Prior to the official launch of the 36-megapixel Nikon D800, Lindsay Silverman of Nikon came by the Professional Photographer office to let us have a quick hands-on demonstration with a “ready for production” prototype. While we were not allowed to keep any of the shots we made with the prototype, we are able to share our immediate impressions.

Physicality and ergonomics:

• The first thing you notice is the size of the camera. Without the optional grip with extra batteries and vertical release, it feels like a slightly beefed up version of the now venerable D700. Without actually sitting a D700 down beside it, the body felt roughly the same height and length but slightly deeper and maybe a little heavier.
• In FX (Nikon’s full-frame mode) approximately 100 percent of the vertical and horizontal image area can be seen through the viewfinder with camera control information in the surrounding black bezel.
• The control layout on the back of the camera, in the menus, and on the right hand side of the pentaprism is another evolutionary step from the D3 to the D700 to the D7000. New on the camera’s back side is a separate button for activating live view. There is a switch around the button to go from Live View for stills to video mode. The meter patterning control (Spot, Matrix, and Center-weighted) is now a smaller crown-type switch surrounding the AE-L / AF-L lock button.
• The controls on the top deck to the left of the pentaprism are different with a couple more options, again not a huge change, but the goal is to make more of the controls that photographers are likely to use physical rather than menu driven.
• On the front of the camera, the focus mode switch has been simplified to just two options, auto-focus and manual focus.
• The D800 uses the same EN-EL15 battery as the D7000. This will make life easier if you use the APS-C format D7000 as a second camera.
• As with the recently announced D4, once again Nikon goes with a mixed media card strategy: CF (Type I up to UDMA-7 compliant CompactFlash) and one SD. The SD slot can handle standard SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards.
• For tethered shooting there is a USB 3.0 connection. Why they did not go with a faster FireWire 800, Thunderbolt, or gigabit Ethernet connection (as with the D4) is anyone’s guess, but unless they know something that we commoners don’t know that isn’t great news for Mac computer users. But you can stream an uncompressed feed to an external drive through the high-resolution HDMI output if there is no media in the camera. The HDMI-ported signal can be viewed on an external monitor in parallel with the live view controls on the camera’s 3.2-inch (diagonal) 921,000 dot LCD.
• The built-in electronic level now has an indicator for pitch (fore/aft) as well as lateral leveling, and these are both now visible in the viewfinder as well as on the rear LCD.

Image Quality:

To state the obvious, the D800 and D800E have lots of resolution—36.3 megapixels to be exact—in a 7,360 x 4,912 pixel array spread over a 24x35.9mm Nikon-engineered CMOS sensor. Put another way, this FX camera has 50 percent more detail-gathering resolution than the highest resolution small-format DSLRs to date, the Nikon D3X, Canon ESO-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II and Sony Alpha A700, A900 and A77. More pixels means you can print larger or at higher resolution for standard sizes without interpolating, and you can also crop and retain image quality. If you photograph products or landscapes, or are just not are worried about moiré patterns, the slightly more expensive, limited edition D800 E variant with its less aggressive anti-aliasing filter may be more to your liking.

The native sensitivity range starts at ISO 100 and goes up to 6400 with two “Hi range” boosts. Hi-1 takes you to 12,800 and Hi-2 takes you to 25,600. There is also an ISO 50 equivalent Lo-1 setting. Image processing is done through Nikon’s EXPEED 3 processing engine. To rapidly push all of this information through the EXPEED 3 system, Nikon is using a 16-bit data pipeline with a 14-bit analog to digital (A/D) conversion. Output can take the form of 12 or 14 uncompressed; losslessly compressed, or lossy compressed NEFs, plus RGB TIFFs and JPEGs. There are three smaller format options available as well: a 5:4 ratio, a 1:1.2 “crop” and 15.4-megapixel resolution Nikon DX (APS-C) format. Full-frame continuous frame speed is 4 frames per second.

Shooting characteristics:

The D800 sports an “enhanced” Multi-Cam 3500-FX AF processing system matched with 51 AF sensor points, 15 of which are cross-type sensors. The autofocus range is said to be good down to -2 EV, light so dim that at ISO 100 it would take a 4-second exposure at f/1.4 for a subject to be rendered as medium gray. The system is optimized to recognize and lock on a human face even as it moves across the frame. In our brief tests it did this very well. One of the methods this is accomplished is by tying the AF system to the new 91,000-pixel sensor used by the new 3D Color Matrix Metering III system. By comparison, the D700’s 3D Color Matrix Metering II system used a 1,005-pixel sensor.

Video quality:

Judging by the video we were shown, this is the best looking digital video we have seen out of a DSLR, no rolling shutter problems, terrific dynamic range, and very solid blacks.

Pricing and availability:

Nikon has set the MSRP for the D800 at $2,999.95 and the D800E’s MSRP at $3,299.95. The D800 should start showing up on shelves by the end of March with the D800E variant available starting in mid-April.

Mid-number software upgrades rarely impress me. When Adobe’s Creative Suite had an inter-number upgrade, from 5.0 to 5.5, I was expecting just the usual bug fixes and minor adjustments. But buried in After Effects is a real “WOW!!” feature I would expect in a whole-point release. This new feature should really amaze and wow video shooters and the vast army of still shooters venturing into the video realm. The name for this feature, Warp Stabilization sounds like a feature you’d hear in an old Star Trek episode. “Captain, the Wrap Stabilization has seized up! She can't hold on much longer!”

Warp Stabilization is just Adobe’s name for a feature that takes shaky video footage and, well, stabilizes it to look like you used a Steadicam or shot the scene with your camera mounted on a dolly. It really doesn’t sound like much until you see it in action. Then your jaw drops. To me this feature alone is worth the total price of After Effects. The first video here is the raw footage, and the video embedded below it is the stabilized version.

What really blows my mind is not just what it does, which is amazing and magical, but the fact that it’s so automatic and simple. It’s drag and drop. There have been ways to stabilize shaky sequences before, but you had to know what you were doing, you had to find a fixed point, play with the parameters, input numbers. It took a lot of time, skill and praying. With CS 5.5, you drag and drop Warp Stabilization adjustment into the video sequence and After Effects does it all in a shockingly easy and fast way. No entering numbers, moving sliders, or looking up complex steps in the manual. It analyzes the footage on its own, and then processes the clip in the computer’s background, so you can continue working on something else, like more photo editing, web surfing, or solitaire. No waiting for spinning beach balls or slow status bars.

While it’s at it, fixing your shaky take behind the curtain, it also fixes another inherent problem prevalent with DSLR footage—the cursed rolling shutter artifacts. 

I prefer camera bags designed for a moderate amount gear that you can carry and maneuver around with without knocking lamps off the furniture every time you turn around. The Lowepro Pro Messenger 180 AW and the Chrome Niko fit that bill, and provide a lot of features that are important when you want to travel or explore a city while carrying lean, and when you have a shoot that doesn't require a suitcase full of gear. My big requirements are comfort, security and light weight.

