My name is Tom Nolle, and I'm the president of CIMI Corporation and the author of the electronic books and digital products shown on this website. I'm what could be called a "semiprofessional photographer", which means that I can sell stuff but I can't make a living at it. That's why I'm titling this section the way it is. If you are a professional photographer who doesn't need the advice or comments of a semi-pro (or semi-amateur, depending on your perspective), don't bother reading this section!
Well, who should read it then? Primarily those who are more than just dabbling with pictures, but aren't completely comfortable. Especially the subset of that group who are embarking on the use of digital photography or digital image processing. I'm not going to provide stylistic tutorials; photography, like art, is a personal thing. What I will be doing is sharing some of the experiences I've had, and learned from.
To start this process, let me describe my own equipment. Today I do all my photography with a Nikon D2X and a Nikon D200. I shot 35mm film for decades, but I purchased a Fuji S2 digital SLR in September of 2002, after taking a 3-week trip to Alaska and handling over 2300 slides and the scanning of an 800-slide subset of that collection! I'd looked at digital before, but couldn't find a camera that produced an output I liked. When the new Fuji model came out in July of 2002, I analyzed the test files others posted on the Internet and made my decision. I've never regretted it, and I'll never go back!
I use five lenses with these two cameras. My two workhorses are the Nikon 80-400 VR and the Nikon 17-55 f2.8. I also have a Sigma 70-200 f2.8, a Sigma 180mm Macro, and a Sigma 500mm f4.5.
For image processing, I use Photoshop CS3 and occasionally Corel PhotoPaint and RawShooter Professional. For noise reduction I use the Kodak Digital GEM filter. For Sharpening I use the Digimarc filter, and for color correction I use Pictographics iCorrect EditLab. I also use SAR, an image resizing software product by General Cathexis, for some resizing of images for print.
Got all that? OK, then here's how this portion of the site is going to work. Periodically, but especially after a trip or after an image processing section, I'll add a link here to another page that will outline what I learned and think might be valuable to others. Feel free to read them, print them out, or whatever, for your own use. Commercial use of this material requires our explicit consent. This section, and all the tips, are Copyright © CIMI Corporation. Publications: We'll develop expanded versions of any of our tips as articles for publication, providing that we retain full rights to continue to offer the tips in original form here!
Here are the Tips!
Photographing in the Wild in Winter
Understanding and Manipulating Resolution
Automating Photoshop with Scripting and Actions
The Special Zen of Lenses on Digital Cameras
Dealing with Dynamic Range
Photo-Travel Tips
Photo-Editing for Beginners
End the Shakes with Camera Supports
Macrophotography!
How Not to Have a Scenic Drive!
Zoning Out on Exposure
Photographing Bears in Churchill