Your footage does not exist until it exists in at least two other places than the source. Then, and only then, should you reuse source media. The adage above is as close to a truism as one can find in digital video production. At the start of my production career, Alex Lindsay hammered it into me on every shoot. Today, it is one of the first things I teach new folks. Nowhere is the risk of ignoring this adage greater than when one is in the field, away from ample electrical outlets and clean, flat surfaces. Even when power and workspace … [Read more...] about OFFLOAD = Peace of Mind
Reviews
Book Review: Rick Sammon’s Creative Visualization for Photographers
Rick Sammon has a super power: he makes any photographic technique or concept simple to understand. It's really an incredible talent he has cultivated, and he turns it loose to help photographers. He's been teaching a long time, and his latest book is a culmination of a lifetime of learning, shooting, and teaching. Rick Sammon's Creative Visualization for Photographers teaches us how to view the world with photographic eyes. This is a book everyone can learn from, and I'd highly recommend it for beginners and intermediate photographers, but … [Read more...] about Book Review: Rick Sammon’s Creative Visualization for Photographers
The Evie Camera Bag from Aide de Camp
Disclosure: This bag was provided to me free of charge from Aide De Camp. Feature image on left is Brian Matiash Not long ago I received the Evie bag from Aide De Camp to test out and review. I spent some quality time with this bag and wanted to share my thoughts! For those of you who follow my blog, you may already be aware of my frustrations with "girl" camera bags. Spoiler alert: this bag was a nice surprise! Keep reading to find out more. The Basics: The Evie bag is a nice sized bag, and makes for a good large purse. It's a little boxy at … [Read more...] about The Evie Camera Bag from Aide de Camp
Running your Business – Tracking Mileage
When youre running your own photography business, taking photos is really only about 25% of your job. You also have to find time for editing, marketing, client meetings, website maintenance, and bookkeeping. Come tax time each April, you may be looking for a few deductions to cut your tax bill. If you use your own car for your business, its an eligible tax deduction. Its also one more thing to keep track of. While I don't run a photography-specific business, I am a professional freelancer. Ive done everything from small photo shoots, to … [Read more...] about Running your Business – Tracking Mileage
My First Impressions of the New Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
As a working professional who relies on Canon gear to run my business, I get excited when I wake up to news that there's a new flagship camera on the market. This morning, Canon dropped the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. While I am a self professed non-techie, I still felt obligated to check out the specs to see what they could mean for me: Price Point: Gulp. Let's face it. This camera is $6 grand ($5,999) and that's a lot of money for most of us. That's twice the price point of what (I would argue) are Canon's most popular pro cameras in the 5D … [Read more...] about My First Impressions of the New Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
3Pod Carbon Fiber Monopod Mini Review
I recently came upon a new house brand called 3Pod at Adorama - the giant New York-based camera and electronics store. And the first product I tested is a monopod. Its called the: 3Pod Orbit 4-Section Carbon Fiber Photo/Video Monopod with Fluid Base and TiltHead with Quick Release. While thats a very long official name, what it is - well its a monopod. And a darned fancy one at that. Lets start with the good news. This is a carbon fibre monopod and its inexpensive. At under $120 its the least expensive CF monopod I can find. Like all Adorama … [Read more...] about 3Pod Carbon Fiber Monopod Mini Review
GoPro 3-Way: A Unique Camera Accessory
GoPro cameras have become incredibly popular for capturing point-of-view and action shots (both photo and video). They'e also an excellent way for a photographer to get behind the scenes footage or time lapses of a project while working. The camera itself is a little awkward to hold though due to its small size. Hence the need for something to mount it to. Enter the GoPro 3-Way (yes they trademarked it, and I am sure they giggled as they asked their lawyers to do so). What Is It? The GoPro 3-Way offers three ways of holding or supporting a … [Read more...] about GoPro 3-Way: A Unique Camera Accessory
Testing The Sigma 150-600 Sports Lens
