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Is The Profoto Pro-D3 a Viable Alternative to Pro Packs?
I love Pro Packs and have used them for a number of years in my work. Their reliability, power ratios, and quality of light are unmatched, but so is their price. If you’re looking to get a new Profoto Pro-11 pack, you’re looking to pay about the same price as a nearly new Toyota Corrola – at the…
3D Prints for Photographers & Videographers
A few months ago, I was spending a lot of time looking for a converter ring that would convert Bowen mount lights, so that they worked for Profoto modifiers. The system seems simple enough, but like so many other times in my career as a photographer, I could not find this tool that would be so…
A Deep Dive Into Manually Focusing MILCs
This post is of interest to any user of a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC). I’ve illustrated it with images from the Fujifilm GFX 100. Here’s the Cliff Notes version: 1. Use as much magnification as you can subject to 2, below 2. Use a low peaking sensitivity to produce visible peaking…
Should I Buy a Medium-Format Digital Camera?
I get asked this question a lot; so often, I will write a general response. This doesn’t replace the personalized advice that I have given and will continue to give, but it will add to it. For whom is this article intended? I’m thinking of someone who already owns an interchangeable lens full frame…
Best Travel Cameras for 2024
Travel offers the chance to witness unforgettable sights and experiences, and having a good camera is an ideal way to capture those moments. But the best camera in the world doesn’t always make the best travel camera. You want something relatively easy to use, compact, and feature-rich. Given these…
Customer Story – How Jonathan Harper Photographs Cars in Unique Ways
If there was ever a type of camera that you could clearly define as a niche product, it would probably be infrared converted cameras. While very neat from a technological perspective, they don’t get a lot of use in the professional photography world. When you think of infrared photography, you…
Lighting Styles to Try on Your Next Studio Photoshoot
When it comes to photography, my love for it is built around my passion for shaping light in new and creative ways. So every now and then, when I come up with some interesting ways to light things, I like to share that process with you on this blog. If you’re a long-time reader, you know I’ve done…
Grids, Flags, Snoots & Fresnels (Oh My)
When you start diving into the world of lighting, you will likely run into several questions regarding products that are seemingly the same thing – or at least achieving the same thing. How does a snoot differ from a Fresnel? What’s the difference between using a grid, and using a black flag to…
Guide to Buying Used Photo & Video Gear
Purchasing equipment from the used market can be an effective way to save money. However, there is a risk of ending up with subpar or defective items, such as a damaged lens or broken gear, with no option for return. Given our extensive experience handling thousands of pieces of equipment daily, we…
A Conversation About Color Calibration
I recently worked with a retoucher, as I needed help with some pesky skin texture that my normal retouching techniques weren’t working on. Following that help, the retoucher asked how I was able to get great skin tones straight from the camera (she’s one of the few who actually sees the RAW images…
Investigating the Medium Format Look
I’ve been a fan of digital medium format for a long time. 10 years in fact, first shooting with a Hasselblad H4-D50C, and then with the PhaseOne IQ250, only to be using my current camera with the Fuji GFX 100S. But my love for medium format has always been with the resolution available in medium…
How Photographers & Videographers Bring the 2024 Olympics Together
There have been some incredible photo and video moments from the 2024 Paris Olympics this year – highlighting incredible moments of victory for the world’s greatest athletes. However, many people don’t realize the amount of pre-production that goes into gearing up for the Olympics, so much so that…