I also ordered mine the first day the site was operational. According to the e-mail I got, they are shipping via UPS and should arrive on Wednesday (28 Jun). I can't wait
I got a confirmation email but I have not received an email with shipping info - yet?
Greg "Tis better keep your mouth shut and be thought of as an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"
Thanks Harry for the advice. I've admired your work on smugmug, and I chuckled when I saw your post - I ran into Ron a couple of months ago and chatted with him a bit after he handed me his card (I think he noticed me doing something incorrect). He seemed like a great guy, and I thought of setting up a session with him, which makes even more sense after reading your great recommendation (which carries a lot of weight after seeing your photos). But maybe I'll start with the DVD series (got a birthday coming up ...), then follow up with a session.
Thanks Harry for the advice. I've admired your work on smugmug, and I chuckled when I saw your post - I ran into Ron a couple of months ago and chatted with him a bit after he handed me his card (I think he noticed me doing something incorrect). He seemed like a great guy, and I thought of setting up a session with him, which makes even more sense after reading your great recommendation (which carries a lot of weight after seeing your photos). But maybe I'll start with the DVD series (got a birthday coming up ...), then follow up with a session.
John Desjarlais
Hey John,
Ron is an amazing guy. He's a fine photographer, and outstanding teacher, and just nice. You can't go wrong getting a session with him. I read his e-book before I took my training with him and it helped. I think watching the DVDs before a session with Ron would be a terrific start.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
FYI - The shipping email came under the name of QuantumView - my dvd's should be here the 28th as well.
Great news. I hope that everyone who gets the DVD set will post their impression in this thread as they view the DVDs. I'm really interested to hear what you think of htem.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Great news. I hope that everyone who gets the DVD set will post their impression in this thread as they view the DVDs. I'm really interested to hear what you think of htem.
After viewing parts of the concept disk and Vol 1, I've already learned enough to make the purchase worthwhile. I understand more about the histogram and "Proper" composition. Can't wait to view some more.
I just can't figure out why my eyes keep drifting left during his discussion
Greg "Tis better keep your mouth shut and be thought of as an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"
After viewing parts of the concept disk and Vol 1, I've already learned enough to make the purchase worthwhile. I understand more about the histogram and "Proper" composition. Can't wait to view some more.
I just can't figure out why my eyes keep drifting left during his discussion
I always felt that Ron's sections on composition were one of the strongest points of his training. His explanation of the histogram on the DVD is one of the best and clearest explanations of it that I have seen so far.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I also ordered mine the first day the site was operational. According to the e-mail I got, they are shipping via UPS and should arrive on Wednesday (28 Jun). I can't wait
Yeah, I'm replying to my own post - oh well.
Just thought some might be interested - my set arrived yesterday. Didn't hardly have a chance to even open the package, but they are all there. I get to put the first disc into the machine this afternoon - woohooo!
Great news. I hope that everyone who gets the DVD set will post their impression in this thread as they view the DVDs. I'm really interested to hear what you think of htem.
As stated previously, my order arrived on 28 Jun. It wasn't until this morning that life took a rest and allowed me to enjoy, if that's the right word - more on that below, the first two disks.
The first disk, "Concepts" is a really good intro into photography as Ron practices it. It was about 30 minutes long and was just jam packed with information. Gave me a clue as to why most of my own photos just seem to miss the mark. The same information gives a clue as to why some of my better photos are actually OK.
The second disk, Volume 1 covers the SURESHOT system in some detail. Some detail - the disk was running something like 2.5 hours when I had to take a break (near the end) and handle life events around the house.
S - Survey your scene
U - Understand your composition - what you have to do to make it work and why. Very good disctussion/description of two different composition styles (rule of thirds and where it comes from, and "lead the eye" or "carry the eye" or something like that).
R - Reference exposure clues - This leads into reading your histogram to better determine what the proper exposure is
E - Exposure, white balance, and other related stuff
S -
H - Hit your shutter - he "mentions" that you really don't want to "hit" the shutter release but, rather, should gently squeeze it or roll your finger across it. Also included is a short discussion of MLU and shutter delay.