(Please note - my gear reviews aren't based on pixel peeping or measurebeating. I simply use a piece of gear in real-world shooting situations the way I would use any piece of gear and then write down my impressions. There are plenty of places to do all the side-by-side image comparisons. This post will simply be a mini-review based on my tests. All the photos in this post were made with the Sigma 150-600 Sports Lens.) Shooting Environment I took my annual bird photo trip to New Mexico recently and thanks to the kind folks at lensrentals.com I … [Read more...] about Testing The Sigma 150-600 Sports Lens
The Perfect Tool for Sharing Stories During the Holidays
Photographers always say they like to make pictures that tell a story, and I feel the same way. During my last formal photography class (in high school!) I had an assignment to do a photo essay and I was supposed to compose a story with photographs. I bombed it. My essay was so boring, I fall asleep just thinking about it. I didn't have a visual storyat best I had some loosely related pictures. And really, I could classify many of my picture sets as loosely related. For instance, when I get together with my family, I enjoy making pictures with … [Read more...] about The Perfect Tool for Sharing Stories During the Holidays
Check It Twice. Photography Gift Ideas for less than $100
Every holiday season I face the same issue that many other photographers face: my loved ones want to get me photography-oriented presents but they have no idea what to get me. This problem is compounded by the fact that anything affordable that I can use in my photography I bought long ago, leaving only the big-ticket items left on my wish list. I don't have Saudi royalty in my inner circle, so asking for that adorable new Leica or amazing new Zeiss lens is out of the question. So whats a photographer to do? Sub-$100 Accessories every … [Read more...] about Check It Twice. Photography Gift Ideas for less than $100
Canon 600 EX-RT Speedlites with Sony A7 Cameras? Yongnuo to the Rescue
When I sold my Canon 5D Mark III and 7D Mark II cameras and bought into Sonys A7 camera system one of the deciding factors was the Sony cameras ability to use Canon lenses via third-party adapters. As someone who has a long-standing love affair with Canons L-series glass, I was loathe to give them up. A have also been a fan of Canons underrated 600 EX-RT Speedlites and I am happy to report that they work wonderfully with my Sony A7R Mark II thanks to the Yongnuo YN-E3-RT commander module. Clone Wars When I invested in the 600 EX-RT system a … [Read more...] about Canon 600 EX-RT Speedlites with Sony A7 Cameras? Yongnuo to the Rescue
Dark Circle Quick Fix with Perfectly Clear
Can I vent for a second about how frustrating it can be to retouch dark circles under the eyes? While I don't claim to be a master retoucher, I do think I can hold my own, except when it comes to those under eye circles. Matching tonality and texture has always been a difficult task for me. Remove too much and it looks super fake. Don't do it enough and it looks like a shoddy job. So usually I just end up leaving them. Enter: Perfectly Clear. I've recently been playing around with this new and handy software and discovered how amazingly it … [Read more...] about Dark Circle Quick Fix with Perfectly Clear
ColorChecker Now for Video!
The color management mavens extraordinaire at X-Rite have just announced two new products for photographers who shoot video with video cameras or with DSLRs... ColorChecker Video and ColorChecker Passport Video. Color management comes to video Frequent Photofocus readers know I am a huge proponent of using X-Rite's ColorCheckers to ensure my still photographs are color accurate. I have used the standard 24-patch target since 1981 when I purchased my first one (still have it.) Then, I used it to determine the filter pack for a given emulsion of … [Read more...] about ColorChecker Now for Video!
Quick Recap On 2015 Photo Plus Expo
PPE is now owned by Emerald Expositions and after several ownership changes the show seems to have found a stable home. The show was extremely well organized, especially given its size. There were hundreds of exhibitors and an estimated 23,000 photographers attended. There were pre-con photo walks led by some very well-known photographers, plenty of well-attended conference sessions also by famous photographers and of course the exhibits area which featured several demo theaters and lots of opportunity to network and learn. I visited many … [Read more...] about Quick Recap On 2015 Photo Plus Expo
Introducing Wacom’s Newest Tablets : Which one is right for you?
Wacom announced their new range of entry level Intuos Pen & Touch tablets consisting of four models: Intuos Draw, Intuos Art, Intuos Photo and Intuos Comic. Each model includes creative software as well as additional training and service offers. A graphics tablet (also called pen tablets), allows a person to draw by hand using a pen shape tool called a Stylus. Using a pen instead of a mouse to draw made graphics tablet a hit with graphic artist. They quickly replaced their mouse with a comfortable stylus. I didn't think I needed a tablet … [Read more...] about Introducing Wacom’s Newest Tablets : Which one is right for you?
