Q&A: Should you use protective/UV lens filters?

<img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web-caption__J4B8745_zps341054ef.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br />After a bit of drama that happened two weekends ago, I can now answer this question in the above photographic form. Don't worry - the lens in question has since been repaired and was only broken for a grand total of about 4 days!<br /><br />From a little bit of googling it looks as if there is a bit of a heated debate around this topic, but I figure that I'd share my view (and now, personal experience) on it all.<br /><br /><b>USE THEM!</b><br /><br />Having a UV filter on my 135mm lens has saved me a huge amount of hassle and expense.<br /><br />My camera bag wasn't closed tightly enough and my lens fell out of it from a height of around a metre onto a concrete paving slab. As I am sure you can imagine it was one of those heart-stopping moments.. an <i>"I need to look and see what has happened but I am not sure if I want to!"</i> moment.<br /><br />To my relief, the lens cap and filter absorbed the impact entirely. I quickly tested it by focusing on things at different distances and it appeared to be in full working order. Using a UV filter has saved me from having to shell out for an entire new lens, or the cost of having the front element repaired by Canon.<br /><br />There are many, many tutorials online on how to remove bent and broken filters from lenses, but as I wanted to be 100% sure that my lens was in working order internally and not likely to fail on a client shoot, I did send it into Canon for a check up, and whilst it was there, have the broken filter removed. This came through at a fixed price repair (under £100!) and was most likely significantly cheaper than having it repaired had the front element smashed to bits instead.<br /><br />There is a lot of debate online with regard to whether photographers should use filters or not to protect their lenses. The main argument is as follows: adding filters to lenses can slightly affect image quality. By investing in good quality filters (I use, and have always used Hoya PRO-1 filters), you can minimise this but there may still be a slight reduction in quality.<br /><br />However, in my situation, it's more important to me that my lenses sustain less damage upon impact and be cheaper to repair, than having them filter-free and have images that are maybe possibly potentially slightly minutely sharper. Just my two cents!<br /><br /><b>What are your views on this topic? Do you use protective filters on your lenses?</b><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F09%2Fshould-you-use-protective-or-uv-lens-filters.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Q&A: Should you use protective/UV lens filters?

After a bit of drama that happened two weekends ago, I can now answer this question in the above photographic form. Don't worry - the le...

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Allowing

I have to be honest - these photos nearly didn't see the light of day. Despite liking the result, I felt so bound to my style of self-portraiture: the dead flowers, the vintage dresses, the standing in fields, that I felt that these didn't deserve to be shown if they didn't add to my cohesive portfolio of self-portraits.<br /><br />So I closed down Lightroom and walked away from my computer. They'd just stay there.<br /><br />A few hours later it hit me - as somebody whose entire being is defined by their photography, maybe a big part of loving and respecting myself is embracing these bursts of inspiration and letting them take me in whatever direction my work wants to go. To let my personal work evolve naturally, without constraint, worry or pressure.<br /><br />Hello, new mindset.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_J4B5048_zpsf9d0a4ac.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_J4B5011-Edit_zps58ab2ac1.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F08%2Fallowing.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Allowing

I have to be honest - these photos nearly didn't see the light of day. Despite liking the result, I felt so bound to my style of self-po...

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Q&A: What equipment do you use? (2014 update)