O -
T -
Yeah, I got some review to do. The disc is just jam-packed with information. I will be viewing it a couple more times before I get into volume 2.
Did I enjoy the two discs I have viewed? Well, not really - Ron makes you THINK and that can be a lot of work. And if your mind wonders off and you miss something, the rest of the segment doesn't make any sense at all.
Are the discs worth the $$? Based on just the first two, OH YEAHthumb. I'm going on vacation towards the end of this week (2 weeks in AK) and these discs are going with me.
BTW, Harry, I really want to thank you for originating this thread. This disc set is something from which I will be gleaning gems of understanding for some time to come.
Did I enjoy the two discs I have viewed? Well, not really - Ron makes you THINK and that can be a lot of work. And if your mind wonders off and you miss something, the rest of the segment doesn't make any sense at all.
Are the discs worth the $$? Based on just the first two, OH YEAHthumb. I'm going on vacation towards the end of this week (2 weeks in AK) and these discs are going with me.
BTW, Harry, I really want to thank you for originating this thread. This disc set is something from which I will be gleaning gems of understanding for some time to come.
Thanks for your feedback Scott. If you think your mind can wander during the DVD you should take Ron's training where he's talking about this stuff after having spent a day shooting from sunrise to sunset. :snore
I will be watching and rewatching these DVDs for some time.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
In all truthfullness, I never got shots like these before I took Ron's training. The improvement in my shots are due to Ron.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
The dvd has paid for itself already. The lesson on picking a reference point for the histogram where you know the exposure value is brilliant. A simple pic which includes grass, look for the little peak which is the grass value and put that peak in the centre of your histogram. I have been underexposing these shots . Excellent stuff.
The dvd has paid for itself already. The lesson on picking a reference point for the histogram where you know the exposure value is brilliant. A simple pic which includes grass, look for the little peak which is the grass value and put that peak in the centre of your histogram. I have been underexposing these shots . Excellent stuff.
Seamus.
I will be watching and rewatching these DVDs for some time. The explanation of the histogram and how many stops and information are contained in each segment is so extremely valuable. I've picked up a number of things that I want to try and play with when I get a chance.
The sections on composition on Disks 1 & 2 are outstanding.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Thanks for the recommendation, Harry. I just put in my order.
That's great Dan. Please let me knowm what you think of the DVDs after you get them.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I ordered the set today, on the basis of your recommendations:):
I am hoping that the information is useful to white lens shooters as well as the Nikonians that R Reznick favors.:):
Composition and histogram interpetation sounds like it should be independent of camera vendor.
Hey PF,
I think you will like the DVDs. I have viewed the first three and the material is not brand specific. Canon has differencet reference points on its histograms on and that's addressed by Ron but that was the only time I saw any brand reference in the material.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I just received an e-mail from the folks at Sureshot that I thought I would pass on.
"Ron asked that I discuss playability issues in reference to our DVDs.
First, Volume 1 was recorded on a dual layer disc due to its length and our desire to maintain the quality of the images, etc..
Hence, an individual using a older DVD player or outdated software may experience difficulties. It has been my experience that consumers who updated their software have not had any problems. In addition, there have not been any issues with the DVDs that are playing on TVs.
The discs should not have trouble playing on a computer. The discs were tested on DVD players for televisions as well as on computers prior to being released.
Further tests were run Monday and today and everything ran fine.
According to the technicians at the duplication house, the problem is most likely the PC or the software for the DVD player.
They suggested the following:
1)You should be using the latest driver for the DVD drive, which is available on the manufacturer’s website.
2)Make sure that you have the “enable digital audio” tab checked in the drive’s “properties” tab.
3)Also, if available, please make sure that the DVD drives are set to “DMA” in the Devices Manager for IDE devices. To enable DMA for a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM:
a)If you are using Windows 98, Windows Me or a version of Windows 95 that includes DMA support, by default, DMA is available but is not enabled for your CD-ROM, and you should skip to step (b). If your version of Windows 95 does not include DMA support, use either of the following methods:
• Obtain and install the most current driver for your motherboard that
provides DMA support. For information about how to do this, consult the
motherboard manufacturer, or view the documentation included with your
motherboard or computer. • You can install any version of Windows 98 or Windows Me to obtain support for DMA.
b)Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then
double-click System.
c)On the Device Manager tab, double-click the CDROM branch to expand it, and then double-click your CD-ROM.
d)On the Settings tab, click to select the DMA check box, and then click
OK.
e)Restart your computer, and then test to determine if your CD-ROM is
working properly by using the CD-ROM drive. If you determine that your
CD-ROM does not work properly with DMA enabled, disable DMA. To do so, repeat steps 2-4, but click to clear the DMA check box."
