Mark told you that the Nikon D4 was finally announced, but they also announced an 85mm f1.8 lens at $500.  A lens that will give you lots of speed and creamy bokeh for relatively few dollars.

Canon announced their high-end compact, the G1x.  It shoots RAW; 1080p video; and has a 28-112mm zoom.  It will compete with Nikon’s 1 (although the Canon doesn’t have inter-changeable lenses) and the Fuju X100 (also fixed lens).  Go read Google News about all the photo gadgets that are being introduced in Vegas this week.

But the photo world wasn’t just buzzing over the neat new hardware….  Adobe announced the public beta of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.  There are some major changes, including a revamped Develop panel; a Map panel that connects to Google Earth and let’s you geo-tag any image; and a Book panel to create your own Blurb photobooks.  You can download it here; there is no cost to try it.

I’ve been playing with it all week on some recent photos, and I’m already hooked on the improvements.  It is still a Beta, so you only want to use it on copies of your photographs.  You will probably experience some slowness and crashes, but this is normal in a Beta.  They’ll have that taken care of in the final release.  When does the final release come out?   They haven’t announced that, but the Beta expires on 31 March.  (Isn’t that less than a week after Photoshop World?  Hmmmm.)

You can bet we’ll blog about all the features when it comes out, but let me show you a couple of examples of the new Develop panel.  I really love the changes here.

Here is the York Minster.  A blah sky provides enough light to create a common problem – the camera meter averages the scene, and my sky is too bright and the church is too dark.

In Lightroom 3, I would globally lighten the church and then use the adjustment brush to bring down the brightness of the sky.  This isn’t difficult, but it will take a few minutes of brushing to get the sky the way I want it.

In Lightroom 4, I moved few sliders to give much better results in seconds.  The corrections were so fast, I used the lens correction to minimize the image distortion and still had a much better image in less than one minute.

The clouds have more definition; you can see details in the towers; and the exposure is fixed.  The transformation is really something to watch as you move the sliders.  Of course, I could do this in Photoshop, but that would take even longer.

I had to try it one more time.

Wow!  I really like the way shadow detail can be revealed.  You should download the program and give it a try.  This new Lightroom is going to be fun.

Yes, you read that right, up to ISO 204800—that is practically shooting in the dark.

Now my current camera is definitely out of date. I shoot with a D300, which was outstanding 5 years ago, but when the ISO goes above 800 gets really, really grainy.  It is also only a ¾ frame, which means I don’t get the full advantage from the lenses I like to shoot best.  All this leads you to believe that I am ready to sign up for the D4 as well.  Well, not so fast—I actually am not planning on buying it because I don’t believe my photography skills will make use of it.  I never have been one to go out and purchase the latest technology just because it is the latest, and that is especially true with camera equipment. When I get to the point where the equipment gets in the way of what I want to do, it is time to get new equipment.  I have reached that point with my current camera body so, don’t get me wrong, I am going to get a new camera, and soon, but am waiting for the D800.

The D800 shares a lot of the technology found in the D4, but things like a solid, nearly watertight magnesium frame are not that big a deal for me.  I don’t shoot a lot of pro sports events so the ability to shoot a sustained 11 frames per second is interesting, but not what I need.  The low light capability is something I want, and guess what?  The D800 will have close to that. Besides with the money I save, I can also buy that 14-24 lens I still want for shooting more landscapes.

Cameras are an extremely personal choice, and there is no right answer.  It is a tool, albeit a powerful one, which helps you hopefully capture the vision you have in your head. Don’t be swayed by hype, but match your needs versus the range of capabilities the manufacturers are building.

I am happy to say that my people shots have gotten better.  Something I have been working very hard to improve.  In fact 3.5 of the photos are people shots—the half because it is a mannequin from the Marine Corps museum.  It does help that the others are cute kids.

I was pleased both with my animal shots and how I processed them in Black and White.  I spent a lot of time working with Silver Efex Pro this year, because it gives such creative control and more important is so easy to use.  They actually implement Adams’ zone system for exposure and using it is a lot simpler than working it in the darkroom like I learned. 

I usually have more Flowers and Nature images atop my list, but this year, only these two made the cut. 

Finally, there was one image I kept coming back to because it moves me.  The reflection of the flag on the coffin of Sergeant Timothy Sayne still haunts me.  It was such a privilege to witness the precision and dignity which the 3^rd Infantry Division “Old Guard” soldiers demonstrate when they bury one of their comrades.  The tragedy of the family’s loss is heartbreaking.  The service to honor him is a fitting tribute for a fallen warrior.

