Archive for the ‘equipment’ Category

Santa's Helper

I have a secret to share.  I used to hate this time of year.  I mean I would dread the very idea of the holidays.  Frankly, I was known within our family as being  “The Scrooge”.  Well, times have changed and now I get super stoked around Christmas time. However, the one thing that I still don’t look forward to is holiday shopping.  The reason is I always have a hard time thinking of what to buy people other than gadgets.   Yes, I’m a real winner at picking out cool tech gifts, but not so good at picking out wine or handbags.  So, I thought I would put my talents to work and give you some suggestions.  If you know a self proclaimed “photo geek” then keep reading!

Here we go:

Manfrotto Hot Shoe Double Bubble Level $32.95  (This is great for all levels of photographers)

Wein  HS-XL Hot Shoe Ultra Slave 79.95  (If you have a couple off camera flashes this is a wonderful way to put them to use  in the studio)

Manfrotto tripod w/ ballhead $125  (Nice value! This was Kajsa’s pick for the practical shopper.)

Gitzo Traveler Carbon Fiber 1550T $675.00 (I own this tripod and love it.  Solid, super light and sturdy as heck.)

Really Right Stuff BH-40 Ballhead $375.00 (This is my main ballhead.  It’s built like a tank and has incredible adjustments)

Western Digital  My Passport Essential 500 $119.00 (I don’t leave home without it.  This is great drive that’s been tested and dropped at 3 feet.  When I’m traveling this sucker goes with me.)

Carbonite Online Backup $54.95  (Is it super fast?  NO!  But, you can upload about 3 gigs of data per day and for many people that will be enough.  What makes Carbonite great is it’s price.  Unlimited backup for 55.00 a year is cheap and offsite back-ups are key.)

Animoto The three month business subscription cost $99.00 (I love Animoto.  I’ve used their service for about a year now and recently upgraded to their business option so that I could use the “call to action” feature.  Check it out.)

Slingshot Aw 100 69.95 (If you have a light load, want to be a little stylish this is great bag)

Epson Stylus Photo R2880 (People ask me what I use to print with at home? Well, here it is!)

Westcott PB5000 Photo Basic with background $329.50 (You want to get your feet wet with a home studio.  Well, here you go.  This system is inexpensive and perfect for a beginners.)

Tradesecrets Cards $22.00 (So you want to know how Chase Jarvis does it?  Here is a cheat sheet to some of his greatest studio shots.  I love these things! It’s like a Cliffs notes for photographers. Sorry, Miss Johnson, Pride and Prejudice interfered with my wrestling practice.)

Drobo’s new S series $799.00 box only  (Wow, huge improvements over the first Drobo.  Five drives, up to 10TB of storage and gotta love the e-stata capabilities…can you say super fast.  I need this or so I’m trying to convince myself)

Within the Frame by David duChemin $25.00 (I’ve read this book twice now.  The images are wonderful and the content is real.)

Black and White Magazine 40.00 (Simply put… a must read.)

Oh, and of course The Batdorff Photography 2010 Calendar (wink, wink.  Remember all the profits do go to charity…buy one or buy 10…I won’t stop you)

Well there you have it.  If you have any suggestions drop me a note on the blog  I would love to hear them.  Happy shopping…John

Wyoming Sunset (1/250 at f/14, 16mm, ISO 1250)

Landscape photographers live for what’s called  the “magic” or “golden” hour.    This  means the first or last hour of light for the day. It’s usually within this time that we capture some of our best landscape images.   Why?  Because the light is warm, soft and the shadows are dramatic.  The effect can be breathtaking.  Another reason is due to the incredible colors that are produced at that time of day or otherwise known as the  Rayleigh scattering effect.   The main issue for many of us is simply timing.  I don’t know how many times I’ve arrived a little too late, or worse yet, left a little too early.   Now everyone knows I’m a geek with my iPhone. It has a great application called Photobuddy, that has a nice built-in sunrise/sunset calculator –  not to mention some other really great tools.  If you don’t use an  iPhone, or you need a hard copy,  don’t fret, “there’s an app for that”..;)  I would recommend going to www.sunrisesunset.com and using their sunset/sunrise calculator and printing out a very simple calendar.   Never be late for a golden sunrise again, but try to eke out every last minute in the sack as possible..;)

