Amazon Cloud Storage Review

Backing up computer files and digital photos is an absolute must. Don't even try to argue against that point. Too many people lose their valuable data when their one and only hard drive fails. With the low costs for portable external drives and for cloud storage, there is no good excuse for not backing up your files.

I have used Dropbox pretty much since its inception, and I really like it. Dropbox just works. And once set up it works behind the scenes with no need to manually do anything. Dropbox offers 2 gb of free space, with ways for adding additional free space; and of course they offer additional space at a cost. If you only have a few gb of data, Dropbox might be your best bet. If you have terabytes of data though you might take a look at Amazon.

For the past few months I have been using the unlimited all data Amazon cloud storage. As of July 2015 I have close to 6 tb of data stored in my cloud storage. Most of this data is with photos, but I also have a large amount of documents, videos, large application specific files (i.e., iMovie libraries), and audio files. The unlimited cloud storage runs $60 a year. Amazon also offers unlimited storage for just photos at $12 a year (free if an Amazon Prime member).

By far what impresses me most about the Amazon Cloud is the browser organization. It is clean looking and extremely easy to move and rename files and folders once they have been uploaded. The Amazon Cloud Drive desktop app is also quite minimalist. Simply drag your files/folders into the app window and they instantly start uploading to your cloud storage. One improvement I would love to see is a dropbox style of sync with the Amazon Cloud Drive that would automatically keep folders in the cloud in sync with the folders on my hard drive.

The biggest fail with the Amazon Cloud is their iOS app. It seems to be geared just for their photo storage, and it is a mess. For the life of me I cannot figure out what the app does. Photos show up, but there is no rhyme or reason that I can decipher for their organization.

If you are not using online cloud storage, whether it is Apple's iCloud, dropbox, Amazon, or the dozens of other options out there . . I strongly recommend that you start using one of these right away. External drives are great for backup that you can keep on hand. I have dozens of these drives that I rely on daily, and there have been a number of times when my main hard drive failed and I was able to get back up and running with little relative ease. But when it comes to backup I tend to be pretty anal about it. I don't want to lose someone's wedding photos a day after taking them, so I back up the original files in multiple ways. Part of that backup process now involves immediately uploading the raw files to my Amazon cloud storage. If my house burns down or someone breaks in and steals my gear, I at least know that those files are safely stored off site, along with all of my other data.

Peace of mind. $60 a year seems like a small fee for that.

Amazon Cloud Drive

A Better Lightroom Workflow

I recently stumbled across a better and quicker workflow in Adobe Lightroom, at least for me. First a little background and some context. I typically shoot events and weddings with two cameras. One camera (Nikon d700) will usually have a 24-70 lens. The other camera (Nikon d800) will trade off with a 70-200 and a 14-24 lens. After an event I will transfer all the images to an event specific folder on my primary hard drive. I will then use a batch renaming program that will give filenames specific to that event, plus put the images in the order that they were taken (important to have both camera's clocks calibrated). I would then import the images into Lightroom.

Let me stop here and acknowledge that there are ways to import directly into Lightroom and do the file renaming while in Lightroom, but I prefer to do it the way I described above. I am not sure there is any real difference in the time it takes to do it either way, so I have stuck with the process that makes most sense to me.

At this point I go through and do "quick" edits on all the images in Lightroom. In the past I would work on each image in the order that they were taken. I found though that what was slowing me down was bouncing around between images taken with different cameras and lenses. So I started to experiment with filtering the images in Library mode to separate the images based on what lens (and camera) was used. This grouped just the photos taken with let's say the 14-24 lens. When it came to  applying the previous edits to the next photo, I was in a flow with just those images taken with the 14-24, providing more consistently between photos and less time editing.

With my previous workflow, bouncing back and forth between the 24-70 and the 70-200 images disrupted that consistency. In the same scene of a photo shoot, edits I made on an image using the 24-70 were different than ones using the 70-200, especially if I used a radial or graduated filter. I found myself searching backwards for a previous image taken with that lens that I could apply to the image currently before me. By filtering the library of images to just work on those taken with a specific lens, I was able to noticeably reduce my workflow time, and with less headaches.

Of course this workflow only applies if you are using more than one lens when photographing an event.