Tonight, we’re going to spend a little money.  Everything here will cost you more than $150 – sometimes, much more.  They say spending money is what we need to do to stimulate our economy, so don’t think of it as being extravagant; think of it as patriotism.  Obviously, the list here is endless, so I’m going to pick from a wide variety of products, with which I’m at least familiar.

Every photographer likes gear.  Chances are you do, too, but how can I know what you want?  There are lots of great lenses and new cameras, this year.  Just remember, that lenses and cameras are only tools – you need more than a saw to be a cabinetmaker.

I could use a Nikon 85mm 1.4 lens (about $1,700) or the nifty, little Nikon JV1 camera (about $1,700, when you throw in the 30-110mm lens and dedicated flash).  You may prefer the new Canon 1d x;  it isn’t shipping, yet, but you can pre-order it.  When it comes in, it is expected to cost around $6,000.  The Canon G12 is a small box camera (smaller than a SLR, but thicker and heavier than most point-and-shoots).  It shoots RAW photos and has HD video for about $380.  Where would you order these wonders?  Now, I have an answer.  I’ve used B&H and Midwest Photo Exchange.  Both are great gear providers.  You can find almost anything you could need/want at either place.

If you want to try all this fancy equipment before you buy it, or, maybe, just use it once or twice during the year, try renting some gear.  My favorite, in this category, is Lensrentals.com.  Every time I’ve rented cameras and lenses from them, I’ve been happy with the experience.  The equipment has always been in excellent condition, and they deliver it on time with a pre-paid shipping label for the return.  They have almost any kind of photographic equipment you could want to rent.  I know lots of folks who say the same about BorrowLenses.com.  Obviously, the cost varies on the type of gear and term of use, but they are both pretty reasonable.  When I rented the $6,000 Nikon 200-400mm F4 zoom for two weeks in Alaska, it was about $575.  It was worth every penny, since I really don’t shoot wildlife often enough to pay $6,000.

After you take those photos with your new gear, you’re going to need to process the photos.  We’ve talked about Adobe Lightroom enough by now that you know it is our first suggestion.  The suggested retail is $299, but you can find it cheaper lots of places – especially since rumors say that the next version will be out in the spring.

Two other great software tools: NIK and OnOne.  Mark and I have tried and own both, but I prefer NIK ($499), and he prefers OnOne ($399).  These prices are for their complete suites.  You can also buy components separately for about $149 (NIK) or $99 (OnOne) each, but the better deal is certainly the suites.  NIK has Silver Efex Pro for great conversions to black and white.  I use their Color Efex Pro all the time for effects that are easy to apply and adjust.  OnOne also has great effects, and I love their Perfect Portrait software.  Both of these companies provide plug-ins for Lightroom if you aren’t ready to jump into the Photoshop pool.  There are many other programs that will assist in your post-processing, but these are the two I’m most familiar with.

Wow!  I’m getting an itching credit card just thinking about this stuff.  How will you learn to use all this stuff?  Well – aside from the free links we wrote about last week – there are some great paid training sites.  Educating yourself about photographic tools and techniques may be better for you than buying new gear.  Remember the saw/cabinetmaker “wisdom” I laid on you earlier?  (I know, pretty deep….)  There are three entries I know about in this category, and each has a monthly or annual plan to allow you to view the training videos whenever you have the time.  Kelby Training ($199 annually/$24.95 monthly) is the one I favor.  Mark and I have met with many of the trainers and photographers there, and their work is top-notch.  Lynda.com ($250 annually/$25 monthly) also has great content and photographer/instructors I’ve met and appreciate.  This is no second-rate substitute.  These two are sort of like the Canon/Nikon argument; it doesn’t matter which you choose, you win.

I recently heard of another site from This Week in Photography (which we mentioned last week), and they were very positive about their product.  Video2Brain  ($199 annually/$20 monthly) has many detailed lessons for you to try.  I looked through their content and sat through several sample lessons to compare.  The lessons were easy to understand and represented the field well.  All of these choices offer free sample lessons, so you might want to try them all out before you choose one.

