More News for our Underwater Photographers...Sam's Tours running very soon on the new Aperture 2...plus iPod magic
The
Reflection of Excellence continues...
Great NEWS! Soon to
arrive...Aperture
2 at Sam's Tours Palau
Micronesia...stay tuned for more updates from Sam's Tours Digital
Photo Center.
Surviving for our underwater photographers has just become a lot
easier in Palau,
Aperture 2 is on it's
way, ready for
YOU
to use.
Sam's Tours Digital Photo Center is the only one of it's kind in Palau, Micronesia
and in the Pacific, check out my previous blogs or go direct to
Sam's Tours DPC site click this link Sam's Tours DPC.
© Gunther Deichmann - that is how it looks on my personal
iPOD
But we offer a lot more at Sam's, now you can
upload all your holiday/vacation photos on your iPod, the staff at
the DPC will be happy to assist you with all your requirements, the
only thing you have to do... bring your iPod, but then who doesn't these days and once back
home show your friends and family members on TV how great your last
vacation has been. We take away all your hassles, you be organized
back home, no more looking for hours on end where you stored these
great shots...
just switch on your TV and enjoy the
show.
We can do the same with your video footage, at Sam's Tours you
connected and can concentrate on your diving, we take care of the
rest, surviving for all our underwater photographers has just
become a lot more realistic and fun.
Now enjoy your vacation, dive the great dive sites of Palau like,
Blue Corner and Blue Hole, dont feel like diving...no problem, join
Sam's Tours on one of their great land tours by road or take a
Kayak trip for a day or two, explore and discover Palau...
"The Pearls of
the Pacific." and a founding member of the Philippine -
Micronesia Alliance.
The Divers
Choice.
For all the latest info and tips on Aperture 2 please visit Gunther
Deichmann's Blog @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html
GD
Part two (2) of Sam's Tours Digital Photo Center, Palau Micronesia
I am now in Chuuk Micronesia, but where is Chuuk? More very interesting news from this remote part of the world in a few days, we are having a real problem now with our connection, sending a Blog out from here is just about impossible, but don't worry after the 27th of January I get it out.
Before I give you some more details on the setup at Sam's Tours, you'll be amazed what I have come across in Chuuk, totally surreal and unique, sorry, for this story you have to wait until the 27th.
From
left to right: Rhea Richardson newly trained and now in charge of
operation,
Arnold Munoz, Sam Scott, Dermot Keane and Gunther Deichmann the
first day of operation.
All
Photos: Hermes Singson
When
we arrived we had to unpack, install and fine tune all the six
iMac's including the installation of the additional RAM, oh boy...
we though all of it had been done prior shipment but to our
surprise well... we had to do it.
Installation of the RAM was easy and went through without a glitch,
then we upgraded all the iMac's to Leopard since the operating
system was all on Tiger, now that was fine too, however we
encountered some real problems in upgrading all six(6) iMac's due
to the internet connection, that took us about 3 days to
finish.
Then we setup all the external hard drives for a perfect back-up
system, not to forgot upgrading Aperture to 1.5.6 which was a
little cumbersome, the latest update does not work via the
'Software Update', due to a glitch, we had to get it direct from
the Aperture site, and after hours of downloading we were finally
up and running.
Sam's Tours made available two staff for the training, Rhea a
Filipina and Alex a Polish divemaster are now running the Digital
Photo Center, after receiving a crash course on the operating
system we went straight to Aperture
for
the remaining days.
The system at Sam's Tours was set up in such a way that customers
can give the Compact Flash (CF) cards after the dive to the DPC and
the staff will import the images direct into the database of
Aperture.
Setting
up time- left : GM Dermot Keane, Sam Scott
and Arnold Munoz,
right: Gunther Deichmann and Sam
Scott
All
photos Hermes Singson, thanks Hermes
Since most of the diver photographers come to Palau for about a
week or two, the images are uploaded every day and by the end of
the week the staff will prepare a CD/DVD for them to take
home.
But now comes the good part, if for what ever reason the customer
looses his or her CD/DVD up on returning home, they only have to
send an email and request a copy.
This is where Aperture
comes
in very handy, all images are stored as a project (the project name
in this case is the name of the Customer/Diver) as reference files
and further backed up again to another drive which is
independent.
