, available June 5th. Bree Tanner is, if you remember (it's okay, I didn't either), a minor character in Eclipse
.So, what do you think? Are you excited? Not so much? Will you buy it, borrow it, or read it online?
Read the PW article here.
Stephenie Meyer's New Novella
, available June 5th. Bree Tanner is, if you remember (it's okay, I didn't either), a minor character in Eclipse.So, what do you think? Are you excited? Not so much? Will you buy it, borrow it, or read it online?
Read the PW article here.
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.
Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.
When I started reading Before I Fall, I immediately took note of two things: Lauren Oliver is a talented writer and Samantha Kingston would never be a character I liked. A few times I even felt tempted to put the book down, despite the great writing. I can only sympathize so much with a girl I would have hated in high school. But I had a few pretty strong recommendations (including this one) and tales of missed subway stops to urge me on.
So now I'm going to do the same. No matter how you feel about Sam when you open Before I Fall and read that first chapter. Don't. Stop. Reading.
Not that you'll have too much of a choice once you get a few chapters in. Before I Fall has that eerie train wreck allure where you just can't look away. You have to keep turning pages to find out if she can redeem herself. I even ended up missing my own subway stop to finish the last chapter.
And Kent McFuller - where have you been all my life?
The Dead Tossed Waves
Last night I found myself awake well into the hours of the morning, tense and turning the pages fiercely, trying to get to end of Carrie Ryan's sophomore novel The Dead Tossed Waves, the companion novel to The Forrest of Hands and Teeth (see my review).
Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she's ever known, and all she needs for happiness.
But life after the Return is never safe, and there are threats even the Barrier can't hold back.
Gabry's mother thought she left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, but like the dead in their world, secrets don't stay buried. And now, Gabry's world is crumbling.
One night beyond the Barrier...
One boy Gabry's known forever and one veiled in mystery...
One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned.
Gabry knows only one thing: if she is to have any hope of a future, she must face the forest of her mother's past.
The Dead Tossed Waves picks up a generation after the end of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Gabry is Mary's daughter, and the opposite of her adventurous mother. They live in the town of ocean town of Vista where Mary found herself at the end of the first book. And while they aren't in the Forest, most of the problems Mary faced, Gabry faces as well.
The Unconsecrated are back. Only in Vista, they have different names for them. Mudo are the normal slow zombies, and Breakers are the fast ones (and we get more explanation for how/why Breakers exist!). The zombies and the zombie virus is of course still the main threat. And just like in The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Carrie Ryan doesn't pull any punches. No characters are safe.
The pacing, action, and suspense is fantastic. I could not put the book down. Even though it was late. Even though I was exhausted. There were several twists I didn't see coming, and there was more than one time, I thought everyone was about to perish. And the love triangle had me torn. I couldn't even choose a team because I liked both guys! I found myself waffling back and forth over which guy I wanted Gabry to choose.
Carrie Ryan is a master at creative tension. In fact when I got to the end (which I'm not a hundred percent sure I loved, though it is realistic), I realized similar to my feelings about Mary, I actually didn't like Gabry all that much. She's flawed and not always sympathetic. But that didn't stop me from reading the entire book and still rooting for her to make it.
Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she's ever known, and all she needs for happiness. But life after the Return is never safe, and there are threats even the Barrier can't hold back.
Gabry's mother thought she left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, but like the dead in their world, secrets don't stay buried. And now, Gabry's world is crumbling.
One night beyond the Barrier...
One boy Gabry's known forever and one veiled in mystery...
One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned.
Gabry knows only one thing: if she is to have any hope of a future, she must face the forest of her mother's past.
The Dead Tossed Waves picks up a generation after the end of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Gabry is Mary's daughter, and the opposite of her adventurous mother. They live in the town of ocean town of Vista where Mary found herself at the end of the first book. And while they aren't in the Forest, most of the problems Mary faced, Gabry faces as well.
The Unconsecrated are back. Only in Vista, they have different names for them. Mudo are the normal slow zombies, and Breakers are the fast ones (and we get more explanation for how/why Breakers exist!). The zombies and the zombie virus is of course still the main threat. And just like in The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Carrie Ryan doesn't pull any punches. No characters are safe.
The pacing, action, and suspense is fantastic. I could not put the book down. Even though it was late. Even though I was exhausted. There were several twists I didn't see coming, and there was more than one time, I thought everyone was about to perish. And the love triangle had me torn. I couldn't even choose a team because I liked both guys! I found myself waffling back and forth over which guy I wanted Gabry to choose.
Carrie Ryan is a master at creative tension. In fact when I got to the end (which I'm not a hundred percent sure I loved, though it is realistic), I realized similar to my feelings about Mary, I actually didn't like Gabry all that much. She's flawed and not always sympathetic. But that didn't stop me from reading the entire book and still rooting for her to make it.
Win a copy of Hourglass by Claudia Gray
CONTEST: One lucky commenter will win a brand new copy of Hourglass, the third novel in Claudia Gray's Evernight series. Be sure to include your email address so I know how to contact you.
Extra entries:
+1 New followers
+2 If you're already a follower
+1 Linking to my contest on your blog, twitter, etc. Include links. (up to 5)
+3 For posting about my contest on your blog. (Must be actual post)
+2 Add me to your blog roll
+3 for referring someone to the contest
+3 for being the person referred
This contest is open internationally! It will end April 15th at 11:59 pm Eastern time. Winner will be announced April 16th. Good luck and happy entering!
Escape to the Spa: Walkthrough needed.
Escape to the Spa is the point and click game recently made and released by Tesshi-M. It's a flash escape game that looks like this:
Yeah, just like that.
So what about this Escape to the Spa game? We need a walkthrough for this one so if there's anyone of you can read this that know something about Escape to the Spa walkthrough, please share with us so others may see it and finish this game and finally go on with their lives or proceed to another game. Don't be selfish guys =). Thanks!Cheers!
Yeah, just like that.
So what about this Escape to the Spa game? We need a walkthrough for this one so if there's anyone of you can read this that know something about Escape to the Spa walkthrough, please share with us so others may see it and finish this game and finally go on with their lives or proceed to another game. Don't be selfish guys =). Thanks!Cheers!