<span style="text-align: left;">I don't really talk about my equipment much as I am a firm believer in the concept that a good camera does not necessarily equal good pictures, but it's probably a good idea that I put all the information about my kit in one place for people to check out if they're interested!</span><br /><b><br /></b><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_MG_8809_zpsf5c2a380.jpg" width="690" /><br /><b><br />Canon 5D Mark III</b><br />Early this year I upgraded to the Mark III (from the Mark II) and I have never looked back! The reason for this is that I shoot at wide-ish apertures most of the time, and when focusing and bumping over to frame my shot I kept finding a lot of out of focus shots, which is just not acceptable, especially terms of my client work. The Mark III has 41 AF points compared to the Mark II's 9, and I have noticed a HUGE difference.<br /><div><br /></div><div><div><div><b>Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM</b></div><div>I bought this lens about a year before I upgraded to the 5D Mark II, and it's always worked stunningly well on all of my camera bodies. It's my most used lens, and at £300 or so it's a real bargain considering just how often I use it! Beautiful DOF and hardly weighs anything compared to my other lenses, so using it for hours on end is a breeze.<br /><br />I'm now on my second one - my first one broke when the focus system failed. I managed to get it repaired by Canon but sadly the same thing happened again at the beginning of this year, so here we are onto number 2. Let's keep our fingers crossed for this one!<br /><br /><b>Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM</b><br />When it comes to choosing a favourite portrait lens, it always comes down to this and the 50mm. I just can't choose! The 135 is one of Canon's fastest focusing and sharpest, yet lowest priced L lenses and it is perfect for closely cropped portraits. The long focal length compresses facial features to create a really flattering portrait, and the DOF is amazingly smooth.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM</b></div><div>For me, a zoom lens is always a must-have for any photographer's kit. Even if you won't be using it a huge amount, the range of focal lengths makes them incredibly versatile and for me, it's always nice knowing I've got one just in case I need to shoot something particularly wide angle, which I can't do with my current selection of prime lenses. This lens is a little pricey, but the quality of the shots it produces is fantastic and it's the zoom lens with the widest aperture I could justify the price of!<br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>BITS AND BOBS</b></div><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_MG_8820_zpsea217aa6.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: start;"><b>Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro</b></div><div style="text-align: start;">This is a brand new purchase! My husband does a lot of food photography in his work and I really wanted to have a macro to be able to shoot macro photos at weddings, so it had to happen. I've not a chance to use it professionally yet but from playing around with it at home it is amazing. I've never owned a lens that can focus closer than 30cm or so, so the entire concept of shooting macro on a DSLR is completely new to me!</div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;"><b>Waterproof CF card cases / Sandisk CF cards</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">These cases are incredible. They feel absolutely bullet proof and are apparently waterproof (although luckily I have not had to test this out yet!) The main advantage for me is just having somewhere to keep my cards in the same place - if you're putting them back in a case you'll have no risk of cards getting lost floating around in your pockets or ending up in the washing machine!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have a few of these because I like to use lots of small cards instead of a few big ones. The reason for this is to minimise risk if anything screws up on the card - I'll lose less images than I would shooting with a large one. Just search for "CF card case" on Amazon and you'll find this style of card case sold by multiple brands.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tip: Replacing full cards into the case upside down is a handy indicator of which ones are full and which ones are ready to go!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Canon Speedlite 430 EX II</b></div></div></div>Another new purchase for weddings! I always used to use my dad's old film camera flash gun on manual, but I figured it was about time to get something more reliable. So far it has served us well and I'm looking forward to practising some more creative flash techniques too!<br /><br /><b>Looooots of batteries</b><br />You can never go wrong with lots of spare batteries. No explanation needed!<br /><br /><b>Collapsible reflector (not photographed)</b><br />At the very beginning of my love for photography, I purchased a large collapsible reflector with a zip off case from Jessops (it can be used as silver, gold, white, black or as a diffuser). I've still got it, it's every bit as useful as it was when I first purchased it and it comes along with me on every shoot.<br /><br /><b>Canon RC-6 Remote Control (on camera strap in top photo)</b><br />This is the remote I use for all my self-portraits. It's pretty basic, but its options work very well for the work I do: 2-second delay or shoot instantly. It has a good range and I've never had any issues with it (except for in thick fog) and even comes with a camera strap pouch so you don't lose it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">- - -</div><br />So finally after 3 years I've updated this blog post! I hope this was useful to anybody who was curious, but again I need to mention that it's not your equipment that makes your pictures what they are - it's <i>you</i>!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Now it's your turn - what are your favourite things in your kit bag and why? Leave a comment below!</b></div></div><br />  <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fcamera-equipment-2014.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe><br />

Q&A: What equipment do you use? (2014 update)

I don't really talk about my equipment much as I am a firm believer in the concept that a good camera does not necessarily equal good pi...

