Tamron Test

OK had a play with the new Tamron 17-50 F2.8 lens.
Fairly happy with it, not quite as sharp as Nikon's "nifty fifty" it does produce a very nice bokeh and obviously has a wider range so more versatile than "zooming" with the legs!

Anyway here's a picture of some flowers (don't ask me the name but you can tell me if you wish!)

Simply Electronics

Good service hardly ever gets mentioned but a bad experience is posted everywhere it seems, so though it would be good to relate good ones:

Were possible I google about a companies service and reputation before buying products from them on-line. I did see some negative comments about Simply Electronics but also good ones so was a little nervous about ordering - a tamron 17-50 F2.8 lens, a handy fast lens.

I needn't have worried: Ordered at the weekend, dispatched on Monday and received Tuesday - complete with e-mails informing of progress of order and tracking facility.
Certainly no complaints and a good price s currently have 15% off tamron lens
Have tested the lens last night and will be using at a wedding very soon.

Wedding World

A montage I love to do is a globe of wedding pictures -coined "Wedding World".
Its a simple but different effect. Here's how its done:
I used picasa to collage 49 pictures to give a 7 x7 square (you could use Photoshop for this if you wish. In photoshop then use the spherize filter, merged layers>duplicated layer>eliptical marquee to create the globe shape> feathered (1)> Select>Inverse>Eyedropper - Chose White>large brush>brushed over corners.
There done!

Nikon 's Nifty Fifty

Been trying out the Nikon 50mm F1.8 lens - popularly known as the "nifty fifty". It was a bit weird using legs to move backwards and forwards as opposed to zooming in and out of a telephoto lens but the lens is pin sharp and the depth of field it can achieve is great - combined with the D90 with its low noise at high ISO it was terrific for inside churches where flash cannot be used. Loving this lens, it will be great for portrait and close up detail shots. It will be interesting to compare with another lens due for delivery - a sigma 17-50mmm F2.8 which will be great for the wedding work.

Pixsmiths Social Networks

Social networking is the in thing these days, it seems most people have Facebook accounts, have uploaded videos to Youtube and keep in touch by "Twittering".

Well Pixsmiths don't like to be left behind and as well as a Twitter account, and Facebook account we now have a Flickr account for photo sharing. The Flickr account has been used to upload photos for the Littlephotoshop challenges (although its been a while since had time to enter the weekly competition there) Flickr has also been an invaluable source for networking with like-minded groups to participate in and learn from the discussion forums about lenses, cameras and albums etc... - Wedding Albums and Layouts, UK, Wedding Photography and Wedding Photography Business are just some of the groups we are in. Another group is Shared Worship Background graphics - a sharing resource for worship media - I organise the graphic presentations at our local church so this is most useful.