Nature is extraordinarily complex and beautiful. It is easy to forget in our modern world just how powerful its forces are. Being a nature photographer presents constant, humbling reminders of this fact! A large part of what drives me is wanting to experience every facet of nature, then create and share images of these forces at work. In doing so, I am often going into potentially dangerous situations for me and my gear. In my part of the world, wildfires are a necessity to the health of our ecosystems. But, they are, to put it bluntly, … [Read more...] about Photographing a Dangerous and Extreme Force of Nature, Wildfires!
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Wildlife Photography and Video with the Platypod Ultra
Spring is a busy time for wildlife photographers, chock full of photo opportunities. I'm lucky to live in an area that is on a major migratory flyway for birds and butterflies, as well as a year-round home to loads of other feathered, furry, and scaly friends. In the few short weeks I have had my Platypod Ultra, I've put it through a workout on a variety of my many spring nature photo ops. These are some of the ways in which I am using it, along with tips and techniques for you to do your own set ups. Wildlife in the Woods Recently, I had … [Read more...] about Wildlife Photography and Video with the Platypod Ultra
Portrait Tip: Your Second Most Important Body Part
Obviously, a photographer's most important body part is her eye, right? How else will she compose impactful pictures? I want to show you two ways to free your second most important skeletal structure so you can make better portraits. Free Your Hands Your hands are essential in your portrait work. They convey trust and make people welcome and you can use them to place keys on your head to great effect. When you meet a subject, you should shake their hand. When you make a good picture together, you should give them a high five. When they … [Read more...] about Portrait Tip: Your Second Most Important Body Part
Light Stand Basics Part 2
In my previous post, Light Stand Basics Part 1, I gave you some safety tips and jargon to get you started working with light stands. A light stand is one of the only things you can buy that will actually make your photography better. Getting consistent results from your light requires keeping it the same distance from your subject from shot to shot, and even my best assistants can't keep the light in place for more than a few minutes without tiring. Use a light stand to make better pictures. There are many stands to choose from and they vary … [Read more...] about Light Stand Basics Part 2
Light Stand Basics Part 1
After a camera and a tripod, a light stand is the one piece of equipment I use more than anything else. For a long time (too long) I used assistants (like my wife) to hold lights and reflectors for portraits and product photography. Once I started using light stands, I had much better results because the light wouldn't change from shot to shot. I was able to work with my subjects to acheive more subtlety because I could trust that there face was the only variable, as in the photograph above. I highly recommend you use light stands, so I'll show … [Read more...] about Light Stand Basics Part 1
Platypod Pro Camera Support – Deluxe Kit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-caZNZW5UrA (NOTE this is an infomercial for Platypod - I include it here because it is frankly pretty darn good at explaining the product in a way that a written blog post cannot.) While Rich & I were walking the show floor at Photoshop World in Las Vegas last August, we came upon an ingenious little product invented and sold by a mom & pop company called Platypod Pro. The inventor of the Platypod is a doctor from the NYC area. He's a photography enthusiast who wanted to solve the problem of camera … [Read more...] about Platypod Pro Camera Support – Deluxe Kit
A Tip from Hollywood: Outdoor Portrait
The other day I received a photo attached with a text message from Hollywood shooter Mike Kubeisy. He was on the set of NCIS LA photographing what they call "Afghani" mugshots of the stuntmen for the show. The message read,Do you understand what I did?. We often send messages like these to challenge each other to think outside the box. This simple challenge intrigued me so much I stopped eating lunch and analyzed the image carefully. It was an outdoor set up for a portrait head shot, but what was Mike really trying to tell me? Camera "T" … [Read more...] about A Tip from Hollywood: Outdoor Portrait
Benchmark: DIY Rolling Studio Gear Rack
Lately, I have been researching studio configurations. Jeremy Cowart's Triptik Studio Walkthrough got the juices flowing; especially the rolling backdrop that doubles as storage for bounces, flags and other gear. My space is an open floorplan and I already have plenty of stuff on casters, including my edit desk. I'd never thought of something like Cowart's rolling wall. Genius! I made a mental note to do something similar and moved on. Then, I stumbled across the video below from on Lifehacker. Ramsey's concept is a bit different than … [Read more...] about Benchmark: DIY Rolling Studio Gear Rack
Flashpoint 7′ Auto Stand Mini Review
Light stands aren't something I get terribly excited about. But inexpensive light stands that offer great bang for the buck do peak my interest. Adorama just announced the Flashpoint Auto Stand, available in both 7 (http://www.adorama.com/FPLS7AS.html) and 9 (http://www.adorama.com/FPLS9AS.html) models. At $50 and $70 respectively, these stands are affordable by even the most frugal photographer, yet offer some of the utility of much more expensive stands. I got my hands on the 7-foot model so this review applies only to that model - but … [Read more...] about Flashpoint 7′ Auto Stand Mini Review
Cheap Gear/Good Gear Mini Reviews: Slinger Big Bag | Flashpoint C+ Light Stand | Lenz-A-Hand
Here are three quickie reviews about some gear you might just enjoy. --- Slinger BigBag Heavy Duty Lightstand Bag There can never be too many gear bags in your closet, and if you work on location with light stands, you want this bag. The Slinger BigBag Heavy Duty Lightstand Bag with Wheels. At under $120 you won't find a bag as sturdy or with this much room and utility. Ive bought plenty of similar bags. They all seem to have one fault or another that Slinger has figured out how to defeat. The ABS wheels are strong and well positioned. The … [Read more...] about Cheap Gear/Good Gear Mini Reviews: Slinger Big Bag | Flashpoint C+ Light Stand | Lenz-A-Hand
The Ultimate Camera Support Rail
FeaturesThe clamps are a safe way to attach any camera with an Arca-Swiss style plate.The rail has a built-in bubble level to get a straight shot.The clamps can be repositioned side to side.The center cameras can be mounted either direction.The GoPro buckles work with standard GoPro mounts so you can connect the cameras.I used the bendable knuckles included with each GoPro to create a camera that can be angled to shoot in any direction for greater flexibility.The whole unit weighs about 5 pounds without cameras attached.The open spaces in the … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Camera Support Rail
Quick Tip #12 – Cable Release
If you forgot your cable release but don't want to induce vibration with your finger tripping the shutter, use your camera's self timer. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip #12 – Cable Release
