September (PDF version) - Tamron

ViewFinder

Fall 2008

Journey to

Ghana With

andrÉ

costantini

Introducing:

Tamron’s 18-270mm VC Lens

Capturing Life as it Happens

Tim

Mantoani

The Joys of Little League

Candice Stringham

Top 5 Tips for Back to School

Vote TAMRON

©André Costantini

LAST CALL: Enter Our 2008 Photo Contests

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Inform • Welcome

contents

what’s inside

• snapshots 3

Hot Off The Press

NEW Product Announcement

• spotlight 4-5

Test Drive the New

Tamon 18-270mm VC Lens

• share 6-9

André Costantini

Chronicling Ghana's Future

• share 10-11

Tim Mantoani

Little League Memoirs

• learn 12

Roy Toft

The Colors of Fall

• learn 13

Candice Stringham

Back to School

• inspire 14-15

Ken Hubbard

Eco-Photography

• tips to go 16

André Costantini

Selective Blur

• inform 17

– 2008 Photo Contests

LAST CALL FOR ENTRIES!

• survey 18

VOTE TAMRON!

Dear

Viewfinder Readers:

The bright, vibrant colors of fall bring out the photographer

in all of us. It is our interest in chronicling the perfect cycles

of the earth that perhaps make us want to capture it as best

we can – in the frame of the camera.

One of our most exciting announcements this year has been

the 28-300mm VC lens with anti-shake technology which has just received the prestigious

EISA Award for Best Consumer Lens '08-'09. This issue of Tamron Viewfinder unveils another

advance in photographic lenses with the unveiling of our new Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3

Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO, the ultimate all-in-one-zoom with Tamron’s exclusive

Vibration Compensation Mechanism. We expect this new lens will produce the same excitement

and anticipation as our first VC lens. To learn about its capabilities and view photographs

taken with the lens, turn to our special Spotlight Section on pages 4 and 5.

This issue visits parts of the world that continue to intrigue us. Using Tamron’s 28-75mm

F/2.8 lens, André Costantini’s photos of Ghana reminds us that our cultures are not so far apart

and the curiosity of children remains constant wherever we travel.

Go back to school with Candice Stringham who used our 18-200mm and other lenses as a

way to uniquely document the academic journey that plays out in many different scenarios.

Celebrated photographer Tim Mantoani took time out from shooting professional sports’

heroes by spending a day at a little league baseball game. Using Tamron’s 70-300mm lens, he

was able to successfully capture the magical world of baseball through the eyes of our youth.

Ken Hubbard visits the beautiful country of Costa Rica armed with the 28-300mm VC

ultimate zoom lens and does a great job showing all the capabilities that Tamron’s proprietary

Vibration Compensation technology can produce.

Award-winning wildlife photographer Roy Toft incorporates the magnificent colors of fall in

the tundra of Alaska, Yosemite National Park and the Eastern Sierra Mountains in California

also using the 28-300mm VC.

Remember to use your Tamron lens to photograph an image that fits with one of our photo

contest themes and enter to win a 28-300mm VC zoom.

Please continue to fill out the survey on page 18 so that we can bring you the topics and

stories that interest you most.

As always, thank you for your loyalty and for choosing Tamron lenses. We appreciate your

business.

Sincerely,

Tak Inoue

President, Tamron USA

HOT

NEW LENS

Tamron Viewfinder is produced for Tamron USA, Inc. by CSJ Media, Inc.

Custom Publishing Dept., Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Editor: Ann Scott

2 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 www.tamron.com

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Spotlight • NEW VC Lens

The Ultimate

All-In-One Zoom:

Longest, Steadiest Lens On Earth

For most photographers, daily life

holds hundreds of opportunities to

memorialize. Fortunately, the creators

of Tamron lenses think like

photographers, developing technologically

advanced lenses that not

only produce high quality images,

they are affordable, lightweight and

offer a wide range of focal lengths.

The most recent addition to the

company’s product list is the

Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3

Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO,

which boasts the world’s longest range

15X zoom lens and Tamron’s exclusive

Vibration Compensation Mechanism.

The 18-270mm is truly the ultimate

all-in-one lens. It covers wide angle to

telephoto to macro and provides a full 4

extra stops of shutter speed to shoot at

using super telephoto, in low light and

with no resulting blur.

The Tamron 18-270mm lens covers

angles of view equivalent to 28mm to

419mm when converted to the 35mm

format, making it the first digital SLR

lens in the world that delivers this

remarkable 15X zoom ratio.

While the diverse range is a breakthrough

that would pique the interest

of any photographer, Tamron went one

step further adding its exclusive, proprietary

tri-axial Vibration Compensation

(VC) mechanism. Employing a tri-axial

system designed to let three coils drive

a compensator lens electromagnetically via three steel balls, this

ultra high power lens is supported on rolling steel balls with very

low friction, allowing for enhanced follow-up performance and

resulting in stabilized viewfinder images.

The benefits of the VC technology are numerous. First, and

perhaps most exciting are blur-free shots at any focal length

when shooting hand-held. Often life’s greatest photos won’t wait

for a tripod or cable release to get set up. Tamron’s 18-270mm

gives any photographer enhanced freedom to shoot at will, at a

moment’s notice and at any focal length including macro. Low

light conditions often require longer shutter speeds. Hand-held

shooting is typically impossible, but this Tamron lens not only

makes it possible, it delivers

sharp, quality images

at even the longest telephoto

settings.

If life is your palette,

make sure Tamron’s

h i g h l y - a n t i c i p a t e d

AF18-270mm lens is

your brush. Never miss

another shot. It is truly an

all-in-one lens for every

scenario from wildlife to

family life. This lens is a

must-have for a photographer

who enjoys narrating

life’s many unpredictable

moments.

VC off

18mm

270mm

VC on

Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Specifications

Model Name

B003

Focal Length

18 - 270mm

Maximum Aperture

F/3.5-6.3

Angle of View

75°33’ (equivalent angles of view when converted to 35mm)

Lens Construction

18 elements in 13 groups

Minimum Focus Distance 0.49m/19.3” (over the entire zoom range)

Maximum Mag. Ratio

1 : 3.5 (at f=270mm and 0.49m MDF)

Filter Diameter

72mm

Overall Length

101.0mm/3.8 in

Maximum Diameter

79.6mm

Weight

550g/19.4 oz

Diaphragm Blades

7 blades

Minimum Aperture F/22

Standard Accessory

Flower-shaped lens hood

Compatible Mount

For Canon, Nikon with Built-In Motor

4 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 www.tamron.com

www.tamron.com Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 – 5

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Spotlight •

André Costantini

ning throughout each photo.

“There are parts of Africa that have a great

spirit,” says Costantini. “Children are the

same everywhere. They see a camera and

want to perform.”

In a small village between Kumasi and

Tepa, Costantini encapsulates the collective

spirit of a group of children who show off

their uniqueness, running and smiling, hoping

to be captured in his lens. In photos like

these, Costantini advises to simply shoot,

don’t try to compose a structured shot.

“You realize that you can’t pose these children

in a better position then they have

found for themselves.”

Costantini credits the Tamron 28-75mm

lens with controlling the depth of field. The

wide-open aperture was also important in

bringing in more natural light since the shot

was taken in the late afternoon as the sun

was beginning to set. He used a focal length

of 46mm with ISO 400 and a shutter speed

of 1/125 sec.

“Most important is the focal length. The

Tamron 28-75mm has the ideal range for

“You realize that you can’t

pose these children in a

better position then they

have found for themselves.”

The Magnificent

Stories of

GHANA

For many of us, Africa is both captivating and

intriguing. Charles Darwin referred to it as “the

cradle of humankind” in his book The Descent of

Man and most paleontologists and anthropologists

believe it to be the oldest inhabited area on earth.

Professional Photographer André

Costantini spent some time

on the west coast of Africa in

the Republic of Ghana working with

a non-governmental organization

(NGO) charged with delivering medical

supplies and equipment. Costantini

was engaged by the organization to

chronicle their efforts.

Photography can be a great equalizer.

Using his Nikon D3 camera and

his Tamron AF28-75mm F/2.8 lens,

Costantini’s series of images from this

small African nation provides a unique

narrative into the life of some of the

Ghanaian people.

The Republic of Ghana comprises

just 92,098 square miles of Africa’s

11.7 million total square miles. Some

consider Ghana to be the geographic

center of the earth, located just a few

degrees north of the equator with the

Greenwich Meridian passing directly

through it. Yet even nearly a half a

world away, there is a familiarity run-

6 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 www.tamron.com

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“Photographers by

nature use their

images to tell

a story and

provide insight.”

benefits and challenges. The children gain

freedom as they learn to read and write

and long-lasting friendships mixed in

with the occasional boredom. Costantini’s

focus on the young girl daydreaming on

her desk in the warm afternoon is a story

that has played out for centuries, across

the globe in every school room. He used

the full length of the lens at 75mm, making

sure not to disturb her. The aperture

was f/2.8 @ 1/125 sec with ISO 125.

Similarly, the image on the previous

page of the figures at play depicts the

chaotic nation of children, dispersing

with great force for parts unknown to

the viewer.

“The unconventional composition of

this image (pg. 7) creates dynamic tension.”

says Costantini who was positioned

four stories above on the school roof top.

“There are three kids in the periphery

moving out of the frame while the two

in the middle of the courtyard act as an

anchor. A moment later and the children

at the edge would have been gone.”

To freeze the energy, Costantini set the

aperture at f/6.3 @ 1/320 using a focal

length of 38mm with ISO 320.

Perhaps the most difficult challenge

for Costantini on his visit to Ghana

was his desire to capture everything.

Photographers by nature use their images

to tell a story and provide insight. On this

trip, he was charged with documenting

the human condition in Ghana, where

he consistently succeeds using Ghana’s

future – their children – to provide us

with their story. What we learn is that

this small republic is very much like our

own.

Costantini’s final photo of the smiling

schoolboy (pg.6 ) gives us hope. Shot at a

focal length of 28mm, with ISO 200, an

aperture of f/2.8 @ 1/60 sec, we clearly

see that he is happy and healthy. He

also appears to be telling us something.

Perhaps it is simply that the future is

bright for the Republic of Ghana.

the Cover:

Capturing the enthusiasm of a child requires a

great eye for composition, and a fast aperture

lens that offers versatility with a wide range of

focal lengths like the Tamron 28-75mm. This

animated pose was shot using ISO 400 with an

aperture of f/2.8 @ 1/125 sec. The focal length

was 75mm.

On

Tips

for International Travel

1.

2.

3.

Travel light. Use a lens that offers a versatile range that you can keep on your camera

throughout your trip. An all-in-one like Tamron's 18-250 is a great solution.

Bring extra memory cards. Costantini brought two additional 8 gig cards and shot

more than 1200 photos.

Use rechargeable batteries and bring a plug adapter and power converter/transformer.

While an adapter allows you to use the wall sockets, the power converter/transformer

converts the standard European 220 volts to 110 volts so you don’t burn out your charger.

4.

Embrace the natural light. Some remote villages have no electricity. Using a wide

open aperture and high ISO helps. Tamron’s 28-300mm Vibration Compensation lens is

remarkable in low light conditions as well and provides a wide range of focal lengths , especially

at the tele end.

5.

Document the culture and capture the moment. Don’t try to pose subjects to tell

your story. Let them tell their story.

8 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008

using a fast aperture when dealing with low

light conditions,” adds Costantini.

Tamron lenses are not only known for

their quality and versatility, many photographers

find their weight, averaging just

16-20 ounces, to be crucial when traveling.

The 28-75mm is just 18 ounces with a minimum

aperture of f/32 and a minimum focus

distance of 0.33m (13”).

During his stroll through the village, he

was introduced to a young shoemaker who

paused momentarily to allow for a photo.

The image was shot using a focal length of

28mm @ 1/60 sec. The aperture was set

at 2.8, which helped bring in more natural

light, with ISO 1600.

Prior to gaining their independence,

Ghana had just one university and a handful

of primary and secondary schools. Today,

more than two million children attend over

27,000 primary, secondary and senior secondary

schools.

Like every young child, school offers many

www.tamron.com

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Share •Tim Mantoani

Nerves of Steel

little league

baseball

Few industries are recession-proof, but photographing children

competing in sports probably comes close. Unlike adults, kids

wear their emotions on their young faces and capturing their

joy and love for the game is unique and often heartwarming.

Photographer Tim Mantoani has captured many of the legends in

sports from Peyton Manning to Jeff Gordon and nearly every superstar

in between. His series of little league baseball photos may not

have the same celebrity glam that multi-million dollar player shots

might exude, but the photos are wholesome and depict young boys’

rite of passage, showing the grit and determination of what it takes

to love and participate in America’s favorite pastime.

In the shot of the boy embracing the baseball, Mantoani creatively

shoots with the sun behind the subject and yet the resulting image

is bright without shading. He accomplished this using the Tamron

17-35mm lens using a speedlight aimed at a silver fill disc (camera

left) to bounce some light into the boy’s face, thereby diminishing

any shadow. The focal length was 35mm with an aperture of f/5.6 @

1/125 sec and ISO 100.

In baseball, the coach typically appears in the diamond a few

times during the game to provide encouragement to

the pitcher and perhaps slow down the momentum

of the other team. Mantoani’s photo of the pitcher

on the mound taking direction from his coach as the

third baseman looks on is a great example of compression

using a long telephoto lens. The focal length was

165mm using Tamron’s 70-300mm lens. He used ISO

320 with an aperture of f/5.0 @ 1/640 sec.

“Long glass is great for shooting sports. I try to

shoot wide open so I can blow the background out of

focus. The image was backlit and I needed to open up

a bit from my in-camera meter reading to get a good

exposure on the face. When you can use backlight and

have a dark background, your subject will pop.”

Is he safe or out? Mantoani successfully captures the

moment just prior to the umpire’s call when both boys

are hoping to be the victor. Freezing the moment takes

strategy and a creative eye on the end result. With

his Tamron 70-300mm lens following the runner, he

employed the aperture priority mode which allowed

him to use the fastest shutter speed available for that exposure

to stop the action.

“Aperture priority can be your best friend. I shot wide open

to get the background out of focus as much as possible from

where I could stand to shoot. I tried to keep in mind the background

so that the fence posts were at the edges of the frame

and not in the center.”

A shadow draped over the face of a young, determined athlete

can speak volumes.

“The late afternoon light created the shadow on his face as

"What a perfect lens for

shooting your kids’ sports."

he waited to go to bat. I try to shoot the fun of the game and

the disappointment of the game. That is what sports is about,

like taking photos, you win some and you loose some. You just

want to enjoy the experience, both the highs and the lows. If I

am not taking bad photos while I am out shooting, I am playing

it too safe.”

Again using Tamron’s 70-300mm, Mantoani used a wide

open aperture of f/4.0 to “let the background go as soft as possible.”

The focal length was 70mm with ISO 200 and a shutter

speed of 1/640 sec.

Capturing children’s sports as they happen can be difficult,

but using the right tools can make things easier.

“This was the first time I had shot with the 70-300mm

Tamron lens. What a perfect lens for shooting your kids’

sports. It allows you to track the action and keep yourself in the

game,” said Mantoani. “The 17-35mm offers you a great wide

lens for overviews and a tighter crop for portraits.”

When you don’t get a second chance to capture the winning

run, count on the lenses that professionals use - Tamron’s high

quality lenses. Make every shot count.

Sporting Tips

Use a wide open aperture to blur

1. out the chaotic background of

sports and focus in on your subject.

2.

In sports, kids are always moving

and your lens needs to follow the

action. Freezing a scene can be done

using aperture priority, which allows

for the fastest shutter speed possible

for the exposure.

3.

Shoot the good with the bad.

Sports teach children lessons in

life. Some days you’re the superstar;

some days even with our best efforts,

we lose.

10 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008

www.tamron.com

Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 – 11

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Share • Roy Toft

Steady Shots:

Capturing the Hues of Fall

with Roy Toft

Award-winning photographer Roy

Toft is most at home in the wild,

recording images of the great outdoors.

His photographs have been featured

at the Natural History Museum in London,

the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum

exhibition in Washington, D.C. and within

the pages of National Geographic, Nature’s

Best, Smithsonian, Audubon, Wildlife

Conservation, Discover magazines and more.

Last year, he spent time in America’s

national parks, documenting landscapes

and wildlife against a backdrop of fall colors

using several of his Tamron lenses. In Denali

National Park in Alaska, he got acquainted

with a Bull Caribou from a safe distance

using the full focal length of the new Tamron

AF28-300mm Di VC lens. He credits the

lens’ Vibration Compensation technology

with securing the sharp image of the animal,

seemingly planted firmly within the red,

orange and greens of the tundra.

“The beauty of this lens is the handholdability.

The VC function makes it much easier

to move,” says Toft. “You can be flexible with a

shot in the field.

Even with no tripod, he realized a crisp,

rich image using an aperture of f/5.6 @ 1/320

sec with ISO 100.

The waterfalls in Yosemite National Park

are showstoppers. Toft composed his artistic

image of flowing falls using a tripod placed

almost on the ground and shooting upward.

For this shot, he employed his Tamron SPAF

20-40mm zoom. (DSLR users with smaller

sensors, look for the new Tamron SP AF10-

24mm F/3.5-4.5 coming soon). Known for its

sharpness, this wide angle lens creates dramatic

perspective extending the background

and focusing the viewer’s eye onto the vivid

fall leaf and pink petal in the foreground. The

focal length was 25mm with ISO 100. The

silky effect of the water was created using an

aperture of f/22 @ 30 sec. Toft also used a lens

polarizer to cut down on the glare from the

water and saturate the color.

The long 30-second shutter speed required

him to use the mirror lock up and a cable

release to reduce shake and blurring.

Toft’s horizontal shot of the quaking aspen

trees was photographed in the Eastern Sierra

Mountains using the Tamron SP AF28-75mm

F/2.8. These beautiful trees burst with golden-yellow

foliage in the fall months.

“Shooting horizontally creates a threedimensional,

stacking effect,” says Toft who

acknowledges that many photographers tend

to shoot trees vertically, consistently moving

backward to build more trees into a photo and

often losing any illusion of depth.

Using a focal length of 75mm, ISO 100 with

an aperture of f/22 @ 1/8 sec., Toft creates a

very detailed image of the tree trunk in the

foreground, with softening foliage blended

into the background.

Toft’s fall foliage images show off three of

Tamron’s distinct lenses.

“Tamron lenses have great glass and workmanship,”

says Toft who is especially excited

about the Vibration Compensation technology

recently introduced on two lenses. “You

can’t go wrong with VC. It’s a great addition.”

To learn more about all of Tamron's superior lenses, visit Tamron.com.

12 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 www.tamron.com

5

Back to School

1.

Take group shots employing levels such as stairs. In her school bus photo, she uses

the stairs to insure that everyone can be seen equally. She employed the Tamron AF18-200mm using a

focal length of 18mm with an aperture of f/11 @ 1/60 sec. This lens is great for group shots when it is used at

its widest focal length and perfect for head shots using its full length at 200mm.

2.

Focus in on the expression. Let your child’s face tell their story. Stringham’s favorite wide open

lens is her Tamron AF28-75mm F/2.8. “The open aperture blurs out distractions.” The close up photo of

her smiling son was taken with this lens at a focal length of 35mm with an aperture of f/2.8 @ 1/160 sec.

3.

Frame the photo to show where your child is headed. Stringham’s photo of the

boys walking to school was created in black & white because the school is painted bold colors and would

become the focus of the photo, not the boys. She used the wide open 28-75mm with a focal length of 28mm

and an aperture of f/11 @ 1/100 sec.

4.

Find a reference point. Take a photo of your child in the same place year after year. You might

even consider planting a tree on the first day of kindergarten and capturing your child next to it each

year in order to provide perspective. The photo of her son waving is a great reference shot with the fence

providing an orientation point. She used the full focal length of the lens at 75mm with an aperture of f/2.8

@ 1/125.

