In this new digital world film has become something of a relic of the past. Certainly among a select group of photographers film is still the preferred medium, but for you’d have to pry my digital camera from my cold dead hands before I switched back to film entirely. But that is not to say that film doesn’t have it’s place. Go on over to the Digital Photography School to read “How Shooting Film Can Improve Your Digital Photography” a great article on why film is still relevant, even to die hard digital photographers.

Lensbaby, makers of the wonderful Lensbaby lenses, is holding a photo contest! Photographers are invited to submit photos taken with Lensbaby products for a chance to be published in an upcoming book. Deadline for submissions is December 31, 2009 and photographers may submit two photos via the via the company’s website. Successful entries will be announced on Lensbaby’s website on January 15, 2010. Best of luck!

Photography is all about light. In fact, the word “photography” means “light drawing”. As photographers we are in a certain sense drawing or some may prefer, painting with light. Understanding light and how light changes subjects, scenes and transforms an average scene to something extraordinary is essential to producing great photographs. Local Utah photographer Nicole Young wrote a great article for Photofocus on seeing the light. Read the article “See The Light”.

Photo by Sam Scholes

(Re-posted with permission from PhotowalkingUtah.com)

Rich Legg writes: “It is time again for Photowalking Utah to make its annual trek to Temple Square in Salt Lake City to photograph the holiday lights on display. This year’s event will again be in two parts. The first part will be a mini-clinic on taking low-light photos held at the Salt Lake City Library. When the one-hour clinic ends, the group will make their way to Temple Square to photograph the incredible holiday lights on display.

Here’s the schedule:

December 17 – 6:30 to 9:00 pm

6:30 pm – Mini-clinic at the Salt Lake City Library (210 E 400 South) 4th floor conference room.
7:35 pm – Clinic concludes. Head downstairs to the TRAX station
7:50 pm – Ride the TRAX train (for free) to Temple Square
8:00 pm – Photography at Temple Square

This year we are adding a bit of giving to the December event. We will be collecting winter clothing to be donated to local organizations that help clothe those in need. Please bring any extra jackets, scarves, hats, etc. that are in good condition to the library. These will be collected and distributed to those less fortunate.

As always, there is absolutely no charge to participate in this event. Photographers of ANY skill level are invited to join in.

Head on over to the event discussion on the Photowalking Utah Flickr page if you have any questions or would simply like to say you’re coming. I hope to see a great group on the 17th.”