Want to meet these instructors; learn first-hand; and have a great time?  Go to Photoshop World!  We harp on this every year.  We have spent some 18 hour days there with lessons, photographer roundtables, and event parties.  This Spring, it is in Washington, DC, 24-26 March.  You can choose classes in Photoshop, Lightroom, Photography, and/or Design.  You can go to any class you want, and leave five minutes into it to go to a different one if it wasn’t what you thought it was.  You get a book with the lesson notes from all the classes. (It’s the size of an old telephone book, if you’re old enough to remember those.)  If you sign up before Feb 17, you’ll save $100 on this treat.  For NAPP members the Early Bird price is $499, vs. $599 for non-NAPP members.  I told you last week that NAPP membership pays for itself in discounts.  Mark and I signed up in October.  We’ll see you there.

I know I’m going long here, but let me complete the shot to print process.  We both really like MPIX for normal printing.  Their work is excellent.  They are usually at Photoshop World to show you their work (as are the next two).

But, every now and then, you want to do something special.  How about putting one of your photographs on canvas?  Artistic Photo Canvas can do you right.  I really like the gallery wraps.  They are easy to hang and don’t need frames which can cost more than the print.  Canvas really enhances the feel of a nice portrait or landscape.  When you go this route, go big.  It makes a nice impact.  I’ve gone as big as 48 inches wide.  Prices vary with size, but you can spend more than $150 easily here – not too much more, but more.

And speaking of making an impact – how about printing on aluminum?  Take a vibrant, colorful image and make it pop at Bay Photo.  You’d be surprised what a difference you see here.  They are stunning with the right photo.  Again, go big, and you’ll easily top $150.  You’ll get more than that value from the pleasure of the constant comments from those who see them.

I know this was longer than usual, but I could easily go longer.  There are so many great ways to spend your money in photography.  C’mon, you deserve it.  Have some fun.

Let’s talk about the easiest measure of value – time.  The most visible time is that spent at the ceremony and the reception.  Let’s call that six hours.  How about photographing the bride and groom as they’re preparing for the ceremony.  That can take a couple of hours.  Is the photographer at the rehearsal?  Another four.  The total now is 12.  If the photographer uses a second shooter (I always do), it doubles to 24.  But, since most people want lots of photos on this important day, and family and friends have traveled to be at the event, we shoot photos of them and detail shots between the other parts of the event.  The last wedding we shot was about 30 hours of work (15 each).

At this point, most customers stop counting your hours, but you aren’t done counting time, yet.  Post-processing images is even more time-consuming.  Have you ever tried to review more than 3,000 photos, so you can narrow it down to a few hundred?  Once you have the picks chosen, you need to go into light editing.  One little blemish on the bride needs to be fixed on every photo before she ever sees it.  Once the couple picks their choices from the several hundred, I put time into making sure the photos are all look their best, retouching anything needed.  The post-processing time for our last wedding was 40 hours, making a total of 70 hours.  If you use a price spread of $500-$5,000, that works out to a little over $7 an hour at the low end and as high as $71.  You’ll pay more than $ 71 per hour for your auto mechanic.

But, wait, we haven’t delivered a single photo to the client.  Most of the packages my friend showed me included an album for the couple and smaller ones for the parents.  Since many of the younger generation don’t really have much use for paper products these days, we include an option to receive the photos on an Ipad.  These products cost hundreds of dollars.

Both Mark and I always use a second shooter when we photograph a wedding.  This allows you to photograph the same event from different points of view.  Your second shooter can help with lighting and add to the richness and variety of the couple’s photos of their special day.  Here’s the thing, though – you have to pay your second shooter.

If you try to shoot a wedding with a low-end SLR, the flash pops up, and the kit lens that came with it, you will quickly realize that you are about to disappoint the couple with the results of your efforts.  Weddings require better and more equipment.  These will add to the photographer’s expenses; expenses we will want to, eventually, recoup.

I haven’t mentioned taxes, business licenses, training, or the intangible of paying for experience and skill.  You get the idea.  I don’t think most people understand all that goes into the price for wedding photography.  This lack of knowledge can cause couples to undervalue the work of the photographer they hire.  And some new photographers undervalue themselves because of the lure of some extra weekend money. Both sides of this equation run the risk of serious disappointment.

The bottom line is people will pay whatever they decide is proper for wedding photography.  Photographers who shoot weddings will charge what they think is a fair price for their efforts.  But, both should understand all the components of how that price is calculated.

I don’t know which photographer my co-worker will choose, but, hopefully, he will pick someone who can give his son and new daughter-in-law photos that match their memories, at a fair price.