At first glance the Samsung NX10 looks just like a DSLR…just about. It is slightly smaller then a DSLR but this isn’t the sole reason for this camera being classed as non DSLR. The main reason why this camera is classed as a Hybrid is because of the way the image is viewed through the viewfinder.

In a DSLR camera there is an optical viewfinder, the view comes directly through the lens via mirror and pentaprism and through the viewfinder at the back of the camera. This is what has always made the Single lens reflex design unique, the photographer can view through the picture taking lens.

Hybrid cameras use various means of viewing an image. The Samsung NX10 still looks like a DSLR because the viewfinder is in the exact same place, and when you look through, you see the image the camera sees through the picture taking lens. The difference is the view is transmitted electronically rather then by reflection. This isn’t any way detrimental. In fact the advantage of this electronic viewfinder is the photographer sees 100% of the image view, there isn’t any DSLR’s that can boast this.

The electronic viewfinder isn’t a new idea but has proven to be a very useful tool. The two advantages of this compared to using the rear screen as a viewfinder is: 1. The scene can be viewed in the brightest of conditions: 2. The risk of camera shake is reduced as the camera can be held firmly against the face.

The camera is very well featured and would give many DSLR’s a run for their money with features. Significantly it has interchangeable lenses, just like the DSLR. Plus plenty of focusing options, even manual focus. It has all the standard exposure modes including the all important Manual Mode for the creative photographer. The ranges of settings also impress with ISO ranges from 100 to 3200 ISO and shutter speeds from 30 seconds to 1/4000 sec, this camera is very versatile. A 14.6mp image sensor is also another proud feature on this camera.

The latest feature to be added to DSLR cameras is Movie Modes. This is nothing new to Hybrid cameras and the NX10 is no different with a HD quality movie mode with an impressive 1260×720 resolution.

This camera is a hybrid yet it has the capability of interchangeable lenses and a hotshoe for external flash. However because it is a Samsung and not a Nikon or Canon, the range of lenses/flash etc would be limited compared to the other big names. Not a major consideration but if one has big plans for expansion of photo gear, this camera may be found limiting.

As an entry level camera into serious photography, the Samsung NX10 should be a serious consideration when comparing to the likes of Nikons D5000 and Canons EOS Rebel range. When comparing specifications, there is little difference between these three cameras, though the Canon EOS Rebel T2i (550D) has slightly better spec but with a significantly higher price tag.

The samsung NX10 would be a perfect camera for use in our Creative and Digital Photography Courses.

Naturally these images are outstanding because they are selected from hundreds of project submissions. In fact only a handful of images are selected through the course of a year.

So far for 2010 there have been 7 images added to the student gallery. These are as follows:

Waterway by Diane Dugas, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Image submitted by Diane for the Freelance Photography Project 3.

Majestic by Maria Warnes, St Ives, Cambs, UK. Image submitted by Maria for Digital Photography Project 4.

Emotion by Diane Dugas, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Image submitted by Diane for Freelance Photography Project 3.

The Woods Today by Kira Ellender, Folkstone, Kent, UK. Image submitted by Kira for Basic Photography Project 5.

Forgotten Classic by Lindsay Anderson, NW Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Image submitted by Lindsay for Basic Photography Project 3.

Cream Bud by Kira Ellender, Folkstone, Kent, England. Image submitted by Kira for Digital Imaging Project 1.

Autumn Colors by Sebastjan Reven, Logatec, Slovenia. Image submitted by Sebastjan for Landscape Photography Project 1.

Congratulations to all.

You can see these images in our Student Gallery.

You are welcome to browse all our Student and Tutors Galleries.

If you would like to take stunning images like these, enroll in one or more of our many courses.

Fig 1 - Tatra Mountains, Slovakia Original

It seems most of us take the bulk of our photos during the summer. The weather is pleasant and we generally have more time due to holidays/vacations. This is also true for the landscape enthusiast. Even though most scenic locations may look better in autumn or spring, summer may be the only time for most to enjoy taking landscape images.

Fig 2 - Photoshop Elements: Replace Color

Year round, there is ample opportunity to take good landscape images, however Autumn is argueably the best time. The colours in the foliage are at their most varied and vibrant.

The image in fig 1 was taken at the beginning of August. The colours in the foliage are dull and there is very little variation in the shade of green. This is typical of most locations at this point in summer. However here is a way of transforming that dull summer snap to a colourful autumnal image without leaving your seat.

