Barna Tanko Photography

Yongnuo wireless

2011-06-05T00:13:00.000-06:00

It's been over a year since I have the Yongnuo $ 25 wireless set for my strobes and I could say openly that beside running out on battery on the receiver I had no issues at all. Replaced the battery ( about $ 30.00 for a pack of two) about 6 months ago and the "thing" is working flawlessly even from great distances. I don't see why would I replace it for now with some expensive ones.

A durability test

2011-03-15T20:48:00.000-06:00

Canon lens manufacturing part 3

2011-03-15T20:37:00.000-06:00

Price tag: $ 9,499 USD at B&H Photo.

Canon lens manufacturing part 2

2011-03-15T20:34:00.000-06:00

Canon lens manufacturing

2011-03-15T20:32:00.000-06:00

That's a nice documentary on Canon lenses.

2011-03-07T14:15:00.001-07:00

Fstoppers Original: David Bergman Photographs Bon Jovi from FStoppers on Vimeo.

Martin Prihoda- a canadian photographer in India

2011-03-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

Whatcha Gonna Do?

2011-03-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

It's midday, +38 C , asphalt is melting under the sandals, but you're there and a camera is pulling your shoulders. So whatcha gonna do. Leave without photos or close an eye , slap on a cpl and shoot.

Shooting on a grey day

2011-02-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

Bert Stephani shows us how to shoot in conditions what we have for about 8 months a year. A good example to follow.

Well, yeah...

2011-02-22T21:54:00.003-07:00

What can I say, a real powerhouse of photography. Would that put out Dan Winters or Joe McNally of business ? Would dollar stores put out Louis Vuitton of business? Other than that its quite amazing to see so much high end stuff in one place.

That's just about right !

2011-02-18T23:11:00.000-07:00

Kijiji ad. I hope it's not real .

"Hi there! My name is Samantha and I've just got a brand new camera for Christmas but haven't even taken it out of the box. I really want to get into the wedding photography business because I see so many people in Alberta are getting married and it looks like easy money. I can't guarantee that even one photo will turn out looking good but I sure will try. Some pictures will be used for my portfolio and my future website. I start booking appointments this week! I am now booking for Spring and Summer of 2011.

I specialize in all types of Lifestyle photography including:

Weddings – You'll have to pay $15 for gas money outside of Calgary.
Bridals
Engagements
Families
Children
Portraiture
Fashion
My style is classy, elegant and artistic. I would be honored to be part of your special occasion or photography needs considering I have no professional experience. I would love to capture those beautiful moments for you and your family.

I have so much passion for being a pro wedding photographer! All my friends and family tell me I take great pictures at all our outings and picnics. I'm putting together a web site of all the flower pictures and sunsets I've taken so you can see how good I am. I even have a few pics of my pet dog which turned out really great!

But I don't have a business license, liability insurance, flashes, extra batteries, or even more than a kit lens that came in the box. If something goes wrong, you're out of luck. To keep things cheap for you, I won't even back up any of your images. Less cost for me means less cost for you. Just passing the savings on. I expect to be paid in cash or personal check because I don't plan on claiming this income on my taxes.

I know many fun and beautiful locations. I really care about making brides look beautiful! I add glow and selective color to all of my images, giving them the best look possible. No need to hassle with computer programs.

Bridals and Engagements are only $100. Please trust me to do your wedding. I'll do it cheap just to build up my portfolio. I will only charge you $250 for your entire wedding day. This is a deal. My camera cost me $700 brand new. All sessions include a Hi Resolution CD with FULL copy right release included, which means you get to print your pictures at Wal-Mart! Here's the BEST Part! I offer 100% guarantee on ALL my sessions! Don't pay a cent until you are 100% happy with your pictures!

I own a camera therefore I can take photos like the pros, who charge alot more. Most brides in Canada on average spend $2,500 on professional wedding photography. Since I have no experience I'll only be charging $250 (90% off regular wedding photography prices) to shoot full day wedding coverage.

Think about it: Pros charge alot of money because they have alot of expenses. I don't.
Pros have:
-a business license
- multiple cameras
-thousands of dollars in lenses and flashes
-hard drives to back up the images
-insurance
-experience
-people skills
-color calibrated monitors
-professional print labs
-professional albums
-real advertising/ not kijiji

I have none of this stuff so we'll keep it cheap, just for you!

E-mail me if you want to set an appointment or if you have any questions, I will gladly respond."

comission - Stone Source International

2011-02-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

comission- Zane

2011-02-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

Location shooting with our mobile studio. People don't realize what are we all about until we show up at their doorstep and start setting up our little mobile studio. No, not a hot shoe flash or two. We have two Elinchrom studio strobes plus an Alien Bees ringflash for key light at the minimum. There are several other flash heads too if we need some extra power. In the average living room three heads will do the job though. The result? Same as you would book your spot in one of the fancy studios. Or better. Let's say: several outfit changes. Various configurations of the participants. And yup, the dogs get their portraits too.

