Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Tips, Tricks and the Best Photo Gear Picks for the Holiday Season #CTAPhotoNYC

Photography is the beauty of life captured
Capturing those priceless candid shots and special moments with family and friends are a must this time of year as our calendars fill with penciled in gatherings and festivities.You know, those adorable shots of your toddlers first time pumpkin picking in a field of gourdes larger than themselves, or the hilarious pics of your favorite crazy uncle dressed as Santa & your terrier dressed as Rudolph are always fun to show off.  I've found that this especially rings true when you realize with a blink of an eye or a flash of your camera that your loved ones, unexpectedly may not be there to celebrate these love and laughter filled moments with you the following week, month or year. There are literally thousands of photos living on our laptops , cellphones and cameras and I'm so thankful to have them because they've allowed us to take bitter sweet trips down memory lane as the boys and I remember loved ones we've had to say goodbye to. With the holiday season in full swing I was thrilled to host an intimate lunch and learn which provided the best photography tips, tricks and products for an amazing group of local bloggers on behalf of The Consumer Technology Association, CES and Techlicious 


Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, opinions expressed are 100% my own. 
Nowadays It's gotten easier and easier to capture high quality photos with just your cellphone and impressive apps and filters. Admittedly this has been my go to method for years despite owning a Canon Quickshot that our tween mostly uses for vlogging. I'm not sure I could commit to lugging around a DSLR camera from one event to the next, but there's no disputing that the resulting imagery will have tons of wow factor! Regardless of your preference it's so essential to learn how to use either or to it's fullest capabilities because if you're anything like me, you only know the absolute basic functions.


During the Lunch and Learn at Quality Meats guests had the chance to get hands on with some of the latest camera's & accessories and received tips on how to photograph tricky holiday lighting, like the intricately carved jack-o-lanterns from Brooklyn Maniac and the perfect angles to shoot kids and pets from. 



 

BEST PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR 



Tiffen Steadicam Volt Engineered to provide the utmost precision and control, the Steadicam Volt™ enables smartphone users to capture high quality video content with ease. As a 3- axis smartphone stabilizer, the Steadicam Volt mimics the feeling and operation style of a traditional Steadicam rig, putting Hollywood film technology in the palm of your hand. Perfect for vlogging and action sport filming, the Steadicam Volt is an essential tool for on the go smartphone filmmaking and photography.
  •  Accommodates phone sizes with or without case from 100g – 250g in weight and 58mm to 85mm. 
  • Lightweight and folding design enable easy storage and transportation  
  • Accompanying iOS & Android APP allows for precise balance and tuning 
  • Price: $199.99 


Nikon D3400 Photos and videos captured with the D3400 and a superb NIKKOR lens are as vibrant and lifelike as the moments they preserve. Shoot in extremely low light without a problem. Freeze fast-action in its tracks. Create portraits with rich, natural skin tones and beautifully blurred backgrounds. The photos you share will amaze everyone—even yourself.
  • 24.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS image sensor with no optical low-pass filter for breathtaking image quality 
  • Always connected with Nikon SnapBridge and a compatible smartphone or tablet 
  • Compact, lightweight and very easy to use, regardless of skill level 
  • Learn as you go with Nikon's innovative Guide Mode 
  • Price: Starts at $499.95 




Panasonic Lumix ZS70 From sweeping panoramas and natural wonders to architecture and the simple smile of a child, this powerful, pocket-sized camera captures all the sights, scenes and emotions of your travels. The LUMIX ZS70 does it all in photos and videos, with vivid colors and details, just the way you remember them.
  • The ideal compact travel camera for both high resolution still photo and 4K video photography.
  •  20.3 Megapixel MOS sensor plus 30X LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR Lens (24-720mm), plus 5-axis HYBRID O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer). 
  • WiFi plus a 180 degree front flip-up touch feature-enabled screen simplifies selfie photography, and framing for unusual perspectives. 
  • Price: $449.99 



