Photography Tips, Tricks & Techniques; Frequent Asked Questions from students & amateur photographers.

© Gunther Deichmann -
“liquid colors” on the Tonle Sap,
Siem Reap Cambodia
Q: Could you give a brief
description of yourself as a photographer?
A: Pls. check my Bio at
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/home.html
Q: What are your
motivations/inspirations to become a photographer?
A: Again, the answers you find in my
Bio.
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/home.html
Q: In your opinion, what makes a
good photograph?
A: Personal style, uniqueness,
exposure, composition and originality.
One of my favorite quotes is;
"You
can take a thousand images but only a few will set
you on fire,"
Q: I can't buy
expensive lenses. A Nikon D40 is all I have.
A: The Nikon D40 is fine, you be
amazed the images you can create with just one Camera
and a standard lens, think before you shoot.
Understand your Camera, its limitations and work with
what you have got. Remember the Camera is only a
tool; the actual image you create is prior pressing
the shutter.
Q: What is some of the essential
camera equipment one should pack into their camera
bag for travel photography workshops?
A: I am recommending a Digital SLR
with one or two lenses, no need for high power
telephoto lenses and a small tri-pod (equipment also
depends on the type of workshop) Of course you should
bring along a laptop for up-loading your images, with
software installed for editing. CF cards and readers,
a small memory stick, and if possible an external
hard drive, plus spare Batteries & chargers for
your Cameras and Laptops. If you have a small flash
(strobe) then bring that along too. Small flash
light, a raincoat or small Umbrella, good solid
walking shoes & some insect repellant.
If you have a small compact camera bring it along,
these can come in very handy at times.
Q: What are some of the items and
camera equipment you have in your camera bag?
A: Basically the same what I have
described above, but I always carry two cameras
bodies and additional lenses, but when we go into the
field I only bring one camera with one lens to show
the students what can be done with little equipment.

©
Gunther Deichmann - Children of Cambodia, Phnom Penh
original color image converted into B&W using the
Monochrome Mixer in Aperture 2
Q: What are your favorite
photography subjects during travel?
A: It all depends entirely on the
given assignment, but I usually have a Theme/Story or
a subject planned out, but then you never know what
is around the next corner, you have to be ready all
the time and make quick decisions.
Always expect the un-expected!
Q: How does image editing
applications like Apple Aperture 2, Lightroom and
Adobe Photoshop factor into your photo management and
editing?
A: I use the Computer just for
up-loading and basic editing, however part of the
learning curve is to understand the software and the
workflow after the shoot, caption your images, using
only minor adjustments for the RAW files.
Try and get your image right in the first place, your
exposure and composition. Don’t rely on Photoshop for
fixing things later.
Working with Aperture 2
on my Mac is pure
pleasure, speed and integration, easy access to my
Aperture Library. A great image management system,
even when you use older scanned but digitized
images, simple import them from any of your hard
drives.
Q: You have done work for many
prestigious global publications. How is it like to
shoot for these renowned publications?
A: Very tough but awesome, e.g.
for Stern Magazine,
Germany I spend weeks to get the images
on the killing of wild Horses in Australia.
Another good example was my three-month assignment
for Animan Magazine
(Switzerland)
covering the Mekong River, a tough but also very
rewarding trip, the final article was published
later over 24 pages.
Q: What is your advise for new and
up coming travel photographers?
A: Research, research and more
research, and try to make friends on your Journeys,
it helps if you return one day.
I guess that is all for today, there are many more
questions and answers but they have to wait until
next time.
GD
Photography & Aperture 2, Friday afternoon at Café Havana, Tips, Tricks & Techniques plus applications you might find interesting for the iPhone 3G
Relaxing
Friday afternoon with “Mojito”
& friends
at Cafe Havana...

©
Gunther Deichmann - Charming waitress at Cafe
Havana Makati Greenbelt 3 , Philippines,
Leica D-Lux 4 ISO 400, f:2.5
A
nice start for
the weekend had a great time with my friend Juergen
Warnke from
Club Paradise in
Palawan at the Cuban “Café
Havana” in Greenbelt 3 in Makati. Friday
afternoon… a social get together with some nice
Drinks called
Mojito
…
and the Leica D-Lux 4.

© Gunther Deichmann -
Mojito...
at Cafe Havana Makati Greenbelt 3 , Philippines,
Leica D-Lux 4 ISO 400, f:2.5
Cuban mojito drink recipe, the
authentic version enjoyed by Hemingway in
Havana
______________________________________________
Aperture
v. Lightroom, the never-ending saga on the Net, don’t
worry I keep it simple and get straight to the point.
I am sure all Aperture 2 users waiting with great
anticipation for the next upgrade…
I hope we get to see it soon.
I am not an expert on Lightroom nor I am going to be
one, I am happy with
Aperture 2
for all my
work. I believe the most common problem lies when
you work with two or three different software’s
instead getting used to one, learning and
understanding it properly.
Lightroom has introduced recently some updates and
improved the software, however in my opinion there
are quiet a few advantages in using Aperture 2.
First of all the smooth integration on a Mac, it is
flawless and very smooth, plus in Aperture you can
make adjustments at any stage. E.g. if you have an
image selected you can pull up the adjustment-HUD
right there in the Browser, Full screen in book
layouts etc., no need to go back and forth.
This is very cool and feels free and more natural.
From what I know and heard of LR this cant be done,
LR puts way too much emphasis on the software while
Aperture lets you focus on what you want to do with
your image.
Check with the Power Mac Center in Greenbelt 3 for
Aperture Training and intro
Seminars.
http://www.powermaccenter.com/training.php
______________________________________________
More
iPhone 3G applications.
In one of my recent Blogs I recommended the
GPS from
MotionX, another interesting one
is
AudioBoo you record your voice or a
conversation with friend then post it on Twitter or
Facebook. Useful? For some of us maybe, check it out
and play with it.
For those who use the iPhone Camera,
AutoStitch is cool, thanks to my good
friend Choon from Singapore who pointed this
application out to me.