Customer files are usually kept for about 60 to 90 days, but upon
request special arrangements can be made for longer storage, in the
DPC two iMac's are set aside for photographer who like to use
Aperture themselves, a similar back up and storage system is in
place.
All six (6) iMac's are connected in the same network via the
Airport Extreme Base Station for file sharing, perfect for photo
workshops, we put a lot of emphasis on the back up system, so no
matter what happens to your great underwater shots they'll be safe
even after you leave Palau.
Aperture
installed including your own back up X2
All
Photos Hermes Singson, thanks Hermes.
All iMac's are wi-fi connected and have dedicated access to the
internet, thanks to Arnold our I.T. guy making the DPC a virtual
internet Cafe as well, a Video station is soon to be implemented as
well, separate printing via an Epson printer is also available plus
external CD/DVD burner with labeling ability.
But there is a lot more... small Canon digital cameras with
underwater housings are for rent and some new video cam's are
available also, there you have it, diving with Sam's Tours has just
gotten a lot better, thanks to the new Digital Photo Center, now
you can leave your laptop at home, you are in good hands at Sam's
Tours.
To round it up, this is the most complex and efficient Digital
Photo Center in Palau, Micronesia, the Pacific and I believe a
first in the diving industry, in this part of the world.
Stay tuned for this real great news and info, you won't believe the
one from Chuuk Micronesia, the things I came across during my
travels....
the
title will be
"The forgotten ones"
related to our partner
Truk Stop Hotel and Dive Center, Chuuk
Micronesia.
GD
________________________________
Sam's Tours...Palau Micronesia… the curtain has been lifted...
We
all know the slogan from Sam's Tours...
A reflection of Excellence... now it is...
a
Reflection of Excellence continues. (Part
1)
15/01/2008
Sam’s
Tours Palau, Micronesia
Photo:
Hermes Singson -
Finally...
it is done!
Gunther Deichmann and Sam Scott,
we did have a few glasses of wine afterwards, celebrating
another
mile stone at Sam's Tours.
I
know I kept everybody in suspense for about a week, as of tonight
it is no longer a secret. It is late, I am very tired but it is
done and official,
a first for Palau, Micronesia and probably in the Pacific and I
guess in the diving industry. Sam’s
Tours is open for business, a complete Photography-Internet-Digital
workstation entirely run on the latest iMac’s loaded with RAM
for our photographers and Aperture users.
It doesn't matter if you an amateur or professional Sam’s
Tours is catering for all your needs, like to rent a camera for
underwater or above, or a small video cam is not a problem.
Our trained staff can assist you after the ‘dive
workflow’, show your images to your friends while still on
location with a impressive slide show, burn you images on CD/DVD
for you to take home. We offer you all the options, do it yourself
or let our staff take care of all your images while you wait and
enjoy a cold beer at our Bottom Time Bar.
Photo:
Hermes Singson-
A very happy Sam Scott from Sam's Tours
with the newly arrived iMac's
All
of this is now possible at Sam’s Tours Digital Photoshop, DSL
wi-fi internet connection using Airport Extreme, but most
impressive is the photo workstations, not only one but six high end
iMac computers with all the software you ever going to need.
We have also installed high-end backups so we can always guarantee
that your images will be safe and secure with us after each dive or
adventure trip in Palau.
In case you loose your CD/DVD, we backup your images for up to 60
days just send us an email and we will burn another copy of your
CD/DVD and post it to you.
Photo:
Hermes Singson -
Gunther Deichmann training Sam's Tours
staff on Aperture and the digital workflow after the
shoot.
For
our professional photographers
Aperture is
installed and if you not familiar with
Aperture,
you can always use Bridge or Photoshop Elements.
That’s
about it for now, I am very tired and need to get some rest, we
follow up with part two in a couple of days, and explain in more
details of this unique setup in Palau.
Congratulation
to Sam’s Tours!
Please stay tuned for more in depths details in my next blog, by
the way our commercial shoot at the Palau Pacific Resort is also
completed, some more training in the next few days for the staff at
Sam’s Tours on the Leopard operating system and of
course
Aperture,
we should be all sweet by the weekend before we proceed to Chuuk
(Truk Lagoon)
Photo:
Hermes Singson
Five
of the six workstations at Sam's Tours
Palau
Special thanks to Apple Singapore and the Power Mac Center Manila,
for the support in this project, thanks to my staff Hermes and
Arnold for the very long working hours in completing this job.
