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Rick Sammon, Author, Travel Photographer, Instructor joins host Scott Sheppard to give us an update from his recent trip to Antartica where he went to photograph Emperor Penguins and share highlights from his new book titles. Rick released three books this year which include; Face to Face: Rick Sammon’s Complete Guide to Photographing People, Rick Sammon’s Exploring the Light: Making the Very Best In-Camera Exposures, and Rick Sammon’s Digital Photography Secrets. One of his favorite things to photograph are people and when doing so Rick finds ways to bond with the local culture and people by performing magic tricks. Rick explains that breaking the ice in this manner can bring him closer to his subjects.

Rick also gives us a peek at his favorite gear which include a Canon 5D Mark II and discusses how he is now learning to expand his portfolio by incorporating video features using the capabilities of this new camera. Rick is a Canon Explorer of Light and has several informative clips available online. He is also working closely with the National Association of Photoshop creating training titles for Kelby Training, and has a series of DVD training on the Canon EOS Rebel line. He also posts many tips and insights on his YouTube channel.

For more information about Rick’s work visit: http://www.ricksammon.com.

The McNamara Report on Inside Digital Photo with Michael J. McNamara
This week’s topic: Last minute holiday gifts for your favorite photographers.

Mike reviews some great gifts and gear for this holiday season. From the stylish White Pentax K2000 ideal 10.1MP DSLR camera, the Iomega 250GB eGo Black Belt Portable Hard Drive, the Olympus Stylus or the Leica Digilux 4 Titanium, and the eStarling Impact 8" wireless Picture frame. For some great stocking stuffer ideas try a 32GB Kingston SDHC card, some Nik software or Apple Aperture.

Listen in on the McNamara Report segment or get more photo insights and analysis on a variety of topics from Mike McNamara at: http://www.mcnamarareport.com.

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Steve Anchell, Photographer, Trainer, and Author, Steve Anchell Workshops, joins host Scott Sheppard for a lively discussion on analog vs. hybrid workflows and his latest book "The Darkroom Cookbook". Steve and Scott discuss how to get the best results using both worlds by capturing the original image on film and then scanning the negatives into a digital environment. Steve explains details on his workflow which include tools such as the Epson Perfection V750-M Pro with a fluid mount accessory for wet mount film scanning to help reduce scratches and adjust grain. Once the negatives are prepared and scanned, Steve prepares them for output at 13 x 19 on his Epson 2400 for pleasing results very close to what you might see on standard film processed prints.

Steve shares some tips about digital color spaces and gamut in a hybrid workflow. Although he is considered a master in a darkroom, Steve discusses his experiences in working with scanned images and explains how a hybrid workflow can gain a larger range from your images seeing greater details in darker areas and shadows than working directly in film. He also advises rather than take a hard position that one method is "better" than another method, part of the beauty of photography and imaging is the range of options available and treating each method as part of the art involved in great printmaking. Steve prefers to shoot digital for his color work but again accepts each method for their inherent benefits and capabilities.

Since 1979, Steve has run a popular series of location based workshops including teaching courses at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, and the longest running workshop on figure photography in the world, The Nude at Big Sur. To find out more about his work and latest workshops visit: http://www.anchellworkshops.com/

The McNamara Report on Inside Digital Photo with Michael J. McNamara
This week’s topic: The paint never dries in photoshop and the ink never dries on the web.

In today’s economy keeping up with the latest versions of every software program you own can be a difficult decision, especially when some image retouching programs cost hundreds of dollars to upgrade and there are lower cost alternatives on the market. In this segment, Mike tackles the tough issue of “to upgrade or not to upgrade?”, sharing his own experience testing and using every version of Photoshop since it was a Beta version in 1989, and having witnessed every conceivable computer crash caused by new operating system software, corrupt printer drivers, and not-ready-for-prime-time releases. Bottom line? For best results, upgrading software often requires updating hardware, on both Macs and PCs.

In this segment, learn about options for getting what you need without paying for features you don’t. For example, Mike suggests trying to master Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 on your PC before emptying out your back account for the latest Photoshop CS4 version, or opting for the Adobe Photoshop Elements bundle that includes Premiere Elements 7.0 for movie editing.

Listen in on the McNamara Report segment or get more insights and analysis from Mike McNamara at: http://www.mcnamarareport.com