 One of our most interesting and unique prizes for our current photo contest “A Place of Beauty” is the LensBaby Control Freak Lens offered to the winner from one of our sponsor’s, George’s Camera. Many of you have not heard of Lensbaby ever because it is a relatively new and growing lens company. Learn the details, view links and more HERE By: Lauren Lopez San Diego Photographer Add Comment  Not only is this camera bag extremely convenient, masterfully constructed, and fashionable, this camera bag is the prize that is being offered for the 3rd place best judged photo along with $50 CASH in our current photography contest, “A Place of Beauty”! The awesome bag I am talking about is, the ThinkTank Photo Retrospective 20 in Pinestone color. This bag is constructed with foam inserts that are removable to customize your camera bag and protect your equipment. And like all of ThinkTank Photos equipment it is made with extreme quality materials and construction. The Retrospective series for ThinkTank Photo had the product designers to “blend the look and feel of “old-school” camera bags and infuse it with “new-school” features and technology for the digital imaging age. Check out the full blog entry, links, and more here Learn more about how to enter your photo in our contest to win a free camera bag plus $50 CASH  The reasoning behind getting a filter is sometimes hard to justify because honestly, no filter can substitute being at the right place with perfect natural lighting. But, that photographer’s heaven I just described is a lot harder to plan for and is mostly just the luck of the sun, clouds, and everything else falling right into place. So, when properly used, filters can transform that harsh or really any issue with lighting into an awesome shot. Filters allow a photographer to alter the natural settings into ideal lighting. Jason describes that a neutral density filter is a dark/tinted piece of glass that come in a variety of different shades. A neutral density filter “allows you to open your aperture wide open to have a shallow depth of field on a really light day” and can cut down excessive exposure editing after the fact. Out of all the different brands of filters, Jason recommends the Hoya ND8, for its amazing value and good quality. This specific filter is not the cream of the crop, but it cuts out enough light and the value makes it a very popular choice too. Check out full profile, links, and photos here Equipment Recommendation: Softbox 04/05/2012
 If you are interested in headshots, portraits or just elevating the lighting in your shoots to the professional grade, it is time to purchase a Softbox. A Soft box is a type of photographic lighting device. A good softbox will create even and diffused lighting on your subject by pushing light through a diffusing material or by "bouncing" light off a second surface to diffuse the light and make is softer and more even. This indirect light is perfect for headshots and portraits and fills in shadows on your subjects’ face creating a beautiful shot. The sides and back of the box are lined with a bright surface that is used as a reflector to create this soft light that works together with your flash to create the best lighting possible. Check out full blog, photos, and links here Equipment Recommendation: Slave Flash 04/05/2012
 A flash, while necessary in enhancing your capabilities as a photographer in all settings, can be expensive. But, what about when you need a slave flash to attach to a stand behind an umbrella, or place somewhere else off camera for even lighting? Well, please do NOT spend your money buying another Nikon/Canon High Performance Flash for these instances. We want you to be able to perform at the highest quality without taking a second mortgage out of your house to pay for it and that is why this week we are recommending an amazing slave flash at a even better price. The slave flash that has great quality at this amazing value is the Yongnuo YN-560 Speedlight Flash. Check out full blog, description, and more here Equipment Recommendation: Cleaning Equipment 04/05/2012
 So after months of recommending lenses, tri-pods, bags, flashes, batteries, it is truly time to recommend some of the cheapest and most important things for your camera. The equipment to clean your camera! You can invest money after money into your camera and the equipment for it, but not maintaining it can cause incredible damage. Something as simple as a piece of dust in the wrong place can alter or damage your camera. Eventually costing you even more to repair! So, in this recommendation I will be going over the main tips to generally clean your camera. Check out full blog, profile, and links here Equipment Recommendation: Telephoto Lens 04/05/2012
 There are so many lenses to choose from, I have a hard time choosing which one to invest my money into. But, Jason was sure to let me know, if you are comparing lenses you need to consider the following: Value (Price), Quality, Sharpness, and knowing what type of photographer you are. If you are really interested in Macro photography then we have recommended the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 lens in the past. If you love headshots, we have recommended the Canon & Nikon 85mm f/1.8 lens in the past. But, if you are a diverse photographer who wants an incredible lens they can use often or most of the time, Jason recommends the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8. This lens delivers beautifully sharp images from any focal length range and has a wide/fast aperture, which allows a wide range of composition. Jason was trying to narrow down the scope at which this lens can shoot and he kept going, listing Sports and Action photography, Portrait photography, Headshot photography and the list went on. So, to summarize, this lens is an overall must have! And I quote Jason, “This is a lens everyone should have in their bag”. Check out full blog, profile, links, and photos HERE Equipment Recommendation: Wireless Triggers 04/05/2012
 Whether you’re firing a remote camera mounted on the top of a car, or using TTL flash for a photo shoot, wedding, or family portrait, Phottix Strato II wireless triggering systems makes all these instances easy and convenient. A trigger is an essential piece of equipment for any photographer interested in using their flashes off camera for even and professionally lit photos. The Phottix Strato series gives photographers a reliable and confident control over their flashes and studio lights. Jason describes the standard features that any wireless trigger you look at should have like 2.4 GHz. Frequency, but he emphasizes to always check the wireless triggers distance, reliability, and durability. Phottix Strato II has these standards above and beyond the average and for a reasonable price. Equipped with four channels and four groups, this wireless trigger provides unparalleled control in the studio or on location. Check out full profile, recommendation, and links here Equipment Recommendation: Camera Strap 02/14/2012
 While I love taking my camera with me wherever I may go, the worst thing for me is the pain it causes my neck. I try to just deal with the cheap thin strap that comes with my camera but it is ridiculous. Not only does it hurt your neck, but it also hits right on your chest and when you bend down it flings forward with the chance of hitting something along the way. I could go on forever about how much I truly hate the straps that come with your camera, but this is a recommendation, not a slam session. With that said, this week we are recommending the answer to all of your camera strap prayers, the Black Rapid camera straps. To view full profile, links, and photos... Check out Full Blog Here By: Lauren Lopez San Diego Photographer Equipment Recommendation: Batteries 02/07/2012
 Sanyo ENELOOP Battery Recommendation Equipment for your camera ranges from the actual camera, like the body and lenses to the accessories, like the camera bag, strap, filters and more. And while all of those are great equipment to build your photography range with, there is something so simple that without it, you could be left without a working flash. You guessed it, BATTERIES! The things we wait until we have none left of and have to steal from the remote control before we are forced to go to the grocery store and hopefully buy enough to last until the end of the year. Batteries are not an accessory, but a necessity in life and something great to have by your side in photography. That is why this week Jason is recommending the re-usable Sanyo Eneloop Batteries. To view full blog, links, and profile... CHECK OUT OUR BLOG HERE By: Lauren Lopez San Diego Photographer |   CategoriesAll ArchivesMay 2012 |
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