Postcards from Paris

I just wrapped up Day 11 of my 22-day trip through Europe, visiting cities including Paris, Cologne, and Pamplona (for the San Fermin Running with the Bulls Festival).  There has been a lot of train rides, delicious meals, and broken conversations with locals and tourists.  The trip has been amazing, but I will share more details and stories later.  For now, enjoy these postcards from Paris.

An Eiffel Tower sticker is displayed on a motorbike in Paris, France, on July 3, 2013. (Stan Olszewski/SOSKIphoto)

Champ de Mars seen from the top floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on July 3, 2013. (Stan Olszewski/SOSKIphoto)

The gold tipped Musée de l'Armée seen from the top floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on July 3, 2013. (Stan Olszewski/SOSKIphoto)

Pedestrians cross the street near Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile in Paris, France, on July 3, 2013. (Stan Olszewski/SOSKIphoto)

Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile in Paris, France, on July 3, 2013. (Stan Olszewski/SOSKIphoto)

Double Dipping Savings with New Canon Camera, Lens, and Speedlite Rebates!

There are a handful of great deals to be had on Canon bodies, lenses, and Speedlites at B&H Photo.  Be sure to act fast, these rebates expire April 27, 2013.  You can view all of the great rebates below:

– Save up to $500 on Canon DSLR camera bodies, including the 6D, 5D Mark III, 60D, and 7D.

– Save up to $300 on a dozens of select Canon lenses and Speedlites.

– Double dip on select Canon lens rebates (with 2% gift card back), including the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye, 35mm f/1.4L, 50mm f/1.2L, and 85mm f/1.2L II, and 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro.

Save Big on Canon Refurbished Cameras and Lenses!

If you want to buy a Canon camera or lens but cannot afford to buy new and refuse to buy used, consider buying refurbished directly from Canon.  Each refurbished product has been repaired and ships with a 30 day warranty.  Not only will you receive a new product with warranty, but you can save up to 30% on select refurbished items.  Act fast though, this sale ends March 27, 2013.

Click here to check out all of the refurbished deals on Canon now!

5 Tips to Spice Up Boring Photos

Being a photographer is awesome!  We get to meet interesting people daily, we get behind-the-scenes views of businesses and events, and we get to make amazing photos by breaking barriers to obtain unique perspectives.  As a professional photojournalist, every assignment should be fun and easy to make a handful of compelling images, right?  Wrong!

While most of my assignments offer a unique experience that others rarely have, there are the few assignments that just kill me.  I'm talking bore me to death, I can't find a great photo anywhere agony.  Let's use this recent small-town weekly newspaper assignment, which had me photographing recently restored buildings at the local historical Alviso Adobe Park in Milpitas, California.

For some reason, editors and city officials love simple and clean photos showcasing big-dollar, restored, historical buildings.  As a photojournalist whose work is centralized around people and the human element, this photo – while perfectly fine – is blah!

The Alviso Adobe home photographed at Alviso Adobe Park in Milpitas, California, on March 19, 2013. (Stan Olszewski/SOSKIphoto)

Keep reading after the break to learn five tips to spice up boring photos.

Save Big on Nikon and Canon DSLR Bodies!

B&H Photo is having a huge promotion on SIX DSLR camera bodies including:
– Nikon D800
– Nikon D800E
– Nikon D600 with 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Lens
– Nikon D4
– Canon 1D X
– Sony SLT-A99

Not only are there Instant Savings available on each camera, but B&H is also giving you 6% back in the form of a gift card!  You can save $400 on a Canon 1D X or $370 on a Nikon D800!

If you want to get a smoking deal on one of these cameras, do not hesitate, there is no telling when the generosity will end.