At first glance, I thought the Chrome Niko was going to be one of those bags that only guys and chicly flat-chested women could wear comfortably, and that it would never even look right on me, but I was wrong. I found out that by lengthening the seat-belt style sling strap, it hangs rather nicely. Much better than other sling bag styles I’ve tried. It sits comfortably, low on my back, with the padded section of the strap hanging across my shoulder where it should, and the metal buckle components falling just below my clavicle. It weighs 2.3 pounds, compared to the Lowepro’s 3.4 pounds, and it feels like half of that is in the buckle. For security, the Niko has buckles that cross over the main zipper to foil theft while you’re wearing it in crowded spaces, and a waterproof main zipper to keep out rain, though it also makes it a little more difficult to unzip.

The Niko has the smaller capacity of the two. By my own measurement, the main compartment is 11x8x5. You could carry a DSLR with lens, an extra lens and a speedlight flash comfortably with no problem. The top compartment could hold an extra flash, water bottle, or modern necessities like a phone or backup drive. The top compartment is the only easy-access exterior pocket. There is a flat, water-protected pocket on the main interior for memory cards. The Velcro placement on the side straps makes them suitable for only the slimmest of tripods, better for holding a light rain jacket really.

The Niko construction is a bit stiff and the shell padding is formidable. It comes with the standard, Velcro-attach padded dividers that most camera bags have.

“Sketching Light: An Illustrated Tour of the Possibilities of Flash”
By Joe Mc Nally
Part of the series, “Voices That Matter,” published by New Riders Press

Read an excerpt from “Sketching Light"

Every well-known successful photographer you can think of knows how to use light to tell stories. By “well known” and “successful,” I don’t mean someone with thousands of friends and followers on social networking sites, I mean photographers who make their living and reputation by working for real-world clients. You likely have your favorites; mine are Dan Winters, Gregory Heisler, Matthew Jordan Smith, Nick Knight and Joe McNally. Perhaps no one on my list is as broadly influential as Joe McNally, mostly because he has successfully taken on the challenge of using social networks and teaching what he knows through seminars, workshops and books.

Fortune has favored McNally with resilience and a great sense of self-deprecating humor. He seems to approach assignments big and small with equally intense levels of preparation, energy and flexibility. Fortunately for us, he brings these traits to his fourth how-to book, “Sketching Light: An Illustrated Tour of the Possibilities of Flash” (New Riders Press).

In this lighting cookbook, McNally provides abundant recipes and results, complete with copious notes, diagrams and “war stories.” These are not the kind of lighting formulas that mandate placing Light A with Modifier X at a 32-degree angle to the left, slightly above and 6 feet from the subject, and placing Light B with Modifier Y here or there with specific key-to-fill-to-accent ratios—you get the point. Instead, McNally gets you to thinking about how to generate and use light to help the story you want the photograph to tell, and to make that story engage with the viewer’s imagination. Even if you think you already know a lot about lighting, I bet you’ll pick up more than a few good ideas from “Sketching Light.”

And really, the book really isn’t so much about how to make nice with light, but how to live. In the first lines in the introduction, he writes:

The key word on the cover of this book is not “flash,” or even “light.” It’s the word “possibilities.” Because that is, at its core, what this book is about. It isn’t about pictures that already exist. It’s about what might be possible to create, in terms of pictures, if you experiment with light.

Excerpted from “Sketching Light” by Joe McNally. Copyright © 2012. Used with permission of Pearson Education, Inc. and New Riders.

Read the Professional Photographer review of “Sketching Light”

Every once in a while, you try something on a wing and a prayer, and you get a picture that works. You gave it just about zero chance of success when you put the light out there, and then it’s so absurdly first-frame simple, you have one of those “coulda had a V8” moments back at the LCD. Which, of course, you then try to cover up by assuming a knew-it-all-along look, a confident nod, and a quiet, murmured, “Think I’ll just shoot a few more of these.”

I was on the main plaza in pre-dawn Venice, which is the only time of day that beautiful, historic place is not a sea of backpacks and a jumble of accents and languages. The sun was up and light was bounding out on the waterways, but I was struck by the cool, beautiful nature of the ancient arches, where open shade still ruled.

When trying to work simply and influence a scene with just one small flash, open shade can be your best friend. You don’t have to stress the light by fighting the high, hard sun, and the muted tones introduce the possibility of effectively influencing the color palette of the scene without bringing in movie grip trucks.

This setup was, as I indicated above, crazy simple. I used the little plastic floor stand that comes with the SB-900, put a full CTO warming gel on the light, took off the dome diffuser, and zoomed the flash head to 200mm so the light spread would remain pretty tight, and placed it out there on the ancient stones of the plaza. The zoom feature helps in directing the light right to the dancer, and also keeping floor spill to a minimum. As worn as they are, the tiles on the plaza will pick up light and reflect it pretty well, so if your light is zoomed wide and splashes everywhere, you got a problem. Zooming the light tight sends it where it needs to go—to the dancer—and minimizes the telltale photon path on the floor. A hint of light works fine. A big, blown highlight is not okay. Nuking the floor is always a concern, obviously, when you actually place the light down there. I didn’t need to employ this tactic here, but a couple of simple swatches of gaffer tape on the floor side of the flash head, serving as cutters or flags, works really well, as shown here.

I just happened to have a ballerina with me. I’d suggested dancers to the group I was shooting with, and it was a notion they embraced vigorously. Bringing a dancer onto the Plaza Venezia in dawn light is definitely stacking the deck in your favor, kinda like flying in a sure thing, but it’s a good thought when seeking subjects for flash portraits. It’s certainly better than wandering the streets hoping an ancient drunk with an interesting hat stumbles into a beautiful highlight. (Unless, of course, you’re street shooting and looking for happenstance. Different mission altogether.)

The Wacom Inkling is a real pen that captures your pen strokes on any paper. When you’re done drawing or writing, just plug the receiver into your computer, access the image, and edit as desired in Photoshop or other image-editing application. 

The Wacom Inkling pen and receiver (clipped onto paper).

While it may have more appeal for graphic and illustration artists, I immediately thought of ways the Inkling could be used practically in a photographer's business, too. I could use it to take notes during client consultations, marking areas of a proof the client wants fixed or sketching notes for a wall collage, all of which could be stored digitally with the client's other information and image files. On the client side, I thought the Inkling would be a great tool for personalizing portraits. For instance, I could have my clients sign their name for their wallet-size portraits, or write a note to put into their wedding album. It all sounds good in theory. My next step was to put it into practice and see how well the Inkling would work for my ideas.

To begin, clip the receiver to your paper, and push the power button. Every time you clip/unclip the receiver, it starts a new drawing. There’s also a button on the receiver you can push to start a new layer while you are drawing. These layers are saved into the image and can be exported to Photoshop as layers. When you first turn on the receiver, it displays a red light that switches to green once the pen is active.

By Theano Nikitas

Few professions are more equipment-dependent than photography. Yet regardless of how well you maintain your gear, things can go wrong. In addition to back-up equipment, you should carry the number of the nearest photo rental service. If you’re a professional photographer, there are some other solutions not only for emergencies, but for year-round peace of mind.

We spoke with three of the major camera manufacturers about their programs and services for full-time professionals. It might the perfect time to check them out. If you are a PPA member who has opted in to receive the $15,000 of equipment insurance from PhotoCare, that policy would serve as a secondary policy to these plans and could be used to assist with additional expenses related to covered losses.

Image courtesy of Canon Professional Services

Canon USA

The recently revamped Canon Professional Services (CPS) is a three-tier program, beginning with a no-cost entry level. The program is now based on a point system that, according to CPS, is more pro-centered than the earlier program. Each piece of professional gear is assigned a number of CPS points, which cumulatively determine the photographer’s tier of coverage. Qualifying gear includes a long list of camera bodies, lenses, camcorders, flash, wireless transmitters, battery grips and the new PIXMA Pro 1 printer. Most of the EOS line of camera bodies qualify, from the EOS-1Ds Mark III (10 points) through and models such as the 60D (4 points) and older bodies. Lenses and extenders range from 2 to 16 points, with accessories like wireless transmitters at 1 to 2 points each. You’ll find the list of qualifying equipment on the CPS website, along with a list of products that qualify for repair.

Free membership at the Silver level requires 10 CPS points. Benefits include a CPS website profile and program info, CPS ID card and PIN, event support, 24/7 phone support via exclusive member hotline, and repair turnaround of three to five days.

Want to achieve a beautifully lit image in any conditions? Master three lighting techniques and you can make it gorgeous anywhere.

In today’s fast-paced world of photography, you have to produce on demand, no matter what the conditions may be. This is especially true for wedding photographers. You can’t change the date of the shoot, so you must be able adapt to ever-changing lighting and weather conditions.

But whether you’re a portrait or wedding photographer, time is money; the more efficiently you can use your surroundings and enhance the light, the more effectively you can deliver above average consistent results. We practice and perfect our capture and lighting strategies so that we can tackle any assignment. We know them backward and forward so that we can implement them seamlessly.

Three lighting techniques should be part of any modern photographer’s repertoire: the use of available light, off-camera flash, and video light techniques.

Available light techniques revolve around working in open shade and using a reflector to accentuate and shape the light on the mask of the face. I use Radio Poppers and Nikon SB800 flashes for my off-camera flash and employ the camera’s high-speed sync capabilities to transform any average scene into a very dramatic one. Video lights enable us to capture images in modern hotels and subtly light the subject’s face without overpowering the background. This method is very fast and what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG).

In these two examples, you can easily see how good dim hotel lighting can look when you add a video light.

I was covering a wedding at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando, and I was very attracted to the lighting fixtures in this restaurant. By borrowing the videographer's light, I was able to get my shot in three mintues.

I could not get the light right in her face, so I asked her to look down at her flowers, thus creating a cool full-length image that shows off her dress and provides an establishing shot of the wedding venue. I used a Nikon D700 with a 24-70mm lens at 38mm, and the exposure is 1/60 second at f/2.8, ISO 1250.

I chose the setting below to capture an image for a different hotel.

I had an assistant hold a Lowell id-light off camera, up and to the left, to light the mask of her face.

I used the Nikon D700 with 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, this time at 24mm, exposing for 1/60 second at f/2.8, ISO 800.

Look for more examples of Damon Tucci's location lighting in the February Wedding Issue of Professional Photographer magazine.

Damon Tucci has been a professional photographer in Central Florida for the past 20 years and has photographed over 2,500 weddings. His award-winning work has been published in Professional Photographer, Rangefinder, Studio Photography and Design, InStyle Weddings, People, Brides and a host of other publications.

Come learn from Damon Tucci at Imaging USA, January 15-17

In My Head: Tapping into the Photographer Mindset
Tuesday, Jan. 17, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
Want to create beautiful images anywhere, anytime? Who doesn’t? Join celebrity wedding and portrait photographer Damon Tucci to learn a methodology and mindset for producing exceptional images on demand. He will delve deep into the psyche of the photo creation process to show you how simple it can be … if you have the acute understanding of timing and technique that he’ll share! You’ll also learn about modern posing and lighting techniques, including off-camera speed lights, available lighting, strobe and video. Come learn Damon’s tried-and-true formula (and reap the benefits).

Perfect Layers from onOne Software is destined to be as much of a workflow game-changer for photographers at all levels as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has turned out to be. Installed as a stand-alone application or as a plug-in for Lightroom or Apple Aperture, Perfect Layers provides much of the layer and masking functionality for which Photoshop or Photoshop Elements was needed in the past.

I count myself among the many photographers who resisted using Lightroom when it was first released, and now I find myself using Lightroom for most of my editing and raw conversion. I have come to regret the times I must leave Lightroom and open Photoshop in order to blend in a better sky in a landscape photo or swap a head in a group shot. With Perfect Layers, these changes and many more are possible within Lightroom and Aperture, and within Perfect Layers itself when you open it as a stand-alone application.

While Perfect Layers performs many layer and masking functions, it is not a total replacement for Photoshop. Perfect Layers can’t create text layers, vector masks, layer styles (darn, no drop shadow), adjustment layers, paths, alpha channels, Smart Objects, layer groups or clipping paths. And if you created a file in Photoshop with any of these attributes and tried to open it in Perfect Layers, Perfect Layers opens a flattened copy of the file. Otherwise, Perfect Layers opens layered PSD files. It also saves the layers you create while using Perfect Layers in the native Photoshop PSD file format that you can open in Photoshop, Photoshop Elements or again in Perfect Layers.

For photographers who don’t own or have sworn off of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, you can use all of the capabilities of Perfect Layers as a stand-alone app or through Lightroom or Aperture, and save the finished image as a flattened TIFF or JPEG file rather than a PSD. You will lose all of the layer information of course.

Creating toned images with a texture overlay from a color capture only takes a couple of minutes in Perfect Layers. I selected a color image and created a virtual copy in Lightroom. I converted the virtual copy to a contrasty monochrome image in Lightroom and exported it to Perfect Layers. Then I added a color fill layer for toning and imported a texture. After adjusting both to my liking I saved the image back to Lightroom. In Lightroom I added a vignette and exported the image. ©Stan Sholik

Epiphanie
*emera
ONA
Jill-e
Jo Totes
Kelly Moore Bag
Dre Hartmann Camera Bags
THEIT

Give yourself a present this holiday season with one of these stylish, go-anywhere camera bags guaranteed to suit your taste and budget.