I Dont Even Game: Video Walkthrough
If you enjoyed this IDEG (it stands for I Dont Even Game) walkthrough, tell you neighbors about it or your friends abroad. Or share on your Facebook. Or, forget about it. Just bookmark. Cheers!
Chain Tower Walkthrough | It's a video walkthrough!
Chain Tower is a Japanese point and click game where funny looking designed characters are present. In this game you play as Fido Diddo (lol) and you need to operate the giant 7up bottle ride in an amusement park. I kid the game. Jokes aside, it's an interesting escape game and definitely fun to play. But there are some chances that you might get stuck at some point of the game and might end up reading this, uh, prepare for this, Chain Tower walkthrough!
Hope you enjoyed this Chain Tower walkthrough and if you do, you'd subscribe won't you?
Hope you enjoyed this Chain Tower walkthrough and if you do, you'd subscribe won't you?
Walkthrough For Treasure of Big Totem
Yeah, here's a video walkthrough for that game where you have to search for lost treasure by clicking around the places. But if at some point after mad clicking in the hopes of finding some thing, you still failed, here's Treasure of Big Totem walkthrough to shed light on your path.
If this walkthrough for Treasure of Big Totem guided you, our future post might as well do good for you. So better bookmark or subscribe to us.
If this walkthrough for Treasure of Big Totem guided you, our future post might as well do good for you. So better bookmark or subscribe to us.
Bread Girl Walkthrough
Another quick post for the Bread Girl Walkthrough. You might be stuck at some point on this one so I thought this video would come in handy in case you've lost all hope in completing this point and click game, Bread Girl.
Bread Girl Walkthrough.
If you enjoyed this article about Bread Girl Walkthrough, well, uh, that's good. Subscribe! Have a nice day.
Bread Girl Walkthrough.
If you enjoyed this article about Bread Girl Walkthrough, well, uh, that's good. Subscribe! Have a nice day.
Nikon Professional DSLR camera system: D3x, D3s, D700, D300s – a personal review
Let me start by saying what this review is not: It is not a blow-by-blow description of camera specifications, or a limited field test. There are plenty of places on the internet where you can find that kind of information. Instead, this review is written from the perspective of someone who uses these cameras daily in a professional work environment shooting almost exclusively traditional stock images.
That said, you will want to know what criteria I require from a camera. I am a professional photographer who shoots mainly (99%) commercial stock images. My subjects are varied: lifestyle with models, scenics, still-life, travel, animals, sports – in other words, the gamut. My final images must be 50mb in size, in Adobe 1998 color space, with no artifacting or noise in the image. Needless to say, the images must also be sharp at 100% all the way into the corners. So when I review a piece of camera equipment, I am looking for these requirements. If I were not so demanding, my editors would reject my images -- something that is not very good for my bottom line.
When the Nikon
D3 first came out I thought it was the greatest camera ever made -- and it was, until the Nikon D3s came out. First off, I applaud Nikon for waiting to bring out a full-frame camera until they had the lenses to support it. Full frame 35mm digital sensors put a greater demand on the optical system, particularly the wider angle focal lengths. Long lenses are not nearly so problematic. It’s easier to compute these, but the short zooms were so awful that on my earliest Canon 1Ds system, for instance, I abstained from shooting them until Canon finally replaced them with newly formulated short zooms. Nikon, on the other hand, introduced new 24-70mm and 14-24mm zoom lenses at the same time as the advent of the FX D3. These lenses are so superb with corner sharpness that they surpasses even prime lenses. Recently, Nikon has reformulated its 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom to improve corner sharpness that was apparent in the earlier model.
Another surprising innovation from Nikon was its adoption of a lower megapixel rating for its sensor. This flew in the face of the high megapixel trend. The D3 (and D3s) have 12.3mp sensors. This enabled the camera to work incredibly fast at 9 frames-per-second, and to shoot at very high ISO settings. And guess what? Once the image was interpolated up to 50mb, as it must be for commercial stock, it still surpassed the output from all other DSLRs on the market. This was coupled with a high buffer rate of 40 RAW images on a D3s (same with a $500 buffer upgrade on a D3). For the first time since digital photography began a digital camera not only met but finally surpassed what was possible from the top 35mm SLR film cameras. With film we had to stop to change rolls after 36 exposures. Now we could shoot 40 frames at 9fps, wait a few seconds, and do it again.
Why do we need this speed? The answer is obvious when shooting sports and animals in the wild. Surprisingly however, well done lifestyle photography often requires the same speed, especially if you want to take photos of people in motion. If you have ever attended one of my lectures, you have heard m
e say that an image where the model is in motion will outsell an image where the model is static. Lifestyle photography is at its best when the subject is animated. This is not to say that we need the subject jumping and running. A model laughing in reaction to another model is enough to create motion, particularly if the model is continually moving during the scene. This sort of spontaneity is very difficult to capture consistently. The Nikon D3s makes this job a breeze, and the rapid focusing Nikkor lenses keep every shot in focus.
In addition to the motor speed, the D3s has a very easy to use focusing grid in the viewfinder. The grid of 51 focus spots is widely spaced over the entire viewing area and is readily selected with a simple to use thumb wheel to the right of the rear screen. Nikon has standardized this system on all of its professional cameras making it easy to switch from one body type to another.
When we couple the D3s with the fastest focusing professional lenses on the market, we have a system that has reached a pinnacle of capture speed for digital cameras. I can also tell you that the focusing accuracy of this camera-lens combo almost always results in 9 fully-focused images per second. I don’t know of any other full frame camera that can do this.
When Nikon lowered the mega pixel rating to 12.3 means it meant that each pixel area was larger than, say, a 24mp rated sensor of the same size. That results in more captured information per pixel, which in turn results in less noise. This is the only camera I know that can be used at ISO 6400 and still produce an acceptable 50mb, 300dpi image. I’m not saying that you won’t need to run some noise reduction software to massage the photo. You will, but you won’t require a lot of tweaking. A routine run through Neat Image should do the trick. I have actually used the D3s as high as 10,000 ISO with complete success – and this is from someone who used to preach on the merits of Kodachrome 25. That said, I prefer to keep the ISO level to below 3200 on the D3s if possible.
The D3s has a completely different sensor than the D3. I am finding the new sensor to be a big improvement. In addition to the benefit of extended ISO range, the color palette is much more accurate and pleasing. I always shoot a gray card for every scene so I have a starting reference point for color correction. I rarely need to apply it with the D3s.
The Nikon D3s is a rugged camera, as are all the professional grade Nikons (D300s, D700, D3x). I have no compunction about taking them out in the freezing snow, in soaked environments, or excessively hot desert sands. In fact, I have done all of those things and more. These cameras can take a beating.
The original D3 sounds like a machine gun going off when you hold the shutter down. Nikon managed to dampen the sound considerably in the D3s so it is much quieter. I never minded the sound of the D3. If fact there is something perversely romantic about it. I recall a shoot I did out west of cowboys galloping over a hill top. While the frequent cry
from other photographers yelling, “I buffed out”, was heard after only a few seconds of shooting, the staccato sound of my D3 shutter carried on until the cowboys finished their run.
A professional photographer never travels without a backup camera body. The high price of the top DSLR models adds a steep economic curve to this procedure. Thankfully, Nikon introduced the D700. This camera has the same sensor and image results as the D3 but without the speed and buffer. Adding the relatively inexpensive extra battery pack to the bottom of a D700 increases it to 8fps – fast enough to make it a good backup camera when speed is required. Without the battery pack the D700 is a much smaller camera than the D3 making it a nice choice for walk-around travel where you don’t need the speed or buffer. Hopefully, Nikon will introduce a D700s soon to complement the D3s. The one annoying thing I find for the D700 is that it does not have a 100% viewfinder.
The Nikon D3x is a whole other animal. After shooting with the 24.5MP D3x for awhile the results were so impressive that I sold off my medium format digital system and replaced it with this. My chief use for this camera is shooting scenics and still life.
Something you should know about this camera is that while it is rated at 5fps, this speed is only approachable if you have the camera in 12-bit mode. Nikon professional cameras can switch between 12 and 14 bit mode. Naturally, 14 bit mode contains far more information and will slow down the camera processing time. In most cases with the D3x this is not a problem because I only use it for scenic and still life shooting where speed is not a factor. If you do require the speed, however, be aware that this camera slows to a crawl in 14-bit mode.
Most of the time I use Nikon cameras in 12-bit mode. My decision for selecting one mode over the other depends upon the exposure range of the scene I am photographing. In a controlled studio or location environment where I am supplying the lighting, I use 12 bit. There is no reason to collect extended exposure data where none exists. Photographing a scenic environment on a bright day with deep shadows and extremely bright highlights is another matter. Here I switch to 14-bit processing. When the scene is very extreme I also process the image in Nikon’s Capture NX2 software. This takes full advantage of the Active-D lighting of these cameras.
Active-D lighting adds a dynamic
range to the scene that is lot like HDR processing an image, but Nikon has the advantage of being able to do it in camera with one shot. I menu-set my Nikons with Active-D on “auto”. This gives me the option of applying it later with Nikon Capture NX2 software and selecting whatever range I find appropriate.
The D3x has a native ISO of 100 compared to a native ISO 200 for the D3s. While the D3x is rated to a high ISO of 1600, I never push it that far. In fact 99% of the time I use it at ISO100. I acquired this camera to exclusively shoot highly detailed images, similar in result to a medium format digital system. If I’m going to be pushing the limits of available light, I reach for the D3s.
Some photographers have wondered why I added a Nikon D300 (now D300s) to my overall system. After all, it is a DX camera with a smaller sensor. Why would I use it when I could have the D3s instead?
The reason is simple: I use it because of its frame factor. The D300s is a 12.3MP camera with the same sensor as a D3. HOWEVER, both cameras produce exactly the same RAW image size. That is the key. A D300s has a magnification factor of 1.5x. For example, a 400mm lens used on a D300s is equivalent in focal length to a 600mm lens on a full-frame DSLR. I find this very handy when doing animal photography. The D300s is better than carrying along a tele-extender. It serves to dramatically increase my focal length without sacrificing the image sharpness or aperture of the lens. Physically it has the same body type as the D700.
The D300s takes the same extra battery pack as the D700 that boosts the motor speed from 7fps to 8fps – more than enough to capture fast-moving, telephoto action.
I don’t push the ISO limits of a D300s, rarely using it over 400ISO. It already begins life with a smaller frame size. That doesn’t provide as much wiggle room as the image from a full frame sensor.
The D300s has a 12.3MP sensor, and the D3s, and D700 have 12.1 MP sensors all resulting in about a 35MB image size. As mentioned above, I require a final 50MB image for professional commercial stock. That requires interpolating the image up from its original size. I bring most of my RAW images in through Photoshop Bridge (except as noted above when I use Nikon Capture NX2) where there is an option to save the image at plus one or plus two size. After trying many software solutions for image interpolation, I have found that Adobe Bridge produces the best results. Plus one brings the image in as if it were a 17.4MP size, which is almost a perfect 50MB tif file. When I compared these images to those of 35mm digital cameras that actually produce that size, I detected no difference at all. The only camera I found that produces a superior image is the 24.5MP Nikon D3x, and for stock uses that image has to be interpolated down to 50MB.
The bottom line here is that Nikon has produced a professional camera system where each body works as a complement to the others in the series. Because of the extreme variety of my subject matter I use all four cameras – each for a different purpose. Nikon might have been a little late to the party with a full frame sensor, but it instantly became queen of the ball with its impressive, integrated lineup.
That said, you will want to know what criteria I require from a camera. I am a professional photographer who shoots mainly (99%) commercial stock images. My subjects are varied: lifestyle with models, scenics, still-life, travel, animals, sports – in other words, the gamut. My final images must be 50mb in size, in Adobe 1998 color space, with no artifacting or noise in the image. Needless to say, the images must also be sharp at 100% all the way into the corners. So when I review a piece of camera equipment, I am looking for these requirements. If I were not so demanding, my editors would reject my images -- something that is not very good for my bottom line.
When the Nikon
D3 first came out I thought it was the greatest camera ever made -- and it was, until the Nikon D3s came out. First off, I applaud Nikon for waiting to bring out a full-frame camera until they had the lenses to support it. Full frame 35mm digital sensors put a greater demand on the optical system, particularly the wider angle focal lengths. Long lenses are not nearly so problematic. It’s easier to compute these, but the short zooms were so awful that on my earliest Canon 1Ds system, for instance, I abstained from shooting them until Canon finally replaced them with newly formulated short zooms. Nikon, on the other hand, introduced new 24-70mm and 14-24mm zoom lenses at the same time as the advent of the FX D3. These lenses are so superb with corner sharpness that they surpasses even prime lenses. Recently, Nikon has reformulated its 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom to improve corner sharpness that was apparent in the earlier model.Another surprising innovation from Nikon was its adoption of a lower megapixel rating for its sensor. This flew in the face of the high megapixel trend. The D3 (and D3s) have 12.3mp sensors. This enabled the camera to work incredibly fast at 9 frames-per-second, and to shoot at very high ISO settings. And guess what? Once the image was interpolated up to 50mb, as it must be for commercial stock, it still surpassed the output from all other DSLRs on the market. This was coupled with a high buffer rate of 40 RAW images on a D3s (same with a $500 buffer upgrade on a D3). For the first time since digital photography began a digital camera not only met but finally surpassed what was possible from the top 35mm SLR film cameras. With film we had to stop to change rolls after 36 exposures. Now we could shoot 40 frames at 9fps, wait a few seconds, and do it again.
Why do we need this speed? The answer is obvious when shooting sports and animals in the wild. Surprisingly however, well done lifestyle photography often requires the same speed, especially if you want to take photos of people in motion. If you have ever attended one of my lectures, you have heard m
e say that an image where the model is in motion will outsell an image where the model is static. Lifestyle photography is at its best when the subject is animated. This is not to say that we need the subject jumping and running. A model laughing in reaction to another model is enough to create motion, particularly if the model is continually moving during the scene. This sort of spontaneity is very difficult to capture consistently. The Nikon D3s makes this job a breeze, and the rapid focusing Nikkor lenses keep every shot in focus.In addition to the motor speed, the D3s has a very easy to use focusing grid in the viewfinder. The grid of 51 focus spots is widely spaced over the entire viewing area and is readily selected with a simple to use thumb wheel to the right of the rear screen. Nikon has standardized this system on all of its professional cameras making it easy to switch from one body type to another.
When we couple the D3s with the fastest focusing professional lenses on the market, we have a system that has reached a pinnacle of capture speed for digital cameras. I can also tell you that the focusing accuracy of this camera-lens combo almost always results in 9 fully-focused images per second. I don’t know of any other full frame camera that can do this.
When Nikon lowered the mega pixel rating to 12.3 means it meant that each pixel area was larger than, say, a 24mp rated sensor of the same size. That results in more captured information per pixel, which in turn results in less noise. This is the only camera I know that can be used at ISO 6400 and still produce an acceptable 50mb, 300dpi image. I’m not saying that you won’t need to run some noise reduction software to massage the photo. You will, but you won’t require a lot of tweaking. A routine run through Neat Image should do the trick. I have actually used the D3s as high as 10,000 ISO with complete success – and this is from someone who used to preach on the merits of Kodachrome 25. That said, I prefer to keep the ISO level to below 3200 on the D3s if possible.
The D3s has a completely different sensor than the D3. I am finding the new sensor to be a big improvement. In addition to the benefit of extended ISO range, the color palette is much more accurate and pleasing. I always shoot a gray card for every scene so I have a starting reference point for color correction. I rarely need to apply it with the D3s.
The Nikon D3s is a rugged camera, as are all the professional grade Nikons (D300s, D700, D3x). I have no compunction about taking them out in the freezing snow, in soaked environments, or excessively hot desert sands. In fact, I have done all of those things and more. These cameras can take a beating.
The original D3 sounds like a machine gun going off when you hold the shutter down. Nikon managed to dampen the sound considerably in the D3s so it is much quieter. I never minded the sound of the D3. If fact there is something perversely romantic about it. I recall a shoot I did out west of cowboys galloping over a hill top. While the frequent cry
from other photographers yelling, “I buffed out”, was heard after only a few seconds of shooting, the staccato sound of my D3 shutter carried on until the cowboys finished their run.A professional photographer never travels without a backup camera body. The high price of the top DSLR models adds a steep economic curve to this procedure. Thankfully, Nikon introduced the D700. This camera has the same sensor and image results as the D3 but without the speed and buffer. Adding the relatively inexpensive extra battery pack to the bottom of a D700 increases it to 8fps – fast enough to make it a good backup camera when speed is required. Without the battery pack the D700 is a much smaller camera than the D3 making it a nice choice for walk-around travel where you don’t need the speed or buffer. Hopefully, Nikon will introduce a D700s soon to complement the D3s. The one annoying thing I find for the D700 is that it does not have a 100% viewfinder.
The Nikon D3x is a whole other animal. After shooting with the 24.5MP D3x for awhile the results were so impressive that I sold off my medium format digital system and replaced it with this. My chief use for this camera is shooting scenics and still life.
Something you should know about this camera is that while it is rated at 5fps, this speed is only approachable if you have the camera in 12-bit mode. Nikon professional cameras can switch between 12 and 14 bit mode. Naturally, 14 bit mode contains far more information and will slow down the camera processing time. In most cases with the D3x this is not a problem because I only use it for scenic and still life shooting where speed is not a factor. If you do require the speed, however, be aware that this camera slows to a crawl in 14-bit mode.
Most of the time I use Nikon cameras in 12-bit mode. My decision for selecting one mode over the other depends upon the exposure range of the scene I am photographing. In a controlled studio or location environment where I am supplying the lighting, I use 12 bit. There is no reason to collect extended exposure data where none exists. Photographing a scenic environment on a bright day with deep shadows and extremely bright highlights is another matter. Here I switch to 14-bit processing. When the scene is very extreme I also process the image in Nikon’s Capture NX2 software. This takes full advantage of the Active-D lighting of these cameras.
Active-D lighting adds a dynamic
range to the scene that is lot like HDR processing an image, but Nikon has the advantage of being able to do it in camera with one shot. I menu-set my Nikons with Active-D on “auto”. This gives me the option of applying it later with Nikon Capture NX2 software and selecting whatever range I find appropriate.The D3x has a native ISO of 100 compared to a native ISO 200 for the D3s. While the D3x is rated to a high ISO of 1600, I never push it that far. In fact 99% of the time I use it at ISO100. I acquired this camera to exclusively shoot highly detailed images, similar in result to a medium format digital system. If I’m going to be pushing the limits of available light, I reach for the D3s.
Some photographers have wondered why I added a Nikon D300 (now D300s) to my overall system. After all, it is a DX camera with a smaller sensor. Why would I use it when I could have the D3s instead?
The reason is simple: I use it because of its frame factor. The D300s is a 12.3MP camera with the same sensor as a D3. HOWEVER, both cameras produce exactly the same RAW image size. That is the key. A D300s has a magnification factor of 1.5x. For example, a 400mm lens used on a D300s is equivalent in focal length to a 600mm lens on a full-frame DSLR. I find this very handy when doing animal photography. The D300s is better than carrying along a tele-extender. It serves to dramatically increase my focal length without sacrificing the image sharpness or aperture of the lens. Physically it has the same body type as the D700.
The D300s takes the same extra battery pack as the D700 that boosts the motor speed from 7fps to 8fps – more than enough to capture fast-moving, telephoto action.
I don’t push the ISO limits of a D300s, rarely using it over 400ISO. It already begins life with a smaller frame size. That doesn’t provide as much wiggle room as the image from a full frame sensor.
The D300s has a 12.3MP sensor, and the D3s, and D700 have 12.1 MP sensors all resulting in about a 35MB image size. As mentioned above, I require a final 50MB image for professional commercial stock. That requires interpolating the image up from its original size. I bring most of my RAW images in through Photoshop Bridge (except as noted above when I use Nikon Capture NX2) where there is an option to save the image at plus one or plus two size. After trying many software solutions for image interpolation, I have found that Adobe Bridge produces the best results. Plus one brings the image in as if it were a 17.4MP size, which is almost a perfect 50MB tif file. When I compared these images to those of 35mm digital cameras that actually produce that size, I detected no difference at all. The only camera I found that produces a superior image is the 24.5MP Nikon D3x, and for stock uses that image has to be interpolated down to 50MB.
The bottom line here is that Nikon has produced a professional camera system where each body works as a complement to the others in the series. Because of the extreme variety of my subject matter I use all four cameras – each for a different purpose. Nikon might have been a little late to the party with a full frame sensor, but it instantly became queen of the ball with its impressive, integrated lineup.
Dom Escape Walkthrough (video)
I don't know if the DOM in Dom Escape stands for Dirty Old Man. What I know is that it's a point and click escape game so I must post this video about it called Dom Escape Walkthrough because that is what I do. i search for game walkthroughs of games, mostly playable webgames, and have them posted here for everyone to see. This videos is not my own though. It's youtube's. So, yeah, here's Dom Escape walkthrough for ya!
If you find this Dom Escape Walkthrough interesting, please share it with your friends.
If you find this Dom Escape Walkthrough interesting, please share it with your friends.
Youtube video of Escaper Gotmail Walkthrough
Ever wonder why the heck this registration hindered game exist? Well, uh, I also wonder why? LOL! Anyways, even a game like Escaper Gotmail that needs registration via mail to be played, won't escape from having a walkthrough posted here in UGW. So here's Escaper Gotmail walkthrough from youtube.
If this Escaper Gotmail Walkthrough video helped you wonder even more, better check out this blog more often. Yeah, that sucks for an outro.
If this Escaper Gotmail Walkthrough video helped you wonder even more, better check out this blog more often. Yeah, that sucks for an outro.
Purple Room Escape Walkthrough
Hello there guys! I'm here again to save your devastated face from turning purple because of Purple Room Escape. Don't mind what I just said. What I'm trying to tell you is that we have here video we found on youtube that might interest you especially if you are someone looking for Purple Room Escape Walkthrough.
If you have anything to say about this Purple Room Escape Walkthrough, please do so in the comments below.
If you have anything to say about this Purple Room Escape Walkthrough, please do so in the comments below.
Teru Teru Escape Walkthrough
Teru teru Escape is is a kind of point and click escape puzzle game that makes you, "oh sh*t, I give up". First, language barrier may be a problem. Second, the puzzles in this game is really excruciatingly awesome. Well done MiyaB, the creator of this escape game. Anyways, to save us now from scratching our heads, here's Teru Teru Escape walkthrough for all of us.
If this Teru Teru Escape walkthrough saved you today, our future posts might as well save your day tomorrow. So bookmark us. Cheers!
If this Teru Teru Escape walkthrough saved you today, our future posts might as well save your day tomorrow. So bookmark us. Cheers!
Robot Wants Kitty walkthrough
This article is about Robot Wants Kitty, a game in which a robot desiring a kitty. You are probably not reading this intro so let me make it suck. LOL! But for instance you found yourself reading this text, I advice you to stop now because the Robot Wants Kitty Walkthrough is just below this. So scroll down and push play. Enjoy!
If this Robot Wants Kitty walkthrough saved your day, you can bookmark or share it with your friends.
If this Robot Wants Kitty walkthrough saved your day, you can bookmark or share it with your friends.
Fox n Roll 2 Walkthrough Video
Fox n Roll 2 is very simple yet so fun physics point and click game wherein all you have to do is make the round smiley object touch that orange fox. Its that simple. However, simple games like this can still get you stuck at some point and make you scratch your head. So to save you from scratching your scalp, we post this Fox n Roll 2 walkthrough for you to watch and enjoy.
If this Fox n Roll 2 Walkthrough saved your scalp from getting damaged, subscribe to us. Our game walkthroughs might save you again in the future. Have a nice day!
If this Fox n Roll 2 Walkthrough saved your scalp from getting damaged, subscribe to us. Our game walkthroughs might save you again in the future. Have a nice day!