Honl Flash System

Flash photography can be a hassle, no doubt. I think many beginning photographers avoid using flash because of the unknown. If you’re in that boat, I hope this helps: I’ve spent the last few years looking for a system that works for me when I’m on the go. I was really excited when I heard about the Honl’s system. It’s easy to use, compacts down well and best of all its reasonably priced. The Honl Photo Speed Strap fits around your flash securely, allowing you to place a Honl Photo Speed Snoot, Honl Speed Gobo Bounce card or gels. This stuff is very compactible, so it’s easy to store with your gear when you’re traveling with a small pack. I think the system set me back around $60.00, but it’s been well worth the investment. You can read more about the products by clicking HERE. Follow David Honl on Twitter…HERE.

Other news:

A while back I put you onto David duChemin’s ebook “Ten.” Well, he’s done it again with “Ten More.” If you enjoyed David’s first ebook as much as I did, then I strongly recommend stopping by his store HERE and picking up his latest addition.

The game plan for this weekend is to decorate for Halloween. I’ll get out and take a few photos at some nearby pumpkin patches (always a challenge in Chicago) and pack for my upcoming trip out West. I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.

Playing Chess

I mentioned earlier last week that I  planned on testing two lenses.   I’ve been debating buying an 85mm for quite some time now, but I’ve been unsure if I truly needed one.  I decided to rent a Canon 85mm and the Carl Zeiss 85mm manual focus.   Long story short,  I’ve come to the conclusion  that  I need this lens.   And as luck would have it I’m in love with the Canon, which happens to be the more expensive of the two.  I was really glad I rented the lenses and tried them out first, because originally I was leaning toward the Zeiss.   The Zeiss is built like a tank, and the manual focus doesn’t even bother me, but at the end of the day I just liked the images from the Canon better.  The one thing I’ve come to realize throughout the years is that optics are a critical part of our profession.  For years, I’ve always focused on the camera body, but now I tend to think more in terms of the optics.  I’m not a golfer, but my buddy is always trying out new clubs and I’ve often heard him go on about the “sweet spot”.  He would go on and on about how he couldn’t miss!   Well, that’s exactly how I felt shooting the Canon 85mm.  When I opened the aperture up on this lens the bokeh was simply amazing and the colors vibrant.  One giant sweet spot!

A funny story

So here I was playing with the 85mm near the Lakeshore.   I came across some Russian gentlemen playing chess and asked them if it would be ok to take a few shots.  “No problem” said  one of the gentleman in his broken English.  I shot a few frames and got ready to go and he asked to see the shots.  I brought the camera over and showed him the shots.   He looked at me and said,  “How do you say it?”   I said, “Say what? “   He said , “Not good,”  and he made this picture box with his hands and says, “hmmm, NOT…..good composition”.     I looked at him and said, “The composition is all wrong,  is it?”  He replied, “Yes, but you come here next week this time and bring me big, big, big print”.   He smiled and I laughed. Everybody is a critic…. And everybody loves free prints!

I would like to remind my readers that I’ve made a few changes to the way I deliver my blog, so if you’re not receiving my blog via RSS feed or via email, I suggest clicking HERE to sign up.

Jk Photography

Today’s photo is compliments of Jennifer Klump.  Jennifer participated in my online class in July.  I can’t express enough how far she’s come along and what great work she’s turning out!  Jennifer has decided to make a career in photography, and if you would like to check out more of her work, click HERE.