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Review: Lenses For Hire

Having a convenient, reliable service to hire lenses through is something I've always wanted to find. You never know what will happen and if you suddenly find yourself with a broken lens before an important client shoot, you need to find another one pronto!<br /><br />I'd hired equipment before through Calumet, and whilst their service was good and I was pleased with it, the fact that I don't live in London meant that they weren't a very convenient choice for me. I asked around online for recommendations, the one name that kept popping up as highly recommended was <a href="http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lenses For Hire</a>. So when I had a client shoot booked in late February just after my beloved Canon 50mm 1.4 broke, I knew where I was going!<br /><br />The service was quick, efficient and easy to understand, and after a great experience hiring the 50mm I wanted to document my second hire with them, Canon's 35mm f/1.4 L which I hired for use at a <a href="http://www.catlaneweddings.com/" target="_blank">wedding</a>. So here we go!<br /><br /><b>Using the website</b><br />In the past I've found lens hire websites a nightmare to navigate, ridden with hidden costs (deposit, insurance) and just plain confusing as to how the hire process works. With Lenses For Hire, the second you are on the site you have two choices: start looking at their lens selection or read their quick guide on how the process works. No questions here!<br /><br />Each individual lens page has a calendar so you can instantly see if they have the lens you want on the day you need it. There's also a drop down so you can immediately see how much it will cost you for the time frame you need it also. Need reviews to help you choose? They have links to external sites to help you make your mind up.<br /><br />Once added to the basket, there is a step-by-step process that takes you everything you need to know: the dates you've chosen for your hire, the dates that it will be sent to you and returned back to them, and a detailed breakdown of the cost. To my delight there were no hidden charges - the only thing added on at the checkout are the costs of the courier.<br /><br /><b>Receiving the lens</b><br />I went for the budget delivery option which ensures you receive your lens by 5.30pm the day before your hire starts. I got an email and text message from DPD which let me track the delivery of my parcel or request it was delivered with a neighbour if needed, and it arrived well in time. The parcel was also instantly assessed and approved by one of my cats (!)<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/wev-Photo-02-05-2014-03-04-00-pm-1_zpsf45683a9.jpg" width="690" /><b><br /><br />Packaging & what's included</b><br />The lens arrived in a cardboard box wrapped in postage bag, tightly surrounded by a good few inches of dense foam on all sides. Both lenses that I have rented were supplied with both a lens bag and a lens hood, which I was pleasantly surprised to see when I rented the 50mm 1.4 (this lens does not come with a bag and hood as standard when you buy it). To top it all off, they are protected with good quality Hoya Pro-1 filters.<br /><br />Also included are a lens manual, the case for the filter, a return address label, another plastic postage bag and a checklist so you can make sure you return everything that was sent to you.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/hresPhoto02-05-2014030646pm_zps3f2543df.jpg" width="690" /><br /><b><br /></b><b>Returning the lens</b><br />I'm not a fan of waiting for couriers to pick up things from my house as it means I can be under house arrest all day, so I opted for the self-return option for convenience. As mentioned, the lens came packaged with everything I needed to return it, so all I needed to do was pack it up, head to the post office and send it back Special Delivery Next Day, which for the 50mm 1.4 was £9 I believe, and for the 35mm, £14 due to the increased postage insurance needed.<br /><br />They ask that you send them the tracking number, and once they receive the lens they let you know via email. <a href="http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lenses For Hire</a> test each lens after receiving it back and email you to let you know how that has gone. I really liked this touch because it gave me assurance that the next time I hired a lens from them, I would know it would be working order after the last person's use of it.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/diptych_zpsca3cbb69.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><b>Conclusion</b><br />Well, this one might be a bit obvious as I have used them twice now, but I have to say that I highly, highly recommend Lenses For Hire and will be using them for all of my future lens rentals!<br /><br />The only downside that I feel I should mention is that they don't rent out third-party lenses (Canon & Nikon only), which is a shame because I really wanted to try out the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art as it had been highly recommended to me by others. However, I am more than happy to overlook this given the exceptional service and convenience of every aspect of the process.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.lensesforhire.co.uk</a></div><br /><b>Have you rented equipment before? How did you find it and where did you go?</b><br /><br /><i>Despite my glowing review, I am not affiliated with Lenses For Hire in any way :-)</i><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F05%2Flenses-for-hire-review.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=false&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Review: Lenses For Hire

Having a convenient, reliable service to hire lenses through is something I've always wanted to find. You never know what will happen an...

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Going freelance: 12 things I learnt in 12 months - part two

<img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/header-blog-pt2_zps868716e3.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><i><br />The end of March marked my first year of working as a full-time freelance photographer. If you've not read it yet, why not check part one of this blog post <a href="http://dismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/going-freelance-12-things-i-learnt-part-1.html" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> first!</i></i></div><br />So here we go - part two! I initially intended this blog post to be a one-parter but it ended up being so wordy that I had to split it into two. As I format this I'm finding even more things to write about.. but that will have to be another post for another time :-)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>PART TWO</b></div><b><br />7. Find a way to inspire yourself into action</b><br />Some days I just can't get work done. It's a big problem when working at home when your brain struggles to differentiate between home time and work time. I've discovered this year that my fix for that is going away and working in a coffee shop - it puts me into the work "zone" and I have nothing to distract myself with!<br /><br /><b>8. Find the time to inspire yourself and work on your portfolio</b><br />Although I've not reached this point as much as I'd like to yet, I'm quickly realising that making time to do personal work is incredibly important - even if you have to book it in a month in advance to make sure you do it. My husband and I have a little trip away planned for mid-April and there are no words for how excited I am to have the time to pour into my personal work and self-portraiture.<br /><br /><b>9. Write EVERYTHING down.</b><br />Have a client call? Write down the details. Have a spontaneous idea? Write it down. The biggest thing i learnt from working around other self-employed people is to write everything down, because you just can't expect to carry all this information around in your head. I carry a notebook everywhere now and always have it to refer back to.<br /><br /><b>10. It's ok to cry. Really.</b><br />Going freelance has been a roller coaster of emotions for me: elation, despair, inspiration, frustration, happiness, stress. Not everything will go to plan - life isn't perfect - it is understandably stressful not knowing where your next work is coming from, and you have to let yourself experience the emotions that go with it instead of bottling it up.<br /><br /><b>11. Stop comparing yourself to others and see how far you have come</b><br />It's easy to be constantly stuck on goal-mode and focused on what you want to achieve (or what others before you have achieved), but you might be surprised if you look back and really look at how much you have achieved. If you showed your portfolio as it is now to the person you were when you first fell in love with your photography, I bet they would be impressed!<br /><br />And finally..<br /><br /><b>12. You will learn how rewarding it is..</b><br />..when you wake up in the morning and realise you are doing <i>what you love </i>for a living. When you realise that despite all the stress you have a great deal of freedom and are fully in control of your own life and career. It's not without its stresses, but going full time is the best decision I have ever made and I can honestly say it makes me happy every single day.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/behind-the-scenes-2_zps67f2166d.jpg" /><br /><br />Writing this article on my blog has really pushed myself out of my comfort zone and I hope to do a lot more writing in the future.. I'd better get my thinking cap on for future posts! In the meantime I have a few blog posts to write on a photo day with Suzy Wimbourne, testing with the Leaf Credo medium format system and a little update on my equipment set up.. lots to come :D<br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk%2F2014%2F04%2Fgoing-freelance-12-things-i-learnt-part-2.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Going freelance: 12 things I learnt in 12 months - part two