High ISO Low Light Photography

One of the biggest advancements in digital photography over the past 3-4 years has been the ability to shoot without flash in low light conditions. If you are new to photography and are mostly playing around with your aperture and shutter settings, that is great, but don't forget about the ISO settings. ISO refers to light sensitivity. The higher the number you set you ISO, effectively the more light the sensor can pick up. 8-10 years ago the best you could get away with was a setting of 1600 ISO. At that point and beyond, if available, images would start to break down with noise. Even 800 ISO was pushing it back then. Today those numbers are at 6400, and even 12,800; and on some cameras the number goes up beyond 100,000. In layman terms, this means that it can be dusk outside, or low light inside, and you can still get a decent hand held shot. But despite the great improvements with ISO and sensors, you still need to be careful with how you take high ISO images. Noise is still an issue, especially if you do not expose correctly. So below I offer some advice on high ISO images.

1. Regardless of your situation, just because you have high ISO capability on your camera, you should always lean toward the lowest ISO possible to still get the image. Lower ISO gives you better color and less noise, higher ISO gives you less color and more noise. So don't crank up your ISO just because your camera has it. Always default first to maximizing your aperture and shutter speeds to get the most light, then use the ISO to give you more latitude if you need it.

2. Proper exposure is imperative. If anything, you should compensate a bit toward over exposing your image. If you underexpose your image and then try to correct it in your favorite image editing software, you will end up with quite a lot of noise. Over exposing of course risks blowing out highlights, so you have to be careful there too, but I would rather error on that side than with underexposing the image.

3. Take multiple images at different exposures so you have choices afterwards.

4. Shoot raw, if your camera has it. Raw files give you a lot more latitude in correcting your images.

5. Use noise reduction software. Even though noise is not as bad as it used to be at lower ISO, it is still a problem as you reach your camera's ISO limitations. Noise reduction software can do a pretty good job of reducing that noise. You have to be careful with this software though because it can soften an image.

The image here was taken at 6400 in a very low lit church. I added some noise reduction to it. This shot would have been much harder to obtain 10 years ago, and even harder back in the film days when ISO film pretty much only went up to 1600. Click to enlarge.

Being A Photographer . . Being A Doctor

If you have ever watched a medical show on TV . . ER, Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs . . inevitably there will be an episode when the doctors are stumped. They have a patient with some mysterious ailment. Tests are run, questions are asked, consultations with other doctors are made, but to no avail. Whatever the patient has, the doctors cannot figure it out, and they feel helpless. Usually in these shows there is that "aha" moment when the doctors stumble on a clue and discover what is causing the problem, and all ends well. Sometimes they stumble on the answer, and realize there is nothing they can do to fix the problem. This is usually the moment when a doctor realizes that despite his or her great skills and knowledge, they are after all human, and there are some things that even they cannot fix. Sometimes, as a photographer, I feel the same way.

I have photographed a bunch of events and activities and people over the years. Most of the time I get to photograph people under fairly controllable and pleasant conditions. There are usually options. If it is raining, I can usually find a covered area. If it is too sunny, I can find some open shade. Rarely am I in a position where I am stumped, when there are no options except for the worse one. This past Saturday was on one of those. At times I felt helpless, like the doctor with an ailing patient, and the only answer I could give that patient was there is nothing I can do. It was hot . . very hot, and it was sunny . . very sunny; and I was in a location where there was literally no place to go that was not hot or sunny. Some of the photos . . not all . . would be difficult to obtain under these conditions.

All of my experience and skills seemed to mean nothing at that moment. Well that is not entirely true, my experience did help me work through most of what I needed to do to make things work; but I knew at the time that the pictures would have been so much better under different conditions. I walked away humbled by the experience, much like I imagine a doctor walks away from a dying patient knowing he could not save that person. I am human after all. Fortunately the people I was working with that day were very understanding and patient with me (I hope). I do not like to make excuses. I was hired to do a job, and for their sake as well as mine, I wanted to do the best job possible. But even the best of doctors confront situations when they can do nothing more for their patient. It is not a failure, but it is humbling.

Shooting In The Dark

This photo is by no means a great photo. It has its problems. I'm posting it here though because when you consider the conditions that it was taken, it is pretty impressive. It was dark. How dark? I was standing maybe 120 feet away, and while I could see the outline of the boat, I could not see the couple or anyone else on the boat. Those two big lights in the back were not all that bright. Between the darkness, distance and engine noise, the couple could not hear me or see me. To me it is pretty amazing that in near pitch darkness an image like this could be captured. Exposure details:  iso of 6400, f-stop of 2.8, 1/15 shutter speed hand held.