5.

Compensate for poor lighting. School plays and chorus performances inevitably occur in

lowlight conditions. Stringham suggests turning up the ISO as well as using a wide open lens. She has

also found great success using Tamron’s 28-300mm Vibration Compensation lens which is made to perform

in lowlight conditions. The range in focal length makes it a great all around school lens that can be used for

every program or event.

Learn • Top 5

Photography Tips

from Candice Stringham

Back to School! Those three little words conjure up memories for all of us.

The yearly chronicles played out in pictures still make us smile as we are reminded of the clothing styles, the innocence and

excitement painted on our faces and the events we participated in throughout each passing year.

Candice Stringham is not only a talented photographer; she is also the mother of two young boys.

Marry these two professions and you get photos that are rich in composition and filled with creative features.

She offers great tips on how to tell each child’s unique story through her Tamron lenses.

For additional tips for back to school, visit us online at Tamron.com.

www.tamron.com Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 – 13

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Share •Ken Hubbard

According to the World Trade

Organization, tourism in the first half of

2008 grew five percent worldwide over

2007. Tourism to Costa Rica grew more than

15 percent in that same period, with more than

42 percent of visitors coming from the United

States. Ecotourism draws a large percentage of

travelers to the region. The country is home to

five percent of the world’s biodiversity.

Photographer Ken Hubbard traveled to the

northwest edge of Costa Rica to the province

of Guanacaste, which skirts the Pacific Ocean

and documented many of the subjects that

draw millions of visitors to the country annually.

With photo opportunities everywhere,

Hubbard packed Tamron’s 28-300mm VC lens

with anti-blur technology.

“Many of the images that I took during

this trip probably would have required a tripod.

Since I was using the Tamron 28-300mm

Vibration Compensation lens, I was able to get

some really great images without one.”

When you travel to a dynamic part of the

world like Costa Rica, you want to have a lens

Costa Rica:

Refining the Art of Eco-Photography

that is durable and can be used in nearly every

situation. An all-in-one lens is crucial.

Along the countryside, Brahman cattle bask

in the sun. Hubbard’s photo of this popular

breed was shot using a focal length of 28mm,

ISO 200 with an aperture of f/16 @ 1/200.

“I really liked the composition of this shot

with the animals in the foreground, the lush

green landscape in the middle and the billowing

clouds overhead.”

Hubbard also spent time in the celebrated

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, gaining its

name because of its high altitude. The reserve

has several suspension bridges located throughout,

allowing visitors to get a better view of the

flora and fauna. On one bridge, Hubbard was

overwhelmed by the size of a large fern.

“The absolutely gigantic size of the fern was

what made me take the image,” says Hubbard.

“It was approximately 25 feet across and 20 feet

above the forest floor.”

Hubbard also notes that the photo was taken

in the early afternoon, under very cloudy and

misty conditions.

“This is where the 28-300 VC lens really

shows off the remarkable results of Tamron’s

proprietary technology.”

Using a focal length of 50mm, ISO 400 and

an aperture of f/4.5 @ 1/125 sec., the details of

the fern are obvious and the color is vibrant.

The Owl Butterfly was taken in the

Mariposario in the Monteverde Cloud Forest

Reserve. Primarily found in the rainforest regions, this butterfly’s

wingspan can exceed five inches. In order to isolate the subject,

Hubbard used a lower aperture of f/6.0 @1/13th sec. to blur out the

background. He succeeds in delivering a sharp close-up of this distinctive

insect. Shooting handheld with natural light, he used a focal length

of 170mm and ISO 200.

“The brown and tans of this butterfly stand out perfectly against the

soft green background,” say Hubbard.

Bird watching is serious business in Costa Rica and one of the biggest

draws for many tourists. According to the International Union for

Conservation of Nature, there are almost 850 species of birds in Costa

Rica living in rich habitats such as the rainforests, mangrove swamps,

beaches, cloud forests, rivers and dry forests.

