Photo.net Newsletter: December 1, 2011

Hi %%First Name%%,

We are into the time of the year when many of the world’s families celebrate winter holidays. For many, it is Christmas. For others it is Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Festivus, or any of a hundred others. So to any and all of you who are involved with such celebrations, allow me to wish you Happy Holidays. And don’t forget to bring a camera to those celebrations and submit an image to the December Monthly Project: Holidays, Celebrations & Parties.

One thing that I’m excited about mentioning is that, for a limited time, Photo.net is proud to be able to offer a one year subscription to Popular Photography magazine included with your paid Photo.net subscription or renewal. No tricks, no “cancel later”, and no hoops to jump through. Read all the info in this forum thread, and please post there if you have any questions. Also, we’ve just published the 2011 Photo.net Holiday Gift Guide. If you are looking for gift ideas for a photographer in your life (or want to suggest some for yourself), then this is the article for you. Also, join in on the forums and suggest your favorite under $25 stocking stuffer ideas.

As always, share your thoughts about editorial, community, photography, and anything in between on the Facebook Page, Photo.net Blog, and Twitter Feed.

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please send them to us directly at contact@photo.net. Enjoy the newsletter!

Sincerely,

Josh Root, Director of Community, Editor in Chief, Mop & Bucket Man

Community News

Photo.net 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

As we normally do around this time of year, Photo.net has published the 2011 Photo.net Holiday Gift Guide. If you are looking for gift ideas for a photographer in your life, or need to “nudge” someone in your life about a gift idea for you, you’ve come to the right place. There are 40 suggestions ranging from under $25 stocking suffers to over-$1000 gifts that will make any photographer’s jaw drop. Also, join in on the forums and suggest your favorite under $25 stocking stuffer ideas.

2011 Holiday Gift Guide

Photo.net & Popular Photography Subscription Offer

For a limited time, Photo.net is proud to be able to offer a one year subscription to Popular Photography magazine included with your paid Photo.net subscription. No tricks, no “cancel later”, and no hoops to jump through. It’s just our way of encouraging you to become a photo.net subscriber! Not located in the USA? Don’t worry – our worldwide subscribers will receive the digital version of Popular Photography magazine. Much more info here:

Photo.net & Popular Photography subscription offer

Sponsor News

KEH Camera gets updated

Over the past six months, KEH has made some wonderful changes. They added the new 6 month warranty on used gear, expedited the return process, updated their name (from KEH.com to KEH Camera) and logo, and have added some new features to keh.com.

They also recently released a 2012 Photography Calendar, and have even more great things in store for the upcoming holiday season and new year. Be sure to follow them on their blog or on their Facebook page to be kept up to date on everything that is happening.

And P.S.- They are currently having a giveaway for one of the new calendars on their Facebook page.

Free Book Excerpt From Focal Press

Photographing Childhood: The Image and the Memory by Lanola Kathleen Stone

“Children are one of the most intriguing yet difficult subjects to photograph. Whether you are a proud parent or a professional photographer working, Photographing Childhood: The Image and the Memory will give you the know-how and the inspiration that you are looking for to create the perfect image. Rich with emotion and creativity, this guide delivers tips from a master photographer who has contributed to Child Magazine, Pottery Barn, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, and many others. Learn how to take photos that are technically and compositionally sound; pictures that are so gorgeous they’ll fill up your walls, refrigerator, and your family’s (or clients’) email in-boxes for years to come.”

You can read the chapter Ready, Set, Go: A Child’s First Year from ‘Photographing Childhood:The Image and the Memory’ right here on Photo.net. You can also get 20% off when you purchase the book from Focal Press with the discount code “PHOTONET”.

Ready, Set, Go: A Child’s First Year

Editorial Highlights

Nikon J1 Review

Compact large sensor cameras are all the rage right now and Nikon has jumped into the fray with it’s “Nikon 1” system. Nikon forum moderator Shun Cheung got his hands on the J1 and took it through it’s paces. Shun is a long time Nikon DSLR user, so how will the compact J1 stack up to the cameras he is used to shooting? Read the review and find out what Shun has to say.

Read the Nikon J1 Review.

Canon EF 8-15 f/4 USM Fisheye Lens Review

Not to be outdone by his Nikon colleague Photo.net editor and Canon guru Bob Atkins was able to spend some time with Canon’s 8-15 f/4 fisheye zoom lens. It’s a pretty extreme lens that gives you options few other lenses can match. What did Bob think of living in the fisheye world? Read on and see…

Read the Canon EF 8-15 f/4 USM Fisheye Lens Review.

Animoto Online Video Slideshow Maker Review

Video slideshows that merge still images with movie clips are a growing trend among consumers and professional photographers. This fusion of still and video imagery offers a great way to showcase your work. In addition, if you’re a wedding, portrait or senior photographer, these slideshows can be an easy source of additional revenue. Animoto’s Online Slideshow Maker gives you the ability to create these video slideshows via a web interface rather than via traditionally purchased and installed software. How well does it work? Theano Nikitas gives you the rundown.

Read the Animoto Online Video Slideshow Maker Review

Top 10 Most Popular Deals from Our Partners this Week

1. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens (compare prices)

2. Nikon D7000 16.2 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera (compare prices)

3. Sony SAL-30M28 30mm f/2.8 Macro Lens (compare prices)

4. Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm f/4.0 Ultra Wide Zoom Lens (compare prices)

5. Canon EOS Rebel T3i Black SLR Digital Camera (compare prices)

6. PocketWizard FlexTT5 Transceiver Radio Slave (compare prices)

7. Nikon Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX Wide Angle Lens (compare prices)

8. Tamron B005 SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR DI-II VC Zoom Lens (compare prices)

9. Adobe Photoshop & Premiere Elements 9 (compare prices)

10. Epson Stylus Office R3000 Inkjet Printer (compare prices)

Find great deals on thousands of other products at the Photo.net Partner-powered Store.

What’s Happening In Our Forums

• Canon EOS (18 Responses) What should I buy Canon 5d or Canon 24-70mm 2.8?
• Pentax (19 Responses) Never A Better Time for a K-5
• Large Format (31 Responses) is it safe to convert a polaroid land to 4 by 5?
• Nikon (13 Responses) Can I use this camera for IR photography?
• Medium Format (21 Responses) 903SWC Quandary?

Go To Photo.net Forums. »

Monthly Project: Holidays, Celebrations & Parties

December is a big month for holidays around the world. From Christmas to Hanukkah to Kwanzaa to Al Hijra to Bodhi Day to the Winter Solstice and more, there are many reasons to get together with friends and loved ones in December. For many photographers, photos of these celebrations are both their most treasured and some of their best examples of “people” photography. Why? Because our friends and loved ones are the most likely to be comfortable with our funny photographic obsession, they don’t shy away when we pull out the camera.

These are photos that really show the heart of these gatherings of loved ones. Be it midnight mass, solstice sunrise or stockings on Christmas morning, if you are there photographing those you care about, that care will show in your images.

See all of the Monthly Projects (and submission instructions) on the Monthly Project Index page. Here are a few from last month’s “Warm & Cozy” project that caught my eye: