I’m not a professional photographer, but, like many, I am a dedicated amateur. Like most dedicated amateurs out there, I have a full-time career that helps support my photography habit. Luckily for me, I have the advantage in my everyday career to travel, both domestically and internationally. I don’t always have the space or weight to bring along my full DSLR and lenses with me on business trips.
I have heard time and time again that the best way to improve your photography is by shooting more. The number one way to take more pictures is to always carry your camera with you. While most phones today can take pictures, camera phones do not have the option to control the more technical aspects of your photography, which leaves three other options: 1) A point-and-shoot pocket camera; 2) Carry your DSLR camera everywhere you go; or 3) an electronic view interchangeable lens (EVIIL) camera.

Size matters

A point-and-shoot camera can be a good option, especially based on the size and portability, but most have the same problem as your phone, limited control. This sets limits on creativity. In a perfect world carrying your DSLR with you would be the best option, but for an individual like myself, I don’t always have the option to pack and carry an extra 5 lbs in my suitcase. The sweet spot seems to fall in the EVIL camera camp, and the Sony NEX-5 is a great option in that market.

Ergonomics

Many reasons went into my selection of the Sony NEX-5, but the number one reason was the size and ergonomics of the camera. The Sony NEX-5 is one of the smallest EVIL cameras on the market. Rather than being a typical candy-bar shape like many point-and-shoots, it is wider on the side thanks to a small but effective grip. Sony also did a great job on keeping a simplistic design with very few dials and buttons. This, along with the hand grip, allows for settings to be easily adjusted with one hand while shooting.

User friendly

As mentioned earlier Sony have done a great job of is balancing the user-friendliness for novices with the needs of more advanced users. My main DSLR is a Sony Alpha 900. When looking at the EVIL cameras, I was worried that the user-assistance options would simply get in my way and impede my use of the camera, but, with the release of firmware version 3, Sony has allowed the advanced user to remap the functions of two buttons (Sony calls them “soft buttons”), which makes the camera quicker to use. Sony seems to have found a very nice balance between advanced user options and my ability to hand the camera to my mom; both of us can easily and happily use the camera.

Helpful soft buttons

For the novice user, the camera offers “Scene Selection” modes as well as an “Intelligent Auto” mode that does everything for you. When using the Intelligent Auto feature the soft buttons offer some helpful features for the complete beginner. One soft button is mapped as a “Shooting Tips” button that brings up a handy tip based on the type of photo being taken. These tips range from basics on how to hold the camera to optimize the best stabilization to more advanced tips such as how to control the depth of focus in a macro photo.

The second soft button is programed as a “Background Defocus” button. When the user presses this button, it brings up a slider (which is controlled with the scroll wheel) that goes from “Defocus” on one end to “Crisp” on the other. The background defocus simply controls the f-stop. However, it does it in plain language, allowing any user to control this aspect of his or her photographs.
For the advanced user any time the camera is set to Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual Exposure, or Program Auto, the two soft keys can be custom programed. The first soft key can be set to a single function from a list of many options, ranging from the Sony Shooting Tips to ISO setting. The second soft key is a bit more advanced because it can be set to a allow quick changing of a single option or up to three settings by pressing the button multiple times. These programmable soft keys have vastly improved the usability of the camera, and they have allowed advanced users to make adjustments quicker without the need for digging through camera menus.

Conclusion

Although the Sony NEX-5 will never replace my Sony Alpha 900 as my only camera, it has proven itself as a great travel camera. Shortly after getting my Sony NEX-5 in early 2011 I took an international business trip and packed the Sony NEX-5 and left my Sony Alpha 900 at home. It showed its value before even boarding the aircraft: My carry-on bags came in just under the limit to allow me to bring them on the plane. The added weight of a full DSLR would have easily put my bag over the weight limit and I would have been forced to check that valuable equipment into the hold.
The Sony NEX-5 has also turned out to be a great camera for a rushed afternoon of site-seeing around the Palace at Versailles in France and an evening in Paris. Although it was still winter in France, my jacket pockets were the perfect home for the camera, and I wasn’t the traditional target of thieves with a full camera hanging around my neck.

Feeling Free, originally uploaded by Craig Damlo.

I'm not sure if I have a photography "bucket list," but, if I did, the shot above would have been on it. I'm not sure what else would be on my list, and I'm also not sure if it's important to have a list written down. The real importance of the bucket list is to keep me out shooting and looking for "that shot."

When my wife and I (well, my wife, anyway) planned our trip to Hawaii this year, I said that the one thing I would love to get a shot of is a breaching humpback whale. I'm not sure if I actually expected to get one or not; I would have been happy to just see it, let alone photograph it. And, what luck we had on our whale watching tour! I lost count around 10 or so breaches, and I'm pretty sure we saw at least a dozen breaches. I didn't get that perfect photograph of the whale filling the frame with pixel-peeper perfect sharpness, but I guess that means I have a reason to continue shooting.

During 2010 I did a Project 365. If you're not familiar with it, the quick rundown is to take and post a photograph a day for one year (or one shot a day for 365 days if you're unfamiliar with the Gregorian calendar). I wasn't convinced that it was something that I was interested in doing, but my wife Sherri wanted to do it and "persuaded" me to do it with her. It seemed like a good way to improve my photography and it seemed like it would be easy enough; after all, it's just pushing a button once a day, right?

Some days involved much, much more than just pushing the button, eg, trying to find the time and/or the motivation to push that button. Most of the time, though, it was just a lot of fun. We got out and saw new things in the Puget Sound area that we may have never discovered, and we tried different types of photography and were able to shoot different things. In the end, I think that it did help to improve my overall photography. Despite the fact that I did end up with some really weak photos—like an outlet I took while in Brazil—the point of Project 365 was that I still looked for a photograph and composed a shot. So, I was thinking about photography even if it wasn't a masterpiece.

An Outlet For Your Sadness, originally uploaded by Craig Damlo.

I've heard it said that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert on something, but for photography I think it needs to amended to say it also takes 10,000 different photographs. I think  you could become an expert at shooting a particular waterfall if you take 100 photographs of that waterfall, but that doesn't mean that you will be an expert on shooting any waterfall. If you want improve your photographs of waterfalls, go and shoot 50 portraits to help understand how to capture a subject's best features and 50 macro shots to help you look at and capture the details. If nothing else, trying a different type of photography will help you to better know and understand your equipment as well as give you the ability to look at a subject in different ways.

So, if you're thinking of doing a Project 365 yourself, I have a few lessons learned that I will share. First, do the project with somebody else. I think a big reason that both Sherri and myself were able to complete it was because of the other person pushing you on the days you lost motivation. Second, try different things and have fun with it. Trying different things will help stave off the monotony. Thirdly, remember that it is more than just pushing the button; take time to compose the photograph and try to capture interesting photographs, not just snapshots. But, also remember that they aren't all going to be great; always remember that this is a project for personal growth and and for fun. One way to keep learning from each photograph is to write up a little something about each shot as you post them.

Picture Me in TRIUMF, originally uploaded by Craig Damlo.

Ultimately it's been fun to come back to the photographs after all 365 days have been captured and then to review the year. It's interesting for me—someone who travels a fair amount—to see a day-to-day photograph of not only where I was on each day of the year, but I can also often tell the type of day I was having by the photograph and accompanying text.

The Digital Valley, originally uploaded by Craig Damlo.

Today we enter a new landscape for this blog, one that I hope will improve the number of posts found here. I spend much more time working on my photography than anything else outside of work. So I'm going to start making use of Flickr's blog integration to post pictures directly to this site. I will promise not to simply dump my photos directly here, as they can already be seen in that form on my Tumblr and my Flickr. With any luck and a bit of dedication from me Cymek will become a much more dynamic site.

Don't bring your camera to capture your visit to "The Charters of Freedom" at the National Archive Building Rotunda. Recently, the National Archive and Records Administration (NARA) has banned photography and videography for personal use at the exhibits of the National Archives Experience (NAE), which include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Now don't worry if you would like to take home a copy of the documents because the NARA has made all of them available on its site so everyone can have a copy. But, this overlooks the fact that most people take their pictures in front of the documents to document their visit to some of the most important documents in our country's history. The NARA states that it seeks "to ensure the necessary protection for the documents from the cumulative effects of photographic flash and to enhance the overall visitor experience."<1> Seems like it would be hard to argue with that line of reasoning, but I will.

First, I will concede that flash is damaging to the documents, but this seems to be the end of the NARA's argument. I ask the question to them: "If you are protecting the documents from photographic flash, then why not ban flash?" And the answer to that question is simple; they think Americans are stupid. And, the organization may be right. The NARA states, "This final rule applies only to the general public, who are the source of most photographic flash from either accidental or intentional action."<1> The NARA also stated that what is driving the organization to this decision is that people are ignoring currently posted signs that ban the use of flash. So, why would a new sign banning photography change things? Because, under the new rules the NARA includes enforcement that wasn't present under the old "no flash" rule. Under this new enforcement, individuals will be escorted out of the facility after receiving a second warning about no photography. Why doesn't the organization not simply add enforcement to the old rule?

But, I think this represents a systemic problem in our government: if x is a negative, then ban x and y when the opportunity presents itself. It is a slow erosion of our rights—specifically photographers, who have been the target of many new "rules" since 2001. And, how will this new power to kick people out of the rotunda affect those who have gained this power? One commenter of the proposed rule had suggested that the new powers would create overzealous security guards who might harass and harm those with cameras. The NARA states "that those hypothetical behaviors and policies will not happen,"<1> simply pointing to the new guidelines for how the security guards will act. But, if anyone has been through an airport in the last 9 years, I will let them determine for themselves if a small bit of power will lead to abusive guards.

But that's not the worst part of it: the NARA also highlighted another problem with our government, its complete lack of respect for those whom it represents. The NARA had published the proposed rule to the Federal Register (74 FR 38153) for two months to allow the general public to comment on the new rule. And, NARA did: "In response, NARA received comments from three private citizens. All three of the commenters were opposed to the proposed rule."<1> And yet they went forward with the rule, with zero concrete support from the general public. Instead NARA "monitored the NAE's informal visitor comment log as well as letters received from visitors requesting and demanding that NARA eliminate all photography."<1> If there was such overwhelming support to ban photography, why were 100% of the comments opposed to the new rule? And, if individuals had been demanding the elimination of all photography, why is NARA only banning photography by the general public? Begin infinite loop on old "no flash" rule.

My final question to the NARA would be simply this: "How does the new rule enhance the overall visitor experience?"

I know I'm about a week behind on this post as far as coverage of the first flight of The Boeing Company's 787, but I'm sure everyone has read enough and seen enough pictures of it already. I want to talk about the crowd and the fun of going to see the first flight. I had some what of a vested interest in seeing this plane fly because I have been working on parts for it for the better part of the last four years. I had fun watching it fly. My wife, Sherri, also came with me and she had fun, too, despite not being into aerospace. So what is it that can make watching an empty airplane take off in the cold drizzle so much fun? For me, it could easily have been that I am an aerospace nerd and had a vested interested in seeing it fly, but that doesn't explain why Sherri had a good time. It could have also been the incredible spot we got to watch it from. But, I think it really was the same reason people gather torches and storm the castle: good ol' fashioned mob mentality.

And I think the crowd did make it more fun for me, too, despite the fact that I hate crowds and almost didn't go because of them. Everyone knew the plane was scheduled to fly, and some people had paid >$100 for a place on the roof of the Future of Flight at the north end of the airport. I was also assuming that the plane was going to take off going north because, if it had crashed, it would have been more likely to hit the water rather than homes to the south. So, with that in mind, Sherri and I drove past the north end of the runway, about 30 minutes prior to scheduled flight time, and we just kept driving past the throngs of thousands of people already lined up waiting for the event. I had seen on the news that people started showing up to claim the best spots at about 1:30 am.

We instead went around to the south end of the runway to watch the plane take off away from us. And, boy, did that work to our advantage! Just prior to the plane taxing down to the south end of the runway, the airport staff was nice enough to open the fence and allow us to line up on the grass near the taxi way. As you can see in Sherri's picture above, that gave us one great view. And, although that helped make the event an exciting one for us, it was still cold and ultimately short. But as the plane lifted off and the crowds cheered, the excitement was simply contagious.

I think this is why sporting events—with the exception of baseball—are so much more fun to watch in person rather than on TV. This was also the scheme I used to get Sherri into watching college basketball—because anyone can have a good time in Allen Field House watching the Jayhawks play in front of a home crowd. I can also see how easily an angry mob can form and turn dangerous because people simply get caught up in it. So, in the end, I don't think you needed to be an aviation nerd like me to enjoy it; you just needed to get into the spirit of the event, made even easier with people excited for the day. Also, if you want to see more pictures, including the second 787 painted in ANA colors, then go here.

I get this question a lot: "What do you like to take pictures of?" And I'm never sure how to answer it. I like to take pictures of all kinds of things: planes, dogs, architecture, and Shy Guy; really, I like to take pictures of anything. And I feel bad that I don't have that one thing that makes me a specific type of photographer. Am I supposed to be a particular type of photographer, but I haven't found my fit yet? Or is it something more simple than that, that I'm just a photographer? I don't know, and I don't know if I even care. To further the point, I can't even say why I like photography; maybe it's the fact that I can't draw, paint, or sculpt.