Some comission work

2011-02-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

Travels to the Edge

2010-11-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

As I leafed through Art Wolfe's new book" Travels To The Edge" my excitement has extinguished halfway and a disappointment set in by the last page of the book. Don`t get me wrong, Art Wolfe is a great photographer. He is coming from an era when Fuji Velvia was Queen and a Nikon F4 or Canon EOS 1 was King.
The Book is the problem not the author. Priced to $ 24.95 is a good buy this days, but I would not buy it at all. The photos are mostly out of focus and the colors are washed. I look at the `Manufactured in China` line. Not printed. Manufactured. Just like some dollar store item. Well, it belongs to the dollar store.

The lab work

2010-09-26T08:19:00.001-06:00

Let's face it. Photoshop is a must these days. Unless you are a master of lighting and have endless time to set up the lights,background, gobos, reflectors,barn doors, snoot, gels, name it.It's a jungle out there when it comes down o accessories. With all the above you still need to heal out the UFO's from the image (dust on your lens and sensor), check the levels, curves and the sharpness at least.

a cruelty question

2010-04-29T13:01:00.000-06:00

Which one of the following is the most cruel thing you can do to your child:

1. Yanking out a lollipop from the child's hand and taking a crying photo ?

or

2. Placing a McDonalds Happy Meal in your child's hand and taking a smiling photo ?

The controversial crying child photos (for some) by:

Jill Greenberg

vivozoom

2010-04-15T21:57:00.002-06:00

"Commercial images you can trust" that's the logo on the top of the new stock photo agency Vivozoom. "All images guaranteed". Wow, those two statements just spun me right off my heels. Trusted and guaranteed photos. I must be dumb or something as I cannot really understand these two slogans. So what is the guarantee. I can refund the photos just like some junk to WalMart ?Well, they nicely underline how Shutterstock and iStock are not warrantying their photos but somehow they forget to underline Vivozoom warranty.

" What Warranty means to youFirstly, we will edit images to a higher standard, including a more cautious approach to the requirements for Model and Property Releases. Secondly we will open up a whole new un-tapped Market for your images where Warranty is a crucial component of customer service."
Makes a lot of sense to me....because I don't speak proper English either... Okay, let's register. Click on the link. " enter invitation code" comes up in a window. Whoa, only by invitation huh? Arcurs and up...
No wonder, the founder came right out of the Getty higher upper clan and established another higher upper site to sell the higher-upper photographers higher-upper photos. Great. Pair it up with Thinkstock. how 'bout Thinkzoom. Zoom, zoom, zoom...
Anyways, I would like to submit some photos for review. I cannot without an invitation code. But I cannot get an invitation code without reviewed photos. Phew, this is kinda Catch 22 I guess. I sent an e-mail requesting an invitation code. I had a reply email from the Creative Director that I cannot get a code before they review my portfolio. " Upload three or more photos for review" says on the site. How ? This is getting more complicated than a dog-show.
Thank Heavens there is still a place for the rest of us: Shutterstock. Simple, effective, comfy.

Calgary snowstorm

2010-04-09T17:49:00.001-06:00

iStock was crashed by the Calgary snowstorm, desperate twits, chirps, quacks are coming out from their iStock Scoop on Twitter. We'll give you discounts just don't leave us please ! Here's the code,15% off all photos in stock 'till May 8. I wonder if they are going to cut the 15% from their contributors.
One might think that the biggest and the best would hold up to a mediocre two hours spring storm. Obviously the wind 'n storm took by surprise the higher uppers of clickety-clicks and crashed their servers. Oh boy...

Best photo books so far

2010-03-13T16:37:00.001-07:00

Although there are gazillion photo books out there which will take you step by step to the "next" level, these two without too much tech talk and science offered me more forehead slapping than any others.

The author is Joe McNaly and "The moment it clicks" is the first photo book what made me laugh. Don't get me wrong, some stories are hilarious. The narration simple , short and while at the first read is not going make you jump out of your bed to start up Photoshop and unpacking the shooting gear, by the second read you might be slapping your forehead just like me with the " aha, just like that huh ?" . Adding the second book " The hot shoe diaries" to the late night reading list will lead probably to more forehead slapping. Less laugh but a little more tech talk in this one and I lay my head on the pillow with anticipation to some great photo dreams.