Thanks to Dermot Keane the GM from Sam's Tours for all his help and
assistance.
Gunther Deichmann is an Apple Certified Pro Trainer and has been on
site with his Manila staff in Palau as a consultant, training the
staff on the operating system including Aperture, Dermot Keane the
GM of Sam's Tours and Gunther have been responsible for the concept
and initial set up of the Digital Photoshop Center a first in
Micronesia, even Photographers have a better survival rate in
Micronesia now, thanks to Sam's
Tours.
GD
Stay
tuned for part two. (2) or subscribe to our Blog at:
http://www.alliancediving.com/blog/
Sam's
Tours is a founding member of the Philippine-Micronesia
Alliance: http://www.alliancediving.com/
For
Photography and Photo Worshop related matters please visit
Gunther's website at: www.deichmann-photo.com
The very first Photo Workshop utilizing Sam's Tours new facilities
will be held together with Tony Wu and Gunther Deichmann in April
2008, for inquiries please contact Sam's Tours
at:
info@samstours.com
Photo:
Hermes Singson - From left:
Dermot Keane, Gunther Deichmann,
Rhea Richardson and Sam Scott in the new
total Mac/Aperture Photography-Digital- Internet Center
__________________________________
Survivor fever? Palau Micronesia, great News.
Direct from Palau Micronesia… more great News!
No it is not the Survivor show, but never less very cool news from
Sam's Tours.
A
major event is just about to go down at Sam's Tours Palau... great
News for... find out on the 15th of January.
If you can guess what is going to happen on the
15th
of
January at Sam's Tours... the first email with the right answer can
win...
...3
days of free diving at
Sam’s Tours, Palau.
©
Gunther Deichmann -
for more images from the
Philippine-Micronesia Alliance destinations please
click the image above.
Clue: It's Simply Digital!
You have 3 days to figure this one out, please send your email
to:
info@samstours.com
Note:
Sam’s
Tours staff, Gunther Deichmann and Team, family members and close
associates are not allowed to participate. Sorry
guys.
Next
week starting on the 13th
I
be reporting direct from Sam’s Tours from where we will fire
up our big surprise. At the moment we are still tied up at the
Palau Pacific Resort. After the 15th things will be very different
at Sam’s concerning … opps… I almost slipped
and let the cat out of the bag, and after Palau around the 18th of
this month I am leaving with my web master for Truk Lagoon to
prepare for some major work for our Alliance Partner Truk Stop
Hotel and Dive Center.
January 2008 is a real Micronesia month for
us.
Our next blog with the announcement re. Palau will be in the
evening on the 15th.
01. 2008
GD
__________________________________________
Supported by Sam's Tours GD Photo Workshops
GD
This just in (see info below) from my very good friend Gunther Deichmann, world class travel photographer with whom I made a quick trip to Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat temples following the recent ADEX Show in Bangkok. Gunther, a certified Apple Aperture Trainer will return to Cambodia in September to conduct one of his very popular Travel Photography Workshops at the wonderful Heritage Suites Hotel in Siam Reap, close by the famous temples region. Gunther and his staff at DreamTime, his creative agency, are the creators of Sam's Tours website and serve as the marketing agency for the Philippine-Micronesia Alliance (www.alliancediving.com) of which Sam's Tours is a founding member. It's hard to keep up with Gunther as he's either traveling on a shoot, conducting a workshop somewhere around the world, or busy with his creative company DreamTime. If you're a photographer looking for a chance to learn from one of the top professionals in the field, think seriously about joining Gunther's Cambodia Workshop. I spent a few days side by side with Gunther watching him shoot during our recent visit to Angkor Wat and I have to say he's amazing! If ESPN saw the way he works out during a photo shoot I'm sure they'd be calling photographers "athletes" pretty soon! Gunther is a "light-a-holic" he drinks it in like no one I know and uses it to power his creativity. It's hard to explain, you just have to see it. But don't worry too much about the pace of things, at day's end there's the beautiful Heritage Suites Hotel to relax in (with their amazing bathtubs that I carried on about in an earlier post). Clean up after the shoot, enjoy a great meal and some wonderful wine, and wrap the evening up with some great photography education.
