Category: Photography

Photographer’s Ingredients for Creativity

by Stanley LearyPhotography

Inspiration from Photographers

I have many different things that I use to keep me inspired and keep those creative juices flowing. Another photographer’s work is one of the best ways to be inspired. One of the photographers I have followed my entire career is William Albert Allard.

There are two things that I continue to learn from him. First, I am inspired by his vision and capturing moments. The thing that made his work stand out from so many other photographers through the years was that he could control the exposure in such a way as to create a mood with his photos. He is one of the few photographers of his generation who spent most of his career shooting color.

When I think of his color photos, I think of Allard shaving the exposure ever so slightly to make the reds richer or going the other way and making it more of a pastel.

Preserving people’s dignity is the one thing I admire most about the subjects of Allard’s camera. He often romanticized the characters and made them hero’s by the camera angle, the light, and the moment he decided to capture for the audience.

When I started, I thought I would pick up the camera, walk out the door, and do the same images he captured. Now I understand that William Allard had to get permission to capture those images even more. He didn’t use some technique to squeeze off a frame without them knowing he was there.

Allard wove himself into the fabric of their lives. Once I discovered this about his work, I wanted to hear him speak and find out how he got that kind of access.

Recently I was inspired by Christopher Capozziello, or as his friends call him, “Capi.” Capi decided to do a very personal and intimate story about his relationship with his twin brother Nick who has cerebral palsy. The result was a short film and a book. The book The Distance Between Us is something I would recommend to any storyteller.

Willing to tell your own story as Capi did with his brother Nick really will help him going forward, in my opinion, for a few reasons. First, it showed that he was willing to be vulnerable and transparent. You can tell he was careful to protect his brother, but at the same time, looking for moments that would be appropriate to share helped tell of the struggles not only for Nick for also for Capi himself.

Do I have the right to tell anyone’s story if I am unwilling to be as transparent as Capi?

Inspiration Gear

It is costly to get inspired, but I cannot dismiss this as a way to get those juices flowing. I know of photographers who are frustrated that they have tried almost everything for inspiration to change to a new camera system.

One of the primary driving factors of the mirrorless camera is many photographers are finding their present DSLR cameras limiting them in some way. One of the most significant factors is the weight of cameras. Bill Fortney, retired Nikon Rep, is using the Fuji system. Read his latest blog post-Fuji X-System REPORT CARD – One Year In.

Carrying around a lot of heavy gear all day can keep you from wanting to shoot anymore, so equipment can help keep you inspired.

Inspiration Websites

http://www.daveblackphotography.com/

I go to websites like Dave Black’s for inspiration. Dave is always trying to figure out ways to take his vision and capture it using light. He is constantly pushing the limits using high-speed sync, painting with light, and studying his subject to find those unique moments that he can capture that sets his work apart from the rest of the industry.

Inspiration from Subject Matter

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/2.8, 1/5

Taking my camera with me everywhere I go lets the places I visit help inspire me. So whether I am in Lisbon, Portugal, or my hometown of Roswell, GA, I take photos throughout my day.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 5000, ƒ/3.6, 1/500

Sometimes the photos are just goofy and fun. For example, this I took of us on an airboat in Jacksonville, Florida.

This is a cropped version of the photo below.

What does all this have in common?

Work is what it all has in common, and it isn’t something that drops into your lap.

Inspiration comes from sweat.

Photographers: Speaker’s Kit and Camera Club Kit

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 

Here is my traveling speaking kit. This kit has two speakers, a projector, cables, and a spare bulb inside a Pelican 1650 case with dividers.

Be sure you have the best quality you can afford. So, for example, you would hate to continue to tell the audience if you could see it on my computer screen, you would appreciate it much better, or if we had some speakers, you could hear this much better.

If you are a camera club, invest in a kit that you use to show your member’s work. If you speak to groups, always carry your gear just in case the place you are saying isn’t prepared or has a cheap projector or sound system.

I use two of the Roland CUBE CM-30 speakers [$219]. Two speakers let me have stereo sound out of the sound system.

I have a 1/4″ jack running out of one into the other. I have the audio from the computer running into the Aux 1 jacks for Left & Right.