Twinkles White Day Walkthrough video
The colors and the girl-y stuffs that this point and click flash game, Twinkle's White Day, can also get you stuck. Yes, it's pretty colorful and if you're like me that easily get distracted by shocking colors, you will need this Twinkle's White Day walkthrough we have here.
Now with this Twinkle's White Day walkthrough you can beat the colors. Cheers! Subscribe people!
Now with this Twinkle's White Day walkthrough you can beat the colors. Cheers! Subscribe people!
Tomato Juice Room Escape Walkthrough video
Even me will make my Tomato Juice Room Escape if ever I got trapped inside such room. And I will do it really fast. I'm not saying I hate tomatoes and don't eat it. I just really don't like having tomatoes as a refreshment-- imagine drinking ice cold tomato ketchup. Anyways, if ever you got yourself stuck inside that room you can watch this Tomato Juice Room Escape walkthrough video so you will be able to escape from there with ease.
If you enjoyed drinking this Tomato Juice Room Escape Walkthrough (lol), subscribe to us so you'll get updates! Thanks and enjoy!
If you enjoyed drinking this Tomato Juice Room Escape Walkthrough (lol), subscribe to us so you'll get updates! Thanks and enjoy!
You Have to Read This.
When the wonderful and benevolent mean and sharkly Janet Reid tells me to do something. I do it. So when she told me to steal an ARC of You by Chuck Benoit, I did. (Okay so I didn't actually steal it...but I managed to obtain a copy - thanks to the goddess of Harper publicity and marketing).
Wow.
Stylistically brilliant, You, had me sucked in from the first line, turning the pages into the middle of the night, and gasping on the last page. When I got to the end, I promptly turned back to the first page and reread the beginning, and then I flipped to certain scenes and reread them. (And then I emailed a friend and said Oh. My. God. You have to read this so we can talk about it. And then I laid awake in bed thinking about it.)
It. Was. That. Good.
It's out August 24th, 2010. Put it on your wishlist.
Wow.
Stylistically brilliant, You, had me sucked in from the first line, turning the pages into the middle of the night, and gasping on the last page. When I got to the end, I promptly turned back to the first page and reread the beginning, and then I flipped to certain scenes and reread them. (And then I emailed a friend and said Oh. My. God. You have to read this so we can talk about it. And then I laid awake in bed thinking about it.)
It. Was. That. Good.
It's out August 24th, 2010. Put it on your wishlist.
Line Simulator walkthrough video
Line Simulator shows us that getting ahead in line can be difficult especially when you need to employ nasty things to get ahead on it. This is a simple game but is still fun to play. But still, if you got stuck at some point in Line Simulator you can see the walkthrough video we have here.
Line Simulator walkthrough.
If you enjoyed this Line Simulator, you might as well be interested in our future game walkthroughs so subscribe to get updates. Have a nice day!
Line Simulator walkthrough.
If you enjoyed this Line Simulator, you might as well be interested in our future game walkthroughs so subscribe to get updates. Have a nice day!
Check it Out!
Congratulate Lisa Desrochers who was featured in Galley Cat this week, signing her contracts! Yay Lisa!
And, there's a fun query blunder post featuring the marvelously talented Kathleen Ortiz from Lowenstein Associates and some other girl (oh, wait that's me).
And...
Drumroll please.
(okay wait, this is actually not as exciting at all, but...)
After this weekend, I will no longer be living in Philadelphia and commuting those two hours on a good day into NYC. I will officially be a New Yorker :)
And, there's a fun query blunder post featuring the marvelously talented Kathleen Ortiz from Lowenstein Associates and some other girl (oh, wait that's me).
And...
Drumroll please.
(okay wait, this is actually not as exciting at all, but...)
After this weekend, I will no longer be living in Philadelphia and commuting those two hours on a good day into NYC. I will officially be a New Yorker :)
Watch These Front 2 Back Walkthrough Videos
Another dizzying puzzle game that comes in the title Front 2 Back will get your head spinning and might actually end up viewing this Front 2 Back walkthrough videos that we have here.
Front 2 Back walkthrough for levels 1 to 10.
Front 2 Back walkthrough levels 11 to 20.
Subscribe to us so you'll get updates on Front 2 Back walkthrough. Have a nice day!
Front 2 Back walkthrough for levels 1 to 10.
Front 2 Back walkthrough levels 11 to 20.
Subscribe to us so you'll get updates on Front 2 Back walkthrough. Have a nice day!
The Tower of Eternity 56F Walkthrough Video
Yes, we now reached the Tower of Eternity 56F so there's no going back down anymore or it will be a long way down to the 1st floor. This is a simple point and click escape game that see no ending after each level. You can only get out of the floor to advance to the next floor of the tower where you will be trapped again. Thank goodness because there will also be some sort of a guide that will appear like this The Tower of Eternity 56F Walkthrough video we found just around the web.
Stay updated with our posts like so you won't miss if we publish stuff like this The Tower of Eternity 56F Walkthroug. Subscribe! Enjoy!
Stay updated with our posts like so you won't miss if we publish stuff like this The Tower of Eternity 56F Walkthroug. Subscribe! Enjoy!
Kitsutode Ra Reru walkthrough
Game title: Kitsutode Ra Reru. Developer: Nifty. Game Type: Point and click escape game. Basic instructions: Find clues and objects that you can use in the game to unlock more rooms. Primary objective is to escape. Playable in the address: http://kids.nifty.com/cs/game/detail/100311029376/1.htm
Kitsutode Ra Reru walkthrough: not yet available:
We're still on a search for the Kitsutode Ra Reru walkthrough. Please be patient. If you can help us find it, please leave a comment below.
Kitsutode Ra Reru walkthrough: not yet available:
We're still on a search for the Kitsutode Ra Reru walkthrough. Please be patient. If you can help us find it, please leave a comment below.
Shack Escape by Games2Rule
Name of game: Shack Escape. Type: point and click/escape game. Developer: games2rule. Description: Don't spoil the night time by staying in the shack. Must escape from the shack to enjoy the night with friends. Use the objects found inside the shack to escape from it.
