HOSSedia

The Fuji X100

April 25, 2013 by Justin Balog 0 Comments

I was recently in Tucson photographing the my Team’s training camp. I often get asked about camera recommendations to take with you on the bike. To be honest, most of the time for quick snaps, I’m shooting an iPhone (feel free to check out my books about iPhone Photography), but if I’m carrying a camera with me on fun little gigs like this, I’ve been shooting the ubersexy retro Fuji X100 (check it out at B&H). Our bikes take us to some beautiful places, so make sure you grab a photo or two! One thing I dig about the Fuji is that it can fit into my cycling jersey pocket. Plus, when you take it out to shoot a photo you feel very old school European for some reason. All good qualities for a cycling camera.

Filed Under: Arizona, One Click, Travel, Tucson

Not Your Typical Treehouse

April 24, 2013 by Justin Balog 0 Comments

Having never stayed in the jungle, let alone a treehouse in the jungle, I surely wasn’t expecting this. But when it comes to treehouses, the Belize Treehouse offers some quality ones. They are well off the valley floor and nestled high in the jungle canopy. At night you can hear the howler monkeys call to one another as they migrate overhead to the river below. It truly is a magical experience.

Filed Under: Belize, HDR, Nikon 14-24mm 2.8, Nikon D700, Really Right Stuff, RRS Versa 24, Travel

Fun New Lightroom Presets

April 23, 2013 by Justin Balog 0 Comments

I’m always on the lookout for cool creative tools that are both inexpensive and easy to use. Recently I purchased Trey Ratcliff’s Lightroom Presets (you can get them by clicking here) and have used them for the last week or so. After experimenting with them I thought it was time to share my thoughts. In short, they easily meet my value equation…they are both easy to use and inexpensive. Only $17.97 when using this link. You can find them under ‘Tools’. Here are a few other reasons I dig them…

Customizable – They aren’t set in stone. You can easily tweak them to your liking.
Organized – You get 3 unique packs of presets that are clearly organized.
Inspirational – It is always fun to try another artist’s tools. With these preset you get a quick peek inside the artistic side of Trey’s brain. Hopefully they will inspire you to make something beautiful.

Here’s a quick before photo for you…if you were wondering where this photo is from, it’s the pool at the Coral Princess Hotel in Cozumel, MX. Feel free to check out my ‘Photographer’s Guide To Cozumel‘ for more info.

Trey Ratcliff's Presets

Filed Under: Cozumel, HDR, Mexico, Nikon 14-24mm 2.8, Nikon D700, Processing Notes, Software, Tips, Travel

Orchids Of Belize

April 22, 2013 by Justin Balog 0 Comments

I have always thought orchids are kind of cool, but I really don’t know much about them. When visiting Belize I found out that there are close to 300 varieties of Orchids in Belize alone. We actually saw an orchid that was smaller than the tip of a pencil. If you ever visit Belize, make sure to visit the Belize Tree House. On their property is a greenhouse which is home to nearly 100 types of Orchids. This was one of them. You can find the a bunch of information in my free ‘Photographer’s Guide To Belize‘.

Photographer’s Note – I shot this photo with my walk around travel lens, the trusty Nikon 18-200 VR. (Click Here for my complete review). Although it is not a lens with a big classic fast aperture. You can use the focal length of the lens to create some nice bokeh. Just step back a bit from you subject, rake the lens out to 200mm, and viola….a beautiful portrait!

Filed Under: Belize, Nikon 18-200 VR, Nikon D700, Tips, Travel

iPhone Friday

April 18, 2013 by Justin Balog 0 Comments

The short story is I needed a quick snack so I popped into the store and grabbed what looked like a great apple. When I went to pay for this mythical fruit I was shocked when the clerk asked me for $3.95! After some clarification, it turned out she was right. You’re looking at 1lbs organic Honey Crisp. My question to you is, are apples supposed to be that big? Or, are they genetically engineered?

Have a great weekend!

Filed Under: iPhone Friday, iPhone Photography