Author Archives: Chuck_Maas

Photokina 2014

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

It’s an even-numbered year so it’s time for another Photokina in Cologne, Germany.  The world’s largest imaging trade show runs September 16-21 and promises to showcase the very best each vendor has to offer.  In the run-up to the opening, … Continue reading →

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4K Monitor

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

For early adopters looking to jump right into quality “4K,” NEC has one worthy of consideration—the EA244UHD-BK. While it isn’t cheap, it’s certainly not off the scale when the specs are considered. In a nutshell, this is a 24” wide … Continue reading →

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Lookout on Duty

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

If you visit rockslides in alpine country in Alaska you’re likely to see (or hear) Hoary Marmots. These large rodents favor the same kind of habitat as pikas—jumbled sections of granite boulders and scree that provide natural hiding places as … Continue reading →

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Small Preferences

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

Little things can make a lot of difference in photography, especially in the handling of the tools. Reaching the point where manipulation of the camera is so practiced and automatic that all one’s concentration can be focused on subject matter … Continue reading →

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Migrating Image Files

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

Many photographers using Mac computers were surprised a while back when Apple announced it would no longer continue development of their pro-level image editing and management application Aperture. But times change and things happen, and when they do other companies … Continue reading →

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Summer Harvest

Posted on July 19, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

Due to an abundance of fish, Alaska allows dipnetting for personal use for certain runs of salmon with strict permit requirements and seasonal limits. The mouth of the Kenai River is one of the most popular spots for sockeyes (reds) … Continue reading →

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Short Seasons

Posted on July 19, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

Summers in Alaska hardly seem to have fully developed before signs of autumn appear, like these brightly colored devil’s club leaves in the middle of July along the eastern edge of Cook Inlet. Best to enjoy as much as possible … Continue reading →

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Sensor Race

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

A few days ago Nikon announced a minor upgrade to their highly-regarded D800, to be called the D810. Pixel count stays the same (36.3MP), though the anti-aliasing filter has been removed entirely and there will only be one model instead … Continue reading →

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New Direction

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

Nine years ago Apple released Aperture, their “professional level” photo editing and management software for Mac computers and I watched several acquaintances embrace this program with unparalleled enthusiasm. Windows users had to wait a couple of years for Adobe to … Continue reading →

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Software Choices

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Chuck_Maas

Those who regularly use Adobe’s iconic Photoshop program will have already made the decision whether to accept the relatively new subscription program or stick with an earlier iterated version (CS6 being the last). Moving to their Creative Cloud model ensured … Continue reading →

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