On the weather front:

This wet weather has had me thinking lately: “What do I own to protect my camera when I’m shooting?”   The fact is sometimes we can’t avoid being out in the elements.  But it’s key to keep our equipment dry, because today’s cameras are nothing more than mini computers with viewfinders.  I wouldn’t leave my laptop out in the rain unprotected, nor should I leave my Canon 5D.  In the past, I’ve resorted to using oversized Ziplocs, trash bags, you name it.  But that’s all about to change.   I was watching a Rick Sammon video the other day and he started to talk about this really cool piece of gear called a Storm Jacket.   This thing looks slick. And more importantly, it looks easy to carry.  Well, I’ve ordered one from B.H. Photo and I’ll report to you in a few days how it all works.
Have a great weekend and I’ll report on the workshop on Monday….John

p.s. remember to cast your vote on my latest poll

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October’s desktop calendar was taken of the wheat fields in Idaho. The wide screen version is available for download HERE and the standard size is available  HERE. I’m looking forward to this weekend and my Chicago workshop. I really hope the weather holds – as Chitown is starting to prove it’s windy city nickname.

I’ve had a lot of questions lately regarding camera equipment. Specifically, what lens I should buy or what camera body is best? I don’t take buying a camera lightly. Shopping for a new camera often feels like going out and buying a new set of wheels. The experience can be wonderful or tragic. My recommendations are simple: First, be forewarned – this can be a very expensive hobby and if you’re thinking about doing it “pro style” get ready to dig deep so start with a realistic budget. You need to consider the cost of the body, the lens, a bag, memory card, etc. Don’t make the mistake of buying more than you need. The reality is many of us aren’t using our current cameras to their fullest capabilities. Know your limits and buy the body that pushes those abilities a tad. A great example is my father, who loved his Canon 40D and was taking great pictures with it. But along came his son (me) and said you need a full frame 5D. “It’s so slick…you need one,” I said. He relented, and frankly, he’s struggled for many months with it because it was simply too much to learn compared to the 40D. I’m happy to report he’s doing better now after a few lessons from his number one son. Or should I say, his only son..;)

Next, start doing a lot of research on the camera and lens you’re looking to buy. There are many wonderful resources available to you on the internet. I highly recommend reading the user reviews on B&H Photography website or Amazon. One site I’ve come to love for reading about Canon related lenses is www.the-digital-picture.com and thank you Ronnie Ruiz for the Twitter reply that led to this great Nikon source www.bythom.com.

Third, don’t go too cheap on the optics. The one nice thing about today’s SLR is we can build a lens collection, that if properly researched, can follow you as you migrate to newer bodies. Finally, for those of you looking to make a really expensive decision on a piece of equipment – or even those of you who don’t have any clue on what you want, then I strongly recommend renting. For instance, I’ve been looking at 85mm lenses for quite some time now, but the two that I have in mind are quite expensive. I decided to rent both lenses from www.borrowlenses.com to give them a test drive. I figure it makes sense to try the gear out for an extended period of time before I blow a wad of cash on something I don’t like, or worse yet, don’t need.

The bottom line is that this hobby isn’t cheap. But what is? A friend of mine just spent $600 on new golf irons. To each his own. He still shoots over par… the clubs can only do so much… the magic is in the swing. Getting the right equipment is key, but remember, your talent, creativity and imagination is the real key to the kingdom.