Bigstock - a new level

2010-03-04T20:02:00.001-07:00

A big round of applause for Shutterstock for the face lift of Bigstock. The new design of the site is sharp and clean, taking Bigstock to a new level, a great head-start to set a serious competition to iStockphoto. Hopefully sales are going to pick up in the close future, following the path set by Shutterstock.

/www.bigstockphoto.com

YONGNUO - have you heard about it ?

2010-02-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

I just added to my gear a wireless flash trigger branded Yongnuo. I purchased it from E-bay with $ 25, shipping included. The box contained a transmitter and receiver an a connection cable. To be honest I was not sure if it's going to work or not as the price was of a Wal-Mart toy. After installing the provided battery into the receiver and mounting my old Canon 380 EX flash on it, I slid the transmitter into the hot shoe and snapped few frames .
The flash went off each time. All right, this was in a small room of my home. In a few days we went to a party organized in a community hall. Mounting the receiver and a flash on a mini tripod I placed them on a high ledge about 8-9 feet from the ground, directing the flash to the vaulted ceiling. The room was about 1000 sq,ft or more. Snapping photos from various locations of the room I had no problems at all with the connection, my flash went off each time. I'm quite pleased with this little gadget for now, although I still have to run a test outdoors.

Greedy Getty

2010-02-17T14:59:00.002-07:00

Getty Images acquired and shut down Stockxpert shortly after that, on February 11, 2010, leaving lots of photographers around the world without a bottom dollar. Stockxpert was a good starting-out site for entry level photographers in the business. Of course Getty Images encouraged Stockxpert members to apply and upload their photos to iStockphoto, which is just a slap in the face knowing the iStophoto's weekly upload limit, approval speed and percentage since Getty bought it out from its Canadian owner. The only photographer friendly site remaining is Shutterstock these days. This leaves a nice gap to fill in for upcoming stock companies.
Although Getty started Thinkstock as a rival to Shutterstock, I highly doubt that they will catch up anytime soon.
The answer is simply in Getty's greedy, arrogant and high-flier "don't call me, I will call you" approach.

Jewelery by Nature

2010-02-07T21:38:00.002-07:00

Nature...still the best designer

magical winter trees

2010-02-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

Lake Louise Ice Sculptures 2010

2010-01-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

The ice carving competition took place between January 22-24, 2010.
We went out to see the artists in action. The place was packed, especially on
the 24th. I haven't seen this many DSLR's in one place yet. It was hard to get close
to the sculptures , everybody was taking photos...Me too.

taking photos on a foggy day

2010-01-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

A foggy day is not going to kill all the chances of taking photos.
you might not be able to shoot colorful landscapes of the distant
mountains, but not every theme is dead on a day like this.
An abandoned farm, some frost on the grass and fog in the air
will come together at the end to an acceptable photo.

sunrise over the rockies

2010-01-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

Mt.Kidd

2010-01-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

on the top

2009-11-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

2009-11-01T19:08:00.002-07:00

Prairie in October

2009-10-28T13:58:00.002-06:00

tulip on grunge background

2009-10-23T22:16:00.001-06:00

Leaf Macro

2009-10-21T21:06:00.002-06:00

Finally I got some yellowed leafs. This fall went from +30 to - 15 almost instantly and all the leafs got frozen on the trees while still green. They had no time to turn yellow.

hunter in the field

2009-10-20T20:42:00.000-06:00

Endless prairie

2009-10-17T22:18:00.001-06:00

Freeze frame of the Alberta prairie.

Apple stuff

2009-10-16T22:08:00.001-06:00

Raspberry drink top view

2009-10-15T21:51:00.000-06:00

Weather turns ugly

2009-10-10T08:18:00.003-06:00

After having a hot September the weather proved again foolish around here. The temperature plunged to -10 and the wind makes it feel like -15.

New light

2009-10-08T21:36:00.003-06:00

Proper lighting is resulting better pictures.
This is taken with a Canon 5D and lighted with Elinchrom DLite 400 w. soft boxes.
Reflection on the bottom is given by a Plexiglas sheet over the white backdrop.

It's almost ski season !

2009-10-03T19:15:00.002-06:00

I carried these skis and camera all the way from Europe on the plane.
The skis made the WW II.

On the Foothills of Alberta

2009-09-20T14:17:00.003-06:00

The end of a hot September day with high winds and dusty air started out with
very little promises for good photos. As the sun set was getting closer the light
got better and better for some "might as well shoot some stills if we traveled this far".