The end of March marked my first year of working as a full-time freelance photographer. If you've not read it yet, why not check part on...

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Going freelance: 12 things I learnt in 12 months - part one

<center><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/header-blog_zps3fac5db6.jpg" /></center><br />Yesterday marks a year since I took my photography business full time and I honestly, truly can't believe it's gone so quickly. I am overflowing with gratitude right now for each and every one of my clients and for everybody who has helped me along the way, and I am so excited to see how my second year will unfold.<br /><br />Despite the fact I had been working part-time for a while beforehand, I still had some misconceptions and learnt more in this last 12 months than I ever could have imagined. So here we go: 12 things I have learnt in the last 12 months. This post has ended up being a little bit wordier than I envisioned, so it's going to be a two-parter. Scroll down to the bottom for a link to part two!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />PART ONE</b></div><br /><b>1. It's all about time management..</b><br />This is one of the first things I learnt, and one of the things I am still learning how to do more effectively! The pace at which you work defines how many clients you are able to take on, how quickly you are able to deliver work to those clients and ultimately how much free time you have left at the end of the day. It might be tempting to watch Netflix in the middle of the day as your workdays at home are so flexible, but I promise it will feel a whole lot better watching it in the evening having completed everything on your to do list!<br /><br /><b>2. ..but sometimes you <i>will</i> need to work evenings and weekends to get stuff done.</b><br />No matter how well you manage your time, there will always be instances where you will be working over and above normal working hours to get stuff done. For me, working for myself is a constant learning curve and I'm constantly learning how much work I can realistically fit in. I've worked the last two weekends in a row because I took on a bit more than usual, but I made promises to my clients and I will keep them no matter what.<br /><br /><b>3. Learn to love your admin</b><br />Like it or not, unless you are in a position to pay somebody else to do it, admin is a big part of working for yourself. Sending out invoices and writing up expenses might not feel like the most creative use of your time but try and think of it in a different light: every time you send an invoice, it means that somebody is <i>paying you to do what you love</i>!<br /><br /><b>4. You can't be precious about the work you take on when starting out</b><br />If you're busy enough to turn down work then this tip isn't relevant, but when you are starting out you may get asked to do stuff that you don't specialise in, and you may not be in a position to be precious about it. I've photographed jewellery, food, corporate portraiture, retouched others' images, and although I don't specialise in those things, if people think you are right for the job and are asking for your rates, give them! You may just find yourself discovering a new aspect of photography that you love.<br /><br /><b>5. Learn to say no to commitments</b><br />I still struggle with this one a lot - I want to <i>do all the things</i> but at some point you will end up reaching a limit where you can't do the best job at doing the things you want to commit to when busy. I might have a day spare to organise a fashion test in, but realistically can I finish the work in an acceptable timeframe when I have client shoots coming up? People will understand if you explain the position you are in, and will most likely be grateful for your honesty if you explain your time constraints and that you'd want to do the best job possible for them.<br /><br /><b>6. Value and recognise your worth</b><br />It's very easy to constantly feel as if you are not good enough - it's something everybody universally struggles with, regardless of profession. If a client has seen your work and trusts you to work for them, it means you ARE good enough. They have thought about it and made the decision that you have the skills necessary to do what they need. What a great thought!<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/behind-the-scenes_zps2f19d82f.jpg" /><br /><br />I'm always a bit self-conscious about writing blog articles that aren't about shoots, but I think it's about time I stepped out of my comfort zone and did something a little different with my blog. Part two of this post is on its way soon and I'll be sure to put a link at the end of this post once it's finished :-)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Do you work for yourself? What has it taught you? Leave a comment below - I am so interested to hear your thoughts!</b><br /><b><br /></b><b><a href="http://dismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/going-freelance-12-things-i-learnt-part-2.html" target="_blank">CLICK TO READ PART TWO</a><br /> </b></div><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F03%2Fgoing-freelance-12-things-i-learnt-part-1.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Going freelance: 12 things I learnt in 12 months - part one

Yesterday marks a year since I took my photography business full time and I honestly, truly can't believe it's gone so quickly. I am...