I can project my voice pretty well, but if needed, I plug my Shure Wireless Lavalier into Channel one and can now also project my voice if required.

This photo is my Shure FP Wireless Bodypack system.

I have an older Panasonic projector [Panasonic PT-LB20VU Projector] that works well. I recommend at least 2000 lumens for light output unless you are projecting to 10 – 12 people in a tiny dark room. Expect to pay between $500 to $1000 for a decent projector.

Here is a link to a collection that might work for your needs.

For a screen, well, this varies a great deal depending on where I am speaking. I have used 11′ seamless paper, white walls, and large screens and often will carry my 5’x7′ fold-up white/black background.

Photographing Concerts I Prefer the Balcony

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.6, 1/45

From a higher perspective, I can see everyone that is performing. While I am back much further, the angle to see everyone is much better than when on the floor.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.6, 1/50

As you can see from the second photo, I miss seeing everyone.

From up high, I chose some overall shots with my Fujinon 18-55mm, but I also spent a lot more time using the Fujinon 55-200mm lens and picking outperformers.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.4, 1/25
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.5, 1/45
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.7, 1/40
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.6, 1/45

As you can see, you can see people’s faces from shooting slightly above them. Now, if the performers were on risers, you may get away from shooting on the main level with them.

While I prefer the upper shots, they are not the only ones I take. So you see, I like to move around and shoot some variety.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/30
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/40

In the lower view, you pick up the heads of the audience, which lets you know there is an audience. The leaders also give a layering effect, so you create more depth in the photograph.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/45

I had to move from the floor to find a shot between the audience’s heads. Go to the balcony if you like to pick a seat and shoot from there. You will be more pleased without moving as much as I had to do to get the variety you see here.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.5, 1/45

Still image is still king in social networking

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Hotel Avenida Palace, downtown Lisbon, Portugal [Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/90]

I am returning after a week-long Visual Storytelling Workshop in Lisbon, Portugal. While doing the workshop, I started watching how the students were already engaging their audience, and then it hit me—The Still Image is King in Social Networking.

 

You can see how Esther Havens successfully shares a photo and gets more than 86 “LIKES” on Facebook. Note one thing different than most people who share photos—CAPTION!

A short caption with a strong image engages enough people to click on “LIKE,” This doesn’t include all the people who saw the picture and may enjoy it even more, but just don’t click “LIKE.”

 

My friend John Spink, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution photographer, shares a personal photo and adds a small caption. Look at the number of LIKES—73 total.

Again the key to pushing those likes up is a robust photo and good caption that entertains those that follow him.

Another friend Chuck Burton, Associated Press Photographer, shares a photo of his dad. Again please notice the image is interesting, and the caption adds more information making the picture more impact. 68—LIKES.

After talking to the students about how they already have an audience, but just to post strong images with a short caption that tells a small story Amanda Ross, one of the students, started doing this and experienced for the first time her posts taking off with “LIKES.”

 

This screenshot is that post that she shared. WOW, 8,2—LIKES.

Social Networking Tip

People enjoy Social Networking because they enjoy the small snippets to catch up and keep connected. The key to being what Seth Godin calls a sneezer is entertaining. It would help if you kept it brief in the social networking circle. If you want to post longer posts, then you need a blog.

If you want to understand the idea of a sneezer, read Seth Godin’s book Unleashing the Ideavirus.

To show how to make your idea infectious, Seth, in his book, examines what makes a powerful ‘sneezer,’ how ‘hives’ work, and applies the concepts of critical velocity, vector, medium, smoothness, persistence, and amplifiers. As Godin shows, the now-familiar idea of viral marketing is one particular form of Ideavirus marketing. Most businesses will not be able to engage in proper viral marketing, but all can use the Ideavirus approach.

I recommend diving into understanding how social networking operates for successful people. For example, we are no longer living in a world where a marketer can effectively just push their agenda. Instead, it would help if you were interested in creating a following.

Read The Power of Pull, which explains how you must create something of interest for people to pay attention to. Just telling people, they need this is not as effective as creating content that draws them to you.