“You never really see a hummingbird just sitting

there,” says Hubbard on his choice to capture the deep

purple-throated bird. “They are usually darting about

or hovering by a flower.”

Hummingbirds are among the fastest birds in

the world, flying an estimated 60 miles an hour.

Composing the photo requires quick thinking and a

telephoto lens that can capture the shot far enough

away that the bird is not frightened.

“I wanted a really soft background and foreground

to make the colors stand out. I also liked having the

second bird in the frame.”

Using a focal length of 250mm, with an aperture

of f/6.3 @ 1/70 sec. and ISO 800, Hubbard was

able to realize the sharp image of the bird in the

foreground with a soft blur of the second bird in the

background.

“I wanted to put the out-of-focus bird in the corner

so it would not be the focal point, just a little added

feature to the image.”

Some of Costa Rica’s churches are enduring a colorful

facelift these days. One of Hubbard’s stops was

in the town of Cañas where well-known artist Otto

Apuy has been overseeing tile overlays on the Iglesia de Cañas resulting

in vibrant mosaics that depict religous themes.

Hubbard decided to shoot the mosaic with the lens parallel to it. “I

did not have to worry about depth of field issues. If I shot the wall at

an angle, then I would have had to contend with depth of field because

one part of the wall would have been closer.”

The colorful shot was taken with a focal length of 28mm, an aperture

of f/8 @ 1/300 sec., ISO 200.

Hubbard’s trip to Costa Rica was during the country’s extensive rainy

season, which can make for extremely challenging lighting conditions.

Its rugged terrain requires visitors to be flexible and not overburdened

with heavy equipment, all perfect scenarios for the 28-300mm VC

lens. Its all-in-one capability offers diverse focal lengths and Vibration

Compensation technology that allows for immediate, on the spot

handheld shooting in many lighting conditions, delivering crisp, clear

images. The results speak for themselves.

Traveling Tips

1. Travel light. Choose an allin-one

lens that can be used for

every type of shot.

2. Use Vibration

Compensation to your advantage.

Hubbard’s shots were crisp

and clear at all focal lengths even

when shot handheld.

3. Consider using a soft

background to offset your

subject image. Many photographers

simply blur out a background

to focus on a subject

rather than use it as part of the

photograph’s unique composition.

14 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 www.tamron.com

www.tamron.com Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 – 15

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Tips

to go

Using

sELECTIVE BLUR

to Isolate Your Subject

with André Costantini

As the eye is usually drawn to sharpness in an image,

sometimes restricting what is sharp in an image helps to add focus.

This selective blur technique is quick and easy to do.

LAST

CALL!

Inform • 2008 Photo Contests

Win

this Lens!

AF28-300 VC

(Vibration Compensation)

Prize Valued at $599 (average price)

1.

2.

Select an image.

Preferably a sharp one.

Duplicate the layer.

(Layer>Duplicate

Layer)

3.

Add a Gaussian

Blur to the top

layer. (Filter>Blur>Gaussian

Blur). Note you can add a

pretty heavy one for now.

4.

Grab your eraser

tool, with a soft

edge erase out the part

you want to be sharp. (I

usually pick a pretty big brush

as the edge looks more natural.)

5.

Adjust the

blurred layer

opacity to as much or

little blur as desired.

Photo Contest 1

Photographing the Natural Wonder of Water

DEADLINE: OCTOBER 31, 2008

It’s hard to imagine a world without water, from the grand oceans to the quiet lakes,

water is alive with plants, animals, sea life and more. It provides constant enjoyment

for children through sprinklers, fountains and waterslides. Even the endless, impulsive geysers

provide Wet & Wild! amusement for us all.

What’s your interpretation of Wet & Wild!? Enter Tamron’s 2008 Photo Contest today!

The only rules on the subject matter are that the pictures must be in good taste and include

water. Be creative and enter as often as you like.

The Wet & Wild! Grand Prize Winner will receive the AF28-300 F/3.5-6.3 XR VC Di lens valued at $599!

Tamron’s state-of-the-art Vibration Compensation mechanism incorporated into the award-winning

28-300mm zoom gives you blur-free hand-held images with exceptional results.