Epson Expression ET-2750 EcoTank Printer Mom can do anything, so why shouldn’t she be her own print shop too? The new Epson Workforce ET-4750 EcoTank is the perfect all-in-one printing solution for any work-from-home mom, offering revolutionary cartridge-free printing with easy-to-fill, supersized ink tanks with up to two years of ink in the box. Key features include:
  • Up to 14,000 black/11,200 color pages of documents and images without running out of ink, equivalent to about 30 ink cartridge sets 
  • High-capacity 250-sheet paper tray, to load paper less often 
  • Easy setup and navigation with a 2.4" color touchscreen and auto-stop ink bottles
  • Borderless printing and auto 2-sided printing 
  • Price: $499.99

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Beauty and style outside. Advanced technology inside. Whether you're snapping an unforgettable moment on the go or recording an epic video with your friends, the PowerShot G9 X Mark II camera combines an ultra-slim design with high-performing features for incredible image quality and easy portability. Packing a powerful 1.0-inch, 20.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor into a pocket-friendly size, it's powered by the DIGIC 7 Image Processor for fast operation and features built-in Bluetooth® connectivity for easy sharing. With the PowerShot G9 X Mark II, it's easy to capture the precious times of your life in a stylishly stunning way.  
  • Ultra-slim, Lightweight and Pocket-size Camera featuring a 1.0-inch, 20.1 Megapixel High-sensitivity CMOS Sensor and DIGIC 7 Image Processor 
  • Built-in Wi-Fi® NFC and Bluetooth® 
  • Bright f/2.0 (W) – f/4.9 (T), 3x Optical Zoom Lens (28–84mm)  
  • Price: $449.99 

Shutterfly Watercolor Patterned Frames Coaster Shutterfly photo coasters are a stylish way to display your favorite memories.
  • Available in sets of four, with a different photo on each coaster 
  • Great for cocktails or hot drinks, with no-slip cork backing 
  • We also have glass coasters available with personalized engraving (no photos) Suggested retail price: $19.99 


Just a few days before the luncheon our family faced the tragedy of my brother in law Jason's unexpected passing at only thirty years old. As we prepared for the memorial service we found ourselves scrolling through photos on social media as we stumbled across holiday memories that spanned over the last twelve years. Photos of cherished moments spent with loved ones shouldn't be stored away on gadgets and gizmos, personally I think framing them or gifting them in some form are a much better way to appreciate each day spent with your favorite people. 

TIPS & TRICKS


Use multiple exposure to add ghosts to your photos.


Use a positive exposure comp to make gray snow look white, and a negative exposure comp to make the night sky look black.


Guarantee you get the shot and switch from single shot mode to continuous mode.

Sports mode on cameras have more saturated colors, portrait mode is more true to life color



Use a flash in bright sunlight to fill in shadows, natural light is great for portraits.

If you have blinds, you can use the window as a diffuse light source for portraits.


When photographing kids and pets it's great to get down on their level. 

 Telephoto lenses isolate the subject while wide-angle lenses show backgrounds.


Do you have your eye on any photo gear to add to your wishlist? 
Thank you to the Consumer Technology Association, CES and Techlicious for hosting such an informative event!

























6 comments:

  1. GREAT photos. I am looking for a good camera. I don't want to pay a lot, but want something nice for my blog photos.

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  2. It's so nice to try these photography gears and accessories to further improve the quality of shots we take. Is the $199.99 worth the price to pay for the Steadicam Volt? It's the cheapest in the list and most affordable too.

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  3. Looks like that would be an event I would enjoy. I love learning from the experts - and dang that food looks good!! I need to work on my photography skills still - I have a lot that needs improvement. I'll get there, the gear helps too!

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  4. I need a new camera ... one that will do the job of a blogger. I severely need some photography skills to go along with it. These tips will help a great deal.

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  5. With my college graduation approaching i’d Love to have my special day captured perfectly. This seems like a great camera to have. I’ve also been thinking of starting a YT channel. I have to check this one out

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  6. I especially love the tip about switching from single shot to continuous mode. I've used this so many times in my life because I'm always trying to take photos of or puppies or grandchildren and they're always on the move. x

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