There is another book I would recommend to those trying to get their work viewed and make them relevant for clients to hire regularly.

Seth Godin wrote another top-seller Tribes:We Need You To Lead Us. 

“Real leaders don’t care [about receiving credit]. If it’s about your mission, about spreading the faith, about seeing something happen, not only do you not care about credit, you actually want other people to take credit. There’s no record of Martin Luther King, Jr. or Gandhi whining about credit. Credit isn’t the point. Change is.”
― Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us

Most of the photographers I am meeting are wanting to change the world through their photographs. Many of them call their work humanitarian photography.

If you are wanting your images to change the world let the work speak for itself. Share those images and give people something they can digest in a quick glance on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or whatever social network you choose. The key is the photo, if strong, will stop them and then read your caption.

When people move from “LIKE” to “SHARE” you are now creating change.

What follows after you do this for a while? People will follow you on Twitter and request to friend you on Facebook. If you goal is to get people to follow you then this is where creating a separate page just for your photography can be a good thing. This way you are able to post those images with captions and create a following separate from your close friends.

You can also just share with your friends or the world. Just choose when you post if you want the Public, everyone, or just your friends to see the post.

Why the Still Image is King?

Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables users to send and read short 140-character text messages, called “tweets”. The reason for the success of Twitter is the short message. Instagram even in the name communicates that keeping it quick and short will be more successful than a larger post.

Instant Messaging also is successful due to the brevity of the message.

YouTube has grown as well as it’s own social networking platform. My recommendation is to build a following on a project with still images and captions over a period of time that builds up to the release of the video.

Your audience will be more interested in taking the TIME to watch your video if they have an idea about what it is about. Keeping your teaser short is why trailers for movies exist. Think of the still image as quick trailers that will create the audience for the release of your video.

Your audience will more likely stay tuned into the video if they are willing to commit to the time to watch it. If you are successful as a person worth following they will commit to watching it.

Photos from Sintra, Portugal and Moorish Castle

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 250, ƒ/13, 1/125

We are having a lot of fun here in Lisbon, Portugal, working on our Storytelling this week. We have taken some breaks like here, where we went out to grab some snacks and, on the way back, stopped and got some photos of the landscape.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 800, ƒ/13, 1/500

Here two of the students climbed on top of a van to shoot over the chainlink fence.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/5.6, 1/280

Here is one of the pastries we enjoyed while taking a break and learning more about the culture of Lisbon.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/16, 1/500
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/3.7, 1/1000

Later today, we went over to Sintra, Portugal, where we went to the Moorish Castle. Here are some photos that I took while climbing around the castle.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 400, ƒ/3.9, 1/850

Some tips I can tell you from our outing are to be sure you have your camera with you all the time and to be ready for those special moments. I took with me on the excursion today the Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, and the 55-200mm. I also had two extra batteries, and I did need one of them.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 400, ƒ/3.6, 1/800

Most of the time, I had the 18-55mm camera, which let me shoot semi-wide-angle shots and then some portraits of this lady in front of one of the shops.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 1000, ƒ/4.4, 1/500

I love using the 55-200mm to pick out some close-up shots of elements around the streets of Sintra, Portugal. You can isolate things from all the clutter of the streets.

I hope you enjoy some of the places we have been with our class on Storytelling this week. Later I hope to share some of the stories the student have put together this week. They are still interviewing people and editing their projects. Stay tuned.

Workshops help calibrate you

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/240

When you participate in a photography workshop, as I am doing this week in Portugal, you can see where you are about others. In addition, workshops help you know if you have mastered a skill and subject.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/110

I am on the subway in Lisbon with one of the other instructors James Dockery. We were taking the class to a location to have some time shooting at night on the street.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/240

Here Jeff Raymond, the leader of the workshop, talks to the students about some of the technical settings on cameras.

A suitable workshop will give you some instruction time on new concepts and then some time to execute them and practice using them.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/300

James Dockery talks to the students about his experience as an ESPN editor. Your instructors need to be people at the top of their field who can teach you something you don’t know and leaders in the industry.

Find a challenging workshop that will stretch you.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/30

Find a workshop to give you access to something you want to photograph. Access to a subject you are interested in will help you get excited and stay engaged.

