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The Best Memory Cards for Digital Cameras
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A few weeks ago, I asked my good friend Charlie to offer insight as to why he prefers shooting with prime lenses as well as offered tips in doing so. Well, I'm happy to say he's back this week to chat about the glamorous world of memory cards. The first time I heard him explain "X ratings" for his CF cards and their respective write speed, I just smiled. And blinked. He was kind enough to break it down for me and today he'll do the same for you.
What Are the Best Memory Cards For You
By Charlie Mai
When it comes to photography gear, we often focus our attention on a particular camera body or lenses we want to invest our hard-earned dollars in - after all it's the bread and butter. How often though have you seriously asked yourself, "What memory card(s) do I buy?" Understandably, it's not exactly an exhilarating topic, like pondering what to order on the dessert menu at dinner. But given the continually evolving technology of cameras (particularly DSLRs), memory cards have also had to evolve in order to keep up with increased performance demands. Hence, it's worthwhile to factor in their role in the photographic workflow. |
1. Card Capacity
Cards come in all manner of capacities, from a couple of gigabytes to upwards of 128GB at this point. The size you decide upon can be based on a number of factors, for example:
· File format - Do you shoot in RAW or do you prefer to shoot in JPEG? Maybe even RAW+JPEG? If you have a megapixel monster and shoot with RAW, count on the need for a bigger card.
· Do you put all of your images on one card (a.k.a. all eggs in one basket) and go for the biggest card you can buy or do you break down your day into a collection of smaller cards? This of course comes down to preference, risk tolerance or both - just ask any wedding photographer you know.
2. Card Speed
Memory cards are labeled according to their speed in "MB/sec" (ex. 60MB/sec) and/or an "X" rating (ex. 400X or 1000X) where X= 150KB/sec. Simply put, the higher the rating the faster the card, BUT pay specific attention to whether a manufacturer is referring to a card's "read speed" or "write speed," the former being how fast you can access the data off the card, the latter being how fast data can be written to a card (i.e. by your camera). The distinction isn't as apparent as it could be and often it's the maximum possible read speed that is implied on the label.
Manufacturers may label their cards with keywords such as "Extreme" or "Professional" - granted there is a marketing angle behind them; they also are a clue to speedier performance, the cost of which rises as you gravitate towards the crème de la crème.
Compact Flash (CF) cards will often have the designation "UDMA" or Ultra Direct Memory Access. Most DSLRs manufactured in the last 5-6 years will be UDMA capable. This designation relates to a standard of reading and writing data at enhanced speeds.
On Secure Digital (SD) cards, you'll also see a "Class" designation such as Class 6 or Class 10. This relates to a minimum sustained speed (ex. Class 6, where 6 stands for 6 MB/sec) for recording video. If you're not capturing video, it isn't critical to focus on it.
Gauge the level of speed that suits your shooting style - If you shoot a lot of fast-moving action (ex. sports), speed will be your friend and a card with a higher write speed allows your camera's memory buffer to clear more readily when shooting in bursts, allowing you to keep going with fewer or no interruptions.
3. Price
In general, the more robust the card capacity + the faster the card = the more you'll have to spend. If money's no object, go for it. Otherwise, it will come down to factoring in speed and capacity relative to the price that suits your budget. Fortunately, memory prices dip over time as newer and faster cards come to market, so keep an eye out for price drops. These days, it's not at all difficult to find value and performance all in one card, especially online.
Lastly... consider this - that little wafer or stamp-sized card holds the ability to record images that you've crafted in your mind, unique instances of time that surely occur only once and missing any of which can lead to an "If I'd only done this..." moment and perhaps a firm palm to the forehead. Could you simply trust any 'ol card that was indiscriminately purchased, without knowing how it functions with your camera? Just a little food for thought. |
    
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Melanie : Five Years From Now
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I sat with Melanie in the corner of a dark restaurant. So much has changed in the course of our 15-year friendship, yet nothing has. She's still animated and slightly dramatic, and I still make fun of her and ask inappropriate questions. We met freshman year of high school and have been together through every high and low, break up to make up, and bad makeup. She's moving to New York for a bit next week and I don't know what I'll do without her.