SPECIAL OFFER from Sam's Tours:
Book Gunther's Cambodia Workshop and mention that Sam's Tours referred you and we'll send you a voucher valid for 2 Full Days of Diving in Palau, with Sam's Tours (a $240 value). Use it yourself or give it to a friend! Or save it 'til next April and use it during Gunthers photography workshop in Palau in April 2008 with Sam's Tours.
Picked up from PCCI posting:
CAMBODIA: A Photo Safari/Course on Travel Photography
The Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), in cooperation with GDPHOTOWORKSHOP, invites you to join a photo safari/travel photography workshop to one of the most popular destinations in Asia: Cambodia. The Photo Safari Workshop will be conducted from September 7-11, 2007, and is open to all serious amateur and professional photographers interested in exploring the renowned ancient temples of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, while learning to master the complexity of travel photography.
This four-day workshop will focus on photography in the Angkor Wat region of Cambodia. In addition to covering the area, its people and culture, the course will provide a learning experience from one of the top rated travel photographers Gunther Deichmann, including all aspects of a shoot: solving technical problems, working with the locals, gaining access to unique places, the digital workflow and more.
Gunther will share his knowledge on the art of successful travel photography and guide you through post-production workflow and techniques using Apple Aperture, a productivity tool for which he is an Apple Certified Instructor.
Two weeks prior to departure for Cambodia, a cocktail reception will be held at the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI) to allow participants to meet one another and receive the final pre-departure briefing. In Cambodia, work shop evenings will be spent sharing experiences from the day, critiquing the shoot, and planning the next one.
Workshop participants will receive a Certificates of Completion from both PCCI and GDPHOTOWORKSHOP, and a complimentary signed copy of Gunther’s most recent book, Journey and Time. Images from participants will be featured on the GDPHOTOWORKSHOP website and automatically entered in the Cambodia Photo Contest to be displayed at the PCCI Gallery. Winning photos are eligible for prizes that include a Grand Prize of a free trip to Cambodia for two with hotel accommodation!
Total package price is U.S. $1,650 (or peso equivalent) which includes roundtrip airfare from Manila-Siam Reap-Manila; 4 Nights & 5 Days accommodation at the 5 star rated Heritage Suites Hotel, including breakfast, ground transportation and guides. Also included are Angkor Wat Heritage Site permit fees, Cambodia visa fees, evening lectures at the Heritage Suite Hotel conference room, and a signed copy of Gunther Deichmanns latest book Journey Through Colour and Time.
Enrollment is limited to only twelve participants.
For complete details, please visit www.gdphotoworkshop.com
Gunther Deichmann is one of Australasia’s most accomplished travel photographers. Of German birth and a paleontologist by vocation, Deichmann settled in Australia when we was 21 years old where he got exposed to the beauty of the country. This led him to his current preoccupation, photography. His photographic opus appeared in different magazines such as the cover of Time Magazine (USA), Bulletin (Australia), Der Spiegel (Germany), Bunte (cover), National Magazine (South Africa), National Geographic, New York Times (USA), Sued Deutsche Zeitung (Germany), Grand Reportage (France), VSD (France), GEO (France), Terre Savage (France), and Figaro (France), and in other major book productions such as The Racing Game, National Geographic, Time-Life, Readers Digest, BBC (London).
He recently published his own book entitled Journey Through Colour and Time a 30-year collection of photographs featuring Australia, Europe, Asia, and Micronesia. For more information on this multi-talented and multi-awarded photographer, visit www.deichmann-photo.com
Contact Gunther at: gdeichmann@mac.com
Tel/Fax: 00 63 2 523 3179
Tel: 00 63 2 522 5232
Malate, Manila, Philippines
or E-mail PCCI at: mgm@pcci.com.pcci.
Other Links for Gunther:
Workshop site: http://www.gdphotoworkshop.com
Website: http://www.deichmann-photo.com
Bookmark my Blog: http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html
Photo Shelter Gallery: http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann
© Gunther Deichmann, Cambodia
2006