You are also more likely to take photos that you want to share with your friends. In addition, you will be excited to show people what you learned to do.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/2.8, 1/40

You should have fun seeing your instructors show you how to make the most of a situation, as James Dockery did with a lady at the train station in Lisbon. How do you talk to people and engage with them to get a good photograph?

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/9, 1/30

What I like the most about this mission’s storytelling workshop is the support we get from one another. Some workshops can belittle you, so pick one where the instructors and others in the class will be encouragers.

We are working on workshops for the rest of the year to give you an opportunity like the one here in Lisbon. So stay tuned as I show you options to sign up to learn and grow this next year.

Time of day can have a significant impact on your photo.

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 800, ƒ/22, 20sec [10:08 pm]

Plan your travel as best you can to make the most of a given location, especially if you want a great photograph that WOWs.

The first photo here is from dusk. Again, the city’s lights are on, giving the image a lot more pop than this photo taken late in the day.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 500, ƒ/13, 1/500 [7:51 pm]

This morning I woke up and took the exact location early.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 2000, ƒ/18, 1/500 [8:49 am]

As you can see, the exact location looks quite different at different times of the day.

As a storyteller, which photo best helps you tell the story when you first think of Lisbon, Portugal? By the end of this week of teaching storytelling in Lisbon, Portugal, I might pick a different photo than when I started, but now I have options.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 800, ƒ/20, 5sec [10:11 pm]

Here is another perspective from where I was shooting the other photos. Here it is at dusk, and here it is just an hour earlier.

Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 2000, ƒ/13, 1/500 [8:59 pm]

I liked the location so much that I made a panoramic of the spot. Click on it to see it larger.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 800, ƒ/22, 1.6sec [10:07 pm]

Covering a concert with Fuji X-E2

by Stanley LearyPhotography
Fuji X-E2, 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/5, 1/80

Fujifilm X E-2 Firmware 2.00, XF 55-200mm Firmware 1.11

No Flash

First, you will not be allowed to use a flash in most venues. This is because in theaters, for the most part, if it is a decent venue, then the lighting will look better than what we can do with a flash.

In this wide shot, I captured the performer’s name and the concert tour name on the wall with the singer on stage. In general, I find the super wide shots are seldom unless you are right up on the stage down the front.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/5, 1/200, 57mm

You will most likely be in the audience and away from the stage. So I recommend a longer zoom lens like the Fujinon 55-200mm lens. Even in this photo, I am not as tight as I usually like to shoot. The wide shots, if they have an excellent light setup, can capture that, but the stage lights shift colors for the most part.

White Balance

The biggest mistake you can make shooting a concert is AWB when it comes to color. The stage lighting will be every color you can imagine, but on AWB, your paint when it comes to skin tones will be very rarely on target.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 2500, ƒ/4.8, 1/200

You can do a few things that give you a good skin tone. For example, I would love to go onto the stage and get a white balance reading using the ExpoDisc, and when the promoters hire me to shoot the concert, this is what I do.

In this case, we had tickets like everyone else in the room. So no way were they going to let me on stage. So this is where some of the presets your camera has will give you a close white balance that will not shift all around due to them changing the color gels on the lights.

There are two places to start. I usually start with the Tungsten setting. In the Quick Menu, it is in the top far right corner and looks like a light bulb. Tungsten is the setting that I used for this concert.

Occasionally the setting is the daylight setting. There are a few occasions where you might find that setting the Kelvin to a color temperature might work. The color temperature for the LED lights tends to be 2,700 to 10,000 range. If you are doing this from your seat, I can tell you a great place to see if your light is close.

Here I am zooming in on the photo.

Zoom in until you see a microphone. Many of the microphones are close to 18% gray. So if the microphone looks good, then you are pretty close.

You must set the color temperature and then leave it through the show. As the lighting guys change the color temperature of the lights to create different moods, will your images be very close to the color they were trying to achieve?

I love the Fujinon XF 55-200mm lens for shooting a concert. I can keep mainly this lens on the camera for most of the shooting and occasionally get some overall shots with a wider lens like the Fujinon XF 18-55mm.