We spoke about her therapist (all my friends have therapists...it's very Californian and I may just get one too so I can fit in and feel all cool) and the best way to approach the oncoming changes in her life.
So, my therapist asked where I see myself in five years...I really hated that question...how do I even know?!
What did you say?
I told her I've never been a person who thinks like that...it's just not me. Not now, anyway.
So it ended like that?
No, she rephrased the question and asked how I'd like to "feel" in five years.
To which you replied?
Secure. In five years I want to feel secure
That's a great word. Do you want the last bit of salad or can I finish it?
Then she said that if I wanted to feel secure, I needed to outline ways I could make it become a reality five years...and then start making them happen.
Whoa. I felt like I was having a therapy session (for free!) right then because it was just that simple. Sure, I might not know where, exactly, I want to be in five years (five years ago I couldn't even imagine my life would look like it does now), but I can attribute the emotional connections I want to experience. Once I do, I can ensure the same happens for me.
Mel, I said in between sips of my drink, I want to feel secure too. And challenged. And excited. And then we toasted to us. In five years. |
A few weeks ago, Melanie asked if I could photograph a new headshot for her before hitting the streets of New York City. I'm only shooting weddings these days, but she reminded me of that one time she saved me in English Honors of sophomore year of high school...and I had to give in.
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| I don't wanna get all dinosaur, but RAWR. |
| Melanie, I hope you know how thankful I am to be your friend. |
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Maui Day After : Karen + Isaac
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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S he was 19 years old and he was in the Armed Forces when they married. Young, full of life, and fully unprepared for what life would toss their way, Karen and Isaac married ten years ago only to later realize Happily Ever After does exist. The trick is to find the right person. Lucky for them, they wake up to their right persons every morning. So special is their love, Isaac planned a trip to Maui for Karen for their anniversary. Little did she realize everything he had in store.
When they married, they had a simple wedding, but even after all their years together there were still a few things Karen longed for. Namely, a dress she loved and wedding photos. Isaac took matters into his hands and ordered a new wedding dress for Karen and surprised her last month with the news they were going get the chance to redo their wedding pictures in Maui.
Perhaps that's what true love is all about. Listening to what's said in between the lines, thoughtfulness, and giving. Whatever the equation might be, Isaac and Karen are getting things right. Together. And it was a true honor documenting their love in Hawaii.
The photo shoot began at Hotel Wailea, where Karen prepared to see Isaac for a First Look, a moment she'd be able to see her groom in a dress she loved...and looked beautiful in I might add... |
| JD's angle of the First Look... |
| My angle of the First Look... |
| Before arriving to Hotel Wailea, JD and I scoped the nearby area to look for locations off the beaten path. Lucky for us, Karen was willing to climb through a fence in her Allure wedding dress, so we could use the lush, green Maui backdrop... |
| Isaac is one of the most caring, sweetest, and kind guys I've ever met. Ever. The way he looks at Karen...holds her...and makes her feel special is a beautiful thing to document... |
| Yes, Karen can be summed up as a Pink Shoe girl. Definitely. This pair of Badgley Mischka shoes represent her personality to a T. |
| Here's a surprise...Karen made the bouquet herself. I joked with her that if her photography didn't work out, she totally has a career as a florist! ;) |
| Karen is a huge Elvis fan, so had to snag photos in front of the Hotel Wailea jeep to pay homage to her crush... |
| We then headed to Makena Cove, a local Maui beach for more photos... |
| Isaac and Karen...stop with all the fierceness...I can't even handle it! |
| Just as we ended the session, Isaac surprised Karen...yet again. He emailed me before the session and let me know he was going to give Karen a new wedding ring and he'd love to get her reaction. After ten years of marriage, I think he's still got it going on! |
To see more of Karen and Isaac's Maui Day After wedding photos, feel free to CLICK HERE for a slideshow! The music was licensed by With Etiquette, which is where I'll be getting my music from now on, but more on that good news in a bit!