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5 Photoshop tricks I can't live without

One of my favourite things about Photoshop is that there is always a learning curve, with new tips and tricks around the corner to discover and incorporate into your workflow to make it just that little bit more efficient. I've been using it nearly every day for the best part of 5 years and here are a few of my favourite tips and tricks that I couldn't do without!<br /><br />As I write this I keep coming up with more and more, so this post may call for a part 2!<br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/rotate_zps9b7c12e1.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I had no idea this tool existed for years, but when I discovered it by accident it became a huge part of my retouching process, especially when using a Wacom tablet. It enables you to free rotate your canvas to whatever angle you please, and is different from <i>Image > Image Rotation</i> in that it's just for the sake of viewing in Photoshop and not a permanent rotation. I love it when I am retouching skin so that the image is at a more comfortable angle for the pen strokes I'm using. So useful! You'll find it by pressing R or by right-clicking on the Hand tool.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/dotted_zps97d3ff15.jpg" /></div><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/brushsize_zpsea6f8684.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The [ and ] keys might be one of the more obvious shortcuts, but I use them constantly and even have them programmed into the buttons on my tablet. I can't imagine how I ever worked without them! Brush size shortcuts mean <i>much</i> quicker workflow as you're spending a whole lot less time faffing around with the brush palette, taking a guess as to which size you need to do the job at hand.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/dotted_zps97d3ff15.jpg" /></div><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/photomerge_zpsc3ca78d6.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Occasionally (usually with self portraits), I like to stitch a series of images together to create an image with a beautiful, almost unreal and exaggerated depth of field. Although it doesn't always work, 90% of the time Photomerge (<i>File > Automate > Photomerge</i>) takes the work off of my hands by automatically identifying where the images overlap and it blends them all together beautifully, whilst I sit back and relax! Tip: If "auto" mode doesn't work or warps your image, try experimenting with the other modes (for me, "collage" nearly always works a treat).<br /><br /><i>(I love this technique so much I might do a video tutorial covering the shooting and retouching of it in the future.. just have to build up a bit of courage to get myself talking on camera! Eek.)</i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/dotted_zps97d3ff15.jpg" /></div><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/fkey_zpsccad41c0.jpg" /><br /><br />I use this one so much that it took me a while to remember that I even use it - it's just like second nature! Press the F key to cycle through Photoshop's view modes: Standard Screen Mode, Full Screen with Menu, and Full Screen. Working against a neutral colour background on one of the full screen modes means your judgement is not skewed by the colours of that family photo or crazy space nebula you have as your desktop background, and you are able to pan across the image more easily with the space bar.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/dotted_zps97d3ff15.jpg" /></div><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/bgcolour_zpsffa9408a.jpg" /><br /><br />This one is invaluable in making sure your images look good, no matter where they are viewed. If you are viewing in any of the full screen modes, right click outside of your image on the background and you can choose what colour you want the workspace to be: Black, Dark Gray, Medium Gray, Light Gray, and Custom. I set Custom to white, and that way I can see how my images will look no matter how they are displayed.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/dotted_zps97d3ff15.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I'm always up for learning something new so tell me.. what are your favourite Photoshop tips and tricks?</b></div><br /><b><i>Psst..</i></b> <i>Did you know that Google Reader is shutting down on the 1st July? If you're looking for an alternative, I highly recommend Bloglovin'. Click <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/1132745/cat-lane-photographer" target="_blank">here</a> to follow my blog through it!<br /></i><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F06%2F5-photoshop-tricks-i-cant-live-without.html&send=false&layout=standard&width=450&show_faces=true&font=arial&colorscheme=light&action=like&height=80&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 30px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>

5 Photoshop tricks I can't live without

One of my favourite things about Photoshop is that there is always a learning curve, with new tips and tricks around the corner to discover ...

