Day 2 specifics:

All photographers love camera bags it seems and usually own a range, depending on the needs of the shoot. Of course there are the great full range lines in Lowepro and Tamrac , plus many high quality specialty lines.
We came across a new game in town for the more style conscious in the group.
Crumpler makes a series of bags that not only look very cool but also are exceptionally well made. Coming out of Australia and …Brooklyn? A variety of colors and styles (yes there is black), these should definitely be on your consideration list.
Will I get rid of my classic bags? Never. Will I add a Crumpler? You bet.

Adobe announced that the latest version of Photoshop Elements for MAC would be released in a matter of days. This entry level software into the world of Photoshop has added some very useful, very EASY tools, for the neophyte. Even some pros will see that a 20-step process in CS2 has been reduced to 2 steps here.

Now that you have taken movies and stills with your mobile camera, movies with your still camera, what do you do with them? How can you share them easily? The best software shown at PMA was MUVEE.
Download your pics/movies by cable or Bluetooth to a user friendly, clear editing environment with some fun choices for effects. This software is already bundled with NIKON cameras and some select NOKIA phones so that should tell you something about the quality. One of the key and unique features: the music editing. This software will automatically trim and reformat a musically choice to the length of the edited piece. We’re told the company is owned by some very talented and brilliant musicians who have made this possible. Available only on PC.. for now.

One of the best products for the general snap shooter printing at home is a new paper that is not only water proof, but dries quickly and is archival. That’s right, no ozone fading. Its called Perma Pix.
Price wise it’s in the range of the big name brands top of the line product. If you print 4×6 or 8 x10 at home its worth picking some up and giving it a try. Ferraniat.com or 1800-695-FILM (3456)

For the pro and the discerning artist there are the classic choices for high quality papers for printing. It becomes a matter of personal taste. The companies that have a heritage like Crane and Arches , or newcomer Bregger , all have specific qualities that honestly are a subjective call depending on your own needs. The recommendation here would be to try products within each companies line and see what works with your images and process. These high quality papers obviously carry a much higher price tag than your standard papers, but they also carry some variations within the line that may be a more affordable solution.

One of the biggest needs for the working photographer is a good affordable workflow software solution. Tracking, displaying, ordering, and basically a solid e-commerce business tool. One of the cleanest is SimplePhoto. There is a 30 free trail, so worth a look.

If NIKON is your brand, you have got to visit nikonians.org. This site represents a global collective of Nikon enthusiasts who are more than happy and willing to help each other with answers to any shooting questions regarding that brand. And even if you don’t use Nikon, you will be happy to find truly solid info and knowledgeable photographers who will share. It’s a free site with paid subscriptions levels for various additional services.

On to day 3!

Cheers!
Damon Webster