November 29, 2018
Get published & How-to on lighting
This week we have information on how to get published in our upcoming books, how to improve your lighting technique plus more.
Learning
In his latest premium article series "Shooting the $2million image" Martin Turner teaches us more about lighting while John Nadelberg discuss how to use tele-converters with longer lenses.
Inspiration
Team member Diane L. Simmons (coolmom42) has been interviewed by jrp for this latest "I Am Nikonians" article.
From the member portfolio's: Wordscapes Photography by David Turner (wordscapes)
Contest Winners
The winners in the Best of Nikonians Segment 4 - The Wonders of Old and New Technology - have been announced: Overall winner is Godofredo Baylon (GBaylon) while Honorable mention goes to John Hernlund (Tokyo_John), Bill Klipp (billklipp), David Goldstein (dagoldst) and Dave Soderlund (DaveSoderlund).
Congratulations! More info on our winners in the forums.
Get published
Are you a Nikon Z camera owner and you have some excellent images? Great! This is your chance to get published in our NikoniansPress books on mastering the Nikon Z7 and Z6. For more information on how to proceed, see the pinned posts at the Nikon Z cameras forum.
Community
In case you have not noticed, we now show the original posting date as well as the modified posting date in discussion threads. We have also fixed an item in the galleries: Sorting your own, or any other members gallery, using the sorting feature at the bottom of the gallery has been improved, now behaving as expected.
Enjoy your ad-free, independent and friendly community - brought to you by all the members supporting it with a paid membership. Want to chip in and support the community as well? Nothing could be easier.
Curious about the team behind the community making it all happen? See our team page
Posted by bgs at 9:37 AM
October 11, 2018
Z7, tracking your keepers and composition for architecture
Photokina in Cologne, Germany was again an exciting show with Nikon showcasing the Z7 in all its glory with many visitors having the chance to try out a larger number of available Z7 and Z6 cameras on the stands.
Z7 and monster wall shot
The Z7 seems to be a very versatile camera while great to hold even with my large hands and it comes with splendid AF - it was a joy to use in different lighting.
One truly large exhibit wall was dedicated to a great shot done by Marsel van Oosten (Marsel) while in Africa, depicting workers on a field taken by, you guessed it, a Nikon Z7.
New Z series books
Two new books are due out mid 2019 on the Z6 and Z7 written by DigitalDarrell under our NikoniansPress banner, thanks to the US publisher Rocky Nook. The sister (or rather mother) publisher, dpunkt Verlag has scheduled two german books on the Z cameras as well. Any book under the NikoniansPress banner contains a voucher for a discounted Gold Membership at Nikonians and members have the chance to showcase their best images taken by the specific camera in question.
If you want to participate with your great shots in one of the books, make sure you keep an eye on the corresponding forum at Nikonians. Only images that are qualified through Nikonians end up in the NikoniansPress books.
Keeping track of your keepers
Talking about Nikonians Gold memberships, more members have set up their own portfolios at Nikonians available to all members on Platinum and Gold levels. This is a great way to keep track of your own, best shots while showcasing them to others under an easy to remember internet address.
3D lens for common cameras
At the photokina show I had the chance to meet up with Matthias, the founder and Klaus, the CTO of K|Lens, a startup that wants to bring out a new 3D lens plus software plugins to render the captured, three dimensional data. They have a few prototype lenses and expect to go into production in 2019.
This is definitely interesting technology and based upon that the optics will be great, this can be a very interesting product for us photographers, turning our regular cameras into 3D capturing machines with a set of new possibilities for still photography as well, such as extended DoF, tilt-shift, bokeh simulations, segmenting the image in depth-layers with editing such layers separately, plus more.
I have created a k-lens discussion thread on this technology in our forums.
Working Pro
In his second installment of the premium article series on Shooting Real Estate and Architecture, Miguel is discussing composition.
Red Knobs on Wolf Range by Miguel Lecuona
Tips & Tricks: hand-holding long lenses
My dear partner and co-founder of Nikonians, Ramon (jrp) has wrapped up the do's and don'ts hand-holding longer lenses. Read more
Inspiration
Our Editor's Choice team featured the 100th member, Voltaire (Alaz) some days back with a great shot he took.
Contest
In the final segment of the Best of Nikonians 2018, "Wonders of old and new technology" we are celebrating the 200 years of technological evolution from the industrial revolution through today.
This is a Special Edition Contest, an extension of our big annual contest and it is open for entries up until November 15, 2018. Participate with your image.
Community enhancements
Thanks to all of our supporting members on a paid membership and those of you joining our fundraising, we are capable of continuously improving Nikonians - here are some of the latest changes:
Video linking
You can now include video links in your forum posts and a video player shows when you post the link. This works for vimeo and youtube videos.