The rules for my bag-tests were simple.  I selected camera and electronic equipment I owned and used frequently both for personal and professional photography.  With the exception of iPad / e-reader sleeves and laptop pockets, I did not fill any exterior or interior pockets with additional items.  I only filled each bag’s interior compartment.  In order to create additional storage space (exactly how I would carry the bag and contents for personal use), I did not always use all of the removable protective padding included with each bag.

Everything shown photographed in the “what fits” image had to not only fit inside the bag, but also allow the zipper on the bag to close* – and each bag had to remain closed and stay closed when worn on my shoulder. 

*The Kelly Moore Posey, would not zipper shut with the gear shown inside.  However, it did close via the magnetic top-flaps when extended.

My test equipment included:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D
• Nikon SB-800
• Lensbaby 2.0
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Apple 15” MacBook Pro
• Speck SeeThru Case for MacBook Pro
• Abie Designs camera strap
• Lomography Diana F+ Medium Format Camera
• Holga 120SF Medium Format Camera

Epiphanie

Maile Wilson has been a professional photographer for fifteen years.  Maile designed Epiphanie bags to be practical enough to use during a photo session but versatile enough to bring to a ballet recital, concert, or a girls weekend out. Epiphanie bags are a stylish and functional way to transport your camera everywhere you go, without the need to wrap your camera in a hand towel, sweatshirt, or diaper before shoving it in your purse.

Clover – Shown in Grey and Camel

My favorite feature:  When I shoot studio sessions, I just toss my bag wherever it lands and get to work. This bag is large enough to hold all my gear and then some, it’s sturdy enough to take the abuse I dish out, and pretty enough to go out shopping with me afterwards.

Exterior is made of water-resistant, high quality synthetic leather. Interior is crafted with extra padding for maximum equipment protection.  Velcro panels can be adjusted and moved to any position for maximum customization and flexibility. Also includes removable padded cross-body strap for extra support. Bag features two exterior pockets, one with zipper. Clover has a zipper top closure, with one zippered interior pocket.

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple 15” MacBook Pro
• Speck SeeThru Case for MacBook Pro
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 18 x 6.25 x 13” – $184.99

Lyric – Shown in Plum and Mustard

My favorite feature:  This is the perfect “hug your body” bag – with the cross-body strap you can easily wear Lyric while you shoot with your gear always at your fingertips.

Exterior is made of water-resistant, high quality synthetic leather. Interior is crafted with extra padding for maximum equipment protection. Three Velcro panels can be adjusted and moved to any position for maximum customization & flexibility. Includes two removable straps, including a padded cross-body strap for extra support. Lyric has three exterior pockets (including one to accommodate iPad), and one interior pocket with zipper.

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon SB-800
• Lensbaby 2.0
• Apple iPad2
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 13 x 4 x 15” – $154.99

The Ginger - Shown in Slate Blue

My favorite feature: The bag is deceptively large – it could hold quite a bit without feeling like you were carrying all that much.

Exterior is water-resistant, high quality synthetic leather. Interior crafted with extra padding for maximum equipments protection. Velcro panels can be adjusted and moved to any position for maximum customization & flexibility. Removable cross-body strap with padding for extra support, four exterior pockets with zippers, one netted pocket for easy access to batteries, memory cards, etc., and one interior pocket with zipper. 

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 14 x 8 x 10”. $164.99.

The Lola - Shown in Black

My favorite feature: The bag is sturdy and well-padded – so your gear is well-protected without advertising what your stylish handbag has inside.

Exterior is water-resistant, high quality synthetic leather. Interior crafted with extra padding for maximum equipment protection. Velcro panels can be adjusted and moved to any position for maximum customization and flexibility. Removable cross-body strap with padding for extra support, two exterior pockets, and one interior pocket with zipper. 

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 14 x 8 x 12”. $164.99.

The Paris - Shown in Purple

My favorite feature: With the amount of electronics and camera equipment this bag can hold, it would be a perfect carry-on.

Exterior is water-resistant, high quality synthetic leather. Interior crafted with extra padding for maximum equipment protection. Velcro panels can be adjusted and moved to any position for maximum customization and flexibility. Removable cross-body strap with padding for extra support, one exterior pocket, and one interior pocket with zipper. 

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple 15” MacBook Pro
• Speck SeeThru Case for MacBook Pro
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 18 x 6 x 11”. $184.99.

The Stella - Shown in Pink

My favorite feature: Even when loaded, it was very easy to get gear in and out – and also zipper closed.

Exterior is water-resistant, high quality synthetic leather. Interior crafted with extra padding for maximum equipment protection. Velcro panels can be adjusted and moved to any position for maximum customization & flexibility. Removable cross-body strap with padding for extra support, five exterior pockets with zippers, and one interior pocket with zipper. 

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon SB-800
• Lensbaby 2.0
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 14 x 8 x 8”. $164.99.

*emera

Designer Nathiya Prahnadi learned how to use a camera to do product shots for her jewelry business, Pineapple Seed. After being fed up with stashing her camera in her purse, and unable to find a bag that didn’t look like a box, she used her background in product development and FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) degree to make her own camera bag. *emera bags are well-designed and constructed to be user friendly with contents easily accessible.

Circle Print Tote

My favorite feature: The coated canvas won’t spot or stain if you need to set your bag down – it’s truly resistant to weather and the elements.

An ideal merger of function and style, this is the Circle Print canvas designed to store and protect your professional photo gear. Worry not about your prized DSLR, your pricey lenses and sensitive power supply stuff.

• Water-resistant PU coated canvas with soft leather straps and trim
• Zipper top for security
• Quick-access outside pockets for phone, keys, ID badge and emergency mints
• Generous interior zip pocket for very important accessories
• Large interior compartment for iPad, magazines, and file folders
• Modular Velcro dividers create seven padded, customizable compartments
• Durable canvas interior lining
• Small metal feet help protect the bottom of the bag

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 15 x 11 x 6” – $169.00

Green Messenger

My favorite feature: Good things come in small packages and this messenger lets you pack the essentials safely without breaking your back (or the bank).

There are times when you don’t need to carry a standard sized bag. A short trip, for example - or if you’re just toting a small camera, an iPad and a little lunch. Enter the Messenger, economic in stature yet generous in stash-ability. It has four flexible padded compartments and a deep inside zip pocket. Wear it across the body courier-style to keep your hands free.

• Water-resistant PU coated canvas with soft leather straps and trim
• Comfy shoulder pad on the strap
• Top flap whips closed and stays closed thanks to magnetic buttons
• Flap has zipper pocket roomy enough for a small notebook
• Wide back pocket – ideal for your phone
• Interior zip pocket for passport, tickets, and snacks
• Modular Velcro dividers for flexible organizing
• Durable canvas interior lining
• Small metal feet help protect the bottom of the bag

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon SB-800
• Abie Designs camera strap
• Lomography Diana F+ Medium Format Camera

Measures: 10.5 x 9 x 4.5” – $129.00

ONA

Tracy Foster launched ONA with a simple vision: to offer style-conscious photographers and photography enthusiasts camera bags and accessories that complement their life and style. Each ONA camera bag is handcrafted from premium materials and designed to blend the functionality of traditional camera bags with contemporary styling. ONA camera bags are produced in limited quantities to ensure that an unparalleled level of attention is paid to every detail.

