This was posted recently by the Popular Photography Magazine and you might find some useful information and tips here, just a few, enjoy.

Shortcuts From The Pros
Professional photographers share their tips and tricks for faster, easier, and better photos.

By PopPhoto Staff
August 2007

Quick Changes

Stop fumbling with rear lenscaps. Gaffer-tape two of them together, back-to-back. This way, when you change lenses, you can take one in your hand and the other off your camera body, connect the two together, and then twist the new lens off the double cap and put it on the body.
Mike Peters
www.mikepeters.com

You need to shoot a portrait on the road, and want to bounce your fill flash—but you’re outdoors or don’t have a reflector? Always bring along a plain white T-shirt. Put on the shirt, and point the strobe of the camera directly into your body—it’s a great way of creating a nice soft bounce. You can also use it as a reflector for natural light.
Gunther Deichmann
www.deichmann-photo.com

For information on Gunther Deichmann
GDPhotoworkshop please click here.


Which memory card is full and which is empty? Mark your memory cards in numerical order. Always start a shoot with card number 1, then 2, etc. It keeps you from having to plug them into the camera to see their status.
Alan Farkas
www.alanfarkas.com

Get your proper exposure in aperture-priority mode using your camera’s spotmeter, then switch to manual-exposure mode. Manual doesn’t get fooled by highlights and shadows. And if you need to use fill flash, you can stay in manual but still use the TTL auto mode on the flash.
Roger Duncan
www.rogerduncanphoto.com
Always Prepared

If the AF switches on your autofocus lenses are too easy to switch off while going in and out of the bag (as my Canon USM lenses are), gaffer-tape the AF switch to stay on all of the time.
Mike Peters

Notice how gaffer tape always seems to be back in the car, at home, or in the studio when you need it? Wrap a long piece around a tripod leg so you’ll always have it handy.
Alan Farkas

Keep your cable switch taped to your camera for easy finding and quick plug-in. Tim Fitzharris
www.timfitzharris.com
Improvisation on Location

For shooting on the beach, I cut an X into three tennis balls, insert each leg of my tripod into them, and duct-tape them on. This prevents the legs from sinking into the sand and stabilizes the tripod.
Paul Kline
www.paulkline.com

When I take photos of people in their environments, using a softbox with a strobe for the sitter, I will often drag [slow down] the shutter to balance the ambient light in the room for a natural look. I carry 200-watt household bulbs in my kit to replace the usual 60-watt bulbs most people use in their lamps, to boost the ambient light, lessen the time the shutter has to be dragged, and reduce the chance of blur.
Allison Leach
www.allisonleach.com

Need a lighting setup right now? Get a bunch of cheap hardware store floodlamps and daylightquality bulbs (40 to 100 watts for some variety in power). They clamp to anything and make for flexible lighting that’s inexpensive but pro-looking.
Roger Duncan

Just received this interesting information from no other than our good old Walter Ty, thanks Walter.
For more stories related to Angkor Wat and Siam Reap in Cambodia please go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7015647.stm

The Images from the workshop participants during our last trip in Cambodia you find at: http://gdphotoworkshop.com/images.html

© Gunther Deichmann, Cambodia 2007
Selected images by GD

Cambodia bid to protect treasures

By Guy De Launey
BBC News, Siem Reap
Statues with no heads in Angkor Wat
Looting is evident even at protected Angkor Wat Cambodia has invited international law enforcement agencies to help protect the country's ancient temples.
US homeland security and FBI agents are among those who may be advising the new national heritage police force. They are hoping to put an end to the rampant looting that has seen many monuments stripped of their statues. Peace has not been kind to many of Cambodia's ancient monuments. As decades of conflict ended in the 1990s, looting accelerated dramatically. The local authorities and the United Nations' cultural organisation, Unesco, moved quickly to protect the world-famous Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples.
But more remote sites were left to their fate.