Easier avatar upload
Your avatar (preferably a "mugshot") can now be uploaded at larger size and you can crop it online prior final upload. Don't have an avatar set yet? This is a good time to do it. Just go to "My Profile" and click on the "avatar" image top center of the page.
OP date is back
Original Posting date is back for larger views (smaller views, e.g. on mobile devices do not contain it).
Member username clickable
The username of other members now clickable on many locations showing a new menu for easy visiting the members portfolio, profile, gallery or to follow the member.
Sort and filter followers and activities
It is now easier to sort and filter both the members and the activities of the members you are following and the members following you. A maximum of 90 days of activities of the members you are following is being shown.
Gallery sorting
Sorting in the galleries, semi-broken as it was, has been fixed, plus the images in your favorites collection in the galleries are now clickable again to see the larger, original image.
Private message confirmation
A confirmation page is now shown when you have sent a private message to another member.
Enjoy the weekend, may it bring you good colors and great shapes.
Bo (bgs)
Posted by bgs at 12:20 PM
October 16, 2017
Open position: Writer
We are expanding our team of authors - If you are interested to join, send me, bgs a private message.
This could be a good chance for those of us who love both photography and writing, and who want to work some extra hours weekly.
See the job description as PDF
This lovely photograph was taken by JRP on one of the recent annual Nikonians photo trips (ANPATs).
He enjoys combining landscape photography with his personal style of writing.
Posted by bgs at 8:50 AM
October 1, 2017
Inspiration and mastering the art - We are back to weekly
Inspiration, mastering the art of photography, professional tips and industrial news: The publishing of our weekly newsletter stopped mid July after we'd experienced some unplanned changes on the team. We are now getting back on track again and expect to be publishing weekly starting coming week.
The main items from this weeks newsletter are included in this blog below. The upcoming newsletter will be structured a bit differently, but we are working very hard trying to make it an easy to read, not too long & wordy.
bgs and jrp, the two founders of the Nikonians Community, doing a podcast at the Crazy Horse Memorial.
If you are not subscribed to the newsletter and want to get inspiration, mastering the art of photography, professional tips and industrial news, sign-up for it today.
1. We are now advertising free.
The reason? The value of the advertising, for you as a member and for the community over all, is diminishing. Many of us are using ad blockers and if we do not, we hardly interact with the ads or view them. Let us know what you think In the About Nikonians forum (login required)
2. We now support (really) large file uploads in the forums
Starting right now, all of our forums allow for upload of files larger than the recommended 1200 pixel width for landscapes and max 900 pixels height for portraits. If the file is larger than 3MB in file size, it will automatically be resized as well. Motivation for this is to make it easier for you to upload files without having to bother about exact size of the original file, just because you wanted to share something. More in our blog
3. Our fundraising is up
We have already raised over $5,000 since we started early September. Our fundraising page has more info
4. Last days for the 50% discount on upgrading to a Gold membership
Last days to take advantage of a heavy discount on our popular membership level. Go head :-)
5. New, inspirational photography from members
We have some new articles up on inspirational photography and the members behind it
Kathy Cavallaro and Lawrence Treadwell
6. New functionality: Ask for critique on images directly from the galleries
We are running an open beta of a new functionality, making it possible to include images from your gallery for advice & critique. The new functionality is available to all members on Gold and Platinum. More info in the blog
7. Some more buttons, forums time-zone aware, comments on your images & more info on your membership
In case you've missed it, we now have a "Post a reply" button top right corner in the forums.
We further introduced a "Cancel" button in the post message window.
You can now set your timezone in your profile and you will see all posts with your correct time.
If someone posts a comment on an image of yours in the galleries, it now shows under the
"Heart" menu as well.
More details on your membership now showing under your profile, "Membership" tab.
Posted by bgs at 1:23 PM
June 10, 2010
Nikonians Academy expands to Europe
Marking five years of successful growth, the Nikonians Academy expands to Europe and will start to offer workshops in Europe this year.
Started in 2005, the Nikonians Academy has been offering high quality personalized photography training in all topics related to modern photography in North America.
For this exciting new expansion we are looking for highly motivated instructors with photographic backgrounds.
Sound interesting? Please send your application if you are interested in becoming a Nikonians Workshop Leader or the Head Instructor for Europe.
You can find both job descriptions at the Nikonians jobs page.
If you live in North America: We are always looking for additional workshop instructors, so feel free to contact us!
Posted by joef at 1:03 PM
March 12, 2010
Protect Your Photos Using Image Rights
Curious about who's using your images? Worried about protecting your intellectual property from misuse? Are copyright violations eating away at your profits? Sign up now with ImageRights - a service that works ceaselessly and efficiently to look for your images online, identify who's using them and how. Subscribing Nikonians receive a 10% discount through the Rewards program.
Using innovative visual search and image recognitiion technology, Image Rights helps protect your photographs and illustrations by conducting discovery searches on the Internet, and empowering rights holders to reduce illegal image use and ultimately recover fees for the unlicensed use of their works. Click here to get protected!
Posted by covey22 at 2:13 PM
January 11, 2010
Nikonians Fine Arts Master preps 2010 Workshop Schedule
Learn portrait and fine art nude photography with Nikonians Master Society Member Pascal Baetens.
Pascal teaches his techniques in a series of workshops starting January 30th and 31st, in Belgium (outside Brussels).
The January 30-31 workshop concentrates on Introduction to Portrait Photography.
The next two workshops will be: February 27-28: Introduction Fashion & Lingerie Photography; March 13-14: Introduction to Artistic Nude Photography.
For more information on his workshops scheduled throughout the year, contact Pascal through his Website at pascalbaetens.com.
Pascal was the subject of a profile article in our official publication: The Nikonian eZine #37, available for free download.
Posted by flashdeadline at 4:06 PM
August 4, 2009
Vote for the People's Choice Award
Photography.Book.Now's People's Choice Award submission period has closed, and now it's time to vote for your favorite image! The winner will receive a complete Maine Workshop Scholarship Package and bragging rights as the People's Choice.
In the meantime, be sure to follow Photography.Book.Now on Twiiter and rub elbows with the best in the photography publishing business by RSVPing to Blurb's Meet-Ups in places like New York,, London and San Francisco.
Posted by covey22 at 2:56 PM
September 25, 2008
Nikon and HP Create Fine-Art Repro System
Nikon and Hewlett-Packard have joined forces to create a fine-art reproduction system featuring the full-frame sensor D3 digital SLR, StudioPrint RIP software and the DesignJet Z3200 photo printer. The venture aims to put a capture-to-print system for that is superior in workflow and efficiency to large-format DFA offerings. (via WebWire)
Posted by covey22 at 7:53 PM
August 1, 2008
Nikon D3 Buffer Upgrade Offered
Nikon is offering a hardware upgrade to it's flagship D3 digital DSLR. The improvement doubles the effective buffer of images and makes the camera even more appealing to sports and action shooters. With any luck, there may be some fortunate Olympics shooters this month enjoying the fruits of both full frame and a deep buffer.
Reminscent of the D1X buffer upgrade of 2002, the current offer allows D3 owners to double the image buffer count in continuous shooting; instead of sixteen (16) 14-bit RAW uncompressed images, photographers will now have a thirty-six (36) image count. The improvements will also cascade down to the JPEG formats accordingly.
The upgrade will cost USD500/323 Euros and the service was made available as of Wednesday (30-July-2008) for US owners. The camera will have to be sent in for the service.
Posted by covey22 at 6:32 PM
January 7, 2008
Outlook Reminds You To Bring Your Camera
For photographers who depend on Outlook for event management and calendaring, Microsoft has built a very useful plug-in that allows you to specify what equipment you need to bring when creating an appointment.
The Pro Photo Shoot plug-in allows you to create an equipment pool that predefines what you have in your inventory. This is great for on-the-fly event management; while you're on the phone with a client arranging a photo shoot, you can start to check off what you need to bring - camera, lights, background etc. The pool also lets you plug in information such as serial numbers and purchase dates - great for creating insurance coverage lists.
Posted by covey22 at 4:55 PM
November 26, 2007
New Sport Photographer Accreditation Program
The Sports Photographers Association of America (SPAA) is offering a new accreditation program to set yourself apart from the competition and allow potential clients easy access to your status and background.
Posted by covey22 at 7:19 PM
October 5, 2007
A Cautionary Tale for Photographers
The ease of which one can publish their photographs in the digital age has resulted in many cautionary tales regarding property rights and usage. The recent flap over Virgin Mobile's inappropriate use of a Flickr photo highlights the need for photographers to really understand their rights and exercise due diligence when choosing a venue for which to showcase their work.
Posted by covey22 at 4:39 PM
August 15, 2007
"Change Up" Combination Bag from Think Tank
Think Tank Photo has come up with yet another unique design for working pro shooters - the Change Up combination Beltpack and Shoulderbag.