The Union Street – Shown in Smoke

My favorite feature: These bags live up to their philosophy and have style in abundance – the design is beautiful and the attention to detail is impeccable. (My husband wants one and he doesn’t even own a DSLR!)

The Union Street is a sleek alternative to the ubiquitous, boxy camera bag we know all too well. Made with fine cotton canvas that’s been infused with wax to enhance its strength and durability, the bag is designed to hold everything you need for a day on the go. The interior is lined with soft protective padding and includes 5 removable, customizable dividers plus a removable divider for your laptop.

• Handcrafted with premium Waxwear
• Leather detail and base
• Classic tuck-lock closure
• Antique brass hardware
• Adjustable shoulder strap

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple 15” MacBook Pro
• Speck SeeThru Case for MacBook Pro
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 16.5 x 11 x 5" – $279.00

Jill-e

Jill-e Designs has been designing bags for the last five years, realizing that the power of function and fashion can be captured in one bag. Jill-e was created to answer the need for every photography lover looking for the perfect bag to carry their gear safely and securely with a little bit of flair to match their creative style. Jill-e designs their collections using only the finest materials including top grade leather, durable, dependable hardware and stylish details.

Jill-e is the leading manufacturer of fashionable, high performance carry bags with built-in protection…not only for cameras, but also for all of today's delicate electronic devices essential to an on-the-go lifestyle.

Bone and Red Medium Classic Collection

My favorite feature: As a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, and someone who’s heart bleeds crimson and cream, this bag is definitely Sooner-approved. I bought it for my personal collection right after it made its debut. It is large enough to use for sessions, small enough to carry as a combination camera / handbag, and the matching accessories pouch is great for flash cards and batteries.

Top grade, weather-resistant leather and fashion colors will turn heads your way. 

• Padded exterior walls protect your equipment and essentials
• Dual zipper top entry for one-handed access to contents
• Convenient back pocket converts for trolley pass-through
• Adjustable dividers for interior flexibility and customization
• Dual carrying handles and removable padded, adjustable shoulder strap
• Matching zipper-pouch to hold personal items
• External storage pockets and internal netted pocket

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Abie Designs camera strap
• Jill-e Zipper Pouch

Measures: 14 x 8 x 9.5" – $239.99

Laptop Valise E-GO Collection

My favorite feature: For a medium-to-large camera bag, this retains the feel of a smaller carry-all with twice the storage. The bag is not rigid so it fits snugly against your body.

For all your daily essential needs. A comfortable way to carry your laptop and camera around town or pack as a carry-on for your next on-location shoot.

• Stylish and weather-resistant with durable leather trim
• Padded compartment for computer, tablet, or e-reader
• Top zipper closure to secure electronics and personal belongings
• Pockets on all outer panels and inside zippered pocket for personal items
• Interior compartments for smart phone, passport and essentials
• Pouches specific for pens, cards and glasses
• Key keeper and convenient ID tag
• Comfortable handles with 8.5" drop

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple 15” MacBook Pro
• Speck SeeThru Case for MacBook Pro
• Abie Designs camera strap
• Holga 120SF Medium Format Camera

Measures: 15.5 x 6 x 12.5” – $169.00

Everywear Gadget Bag

My favorite feature: I love the matching protective sleeve included for tablets. It protects the device and provides more storage space than a candy-shell cover would allow.

The new Everywear Gadget Bag has the dimensions of a typical purse and is equipped with dual 9.5” drop leather carrying handles. Inside it features pro-quality padding and dividers – plus photo accessories and personal items. There’s also a protective sleeve pocket to secure a tablet, e-reader or similar device.

• Stylish, high-quality, weather-resistant nylon exterior
• Durable top-grain leather accent trim
• Quality top zipper guards entry, makes access to your belongings easy
• Padded exterior walls to protect your gear
• Multiple internal and external pockets for lifestyle essentials
• Task-specific and hideaway pouches for pens, glasses, personal items

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon SB-800
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 12 x 7 x 10" – $99.99

Jo Totes

April Johansen created Jo Totes to provide ladylike bags for women to safely carry their cameras and a lens or two on a daily basis, at photo shoots, and while traveling. Bags are designed to protect and organize while providing customizable style.

Betsy – Shown in Chocolate

My favorite feature: I’ve never seen a messenger bag that utilizes the storage space in the flap – the hidden zipper pocket on the front flap is simply brilliant and frees up so much more interior space.

With a slim design, numerous pockets, and choice of either cross-body or shoulder strap, Betsy works great for both photo shoots and day trips.

• Exterior material: soft, top quality faux leather
• Interior fabric: cotton
• Protective foam sewn into lining on all four sides and bottom of bag
• Three adjustable interior pads
• Removable shoulder strap and shoulder pad
• Removable and adjustable cross-body strap
• Main compartment closes with a zipper
• Exterior features zippered front flap with hidden pocket; large zippered back pocket; two front pockets with hidden magnetic closure

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 11 x 15.5 x 4" – $109.00

Rose – Shown in Pewter

My favorite feature: This truly looks like a chic, feminine handbag – it would be a perfect cross-over for a morning of shooting and an afternoon out, without first heading home to change bags.

The vintage-inspired Rose handbag features a rosette, pleated sides and front panel, and zippered pockets for your odds and ends. The vintage detail includes a durable and smooth-gliding metal zipper.

Rose makes a great day bag with protective padding for carrying your camera and an extra lens, along with your purse items, while out and about.

• Exterior material: lambskin pattern, water-resistant, top quality faux leather
• Interior fabric: cotton
• 1/2" foam sewn into lining on all four sides and bottom of bag
• Five adjustable 1/2" foam pads (two with soft Velcro panels for horizontal placement)
• Removable and adjustable cross-body strap
• Optional-use magnetic closures on top for times when your bag is less full, or for quick-access in lieu of using zipper
• 8" drop from shoulder
• Exterior: pleated sides; large zippered back pocket; pleated front panel
• Interior pockets: two open pockets; one zippered pocket
• Four metal feet to protect the bottom of the bag

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Abie Designs camera strap
• wallet

Measures: 16 3/4 x 11 x 6" – $89.00

The Millie - Shown in Pewter

My favorite feature: The bag snaps shut on the bottom of the bag rather than the side, so if your gear shifts even slightly outward, it won’t pop the snap open.