I hope this is of some help to anyone having difficulties playing the DVDs
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I have looked at the dvds and am very happy --but the lap top i just got from troy -apple -Hunter and I took it on the weekend flying trip and i took the dvds [Rons ] to go over and show my son .That did not work out so good the dvds and apple did not play well together so now what finally got a hold of Ron and he pointed me in the right direction here is a link and it does work or did for us if any one does run into this
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=77324&page=23 . look at patrick a couple under harry and you will see the link
Just received my set...
I just received my set and so far I am impressed. Easily worth the investment. It does appear that it will take some time to get through all of the material but the material so far looks very good.
Thanks for pointing this out. I am sure that I will have more thoughts on this as I make time to watch it all.
I just received my set and so far I am impressed. Easily worth the investment. It does appear that it will take some time to get through all of the material but the material so far looks very good.
Thanks for pointing this out. I am sure that I will have more thoughts on this as I make time to watch it all.
Lee
I'm glad you liked it so far. I'm midway through Disk 3 and I'm in information overload. I'll be viewing and reviewing these disks for some time.
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Harry http://behret.smugmug.com/NANPA member How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Comments
I got a confirmation email but I have not received an email with shipping info - yet?
"Tis better keep your mouth shut and be thought of as an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"
John Desjarlais
macrophile.smugmug.com
FYI - The shipping email came under the name of QuantumView - my dvd's should be here the 28th as well.
"Tis better keep your mouth shut and be thought of as an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"
Hey John,
Ron is an amazing guy. He's a fine photographer, and outstanding teacher, and just nice. You can't go wrong getting a session with him. I read his e-book before I took my training with him and it helped. I think watching the DVDs before a session with Ron would be a terrific start.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Great news. I hope that everyone who gets the DVD set will post their impression in this thread as they view the DVDs. I'm really interested to hear what you think of htem.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
After viewing parts of the concept disk and Vol 1, I've already learned enough to make the purchase worthwhile. I understand more about the histogram and "Proper" composition. Can't wait to view some more.
I just can't figure out why my eyes keep drifting left during his discussion
"Tis better keep your mouth shut and be thought of as an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"
I always felt that Ron's sections on composition were one of the strongest points of his training. His explanation of the histogram on the DVD is one of the best and clearest explanations of it that I have seen so far.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Just thought some might be interested - my set arrived yesterday. Didn't hardly have a chance to even open the package, but they are all there. I get to put the first disc into the machine this afternoon - woohooo!
My Photos
Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
Equipment List - Check my profile
The first disk, "Concepts" is a really good intro into photography as Ron practices it. It was about 30 minutes long and was just jam packed with information. Gave me a clue as to why most of my own photos just seem to miss the mark. The same information gives a clue as to why some of my better photos are actually OK.
The second disk, Volume 1 covers the SURESHOT system in some detail. Some detail - the disk was running something like 2.5 hours when I had to take a break (near the end) and handle life events around the house.
- S - Survey your scene
- U - Understand your composition - what you have to do to make it work and why. Very good disctussion/description of two different composition styles (rule of thirds and where it comes from, and "lead the eye" or "carry the eye" or something like that).
- R - Reference exposure clues - This leads into reading your histogram to better determine what the proper exposure is
- E - Exposure, white balance, and other related stuff
- S -
- H - Hit your shutter - he "mentions" that you really don't want to "hit" the shutter release but, rather, should gently squeeze it or roll your finger across it. Also included is a short discussion of MLU and shutter delay.
- O -
- T -
Yeah, I got some review to do. The disc is just jam-packed with information. I will be viewing it a couple more times before I get into volume 2.Did I enjoy the two discs I have viewed? Well, not really - Ron makes you THINK and that can be a lot of work. And if your mind wonders off and you miss something, the rest of the segment doesn't make any sense at all.
