Geocoding or Geotagging has become increasingly popular in the last couple of years. That’s likely because the number of cameras that can accomodate GPS integration has risen and their cost has dropped, not to mention the growing list of photo sharing websites that use that kind of GPS data for extended features like mapping. So, it seems like GPS and Photography are now intrinsically linked.

With many higher end cameras, you can now connect a GPS directly to the camera if you have the right equipment. With Nikon cameras like the D200, D300, or D2X, or D3 - a 10-pin port allows you to connect a GPS directly to the unit (provided you have the right cables). The problem is that this can be unwieldy, and it typically requires a high end SLR that not all of us have.

There are two slightly better solutions around this, which we’ll discuss. » MORE

Yup - Adobe is ready to unveil Lightroom 2 to the world, in beta form. After their very successful first version, a lot of photographers are anxious to see what kind of improvements they can expect from the next iteration of Lightroom.

Keep in mind that while the Lightroom 2 beta is free to download and try out, it’s still in a very early stage and shouldn’t be considered as production software. This is strictly for testing and providing feedback to Adobe, and shouldn’t replace your current photo software at this point.

You can download the LR2 beta from here.

Every week, we round up a bunch of the best and most interesting links we’ve found in the online photography world, and deliver them to your doorstep. So, as promised, here is your regularly scheduled link snapshot for the week.

• RadioPoppers - they’re real, and David Hobby of the Strobist blog gets a little hands on time with the creator of the devices, Kevin King. Check it out.
• You enjoy photography, but do you ever wonder if you should go pro? Here are seven signs, according to Photopreneur, that you should.
• There are some great tips at Photocritic about model photo shoots - but from the models perspective, including practical concerns such as wardrobe, makeup, and skin care.
• There are 10 days left to contribute to issue 16 of JPG Magazine.

When you’re shooting in cold weather conditions, there are a number of considerations that you need to remember when shooting, and one of them is that a cold camera will tend to fog up once you move back into a warm environment.

This isn’t just annoying, but that moisture build-up on the camera could get inside the optics or the electronics and cause issues. Maybe not at first, but down the line you could hit a snag with corrosion or mold. Here’s how you prevent it. » MORE

Flickr arguably contains the largest collection of photographs on the internet. It grew up, virtually out of nowhere, and was scooped up by Yahoo several years ago. Since then, it’s growth has been tremendous. While many pro shooters I talk to seem to prefer other, less known services which cater to professional photography needs, Flickr is undoubtedly the joint for the hard core enthusiasts and hobbyist shooters. It’s fun to explore the site and to watch what people are taking pictures of. Now you can watch in a brand new way. » MORE

If you’re a photographer and you follow the trends and fads of the business, you’re likely aware of the term HDR or High Dynamic Range photography. It’s sweeping the internet, and everyone wants to know how to do it. Why?

HDR photography creates a very surreal effect, where every part of the image is “properly” exposed and well defined. I think of it as hyper-realism, because a properly done HDR image (when done properly) is one that best reflects what I see with my eyes.

Technically, this is done by combining multiple versions of the same image, all of which have been exposed slightly differently. It’s easy to push the images too far, however, and ruin the effect - but if you’re good, you can create simply stunning photographs. » MORE

For digital SLR owners, the megapixel war is over. Six megapixel is the magic number for most consumers who want “big prints” (ie. 8×10) and ten megapixel is the magic number for publication. Anything more is gravy.

Much more, and you could be running into alternate problems. When you cram more pixels onto a sensor of the same size, you’re making the pixels smaller, and smaller pixels have less capacity to handle light. » MORE

Nick Didlick is a professional photographer who not only shoots, but teaches the art as well. You could easily be persuaded to title Nick as a photojournalist, due to the tremendous work he’s done in that area all over the world since the late 70’s. He’s shot journalistic work for all sorts of publications, including the International Herald Tribune, The New York Times, The Times of London, The Sydney Morning Herald and Stern, Time, Newsweek, Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone Magazines. While these are certainly in that vein, Nick has expanded his interests to encompass more than that, and has most recently delved into the fields of editorial and commercial work.

He’s become one of my favorite people to listen to when it comes to photography, and so it was a great pleasure to be able to fire off a few questions to him and get some insight into his view of the world of modern photography, with its abundance of changes and permutations thanks to the digital revolution. Here is that interview. » MORE