iPhone 3G Camera,
using four images and then AutoStitch
See above an example taken
without any planning during last Fridays
“Mojito”
sessions at Café
Havana. Four images stitched together on the iPhone
and posted a few seconds later on Twitter. You can
even crop the image after it has been stitched.
For more
info just go to the iTunes
store!
GD
Photography: Photo Workshop News for Cambodia, Laos and India plus New Images in my PhotoShelter Archives.
“Light is
Photography,
Photography is Light.” GD
It’s
raining cat and
dogs for the past few days, there is still Color
around us, but you have to bring your Camera along.
The shot below, taken from the Car Window on the way
to a meeting while stuck in a traffic Jam in Manila.

© Gunther
Deichmann - Yakal Street Makati 100 yards from
Santis & Cave Werdenberg
a great stop for some light meals and superb
Wine.
The image above and other
NEW images from the past few days already residing in
my PhotoShelter
Gallery/Archives. (New Manila, Aug. ‘09,
including some interesting once from inside a
Church)
__________________________
Now
from the Philippines to Cambodia; my
GDPhotoWorkshop
in September
’09 “Angkor Wat
& Beyond” Siem Reap, Cambodia is fast
approaching, we’re ready to go in September and
bookings are closed now. Just a few images below from
one of my earlier trips to Angkor Wat Siem Reap,
Cambodia.

© Gunther
Deichmann - APSARA traditional Khmer Dancer,
Bayon

©
Gunther Deichmann - Lingas in the river
bed,
Phnom Kulen is the holiest
mountain in Cambodia & the river of
1000 Lingas, a powerful sacred
site
for Cambodians, even today.
However, I make a major
announcement very shortly regarding all my
future
PhotoWorkshops including more to
Cambodia,
(this year) but also into
Laos and
other Exotic destinations in
Asia,
plus preparations are made for
India in
2010.

© Gunther
Deichmann - Women Priest at
Bayon Temple Angkor Wat area,
Cambodia

© Gunther
Deichmann - Buddhist Monk, Siem Reap
Cambodia
Please
stay tuned for more information very,
soon.
GD
Aperture 2…the difference between the Web Gallery, Webpage and Web Journal... plus another option is iWeb… sharing and showing your Photos with YOUR clients and the rest of the world. My choice & workflow at the Beijing Olympics would have been the MobileMe Gallery, the one I LOVE so much.
I am not going into details of these three today but I rather explain in simple and short terms the difference. You might remember from of my previous blogs how much I love the Web Gallery now called MobileMe Gallery.

Heritage Suite Hotel Cambodia Screenshot of the
MobileMe Gallery,
view this Gallery online click this link
or
the image above.
But you have to use the Username: gdimages
Password: gd2551
1.
When you need to create
web pages that mix text and images, the
Web
Journal option
is your best choice. When you create a
Web
Journal, you
manually add the pages, images and text. This is
slower than the Web Gallery option, but it offers
precise control.
2.
Within
Aperture
there is a third option
simply called Webpage.
The Webpage
template offers less
customization than the Web
Journal;
the Webpage
translates an Album
into a page, and then allows you to specify a number
of columns and rows for each page.
Screenshot of the
Web Journal, ideal for lots of text.
Screenshot
of the Webpages, with limited text
options
3.
I guess you know this
one, the now called MobileMe
Gallery, my
absolute favorite, but then it depends what type of
work you producing or like to show. However you do
need a MobileMe
account for the
MobileMe
Gallery.
The Web Journal and
Web Page can be
placed also on any Server where as the Web Gallery
(now MobileMe
Gallery)
requires a .Mac account or now a MobileMe account.
I have described my favorite the MobileMe
Gallery (before
.Mac) in great details before and how much I love it
for the storage and distribution of my images, and
since the arrival of MobileMe it has only gotten
better.
If I where in Beijing right now and had to cover some
of the events I would certainly choose the
MobileMe
Gallery to get
my images out to the Editors and Publishers, the
MobileMe Gallery is very cool and smooth as
Silk…
Check this link for some action shots at the
Olympics:
CLICK HERE
“Phelps
Frame-By-Frame Phelps' Miracle”
Finish
However Aperture
does not stop here,
if Aperture’s
three webpage options
aren’t enough for you then you can turn to
iWeb,
which is part of the iLife
suite that is a
standard on all Macs.
Tip:
If iWeb isn’t located
in your Dock, you can navigate to your Applications
folder and launch it from here.
Note also:
If you have an active
MobileMe account, when you click on the Publish
button, iWeb
will automatically
upload your website. Otherwise you can always choose
File>Publish to a Folder to Export iWebpages
without needing a MobileMe account
(until
recently it was called .Mac)
WOW all of this
within Aperture
2.1.1; I keep on
saying…AMAZING… not surprising with all this
integration on the Mac.
GD


