I love the commentary that Ken Rockwell posts on his website, it’s always my kind of reading- humorous, yet no-nonsense, truthful and REAL.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/different.htm

He’s got a new article up titled “Making Photos That Stand Out” and I think it’s a great read… Especially today, when we’re seeing a lot of copycat photographers, bandwagon shooting / processign styles, and a general lack of freshness…

It’s short and sweet, and it comes “paired” with another article titled “Photography Is Not A Spectator Sport”…

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/spectator.htm

Basically all I can really say is, for all the effort that you put into your photography, put the most effort into shooting YOUR own way, and being YOURSELF. Yes, I highly recommend studying other photographer’s work, taking workshops etc. in fact that’s the best way to rocket-launch yourself to a higher level. But once you have that experience and knowledge, don’t settle for simply being an immitator! If you are simply an immitator, you’ll never make a name for YOURSELF. You must find your own unique style, your own ultimate passion, and run with it…

Take care,
=Matt=

EDIT: *sigh…* There’s nothing I can really do about it at this point in my life, since I’m quite poor, but please please PLEASE do not purchase a digital camera via any of the links in the ad banner at the top of my page. Not without ASKING ME first!

You see, Google takes advertising money from ANYONE, they do not research the reputation of a company first. Right now I see at least two KNOWN SCAM GROUPS advertising Nikon DSLR’s for insanely low prices, a D80 for something like $399, and a D2Xs for under $3,000. These are scam groups, so don’t even bother clicking…

=Matt again=

I’m sorry folks, but it is eerily quiet in the photographic industry right now, and this almost implies that Nikon will NOT be releaseing a whole shebang of new gear on the 25th. Why does the silence mean this, you ask? Well history has actually proven that in every previous major release of Nikon equipment, leaks started leaking about 7-10 days before the actual announcement. I’m almost certain that these leaks are intentional, and therefore the lack of leaks either means that Nikon just randomly decided NOT to leak anything even though they ARE going to announce a bunch of new gear, OR they simply aren’t going to announce anything. I’ve still got my fingers crossed, but I’m losing hope as the days go by.

HOWEVER, un-releated to the D3H or D3X or 15 new DX lenses rumors, there IS a seemingly “official leak” about a D300 or D200X. For some reason I doubt this will happen because the D2Xs and the D2Hs need their next-generation models MUCH more than the D200 does. The D200 is the youngest “pro” body Nikon has and it is still selling very well, thus I find a D200X or D300 pretty hard to believe… (Well actually the “s” model updates to Nikon’s D2 series cameras are about the same age as the D200, but still, the D2Hs is a “meager” 4 MP and the D2Xs is being crucified for it’s (poor) high ISO performance…

Also, we may see a Canon 40D sooner than later, but don’t expect that to be anything shocking, just the next generation of the 30D. It’ll probably be 10 MP, have a dust shake-off mechanism, and not much else in relation to the 30D. (Personally I’d LOVE to see them start making PRO 1.6x bodies, with the 45 AF points and weather sealing etc. but that will probably never happen…)

Take care,

=Matt=

EDIT: *sigh…* There’s nothing I can really do about it at this point in my life, since I’m quite poor, but please please PLEASE do not purchase a digital camera via any of the links in the ad banner at the top of my page. Not without ASKING ME first!

You see, Google takes advertising money from ANYONE, they do not research the reputation of a company first. Right now I see at least two KNOWN SCAM GROUPS advertising Nikon DSLR’s for insanely low prices, a D80 for something like $399, and a D2Xs for under $3,000. These are scam groups, so don’t even bother clicking…

=Matt again=