In Photoshop Elements this can be easily achieved. Go to Enhance>Adjust Color>Replace Color. The dialog box in default shows a type of negative lith image of the photo. Using the Color Picker, select the shade of colour you want to alter. The lith type image will alter showing how much of that shade is in the image and effected by any changes made. Fuzziness can increase or decrease the shades within that general colour.

Once the shades are selected the colour can be altered dramatically. In fig 2 you can see a colour box called “Reset” (circled in yellow. Double clicking on this opens another dialog box indicated as “Select Target Color”. Here the colour can be changed using any one or more of the features in this box. Our colours for fig 3 were chosen by moving the slider down to an orangy/red colour and then fine tuning this in the larger Color window.

This dramtic but simple adjustment only takes about 10 minutes to perform. Naturally some experimentation is needed to get the effect just right.

To learn more about Digital Imaging or Landscape Photography, see our range of courses.

I spent one day in Central Park. It was a Saturday in June so it was very busy. It is an amazing place with every sort of man, woman and child imaginable doing anything and everything imaginable you could do in a park, and most of it was legal!

It is probably one of the most comfortable places to take candids and portraits of people. Those who generally make a spectacle of themselves (and there are quite a few that do) would nearly expect you to take their photo. The image of the roller skater is a typical example. Those skating where there to put on a show as was the case with this fellow. The more bottles you could balance on your head, the more your life was complete! So for those who are not generally comfortable shooting candids, me included, Central Park is a relaxed place to do it.

The amenities in Central Park include boating, baseball, Crochet, cycling, skating, to name just a few. There are also plenty of buskers and street entertainers there, particularly at the weekends, to keep you entertained.

The gymnastic group pictured here is a typical scene. A group of people who put on a short show usually performing tricks or stunts. Of course the hat is always passed around before the show is over.

There are also plenty of places, both open and hidden away, for a person to sit and relax. All these activities can give plenty of opportunity for candid images.

Central Park is really just one example I am using of places where an opportunity for candid images is great. In most cities and even towns around the world, there are parks that have similar amenities and attractions. Any given weekend you can go for a stroll through your local park and possibly find something worth shooting with your camera.

Our answer is usually in short; no. Adobe Photoshop is a professional program that has a wide range of uses, not just still photography. Therefore it has many features, a good proportion of which the still photographer would never use. This versatility makes the software popular but complicated and expensive.

There are a good number of digital image editing programs that are directed at the still photographer at a fraction of the cost. The difference between the results achieved from the full Photoshop program and others is usually not noticeable (depending on the particular program) in the final result of image editing.

Most features from one program to the next are similar as well. Once the user is familiar with the features within a given program, the exact same results can be achieved, possibly in just a different manner, in another program.

Just one example of an alternative to the full Photoshop software would be from Adobe themselves: Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Photoshop Elements is aimed directly at the still photographer and can even be used on a professional basis for some photographic practices. It may be deemed as a “beginners” image editing software, but this is mainly due to the beginners options that are in the program. In fact the full editing option within the program is very similar to Photoshop. The difference between this program and the full Photoshop program is a lot of options that would not be a concern to the still photographer have been removed. This makes the program more user friendly and competitively priced.

Learn how to use and get the most from your image editing program, in particular Adobe Photoshop Elements with our Digital Imaging Course.

The course instruction starts from the beginning assuming you know
little or nothing about digital imaging and techniques. Learning at home
or the office in your own time, all you need is the Internet to access
your digital course material.

Just imagine being able to create stunning images on your PC. Delve into
the magic of the digital darkroom with our fully illustrated lessons,
full tutor support throughout the course.

There are 5 modules, accessible from day 1, with both theory and
practical projects for you to complete which will monitor your progress.
All the projects are graded with helpful extensive critiques from your
tutor. It is the perfect foundation to build a hobby or career in the
art of Digital Photography.

This course now uses the Moodle Course Management System used by top
Universities and Colleges worldwide,

Look at some of the features below, you can master all of these with
School of Photography.com.

The digital course includes

Capturing your digital image
Processing your digital image
Using Layers
Filters
Digital Renovation
Digital Image Manipulaton
Printing
Presentation and more…

On successful completion of the digital course you will also receive a
graded School of Photography Certificate in Digital Imaging Photography
to frame.

For further information and course syllabus go to

http://www.schoolofphotography.com/digital_photography_course.html

You can see our reasonable fees and enrol for any of our courses today,
just go to Course Fees

1st Place: Harjono Djoyobisono, Yogyakarta, INDONESIA. Harjonos image titled “Windy and Smokey Night” came out on top. One judge commented: “I like the way that the wispy smoke adds atmosphere to this industrial landscape which is most appealing.” and another quoted: “Sends a strong visual message out at what we are doing to the air we breathe.” Harjono wins yet another $75.00 Amazon Gift Voucher with more to come.