The Updegroves and Bethany Beach

Our family has been going to Bethany Beach, Delaware for pretty much my whole life. It is like my second home, wanting to be my first. Anyhow, I've been wanting to put together a photo book for the family, revolving largely around my brother Dave's family. This past Christmas was a good time to finally put it together. Here is a preview. Click on the large version for best viewing.

9/11 Motorcycle Ride in Leesburg, Virginia

Roughly 1800 motorcycles made their way through downtown Leesburg August 19, all part of the 911 Foundation annual ride from Pennsylvania to Washington to New York.

Photography 101: Session 01

Casual photographers usually put their cameras on "auto" or "program", relying on the camera to do the heavy lifting. Many times this is okay, but not always. Sometimes you will get better images when you take control over your camera. I find this mostly when it comes to indoor photography, especially when using flash. I thought I would offer a short tutorial here to help people understand some of the basics of the camera. Knowing the basics will help you a lot when it comes to taking control of your camera.

Most decent point and shoot and d-slr cameras give you a choice of shooting modes. The basic modes (the ones you want to learn) are aperture priority, shutter priority, program (or auto), and manual. Some cameras have additional modes, or scenes, that you can use, but I would recommend just learning and using the basic modes. So what are these modes, and when would you use them?

First of all, a few items you need to keep in mind. The main objective is to achieve the proper exposure. There are a number of ways to achieve the number "1". You can add 1/10 + 9/10, or you can add 3/10 + 7/10, or 5/10 + 5/10. If "1" represents your proper exposure, you need to juggle between the right combination of aperture and shutter speed to achieve that proper exposure. Aperture (aka f-stop) runs with numbers like 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16; whereas shutter speed numbers run like 2/4/8/15/30/60/125/250/500, etc. Going from one number to the next is considered a "stop". Moving one stop in shutter speed has the same affect in terms of light as one stop in aperture. So using my number "1" analogy, if I change 1/10 to 3/10, then I have change my second number from 9/10 down to 7/10 in order to add up to "1". One more important thing here: the aperture and shutter speed numbers are fractions. You need to put a "1" above the number, so you have a shutter speed of 1/2 a second, or a shutter speed of 1/500 of a second. With apertures, 1/4 is a bigger number than 1/16.

Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Program modes are all auto-exposure modes. The camera is determining the proper exposure. All three of these modes should be giving you the same exposure. What varies between them is the combination of numbers.

Aperture Priority: Aperture deal with the lens. It controls the amount of light that comes through the lens. If it is bright out, you might want to reduce the amount of light coming through the lens by closing the aperture (setting it to one of the higher numbers). If it is dark, you would want to do the opposite. Apertures also control your depth of field, or in other words, how much of what you are shooting stays in focus. This also has a lot to do with the kind of lens you are using. In most cases it is best to open your aperture up as wide as possible, letting in as much light as possible through the lens. This allows you to shoot your image with a faster shutter speed. With Aperture Priority, you are setting the aperture where you want it, and then letting the camera determine the shutter speed.

Shutter Speed: Shutter speed deals with the camera. It controls how much light comes through the camera. A slower shutter speed allows more light to hit your sensor, but think about it, as long as the shutter is open, the camera is recording information. So if someone is moving, you will capture all the movement, which means blur. To eliminate blur you want to shoot at a high shutter speed. A higher shutter speed means that less light in coming through the shutter, so you very well may need to bolster the amount of light coming in through the lens by opening up the aperture. Remember, these two work together, and your ultimate goal is a proper exposure. Shutter Priority allows you to set the shutter speed you want, then the camera sets the aperture automatically.

Program Mode: Program mode basically lets the camera determine both the aperture and the shutter speed. Usually it tries to optimize both, which can be fine, especially when you are outside. But oftentimes you can optimize the aperture and/or shutter speed much better by using the shutter or aperture priorities modes. I personally use Aperture Priority almost all the time when shooting outdoor. I like opening up my aperture to the max, not only so I can blur out the background with my longer lens, but because it will give me the fastest shutter speed, which is usually what I want.

Manual Mode: Manual mode lets you set both the aperture and the shutter speed manually. This can be handy in difficult lighting situations when it appears that the in camera exposure meter might get fooled by the lighting, thereby giving you a wrong exposure. Manual mode also comes in handy when shooting indoor with flash. I shoot everything indoor in manual mode. More about that in another posting to come.