Here are my Quick Menu Settings that I use for the concert:

I am shooting RAW and Fine JPEG for a reason. First, I love to use the Wi-Fi on the Fuji X-E2 and send a few photos while I am shooting to my phone and up to social media like Facebook or Twitter, and you can only do this when you shoot JPEG. Second, I prefer working with a RAW file when I edit in Lightroom, and this is what I want to use later for anything beyond a quick Facebook post.

Here you can see a more detailed setup of my AUTO ISO for the concert. I have the range of ISO 200 to 6400 and the minimum shutter speed of 1/200 selected. The only time the camera will drop below 1/200 is if it is more significant than ISO of 6400 and there still is not enough light; it will go below 1/200. With the first picture on top, the camera dropped to 1/80 to capture the light in the whole theater.

Big Plus of Fuji X-E2

When shooting a concert like this with my Nikon D4, I must shoot a shot and then look at the photo to see if the results are what I am looking for in the final image. I may use the histogram, but the LCD will let me see a good ballpark idea of if the performer’s face is overexposed or not.

With the Fuji X-E2, I see, for the most part, precisely what the final image will look like with the viewfinder since it is an Electronic ViewFinder EVF.

As I look through the viewfinder, I am turning the Exposure Compensation Dial down to -1 EV, and sometimes I was down to -2 EV.

Here are more photos for you with the settings listed below for each image from the concert.

http://www.stanleylearystoryteller.com/SpencerDay/index.html

Photographers you will lose clients

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 

Sometimes you will feel like this UNC football player struggling against LSU. Your competition seems to have the upper hand; no matter what you do, nothing seems to be working.

No matter which plays you run, you feel that you have it in for you. But, unfortunately, your competition is taking you down day after day.

You then try to take them out in some way, and they seem to be just beyond your reach, and you cannot catch them at all.

Why the sports analogy?

How many teams this year will have a losing season? How many teams pack it up and get out of the game?

It would help if you acknowledged first that you would lose occasionally. For example, the Super Bowl Champions this year were the Seattle Seahawks. They lost three games last year and were the best team in the league. However, the Super Bowl Champions rarely have a perfect record if they do the year before or after losses.

It would help if you were realistic about how often you lose a client. It happens for a variety of reasons. Most of the reasons you fail a client are often out of your control. You played your best possible game, and the other team had some advantage that day.

Do you have cheerleaders?

One of the best things I have going for me is my family that cheers me on every day. I even have some clients that sell me to their friends, and that helps me get new clients.

Sometimes it is just one person that helps keep you going, but that is what you need. Be sure you have people around you that are your cheerleaders.

Do you have a coach?

Also, it would help if you had a coach. A coach is watching what you are doing and talking to you about your strategy. You can have people cheering you on that want you to succeed, and without the coach to give you a reality check, you will soon disappear from the industry.

Take the time to do like every football team and review the games’ tapes. Then, analyze your actions and see if there is something you can do to improve your game.

Another thing that all sports teams do before playing a team is to analyze their game footage. Remember, those who are beating you all the time know your game. They beat you because they can see your weakness and exploit that with the client.

Did you see the NFL draft?

Last night the NFL teams picked new talent and traded talent off their teams. They have analyzed their weaknesses and are making changes for next season.

This summer, they will have more workouts and refine their team than today.

What are you doing today that you need to stop? What are you not offering your clients that you need to add to your skills?

If you have been through a losing season, this is the time to rebuild. Maybe you need to go to a workshop like the NPPA Multimedia Immersion Workshop, where you learn how to tell stories using audio, video, and stills.

Call me and take a one-day personal workshop on lighting or business practices. A workshop is a capital investment. Like the teams that pay a lot to get the first-round pick, you need to invest in your business, or you may have another losing season.

My Packing Tips For Photographers And Assistants Flying.

by Stanley LearyPhotography

My international kit goes into three bags. 1) ThinkTank Airport TakeOff™ Rolling Camera Bag, 2) ThinkTank Urban Disguise® 60, and 3) Travelpro Luggage Crew 9 26-Inch Expandable Rollaboard Suiter Bag [not shown] 

Flying internationally puts stress on the most seasoned photographers. One of the main reasons is preparing for the travel to your location with Murphy’s Law driving your decisions.