Stolen-to-order
US agents and local officers have been meeting in Siem Reap to discuss ways of protecting what is left. US special agent Ann Hurst said their experience of dealing with stolen artefacts from Iraq will be crucial.
"We can provide training in how to prevent these types of violations. There were stolen paintings and stolen coins being taken out of Iraq and smuggled in to the US," she said.
"What we did in those cases was prosecute the people who smuggled the goods in - and the people who accepted the goods in the US." Many Cambodian items have been stolen to order for private collectors.
Others have turned up at international auction houses, so expertise in intercepting illicit shipments is badly needed. Technical assistance in detection and policing will also bolster the thinly-stretched and poorly-funded local forces.
For Cambodia, stopping the looting is partly a matter of pride - the towers of Angkor adorn the national flag - but as tourism grows, so does the economic importance of preserving ancient treasures.

The winning shot and Aperture

Luis is the one who came up with the winning shot during our recent
GD PhotoWorkshop, in Cambodia, Siam Reap.
Now back in Manila, we made arrangements to meet with Lawrence C Sison from the Power Mac Center to claim his prize, the Apple Aperture Software, for more information on Aperture please click here

I like to thank Lawrence C Sison from the Power Mac Center for all his support and sponsor ship, also my gratitude to Apple Singapore for their support.

We have now started our Gallery with images from the participants, have included a new feedback page and more up dates on other up coming events check it out at:
http://gdphotoworkshop.com

During all workshops we collect more images from the participants and after 12 month choose the top Photos for our grand prizes, however there is always one winner in each workshop at the current location, just like the shot we choose from Luis.

A new and interesting up-date on my main website has just been activated check it out at:
http://www.deichmann-photo.com

Now you find an additional button at the bottom on the left hand side at the Home page "GD New Images”, this new page will be updated every time I return from one of my Workshops or other destinations. Featuring a small selection from each recent trip, all others images are featured on my PhotoShelter site usually about a week after I have returned.
http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann

Cheers GD

Luis’s winning shot on the 30-inch screen at the Power Mac Center.
Congratulations to Luis from the Power Mac Center,
Greenbelt, Makati.


The winning shot, by © Luis Harder, Cambodia 2007


From left: Lawrence C Sison, Gunther Deichmann, Luis Harder and
Maleng Raysag at the Power Mac Center, Greenbelt 3, Makati, Philippines

As you know, I just arrived back from Cambodia, two days of catching up with some email back log, and then straight into the Celebrate the Sea Festival in Manila Philippines, this major international event was hosted for the first time in the Philippines. I had been ask to be on the jury panel, spending hours and hours last Friday to select the very best videos.

Steve White, Editor of Action Asia Magazine, Emory Kristof
and Gunther Deichmann
Emory created the designs of the camera system
which found the Titanic and a real nice guy.

David Doubilet signing one of his Books.

Many international speakers and guests joined this festival just to name a few: David Doubilet National Geographic Photographer, Daniel Mercier Founder of the Antibes World Festival of Underwater Pictures, Emory Kristof Underwater Discoverer, Emory created the designs of the camera system which found the Titanic. He led photographic surveys of the 6th-century wreck San Diego in the Philippines in 1993., Amos Nachoum Underwater photographer Amos Nachoum has led National Geographic expedition teams with Dr. Eugenie Clark, Dr. Sylvia Earle and astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Bryan Dias the Pacific Program Manager for the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), an NGO based in San Francisco dedicated to protecting the health of coral reefs by integrating ecosystem management,sustainable tourism, and community partnerships.
Mathieu Meur Singapore: www.mathieumeur.com : Mathieu co-authored “An Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography” and as well as the Advanced edition with Michael Aw. Michael Aw Director, OceanNEnvironment, Ocean Geographic www.michaelaw.com: Michael is the founding director of OceanNEnvironment, a charity organization whose mission is to promote preservation of coral reefs and endangered marine animals.
Amos Nachoum had a problem with his Mac Book Pro Charger, but one phone call to the Power Mac Center solved his problem and he was up and running again, then I talked to Music Composer Eric Bettens from Belgium about his fantastic underwater sounds and music created using Logic Pro, a great event with some very interesting people, for more information on Celebrate the Sea please go to the Philippine - Micronesia Alliance Blog, click here.