One more thing to keep in mind: there is a third element involved in affecting your exposure . . the iso setting. ISO is light sensitivity. Lower numbers like 100 or 200 means less sensitive to light than the higher numbers. In digital terms, higher iso numbers can result in more noise in your images, so you generally want to use lower iso numbers for cleaner images. One of the biggest breakthroughs in digital though is the advancement in iso quality. It used to be that shooting at 400 iso brought noise. Now, in the higher end cameras, you can easily shoot at 3200 or 6400 with minimal noise. Those higher numbers mean shooting in even lower light. ISO numbers jump in "stops" just like aperture and shutter speed, so raising the ISO means being able to compensate with higher shutter speeds.

Lots of info here that might be new to you. Read through it a couple times, maybe with your camera in hand. Some lower end point and shoot cameras don't have any of these settings on them, so you are stuck. A good reason to spend a few dollars more on a camera that has these settings.

Looking For a Photographer, Part 2

Adding to a post I made a couple days ago, I wanted to highlight a few things that may have not been clear before. In my opinion the first thing a couple needs to determine in selecting a photographer is what style of photography they are after for their wedding; or to put it another way, which photographer seems to capture a wedding in the style they like most? Seems to me that is the bottom line: do you like their images? Even better, do you love their images? Too often I get questions from prospective clients who want to know whether I use an assistant, or what kind of camera I use, or whatever. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with asking these kind of questions, but sometimes I think that these questions hold more weight to them than the quality of the photographer's work. If they really like the images, why should it matter to them how the images were captured? If they are just curious, and want clarity for the sake of clarity . . fine. But I would encourage you to not get caught up in the weeds. Don't get bogged down with the kind of details that ultimately may not matter. Do you like/love the photographer's images? Okay then. That part is settled. We don't really care about the details . . we just want images like these.

Okay, so now what? Well, at this point there are two other hurdles you need to address before you can/should make your decision. Hurdle #1: Price. Hurdle #2: Do we like this person? Hurdle #1 is pretty obvious. You might love their images, but the photographer you want is way over your budget, with no room to bargain. At that point you might be in the "I love how a Mercedes feels, but I just cannot afford it" position. Instead you have to find a photographer who has the same kind of style, maybe the same kind of talent, but just doesn't cost as much. I like the feel of my Honda. It's not a Mercedes or a Lexus, but it suits my style and my budget much better, and I do like it. The variance in pricing though between photographers may not be that dramatic. I know my prices for wedding photography cannot be that much higher than lower price photographers. So I often wonder why a prospective client would select a photographer who is maybe $500 less than me, especially if that photographer might not have the same quality I provide? Don't misunderstand me here. I am not saying that anyone charging less than me is not as good as me; just like I would not say that anyone charging more than me is better than I am. But in this market, I know there are some pretty mediocre photographers out there charging less just to get the work. If you are stuck in the details, you might see that they are bringing an assistant, giving you all day coverage, and giving you a book, and think to yourself: look how much more we get for the money compared to that other photographer. But more of what? Pictures that you are not happy with? More aggravation? Yes, price is important within the context of your budget. I would just caution you to not to opt for a long list of what's included or a slightly lower price, but then paying for it by giving up on quality or peace of mind.

Hurdle #2 is pretty simple: do you like the photographer? Do they make you feel comfortable? This may not seem like a big deal, but you don't want your photographer to be a source of frustration, either on your wedding day or as you take care of any follow up after the wedding. You want the photos and the photo taking to be fun. You want them to be more than just a chore that you have to get through. Liking your photographer helps make this happen. I know this is an intangible, something that is hard to define. But a good interview and just getting to know the photographer can help you figure this one out. Does the photographer have a grasp on what they are doing? Are they interested in me and what I want? Are they helping me figure things out, or are they just confusing me? You're not out to pick a best friend. This is, after all, essentially a business transaction. But you want to be confident with this person, knowing they will be professional and deliver what you want. Do that, and everything else will hopefully go smooth for you.

