Nikon GP-1 GPS Unit Field Test: Success!

I’ve always been extremely interested in all things mapping and GPS related and I’ve spent more time than I probably should have playing with geotagging my photos. The primary problem I’ve run into is with workflow: finding a good way to add GPS location to pictures and then using tools, like Google Maps via my Sealed Glass Photo galleries, to display shoot locations.

Last year I purchased a very nice backcountry GPS, a Garmin Colorado 400t, intending to use that as both a functioning GPS as well as a location tracking tool to sync up with pictures from the shoot back in the studio. As a GPS, this thing rocks; I highly recommend it as a hiking tool. As a geotagging tool, though, unfortunately not so much. The workflow involved in properly syncing tracking data from the Colorado to pictures was too laborious and unreliable. Even with making sure the clocks were in sync, shooting the time stamp on the GPS before and after the shoot, matching tracking points on the GPS to pictures proved to be too unreliable.

So I decided to splurge on Nikon’s GP-1, a tiny GPS device that mounts on the hot shoe or the strap and encodes GPS data directly into the picture when it’s taken. I set out on a hike with decent canopy coverage and an open lake to test the GP-1. Overall it worked really well, as long as I had a clear view of the sky. Here’s a quick rundown of the good and the not so good:

Good:

• Extremely convenient and portable: sits on the hot shoe or clips onto the strap and connects to the camera body by a short flexible cable.
• Records GPS data in real time for each picture, and that data can be verified while shooting by clicking up on the playback viewscreen (one click past the histogram on the D90).
• When it has a clear view of the sky it’s relatively reliable.
• Easy to read status via a status light on the GP-1 and via the body display.

Not so good:

• Any canopy coverage seems to render the GP-1 virtually unusable. Same for shooting indoors. It’s not WAAS enabled so its sensitivity isn’t as good as the Colorado.
• There’s a lag when shooting in bursts (no shots for a minute or so and then a series of shots). The first few shots in a series didn’t include GPS data but later shots in the same series did. This isn’t a huge issue since GPS data can be copied from one shot to the next in post but it does impact my workflow.
• Battery drain can be an issue. I shoot with an MB-D80 battery pack and two batteries and had no problems over a 3-hour shoot in the field, even with the GP-1 spending a good bit of time trying to re-sync, but your mileage may vary.

Overall I’d definitely give the GP-1 a thumbs up recommendation. At ~$200 (Amazon) it’s a bit expensive for casual usage but if you’re an outdoor photographer (or even an enthusiastic travel snapshot shooter) it’s definitely worth the money even with the minor drawbacks. The amount of time I’ve already saved in my post-processing workflow has well paid for the GP-1.

Technorati Tags: photography,nikon,d90,gps,gp-1,garmin,outdoor photography,nature photography,travel photography

Pinball: My Kind of Sport Shooting

Some people shoot professional sporting events, some shoot fans, some shoot local little league teams. Me, I shoot pinball. Well I don’t do it on a regular basis simply because there’s not that much going on with pinball these days, or as luck would have it there’s a convention in Seattle when I’m out of town. Such was the case on the weekend of June 13th, 2009 when the NW Pinball Show had a full weekend of pinball and arcade action at Seattle Center – I was in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest shooting Heather Lake (snow in June!). Expect those pictures soon.

Until then, let’s revisit one of my favorite photo shoots: the Pinball Hall of Fame (aka the Pinball Museum) in Las Vegas, NV. I try to visit at least once every time I’m in Vegas and last year I set up late one evening for a shoot around the pins. The result turned out really well. This was one of my favorite technical shoots because I was using nothing but natural light from the pins: no overhead lighting, definitely no flash, and a lot of movement. To make matters more interesting I was shooting with a relatively slow lens for that environment, f3.5-5.6 (brought the zoom because I didn’t know how close I could get to the playfields). There was a lot of tweaking the ISO and shutter speed to capture a nice mix of lights, playfield action, and play speed. I’m extremely happy with the result and it’s one of my favorite galleries. Check it out on the Sealed Glass Photo site and let me know what you think.

I’ve been tempted to go back and re-shoot with my 50mm f1.4 but I don’t know that I could capture the dark, slightly grainy feeling with a faster lens. Sometimes working with what we have produces a result that just nails the mood.

 

Technorati Tags: pinball,arcade,sealed glass photo,photography,natural light

New Site, New Location, New Focus

It’s been a while -- and yes, I realize that I start a lot of posts with “It’s been a while…” The reason for this delay is legit, I promise.

Last year was great for Sealed Glass Photo. First and foremost it was officially launched. Second, it was nurtured in the great city of Bellingham, WA, for a full year. Bellingham was an excellent environment to get the business up off the ground and give it legs. So for SGP, last year was a busy and productive year.

This year (so far) has involved moving the business back to Seattle and hunkering down on growing the business. Weeks were spent on designing the new site, the field gear was all replaced (finally upgraded to Nikon body and lenses, some of which have been on the procurement list for years), business cards were designed (courtesy of Moo), and contacts were made. Thus is the life of a small business owner, especially when that business doesn’t yet pay the bills. But so far this year has been right in line with my plans for SGP, and I’m extremely happy with the progress I’ve made.

And on that note, the new Sealed Glass Photo website is officially launched! So head on over and check out all the work that’s gone into the site (and feedback is always appreciated).

Now that the back-end stuff is done, time to head out and start adding content. Expect additions in the near future from Brigadoon Assistance Dogs, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Netarts, OR, and the Portland Saturday Farmer’s Market. Oh yes, I’ve been shooting on a normal schedule while working on the infrastructure, just been waiting to display and sell the new shots until everything else was in place.

Hope to see you on the site or out and about.

Technorati Tags: photography,nature photography,travel photography,sealed glass photo,nikon,bellingham,seattle,portland