Tag Archives: Canon G11

What is a “professional camera”?

By Ed Selby | Published July 8, 2011

Many people in the Atlanta area are applauding the return of Music Midtown – what used to be a multi-generational and multi-cultural music festival. This time it is very much geared to the late 20 to mid 30 year olds. But this isn’t about the questionable non-diverse lineup. This is about the return of a stupid anti-photography policy and the inability of the music business to get with the 21st century.

The last Music Midtown I attended was in the mid-90s. I had just started learning to take pictures, and figured that I could get some fun shots with my Pentax P30T (which I still have) and Focal 35-70 lens (Focal was, literally, the KMart brand of add-on lenses). I was stopped at the gate and told that no “professional cameras” were allowed in the festival area. I first thought how cool it was that someone thought I was a professional and that I had a professional camera, then I quickly realized that I was really just learning how to take pictures, was far far from a professional, and no professional photographer would use the limited equipment I had. I protested, but my words fell on deaf ears.

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Posted in Band Photography, News & Updates, Opinion, Photography Business | Also tagged , , , , , 2 Comments

Travel To New York

By Ed Selby | Published October 14, 2010

I went to New York City this week. Yeah, it was a business trip, and I spent most of the my time there in seminars and presentations, but I did manage to get some walking about time. Here are a few photographs from my New York City trip made with my trusty Canon G11.

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Packing Light

By Ed Selby | Published June 11, 2010

My beautiful wife Talisa posted in her blog about stripping down what she carries in her art bag for vacations. I can’t help be snicker at the irony that she can carry everything she has in one hand, and my gear bag weighs about 25-30 pounds for the same trip. Somehow I think I’ll end up shooting more with my Canon G11 than my Nikon D300 and the myriad lenses I’ll take for this trip. Talisa’s bag will get scant notice from the airport security screeners, but I’m betting my gear will once again be thoroughly searched.

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Mid-March Update

By Ed Selby | Published March 18, 2010

Regretta Garbo and Hurtie Gurtie

The first home bout of the 2010 Atlanta Roller Girls roller derby season got underway on Saturday March 13. As the official photographer for the Atlanta Roller Girls it is my duty to photograph and document the bouts. It is harder than one would think. The lighting is difficult. The action is fast, and being a “bit” over weight and out of shape doesn’t make it much easier for me, but it truly is fun. Plus, the girls are just great people to be around.

I have been asked a number of times by a number of people about the way I light such a difficult venue as the Yaarab Shrine Center Auditorium. This is a lighting diagram, but next month I’m going to do a video to show how I do it.

tracklight

Head over to Flickr to see all of my photos from the March 2010 Atlanta Roller Girls home opener bout.

On another note, I added a new camera to my growing collection of light catching boxes.

I have long wanted a point and shoot camera that could process and deliver photos of comparable quality with my Nikon D300.  DSLRs have their place, but there are times when a compact camera is easier and less of a hassle, so now I have Canon G11 I can carry around without people freaking out that I’m bringing a “professional” camera out to take pictures.

So far I really like the G11. For one, it feels like a camera. Unlike most compact cameras, it has a bit of weight and a solid feel. I am also fond of being able to either look through a viewfinder or a preview screen – and man, that preview screen is great! It pivots and swivels giving me ability to point and shoot without looking like I’m pointing and shooting, and the screen is big and bright.

From a control point of view, yes it is a point and shoot in full automatic mode, but I can also switch over to shutter priority, aperture priority, or full manual. This little compact camera gives me the same controls as my full size DSLR. As for image quality, the Canon G11 rivals, and is probably better than, most mid-range DSLRs. The 10 megapixel sensor may sound small to most, but the way those pixels are processed certainly makes this camera a worthy addition to the camera bag.

I only have experimental shots with it so far, but I will be using it this weekend when I do a shoot with Ashley Blalock.

Posted in News & Updates, Roller Derby | Also tagged , 1 Comment