Spray Lake, Kananaskis

2009-09-14T21:16:00.000-06:00

In the grass

2009-09-11T06:48:00.000-06:00

Waiting for the right moment

2009-09-10T06:36:00.000-06:00

close-up

2009-08-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

TOOTH COMB

2009-08-26T07:14:00.001-06:00

Cloudy Rockies

2009-08-22T22:35:00.000-06:00

BULLER POND , KANANASKIS

2009-08-19T09:29:00.001-06:00

Rainy weather is not always an impediment for a landscape shot.

2009-08-16T16:53:00.000-06:00

simplist

2009-08-13T21:28:00.001-06:00

meditation

2009-08-10T21:35:00.002-06:00

dance

2009-08-01T08:31:00.001-06:00

Prairie pond

2009-07-22T21:31:00.000-06:00

prairie loneliness

2009-07-22T07:31:00.000-06:00

the departure

2009-07-20T17:26:00.001-06:00

prairie road

2009-07-19T16:19:00.002-06:00

Spooky House

2009-07-18T22:23:00.000-06:00

HOWL

2009-07-15T22:27:00.000-06:00

The dog and the wagon

2009-07-15T15:37:00.000-06:00

WAGON

2009-07-13T22:14:00.002-06:00

OLD CHEVY REVISITED

2009-07-12T20:55:00.000-06:00

Water Lily HPP

2009-07-12T12:32:00.002-06:00

2009-07-11T10:02:00.000-06:00

proud mom

2009-07-10T06:57:00.000-06:00

DESOTO

2009-07-08T18:35:00.002-06:00

one

2009-07-07T21:40:00.001-06:00

GRIST MILL, KEREMEOS, BC

2009-07-07T07:31:00.001-06:00

Built in 1877, today part of a little museum in Keremeos, BC. There was 35 C outside when we came across this place.

close up

2009-07-06T16:05:00.001-06:00

waiting to fall over

2009-06-30T07:25:00.002-06:00

Classic shot of the grain elevator in Dorothy. When I descended the valley on the curvy gravel road two things came to my mind: what makes people to establish in such a deserted place ? The second thought was: wow, I'm in a western movie ! Some houses are still occupied in the valley.

abandoned bridge

2009-06-30T07:24:00.003-06:00

This bridge was photographed gazillion times too. I saw even some wedding pictures taken here. This time I was looking forward for a different focus point. The rusted iron bolts seved well for that.

1953 Ford F100

2009-06-28T21:50:00.000-06:00

Dorothy

2009-06-28T08:13:00.001-06:00

Classic shot of Dorothy's abandoned church and city hall. The colors are fantastic in the early morning light, the view is surreal , it's like walking into a painting.

Dorothy, abandoned catholic church

2009-06-27T16:31:00.001-06:00

old shack in the field

2009-06-26T18:51:00.000-06:00

car heaven

2009-06-26T18:50:00.000-06:00

a prairie sunset

2009-06-25T15:31:00.000-06:00

Old luxury car

2009-06-25T15:29:00.001-06:00

Hi, I'm Rusty !

2009-06-23T22:03:00.001-06:00

AFTER THE RAIN

2009-06-23T15:31:00.001-06:00

still standing

2009-06-22T07:04:00.001-06:00

rusting quietly

2009-06-20T22:29:00.000-06:00

abandoned farmhouse

2009-06-20T15:43:00.000-06:00

the photographer

2009-06-18T21:57:00.002-06:00

The late morning sun gave too much contrast to this picture, still pleasant to the eyes. Sometimes it seems that the grass is too green in my photos, then I go out and look at it and there is no mistake in the color processing, the grass is this green now, almost fluorescent sometimes.

Freeze frame

2009-06-17T15:48:00.004-06:00

SUNSET DRAMA AT FORGET ME NOT POND

2009-06-14T22:20:00.005-06:00

MOSS

2009-06-14T22:18:00.001-06:00

2009-06-13T22:08:00.000-06:00

2009-06-13T20:13:00.002-06:00

Badlands

2009-06-11T22:11:00.000-06:00

Peaceful valley

2009-06-11T21:01:00.000-06:00

Early morning launch

2009-06-11T16:28:00.000-06:00

Rust never sleeps

2009-06-10T21:24:00.000-06:00

Testing sharpness

2009-06-09T15:19:00.001-06:00

CLOUDS

2009-06-08T15:53:00.001-06:00

2009-06-08T06:57:00.000-06:00

Down in the valley

2009-06-07T10:36:00.001-06:00

color version

2009-05-31T14:30:00.000-06:00

Abandoned farm house

2009-05-31T13:31:00.001-06:00

East Coulee wooden bridge

2009-05-30T22:06:00.004-06:00

I tried a different approach on this, so I went belly-on-the ground, camera few inches from the floor. The tunnel effect was amplified and the close up on the plank in front of me gave an extra touch on the antique look.