Many of us know that it's not easy to create a perfect image in the camera, especially when there is no time and events are rushing by your eye, as it happens on weddings. One of the aspects of the perfect image is the composition of the subject and objects in the frame. I even consider it the most important aspect of the photography. The usual technique to compose the frame is to focus, lock the focus and recompose. This technique was practiced since the "ancient" times, but it has some drawbacks. Such as the metering could be terrible wrong, especially with white and black dresses of bride and groom. Or when using shallow depth of field the recomposition sometimes leads to backfocusing.
Just a few minutes ago reading a post in Rob Galbraith forum I found a link to a very interesting document published by Canon. Where the guys from Canon explain some nuances of operating EOS 1 cameras (such as 1D, 1Ds, 1D Mark II). Among the other useful information I encountered an advice for CF setting that should be very useful for wedding and event photographers. I read it, tried and have to say - it is what the doctor ordered.
Here is the excerpt from the document (see page 18):

Mode
One-Shot, Focus Activation with Shutter release button

CF Settings
11-2 Swaps functions of Quick Control Dial (QCD) with that of the AF Point Selection Button.
13-3 Limits AF point selection to 9 (8 peripheral AF points, and the center AF point).
17-1 (optional) This expands the AF activation area if needed in lowered contrast situations.
18-1 This activates the Assist Button and pre-assigns the Center AF point as the HP.

Background
Traditionally photographers have used the FLR (focus, lock, recompose) method when interfacing with their camera and their subject. This is how it had to be done with manual focus cameras and the early auto-focus models with a single focusing point. Almost everyone knows how to use FLR, but it can cause problems. First, it’s not nearly as fast as some of the methods we’ll discuss here. Metering is less precise, particularly flash metering. Additionally, it can lead to backfocusing problems when shooting at wider apertures within 15 feet of the subject.
The fastest and most accurate way to work is to compose first and then use the benefits of the 45-point Area AF sensor to get your focusing and metering settings.
By using this Event combination, the photographer obtains many focusing options, all without having to take attention away from the subject. It also allows the scene to be composed in the viewfinder prior to choosing a focusing point. This is helpful because in shooting these types of events, people are unpredictable in their movements and with a quick flick of the thumb the photographer can be ready for any rapidly changing shot without having to lock focus and recompose. Compose the shot, and then just pick the point that works best.
Another advantage is that when using this combination of settings with Evaluative Metering, the camera will give more precise metering for your intended subject and do a better job of automatically compensating for backlighting and unevenly lit scenes.
For EOS-1D and EOS-1Ds cameras that use E-TTL (not the newer E-TTL II), this combination will also give you much more reliable flash exposures when you’ve chosen a focusing point that lands on your subject, rather than using FLR.
It will take some practice to break the habit of FLR, but once you learn how to use the 45-point AF system effectively, it can really improve your performance as a photographer.

Operation
Turn the QCD on the back of the camera to “roll” from AF point to AF point along the outer periphery of the AF Area ellipse. Tap the Assist Button to immediately go to the center AF point (this combination has automatically assigned the center point as the HP). To get off the center point and back to an outer AF point, simply use the QCD again. This combination affects the focus point selection method only, not the focus activation. Actual focusing is done by pressing the shutter release halfway.
Hidden Feature: To get back to AFPS immediately… while holding the shutter release in the halfway position (SW-1), tap the AF Point Selection Button and release. The camera will stay on AFPS until you either use the QCD or tap the Assist Button. This is useful because generally, in well over 50% of shots in a wedding or event type environment, the main subject is the closest and most prominent object in the frame and, in One-Shot, this is where AFPS works best.
The Bonus Feature is that the QCD is now part of your focusing system rather than your exposure control. The exposure controls are relocated to the AF Point Selection Button. Hold the selection button in and turn the Main Dial on top of the camera to adjust exposure compensation in AE modes, or f/stops in Manual mode. The disadvantage of having these exposure features on the QCD was that it made it very easy to change exposure settings accidentally. Now, it’s just as fast to adjust your exposure settings, and you are far less likely to change them accidentally.

The following is an excerpt from the same document that was mentioned in the previous post. But I decided to include it in this post, because there is one issue, which concerns the focusing in AI Servo AF Mode - first frame could out of focus. So there is a good reason not to shoot single shots in this mode. And below is the explanation of such behavior:

"There are two issues at stake here: the first is focus tracking and the second is a phenomenon known as “release-time lag” or “shutter lag.” In One-Shot AF, pressing the shutter button halfway locks the focus. When the camera is set for AI Servo AF and the shutter button is pressed halfway, the AF system begins tracking the subject. If you simply press the shutter button down without waiting for the AF to function, the shutter release might lock up or be delayed in One-Shot AF. Under the same conditions, the shutter will release without focusing in AI Servo AF. This is true with or without the use of an AF-Assist beam. Conversely, pressing the shutter button halfway and holding it there until you are ready to shoot allows the focusing system to lock focus in One-Shot AF or start tracking the subject in AI Servo AF. Pressing the shutter button down all the way once focusing has been established will release the shutter in the shortest possible time, thereby increasing the odds of capturing “the decisive moment.”