Smaller bag for the days you don't want to carry all your gear, but still want your camera handy. The exterior is a lambskin pattern pleated front.  Bag is made of water-resistant, top quality faux leather in pewter, with black-brushed nylon interior. 1/2" foam is sewn into the lining of all four sides and the bottom of the bag for extra protection.  Includes two adjustable pads made from 1/2" foam, an adjustable cross-body strap, removable shoulder pad, large zippered back pocket, and an additional large zippered pocket under front flap. 

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• HTC Evo Shift 4G phone
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 9 3/4 x 11 x 4". $87.00.

Kelly Moore Bag

Five years ago, Kelly Moore started sketching and dreaming about having a handbag/lens bag line. As a photographer and a woman, she was always left wanting more when it came to options for a stylish, functional bag to carry equipment during photo sessions. Kelly sat down and made a wish list of everything that she wanted in a great bag, and now that wishlist has come to life!

2 Sues – Shown in Raspberry

My favorite feature: Collapsible top construction and rigid bottom construction allows the bag to hug your body while also protecting the gear inside.

The 2 Sues bag by Kelly Moore doesn’t have a front and back, hence the name. Both sides are considered the front. Bag includes two padded, removable, adjustable dividers and one padded, removable, adjustable iPad divider. The exterior walls and bottom of the bag are padded. 2 Sues comes with a shoulder pad and removable 10” shoulder straps, plus a removable long messenger strap that extends to up to 56".

• Made of water resistant, man-made materials
• Antique brass hardware
• Side buckles
• Wallet-style zip-pocket on one front for flash cards and credit cards

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 14 x 5.5 x 13” – $199.00

B-Hobo – Shown in Grassy Green

My favorite feature: The bag is deceptively large without feeling like it and held much more than I expected it to – a fashionable camera bag that doesn’t scream “take my Nikon, please”!

The Kelly Moore Hobo has two 4.5x5” front zipper pockets, two 4.5x3.5” side pockets, and one back 9x5” zipper pocket. The front has a small flap with hidden magnetic closure and zipper top.

• Made of water-resistant man-made material
• Two padded, removable, adjustable Velcro dividers create up to three sections inside for gear
• Exterior walls and bottom of the bag are padded
• Two straps and shoulder pad are included - one for wearing over the shoulder, and one for wearing cross-body (up to 56")
• Bag stands on its own
• Pearl silver hardware

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 15 x 4 x 10.5" – $169.00

The Kelly Boy – Shown in Brown

My favorite feature: This is my go-to bag for outdoor park and beach sessions due to its size and shape – the bag stands on its own, the contents are easily accessible, and the magnetic flap allows for a quick open/close.

The Kelly Boy Bag isn’t just for boys! (I happen to own one myself.) The bag features one large front zipper pocket, two additional front zipper pockets, two side pockets and a large 16” open back pocket with hidden magnetic closure. The messenger flap has a hidden magnetic closure to keep everything inside secure, and can hold up to a 15” laptop or iPad / e-reader.

• Made of water-resistant man-made material
• Three padded, removable, adjustable Velcro dividers offer up to four sections inside
• Removable laptop divider
• Exterior walls and bottom of the bag are padded
• Adjustable strap (up to 56") with shoulder pad
• Silver hardware

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Abie Designs camera strap
• Holga 120SF Medium Format Camera

Measures: 16 x 11.5 x 4.5" – $199.00

The JuJu – Shown in Muted Teal

My favorite feature: This bag would work great as travel + camera bag – it held a camera body with grip, speedlight, three lenses, an iPad, and a 15” laptop – and still had room for a few more personal items.

The JuJu is a tank, yet still remains feminine and “pretty”. The front has a 6x6" pocket with flap and two 3x6" open pockets. Two 6x6” pockets with flaps grace the sides. And the back includes an 11" zipper pocket.

• Made of water-resistant man-made materials
• Two over-the-shoulder straps or one removable messenger strap (up to 60”) and shoulder pad
• Five padded, removable, adjustable dividers
• Exterior walls and bottom of bag are padded
• Pearl finished silver hardware

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Apple 15” MacBook Pro
• Speck SeeThru Case for MacBook Pro
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 11.5 x 16 x 8" – $249.99

The Mimi – Shown in Black

My favorite feature: Although I only used the iPad pocket, after packing the bag with gear, I still felt like it had enough additional storage space remaining to fill with just as many personal items.

The Mimi has two 5.5x5.5" zipper pockets on the front and a 9.5x6" zipper pocket on the back, plus an additional 11.5x9" open pocket for an iPod or e-reader.

• Made of water-resistant man-made materials
• Five padded, removable, adjustable dividers
• Exterior walls and bottom of the bag are padded
• Two over the shoulder 6.5” straps and one removable long messenger strap with shoulder pad (up to 56")
• Gun metal hardware

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Abie Designs camera strap
• wallet

Measures: 13.5 x 7.5 x 9" – $199.00

The Posey – Shown in Almost Black

My favorite feature: What this bag lacks in size, it makes up for in function – the front zip and snap pocket saves valuable interior space usually reserved for flash card holders and wallets.

The Posey is the convertible of camera bags – take it for a spin with the top up or down! The front features a 7.5” zipper pocket, an 8" pocket with flap, and a 7.5x7.5" compact flash and credit card holder.  The back of the bag has a 13" Open Pocket that will fit an iPad or e-reader. Posey’s top closes by zipper with an additional magnetic closure.

• Made of water resistant, man-made material
• Adjustable messenger strap with shoulder pad (up to 56")
• Silver hardware
• Two padded, removable, adjustable dividers
• Exterior walls and bottom of the bag are padded

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Apple iPad2
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures (flaps up): 15 x 13 x 3"
Measures (flaps down): 9 x 13 x 3" – $159.00

The Libby – Shown in Orange

My favorite feature: I love the bold color of this bag! Gone are the days of black or brown canvas. This bag has interior storage down to the equator and brightens up the dullest of winter days.

The Libby sports two 6.5x7.5" zipper pockets and one 10.5" zipper pocket on the front, two 6.5x8.5" open pockets on the sides, and one 11" zipper pocket large enough to hold an iPad or e-reader on the back. Libby will hold up to a 17” laptop.

• Made of water resistant, man-made materials
• Five padded, removable, adjustable dividers
• One laptop divider
• Antiqued brass hardware
• Two 11” over the shoulder straps and removable long messenger strap with shoulder pad (up to 56”)
• Exterior walls and bottom of the bag are padded

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Apple 15” MacBook Pro
• Speck SeeThru Case for MacBook Pro
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 16 x 6.5 x 13.5" – $249.00

Dre Hartmann Camera Bags

The Monaco Satchel - Shown in Navy Blue with White Leather

My favorite feature: The color - it’s absolutely striking and a combo you don’t often see in camera/handbags. The ring-lock mechanism on the straps is also quite unique.