Using the Lensbaby Velvet 56 on a Fuji X-T1
I've been a fan of the Lensbaby line of lenses for quite some time. If you're unfamiliar with the brand, they have a wide collection of manual-focus lenses that introduce blur, distortion, and other elements into your photo. I would say that their main customer is a portrait photographer, but that should not stop any type of photographer from trying them out. They are definitely unique lenses, and worth looking into if you want to try something new. Recently, Lensbaby recently let me play around with their new Velvet 56mm lens on my Fuji … [Read more...] about Using the Lensbaby Velvet 56 on a Fuji X-T1
A Look at the Fuji X T10: It’s Making Photography Fun Again
NOTE: Recently at Adobe MAX, all attendees (including me) were given a Fuji X T10 mirrorless camera with an 18-55mm lens. At retail this set up goes for about $1,100 when not on sale. Right now Im in the market for a new camera. Im borrowing a Lumix GX7 from a friend and Ive played with various Sony cameras. To finally have my own mirrorless to play with is pretty awesome. Im carrying this camera with me everywhere. The Key Specs: Lets get the specs out of the way. Shoots 16.3 megapixels Uses SD cards Shoots both JPEG and RAW ISO: 6400 and … [Read more...] about A Look at the Fuji X T10: It’s Making Photography Fun Again
Book Review: The Headshot by Peter Hurley
You can look at my work and compare it with the books I've read and you'll probably be able to tell which book I read because it strongly influences my work. Well, even though I just finished Peter Hurley's book, The Headshot, he has been influencing my work ever since he was featured on Scott Kelby's blog in 2012. Since then he's made several videos teaching various aspects of headshot photography ("It's all about the Squinch" is unforgettable). I've attended his talks and his style of inculcating a simple process makes it impossible to forget … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Headshot by Peter Hurley
Nick Saglimbeni’s Mastering Lighting – Mini Review
If you want to understand lighting - really understand it, prepare for many years of study. Or at least months and you might want to start with Nick Saglimbeni's Nick Saglimbeni's Mastering Lighting Volume 1 DVD Tutorial Series. At $150 it isn't cheap, but its much less expensive than the average in-person workshop. Nick is a cinematic visual artist. He studied cinema at USC and accordingly, his approach to lighting is very different from the average stills photographer. This guy doesn't mess around. If you want to see how to start from … [Read more...] about Nick Saglimbeni’s Mastering Lighting – Mini Review
Apply the Right Amount of Retouching with Perfectly Clear
We have all seen beautiful portraits ruined by aggressive retouching. How can we tell if a portrait crosses the abusive retouching line? Its simple, if the persons own mother doesn't recognize them, youve gone too far. Thankfully there are many retouching programs that help us achieve pleasing results. My newest ally in the retouching battle is Perfectly Clear by Athentech. For years Photo labs and Photo Kiosks have been using Perfectly Clear (in fact 30 million prints a day on average). Its fast and does a great job at batch retouching. Most … [Read more...] about Apply the Right Amount of Retouching with Perfectly Clear
A First Look: The Apple iPhone 6s Plus
On Friday, September 25th, Apple released the next addition to their industry-shaking smartphone, the iPhone. Customers who were fast enough to preorder either the iPhone 6s and/or the iPhone 6s Plus either queued up in front of their local Apple Store or had a courier deliver their unit(s) to their doors. For the past year, I've used an unlocked 128Gb Silver iPhone 6 Plus and have been exceptionally pleased with it. So, when preorders for this next generation of smartphones went live, I stuck with what I knew and ordered an unlocked 128Gb … [Read more...] about A First Look: The Apple iPhone 6s Plus
It Isn’t Film vs Digital Any Longer
With the popularity of film finding its way into photographer's hands, headlines are still reading, Why Film is Better than Digital and Comparing Film vs Digital. Isnt the Debate Over? At the starting point of digital photography, people once thought that film was going to be a dying art. A movie quote instantly comes to mind: -- spoken from a man whom is brought out to be piled onto a wagon carrying dead bodies to be disposed of in the movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Film is far from dead and isn't exactly going to go away it seems... … [Read more...] about It Isn’t Film vs Digital Any Longer
A Quick Look at the Samsung’s NX1