Questions To Ask When Looking For A Wedding Photographer

When it comes to advice on selecting a photographer for your wedding, it seems like most magazine and online articles present couples with a series of questions they should ask a photographer. No doubt this is important. There have been times however when I have received a list of questions from a prospective client and I could tell these questions came from one of these articles. That I guess is fine, but I often am left wondering if the couple actually have figured out for themselves what is important to them, apart from the questions. When they ask what kind of camera I use, is that information really going to play into their final decision? So my desire here is to offer some of my own recommendations for couples looking for a photographer for their wedding.

Researching a wedding photographer, I believe, is a circular exercise. The couple should first ask themselves what exactly are they looking for in/from a photographer. Once they can establish what is important to them they can then compose their list of questions for photographers. That list of questions should be short and to the point. Keep it simple. Once you go through the above process, it all comes back to you to access which photographer best fits your needs.

So how do you decide what is important to you? Well, here are a few questions to help get you going:

1. What style of photography are you after? Do you want exclusively all the typical wedding shots; or do you want a more artistic, free flow style? Or do you want a bit of both? While there are only so many ways to photograph a wedding, there is no question that the kind of photos you end up with rely almost entirely on a photographer's eye and style. You cannot hire someone who shoots in a traditional manner and expect them to shoot your wedding in a photojournalistic style. If you know you don't like the typical wedding shots, don't hire a wedding photographer with that style.

2. How important is the photographer's experience to you? We all have a friend from college who took nice photos while we were in college. How comfortable are you with having them do all of your wedding photos? This question probably gets to the heart of the matter in terms of how important photos of your wedding really are to you. Your college friend might do an okay job, but it might come at a cost: missed shots, many shots could have been a lot better, confusion. Will you in the end wish you would have spent the money to hire someone with experience? Of course experience in and of itself is not enough. We have all had teachers who taught for 20-30 years, and they were awful. They were either always that way, or as they got older they got stale and boring. Likewise I know teachers who have been teaching for 20-30 years and their students still love them. They know how to keep things fresh and up to date, and they still have a passion for their students and for what they do. That is what has set them apart. I also know teachers who have been teaching for 1-2 years, some are very good, some need to find another vocation. So experience is not the only factor. The quality of the work is much more important.

3. What do we want to walk away with from our wedding in terms of the photography? Do we want/need an album from the photographer, or can we do that ourselves? Do we get full ownership of all the images and digital files? Can we print ourselves? Do we want the photographer to handle all of the printing? All of these questions get down to your own desire for control. Some people are well suited to handle all of their printing themselves, and they like the idea of having full control and ownership of all the images from their wedding. Other people either don't have the knowledge or the time to deal with any of that. They would rather have someone else handle the printing and ordering. Which are you?

4. How much can we afford? For many people this is the question they start with right from the beginning. It's an important question, and I would be the last person to tell a couple to blow their budget on any part of the wedding. But of course I am partial to the photography end, believing what most everyone tells me: "the photos are the one thing that will last". I keep hearing from my photography friends of couples who tried to talk them down in their pricing in order to fit their budget, but then the couple spent hundreds/thousands of dollars on items that most people would call frivolous. This question also really gets to the core of your priorities. On a limited budget there is always a give and take. Some things will be sacrificed in order for you to get what is truly important to you. So what are you willing to give up, and what is truly important to you?

When it comes to your final decision, I believe maybe 80% of your decision should come down to these two questions: 1) Are we comfortable and confident with this photographer . . with their style, their personality, with their ability to deliver what we want? 2) Does the quality of their work stand up? Do I like what I see? Price and costs are important, but secondary. It's hard to put a price for the comfort and confidence factors, but trust me, for most people these qualities prove to be invaluable. And in the end, if you don't have great images, what's the point?

As always, please let me know if you have any feedback or questions about all of this.

Loudoun County Wedding Venues

People often ask for my recommendations and opinions about various wedding venues in northern Virginia, more specifically in Loudoun County. At the risk of sounding like a wedding planner (which I am not), I usually try to limit my thoughts to those of a photographer. Most venues do a pretty good job with their catering and taking care of their guests. It really comes down to the style and size of the venue, and whether it fits your tastes and needs. But for me, I'm looking at it for the sake of the photos. Is it a good, fun location for capturing images, or is it ridiculously difficult? Is there a variety of places to take photos, or is it really limiting? My list below provides some of my own impressions of some of the venues I have been to over the years. Some I have shot numerous times; others only once. I should say here that my first impulse is to shoot outdoors in natural light, so most of my impressions have to do with the exterior possibilities. Except for the first one listed, there is no reason for the order they are listed.