Watch out for Shack Escape Walkthrough when we update or if you have one, please share with us. Thanks and enjoy.
Watch out for Shack Escape Walkthrough when we update or if you have one, please share with us. Thanks and enjoy.
Cave Labyrinth Walkthrough
A game from stoneage. A point and click game. The title of this game is Cave Labyrinth. Are you getting this? Or maybe you just jumped right to what you really came for here, the Cave Labyrinth walkthrough video below. Yeah, who would bother to read my dull intro. LOL.
If you came here looking for the video of Cave Labyrinth walkthrough, you've come to right place and I'm sure you'll enjoy our future posts as well so be updated. Subscribe!
If you came here looking for the video of Cave Labyrinth walkthrough, you've come to right place and I'm sure you'll enjoy our future posts as well so be updated. Subscribe!
Flag Room Escape Walkthrough
Flag Room Escape is yet another room escape game to play for the all you casual players out there who are always looking for new games to play but apparently sometimes even got stuck always in the games you play. He he. Anyways, here's some video of Flag Room Escape Walkthrough in case you got lost in this game and don't know what to do next.
If this Flag Room Escape walkthrough helped you beat that game, you can subscribe to us so you will be updated every time we post these kinds of game walkthroughs.
If this Flag Room Escape walkthrough helped you beat that game, you can subscribe to us so you will be updated every time we post these kinds of game walkthroughs.
Ninja Saga Level Up Fast Cheat Hack
Alright guys, this is something out of my usual posts. Why? Because this is about Ninja Saga Cheats and hacks. Yes, a facebook game.
What about it:
I have some tutorial of the Ninja Saga Level Cheat which will enable you level up fast in Ninja Saga. You will have to download a tool called Cheat Engine to perform this hack. After installing the software, follow the steps below:
This is the newest updated version of the Ninja Saga Level Up Cheat Walkthrough, Hack, Tips and Tricks as far as I know. Check back often to see updates or let us know if you have something to share about this subject.
What about it:
I have some tutorial of the Ninja Saga Level Cheat which will enable you level up fast in Ninja Saga. You will have to download a tool called Cheat Engine to perform this hack. After installing the software, follow the steps below:
1 -To Play Ninja Saga go to http://apps.facebook.com/ninjasaga/?ref=tsHere's another version of the cheat. Watch the video below.
2 -Select browser as process in ce5.5 (hex, 8bytes, asrom)
3 -At the "Select Character" screen, scan "3B0008C25B5E0689"
4 -2 addresses found.Right click the BOTTOM address and Dissassemble the right click again "Toggle breakpoint"
5 -Now in Ninja Saga, select your character and click "Play"
6 -It will freeze due to the breakpoint you've set.
7 -Click "Debug > Run (shortcut: f9)
8 -Click "Debug > Run again.
9 -At the Registries panel, you will see a red line "EAX xxxxxx"
10 -Left click on it and it will ask you to insert the new address, so you paste "FF011B8A" into it(IF YOU WANT LEVEL 19 ONLY PASTE THIS "11A6C")
11- Now right click the address and click "Toggle breakpoint" again to remove the breakpoint.
12 -Click "Debug > Run
13 -Now go back to your Ninja Saga. It will reload and you will be level 336.
This is the newest updated version of the Ninja Saga Level Up Cheat Walkthrough, Hack, Tips and Tricks as far as I know. Check back often to see updates or let us know if you have something to share about this subject.
Dozen Games Bedroom Escape Walkthrough
Some video walkthrough for the point and click escape game Dozen Games Bedroom Escape. I haven't played this game yet. Maybe I will later. If at some point I got stuck in this one, I can refer to this Dozen Games Bedroom Escape walkthrough video here:
If you want, you can subscribe to our feeds or bookmark us so you will updates when we post something like this Doszen Games Bedroom Escape Walkthrough. Have a pleasant day folks!
If you want, you can subscribe to our feeds or bookmark us so you will updates when we post something like this Doszen Games Bedroom Escape Walkthrough. Have a pleasant day folks!
Glass Balls Escape Walkthrough (video)
Yep, here's Glass Balls Escape walkthrough video you were looking for. This is basically a escape game where you have to get out of a gray room. This is crated by PVCdzseki, (I don't know to pronounce it woooot!). Anyways, since this is a point and click game, you can use the mad clicking technique whenever you are stuck but if for instance, that brilliant technique didn't help you, let this video of Glass Balls Escape guide you through.
If you enjoyed this Glass Balls Escape Walkthrough, then you might also enjoy our future posts- mainly game walkthroughs of room escape games. So subscribe or bookmark us. Have a nice day!
If you enjoyed this Glass Balls Escape Walkthrough, then you might also enjoy our future posts- mainly game walkthroughs of room escape games. So subscribe or bookmark us. Have a nice day!
Steambirds Walkthrough (Video)
Yes, this is the Steambirds walkthrough video that you are looking for. The guide for levels 1 to 7 of the game. You can play this aerial dog-fighting strategy flash game at armorgames. Play with ease because Steambirds is completely mouse controlled. Anyways, here's the video of the game we found on youtube.
If you have something to say about this Steambirds walkthrough, please let us know by leaving a comment below. Enjoy!
If you have something to say about this Steambirds walkthrough, please let us know by leaving a comment below. Enjoy!
Snow Garden Escape Walkthrough
This game should cool down the hotness of the whether here in our place. Oh, Snow Garden, I hope I can be there for real. If I am to get there, I'll never escape that place. I'll take my family with me there so we can enjoy the coolness of the snow covered garden. Hey, this shouldn't be about me, it's about the Snow Garden Escape Walkthrough so here it is.
I hope this Snow Garden Escape Walkthrough cooled your head down. If you enjoyed it, subscribe to get updates and other game stuffs you might need in the future.
I hope this Snow Garden Escape Walkthrough cooled your head down. If you enjoyed it, subscribe to get updates and other game stuffs you might need in the future.
Interview with Claudia Gray
I'm lucky to have the fabulously talented Claudia Gray on the blog today for an interview. Her novel Hourglass, the third installment of the EVERNIGHT series, is due out Tuesday March 9th!
Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.