Mirrorless has come a long way since its introduction into the market. With technology advancing and improving so quickly, it is to no surprise that a technology companies, like Samsung, are able to produce amazing photography equipment alongside the other devices they make. Those in the industry aren't radically surprised by the great mirrorless cameras that other other technology companies has been producing (Sony, Panasonic), but when Samsung steps up to the plate with their flagship NX1 and its pretty awesome feature set, there's bound to … [Read more...] about A Quick Look at the Samsung’s NX1
Review – Digitally Converting Slides and Negatives with Jumbl
Of all the benefits to learn and practice the art of photography, the number one objective held sacred among professionals and enthusiasts worldwide is the preservation of memories; those occasions of importance that are meaningful in the eyes of even the most modest of subjects, from the least to the greatest. Countless attics and basements around the globe are holding within their walls today the vast records of personal triumphs large and small, and the everyday chronicles of life shared with those we love and cherish along the way. As box … [Read more...] about Review – Digitally Converting Slides and Negatives with Jumbl
Blurry Pictures Feel More Genuine, and Photoshop Can Help
Editor's Note: Don't miss this week's free event on when to jump from Lightroom to Photoshop. For some reason, people laugh at me when I make a picture with them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining: laughing makes a wonderful expression. My subjects crack a big smile, and usually also bend in half with the joy of it. They're moving, and my photograph allows us to enjoy that blissful movement forever. I love it when they laugh. The thing is, I also love a sharp picture. I'm usually using a tripod to make their portrait, and I'm also … [Read more...] about Blurry Pictures Feel More Genuine, and Photoshop Can Help
Lightroom’s Secret Website for your Clients
Lightroom's new web interface has made collaborating with clients very easy. Imagine, after a photo session, you import your images into Lightroom, make a collection of images to show your client, then have Lightroom create a private gallery for your client to select and make comments on their favorite images for you to edit.Their input is automatically synced with your Lightroom catalog. Not only is this cool, but it comes free with your Lightroom subscription! You're probably wondering why I'm excited. In the past, I would create a gallery … [Read more...] about Lightroom’s Secret Website for your Clients
ParticleShop – First Look
When Corel, the people behind Corel Paint, announce that theyre releasing a Photoshop and Lightroom plugin it peaks ones interest, so I bought the Starter Pack and gave it a try. Starting image for this post comes from Fotolia Starter Pack As an online purchase the download was fast and the installation was quick and easy. The Starter Pack plugin comes with 11 different brushes and costs $49.99 (Appx 32.50 / 44.60). Full brush sets can be added for a 24.99 for me here in the UK, thats about $38, so I was in no rush to start filling my … [Read more...] about ParticleShop – First Look
How to Beat the Tripod Police Without Sacrificing Stability
I'm six foot four and built like a pro wrestler. If it weren't for TSA Pre my camera bag would be dismantled every time I fly. It just seems that I attract attention from "authority figures" just about every single time. Toss in dark skin and my propensity for bringing a camera just about everywhere I go, and I am a magnet for the "tripod police." An Alternative to Tripods I've found the perfect solution... the Platypod Pro. This tripod alternative lets me use a full size ball-head without the need to carry a tripod. So let's break down … [Read more...] about How to Beat the Tripod Police Without Sacrificing Stability
Are Generic Camera Products Worth it?
Like many of us, I am on a budget. I want to save money and buy things that I perceive to be a good deal. As you are aware, there are third-party options for just about everything in dealing with our cameras. Some are absolutely worth it and some just don't make the cut. Here are a few products that I have found worth saving on and a few I have found that ended up wasting more money in the long run. Intervalometers. I have been shooting Canon most my career. Truthfully the Canon brand intervalometer used for timelapse and remote shooting is … [Read more...] about Are Generic Camera Products Worth it?
Case Logic KDB-101 Kontrast Pro-DSLR Backpack – Mini Review
You might recognize the brand Case Logic because if youve ever been to almost any electronics store, you'll see their bags for computers, cell phones, & other gadgets on display. But Case Logic also makes camera bags. And theyre pretty serious about these bags. The Case Logic claim to fame is two-fold. One: The bags are very high quality for the money. Two: The bags have a plastic (water-resistant/water proof) bottom that is somewhat unique in the industry. They call that the DuraBase bottom. More on those points in a moment. I tried … [Read more...] about Case Logic KDB-101 Kontrast Pro-DSLR Backpack – Mini Review
