The *Official Photography Thread*

If you're editing photos, you probably want to calibrate your display.

LR and PS have the problem of being memory hogs. Plus they use temporary disk space. Both cause the OS to swap a lot. Adding memory will help. If you have a second disk, moving the scratch directory to it will also help a lot.

 

Right now I'm looking at a MacBook Pro 13 for it's better processing power and storage sometime in the future (when my MBA get's annoying enough and I move and settle in).

As far as the display goes, I obviously wouldn't just get some bottom of the line piece of junk, but the upside to Apple products is their connectivity. If I had a iMac and a MacBook then it would make more sense because those two things talk. If I'm just buying a screen, I don't know a ton, but I feel like pulling up Lightroom on a Dell or Asus or whatever brand screen isn't going to be much harder than doing so on an Apple product.

 

To apologize for starting a Mac vs. other discussion here is both a photo and a Toyota


DSCF3257.jpg by ChazLylePhoto, on Flickr

 

You are on the right track.

 

calibrating your monitor periodically(every couple of months) will result in consistent post processing, so I have heard/read. Just because you calibrate your monitor, doesn't mean it is set for life. With use, things change, wear out, so regular calibrating will ensure that you are within some spec. that said, I haven't calibrated my monitor at all. I'm waiting for my next monitor purchase, maybe a 24, 27 or 30" monitor, and then a calibrating eye.

for my desktop, the computer I do my post on, I have (2) SSD's. one for my OS, and the other strictly for lightroom caching. I also have 16gbs of ram(I think, or 32gb. one of the other). with this setup, my computer rarely hangs during processing.

 

Regularly calibrating a monitor is a good idea. idk what the "right" frequency is. Monthly or three or four times a year. Maybe for the old tube monitors, more frequently. Monitors also tend to "burn in" meaning a great deal of change occurs in the early life followed by stabilization followed by a decline (a bathtub curve if you will).

Sounds like a great setup for your desktop too.

 

I've never calibrated but want to. I've read people who do it anywhere from annually, to quarterly to monthly. I suppose frequency all comes down to how anal retentive you are.

 

That might be the key. ARF.

 

Animal Rescue Foundation? haha

 

That's a good idea having a separate ssd for LR caching. I need to do that. I also need to get a monitor calibrator.

 

Im going to sell my imac real soon! Probably ask $1100 shipped? Mid 2012 with probably 50 hours of use? I alway use my laptop and its getting old so i'm going to upgrade. 27" with all the goodies! I think it was $2500ish new!

 

BTW, if looking for just the display id look into Samsung. They build a lot of Apples Displays and can be had for around $300!

 

Anal Retentive Function

 

I know some pros do it more than needed, but they need to since the monitor is a tool for their source of income. any personal tool, used for a source of income, needs to be pm'ed/honed/taken care of.

also, I just mimic'ed another photographer's computer set up. then, SSD's were expensive. for those that know how to price computer components know that now, it is more affordable to build a nice rig with nicer components than an off the shelf apple offering.

I know I am due for another computer refresh, and I am gonna get errthang all new and modern. fast cpu, loads of ram(doesnt have to be the fastest, just gotta have a lot of it), a big ass monitor with calibrating eye, 2 ssd's, and a normal hdd or NAS for storage. I'm also on the fence regarding using external hdd's for peace of mind. whether or not I get paid gigs will determine that.

 

Desktop PCs are much easier and less expensive to build

Someday, when I actually feel settled in somewhere maybe.

Until then. Laptop it up haha I can live with it. The other reason I want a Display is I can get rid of my TV I rarely use ha. When I move in May I'm selling everything I can.

 

Check out this African Pygmy hedgehog. I did a portrait shoot today for some peeps blog, portfolio and of course Christmas cards and the lady wanted some photos with her pets ha this thing made some crazy noises!


DSCF3301.jpg by ChazLylePhoto, on Flickr

 

Don't forget the borrow lens deal. Pretty good deal. I'm going to try out a 70-200 2.8.

 

cool shot chaz.

love the eagle ben!

 

Beautiful Ben! I wish I could get to a lake that looked like that and wasn't frozen right now.

 

I like the eagle and the look whatever is reflecting in the water creates. It's almost like a painting.