2nd Place: Michiel Maessen, Brabantstraat, The Netherlands. Michiels image is titled “The Sky Turns”. One judges comment sums this image up: “Strong colour contrast creates an ereie imbalance which works well.” A $40.00 Amazon Gift Certificate is on its way to Michiel.

3rd Place: Tilly Meijer, Spijkenisse the Netherlands. Tillys entry is called “The Everglades” One judge commented “The monochrome simplicity and quality of this image is most appealing.” Tilly wins a $25.00 Amazon Gift Certificate.

You can see the winning images at
http://www.schoolofphotography.com/comp.html

Here are the results for the Air Competition.
 
1 Harjono Djoyobisono, Yogyakarta, INDONESIA…………………….100 points
2 Michiel Maessen, Brabantstraat, The Netherlands……………………92 points
3 Tilly Meijer, Spijkenisse the Netherlands………………………………..84 points
4 ANNA HERRINGTON, Grimentz, Switzerland…………………………76 points
5 Joshua Wise……………………………………………………………………..68 points
6 Raymond WIDAWSKI, Bruxelles, Belgique…………………………….60 points
7 Ivano Adversi, Bologna Italy………………………………………………54 points
8 Andreas Budiwidjaja, Jakarta Indonesia………………………………..48 points
9 Deidre Cripwell, Adelaide, South Australia……………………………..42 points
10 PRADYUT BANERJEE, WEST BENGAL,INDIA……………………….36 points
11 Ellen Geerlings…………………………………………………………………30 points
12 Jennifer Gosselin, Rocky Hill, CT. USA…………………………………24 points
13 Tony D Tam, San Francisco, Ca USA…………………………………….18 points
14 Alysia Rodgers, Austin, Texas, USA…………………………………….12 points
15 Jonathan Myers, Chicago, Illinois. USA…………………………………6 points

With all the results in it is now time to announce the Photographer of the Year for 2008. With a runaway lead our new Photographer of the Year is Harjono Djoyobisono from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Harjono won 3 of the 5 competitions throughout the year and placed in the points table on the other two. This has to be a record!

Along with the prestige of winning the competition overall Harjono also wins the Grand Prizes of the Western Digital My Book 2 Home Edition 1TerraBytes USB 2.0 Firewire & eSata External Hard Drive and an Epson Stylus Photo RX685 printer to print all those winning images for display!

Congratulations to Harjono from all of us at School of Photography.com

Here is the final table.  
  
1. Harjono Djoyobisono, Yogyakarta, INDONESIA………………….410 points
2. Samuel De Leon, Quezon City, Philippines…………………………..266 points
3. Andreas Budiwidjaja, Jakarta Indonesia……………………………..264 points
4. Ivano Adversi, Bologna Italy……………………………………………238 points
5. R.C. “Dick” Jenkins, Niceville, Florida USA…………………………..214 points
6. Raymond WIDAWSKI, Bruxelles, Belgique………………………….170 points
7. Brian Heller, Philadelphia, Pa. USA……………………………………168 points
8. Tilly Meijer, Spijkenisse the Netherlands…………………………….166 points
9. ANNA HERRINGTON, Grimentz, Switzerland………………………130 points
10. Anand Kapadia, Gujrat, INDIA……………………………………….126 points
11 Karel Verstreken, Kessel-Lo……………………………………………100 points
   John O’Neill, Ursuline Court, Waterford City. Ireland……………100 points
   Ben Burger, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa………………100 points
12.Michiel Maessen, Brabantstraat, The Netherlands………………..92 points
13 Mario Abdilla, Zurrieq, Malta,…………………………………………..84 points
14 Gary Dunn, Boardman, OH USA………………………………………..78 points
15 Jaime Karremann, Amsterdam…………………………………………76 points
For more information about the competition see http://www.schoolofphotography.com/comp.html
Do you want to learn how to take winning photos? Join our Basic Photography Course. See the full syllabus at  http://www.schoolofphotography.com/basic_photography_course.html

Our brand new course is The Wedding Photography Course. An ideal course for those who would like to expand their photography into the lucrative career of wedding photography.

http://www.schoolofphotography.com/wedding_photography_course.html

With a total of seven separate photography courses, there is one to suit YOU! Join today at http://www.schoolofphotography.com/fees/

Wedding photography is one of the easiest ways to earn an independent income. Learn how to take top quality wedding photographs including technical and compositional know-how and related skills. You will also learn the skills required for starting and running a wedding photography business.