Are the discs worth the $$? Based on just the first two, OH YEAH
BTW, Harry, I really want to thank you for originating this thread. This disc set is something from which I will be gleaning gems of understanding for some time to come.
My Photos
Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
Equipment List - Check my profile
Thanks for your feedback Scott. If you think your mind can wander during the DVD you should take Ron's training where he's talking about this stuff after having spent a day shooting from sunrise to sunset. :snore
I will be watching and rewatching these DVDs for some time.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Harry,
after checking out http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=37283
....me thinks I shall order the discs
Hey Anson,
In all truthfullness, I never got shots like these before I took Ron's training. The improvement in my shots are due to Ron.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Seamus.
Seamus.
www.dkoyanagi.com
www.flickr.com/photos/dkoyanagi/
I will be watching and rewatching these DVDs for some time. The explanation of the histogram and how many stops and information are contained in each segment is so extremely valuable. I've picked up a number of things that I want to try and play with when I get a chance.
The sections on composition on Disks 1 & 2 are outstanding.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
That's great Dan. Please let me knowm what you think of the DVDs after you get them.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I ordered the set today, on the basis of your recommendations:):
I am hoping that the information is useful to white lens shooters as well as the Nikonians that R Reznick favors.:):
Composition and histogram interpetation sounds like it should be independent of camera vendor.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Hey PF,
I think you will like the DVDs. I have viewed the first three and the material is not brand specific. Canon has differencet reference points on its histograms on and that's addressed by Ron but that was the only time I saw any brand reference in the material.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
I just received an e-mail from the folks at Sureshot that I thought I would pass on.
"Ron asked that I discuss playability issues in reference to our DVDs.
First, Volume 1 was recorded on a dual layer disc due to its length and our desire to maintain the quality of the images, etc..
Hence, an individual using a older DVD player or outdated software may experience difficulties. It has been my experience that consumers who updated their software have not had any problems. In addition, there have not been any issues with the DVDs that are playing on TVs.
The discs should not have trouble playing on a computer. The discs were tested on DVD players for televisions as well as on computers prior to being released.
Further tests were run Monday and today and everything ran fine.
According to the technicians at the duplication house, the problem is most likely the PC or the software for the DVD player.
They suggested the following:
1) You should be using the latest driver for the DVD drive, which is available on the manufacturer’s website.
2) Make sure that you have the “enable digital audio” tab checked in the drive’s “properties” tab.
3) Also, if available, please make sure that the DVD drives are set to “DMA” in the Devices Manager for IDE devices. To enable DMA for a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM:
a) If you are using Windows 98, Windows Me or a version of Windows 95 that includes DMA support, by default, DMA is available but is not enabled for your CD-ROM, and you should skip to step (b). If your version of Windows 95 does not include DMA support, use either of the following methods:
• Obtain and install the most current driver for your motherboard that
provides DMA support. For information about how to do this, consult the
motherboard manufacturer, or view the documentation included with your
motherboard or computer.
• You can install any version of Windows 98 or Windows Me to obtain support for DMA.
b) Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then
double-click System.
c) On the Device Manager tab, double-click the CDROM branch to expand it, and then double-click your CD-ROM.
d) On the Settings tab, click to select the DMA check box, and then click
OK.
e) Restart your computer, and then test to determine if your CD-ROM is
working properly by using the CD-ROM drive. If you determine that your
CD-ROM does not work properly with DMA enabled, disable DMA. To do so, repeat steps 2-4, but click to clear the DMA check box."
I hope this is of some help to anyone having difficulties playing the DVDs
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=77324&page=23 . look at patrick a couple under harry and you will see the link
“PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”
http://jwear.smugmug.com/
I just received my set and so far I am impressed. Easily worth the investment. It does appear that it will take some time to get through all of the material but the material so far looks very good.
Thanks for pointing this out.
Lee
I'm glad you liked it so far. I'm midway through Disk 3 and I'm in information overload. I'll be viewing and reviewing these disks for some time.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=8074107
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?p=899905#post899905
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"