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A new start + my top 5 apps

This post is a little different from my usual image-heavy kind of thing thing, but I'm really excited to start using my blog again to share more about how I work, things that are inspiring me right now, and general photo-related food for thought. What do you think?<br /><br />I hate to be a slave to a piece of technology but I have to admit my iPhone is one of the most useful thing ever when it comes to my photography and keeping myself organised. <span style="background-color: white;">So here we have it - a list of the top 5 (slightly nerdy) apps I can't get enough of right now (minus Instagram because my obsession with that is probably already </span><i style="background-color: white;">very</i><span style="background-color: white;"> apparent!)</span><br /><br /><img src="https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12523969/iphone.jpg" width="650" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/wayoflife.jpg" /><br />Way of Life is an app I discovered in search of a way to start enforcing positive habits in my life: exercising, meditating, etc - but I quickly realised its uses with my working life too. It's a great daily reminder for me to keep up with my messages, social network updates and anything else work-related I want to keep on top of.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/analyticspro.jpg" /><br />However much I love Google Analytics, I sometimes feel like it's complete information overload when I'm using it on my web browser. Analytics Pro completely simplifies it all but you still have access to every bit of information about your site statistics in a much cleaner, user-friendly way.<br /><br /><div><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/evernote.jpg" /><br />I always used to use the Notes app on my iPhone for shoot and blog post ideas/write ups on the go, but it's limited to just text posts and I don't want to have to plug my phone in every day to sync my notes with my computer. Evernote can store images and sound recordings as notes also and synchronises with a desktop app that you can download for free from the Mac App Store, which enables you to access everything you saved on it instantly.<br /><br /><div><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/airdisplay.jpg" /><br />Air Display is an awesome app that turns your iPad or iPhone into a wireless second screen for your computer, and works on both Windows and Mac computers, and Android phones too. The app costs £6.99, which is a little expensive for an app but if you already own an iPad and fancy a second screen, it's a bargain!<br /><br /><div><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/pagesmanager.jpg" /><br /><div>Facebook have <i>finally</i> helped Like page owners out and released an app which lets us manage our Pages from our phones! Sadly it doesn't give us access to Page inbox messages yet but it gives push notifications for activity on your content, access to Insights, and new fan notifications, all of which aren't possible with the original Facebook app.<br /><br /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/apps.jpg" width="500px" /></div>

A new start + my top 5 apps

This post is a little different from my usual image-heavy kind of thing thing, but I'm really excited to start using my blog again to sh...

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My first week with Instagram

Last week I finally got my iPhone back, after being without one since March. Over the few months I've been without one Instagram completely blew up in popularity and I've been dying to get it and join in on the fun ever since! Not being able to carry round my SLR all the time means I miss out on capturing so many beautiful little day-to-day moments, and Instagram has enabled me to seek out and capture them again. I love it ♥<br /><br />Follow me over at <b>@catlanephoto</b> if you fancy - or if you don't have Instagram you can keep up with my uploads online <a href="http://statigr.am/catlanephoto" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/2012-05-29_1338306936.jpg" width="210" /> <img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/2012-05-27_1338131374.jpg" width="210" /> <img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/2012-05-28_1338237039.jpg" width="210" /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/2012-05-29_1338278572.jpg" width="210" /> <img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/firstweek.jpg" width="210" /> <img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/2012-05-30_1338393122.jpg" width="210" /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/2012-06-03_1338731922.jpg" width="210" /> <img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/2012-05-31_1338454592.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="210" /> <img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/2012-06-02_1338635928.jpg" width="210" /><br /><br /><br /><center><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/instagram.jpg" /></center><iframe src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk%2F2012%2F06%2Fmy-first-week-with-instagram.html&send=false&layout=standard&width=450&show_faces=false&action=like&colorscheme=light&font=arial&height=35&appId=112365025537572" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:35px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe>

My first week with Instagram

Last week I finally got my iPhone back, after being without one since March. Over the few months I've been without one Instagram complet...

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Constructive criticism vs positive reinforcement

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12523969/_MG_3822.jpg" /><br /><br />Over the last few weeks I've been thinking a lot about the two types of feedback, and after reading a few articles I've come to realise something: although the internet has most certainly been instrumental in my development as a photographer, I've never actively used it to seek out the scary half of those two things: <b>constructive criticism</b>.<br /><br />Truth be told I think I'm just terrified of it. But why? I have a choice of whether to act upon somebody's advice and to decide whether the criticism is justified or not, and I find the fresh perspective that comes with other people's opinions to be really exciting!<br /><br /><a href="http://http//www.alexbeadonphotography.com/" target="_blank">Alex Beadon</a> posted a link to <a href="http://m.wired.com/rawfile/2012/02/photographers-chances-are-you-suck/" target="_blank">THIS</a> article which pushes the idea that <i>"positive reinforcement is the enemy"</i>. I don't entirely agree with it as I think that positive feedback is super powerful in its own way, but it intrigued me and made me really think about the value of criticism. We need to know when we are doing things right, but we also need to know when we could improve upon things. So I've come to the conclusion that <b>we need both.</b><br /><br />So here I am. I'm putting myself out here and I want you to objectively look at my work.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/text.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Drop me an email or Facebook message and tell me :D I'll happily return the favour if you wish!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">PS. Now that Timeline for Facebook pages has been rolled out, I can now receive inbox messages via my page which is exciting and super useful! Click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cat-Lane-Photographer/135068259880382" target="_blank">HERE</a> to visit my page and you'll find the message button on the right hand side under my cover photo ♥</div><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk%2F2012%2F04%2Fconstructive-criticism-vs-positive.html&send=false&layout=standard&width=450&show_faces=false&action=like&colorscheme=light&font=arial&height=35&appId=112365025537572" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>

Constructive criticism vs positive reinforcement

Over the last few weeks I've been thinking a lot about the two types of feedback, and after reading a few articles I've come to real...

