine multiple exposures into “high dynamic range” (HDR) images. Macphun, which is known for its award-winning Mac photo software, teamed up with renowned HDR photographer Trey Ratcliff, to come up with what they call “the most advanced HDR software in the world.” So far, the reviewers largely agree. According to PetaPixel: “The tool is designed to be both…

Exhibitions Riverside Square Mall Photography Exhibition

December 14, 2015 Donald Scarinci

The Riverside Square Mall in Hackensack, New Jersey might seem like an unlikely location for an exhibition of contemporary photography, but the Riverside Gallery is hosting “Adventures in Photography (AIP),” a first rate exhibition featuring the work of local photographers. Two of my photographs are featured in the juried gallery show. “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall” features a goose curiously gazing at its own reflection, while “Lunar Landscape” captures the moon against a dark ocean backdrop. The Adventures in Photography Photo Salon Exhibitions Committee selected the photos based on scoring from three independent judges. The judging criteria included excellence in…

General Accessories The Three Best Gimble Heads for Your Tripod

November 30, 2015 Donald Scarinci

To capture great images, the tripod “head” is just as important as the tripod itself. The head not only supports the often-heavy lens, but it also allows photographers to smoothly and quickly point the camera in the direction of their subjects. For wildlife and sports photography, “gimble” heads are the most popular because they allow photographers to precisely move the lens in the desired direction while keeping the tripod stable. However, there are a dizzying number from which to choose. To help narrow down the choices, below are the top tree on the market right now: Wimberley WH-200 Gimbal Tripod…

Lenses Nikon Lenses to Wish For

November 16, 2015 Donald Scarinci

Now that Nikon has refreshed the classic 24-70 f./2.8 and included VR, what other Nikon lenses do photographers want most? Sigma has been catching up to the quality of Nikon optics. Many consider the new art series Sigma 35mm and 50mm prime lenses superior to their Nikon equivalents. Perhaps a good way to approach the “what next” question for Nikon would be to anticipate Sigma. Nikon has a hit with the new technology they are using in the 300mm f./4 lens VR2 recently released. This could become a line of fixed lenses—400mm; 500mm and 600mm. Even if the focal length…

Gear The DxO One iPhone Camera is a First Generation Breakthrough Product

November 2, 2015 Donald Scarinci

The DxO One ends any excuse photographers might have to miss the moment. This palm-size device uses the same one inch 20.2 megapixel CMOS sensor in Sony’s RX100 111, and even takes pictures as a standalone camera without taking the seconds needed to attach it to an iPhone. DxO has been known primarily as a software company, but with the introduction of this little, almost spy-sized camera, that will soon change. Every photographer needs a good travel camera on hand. Unfortunately, even the Panasonic or Leica portable camera is a bit too large for a back pocket. The DxO One…

Software Topaz ReMask: Digital Scissors that Cut

October 19, 2015 Donald Scarinci

Creating masks and selections within photos can be tedious and time-consuming, even for professional photographers that edit images every day. Topaz is taking the pain out of mask making with ReMask, its new plug-in for Photoshop. While there are many editing tools that allow photographers to switch backgrounds, make composites, and selectively adjust images, ReMask is arguably the best. It not only creates a flawless final product, but also is extremely easy to use. In many cases, creating a perfect cut out requires only a few digital brush strokes. To mask an image, the user first outlines the subject that he…

Photographer Calibrate Your Monitor With Datacolor’s Spyder5 Pro

October 5, 2015 Donald Scarinci

Whether you use a Mac or Windows, your computer likely came with a very clear warning: “The color on the printed document may not match the color that you see on your monitor.” For photographers, the difference between what you see on the monitor and the images you print or post online can be significant. It can also be extremely frustrating to spend hours editing an image only to have the printed photo look nothing like you intended. The problem comes from the fact that standard settings for most monitors are extremely bright and often oversaturated. In addition, ambient light…

Photographer Getting the Most Out of Flickr

September 21, 2015 Donald Scarinci

Flickr is one of the most popular websites for posting and sharing photographs on the Internet. However, despite the application’s widespread popularity, many users are unaware of the full range of features web site offers. Flickr allows users to upload up to 20 MB a month for free. If users want additional storage and features, the application offers an upgraded Pro Account for only $25/year. To get started, simply create a profile and upload pictures using a web browser on your computer or directly from a camera phone using email. Last year, Flickr also introduced an iPad app, which was…

Lenses Nikon Debuts Two New Lenses: NIKKOR 500mm and 600mm

September 10, 2015 Donald Scarinci

In July, Nikon announced the addition of two new full frame telephoto lenses. The AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR has a focal length of 500 mm, while the AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR has a focal length of 600 mm. Thanks to the addition of two fluorite elements, Nikon boasts that the lenses are “the world’s lightest lenses available at their respective focal lengths.” Compared to their predecessors, the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR weighs 20 percent less, while the AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR is 25 percent lighter. Of course, the…

Photographer Photographers Flock to the South of France for Rencontres d’Arles

August 24, 2015 Donald Scarinci

Every summer, photographers from all over the world gather in a small city in the south of France. They go to attend a photography festival known as the Rencontres d’Arles (formerly known as the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie d’Arles). Arles photographer Lucien Clergue, author Michel Tournier, and historian Jean-Maurice Rouquette first organized the festival in 1970, and it has since grown into one of the most unique and influential yearly exhibitions in the photography world. Because the Rencontres d’Arles has a policy of featuring almost exclusively new work, it is known for displaying groundbreaking work and launching careers. Every…