We are placed in a square building the entire time we grow up, and yet we are constantly told to think outside the box. And, if we are lucky enough to get out of school with the ability to actually "think outside the box," we are immediately put back into boxes. Most of us are even unluckily enough to get put into literal boxes surrounded by countless other boxes in a warm cube farm.

So, if you are one of the people who asks others what and why they photograph, stop for a moment and take a picture of something different today. And it doesn't matter why you are a photographer—trying new things with your photography will help you look at what you normally photograph differently. And here is a really big secret: you don't have to photograph outside the box! Check out flickr for an idea of things you like and replicate them. Or if you hang out with other photographers, ask them what they like to photograph and give it a try.

We've all heard of the magic hour for photography: that hour before sunset or after sunrise. Well, I'm introducing a new hour, and that's the hour before the hour before sunset. Okay, that sounds complicated enough, so I'm simply calling it the "Magic Shopping Hour." One of the difficulties for the average photographer is finding the proper time to go out and take photographs. Sure, I can find an hour here or there to go out and get some pictures, but how often does that overlap with the magic hours? During that the hour just before sunset, sunrise is out for me, but my brain doesn't work that early! But, it is possible, and the picture on this post of Snoqualmie Falls was captured during the magic hour with the help of the magic shopping hour.

Part of the difficulty with the magic hour prior to sunset is that this tends to be family time. This is the time that we all sit around with our family: reading, talking, or just watching TV. And this is an important time, but that doesn't diminish photography's siren call, and we can only drag our loved ones out to our lookout location to photograph the sunset so many times. The solution is the magical shopping hour, and it doesn't always need to be shopping—it could be playing catch, walking the dog, or visiting an older family member. The point here is to find something that gets you out of the house and near to the area you want to photograph the hour prior to the magic hour.

This isn't just theory, either; I come bearing a true-to-life example of just this strategy. I had been wanting to get a picture of the Snoqualmie Falls at sunset for awhile and finally came up with a plan to get my wife, Sherri, out that way at the correct time. Knowing that she was running out of Pyssla beads for her artwork (flickr set can be found here), I saw an opportunity. To get the beads, we would need to go to IKEA, which happens to be past Snoqualmie Falls. So, during dinner, I suggested we go down to get her beads tonight. Then, I said I was going to bring my camera so we could swing past the falls on the way home to get some pictures since we would be down that way anyway. And, as the picture can attest to, my plan worked out nearly to perfection: we arrived at the falls about 30 minutes prior to sunset and stuck around for nearly an hour trying to get the perfect shot. That is the birth of the magic shopping hour. But, be careful how you use it because the only fault in my plan was the unforeseen $300 tab at IKEA after we found all this stuff we didn't know we needed.

I've seen lots of books and blog posts and the what not about how to do travel photography: where to go, when to go, and what equipment to bring. I've also seen all the information on how to make a proud mom/dad a better photographer by capturing family occasions and trips. All this is great information, but what about those of us amateurs who travel not just to photograph and those of us who travel with nonphotographers? Or what about when we are on a business trip and have limited time, equipment, and choices? So, this is a call and an announcement! If you know of the type of information I am looking for, let me know; I'll also try to share my experiences and tips as I get them while I do my style of photography and travel.

I know the first tip that I've read is to give your family cameras. This is a great option if your family is willing to accept it, and then get into photography. But, I think that my business travel photography may pose a bigger challenge than tourist travel photography.

Also, don't get me wrong because I love reading the blogs and books of travel photographers such as David duChemin, Trey Ratcliff, and Matt Brandon to name a few. But these guys are professional photographers and are traveling purely for photography. Just once I would like to see them taking pictures of something like the Lincoln Memorial, and then they explain to their spouses that they want to see something else and they're going to wait here until dusk. I know these guys tell as about all the bad situations, but they also are so much more prepared for these situations. When I go to Paris for work, I don't have room for an additional case for cameras, lenses, and flashes. And, even when I'm traveling as a tourist, Sherri will only carry so much equipment for me.

Well, maybe not yet, but it was still nice to photograph something different. Last Tuesday, May 5, the Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center started on fire; it was close enough that I could see the smoke billowing up from my office window. My initial thought was that the smoke was coming from the new 787 or the Boeing factory. So, I grabbed my camera and headed out to try my hand at a little photojournalism. It was different and interesting; I'm not sure if I would want to do it full time, but it may be something fun to do once in awhile.

Of course, the best part for me was that I had a few pictures selected and used on the HeraldNet's reader photo gallery. Currently, my pictures are 1 and 2; if they change, just look for my name as the credit.