Now I need a few days rest and catch up with some more paperwork, I did receive however another very nice email from one more participant from the Cambodian workshop please see below, these guys just dont stop, thanks again for everything. For the latest on the Cambodian workshop please go to my Blog please click here.
Cheers GD


Hi, Gunther,

You must be back yourself from one of the most fascinating trips we have experienced. Anli and I finally understand how the place can draw you back again and again. It's ancient ruins stand amongst us, reminding us that life passes us by, leaving behind only what each one of us has contributed while we pass this earth.

We return with the promise to be more in touch with our spiritual selves, to enjoy life every moment knowing that life is here and now. We enjoyed your lead and remember all that you have taught us.

We loved the company, the hotel and the camaraderie shared. Hope to see you soon.

Best regards,

Anli and Eleanor

I am writing this blog from Cambodia, the group has left and I stayed behind for a few extra days, I have provided a direct link to my Aperture Web Gallery of images behind the scene. Images of the participants in action, our Hotel and rooms plus a Buddhist blessing right at the Hotel for the whole group on our last day.
I have to say this group or I call them just a great bunch, have been real cool and some of them booking for Tibet already, we are also planning some more Workshops in Cambodia and of course stay at the Heritage Suite Hotel, again my special thanks to the management in particular to Sylvie and Fabrice for arranging a real Buddhist blessing on our last day.
Many thanks to all and see you soon again for some great Photography, Aperture of course made my life easy during the editing and going direct to the Web Gallery without any problems.
For more images, go to my Aperture Gallery, just click here.


© Gunther Deichmann, after the Workshop,
the things you see on the road

APERTURE Designed for professional photographers.
http://www.apple.com/aperture

A quick time saving tip for Our Aperture Users who will join me on our photo workshop to Cambodia.
You dont have to wait until we get there, not at all, take a few minutes and set up your Aperture Library now, before the Journey begins.
You all know we are going to Cambodia; just create a project now with the name Cambodia and create some Albums within, e.g.. landscapes, temples, people, traditional, personal etc., etc. and when you ready for importing each day you are all set to go. Another quick tip is to prepare some presets e.g.. your name with Copyright, Country; e.g.. Cambodia, location like Angkor Wat, Siam Reap, Monks, Temples etc.,etc. this want take long at all, just a few minutes before the trip, you can also prepare some common keywords the same way, you be amazed how much time you save later and have more time after the shoot for a relaxing beer or two. For those who are not familiar with these set ups dont worry I be there to guide you trough it, ok only one beer for you.
GD
The GDPhotoWorkShop is supported and sponsored by the following:




Apple Singapore, The Power Mac Center, Makati, Manila, Heritage Suites Hotel, Siam Reap, Cambodia, Sam's Tours Palau, Micronesia, The Philippine-Micronesia Alliance and the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging.
For other photo workshops in Bali, Indonesia, Palau, Micronesia and Tibet please go to the events Calendar at:
http://gdphotoworkshop.com

Well, time has come, we are all set for our Cambodian Workshop, a few more days and then I try to report from Siam Reap, Angkor Wat, provided I get a good connection. We are leaving this coming Friday and our first shoot is on Saturday early morning, all the participants are very excited about this trip, including myself, even I have been there many times, but there are always some great and new opportunities In Siam Reap, a Photographers paradise.
The shooting is our top priority but seeing all the images later in Aperture on our Computer is going to be really exciting, as mention I try my best to do some blogs direct from the location, however our Gallery with the best images will be up on the GDPhotoWorkshop site up on my return.
Of course I am also looking forward to see my old friends and my guide Savuth again who is guiding us through this unique place, and having the Heritage Hotel as our base is just fantastic.
Thanks to our supporters/sponsors: Apple Singapore, the Power Mac Center in Makati, Manila, Sam's Tours Palau and the Heritage Hotel in Siam Reap we make this Gallery very interesting and a challenge for our participants, we have a lot of surprises in stall for the best images but more on these later.
My gratitude to Jun Miranda from the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging for all his support and hard work.
Reporting soon from Angkor Wat, Siam Reap, Cambodia,
All the details for Bali, Palau and Tibet workshops will be posted on the GDPhotoWorkshop site up on my return, Tibet is becoming very popular you can make some temporary reservation on the reservation page now, just to make sure, of course this is non committal.
Cheers Gunther or GD