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Thoughts on Flickr Explore

<b>Disclaimer:</b> <i>I feel I need to start this post off by mentioning that there are honestly no words for just how much I appreciate every single follow, like, favourite and comment on my work, wherever they may be. Continued support and feedback means everything to me, and helps me and cheers me up no end when I feel uninspired or unsure of myself, so a giant thank you to everyone who has helped me out in this way! This article might not be to everybody's taste but I am trying to approach this topic in the most objective way possible and let some steam off about something that's been winding me up for a while.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dismantlerepair/6937861819/" title="Untitled by Cat Lane Photographer, on Flickr"><img alt="" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6937861819_da3acf123b_o.jpg" width="650" /></a><br /><br />Today I woke up to find my most recent image upload, the levitation above, had reached Flickr Explore. For those of you unfamiliar with the idea, Flickr Explore is a list of what Flickr consider to be the most "interesting" content on the site at any given day. This is worked out by an algorithm as opposed to content being picked by staff and nobody truly knows how it picks the images, but according to a few websites out there, it's calculated by using the view count, favourites, comments and things like who in particular has viewed your images, to create a value of "interestingness" which is what I assume the images are ranked by on a day-to-day basis.<br /><br />After doing a little bit of research I've found that the main criticism of Explore seems to be the images it picks out. I'll admit they're certainly not all to my taste but that's not what I wish to moan about - we all have different ideas of what we find interesting and Explore can't cater for us all unfortunately.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"It's not about photography. It turns art into a competition" - <a href="http://kittygallannaugh.com/" target="_blank">Kitty Gallannaugh</a></i></div><br />The thing that saddens me is this culture Explore has created of meaningless image feedback and competitiveness. If you google <i>"How to get into Flickr Explore" </i>or similar,<i> </i>a lot of articles will say that by commenting on images that have reached Explore, it will increase the likelihood of the owners of the images looking at your own stream, and thus increasing the interestingness of your own images. This is all very well - I really appreciate comments on my stream and will make an effort to look at the streams of people who have left feedback!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"It really gives you a lot of views, and often contacts, but often enough also those stupid automatic</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>'N I C E P H O T O! Check out my stream!' comments" - <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/velvettears/" target="_blank">Noukka Signe</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"I think there is an active push for people to try and game the system" - <a href="http://www.smread.com/" target="_blank">Steve Read</a></i></div><br />There's no denying the exposure it gives a person's stream, but once something reaches Explore, the meaningless comments come in. The automatic bot-driven comments with a giant picture from somebody's stream which is an advertisement for their own work as opposed to feedback left by somebody genuinely interested in the image at hand. And this is why I think Explore is one of the main reasons Flickr is going downhill. None of these people seem to care about anything other than personal gain and boosting their own views and that's not the right way to go about it.<br /><br />I love looking at others work, whether it's discovering new photographers myself or by people sending me links. But don't try and disguise a blatant advertisement for your work with a comment you've not put any thought into, on a picture you don't care about. <b>It doesn't work that way.</b><br /><b><i><br /></i></b><br /><b><i>What are YOUR thoughts on the matter?</i></b><br /><br /><iframe src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk%2F2012%2F02%2Fthoughts-on-flickr-explore.html&send=false&layout=standard&width=450&show_faces=false&action=like&colorscheme=light&font=arial&height=35&appId=112365025537572" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:35px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe>

Thoughts on Flickr Explore

Disclaimer: I feel I need to start this post off by mentioning that there are honestly no words for just how much I appreciate every single...