Jackson and Suzi

I’m sure many of you, like myself, get asked to take wedding photos from time to time. This last weekend I had a great time photographing my sister’s wedding. Now, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a wedding photographer, but I must admit I couldn’t have picked a better wedding to shoot. The setting was a campground in Northern Michigan. And for those of you who don’t know my sister and her husband (Jackson) it was a very laid back scene. These shots were taken late afternoon to early evening with a lot of tree cover and a lack of quality light. I found it imperative to use a reflector. For those of you who have never used a reflector for portraits, wedding shots or even the occasional macro shot, listen closely: go buy one now. A reflector is a wonderful tool in aiding all sorts of lighting challenges. They come in all shapes and sizes, but what I found to be the best all around size is the 42 inch translucent ZipDisc with reversible gold/silver cover. The 42 inch seems to be the perfect size – not too big that it becomes cumbersome to carry, and not too so small that’s efforts are insignificant. For instance, last weekend the ceremony was taking place quite late in the day and the light was slowly dissipating. Like a duck I was calm on the surface, but paddling like hell under the water trying to figure out how I was going to handle this lighting problem without a flash. My solution to the problem was simple: I had my very tall brother-in-law, Blake, stand 25 yards away while using the reflector to grab whatever beam of light was available and shine it back towards the newlyweds. We were using the gold side of the ZipDisc because it complimented the available light as well as skin tone. It worked beautifully. I think the disc cost me about $60.00 or so with the gold/silver cover included. If it’s not part of your photography arsenal I recommending putting it on the wish list. As you know, light can make or break a shot.

A reminder: Lightroom updated to 2.5 recently, so if you haven’t updated click HERE for the link and if you’re interested in the latest Lightroom / Aperture professional photography trends check this link out HERE.

Have a great weekend…John

Manistee Lighthouse

I returned to Chitown late last night from spending the weekend in Michigan shooting my sister’s wedding.   The weather was incredible and I would think in another 3-4 weeks the autumn colors should be at their peak in Northern Michigan.  If you haven’t seen it… plan a trip and take your camera. It’s awesome.  Today’s blog is going to be a little on the short side, since I have a ton of photos to process from this weekend’s shoot.   I thought I would share a link to the world’s fastest lens; the Leica Noctilux-m 50mm F/0.95 ASPH.   Now folks, if you have $10,000 burning a hole in your pocket and you don’t have a 50mm lens, well I guess this might be the ticket for you.  Yep, that’s right. $10,000 for one lens.  You can read more about the Leica by clicking HERE.  I didn’t know a 50mm lens could cost that much so I hope it put as big a smile on your face as it did mine..;) Who knows, maybe my daughter will elope when she’s older and I can buy the lens with my wedding savings

St. Louis Cathedral

Today’s the last day to upload images for the “low light contest.” If you haven’t already entered, then click HERE to read more about the contest. Also, a few months ago I ordered a HoodEye from Hoodman after reading about them on a fellow photographer’s blog. I must admit it’s pretty slick once you get used to it. The HoodEye attaches to the viewfinder and really helps isolate your viewing eye. If you do break down and buy one, I would recommend buying the Hoodskins also. Hoodskins help protect your LCD screen much like those screen protectors you buy for iPods. I think when it was all said and done I spent about $45.00 between the two, but it’s been a nice investment. I was so impressed with Hoodman that I decided to become an affiliate. So check it out and tell me what you think.

Teton's Buffalo

Every now and then I say to myself, I’m going to trash all these electronics and move off the grid. I’ve spent the last few days trying to rebuild two RAIDS (redundant array of independent disks) on my desktop, which I use primarily for photo editing. No data has been lost, because as I’ve mentioned before on this blog , I’m paranoid when it comes to backing up data.   What I have lost are hours and hours of time.  Needless to say, it makes me want to chuck most of this stuff and move to where the buffalo roam. Now, on the brighter side, my backup drives have been working flawlessly, so  I wanted to revisit one element of my data protection. If there’s one piece of equipment that I think every serious photographer should own it’s a DROBO. Simply put, the Drobo is several hard drives working together as a single drive.  The Drobo’s main job is  to protect your data from being lost. It’s not RAID, but  an idiot proof version with  it’s own software that essentially does exactly what RAID does,  just better. Truth be told, there are very few professional photographers that don’t have some sort of back-up system for their photos.  I know a Drobo isn’t a cheap solution, but then again, can you put a price tag on the cost of losing memories, client photos, etc?  If you aren’t familiar with Drobo check it out because  it’s really something worth considering.