I am a full-time novelist based in Chicago. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.
***
How long does it take you to finish a book? What's your writing process like?
There's no one answer to that -- I've had it take me as long as a year and a half to finish a book, and as little as four months. But I only recently went full-time as a writer, so I expect to work more quickly now that I can concentrate every day. My writing process also varies, but it starts with me putting together an outline. Outlining isn't for every writer, but I rely on it. The more I write, the longer and more detailed my outlines become. That said, I do sometimes deviate from the outline once I have it together, usually to add more action or scenes I didn't realize I'd need. But as a rule, once I have my outline, I know my central points for the novel and can dive in.How long does it take you to finish a book? What's your writing process like?
Usually I put together a soundtrack, too -- it helps me find the right mood and energy for the book.
Speaking of your soundtrack, what are some of the songs that were on your soundtrack when writing Hourglass?
These were probably the main songs:
"Keep the Car Running" by Arcade Fire
"Steal My Kisses" by Ben Harper
"Conquest" by the White Stripes
"Heaven" by Lamb
"You Got Yr Cherry Bomb" by Spoon
"Razor" by the Foo Fighters
"Apocalypse Please" by Muse
"Open Your Eyes" by Snow Patrol
"Breathe Into Me" by Red
"Through Glass" by Stone Sour
"Rolling" by Seal
"I Just Wanna Live" by Good Charlotte
So far, each book has had a great twist that caught me by surprise - did you plan for those or do your characters ever surprise you?
But the characters do surprise me sometimes, just in different ways.
It's more likely to come out in terms of how a character feels about something that happens, or something they'll say about their past.
Raquel surprised me, BIG time, with something that started for her in STARGAZER but becomes part of her story in HOURGLASS. So it's not the overall plot that surprises me as much as the characters and how they develop.
Were you similar to Bianca when you were in high school (other than the whole *being a vampire* thing of course)?
I wasn't tremendously like Bianca, though I think we would probably have been friends if we were classmates. What we have in common:shyness, bookishness, a lot of daydreaming. But Bianca is a lot more driven than I was, and after the first few chapters of EVERNIGHT, she's also much more independent. Her astronomy love is definitely her own. And she's a lot luckier in love than I was in high school!
None of my prom dates came close to Lucas or Balthazar, that's for sure.
Can you give us any hints about what's to come in Afterlife or Balthazar's stand alone novel?
Let me talk about Balthazar's book, because I was working on that a little last night. We're going to learn a lot about his past -- particularly who Jane was, why he's still so torn up about her after all these centuries, and also what really happened when he turned Charity. (Although Balthazar has told the truth about his sister's murder, in some ways we still haven't heard the full truth; it's darker and scarier than anything Balthazar was willing to discuss with Bianca or Lucas in the EVERNIGHT series.) We'll mostly be dealing with a new set of characters, and the setting moves to a town in upstate New York. An old enemy of Balthazar's shows up there, with a very evil plan of action that Balthazar will have to stop. I'm still working out the bigger plot details, but I know a lot of it and hope you guys are going to love it.
(Swoon - I can't wait for this! :)
What's one book that changed your life?
Thanks so much to Claudia for the interview! Check out the Hourglass trailer and Claudia's upcoming tour dates below, and get a sneak peak inside HERE.
Tuesday, March 9
Anderson's Bookshop
7:00 PM
123 West Jefferson
Naperville, IL 60540
Wednesday, March 10
Anderson's Bookshop
7:00 PM
123 West Jefferson
Naperville, IL 60540
Wednesday, March 10
Barnes & Noble
7:00 PM
1201 Lake Woodlands Dr. #3008
The Woodlands, TX 77381
The Woodlands, TX 77381
Thursday, March 11
BookPeople
7:00 PM
603 N. Lamar
Austin, TX 78703
Saturday, March 13
Barnes & Noble
2:00 PM
7660 North Point Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30022
Thursday, April 1
Borders
7:00 PM
1 N. La Grange Road
La Grange, IL 60525
BookPeople
7:00 PM
603 N. Lamar
Austin, TX 78703
Saturday, March 13
Barnes & Noble
2:00 PM
7660 North Point Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30022
Thursday, April 1
Borders
7:00 PM
1 N. La Grange Road
La Grange, IL 60525
Requested Material Recap
In 2009 I kept track of how many books I read. So far in 2010, I'm not reading books at quite the same pace. I am however reading a ton of manuscripts. For statistics purposes, here's where I am right now.
In 2010...
I've been a second reader on 6 manuscripts for other agents in the office.
I've read and sent editorial letters on 23 client manuscripts - some of them more than once.
I've read 92 manuscripts I requested (some partials, some fulls).
Of those 92...
I referred 1 to another agent (they're now working together).
I sent editorial letters to 5.
I offered representation to 3.
And how many published books have I read so far in 2010? ::hides face in embarrassment:: 7
And how many published books have I read so far in 2010? ::hides face in embarrassment:: 7
Video Walkthrough of Grape Juice Room Escape
It's getting hotter and hotter these days and one should take more liquids to avoid dehydration. Fruit juices are good refreshments but too much fruit juice might get you into trouble like getting trapped in a Grape Juice Room. You doubt that there's such a room? Yes, there is and this Grape Juice Room Escape is the proof. Anyways, if you came here looking for the walkthrough video of this game, we got you covered.
Grape Juice Room Escape Walkthrough
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Grape Juice Room Escape Walkthrough
You can be updated anytime we post stuff like this Grape Juice Room Escape walkthrough if you subscribe to us.
Spring Escape Walkthrough
Hey, it's colorful, so cute, so nice and so, uhm, girly game. Spring Escape is fun game to play and the shocking colors may even get you lost in the wilderness behind those walls, a dark and cold place where no one goes and have picnic called "stuck". Yeah, that was a weird thing to say but I can't think properly today because the whether is so hot my brain cells are melting. Anyways, here's Spring Escape Walkthrough in case you got lost in the black-hole of your... Ok, I'll shut up.
If you find this Spring Escape walkthrough helpful then you know what to do. Follow us on the sidebar.
If you find this Spring Escape walkthrough helpful then you know what to do. Follow us on the sidebar.
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