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Twenty-eleven

2011 has been a great year. I've met and had the honour of collaborating with and getting to know some truly wonderful people, graduated, gone past milestones I never thought I'd have the confidence to do and produced work I can honestly say I'm proud of. The last thing I want this to sound like is one big gloat, but it has meant a huge deal to me to finally end a year on a high note and be proud and happy with my accomplishments in my photography as I usually end up hating every piece of work I've produced by the time the year is up!<br /><br />Ansel Adams once said that <i>"12 significant photographs in any one year is a good crop"</i>. Now I'm sure my favourites wouldn't exactly count as significant in his eyes, but here are what I'd consider to be my 5 most significant shoots (12 would just bore you all to tears!)<br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/_MG_8634.jpg" width="650" /><br /><b>FOG:</b><i> For me, this is more than just a picture - it's a memory. There are no woods to describe how much fun Graham and I had going out to shoot this early in the morning in front of bemused onlookers!</i><br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/_MG_3652.jpg" width="323" /> <img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/_MG_3685.jpg" width="323" /><br /><b>ROKIT:</b> <i>I think this is the first shoot where I first truly felt my photography had a place in a commercial sense. It was a wonderful combination of styling, location and great creatives and overall great fun!</i><br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/_MG_8053.jpg" width="323" /> <img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/_MG_8132.jpg" width="323" /><br /><b>ELLA: </b><i>My first agency test was a massive milestone for me, not only in terms of my career as a photographer but also in terms of my personal development - it gave me a much-needed confidence boost and a jumping-off point into a new chapter of my career.</i><br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3063/5855807531_48a9a7c9c2_o.jpg" width="650" /><br /><b>KATIE:</b> <i>Various photo days this year have enabled me to get to know so many wonderful souls, including the lovely Katie. Words cannot express how much I've loved and appreciated being able to meet up with like-minded people, so here's to a 2012 full of continued collaborations!</i><br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/christmasLandingPage.jpg" width="650" /><br /><b>TO BE REVEALED: </b><i>This 3-day shoot for a jewellers was a huge challenge for me but one I'm incredibly appreciative of - an opportunity to develop my commercial portfolio and retouching skills also. </i><i>I can't share a lot at the moment but as soon as I can I'll be releasing the pictures in a two-parter blog post!</i><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, Times, serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; line-height: 17px;"></span></i><br /><i>...............................................................................................................................................................</i><br /><p>So here we are, the end of the year. I've decided to take a little break from shooting at the beginning of 2012 to catch up on my retouching and have a good think about my goals for the year, so keep your eyes peeled for a steady stream of new pictures coming your way!<br /><br /><b>Wishing you all a 2012 full of happiness, prosperity and beautiful pictures, and finally a giant thank you for taking the time to follow my work!</b><br /><br /><iframe src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk%2F2011%2F12%2Ftwenty-eleven.html&send=false&layout=standard&width=450&show_faces=false&action=like&colorscheme=light&font=arial&height=35&appId=112365025537572" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:35px;" allowTransparency="true"></iframe>

Twenty-eleven

2011 has been a great year. I've met and had the honour of collaborating with and getting to know some truly wonderful people, graduated...

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Equipment

I've been thinking quite a lot recently about expanding my blog to feature more topical, written posts too - I realised that all of my posts are very similar and it's always nice to keep things fresh! So here's my first one: Equipment. I don't really ever talk about my equipment much as I am a firm believer in the concept that a good camera does not necessarily equal good pictures, but it's probably about time I just put all the information about my kit in one place for people to check out if they're interested!<br /><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2007-2010 SETUP</b></div><div><br /><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/old.jpg" width="650" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Canon EOS 400D + Canon EF-S 17-85mm IS USM</i></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>My first DSLR setup consisted of a Canon 400D body and EF-S 17-85mm lens. The reason I didn't go with the 18-55mm kit lens was because the version that was out at the time had quite a few not-so-good reviews, so I figured it would be worth spending a bit extra and getting the next best thing. I believe they have now revised the 18-55mm with a new version now, but either way it's always good to read reviews so you know what you're getting for your money.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the sort of setup I'd recommend to anybody starting out in photography - a consumer-end DSLR and a zoom lens. Zoom lenses are versatile and suitable for lots of types of photography, and consumer-end cameras can be used regardless of ability level as you can shoot from pre-set modes such as Portrait, Landscape etc right through to full Manual as and when your knowledge increases.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The battery grip shown here was not something I personally shot with, it's something I bought when I gave the camera to my fiancé and it was screwed on too tightly for me to take it off the the picture!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2010-2013 SETUP</b></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/new.jpg" width="650" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Canon EOS 5D Mark II body + 3 lenses</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">After a while it became clear to me that I needed to push my 400D further than it could go, especially when it came to shooting in low light conditions. So here I am now, shooting with a 5D Mark II and a selection of lenses I've acquired over time. Here's a bit of info about each one, going clockwise from the top:<br /><br /><b>Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I bought this lens about a year before I upgraded to the 5D Mark II, and it's always worked stunningly well on both of my camera bodies. It's my most used lens, and at £300 or so it's a real bargain considering just how often I use it! Beautiful DOF and hardly weighs anything compared to my other lenses, so using it for hours on end is a breeze.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">For me, a zoom lens is always a must-have for any photographer's kit. Even if you won't be using it a huge amount, the range of focal lengths makes them incredibly versatile and for me, it's always nice knowing I've got one just in case I need to shoot something particularly wide angle, which I can't do with my prime lenses. This lens is a little pricey, but the quality of the shots it produces is fantastic and it's the zoom lens with the widest aperture I could justify the price of!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is my new baby! It arrived last week and I've not had the chance to use it properly yet, but as soon as I've got a bit of free time I'll be organising a shoot to test this lovely thing out. Watch this space!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>So finally, I now have all the info on my camera kit in one place on the internet! I hope this was useful to anybody who was curious, but again I need to mention that it's not your equipment that makes your pictures what they are - it's <i>you</i>!<br /><div><br /></div><div>What else would you like to see blog posts on? Let me know!</div></div><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk%2F2011%2F09%2Fequipment.html&send=false&layout=standard&width=450&show_faces=false&action=like&colorscheme=light&font=arial&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>

Equipment

I've been thinking quite a lot recently about expanding my blog to feature more topical, written posts too - I realised that all of my p...

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