Many people who are interested in photography are also interested in discussions of gear.  I thought I would take this opportunity to mention one of the new cameras that I am very excited to try soon : The Sony NEX-7!

What appeals to me about this camera is the size to performance ratio.  These new "mirrorless" cameras are small, create great images, and are simple to use.  Some of the selling points that are listed for the NEX-7 are:

• Pocket camera with professional-grade performance
• 24.3 MP for superb detail and amazing enlargements
• World's first OLED electronic viewfinder; 2359K dots
• Up to 10 fps shooting to capture the decisive moment
• APS-C CMOS sensor for DSLR-class imaging

As a photographer who often uses HDR techniques, the ability to shoot 10 frames per second is simply incredible.  I typically shoot in handheld fashion without the use of a tripod.  Sometimes when you combine 3 or more images taken at different exposures in an HDR procedure, the software has to work a bit to correctly align all of the parts of the image so that things look good.  This is made more difficult when shooting handheld with a slower camera because your body typically moves slightly between shots.  Being able to shoot multiple images so quickly will definitely make things easier!

The OLED electronic viewfinder is also an exciting development.  No longer does a photographer have to take a "test" shot and then check an LCD panel on the back of the camera to see if all of the adjustments that were made are correct.  Instead, looking through the viewfinder alone gives all of this information in real time.  You only need to take the shot once when everything is set.  

This camera is very tempting... I'd like to see Canon and Nikkon's answer to it before taking the jump into Sony's world of proprietary lenses and gear.  Also, it would be amazing if another company could fit a full frame sensor into a camera this size.  We shall see!

This was the first image that I made and improved with critiques from my new friends at Google+. This photograph was taken in College Point, NY and is derived from a HDR processing of 3 images taken with different levels of exposure.

I took this photograph (or set of 3 if you know about HDR) while I was exploring a broken-down part of College Point, NY.  I was walking with my nearly 1 year old son strapped to me in his Baby Bjorn while also walking our family's three little dogs.  Whenever I leave the house I try to take my DSLR with me just in case I see something interesting.  So, while the dogs were taking a break smelling some enticing city grass, I looked out across Flushing bay at the Manhattan skyline.  I felt an ironic twinge in my mind to see the Dead End sign dominating my view of the skyline.  I tied the dogs to the sign...took a few steps back and tried to incorporate as much of the scene as I could into the shot. 

I was excited to edit this image when I got home and immediately posted a version of it on Google+.  The feedback I got from my new friends on that service was invaluable.  While cleaning up this image, I learned a lot about processing, composition, and the effort of trying to express a hidden artistic vision that I believe we all have.  I hope you like it!