Using a unique harness system, the bag serves as a beltpack that can hang to the front, rear or side. A unique chest harness system keeps the bag firmly in place and also allows vertical adjustments in non-standing positions. A quick change of the configuration turns it into a functional shoulderbag. Cameras as large as the Nikon D200 and Canon 5D (without optional grips) and one large-aperture telephoto and wide-angle lens each will fit nicely into the main compartment.
Posted by covey22 at 9:35 PM
July 20, 2007
New NFL Rules: Wear a Canon Vest
Recently enacted rules by the U.S. National Football League (NFL) regulating media practices have industry members up in arms. One of the pernicious points: authorized photographers on the sidelines of games must wear a bright-red NFL identification vest that has a large logos of Canon and Reebok.
Posted by covey22 at 3:33 PM
May 8, 2007
Adobe CS3 One Day Conferences
Adobe is offering One Day conferences on the new Creative Suite 3 in a variety of U.S. cities, starting 16-May-2007.
For USD79, participants will learn about the newest image editing during the morning, get an opportunity to speak to Adobe experts about specific needs in the afternoon, and browse the Solutions Showcase for a wide variety of Adobe partners and their offerings. Registered attendees also receive a Lynda.com training package and plug-ins from onOne software at no extra charge.
Posted by covey22 at 9:25 PM
April 27, 2007
SPAA Sports Photography Seminar Tour Kicks Off
For our members seeking to explore the exciting world of commercial sports photography or even learn new trade techniques; the Sports Photographers Association of America is kicking off their 2007 tour 25-Jun-2007 in Portland, Oregon USA.
The one day seminar will feature topics such as posed action shots, learning the basics of the business, logistics, distribution, sales strategies and more. Admission is USD95 and includes lunch. The tour will make the rounds at various Western and Mid-Western US locations.
Posted by covey22 at 5:09 PM
April 24, 2007
X-Rite's Picture Perfect Color Seminar Tour
Get your colors spot on with X-Rite's Picture Perfect Color Seminar Tour.
The full day instruction will walk you through integrating color management techniques into your post-processing workflow. The tour is supported by Adobe, Epson, Fujifilm and many other industry names. The 40-city tour starts 15-May in Boston, MA. Registration is USD299 and discounts are available.
Posted by covey22 at 6:44 PM
April 17, 2007
Still Photography RIP?
In what could be one of the most provocative articles for this year, well-known photojournalist and industry pundit Dirck Halstead writes about the coming death of dedicated still photography at the hands of HD video cameras.
"First, most of the major camera manufacturers that are now associated with still photography will probably be out of business by 2016. Of the majors now selling cameras, I would put my money on only Canon to survive."
Posted by covey22 at 7:37 PM
January 8, 2007
PMA Gets Boost in Conflict with Smartmoney
In a recent press release, the Photo Marketing Association acknowledged an article by the Daily Business Review as supporting the industry group's stance against Smartmoney magazine regarding the copying of school photographs.
The conflict began in mid-November of 2006, with Smartmoney associate editor Stacie Bradford suggesting, as a money-saving tip, that parents purchase the cheapest school portrait package for their children and scan copies to distribute to friends and family. The Daily Business Review, a South Florida information and communication source for lawyers and business professionals, stood behind PMA's initial reading that Smartmoney's advice clearly violates US Copyright Law. PMA requested that the popular money-management magazine publish a clarification to it's readers. Smartmoney has refused to provide any corrections or clarifications.
Posted by covey22 at 10:59 PM
October 13, 2006
NGS Wins Latest Round in Copyright Battle
PDN Online reports that NGS has won the latest round in the copyright battle that started in the late 1990s when the magazine published previously used images on a CD-ROM without paying re-use fees to the photographers. The latest ruling centered around the photographers' contracts which could have contained language that covered such use, but the judge in the proceedings found the content "ambiguous."
Posted by covey22 at 1:25 AM
June 27, 2006
US Copyright Office Hikes Rates for Registrations
PDN Newsire reports that the cost of copyright registration with the US Copyright Office will increase starting 1 July. The cost of registering a single photo or groups of photos will go up from USD30 to USD45. In addition, hourly rates for records searches will go up from USD75 to USD150. An estimated search fee will cost USD100.
Posted by covey22 at 1:57 AM
March 11, 2006
PhotoProShop Ships Daily with FedEx
The Nikonians PhotoProShop.com ships daily Mon-Fri both out of Philadelphia and in Europe using FedEx.
PhotoProShop was launched back in January 2004 and meanwhile it has served several thousand ambitious photographers and imaging professionals. We carry Kirk and Markins camera support equipment. Gitzo Mountaineer tripods are going to be available end of March.
We have a fourteen days return policy.
Posted by bgs at 12:30 PM