* The Birkby House (Leesburg) This is my favorite location for shooting weddings. For such a small footprint in downtown Leesburg, the Birkby House has lots of variety: old brick, weathered wood, the Carriage House, and gardens to work with for images. Plus you have even more variety within a block or two of the venue. The grounds and house are kept in great shape. Guests can spread out, but they cannot wander off too far, so it is easy to pull together people for photos. It can be a little hairy shooting in front of the house due to cars flying by (in a 25 mph zone), but the backdrop of the house makes for nice photos. I really like Birkby; plus it is roughly a half mile from my home. Like anywhere, I would not want to shoot there every week; but I always look forward to weddings there.

* Whitehall (Bluemont) The first wedding I shot at Whitehall was 22 years ago. Since then they have added a very nice banquet hall to the original house, which really made Whitehall a much more desirable venue for a wedding. The grounds and the older house make a nice backdrop for a mansion look. Just about everything is white though, which limits some of the looks you can achieve, especially for a bride wearing white. But there are gravel/dirt drives and the tree hanging swing, and sometimes the old barn in the back (if cars are not in the way).

* Bluemont Vineyard (Bluemont) I shot the very first wedding at Bluemont Vineyard, back when it was officially under the name of Great Country Farm. The old stable area (the wedding site) can make for some nice images. The vineyard up above the stables adds more variety with some nice vista looks of the valley with vineyards in the foreground. From a photography perspective it can be a bit difficult shooting at Bluemont if it is really sunny out. There are no trees and very little shade. I feel like I've gotten some nice images there though. You just have to be patient and work with the lighting.

* Meadowkirk (Leesburg/Middleburg) This Presbyterian retreat center between Leesburg and Middleburg has lots of possibilities for weddings. I only have shot there once, and maybe it was because I had a beautiful bride who loved the camera, but I walked away from this venue really liking it. There are two main new buildings: a residential hall and a lodge/meeting area/dining hall. If you have a small wedding for mostly people out of the area, this could be a nice spot to consider. For photos there is the older original house and several outbuildings. Plus you have a number of old gravel drives. The grounds are not particularly manicured with gardens and flowers, but it is a pretty spot.

* Raspberry Plain (Leesburg) I would love to live at Raspberry Plain. It is a great location and a nice venue. I've done several weddings over the years here. The addition of the atrium hall really helped fill out this place. For photos there are several looks: the mansion look, some gardens, lots of greenery, and the atrium. Raspberry is big and spread out. Guests congregate all over the place, which can make finding people sometimes difficult. And their bathroom facilities are really limited. But it is an impressive venue with some good photo opportunities.

* Lightfoot (Leesburg) I guess Lightfoot is mostly just a reception site. I've never done a ceremony there, and I'm not sure they can handle an actual ceremony. The room is very nice. It can be tight, so I would recommend not to stretch its capacity to the limit. For photos you have downtown Leesburg, so if the ceremony is taking place in a ho-hum location, you have lots of photo possibilities surrounding Lightfoot.

* Algonkian Park (Sterling) Algonkian just recently added a much larger banquet hall to their meeting facility. For what it is, it is a really nice hall. From a photographic perspective, there isn't a whole lot to work with surrounding the facility. Lots of trees, but that is about it. The outside of the facility is not that picture worthy. The gazebo is okay, but again, not great. There are a few spots in the park down by the river that can work with paths and fields of wild flowers, but those are shots that depend greatly on the lighting. Algonkian works best if you can build in time to do additional photos either in downtown Leesburg or at nearby Claude Moore Park.

That's it for now. I'll try to update this list as other sites come to mind. This past year I shot a number of weddings outside the area, including at Pier 5 on the Baltimore Inner Harbor, at Westmoreland State Park along the Potomac, and at the Delfosse Vineyard south of Charlottesville. I enjoy the challenge of shooting at venues that are new to me; but I also enjoy revisiting the ones that I've been to oftentimes before. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.

A Few Updegrove Christmas Photos

Family Photos

Some people were asking me lately about my Family Album project. For those who are not familiar with it, about 6-7 years ago I started scanning some of the old photos and slides from our family. It started with several hundred black and white prints that my dad photographed, developed and printed. Most of these were of our immediate family. I also had several hundred slides that I had taken over the years as well. When I first started the project, it was meant as a Christmas present to everyone in the family . . their own set of digital images.