Happy Wednesday! |
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Michelle and Brady : Anytime
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O ne of the highlights of what I do is the ability to meet many people and document their lives. How we find each other always amazes me and I have the web to thank for much of it. Such was the case with Michelle and Brady. Sorta.
The Glass Slipper Guild, an amazing organization hoping to raise $5 million dollars for Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), hosted a Gala and auction a couple months ago. I was contacted by a fellow Whittier College alum (Hi Jessica...and Go Poets!) who asked if I'd be willing to donate an Anytime session as part of the auction. I was honored and immediately agreed.
Sometime before the Gala, I spoke at the Smarty OC Event. And then other stuff happened in the weeks that followed. Oh, like, I dyed my hair a festive summer color.
Then I got an email from Michelle. She said she's a part of the Glass Slipper Guild (which means she's awesome by default) and heard me speak at the Smarty OC Event (which means she's awesome by association) and has since followed my blog. And, surprise! Michelle bid on my Anytime session and won. She and her husband Brady hoped to have their session before their third baby arrived and I was more than happy to oblige.
Last week we hung out in Newport and had a chance to have some fun... |
| Immediately upon meeting Michelle and Brady (it was the first time we met, outside of email), I knew they were the kind of people who made Orange County a great place to live. They're a great family, they give of their time to charitable organizations, and they're truly in love with each other... |
| I'm particularly fond of Michelle's freckles. But I might be biased. ;) |
| Brady and Michelle are expecting their third child this fall and I have no doubt their family will be extra blessed with a new bundle of joy... |
| One thing I loved about Brady was his familiarity with my camera gear. He loves photography so we talked shop for a bit (and I'm quite certain he dropped not-so-subtle hints for Michelle to add to his wish list) and when we passed by this random spot, I tossed the idea out to see if they'd be willing to hang out for a bit. Michelle laughed because when they walked in earlier, Brady mentioned that place would make a great spot for photos. Great minds think alike! :) |
| I'll end with this photo because Michelle looks incredibly happy...and a kind, beautiful, and giving woman like herself deserves every bit of it! |
I didn't know how to write this post. I don't know how to write this post. Most of time I write a story about the person I'm photographing from an outsider's perspective, but Grace didn't let me. Every time I asked her questions to help me later write a blog post, she deflected. It's your blog, she said. Grace explained she didn't feel like she had anything to say. That her life has been brief and the story simple. I try explaining she can speak volumes, that her words are powerful because of their simplicity. Grace shakes her bald head, raises her 15-year-old palm, and disagrees. Very teenageresque.
I've known Grace, well, forever. She's best friends with my little sister, Zoe. Seven months ago, we received news doctors discovered tumors in Grace's body. A lot of tumors. She's been scheduled for 19 rounds of aggressive chemotherapy and radiation...and then doctors will reassess the situation. A situation that leaves everyone begging God for answers.
But Monday wasn't about answers. It was about Grace's photoshoot. An opportunity to showcase her beauty, joy, and unbreakable spirit. It's my hope Grace sees a different version of herself in these images...a girl with a story to tell and a chance to appreciate life's beautiful moments. |
| Grace loves all things fashion, so she brought along her favorite books and magazines... |
| Grace, you're beautiful. So incredibly beautiful. |
| My sister, Zoe, came along to the shoot to offer Grace support and coaching... |
| ...I couldn't tell if they were laughing with me...or at me... |
| The light during the shoot was simply spectacular... |
| After a quick outfit change, Grace was in the mood for photos...and a little music... |
| Grace tried to turn her camera on me....uhh, no thank you! ;) |
| My favorite shot of the day. Because Graces reminds me to live each day. Out loud. And to appreciate my health...and say I love you all the time...and to laugh at every chance possible.... |
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