The winner will have his or her image showcased in Tamron Viewfinder and in the Gallery section

of Tamron.com. Up to 20 favorites will also have their winning images published on the website for

all to see.

Guest Judge: Award-winning Professional Photographer Don Gale.

View full contest rules at www.tamron.com/enews/archives/contest.asp

emotional appeal

Photographing Human Emotions

DEADLINE: November 30, 2008

Here’s your chance to show off your photography muse. Submit your

most creative image for Tamron’s 2008 Photo Contest -

EMOTIONAL APPEAL

Send us your favorite photo that expresses a human emotion:

happy/sad/tired/mad - or any other human emotion.

The Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner will receive a magnificent Tamron AF28-

300mm XR VC (Vibration Compensation) Di zoom lens for a Canon or Nikon Digital SLR

camera.

Plus, the winning image will be showcased in the Tamron Online Gallery in the

Learning section of tamron.com with up to 20 of our favorites.

The contest is judged by Professional Photographer André Costantini and Guest Judge

and Professional Photographer, Emily Wilson.

Photo Contest 2

16 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 www.tamron.com

View full contest rules at www.tamron.com/lenses/scrapbook.asp

www.tamron.com Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008 – 17

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Grand Prize:

Tamron AF28-300mm VC!

VOTE

tamron

AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC

(Vibration Compensation)

Give Us YOUR VOTE!

Tamron Viewfinder is successful because so many of our

readers take the time to answer our surveys. This is how we

know what you are interested in seeing in our newsletter.

GENDER: M ❍ F ❍

Age Group:

❍ Under 25

❍ 25-34

❍ 35-44

❍ 45-54

❍ 55-64

❍ Over 65

NAME:

ADDRESS:

CITY: STATE: ZIP:

EMAIL:

Answer A Few Questions:

What camera(s) do you own?

❍ Canon

❍ Nikon

❍ Pentax

❍ Sony

❍ Konica Minolta

❍ Fuji

❍ Film Model

What would you like to see featured in upcoming issues

of Viewfinder? ( Pleae check all that apply.)

❍ Pro Photographer Profiles ❍ Reader Profiles

❍ Product Spotlights ❍ Lighting Tips

❍ Photoshop Tips ❍ Travel/On-Location

❍ Pet Photography ❍ Portrait Photography

❍ Sports Photography ❍ Contests

❍ Wedding Photography ❍ New Product News

❍ Special Events Photography

❍ Other

What may be your next lens purchase(s)? (Please check all that apply.)

❍ 11-18mm Di-II ❍ 18-250mm Di-II ❍ 28-200mm Di ❍ 70-300mm Di

❍ 17-50mm Di-II ❍ 55-200mm Di-II ❍ 28-300mm Di ❍ 200-500mm Di

❍ 18-200mm Di-II ❍ 28-75mm Di ❍ 28-300mm Di VC ❍ 90mm Di

❍ 70-200mm Di ❍ 180mm Di

REPLY TO US via internet or

print & fax back to us at (631) 543-3963.

Rules: Surveys must be completed in full and submitted or faxed by October 31, 2008.

No entry will be accepted without all questions answered. Enter only once. Only one entry

per household, no duplicate submissions or faxes will be accepted. All prizes are selected

randomly and awarded 60 days after electronic mailing of last Tamron Viewfinder of 2008.

Camera shake

can ruin your

photos, particularly

at telephoto

or in low

light. Tamron’s

state-of-the-art

V i b r a t i o n

Compensation mechanism incorporated into

the award-winning 28-300mm zoom gives you

blur-free hand-held images for incredible results!

Finally, the technology you need in the lens you want.

see the lens in action at

www.tamron.com

Other Prizes you could win!

TAMRON $25 Gift Card

(3 prizes)

Gift Card to your favorite

authorized Tamron dealer

TAMRON Rollerball Pen

(5 prizes)

TAMRON Baseball

Cap (20 prizes)

TAMRON Lens Cleaning

Cloths

(200 prizes)

TAMRON T-Shirts

(50 prizes)

18 – Tamron Viewfinder/Fall 2008