Assistants Tip #1

Interior of ThinkTank Airport TakeOff™ Rolling Camera Bag fully packed.

If you are a photo assistant, your priority is keeping track of all the photographer’s gear and packing it precisely how the photographer packed it. Please take photos of the bag to reference it later to repack it.

You may ask why you put it exactly back where you started. A typical photographer will have a lot of little stuff they may use on any job. When the assistant cannot put their hands on it, the photographer will go first to where they last put it.

Photographers Tip #1

Everything you carry should have a home spot—[a home when not in use]. Having a home for gear will help you quickly find it when you need it, and also, when you are packing up to go, you can easily see what is not in place to know you are missing something.

Having a system will help you and every assistant that works for you.

International Travel with Credit Cards

Call your credit card companies before you travel. Let them know what countries you are going to and the travel dates. Connecting with the credit card company will keep your card from being frozen and you not being able to use it while traveling.

I often find that using a credit card gives me the best purchase exchange rate.

Telephone and Data Plans

Contact your provider and find the best plan for your travel. Verizon, for example, has a few different methods to keep you from getting stuck with a high bill.

The most important reason for contacting them is to know the situation rates while not in your home country. You generally want to review phone call rates, Text Rates, and Data rates.

For the most part, you are better off finding a local Wi-Fi, using it, and connecting with family and friends through emails and Skype over phone calls.

I recommend having an auto-email response that lets people know you may take a little longer to respond, and the same goes with a voicemail saying you are in meetings and will respond as soon as possible.

My International Kit

Packing for a road trip or domestic travel is much easier than international travel. However, domestic travel is a piece of cake if you can pack and travel internationally.

I usually travel alone with no assistance when I travel. The type of work clients typically hire me to do is a one-person band operation. I provide stills, video, and audio from my coverages. I am combining these mediums into a package. For example, this is a typical package I might produce on an overseas range.

So, I carry enough gear to do this in the smallest possible way to fly by myself.

I am constantly checking my TravelPro bag. Typically, what I carry in this bag:

  • Clothing that is all wick-away material that can be easily washed in a sink even and air-dried
    • Four shirts
    • Four pants
    • Four sets of underwear/socks
    • Safari hat
    • Windbreaker with a hoodie
  • Toiletries
  • Camera Gear
    • two tripods
    • two small light stands
    • two LED light sources 

I am carrying on the plane my 1) ThinkTank Airport TakeOff™ Rolling Camera Bag and 2)  ThinkTank Urban Disguise® 60. The rolling bag is my carry-on luggage that must meet international standards. The maximum safe size is 45”, in the form of a 22” x 14” x 9” bag. Some airlines allow up to as much as 55”, but most do not. The Airport TakeOff Exterior Dimensions: 14” W x 21” H x 8” D.

Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag

When I fly internationally and know an airline like Delta, I will fly with the Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag. I can get more gear into this bag. Both rolling bags convert into a backpack, which comes in handy when you are in places where you cannot roll your bag.

The Interior of my Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag is fully packed.

While on the plane, my ThinkTank Urban Disguise® 60 carries a lot of stuff, and when I arrive, I change things around to use this as my working bag.

Inside the ThinkTank Urban Disguise® 60

  • MacBook Pro 15”
  • Two exterior hard drives
    • Mirror backup of hard drive
    • Exterior for all images and video
  • Headphones for video, but also to use on the plane
  • iPad 
  • Power cords for
    • Mac
    • iPad
    • Phone
  • Computer peripherals
    •  XQD Card Reader
    • Compact Flash Card Reader

Packing your gear with ThinkTank organizers

Think Tank Cable Management is excellent for all your cables
Think Tank Power House is designed for the Apple line of products to organize those charges and power supplies.
ThinkTank Red Whips come with an organizing bag, but you can buy them individually to keep your cables wrapped.

We often talk about Digital Workflow and think mainly of digital capture to post-production, but just as important is thinking of your entire workflow. For example, researching the airlines and knowing everything about your travel can help you prepare for Murphy’s Law.

