A Networked Toronto

Some quick thoughts on the 5D2
This set is taken in the vicinity of University of Toronto’s downtown campus. I recently upgraded from a Canon XSi, and this is the forth/fifth shoot that I am doing with the 5D Mark II.  So far, I’m finding that the AF system to be very accurate (although the placement of the focal points and the lack of cross-types to be inferior and disappointing).  The greatest difference is in the image quality. The 5d2 produces a much cleaner and “creamier” image. The expanded tonal range, as well as the smoother gradations, are amazing, and I could see this camera excelling at capturing the intricate details of, say, a wedding gown. The colours, as many have noted, are actually somewhat subdued/more cautious than the Rebels. Saturation is less exaggerated right out of the camera. For raw shooters, this camera handles really well. I do find myself having to re-learn the aperture-priority mode due to the more sensitive metering. In the past, I could care less about using exposure-compensation on the XSi. With the 5D2, it becomes a necessity now that you CAN accurately control for so many things. Also, because of the full-frameness, I’m still learning to see differently. I can’t wait to try it on with the 70-200 f/2.8L IS.

Here are some of the better works from yesterday.

UT's Stauffer Library

Singlatheorist.com’s post on roomba’s cleaning path showed an excellent use of the long-exposure technique. In his case, he used a 30s exposure (and a Canon XSi, my all-time favourite camera.)

To achieve this technique, it’s actually pretty simple.
1) Turn the command dial on your camera to “Tv”. This is your shutter-priority mode. The camera calculates the size of the aperture.
2) Dial down the shutter speed to your desired duration.

Tips:
- These kind of shots work well to convey motion Adding a light source into the scene that moves during the exposure will leave a very interseting light trail.
- Dial down the ISO to eliminate noise and to gain control over the aperture.

Give it a try!

This phase is marked with a sense of wonder and possibility. It’s exciting to discover the world of options that are available to realize your ideas. For instance, Jason is faced with making decisions on the number of colours to be employed on his design, and the brand, and ultimately cost, of his t-shirts. With a limited budget, it is important to make the right decisions to minimize cost and maximize sales.

His situation reminds me of one of the most important part of launching a business: knowing your market. Two fundamental question:
1) Who’s going to buy?, and
2) How to reach those customers?

One of the easiest way to do this is actually to study what the competitors are doing. Ask yourself the following questions:
1) What kind of a spin are they putting on their products/services? Are they going green, organic or putting the ‘ethically-made’ touch on their product?
2) How do they connect with their customers? How is their product/service customized and made relevant to the customers?

From there on, once you have a firm grasp of your competitions can you really define your own niche within your trade.

Meanwhile, Jason made one of the most important business decision by setting a launch date. August 1st 2009 everybody!