A corporation, chartered by the state in which it is headquartered, is considered by law to be a unique entity, separate and apart from those who own it. A corporation can be taxed; it can be sued; it can enter into contractual agreements. The owners of a corporation are its shareholders. The shareholders elect a board of directors to oversee the major policies and decisions. The corporation has a life of its own and does not dissolve when ownership changes. See next page.

Pages: 1 2 3

There are several choices to consider when selecting the type of your business. There are two types of corporations: "C" Corporation and "S" Corporation; then there are Partnership. Limited Liability Company and Sole-Proprietorship:

Pages: 1 2 3 4

An old trick is to view your subject through a dark green filter- that gives you an idea of how the subject will look in black and white. Another way is to look in a brown filter, it gove similar effect but better suitable for street photography.
If you like to shoot black and white, try to use a green filter on the camera when working out of doors. It gives a healthy flesh tome and lightens dark green foliage so that dark suits and hair does not merge with the background. A light yellow filter when used in a (flash) portrait set up, produces pearly skin tones in portraits of the bride- combine that with a bit of soft focus and you have a wonderful effect.

I had the idea for several month, but there was some resistance to put much effort into it and the thought that actually doing photography as a business will kill the pleasure I have from doing it. So the my way to the business was slow, but yesterday I decided to get a tighter grip on the idea and start doing something in this direction.
My first step was to plan the whole thing, which lead me to creating a business plan. I searched the internet and found several resources to learn about the beast:

• Small Business Administration
• Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource (IRS) - added
• Business in DC (Washington DC government website) - added
• Dan Heller's Business Articles
• "Focus on Profit" Book and PhotoByte Software
• The Business of Photography - list of interesting books
• Business Articles on NYIP
• The Photographer's Guide to Marketing and Self-Promotion
• Sales and Marketing Articles
• Starting a Home Based Business - articles
• Sample Business Plan for Photography related business

Well, I am just on the second page of my business plan. I will post more of the ideas and thoughts on the topic. I better get back to writing the business plan ;)

Red, blue, yellow etc. are not just colors. These are emotions, feelings, memories, reflections, associations. They play a very important role of sings or symbols. Seeing a color or thinking about color produces a certain reactions in our mind....
Those are the first words that I read in the ColorAssociations.pdf. The document describes a study on associations that are perceived from colors written (in English) by Olga Dmitrieva. The study unfortunatelly covers only associations for red color. But any way this information could be useful when a photographer wants to convey a certain message in a photograph and uses red color for it.

More studies on colors you can find here.

Even before I got my 1D Mark II, I spent some tim browsing the internet and looking for related information. It was good decision, because I found one important aspect of the battery that I didn't know before. As every car has it break-in period, it seems NiMH batteries have similar period or rather specific techniques how to get the most of the battery pack. There is an article and forum thread that describe this aspect and steps that you have to do when get a new NiMH battery:

• D1X Tip: breaking in the EN-4 battery
• 1D Mark II - Initial battery conditioning?

Using those tips my 1D Mark II can get over 1200 shots from a single charge of the battery. Isn't it great? :)

There are several great posts on Rob Galbrath forum that explain the meaning of Custom Functions and what combination of settings best suitable for various modes of operation for Canon EOS 1 cameras (including 1D Mark II). Here are the few but most interesting threads:

• MarkII Custom Function Settings
• CFn. 4-1 and CFn. 18-2
• Focus tracking using Cfn4-1 and 18-2

One more link to related article: Instantly Switching Autofocus Modes

Just to let you know what equipment I have and use. I am a Canon guy and I am trying to stick to Canon stuff, even when there are similar characteristics for compatible products (like Sigma or Tamron lens).

So here is the list:

Bodies:

• 1D Mark II (my new and very expensive toy, see review)
• EOS 10D (old and trusted, but not as smart as the one above)

Lens:

• 16-35L f2.8 (great fast lens - good choice for dark churches during weddings)
• 70-200L IS f2.8 (sometimes your shaky hand has to reach for candid expressions)
• 50 f1.4 (unfortunatelly lost/stolen, but first on the shopping list)

Stuff:

• Tamrac 758 backpack with compartment for laptop (see website)
• Tripod "Gitzo Explorer 2227" (lightweight, robust and very "flexible", see review)
• Two flashes "Speedlite 550EX (see reviews)
• B+W Polarizer 58mm
• Sekonic L358 Flash Master Light Meter
• RiteBracket for flash (see website)
• Delkin Devices 32-Bit Hi Speed Card Reader
• Hitachi/IBM 4Gb Microdrive
• And some other things not worth mentioning

So here begings the new thread of my life - thoughts and knowledege exchange, which related to photography.
Generally I will try to post some of the links to websites that I find interesting or findings about composition and lighting techniques for various aspects of photography. I hope there will be some time to post and content about my thoughts as well. We will see :)