Well, in the following years this project has continued to mature . . and get bigger. What started as maybe 200 images that first year has grown into roughly 35,000 images today. That number is correct: 35,000. With weddings, beach trips, my brother Craig's very large collection of negatives over the past 25 years, the discovery of my dad's old black and white negatives (about 4000), and all kinds of other stray groups of images, the Updegrove Family Album is huge.

What makes it nice are three things: 1) everyone in the family has their own dedicated hard drive with all the images stored on it, that way if there is ever a fire, we will never lose our family photos; 2) the photos are all keyworded by name(s) and/or events and are indexed into galleries . . if I want to pull up every photo with my mom in it, I just click on her name in the index and there they all are; and 3) I have had a built in Christmas present decided every year for the past 6-7 years. Throughout the year I continue to scan, or in some cases re-scan, old images; plus add newer digital images to the collection. On average I probably add about 4000 images each year. That number will probably soon slow down though as we reach our threshold of old images. At Christmas everyone gets their update with a Merry Christmas from me.

Anyhow, I am including a few images of my folks here, taken right about the time they were dating each other.

Lee & Megan Engagement Session

Jeff & Melanie E-Session

A few images from Jeff and Melanie's Engagement photo shoot. Mostly all took place in Harper's Ferry.

Rob & Tricia in Baltimore

A few shots from Rob and Tricia's October 10 wedding at the Pier 5 Hotel in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore. More images to come. Click on image to enlarge.

Jason & Katie at Westmoreland State Park

I've been slow in updating photos on the blog. Here are a few from Jason and Katie's October 3rd wedding at Westmoreland State Park. More to come in the Wedding Sample Gallery 2009, Part 2 on my website (www.bobupdegrove.com). Click on images to enlarge.

Wes & Elisa - Delfosse Winery

I ventured down to the Charlottesville area to photograph Wes and Elisa's Sunday September 20 wedding. Elisa is originally from Canada, Wes is originally from Bolivia. They met at the University of Oklahoma and now live in Houston. Family and friends were coming from all over the world, so they decided to have the wedding in Virginia, even though neither had any connections here. I was referred to them by Ashley, Elisa's maid of honor and childhood best friend, who was in a wedding I photographed two years ago. The wedding took place at the Delfosse Winery, about 20 miles southwest of Charlottesville. Great wedding and a great weekend spent with some cousins who live near Charlottesville. Click on images to enlarge.

Mark & Alicia at Bluemont Vineyard

September 12 at Bluemont Vineyard. Fun wedding . . great friends . . close family. All went well. More photos to come on the website.

Digital Photo Tip: Renaming Files

If you take a lot of digital photos, you probably are familiar with seeing file names that start with "img" or "dsc" or some other 3 letter code followed by some kind of number. This is what your particular camera names each file. The problem is a file name of "img_00003245" does not really tell us much of anything about the image. Wouldn't it be better if the file was named "beach2009_012"? We would then know just by looking at the file name that the image was taken while on a beach trip in 2009. With that in mind, let me offer a couple recommendations about renaming your digital photos.

Many cameras have the ability to change the default 3 letter code given to each image. You'll have to check your menu (or even better your manual) to see if your camera has this feature. I changed mine to my initials (RAU). By just doing that I am tagging the images coming from my camera with a file name associated with me. If my images were mixed in with other people's images from an event, the file name "RAU_006765" would indicate that image came from me. This is certainly better than having my images tagged with the generic "img_".

Even better though is to rename your image files with a name that corresponds with the event where the images were taken, like my "beach2009_012" example above. Here is my own workflow: I usually shoot with two cameras so I can always have lenses with two different focal lengths. I have the internal clocks of both cameras in sync. When I import onto my computer the images from the two memory cards, all those images are loaded into one folder. My desire is to rename all the images, and at the same time put them into the order in which they were taken. Because the two cameras' clocks are in sync, and because the time each image was taken is imbedded into each image, it is possible to put them in chronological order. I use a program called "A Better Rename Finder", a Mac only shareware program, that allows me to batch rename thousands of images automatically, all at one time. There are several renaming freeware and shareware programs out there that you could try. Because it can be done as a batch, and because it makes renaming files so easy, there really is no reason not to rename your digital photos. I highly recommend doing so. Let me know if you have any questions about this.