The Monaco Satchel has detachable leather top handles and an optional cross body strap for added comfort when traveling with heavier gear. There are 2 small pockets on each side of the bag, a larger zipper pocket on the rear side of the bag, and a small, deep zipper pocket on the inside of the bag. The Monaco is made of 100% luggage quality weight cotton canvas with genuine leather details.

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 15.5 x 6.5 x 17.5” with top handles and 11” high without top handles. $200.00.

The Cameron Hobo

My favorite feature: The body is not rigid and easily hugs your body when carried.

The Cameron bag has detachable, padded velcro dividers, an adjustable shoulder strap, and a large outer pocket on the rear side. The Cameron is constructed of 100% luggage quality weight cotton canvas with genuine leather details. 

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 50mm f/1.4G
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 15.5 x 6 x 17.5” with top handles and 8” high without top handles. $200.00.

THEIT

The Bossi Bag - Shown in Gravel

My favorite feature: Because the padded insert and dividers are fully removable the bag can be easily converted from a camera bag to a purse, and back again!

The Bossi Bag has convenient dual carrying handles and a detachable cross body gold chain strap. The customizable padded dividers protect your gear and the fully padded insert is removable. Bag is water resistant with antique brass hardware and interior / exterior zip-pockets. The Bossi Bag has metal feet for protection and a zipper top closure.

Held:

• Nikon D700 body with grip
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon SB-800
• Apple iPad2
• Speck iPad2 FitFolio Cover
• Abie Designs camera strap

Measures: 14 x 9 x 6”. $159.00.

Want to achieve a beautifully lit image in any conditions? Master three lighting techniques and you can make it gorgeous anywhere.

In today’s fast-paced world of photography, you have to produce on demand, no matter what the conditions may be. This is especially true for wedding photographers. You can’t change the date of the shoot, so you must be able adapt to ever-changing lighting and weather conditions.

But whether you’re a portrait or wedding photographer, time is money; the more efficiently you can use your surroundings and enhance the light, the more effectively you can deliver above average consistent results. We practice and perfect our capture and lighting strategies so that we can tackle any assignment. We know them backward and forward so that we can implement them seamlessly.

Three lighting techniques should be part of any modern photographer’s repertoire: the use of available light, off-camera flash, and video light techniques.

Available light techniques revolve around working in open shade and using a reflector to accentuate and shape the light on the mask of the face. I use Radio Poppers and Nikon SB800 flashes for my off-camera flash and employ the camera’s high-speed sync capabilities to transform any average scene into a very dramatic one. Video lights enable us to capture images in modern hotels and subtly light the subject’s face without overpowering the background. This method is very fast and what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG).

In these two examples of off-camera light usage, you can easily see how underexposing for the ambient light and adding off-camera flash can dramatically improve the look of your image in bland lighting conditions.

Here we start behind my house against the fireplace on an overcast day. I used a Nikon D700, an 80-200mm lens at 80mm, two Nikon SB900 Speedlights and a RadioPopper to control the flash.  I underexposed for the ambient light 1 to 1.5 stops at 125-second at f/5, ISO 400. The overhead Speedlight is zoomed to 85mm. 

Below, I had a drab cloudy Orlando day to shoot this couple’s portrait.

By underexposing the ambient light 1 to 1.5 stops, I get a dramatic sky. I add light from the upper left with an SB800 Speedlight and use the RadioPopper and the camera's high-speed sync to make the exposure 1/2,500 second at f/4, ISO 400, to illuminate the couple. 

Look for Part II in December’s Web Exclusives, and even more in the February issue of Professional Photographer magazine.

Damon Tucci has been a professional photographer in Central Florida for the past 20 years and has photographed over 2,500 weddings. His award-winning work has been published in Professional Photographer, Rangefinder, Studio Photography and Design, InStyle Weddings, People, Brides and a host of other publications.

Come learn from Damon Tucci at Imaging USA, January 15-17

In My Head: Tapping into the Photographer Mindset
Tuesday, Jan. 17, 3:00-4:30 p.m.
Want to create beautiful images anywhere, anytime? Who doesn’t? Join celebrity wedding and portrait photographer Damon Tucci to learn a methodology and mindset for producing exceptional images on demand. He will delve deep into the psyche of the photo creation process to show you how simple it can be … if you have the acute understanding of timing and technique that he’ll share! You’ll also learn about modern posing and lighting techniques, including off-camera speed lights, available lighting, strobe and video. Come learn Damon’s tried-and-true formula (and reap the benefits).

Do you need gaffer’s tape at all? Yes you do. Unlike duct tape, gaffer’s tape leaves almost no sticky residue, is waterproof, and is easy to cut and deliberately tear. At the same time it is strong and reasonably heat resistant. You might even need different colors of it.

We use gaffer tape for a wide variety of jobs, not only for taping down cables and identifying bits of gear, but also for holding props in place, marking where people need to stand, locking down focus rings (useful for aerial, macro and stitched panoramic photography) and de-linting subjects’ dark clothes. It’s also useful for making minor repairs. But, until recently, the problem with gaffer tape has been that it mostly came in long three-inch wide heavy rolls and only in black, gray, and white. We use gaffer’s tape a lot, but a single full-size roll of the stuff will last me a couple of years at least as mostly we only need small short lengths, unless we're taping down power cords. Rather than buy and carry around full-size rolls of different colors Visual Departure’s microGAFFER packages solve both the space, weight and price problem. It’s also an advantage that it comes in a range of colors.

For starters, the microGAFFER rolls are small—only 1 inch wide and 8 yards long—and come on small cores. A roll is small enough to fit a couple of them in your jeans pocket or in a small camera bag compartment. A package of four rolls is roughly the size of a 50mm Canon or Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens and hood.

Beyond securing cables, gaffer’s tape in different colors works great to create quickly identifiable markers for different tools. You use it to know this power cord goes to this light or this remote goes with this camera, this lens hood goes with this lens, etcetera. Even if you don’t have a lot of gear, this makes for a more efficient way of working and packing up before and after a shoot.

MicroGAFFER tape kits come in four-roll packs and in two options. The monochrome packs contain two black, one gray and one white roll. The microGAFFER Fluorescent tape kits each contain one roll of really bright orange, green, pink and yellow tape. The street price for either kit is $19.95.

Background: So what the heck is a gaffer and why do they have a need for a special type of tape? On a movie or television set, gaffer is the official title for the chief electrician. This means that the gaffer (and the gaffer’s assistant, known as the best boy) and the rest of the electrical department are responsible for all of the lighting instruments, a job that includes making sure all of the electrical cables stay safely and securely connected. Grips, on the other hand, are the people responsible for setting up and rigging the lights and modifiers. The worlds of cinematography and still photography have always borrowed from each other—some tools, like collapsible softboxes, have migrated from the world of still photography to film photography, while other tools—like gaffer’s tape and C-Stands—have migrated the other way. 

