Exciting New Gear!

Hi everyone its been a while since my last entry, I have been extremely busy with my day job (plumbing). But lets jump right into it shall we?

This week I just received my Vanguard 263-AGH 3-Section Aluminum Alloy Alta Pro 263-AT Tripod Legs with GH-100 Grip Head

Let me tell you that this is a great deal, it normally sells for over $300!!! The most impressive part of this tripod is its grip head (The thing that looks like a gun) I am able to manipulate the view of my camera in any dimension I want simply by squeezing the trigger. Its light, sturdy, and folds up very small. I love it! Watch a FULL Review on it HERE.

My birthday is coming up and as a present I received the best gift ever ....drum roll.... ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS6!!! So not only do I have great gear but I also have the worlds best and newest image processing program. Thank you so much Jen!

But wait there is more!

Now that I have the most intricate imaging program EVER I still have to learn it. :( ...So I went and bought a training book titled: Adobe Photoshop CS6 Bible: The Comprehensive, Tutorial Resource. Simple right? WRONG. This book is OVER 1000 pages long. That's a lot of learning for someone who is unfamiliar with photoshop, but I'm up to the challenge. I have decided to read 30 pages a day and pace myself as I go. I'm already ahead of schedule!

OK, OK, OK, I'm done bragging about all my new stuff. The bad part is that since I have been so busy at work I haven't been able to get out and shoot as much as I would like. (And it has also been raining everyday because of the hurricane in South America). But I have met a few new contacts that are trying to get me some actual work/ real-world-experience. So even though I haven't been a photographer as of late, I have still been a business man making new contacts. But I still miss taking pictures. Maybe this rain will let up soon.

Thanks everyone!

Cowboystudio 1200 Watt Photography Continuous Lighting

      Recently I purchased Cowboystudio 1200 Watt Photography, Video, and Portrait Studio Umbrella Continuous Lighting Kit With Four 85 Watt, 5500K Day Light Balanced CFL bulbs, Black and White Reflective Umbrellas, Stands, and Carrying Case. To be honest my expectations were quite low for this item. Selling for only $100 it seemed as though it would be quite cheap and prone to breaking easily.  Still eager to find out, when the box arrived from Amazon I quickly rushed it home to assemble it. The hardest part of the assembly process was taking everything out of the packaging (Cowboy Studios makes sure it wont break). I read on a review that the umbrellas that come with the set are'nt that great and dont reflect light too well. So I also purchased a seperate set of black  umbrellas with a silver reflective lining along the inside (2 of CowboyStudio 33in Black & Silver Photo Studio Reflective Umbrella). Im glad I purchased them because the difference in light reflection is remarkable! Now since this kit is continuous lighting it needs light bulbs. I was unpreparred for the imense bulbs that come with this kit.

On the top is the bulb that Cowboy Studio sent me ( four all together) and the bottom is the size of a normal bulb of the same type. WHAT A HUGE DIFFERENCE!

Overall the setup is great for the price. Its perfect for beginners; just be careful of the not so sturdy light stands.  But I would definetly recommend this to anyone who is just getting started in flash/studio lighting.

Disappointments of Photography

I wear a wristband that reads “Finish Strong”, its black with white indented lettering. Every morning I read that wristband. The first word is the most important to me: “Finish”. Not “try” or “Give it a go” but finish. As long as I finish that’s all I can give, right? NO! This wristband kicks it up a notch by demanding, yes demanding, that I not only finish but that I finish “Strong”. There is no “good job” phrases, pats on the back, or encouragements, only “Strong”. Dictionary.com defines strong as both mentally and physically competent, to have power, and force. Finish means to overcome completely. So how does a rubber wristband with two subtle yet powerful words have to do with photography? Example: Today I decided to go to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary to photograph wildlife. Around 4:30pm I left my house and didn’t arrive home until 8:00pm. Three and a half hours I spent driving, walking, paying $10, and searching for any animal I could find out in the beautiful mosquito infested swamps of Corkscrew Sanctuary. In all I found NO animals, a stray Cardinal would appear periodically but by the time my hand found the shutter button it was gone. Infuriating is a word that comes to mind when I recall the feelings I was experiencing. I don’t view wasting time as simply “time” but life, my time is my life. Walking across the boardwalks in the swamp my wristband screams out “FINISH! Get your photos.” How? Where? There is nothing to photograph. Giving up hope I left the Sanctuary with my head hung low. Not only was I disappointed but I didn’t finish what I set out to complete, to overcome. And on top of that I wasted my time and my life. Complete failure. I got in my truck and headed out of the parking lot. In a grassy area to my right is a rabbit. Yep, in a parking lot is a creature that I spent hours searching for and nearly gave up all hope of being able to “Finish” what I had set out for. But it’s just a white fluffy tailed rabbit?! I’m not going to make the cover of National Geographic with its photo; it might not even turn out that great. BUT my mood changed; it gave me hope. I got my photo. I finished!! And it turned out great; I finished strong.

Photography is as rewarding as it is disappointing. The perfect scene can be ruined by one small imperfection, or everything can fall into place and perfection can be captured. Today reminded me not to give up hope. That some days will be harder than others and there will be floods and there will be droughts. As long as in the end I Finish Strong then I (and all of us) have accomplished something worthy of being proud of.

PhotoShoot #2

My second official photo-shoot went extremely well and the pictures turned out great. I learned alot from this experience; what I need to focus on more, what needs to be changed and what works just fine. My assistants were amazing, I couldnt have done it without them (you know who you are) and my model was patienet while we fumbled around. The more I delve into photography I find that my standards are rising and my expectations of my myself as a photographer need to catch up. I have a few pictures of my photo shoot model (Sarah) on my website. So go take a look! Thank you all!

July 4th 2012

Happy fourth of July! Naples held its annual 4th of July parade today and it was such a fun and positive atmosphere. I was lucky enough to have found a comfertable place in the shade to capture pictures without dying from the heat. My temporary neighbors for the time being, ten a.m. to noon, were very spirited charecters from Georgia. The parade began at exactly ten o'clock. I was even luckier that my lucky spot allowed me to only use one lens throughout the parade. My Nikon 14-24mm lens saved the day yet again. I was able to be at the curb of the road and still capture great pictures. I created a slideshow of the parade on YOUTUBE if you would like to watch! Enjoy!

Nikon MB-D11 Battery Grip D7000

Today I recieved my MB-D11 Battery grip from Amazon. I have been saving and waiting for this grip for a VERY long few months. Does it live up to my expectations? Honestly, yes. I recently I did a photoshoot with my D7000 and after a few hundred photos with a heavy lens my hand was cramping. On the D7000 I find that there is not enough room for my hand to hold the camera properly without my hands fatiguing quickly. The handgrip offers plenty of room for my pinky and the rest of my hand to hold the camera comfertably. Vertical shots are simply amazing now. Before the handgrip, vertical shooting made me curl my hand over the camera to depress the shutter button. The smarty-pants' at Nikon added another shutter button on the side of the grip so that vertical shots are the same as horizontal shots (the button ends up in the same place). I hated to see the money go but I love the benefits of my hand grip. I would reccomend this to anyone, and I can see why other photographers never shoot without one. 

So much for a weekend out. This tropical storm is ruining all of the FUN!