Last Tip

Since I have traveled overseas, I have always visited the U.S. Customs office and registered my gear using the CBP Form 4457. CBP Form 4457 records personal items before you travel abroad to clear customs quickly when you bring those personal effects back to the United States. CBP Form 4457 shows that you had the things before leaving the U.S., allowing a duty-free re-entry back to the U.S. Items may include watches, laptop computers, or firearms  – those with serial numbers or other unique permanent markings and other descriptions.

I have never had to use or show this form, but I always fill one out for the sole reason that Murphy’s Law exists.

Remember Murphy’s Law states: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. So be prepared.

Here is a quick video showing how I pack for carry-on when traveling internationally.

Fuijifilm X-E2 firmware upgrade 2.00 is major for me

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.4, 1/55

The firmware update Ver. 2.00 from Ver. 1.20 has made a massive difference in my experience when it comes to focusing. While nowhere in the information about the changes is the focusing improvement mentioned, I noticed considerably better performance.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/150

Frankly, I was getting quite frustrated with the camera when it came to focusing, which was then screwing up my ability to capture “the moment.” Last night at my daughter’s Spring Orchestra concert, I could grab moments like the peak consistently when the conductor had their arms up and where I could capture what reads much more accessible than where you cannot see her arms.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/5, 1/200

The upgraded information said:

The firmware will shorten the display lag** for X-E2’s Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) to less than 1/10 compared to that of the current firmware to the world’s fastest 0.005 seconds for ultimate performance which has been invented as Real Time Viewfinder, featured in X-T1. Also it enhances the frame rate of the viewfinder and the highest frame rate is maintained even in low light conditions or night-time photography, providing smooth live view images through the lens.

My experience before the firmware upgrade was a great deal of focus hunting to lock in on a focus point.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.8, 1/550

The camera would take the photo, and then when I would press the shutter again, keeping the same composition and just wanting a second photo, the camera would hunt again to lock in on the focus point. Now the camera was no longer hunting, and the moments were much easier to obtain.

Fuji X-E2, 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/4.7, 1/180

The framerate was impacting my focus, and I didn’t know this was the problem. However, now I cannot see a good reason to buy the X-T1 since I purchased it to have a smaller profile, which meets that standard.

Fuji is doing what other manufacturers are afraid to do because the other manufacturers fear a loss in sales. For the most part, the firmware upgrade makes the differences between the X-T1 and X-E2 minor and makes me want another X-E2.

The biggest mistake made by photographers

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 

My most challenging assignments are the most personal ones to cover for our family. So while I want to sit back and enjoy myself, I also want to record these milestones in our family life.

When I arrive to cover an event, I often set up strobes to ensure I get good light on the people’s faces. For this event, I set up two strobes off to the sides to be sure the speakers had a good morning.

I took this photo without the flashes going off, so I have circled where they are in the room. The flash on the left is the Nikon SB-800, and the one on the right is my Nikon SB-900.

They are both on the Pocketwizard TT5. I use Manfrotto 5001B Nano Black Light Stand – 6.2′ (1.9m). I chose this light stand because of how small it folds up [19.3″ (49cm)] for easy travel through airports. To connect the Pocketwizard TT5 to the light stand, I am using Interfit Metal Umbrella Bracket with an Adjustable Flash Shoe.

To trigger the flashes, I am using the Pocketwizard TT1 with the AC3 to control the flash output on the TTL setting. This way, the camera sensor helps determine the flash output of the flashes.

I guess this involves pulling out the camera and shooting some available light photos or even using an on-camera flash. I want the images to look great, not just usable. I am documenting the most critical events in our family history. My family will cherish these photos much more than if I had great pictures of the President of the United States.

What is the biggest mistake made by photographers? Photographers often put more effort into covering events for clients and not enough into their own families. What is the most important?

While your clients will pay the bills, your friends and family events are the ones that help in making them rememberable.

Do you know what happens when you do this consistently? Your clients also get your best coverage—you are treating them as family. Every business should do the same thing for their families, treating them with your best efforts.