While working in the studio, I've become very fond of my studio camera stand. Using a camera stand lets me focus on interacting with my clients, and allows me to set where the camera will be for a series of frames. If need be, I can leave the camera to adjust my client's pose without losing the in-camera composition that I had set up. The one shortcoming to working this way is what to do when you decide to shoot tethered to your computer. While many studio camera stands come with two mounting arms, it's not often you find one pre-equipped with a laptop table. So, after a little research, I found two companies that sell portable laptop stands, or tables. Both of the products I'll be discussing are designed to be installed on your tripod, camera stand, or even a light stand (depending on thread size).

The first table I tested was manufactured by Tether Tools (tethertools.com). Based on my laptop's dimensions, I opted for the Tether Table Aero Traveler (it comes in black or silver). I also received some other optional accessories, including a Secure Strap for securing the laptop to the table, an XDC Solo (external hard drive shelf), cupholder, an Aero ProPad (cushiony pad for on top of the table), and some Jerk Stoppers (tools for keeping your tethered cord securely attached to your camera and computer ports). In the image below, you'll see all these items, including an upside down view of the Aero Tether Table.

The Tether Table comes with three different mounting methods (see below). The knob at upper left is for securing the table to a lightstand (biggest hole). The other two threaded holes are for the standard tripod threads.

I found that the various accessories sold with the Tether Table were helpful in making sure my laptop wouldn't just work its way off the stand. In the image below, you can see the laptop sitting on the non-slip Areo ProPad; it is also secured by the Secure Strap (an elastic strap with hooks at the ends that hold the laptop in place). Additionally, both the front and back edges of the Tether Table have a raised lip, so if you do use this out in the field, you can use it at an angle without having to worry about losing your laptop.

Five years ago, RED announced—with what was to become their signature bravado—that they were going to release a cinema camera that would revolutionize the industry. RED made 4K (4,096x2,304-pixel format) and RAW buzzwords overnight, and they promised that their system had the independent filmmaker in mind at a $17K price point. When the dust settled, it took over a year for RED to release what actually turned out to be a revolutionary camera, the RED One, though the actual cost to get a camera ready to shoot had ballooned to nearly $50K. That $17K price point, huge by amateur standards but a bargain in the film industry where cameras cost as much as Ferraris, must have remained in company founder Jim Jannard's mind, because on Thursday night RED finally released a camera that not only made good on their technological promises but on the dollar amount. RED's new Scarlet-X, the company’s less expensive companion to their higher-end EPIC, can indeed be set up ready to shoot for right around that $17K figure, depending on how many batteries or SSDs (RED’s recording medium) you wish to purchase.

(See how RED Epic is used in a wedding video trailer from Tonaci Visuals.)

RED’s announcement of the Scarlet-X came only hours after Canon had announced their own brand new cinema camera, the EOS C300, priced very similarly to the Scarlet-X at $20K retail with a rumored $16K street price. Based on the success Canon has enjoyed with their video-shooting DSLRs, and in the wake of the announcement of the March release of their flagship EOS-1D X, the C300 is a purpose-built video camera that bears the EOS label and marks the company’s first official foray into a market segment traditionally dominated by Panasonic and Sony.

Canon wasn't satisfied with simply announcing the C300, however. They went on to explain that the C300 was the first in a new Cinema EOS brand that would not only produce video-only cameras like the C300, but also include future DSLR releases designated with the new C that represents the line. Whether this means the well-equipped 1D X or the long-awaited 5D Mark III will be the first of the breed remains to be seen. Regardless, Canon seems to be finally taking the video side of their large-sensor cameras seriously by developing well-considered and designed responses to a rapidly changing camera industry and a more technically demanding user base.

When stacking the principle competition in the price bracket against each other, what advantages do each offer? All three prominent rivals—the previously released Sony PMW-F3, the Canon EOS C300, and the RED Scarlet-X—have Super 35mm sized sensors (roughly the same size of Canon’s APS-C format in use by cameras like the 7D). The Scarlet-X seems to have stolen Canon’s thunder in large part due to their 4K RAW recording, a feature that no other camera can boast in the price class. RED CEO Jim Jannard went so far as to boast that “1080 as a concept is discontinued”; RED’s always had the best hyperbole. Jannard described the camera as a 5K stills shooter as well as a 4K cinema camera, and when configured as such it is highly reminiscent of the Pentax 67ii, that old beast of a medium-format shooter that so many 35mm shooters preferred due to its SLR styling. By emphasizing the Scarlet-X’s still photography capabilities, he both distinguishes it further from the C300 and the Sony F3, and also places it in competition with still-image-priority cameras like the EOS-1D series. In fact, the RED has been used for magazine cover shoots for Vogue, Esquire and Vanity Fair due to its capability of pulling a single, RAW frame at 4K.

Kid In A Candystore

The final image was processed in Lightroom with my Vintage 2 preset, from the Vintage Delish collection. I like the added warmth in the shadows, which feels like chocolate!

One of the best ways to get children to cooperate on a photo shoot is with good, old-fashioned bribes. Candy works really well, so why not do the entire session in a candy store and save a trip! The image I had in my mind was of this little girl sitting on the counter licking a giant lollipop. When we got there, however, the lollipops they had were not actually very giant. I knew I needed a wideangle lens to exaggerate the perspective and make the lollipop look larger than life.

The RayFlash ringlight attachment is an innovative photo tool. It fits to the front of any camera speedlight and encircles the lens. Unlike most other ringlight setups, the RayFlash is completely portable, allowing you to move about and try different angles. It also allows for normal TTL flash operation, so you don’t have to worry about adjusting the light manually. Normally, the RayFlash is used with semiwide to normal perspective lenses, but I decided to use it with a 10.5mm fisheye lens, which has such a wide angle of view that it actually shows the edges of the ringlight. I loved the effect as it felt like looking through a portal to a fantasy world of delectable treats.

A portable speedlight was placed behind the subject to add an edge light and separation from the background. A PowerSnoot from Gary Fong was used to constrain the light to a narrow beam. I balanced my flash exposure with the existing light in the shop using TTL mode on the oncamera flash and manually for the backlight. The second speedlight was triggered by the built-in optical slave, which works fairly well when in close proximity and indoors.

After taking a few images of our little lady delightfully devouring the lollipop, the candy smeared all over her face and an even better image came to light than I originally imagined. Can you say “sugar rush”?

I asked Mom to stand very close and keep an eye on her daughter in case she started to scoot off the edge of the counter. Fortunately, she wasn’t going anywhere—as long as the lollipop lasted.

The original image from the camera

Exposure Info:
10.5mm lens setting
f/4.0 at 1/160 sec. ISO 500
Exposure comp. +/– 0

Tools Used:
Nikon D300s 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye Nikkor lens
RayFlash ringlight from Rogue Imaging
Nikon SB800 Speedlight
Gary Fong PowerSnoot

Go to the jump for two more tutorials!