Wedding photographers can earn over one thousand dollars, euros or pounds doing a single wedding. YOU can too.

Just imagine being financially independent with your own business or have a second part time income. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get the best out of your camera and enjoy making money at the same time.

Learn to advance your photographic skills to master wedding photography with School of Photography.com. Start today and you could soon be on your way to becoming a successful wedding photographer in no time at all.

Learning is at your own pace. You can take up to 2 years to complete your course. All YOUR wedding photography course material is available right here online 24/7. You learn rapidly by studying each lesson, following the examples within and then completing the projects with the help of your tutor.
The Wedding Photography Course covers:

- The equipment needed for a professional wedding photographer and how best to use it.
- The complete photo shoot from start to finish. Every type of image expected from a wedding photographer is shown and discussed within the course.
- All the information needed to start a business in wedding photography. This is not just a photography course, it is a business start up package in wedding photography as well.

All the usual benefits and facilites from School of Photography.com are included in this course.

· Complete online comprehensive instructions, including diagrams and photographs. There is no need for any other literature.
· Experienced personal tutors that can be accessed by email at any time.
· Both theory and practical projects for you to complete which are individually assessed.
· A graded certificate is awarded to you on completion of any of our courses

The beauty of our courses is that you can study and do the practical work at your own pace in the comfort of your own surroundings. All that is needed is Internet access, enthusiasm and an ambition to succeed in the world of Wedding Photography.

Start the New Year off with a new prospect and enroll today to make a start on the road to your career in wedding photography.

For further details:  http://www.schoolofphotography.com/wedding_photography_course.html

Enroll now: http://www.schoolofphotography.com/fees/paypalcart.html

Happy New Year!

Gift Certificates are also available for other occasions such as Birthdays, Anniversaries or just to say thanks.

Simply fill in their name in the comments area of the registration form stating you require a gift certificate and we will send it to you or the recipient by normal mail.

Please allow enough time for delivery to your country, especially at Christmas.

Have a very Merry Christmas from all at School of Photography.com

1 Miron Mikita, Killarney, Co. Kerry,Ireland…………………..100 points
2 Ben Simmonds, Wellington, Somerset, UK…………………..92 points
3 Merel Schoneveld Den Haag, The Netherlands……………..84 points
4 Raymond Widawski, Brussels, Belgium……………………….76 points
5 Brianna Williams ……………………………………………….68 points
6 Andreas Budiwidjaja, Jakarta Indonesia……………………..60 points
7 Sandesh Dhagle, Yavatmal, India…………………………….54 points
8 Liesbeth van Dalen, Amsterdam, Netherlands……………….48 points
9 emma Bartlett, bracknell tasmania……………………………42 points
10 Jennifer Smith, Livermore Falls ME, USA……………………36 points
11 Kelly Morgan, Haysville, KS, USA……………………………30 points
12 Marta Azevedo………………………………………………..24 points
13 Ginger Attaway, Pacific Palisades, CA. USA……………….18 points
14 Rebecca Herren, Harrisburg, IL, USA……………………….12 points
15 Harjono Djoyobisono, Northcote, Vicotoria, Australia……..6 points

Photographer of the Year 2007 Table
Totals after three

1 Miron Mikita, Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland…………………..260 points
2 Raymond Widawski, Brussels, Belgium………………………168 points
3 Anna Herrington, London, UK………………………………..148 points
4 Andrea Dudasova, Svidnik, SLOVAKIA……………………..144 points
5 Ben Simmonds, Wellington, Somerset, UK………………….128 points
6 Liesbeth van Dalen, Amsterdam, Netherlands……………..116 points
7 Tilly Meijer, Spijkenisse the Netherlands……………………108 points
8 Harjono Djoyobisono, Northcote, Victoria, Australia………106 points
9 Gerry Priest, St Andrews Fife Scotland…………………….102 points
  Celeste McKenzie, Villieria, Pretoria, South Africa…………102 points
10 Andreas Budiwidjaja, Jakarta Indonesia…………………….96 points
11 Ivano Adversi, Bologna Italy…………………………………92 points
12 Merel Schoneveld Den Haag, The Netherlands…………….84 points
13 Brianna Williams ……………………………………………….68 points
14 Willems Heidi, O.L.V.Waver  Belgium…………………………60 points
15 Marsha Barritt, Upton, WY, USA……………………………..54 points
   Sandesh Dhagle, Yavatmal, India……………………………..54 points
   Ginger Attaway, Pacific Palisades, CA, USA…………………54 points